Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 932 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~ » * Al i 2 he . 4 r 7 2) ' . v J - 4 an re) os a ~ customers to go by him, they not being able to attract his attention. Thus the day passed, and curious peo ple, reading the name and address of the professor in the papers, began to haunt the place to try and get a glimpse of the brave man who had gone to the rescue of the rich miner and gotten such a rich reward for doing so. Reporters called to interview him, but the bell had been detached, and no one came to the door in answer to the knocks. The “pupils” were interviewed regarding their teacher, but they soon had orders to give up {heir lessons until the public curiosity in the affair had passed, and so the professor’s ‘house looked deserted, while a notice on the sign read: “Gone out of the city for a few days.” All this delayed the plot of Sykes and Rip. The latter lay in his room in irons, with Guard as a devoted sentinel over him, and he was well aware that some- thing had gone wrong, but what it was he could not understand, and New York Nat, who only left the house for his own and Rip’s meals, told him nothing. So the young Ferret prisoner could only bide his time and wait, feeling assured that Sykes was still shadowing the house, but dare not come in, as he must know that New York Nat was there. Thus days passed away, and like all happenings in New York, the murder of the miner and the professor’s legacy ‘were quickly forgotten. CHAPTER ‘ER XVII. TO BE HUNTED DOWN. New York Nat and all of his faithful clan, from the Girl Queen down to the youngest and least important member, were under a very severe strain for the days immediately following the murder of the Colorado miner. Wishing to remain wholly unknown, and to keep their retreat a secret, they were horrified to feel that their young captain was an object of general attention, and their rendezvous was visited by many, at least the outside of it was. They saw the accounts in the papers, and wondered if it was possible for all this publicity to be given and their secret yet remain unknown. But as they read of some of the detec- tives having suggested Nat as the accom- plice of the murderer, the visit of the chief of the Secret Service to the professor, and the clever manner in which their captain had met evéry turn in the affair, the Fer- vets gained confidence and felt that the one who so ably guided their destinies would outwit the entire police and detec- Hea force. They had received orders to stay away * from* their retreat, while Olive had gone “there as the “mother” of the professor, ae oe and taken up her quarters. ae f 3 ma os At last, as New York Nat had his whole lan working on the outside, it was re- orted to him that no more detectives or “4 ir reporters haunted the neighborhood, and the public had begun to regard the affair as a dead letter. om Sykes had really returned, and it was _ sure that he was bent on mischief. to his Bo old comrades, | A description of him was given, and the oy ay i Markets were told to be on the watch for m in any disguise they might suspect = him of assuming. The Ferret who was employed at Police ! S Teadquarters was on the watch particu- oe a satty,, and he had kept Nat posted as to we movements of the detectives, and re- Ee por ted. ich, sthe retreat S no longer un- | ona ee moa Hea er . . ‘ aan Kare Ne sue ie 4 aaa fey) ag eee The report had been made by Nat that New ‘York Nat’s Drop. a a a ee New York Nat had let the siatindad of the band know that he had secret proof of who Colonel Bradford’s murderer was, and with this statement urged them the more to find the traitor Ferret, Sykes. The family of Colonel Bradford had written the Chief of the Secret Service to offer a reward of ten thousand dollars for the discovery of the murderer, while the city also posted a sum for his capture of two thousand more, and these sums caused detectives and police to be untiring in their search and efforts to Gnearth the mysterious assassin. And all this time Sykes, in his disguise of an Italian, saw officers of the law each hour of the day, and, secure in his make- up, still shadowed the retreat of the Un- known Ferrets, which he was plotting and planning to betray, when the time came for him to strike. When Nat and his sister had talked the matter over, and they felt convinced that their retreat was no longer watched, the young Ferret captain said: “ Now, sis, I am going to stop all other work and have the whole band put upon one thing.” “ What is that, Nat?’ “To hunt down Sykes.” ‘‘It is important, for if he is back, and you saw him watching the house, he means to betray us.” “T am not very anxidus on that score, for he is a murderer, you know, and will have to suffer if he is known; but I do expect he will in some way work around either to force us to bribe him to silence or to sell us out.” “You would not pay a bribe?” . “Not a cent, for I would have him in closer quarters than he has us the mo- ment he attempted to show his hand. ‘But just now Sykes is most valuable to us.” “Yes; we must find him.” “The boys are doing their best; but let me tell you that he is worth just twelve thousand dollars tous.” “How do you make that out, Nat?” “You saw that the Bradford family offered ten thousand for the murderer of the colonel?” os Yes. $9 “And the city offers two thousand more,” “i nee; “That is the sum Sykes is worth to us —twelve thousand dollars.” = os rewards? ““'To capture him is to get thém. by “ Why, brother, do you think Sykes was the murderer of Colonel Bradford?” “I know it, sis.’’ “ You very seldom make reckless asser- tions, Nat.” “I do not now make one, for Sykes killed Colonel Bradford, and I have the proof of it. “Do you recognize this knife?’ “Yes, indeed; it was one a sailor gave you long ago, ‘and you were told, when you lost it, that Sykes stole it from you.” * Yes; and he has the scabbard.” - rs Why, there is blood on it, Nat.” “Yes, Colonel Bradford's blood, for I did not wipe it all off.” “* Where did you get it?” “ Colonel Bradford must have wrenched it from his murderer, for I picked it up where the struggle was, but said nothing about it.” “Tt is telltale evidence against Sykes, 999 and if we can catch him we'll find the scabbard, which is of silver, you remember. " Now, Sykes dogged us home that night, and, returning. saw Colonel Brad- | his. Bamgud, and | y ford, caught sight of to coe Tob BR J Aeees y' hs ata <5 at aha 4° i = 7 7 what has Sykes to do with. those’ ing been treated with - é " 1 i IT ey - ‘ e . : al a . pei, 4 A anf) 4 ee “We must find Sykes, Olive.” * We must, indeed, Nat,” was the earn- est response. CHAPTER XVIII. A CASE OF DOG EAT DOG. 4 ‘‘Now is my time.” So said the shadower one morning wher he saw New York Nat leave the house. Keno was with him, and Sykes had seen the latter go to the retreat half an hour before. They halted at his push cart, and Nat said: * Keno, I'll buy a lot of fruit for Rip, as I will be away all day, so you can take it back to him, while 1 go and see the Queen, but I'll meet you sharp at eleven where we said.” “Yes; I'll be there.” So Nat bought some bananas and oranges, and Keno took them back to the retreat. ahis conversation the shadower over heard. . ‘Be away all day, will he? PA “Now is my time, and ru go aS SOOTxk as IKteno leaves the house.” Sach So muttered the shadower, and when he _— saw Nat disappear, and Keno soon after: — come out of the retreat, he wheeled his: eart rapidly away. | He was soon in his own home, and rap- idly making up as the plumber, for he Wished to take no chances with Guard. On his way he stopped at a butcher shop and bought some very tempting mor- sels of meat for the dog. =e With dirt-begrimed face, his canvas rol , of tools, and rough dress, Sykes looked, indeed very little like the Italian he had impersonated half an hour before., cs Arriving at the house, he boldly ascend--, _ ed the steps and pretended to be working: erat on the door. exis In reality he was trying to fit a pass key to the lock, ae He began to grow nervous and white as key after key, from a large bunch he had, a4 ¢ > 8 . PO ~ , ee t wea ar i Be © be | Sah LL se - ‘’ \ os. ‘ 2 ahad : - be Dn > ta lee” Sy “J | sfailed to fit, but his face flushed with joy. o ba very last one he had turned in the Rot fe oc “Why didn’t I try growled. The second door’ was opened the same-, es a way. ’ Bee” But Sykes knew that he was to haye a Sy re welcome of some kind. | . - a He had heard a sound within, and Mes Bs was well aware that the keen ears of ore Guard had heard the sound at the door Bo: and he was there to greet friend or foe. =. ~ He merely opened the door an inch and saw Guard. woh “Good dog! “sg Ee “Fine old Guard,” he said, coaxingly, _ pocketing his keys and. bringing his bundle 2 that first?” he = from the butcher shop into view. . 3 ad Pa ‘ Guard knew the voice, recognized the — meat, He neither growled nor sprang at the :) Gaining courage, the shadower stepped 2 : within and closed the door behind him, ~~ ee appreciated it. Fror: But there was something about the say-- “y cirt-begrimed face, and smelt the fresh — nee 4 visitor. : nies oc Guard was at once given a treat, and age-looking brute that warned the ohpaoy 4 ower to go slow, not to take any very great liberty. tr So he began to go over the beaten t is. of his former visits, looking at the 8 ei ing, until finally he worked his way Dp stairs, the dog Close at his heels, oh “a another ta err eee seep re re Seta a: . m cot, as ome one W SO: mne 3 ae - + : . 7 # * 2 Senne ~ Ves ROWE Books com