Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 365) (1884 07 22)
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my: x i LG ec ay Da TEE 2.00 & year. ’ ee “ail im me rl pest | ml “Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Hatés, ebb 1884, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, July 22, 1894, Vol, XV. Single PUBLISHED WBEKLY BY be. penoohor marine tg yi" aman Foe) | Or, The Fortunes of an, BALTIMORE BEN, The Bootblack Detective; ~* Gronan cis p By. ANTHONY ©. MORRIS: ih Ht 1 fy eis Maid ty Us — nt UD \\II {Wu att u\ SLs Missy a Cae maT | ie | ze | i, HI wes ———_ te feos HOT gs vA i} Ly) ra , 3 ; ee Ig Sos ae LL od WY fh / 9 a , f . ‘ a ate THUS DISPOSING OF ONE FOE, BEN MADE A SPRING TOWARD THE OTHER MAN WH) WAS TRYING TO GRASP GARNET.
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4? \ Baltimore Ben, The Bootblack Detective; OR, The Fortunes of an Orphan Girl. BY ANTHONY P. MORRIS. CHAPTER I, A HERO AND A FIGHTER, ‘* Hi, there!” seria | hil? ** Look out, gal!” A loud chorus of cries went up at the corner of Calvert and Baltimore streets on a bright May afternoon. ries of warning to some one there in the midst of the usual vortex of vehicles, Drivers flourished their whips and drew hard on their reins as they tangled together before the new building of the B. & O. R. R., and there was not a little profanity mingled in their vociferations and gesticulations. A dozen wagons and drays in a “ chocked” mass, and a red-line car, the driver of which put down his break hard to stop. Mecioreds of bystanders paused and gazed out into the street to see, if they could, what caused the confusion. Whatever or whoever it was, at first they could not see. But presently there was a sight that caused many there to shudder. Directly beneath the feet, the iron-shod hoofs, of a pair of stout bays in an express wagon, was the form of a girl—a child almost. Flat, and as if inseasible, she lay on the Bel- gian blocks. In the tangle of conveyances and freight carts, if seemed that she was doomed; though, for the instant, there was an absolute stoppage of everything in the shape of man and beast, and the instantaneously gathered crowd held its breath as it watched. To succor her appeared to be an impossibility ; but, in the moment of awful peril to a young life, out from the people that lined the sidewalk dashed a lithe and boyish figure—that of a boy who had a boot-blacking box swung over his shoulder. And many there who recognized the lad— who was daily occupied and industriously in the vicinity of the rival ticket offices—shouted his name in something that was scarcely above a whisper or Be8P ‘* Bootblack Ben!” Straight into the jam of wagons he went, darting with an almost incomprehensible agil- ity uader the bodies and between the wheels, out to the point of danger. One even ventured to warn him away from his evident intention of rescue. ** Don’t do it!” cried a voice. ‘Look out, there, Ben, or you’re a goner!” - But the lad paid them no heed, In anothep moment he was at the side of the prostrate rl. } It was not atime for ceremony. With both hands he grasped her and then dragged her away from her peril in the same manner by which he had reached her side. He saw that she was unconscious. All this in less time than it has taken the writer to tellit and the vehicles moved on again as if nothing had happened. The child had gotten into her difficulty from the southern pavement, Ben brought her out on the northern pavement close to the ticket office of the Northern Central. “ Are you burt?” he asked, as they paused be- yond the curb. Ben took a good look at her, A pretty girl she was, with great brown eyes, and but for the disfigurement of mud, she was dressed very neatly and cleanly. He observed on the bosom of her dress a little tag. How did you happen to get into that fix?” “Deed I don’t know. Everything ’s strange to me here. I guess I lost my head going across the street, It’s busier up here than it is down in Richmond.” — ‘‘ Did you come from Richmond?’ “s es,” gt xi by vourself?” “Yes. See: I had a tag tied onto me down ’ there, an’ there was a man to meet me at the depot. I found him there, an’ we were coming up Calvert street—that’s the name I heard bim say—when he left me to go in and get some cakes ——— “en ae ey Fy » On ae laa Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. an’ candies in the store, I thought I’d just | cross Over, as we were going out Calvert street, he said, an’ then the first thing I knew—why, there I was, under the horses; an’ I’m so glad you got me out, indeed I am.” ‘*Let’s go back across an’ find the man you were with,” and Ben ventured to take her by the hand, for he did not want the pretty girl to get into further difficulty. ut when he had crossed and looked search- ingly around, not a sign was to be seen of the man with whom she said she had come up from the depot.” ‘** What’ll I do?’ she’almost sobbed. “Tsn’t there anybody else you know in the city?” ““T don’t know anybody. I don’t want to have to sleep in the station-house,” she added, with a half sob. ‘*Sleep in the station-house?’ “se Yes.” P ‘“* What’ll you have to do that for?” ‘‘That’s the way they do in Richmond when anybody gets lost. They take ’em to the sta- tion house until somebody comes along to get ’em out.” ‘“ ‘* Well, you won’t sleep in any station-house, I reckon, if you'll just go along with me,” de- elared Ben, inte he added, as she looked inquiringly at im: “Tm Ben Brush—Bootblack Ben, they call me. If you ain’t afraid to go along with me, I'll take care off you until somebody advertises f - you, you know. They’ll be bound to do that! She surveyed him balf-doubtingly. She had little knowledge of bootblacks in general; it was an immediate question whether a boot- black coulé afford to take care of any one. ‘* What’s your name?” he asked. ‘1 used to be called Garnet,” she responded, in a subdued voice; *‘ but that was when mo- ther lived. Everybody calls me the gutta-percha girl now.” “‘Guttaspercha girl!” he repeated, in some puzzlement, : “Yes, it’sa great secret. Ican’t tell you now. But do you mean it?—will you really keep, me until my friends come after me?’ ‘*Of course I mean it! Come right along and I'll take you to my old mother.” Saying which, he again clasped her hand and they moved off down Calvert street. **T live on Aisquith street, near Gay,” he ex- plained as they pursued their way, hand in band, while the girl, with her other hand, was busy removing the mud from her garments as best she could. ‘I’m not like most bootblacks, as I reckon you'll find out if you see my home, I sell papers, too. Why, I’ve got two boys serv- ing a route for me, every morning, besides. I’m just a young shiner of wealth, you’d better be- lieve. And my old mother’ll make you as much to home as a bugin a rug, she will.” They had turned the corner of German street, when Ben’s voluble introduction of himself to his new found acquaintance was interrupted by the presence of a tall and burly man who stepped directly into their path obstructingly. ** Hold on,” be said, authoritatively. ‘‘Oh, that’s the one—that’s the man I met at the depot,” at once exclaimed the girl, making as if to advance to bim, but singularly, Ben retained his hold upon her hand with a tighten- | ing clasp. e was looking the man straight in the eye, ** Does this gal belong to you?” he demanded. ‘* That's exactly what’s the matter, my lad.” Ben glanced at the giri’s face. There was surely an expression of gladness therein; and there was alsoa glance that told him she was innocent in that gladness. : ‘Look a-here,” he said to ber; ‘‘do you know what kind of a man that man is?” ~ “Why, that’s my mother’s cousin that I came on bere to go to; he is to be my guardian,” ‘* What’s his name?” s There was a latent keenness in the boy’s ques- ion. “Thomas Rugby—ain’t it?’ the last to the man. Ben, at this, actually drew her further away. ‘* Miss,” he said, ** you’re a-walkin’ right into some trap.” ** What are you talking about, you ragamuf- fin?’ broke in the burly fellow, with a quick step forward. ‘‘ Come, Garnet,” and he reached forward to take the girl from the bootblack’s protection. “Take your hands off the girl!” the boy cried. ‘‘ You’re up to some game, Pooler Jim. You ain’t wastin’ your time over a girl to be her guardian, I know better. Miss,” turning to / eer her with sparkling eyes, ‘this here manis one % of the worst skinners that loafs around the pool , rooms on Gay street. He ain’t after you for F- any good, Take my word for it; an’ I ain’ | knocked about the corners for nothing. Don’t | you go with him.” ae What more Ben might bave said in protest was cut short by a grasp that fell upon him from behind. ; Two stout arms pinionsd him, at the same J tine the burly man reached and grasped the girl. But the Jad’s warning had not been altogether without effect, for Garnet held back. Meantime Ben was struggling terrifically to release himself. ‘*What did he mean?” Garnet demanded of the man, and pointing to Ben as the latter struggled in the grasp of his assailant from the rear. “He's a ragamuffin bootblack, Garnet. You come with’ me, and thank your stars I found you again in time to rescue you from some pitfall he may have been about to lead you into.’ ** Pooler Jim, you’re a liar if you say I meant the gal any harm! It’s you that she’d better look out for. An’ I say, you sha’n’t take her without we all go to the station first, to see what you are up to.” Evidently the boy well knew the man—knew him to be an evil character; and as be had read} the innocent and trusting face of the girl, he | felt, as if by an intuition, that there was some plot encompassing her, ‘ And the next instant he seemed about to make his words good, that they should all go to the station-house, for, by an effort that was astonishing in one of his years, he succeeded in releasing himself from the grasp of bis assailant and a moment latcr there was truly a lively scene on the pavement, Unswinging his box and gripping it by the strap, he brought it twice around his head to give it momentum, then, with a splintering crash, it struck upon the head of the one who had assaulted him from behind—a man who now went staggering backward to the awning- post, falling there as if burt to insensibility. Thus disposing of one foe, Ben made a spring toward the other man, who was trying to |. grasp Garnet, to make her accompany him, and again the box swung round, . ps But, this time it did not accomplish its pur- | _ e, for Pooler Jim parried the stroke. Then e dealt the boy a blow that felled him to the | pavement, ‘é, But this momentary triumph did not seem to | — favor his designs, for he cried to the other |— party, who was dazedly regaining his feet at the curb: tate pee cals “Quick, there, Bill! Tbe ‘cursed, %neddlin scamp will have us in the station, as he says, you aren’t lively!” c At the curb stood acab. The driver was evi- dently one of a party interested in some way in the girl, for the moment the duo of suspicious characters ‘were within the conveyance, he’ whipped up the borses and disappeared around the corner at South street. A policeman, attracted by the sign of a dis- turbance which drew the attention) of pedes- trians, came running upon the scene. ‘* What's the row?” he demanded. Ben was scrambling to his feet, for, thanks to a rather thick skull, the blow dealt him was | — not a serious one. A great blue mark over one |— eye showed where the man’s knuckles had | — | struck, however, Garnet appeared to he especially solicitous for ber new friend. Excitedly she broke in with an account of the occurrence, ae The outcome of it all was that the bootblack | ae the girl were marched off to the station- ouse, ie CHAPTER II. BAR-ROOM ROGUES. Ses -F “ Ben BrusH, what have you been doing?” wy he police captain eyed the bootblack steadily. j Ben had never been arrested before in his life. | ie ating in the streets,” vetxnteered the |” e policeman, before the boy could answer : Ben paid him no heed. ‘*T was defendin’ this gal,” he said, pointing to Garnet. ‘‘ Defending her?—bow?” ‘From a man ’at I know don’t mean her any gooa. sir,” : \ ‘* Who was the man?” q ‘He was my mother’s cousin, sir,” said Gar- net. ‘* His name’s Thomas Rugby, an’ I came from Richmond to meet him here, ’cause Po a
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, ° fae ae a ee re — pee = et a AA. Ry ca ag ee Bt eee we so - eae >: Pe ee ae wie Sr.» “ i vet be A te - eg SS we <= ae + See 2 oe ee oe - - «gy now, sir, an’ Thomas Rugby was to take care of me. I got lost from him for a little while, an’ came near being killed; but this boy saved me. And then when we met Thomas Rugby, he said that Thomas Rugby wasn’t Thomas Rugby at all, but a bad man who meant to do me some harm.” ‘‘ What’s your name?” * Garnet.” “* Garnet—what?” “Garnet Fawnworth, sir.” As the girl uttered the name, a young man who had just then stepped into the station paused on the threshold and gazed for a moment toward the girl; then, without pausing to state his business there, he wheeled and departed ab- ruptly. * Ben, what’s it all about?’ The captain was disposed to be easy with the boy, who had a good reputation about the stands where he was known to ply his trade. *“Why, captain, the man what wanted to take this ga) was Pooler Jim, about the worst loafer round the Gay street pool-rooms, an’ a man ’at I wouldn't trust with a dime to hold for me so long as it would take me to spit into my ee box." ** Pooler Jim? Did you see the man?” to the officer who bad made the arrest. “ No.” rat Where do you live?” was next asked the girl. “Tcame up from Richmond, sir. I haven’t any friends in this city, except this boy, who said if I'd go with him he’d take me to bis mother,” * But you said you were coming here to your cousin, Thomas Rugby?” ‘* Yes, sir. «But if the man who said his name was Thomas Rugby isn’t Thomas Rugby, then I don’t know what to do; for I don’t know where he lives.” ‘And you say you rescued this girl from a aman known as Pooler Jim?” to Ben. “Yes, sir, that’s jest w’at I did!” ““You were going to take her to your mother?” ‘“‘ Yes, sir. Goin’ tosee her out’n the streets into safe quarters.” ‘‘Take her, then, I discharge you.” “« Will you go with me?” Ben asked the girl. “‘ Yes, and be very thankful to you.” _As they left the station, the captain went to his telegraph instrument and began ticking off a message. — in response to that message there presently entered the station a very short, ha a a co very shrewd-faced man with black, piercing eyes and a slight mustache, “You sent a message over to the marshal’s office, captain,” he said, as he came in. _- “**¥e3, a word with you, Mr. Grip.” Seated beside the desk, the captain said: ‘Pooler Jim is up to some dodge again.” ae Ab hd : The captain proceeded to relate what he had gleaned and what he thought regarding the case of the bootblack and the girl. _ “JT know this Thomas Rugb »” Jack Grip said, when the other paused. ‘ Lives on Mount Vernon place. Pretty rich fellow.” *¢ All the more reason for what [ am about to request—and I would like to have the marshal’s consent to humor me in it, if he can,” ‘* What is that?” “Find out what Pooler Jim is up to, and meantime have an eye kept on the girl, for lam sure that the latter will pay, especially if Thomas Rugby is rich as you say. Now, wouldn’t it be better to catch on to Pooler Jim’s game before informing the man, who is appar- ently to be the girl’s guardian, where the girl is? We haven’t Been able to catch at anything positively crooked'in Pooler Jim ‘since he was et out from over the falls. He is a sharp one; and yet I am certain that he is a man who can- not make a living and dress as he does with- -. out doing that for which he ought to be taken in.” “1 see. ll consult the marshal. Where is the girl now?” ‘Gone home with Bootblack Ben. I sent her there purposely in view of this matter. You «know where the boy lives?” “*Oh, yes, very well.” . “Let me hear from you, will you?” “Yes.” And Jack Grip, the detective, de- ted, _ Meantime the hack, containing the two men _ with whom Ben had had the enconnter, did not go far down South street.! In front of the Bank of Commerce it balted, at a signal from those inside, and Pooler Jim and bis companion hy : hted. oA - You may put up the chariot,” he said to the driver; ‘we won’t want it any more at present.” And as he walked off toward the post- office with his comrade, he continued in a vexed way: ‘Blast such luck! What’s to be done now? The prize has got away from us, after all my trouble down in Richmond and the neat game [ played at the death-bed of the widow. I tell you, Bill, it’s no pleasant thing to see a fortune slip from one’s fingers like that.” ‘** And do you mean to let it go that way?” “No, sir!” with a slap of one palm on the other. ‘And I have an idea the boy will take her to his home. We can®abduct her, if it comes to that. I’m bound to have her. Why, there’s only two such phenomena in the world to-day, and she’s one of them, With her on a stand in a canvas tent we can just coin money. And I’m in a hurry to get away from Baltimore, I ys you; iv’s getting altogether voo hot around ere. ‘‘ What do you propose?” ‘““That we go to the boy’s home and see whetber he brings ber there.” ‘Do you know where it is?” ‘‘Yes, Come. With the girl on the stand in some of our Western towns, posted as ‘The Living Marvel of the Nineteenth Century ’"—the only one of two of her kind in the wide world—the elastic-skinned wonder of wks goguusrt —unequaled, unsurpassed— But here, we'll take a car; I’m not fond of walking.” Turning up Gay street, they entered a red- line car and proceeded northward, alighting at Monument street, A short distance from the joining corners of Gay, Aisquith and Monument streets, was