Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 938 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

be wee rr roe EI 16 “@nre enough—why not call around near where Jugs Brown lives? Jugs wasn’t over in Brooklyn with his dear friend Sporty Stanford, so he must hey’ been in New York. Ill canter around there an’. see w’ot I kin git my lamps onter.” Acting on this plan he and. ine due time he reached where he knew. Jugs made The hunt began. set off briskly, the bloek bis home. ——_— OHAPTER XYII. THE RESULTS OF THE RAID. Jugs Brown was not visible when Jim sighted his house, but he stood and watched it sharply. It was a tenement house of some pretensions to outward de- cency, but Jim knew the police had made many a haul from there that had rein- forced the ranks of Sing Sing convicts. While he was considering how to act he was ealled by name. “ Hullo, Jingo Jim, how’s kangaroos?” James turned quickly and saw a boy of about his own years. “Hey, that you, Skipsey?” he cried, * You live near here?” * Right in there.” ‘You don’t mean et! Jugs Brown?” “Sure! Live right next ter him.” * Who does he herd with?” " Has two rooms all by his lonesome, an’ takes his appetite out with him w hen he feeds.” “ Boss! Skipsey, Lwant ter visit you.” ‘Who invited you?” ‘*T did. Will you accept fer me?” “Sure! Come along. Want ter pipe Jugs?” Jim was not disposed to tell all he knew and kept his motives back, but had to confess that he wanted to get a view of Jugs Brown's room, and Skipsey declared he could arrange it easily, as there was a connecting door and: he had a key, though hobody but himself knew of the last fact.’ Arrangements were soon made and they entered the building. the jumpin’ Say, do you know Skipsey led the way to his parents’: rooms, and, as they were out to the thea- ter, the boys had nobody to molest them, or curtail their movements. Skipsey pro- duced his key and boldly, yet carefully, unlocked Jugs Brown's door. The place. was perfectly dark, however, and they drew back. * He’s probably abed,”’ suggested Jim. ' “Jugs ain't that sort. Ef he turns in before two o’clock it must be he’s mighty Sick. Ef you want ter see him you just wait a bit—” ; Click! “Say!” cried Skipsey, “that was a key in the hall-door to his room. Keep this one jest a bit open an’ wateh.” They looked and saw a man enter. It was not Jugs, but to James the appear-, ance meant far more. The new comer was Ruthven Stanford. The sport had undergone a ¢hange in his personal appearance. His elaborate clothes had disappeared, and in their place was a rough suit, a flannel shirt and a slouched hat. Jim quickly caught on to the fact that,the plotter was in disguise, and he hardly heard Skipsey as the lat- ter whispered: “T’ve seen that feller before. He’s a friend of Jugs, but he always has been dressed smart before. Ruthven now took up all attention. Plainly, he was excited and nervous. He began to move about with quick, restless- steps, and looked into both of Brown's rooms, - ; / OE cay B.D er es REO eT fi Mate = > Te, — — be 4 Ps é - aah oe eS i fe The sai of Two Cities. “Not here!” the sport remarked, aloud. ‘** Confound it! Why should he be out when I need him so much? Perhaps he will soon come, I will wait; in fact, 1 can’t do anything else, for there is not a safe place in either of the two cities for me now. The blood of Aldrick Lee is on my hands, aud I doubt not that the police will soon be on my track. And I owe all this to that meddlesome boy, who has upset my plans.right along.” Jim closed the connecting door wholly and whispered softly to his companion. “ Say, Skipsey, kin you go an’ bring in a policeman?” “There is a detectiv e—Mr. Spear—lives right on this block, an’ I know him. He would believe me quicker than a strang- er"? ‘ Skipsey, you swing yer legs lively an’ get that same detective. Tell him there is a murderer here. See?’ * I'm. off!” The second boy slipped quietly away; then James opened the door a bit again. Ruthven was still there and on his feet, but was occupied in a different way now. He had a sheet of paper in his hands and Ww aS reading busily. ‘Last Ww ill and testament of Phineas Rogers, physician, of Partridge Plains, New York,” he read, sneeringly. ‘“ He gives and bequeathes all to his ‘honest’ srand-nephew, ,Aldrick Lee. Bah! Lee never. will get “it: for he is food for the fishes.” ** More’s the pity!’ murmured Jim. ‘A pretty chase I’ve had for this pa- per,” proceeded the sport. ‘I went to Partridge Plains to find the will, but found nothing; stole a horse out of spite; came to New York City; tossed away the old saddle that had served my purpose for a few days, sold the horse and thought I Was out of the hunt—and then learned by accident from a friend I had made in Partridge Plains that the will was in the saddle. Hunted for the saddle and found a boy using it as a pillow; stole it from him, carried the saddle off to Brooklyn and got the will out of it. Yes, I have the precious paper, and I defy all the world to get it now.” The chandelier over the sport’s head was equipped with several burners. He had lighted all, and now he went closer to them and held the will near the light. “Vanish! he added, with savage sant lation. ‘“ Go back to ashes!” He held the paper closer and was about to ignite it when suddenly an arm was wound around his neck and the paper was suatched from his grasp. — ‘*Not yet, old. man!” eried a small, keen voice, Stanford wheeled. He was just in time to see a boy fleeing toward the door, and recognition came swiftly. * The same kid!” he almost shouted, His face grew red with rage and.-he rushed to seize plucky Jim, but, as the latter tore the door open which led to. the hall, he ran fully into the arms of another person. Three strong men crowded into the room and Skipsey stood close behind. “There he is! shouted Skipsey. Ruthven Stanford was not slow of wits, | and he saw that he was cornered. Mad with rage, he drew a revolver, but before he could use it the three men pounced upon him, “That is Detectige Spear and two of his friends,” announced Skipsey. Ruthven was not giving up tamely. On the contrary, he made a desperate resist- ance, but all in vain, and he was finally rholly subdued, Held in the grasp of the detective’s aids he scowled upon all there: “Now,” spoke Spear, “let me know what this is all about.’”’ The story was told with brevity and elo- AY _—— AEF, ee and the detective was fully im- ™ quence, pressed. One ae “A dark deed, truly,” he admitted. “ But is this really the murderer?” ‘“ Yes, sure,” replied the young peddler. “There can be no mistake?” “It's Sporty Stanford,” declared Jingo Jim. ‘Yes, that is the man who killed the boatman!” The prisoner began a vehement denial, but was soon ¢ut short. His captors took him out of the house, but they had no sooner reached the sidewalk than they met several men face to face, * Crickey!’ gasped Jim. “It is Al Lee, alive! Hooray!” ‘\ “Yes, it is Al Lee,” cried the boatman, “but I charge Ruthven Stanford with seeking to murder me. He nearly did it, tog, though his revolver shot went wild at the pier. I was carried away by the water and finally landed well below, We have rescued the girl, Kate Floyd, from the power of this knave, and have been pursuing him. This gentleman with me is Doctor Walker, whom I lately met by chance, and the rest of the party are de- tectives.” “Then there is no murder,’ remarked Spear. “There is plenty of villainy for which Stanford must answer, and he is under arrest.” “JT surely don't object, for this boy has told me too much for me to advise clem- ency. Aldrick turned and seized Jim’s hand. “My lad!’ he exclaimed; “you are a trump card.” Doctor Walker © pressed forward and took the other hand, “He beats all the pills and powders I ever turned out of my shop!’ asserted the doctor, ‘Say, give my wings a_ rest!” quested. James, grinning with delight. * Everything is owed to him,” added Al- drick. “I will mot forget him, either.” | “All right, -nibsey!’” coolly replied James. -“‘I don’t guess Sporty Stanford will, either. By the way, Al, here is the will of old Doctor Rogers. Accept it with my blessin’; an’ now, let us all adjourn an’ take a snooze in our proper. places. Sporty Sanford, your proper place is the Tombs. See how yay like that hotel. This winds you up, I suEes. . 99 re- It did wind the sport up. for, as the final result of Jim’s long and dangerous raid on him and his plans, he was tried, convicted and sent to Sing Sing. He went with Jugs Brown, Mother Mag and others of the gang as his companions in prison life,. Doctor Walker returned to. his home triumohant. Aldriek Lee inherited the money at stake, and did not forget Jingo Jim and his jamboree, He has sent the street pa- trol to school, and the boy’s prospects for the future are of the best. His jamboree bids fair to be the making of him. THD END. Next ate De LIBRARY, No. 939, ‘KIT BANDY’S | it Star’ , ‘Engagement Desert Dan, jez Saddle Prince, oe RY OLL COQRe