Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 932 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

wd bom SS ee 10 But she said she did not care then for fruit. and, hastening on, she was soon in the Elevated cars, going up to her home. Arriving at the cottage, she called Widow Herbert and requested that she impress upon her mind that she saw her return home the night before, and at what time, while she was accompanied by her music teacher, Professor Spinola, who came in for an hour or more and Sat upon the piazza. Mrs. Herbert was 4 good woman, and she had not forgotten that New York Nat had saved her two children from drowning one day in the river, and that for a while he had boarded with her, and afterward brought his sisier there to live. She loved both Nat and Olive as her own children, but “Professor Spinola” she only knew as the girl’s music teacher, and, as she thought, a man much inter- ested in her, more so tham from love of music alone. She knew that Olive had different vis- itors, never penetrating the disguise that Nat wore, for he was his sister’s sole caller. Mrs. Herbert had seen Olive return, the professor with her, and she said so. That was all the Girl Queen wanted. It was just a quarter after three when Olive saw a carriage approaching® the cottage. She was reclining in an easy chair upon the piazza, reading a book. The Chief alighted from the carriage, threw away a cigar at the little gate, and raised his hat with marked courtesy, as he saw a beautiful young girl rise to greet him. “T am searching for the Widow Her- bert’s cottage, miss, and ‘there are no numbers on this street.” “This is the cottage, sir. and I will call Mrs. Herbert.’” “Pardon me, but are you Mrs. Her- bert’s daughter?” “JT am not, sir; I am Miss Chandler.” “Ah! Miss Olive Chandler?’ “ Yes, sir.” “Then my business is with you, Miss Chandler.” * Indeed, sir.” “Yes, Will you be seated while we have a short talk together?” “ Certainly, sir.” “You have a beautiful view from your cottage here.” *T enjoy it, sir.” “May I ask if you know a man by the name of Professor Herman Spinola?’ “Oh, yes, sir; he is my teacher.” “What do you know of him?’ “He lives with his mother at No. — East — street.” “Yes.”’ ‘And I go, there for my lessons.” “Have you known the professor long?” “ Yes, sir; for quite a while.” “When did you first meet him?’ “Years, ago, sir.” * Where?’ “On Long Island. “My brother recommended him to me as a tesecher.”’ “Where are your parents?” “Pardon me, sir, but you are a stranger to me, and your visit and questioning are something quite unusual,” said Olive, coldly. “Have patience, my dear young lady, and I will fully explain later.” Be seated, - “Upon these conditions, sir, I will an- swer you. “T am an orphan.” “ And your brother?” “Ts my sole protector; but he is away, now, for he has business that frequently calls him West.” “When did you see Professor Spinola New York Nat’s Drop. ‘Last night, sir.” “At what time?’ ‘“I dined with the professor and his mother, and he escorted me home,” and Olive could hardly suppress a smile at the peculiar, yet very truthful admission. “ And what time did you reach home?’ “It was early in the evening.” “When did the professor leave?’ “IT will ask Mrs. Herbert, if it is im- portant, for she knows just when he left.” “Please do so.” Mrs. Herbert was called and stated the hour. ‘Which way did he go from here?’ “He generally follows the ridge along to the cross street cut through below here, and, crossing the Boulevard, goes to the Elevated station.” “Thank you.” ‘*Now, Miss Chandler, I will tell you why I have been so inquisitive. “Upon his way home last night the professor met with quite an adventure,” and the Chief went on to tell the story of Colonel Bradford’s murder as he knew it, and the good Iuek that had befallen the professor in the legacy left him. ‘‘IT am very glad to know of his good fortune, sir, but regret that it should have been received through the death of the generous gentleman.” ‘Now, Miss Chandler,” Chief: “There were detectives who, not able to find the murderer, at once jumped at the conclusion that the professor was the accomplice.” . “ How wicked of them.” “Yes, but men in my profession, like doctors and lawyers, often err. “It was to prove an alibi, as it were, for the professor, that I came to see you. “T wished to prove that there was no collusion between Professor Spinola and the murderer, and I have done so to my utmost satisfaction, and will tell you that I have seen him and his mother