Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 960 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 The Broadway Sport. He had not long to wait; his name was enough; and he was shown up to Mr. Wolraven’s room. “ Wihat is it, Fred?’ Wolraven asked, somewhat eagerly. “Mr. George wants to See you, sir.” “George Stroughtenberg wants to see me?” he repeated, and Fred imagined that he spoke anxiously. “I was going there within the next hour. What does he want to see me for, Fred?’ “ Why, he has been arrested, and—” “ Arrested ?”’ “Yes; and he wants to see you right off quick to attend to some business about getting him out, or fixing up something; I don’t know what, but he wants to see you right away. Something about seeing his lawyer for him, for one thing; he will tell you,” “Yes, yes, of course I will go, certainly. I will be ready in five minutes, Fred. ‘Too bad that he has been arrested; what were the fools thinking about, anyhow?’ He hastened about making himseif ready for the street. “Then, I have got another message for you,” said Fred. “And it may be a clew to the crime.” Wolraven stopped short in what ‘he was doing at the moment, and stared at the boy in a penetrating manner, There was something about his actions that struck Fred as queer. “What do you mean?’ the man de- manded. “Why, I mean what T say,” answered Fred. “As I was coming in here a hard- looking customer stopped me and asked me to tell you something.” “And what was it?’ showing excite- ment. “Don’t dally about it, Fred, but spit it out. You are too slow, when every minute may be of importance. Who was the fellow?’ “T’ll never*tell you that, sir, but he said tell Mr. Wolraven that a friend of Mr. Gardner’s wants to see him bad on particular business— Why, what is the matter, sir? Are you sick? You look as as if you had seen a ghost or somethin’ in that line.” The man. had turned suddenly the hue of <beath, “ Stooping over has made me dizzy, that is all,” he explained. “Did the man give you his name?” “No, sir.” “And where is ‘he now?” “ Waitin’ outside there, etreet.” Wolraven stepped to the window and looked out, concealing himself behind the curtains. “T don’t see what business such a fellow as that can haye with me,” he said, aloud. “TI don’t know; never saw ‘him be- fore. Do you know the man, Fred?” “No, sir.” . “YT do know a man by the name of Gardner, so it may be all right. You may tell Mr. George that I will come to bim as soon as possible. You had better not wait for me, I guess.” * All right, sir.” Py “ And you may say to that fellow, as you go out, that I will be out in a few minutes and will hear what he ‘has to Say.” Fred took leave and hastened to the street, where he motioned to the man to join him. The fellow came across to where Fred waited for him, and when he eame up, demanded: sé Well?’ “He will be out in a minute, and will see you,” Fred told him. “Good enough. I thought that would pring him, if anything. I am ever so , mouch obliged to you, me son.” . “Oh, you’re welcome,” said Fred, eare- aeross the lessly. “I don’t know what you want to see him for, but when I mentioned Gard- ner’s name it knocked him chalk white.” Fred said this as a feeler, for he won- dered’ what it all indicated, anyhow. The man laughed lightly, and rejoined: “Yes, I thought mebby it would, but I had to hit hard the first shot, you see. But, of course you don’t see, and it is none of your business, anyhow. Run along with you!” Wondering still more, Fred hastened off without saying anything further. But he had no intention of giving the matter up yet. Turning stopped. “T am going to see more of this busi- ness,” he said to himself. “I am wallow- ing up to my middle in mystery as it is, and a little more can’t make a whole lot of difference.” Peering around the corner, he presently saw Wolraven come out of the house and advance in his direction. He had taken but a few steps when the hard-looking fellow sidled up to him. Wolraven looked black enough to scare the fellow, but the man did not appear to be scared to any extent. He pressed close, said something, and even from that dis- tance Fred saw the superintendent’s face blanch again. They came on, both talking earnestly, and as they neared the corner Fred looked for a place of concealment. Right on the corner of the block was a frame evidently used to place the ‘wooden Shutters of the windows in when they were down, but now the store at the cor- ner happened to be vacant. Fred slipped into that box, and in a few moments the two men came up and stopped within a foot of him. “Yer see et ain’t no use,” the rough- looking ‘fellow was saying. “TI have got it down too fine fer you to git out of it. Give me five hundred, right in hand, and