a neat two-story dwelling of brick. It would hardly be supposed that a bootblaek could afford such a home; but it was the home of Bootblack Ben. With his aged mother he lived there, and by his industry at ‘shining ’em up” and selling papers, with some regular routes that had grown large enough for bim to employ other boys, he was able to keep himself and her in tolerable circumstances. Opposite the house was a beer saloon. Into this walked the pair, seating themselves at a table and calling for some of the beaded tipple. The front of the saloon had two large win- dows in which were tacked some theatrical posters. Through the spaces between these it was an easy matter for one on the inside to watch the bumble dwelling on the other side of the street. And not long had they to wait to see just what was expected, for soon Ben came along, leading the girl by the hand. As they were observed to enter the house, Pooler Jim said: ‘Curse his meddling! If it hadn’t been for him, [ was working everything lovely. Now, the girl has taken fright maybe, and we’ll bave the Sevil's own time. But I’m bound to have her, by hook or crook, and she shall make my fortune, once 1 get started on the road with her, if L have to flay her alive to make her do my bidding.” ; ‘Almost in the same breath, he exclaimed: ‘* Hello! what do you want?” } A young man_had approached and lightly laid One hand on Pooler Jim’s shoulder. It was the same we bave seen enter and hastily leave the station house at the time when Bootblack Ben and the girl were before the captain. | - He had been in the saloon when they came In, though they had not given him any special notice, supposing him to bea mere drinker at one of the tables. ‘ ‘ ““T think I can transact a little business with you,” he said, “T reckon we’re not acquainted,” remarked Jim, who was not one to take up every acquain- tance who offered. “Oh, that doesn’t make any difference, I guess, if you’re a man who don’t stand back at waking a few bundred dollars easily.” Jim and his partner exchanged glances. ** What are you od | at, young man?” ‘* Just this: you are after that girl who just oe went into the house where lives Bootblack n. Again they exchanged glances. Jim waited for the other to ‘‘ come out.” “Well?” ‘Suppose I make it a greater object to you than it may be already, to get that girl out of the city and into a place where nobody can find her. Vl be plain, for I know by the words I overheard you utter, that you are up tosome- thing concerning her. My name is Rugby— Cicero Rugby. 7 father lives on Mount Ver- non Place, and if you know anything, you Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. know that Thomas Rugby is a pretty rich bug. This very girl is coming here to be taken care of as his ward; and I know by what [ have heard my father say, that he -means to divide his api tgecke in his will, equally between as. Now, am not going to put up with any such non- sense. I went to the station to-day, at his re- quest, to see whether anything bad been learned of a girl who had been shipped, almost like an express package, to him here in Baltimore. I saw the very girl there, and I heard enough to know that you bad hold of her before she fell - into the hands of the, bootblack, for some pur- pose of your own. I want the girl out of the wee Do you want to make five hundred dol- ars?” “Tam the very man who wants to make the money,” assented Pooler Jim, in the coolest manner possible. And he added: ‘- What’s the color of it?” “Cash, as soon as I know she is. irretrievably missing.” ‘* Done.” shook hands. Then young Cicero Rugby treated the pair, and a few moments later left the men with whom he had struck the bargain which was to give them an additional incentive in the abduction of the girl. As he went, however, his youthful and aristo- cratic face was troubled with inward thoughts; at last he mumbled: “Tt is a sum that will have to be paid, and how I am to doit Iean’t see at presevt. 