also, and all reports agree in his favor.” “Tt eannot be otherwise, sir,” and Olive bowed the Chief out, ard as he drove away, broke into hearty laughter and said: “Well, I played my part well, if it is self-praise to say so.”’ resumed the CHAPTER XVI. A MURDERER’S MUSINGS. The shadower kept up his disguise of an Italian, and sold fruit from his push ‘art about the neighborhood, but Kept generally near the stand where he could keep an eye upon the Ferrets’ retreat. It did not take him long to see that something was happening there, for ap- parently pupils of both sexes were going to and coming from-the house regularly. Having been one of the elnn himself, he recognized them as Ferrets in disguise. He saw the carriage stop at the door, and ‘the Chief of the Secret Service enter the house and remain for fully an hour. “Tt’s that murder case last night, and New York Nat is playing some deep game, but the Chief goes there alone and there does not appear yet to be a discovery. “T’ll see what the sfternoon papers have to say,” mused Sykes, as he saw the Chief’s corriage drive away. When the “Telegram” é¢ame eft at noon the pretended Italian bought one, and selling fruit was forgotten, as he sat down upon a stool he earriéd with him to read the account of the Miirder of the night before. i Le The headlines at once caught his eye: A MURDER ON THE BOULEVARD. A RICH COLORADO MINER STABBED BY AN UNKNOWN ASSASSIN. Va Dp LL ttl, th an ttt tat Senn EE —_—— i ——— i LT = a NO CLEW TO THE MURDERER. SAVED FROM BEING ROBBED BY A GER- MAN MUSIC TEACHER, WHO WENT TO THE RESCUE OF THE WOUNDED MAN, A GENEROUS LEGACY GIVEN HIS RES- CUER BY THE DYING MAN, The shadower eagerly scanned the head- lines and muttered an oath. Then he read the story of the murder as told by the reporters, and found who it was that had gone to the rescue of the miner, and what had been his reward. He also learned that the man had died from the knife wound dealt him in the back, and that the professor was none other than New York Nat, Sykes well knew. “That boy was born for luck,” he mut- tered, as he read the account. | “ Of course, in taking the stranger to the hospital New York Nat had to give his name and address. ‘He got the ten thousand in good money, and has it hidden in his retreat. That is certain. “ He knew the Chief would call, or some officer, and so prepared for them, as those pretended pupils are all Ferrets of the clan. “ Of course he played his hand so well the Chief suspected nothing, and all is well for New York Nat—at present. “Ten thousand dollars that stranger had with him in one wallet, and hundreds more in his purse, while the report says that he had three diamond studs worth a couple of thousand dollars, diamond sleeve buttons and a ring with oue stone -worth a thousand. “It was that sparkler in his scarf end the one on his finger as he passed me that dazzled my eye, and made me run ahead to down him. ; * He was a fool to wear a fortune like that in sight. “And I lost all through Nat. ‘Well, my revenge shall be sweeter. “But New York Nat has that money in his den and I will get it. . “JT cannot act now, for he is playing i game, keeping up appearances as a music teacher, and has got Rip well hid- den, Vill warrant. “But matters will quiet down in a day or two and then I can act. “Rip sent me to see a Man as a go- between who has had to skip the town, so I will not let another into the secret, but act myself. ° “In fact, after I bleed Rip for all he knows and ¢an give up, Vl put him out of the way, for why share what I get, when it is only to take a life and have all. New York down him and leave him in the place and get out, having all arrangements made to sell out the band to the Chief, and to accept Nat’s bribe not to betray him, all on the same night. “JT will play them in a disguise they will never suspect. “Yes, matters look bright for me, and— ah! what a thought comes to me! “Tl prepare a note—no, I'll write it in blood on the wall with my finger, leay- ing Rip dead there, and stating that New York Nut killed him, saying he was a traitor. “This, supposed to be scrawled by Rip, will hang New York Nat. “ By Satan, my Patron Saint, but mat- ters look bright for me to have my re- venge and get a fortune to boot. “But I'll go slow and make no mis- take.” | Such were the musings of the self-con- fessed murderer, and so deeply was he lost in reverie that he allowed several comic las le wet eRe ss. s 4 “T'll play Rip for all he is worth; then , } * , 2 . , i * - i os 4 © J he m 2 ’ — PS