Il am as mum as a mouse.” *On one condition,” said Wolraven, huskily. ° “Name et.” : “ That you leave this part of the coun- try immediately, and never return to it. If you will not agree to do that, not a cent do you get, but I will hand you over to the police this minute. What do you say? I have no time to fool away with you.” *T ain’t much afraid of your doin’ that, boss, but as. that is what I intended doin’ anyhow, I ’gree to what you say. Give me the stuff, and you won’t see me again.” “ All right; hold out your dirty hand.” - Wolraven took a wallet from his pocket, and Fred Fly saw him count out five hundred dollars and place it in the man’s hand. “There you are,’ he said, bitterly. “Never let me see your face again.” He hastened off, leaving the fellow gloat- ing over his good fortune. “'This here is what I eall handsome,” the fellow said to himself, when left alone. “Here I have made a fine haul, take it all around, and no stain on my hands, either. Go00d-by to New York now, fer a spell, and they will look a long time before they find Rummy Mike.”’ ‘ At mention of that name Fred Fly’s heart gave a great bound. It was the escaped convict, for whom the Broadway Sport had been looking! The man pocketed the money and moved away, and Fred set out after him, keeping him well in sight until a police- man was seen, when Fred motioned eager- ly to him to come along. Straight to the point Fred told who Rummy was, and as much as necessary of his recent doings, including his attempt on the life of the Broadway Sport and the first corner, he _ there “. a with Fred for his proof the officer went forward and laid a detaining hand on Rummy’s shoulder. Half an hour later he was snug in a cell of a police station, CHAPTER XVII. A BOLD CHARGE MADRE, Frau Reizenstein was dozing in her chair When Paddy Gallagher came up to her stand. “Wake up, ould woman!” Paddy ex- claimed. “Sorry is dhe news Oi have fur ye, allanna!’’ “Id vas not schleebing I vas, Baddy,”’ the old woman declared. “What vas id?’ “George Stroughtenberg has been ar- rested, so he has, so he has.” “ Mein Gott! Ish d’ot so?” “Do ye be afther thinkin’ dhat Oi would come to yet wi’d a loie on me lips, Frau Reizenstein? Avy coorsSe it is thrue.” “Vhat for droubles vas id, anyvay? How can ve dell him vhat peen der mat- ter vas, ain’dt id? Baddy, I hafe to dell you all apoudt d’ot, unt you hafe to go mit der bolices—” “Whist! Here comes Fred Fly!” So it was, and coming in haste, his face radiant with the success he had just met. ‘Hello, Paddy!’ he exclaimed, “Hello, Frau! Don’t ask me a single question, for I am goin’ post haste with a special Stamp attached. I want to ask you one question, Frau.” * Mein gootness! What vas id, Fret?” “What is the news you have for Mr. George? What was it you wanted to see him about? Tell me, quick, for I am go- ing to see him, and will tell him. Paddy has told you where he is, I suppose.” “Yaw, yaw; d’ot vas so; unt I dolt you pooty gwick, ain’dt id. Zweifellers come along py mein standt, vhen I vas dozing, unt d’ey t’ink L yas schleebing, unt I hear me all vhat d’ey hafe to say mit d’em- Selves, maype. Dey hafe got Broadway Sbort in some tight blaces,” “Give it “Make it short,’ Fred urged. to me all in a lump, old lady.” But that was impossible; it took Frau Reizenstein just so long. and Fred had to wait with what patience he could. The sum and substance of it, when he got it all, was this: Two men, to revenge themselves upon Rummy Mike, first, had taken Broadway Sport prisoner. They were going to kill the sport and lay the crime at his door. Needless to say, they were the two who had escaped from the house where the first attempt had been made to kill the detective. Not only that, but that night they were going to rob the Broadway store, having got hold of inside information concerning the whole scheme, and their arrest, Fred. believed, would throw: additional light upon the murder of Mr. *‘roughtenberg. Fred hastened to see George Stroughten- berg, having told Frau and Paddy to wait and watch, but to say nothing. Mr. Wolraven was with George when he arrived. “You did prompt work, Fred;”. said George. “Mr. Wolraven got here ahead of you, you see. There is nothing more you can do, now; he will attend to every- thing.” “He will, eh?” said Fred, in a queer way. “I am of the opinion that Mr. Wol- raven has been ’tending to too much al- ready, Mr. George.” Fred looked straight at Wolraven as he spoke, and the man turned as pale as Fred had seen him turn before, and his eyes flashed. “Boy, what do you mean?” he snarled. “Tl tell Mr. George and these police- men what I mean,” said Fred, putting himself to his unpleasant task with grim comicboo CS.co ——s — as tet eA ot &. + Ll