Beadle's Dime Library No. 42 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

i ———— —— -_——- -- — “*Oh, of course not.” ‘“What is your little game, anyway?” asked Allen, sud- denly. Bishop winked at him. ** Can’t tell tales out of school, you know.” ** Nothing dangerous?” ** Oh, no.” ‘Well, I'll fix it.” “‘T’ve got a friend outside, who pays the piper,” Bishop said. ‘‘ Just come outside and he’ll make every thing all correct.” Allen took his hat from under the counter, called to his assistant to take his place, and followed Bishop into the street. They turned the corner and joined Van Rensselaer, who had been impatiently waiting for them. ‘“‘T’ve explained to this gentleman what we want,” Bishop said to Van Rensselaer, referring to Allen. ‘Glad to see you, sir. I guess we can arrange things,” Allen said, ducking his head to Van Rensselaer. ‘You understand; we want a private room and a bottle of wine?” the young man said. ‘Yes, a fixed one,” Allen observed, knowingly; “‘ one of the kind which makes folks sleepy after they drink the liquor.” “Exactly; that is what we want; but, understand, nothing to endanger life.” “Oh, blazes! do you s’pose I’m a fool?” cried Allen, _ bluntly. ‘Do you s’pose I want to bring the police down onto my place, say?” ‘“How much will this be?” ‘Cost you a ten-spot, Judge, and that’s dirt cheap. If you wasn’t a friend to Mr. Bishop, I'd charge you twenty; . but seein’ bow it is, I want to be as reasonable as I kin.” Van Rensselaer placed the ten-dollar note in the hand of the dance-house keeper. “There you are.” «All co-rect; you’re a gent, every time.” “‘ And what room shall we take?” Bishop asked. ** You know where No. 1 is?” Allen asked. ‘“‘ Yes, I believe so; the first door on the left after turning the corner, isn’t it?” Bishop said. “Yes; up one flight.” ““T know where it is. You can open this side door, s0 that we can go in here, can’t you?” “Of course. I say, gents,” exclaimed Allen, suddenly, ‘you ain’t a-goin’ to do any thing to kick up a row in the house, are you? The police are down on me now, you know, and it would be just old pie for them if they could git hold of any chance for to shet me up.” ‘‘Don’t you be afraid; we shan’t make oa bit of noise,” Bishop said. “All right; I'l go and open the door,” and the dance- house keeper departed. ‘Better wait till he gets the door open, and get a light before we bring the old gentleman in,” Bishop observed. ““My back will be to the old man, and with the beard on, I'll risk the chance of a discovery,” Van Rensselaer said. “Better just go up-stairs 80 as to be familiar with the ” way at Ke Then the two heard the noise of bolts moving in their sockets; the key turned in the lock, the door opened, and Allen appeared. “ Get a light, John, won’t you?” Bishop said. “ All right,” and the dance-house keeper retreated into the darkness of the entry. “This is a pretty hard place, isn’t it?” Van Rensselaer ’ “ Yes, jus about as hard as they make ‘em. Heaven help The California Detective. L7 ee ee the poor sailor who gets in here with a few dollars in his pocket. If they can’t get his money away by any other means, they drug his liquor, then rob him and toss him out in the street. In the morning, half the time the robbed man can’t remember where he was the night before, and if he does remember, and tries to get his money back, why they bring up a whole host of witnesses to either swear he was never in the place, or else that he hadn’t any money to pay for the drinks he ordered when he first came in.” ‘‘T should think that the police would break up such dens.” “They break them up?” and Bishop laughed in con- tempt. ‘‘ Why, these men run the police force, and elect the magistrate who sits on the bench to try ’em! There's too much money to be made out of just such places as thia for to shut ’em up. When honest men rule New York, perhaps there'll be a stop put to this sort of thing. But as long as the shoulder-hitters run the machine it will never be done.” The return of the dance-house keeper with a lighted can- dle, put a stop to the conversation. ‘‘Come on, gents,” Allen said. The two followed him up-stairs, turned the corner, amd entered room No. 1. “This will do,” Van Rensselaer said; then he took the candle from the hand of Allen, and the three retraced thei steps to the street again. ** Call them,” Van Rensselaer said. CHAPTER XIII. BEATING ’GAINST THE BARS. OBEDIENT to Bishop’s call, Coralie and the old savani te scended from the carriage. Van Rensselaer—the heavy beard concealing half of hi. face, his hat pulled down over his brows, and a lighted van. dle in his hand—met them in the doorway. He turned as they approached and led the way up the stairs. Coralie and the old man followed, while Bishop remained behind at the foot of the stairs; but, as soon as the light of the candle disappeared around the angle of the wall, he as cended the stairs with cautious steps. The young girl did not for a moment dream that the dark bearded man with the candle was the wealthy New Yorker, David Van Rensselaer. David opened the door of the room knevn as No. 1. A candle was burning within on the table. Coralie and Hartright entered the room. It was plainly—scantily furnished. A common table and two chairs were in the center of the apartment; a torn and rusty-looking sofa against the wall, and that was all. Coralie cast a glance of amazement around; evideutly she had not expected to behold so desolate a place. But before she could express her astonishment in words, if her intention had been to do so, Van Rensselaer spoke. ‘*Can I speak with you, Miss?” And without waiting for her reply he proceeded into tbe entry. Coralie started; she had recognized the voice, but the dis guise puzzled her. Rapidly though she recovered her com posure, and turned toward the old gentleman. ““ Will you excuse me for a moment?” she asked. “Certainly,” he replied, and he seated himself beside the table. **T will return in a moment.” Then Coralie passed into the entry, closing the door be hind her. Van Rensselaer had placed the candle upon a little stand =—COmicbooks