1 . must raise the money, or the fellows will blow. on me, perhaps; for maybe they did not expect to make as much money as that out of the girl. Yes, 1 must tax my brain for some means— some means—” and during bis‘ ride in the car homeward he appeared to be a very studious young man indeed. For be it known that Thomas Rugby, bis father, had ‘shut down” on the allowance for his scion under a threat of six months because of some recent scrape from which he bad liber- ated his dude-mannered. offspring after a con- siderable outlay of cash. “T have it!” be muttered, at last, with bright- ening brow, ‘I have the very idea. It’s not alto ~ ae just the thing, you know, for a fel- lah fi e I am, but it must be done, and so there isan end of it. I get a good idea from this very scum of a bootblack who has polished my boots often. Yes, I have it, and I think on pretty grand scale, if it works at all.” That evening the wealthy Thomas Ragby was somewhat surprised to be handed a note that had been “left” for him by his son, who had departed on a brief trip to visit an aunt in Philadelphia. But the fertile-minded Cicero had not departed for Philadelphia by any means. CHAPTER III. THE VILLAIN'S WORK. Mrs. BrusH was rether surprised to see her son coming home at the unusually early hour in the afternoon. , beer was augmented when Ben said, cheer- ully: “Pye brought a daughter home for you, mother,” “Why, Ben—” pausing and glancing at the shy girl who hung back upon the threshold, as if uncertain whether to brave the reception. ‘Come in, Garnet, and let me introduce you to = mother,” and he gently forced her for- ward, : Perhaps the tidy surroundings vera Garnet, for she advanced and placed ber li hand in that of Mrs. Brush while she said: ‘* He saved my life, ma'am.” \ ““71) tell you all about it, mother,” and Ben proceeded to relate all that bad transpired at the time of and since his singular meeting with the girl. ; While he was thus, engaged: Garnet was watching him closely and dividing her glances between mother and son. She saw in Ben a very handsome young fel- low of not more than fifteen years, in whose eyes there was a sparkle of intelligence that surely indicated, together with his singularly good language for a bootblack, a mind some- what above his station. For Mrs. Brush bad known better days when her husband. lived and had given her only child every opportunity to learn as long as the slender means which she possessed held out. By the time the money was goue, Ben at least had learned to read and write and could speak without shocking those who heard by . uncouth s) e8, | ; . By the time he nad finished his recital, Gar’ ee) ae, oO ,
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ies) | y net was inspired by a confidence in him—this hightened as Mrs. Brush tenderly embraced her and said: “Of course, of course, my child; you shall have a bome here with Ben and his old mother ' as long as you wish it, if you never find your ’ friends,” , “Ob, but I’m sure that Thomas Rugby will \ find me, and sol won’t be a burden on you,” ‘ declared Garnet, confidently. ‘* Another thing, mother,” Ben said, gravely. “You must keep your eyes on Garnet all the time. Don’t let her go out anywhere,” and he impressed her with the fact that a notorious character named Jim Pool—or Pooler Jim—was after the girl for no good. “Pll watch over her like my own flesh and blood, my dear son. Have no fear.” ‘Then I'll be off. I haven’t made my day yet. Mother ’ll take care of you, Garnet.” The lad started out again to finish up the day with his blacking-box. . . Hardly had he gone as far as the corner, . however, when an unaccountable misgiving came over him. ; Almost involuntarily he turned about and retraced his steps. ia . As he reached the door-step, a shrill scream p | penetrated bis ears, coming from the interior of the house. It must have been a very customary weapon, that bootblacking-box of bis, for instantly upon hearing the cry, he unswung it from his shoul- " . der, and with the strap griped ready for a ' ’ circling stroke, he sprung up the stairs. : The thrill of apprehension that was in his young heart at the unmistakable sound of dis- id tress was intensified presently by the sight that ; burst upon him as be reavhed the upper land- sn yhee Uta tHe eg wow ng. The little sitting-room, even in the short time rit his absence, had undergone a transforma- ion, ' The table was overturned, chairs were dis- placed; at one side, half on her knees, and sup- porting herself by clutching the lounge against _ the wall, was Mrs. Brush, with one hand pressed . to ber brow, ’ Mother! what bas happened?” “Oh, Ben! Oh, my boy! I’m so glad you've come—” _. “Where’s Garnet?’ he broke in, noting that _ the girl was not in the room, \ ‘*Gone, Ben!” 4 > ' % Gone!” he echoed, bey “Yes,” regaining ber feet dizzily. ‘‘ Taey rn took her away while I must have been uncon- aan scious, I think, for they struck me down while I was trying to keep hold upon the girl. Didn’t anybody hear my screams/—I made as loud an outery as 1 could. And oh, Ben, the girl! 1 don’t know whether I am sorry that she is gone an or not—” ae “Mother, what are you saying?” exclaimed ih the boy, overwbelmed at the thought that the ; ob and innocent girl who had so singularly ee come his charge might now be in the hands of Pooler Jim—for that it was Pooler Jim . who had been there he did not for a moment doubt. ‘‘ Ab, my son, such a girl. | that is not human.” ‘* What do you mean?” ; ‘Before I saw them make away with her . ‘with what little of consciousness remained to me, I saw one of the men grasp her by the skin of her neck as she tried to elude them. And ¥ then—” aes ** Well?” , “‘Ben—the whole skin of her neck came straight out toa length of about afoot! It did not seem to burt her in ie least, for she did not shriek, as any one would if their skin was pulled out in that way. Then, as she got away from them, the skin went back to its place with a snap that I heard plainly. They grasped ber again, by the arm, and the skin of her arm did the same thing—came a great ways out, until I could almost see through it, Oh, Ben, what kind of girl was it that you brought here?’ Ben was immediately thinking of Garnet’s strange speech that at her home in Richmond some people had called her tue gutta percha She is something The phenomenon related by his mother must mean something in connection with this, But he did not pause to think upon the singu- . dar thing. ; Chivalrous,and especially interested in the girl whom be had, he felt, snatched once from the evil claws of Pooler Jim, his instant thought was of doing something toward the rescue of Garnet if she was indeed in tbe clutches of the Baltimore Ben, the Bootbl — ee 7 ae eae “ah 1 He turned and ran from the house, On the street all was serene; no sign there of ay fey who might be abducting a young girl. ‘hen he hastened through the little yard to the gate opening on the alley. A woman from an adjoining yard was there emptying a bucket of wash suds. ‘** Did you see any one come out of my mother’s yard?” he asked. ‘* Yes, about five seconds ago,” was the reply. ‘What kind of a looking person?” ‘‘Two men they were, and one with a bag over bis shoulder. He asked me if 1 had any rags to sell,and one was carrying a pair of scales, while the otherwarried the bag.” A bag! This meant a great deal to the alert boy. He realized at once that the adroit abductors had used the bag and scale business for a blind. He dashed down the alley to the street, At the corner of the fence he met a small and muscular man, ** Helio, Ben.” ‘Mr. Grip! I’m powerful glad to see you just about now.” It was Jack Grip, the detective. “What for?’ “ There’s been an abduction,” ‘An abduction! Why, who has been carried off, my tad?” ‘* Just one of the sweetest girls you ever laid your eyes on. 1 brought her to my home for my mother to take care of until I could find out where to look for a relative of hers who is somewhere in the city. I wasn’t out of the house more than five minutes before I went back again; but even in that time ber enemy had got in there, struck down my mother and made off with her. It’s a case of abduction, sir, and [ want your help.” r “Look here, Ben, do you mean to tell me that the girl, Garnet Fawnworth, has been car- ried off?” “ “Toat’s exactly it. her name?” ‘*’'m shadowing around bere on her very ac- count. More than that you must not ask, my boy. But, come, let us go and see your mother—” : “And while we are doing that they will be able to get her into some place where we may never find her,” . “You seem to take an abundance of interest in her welfare.” , **T do, sir.” ‘“‘ Well, we must have some description of the abductors if we want to hope to find her, Come—” ‘* But I know who has taken her!” declared Ransinay. But. bow did you know ‘* Pooler Jim.” *‘ How do you know it was Pooler Jim?” ‘Guess I can argue a little, can’t 1?” said Ben, with a show of spirit. ‘* Doesn’t all that has transpired about her go to prove that he is the man? ‘* And what has happened to her in which the rascal was mixed?” Ben told Grip what hau occurred, The lad’s recital was substantially the same as the captain’s information. Besides, Grip bad learned more of the girl since his brief inter\iew with the captain, There had come a note from Thomas Rugby, of Mount Vernon Place, saying that his ex- pected wurd from Richmond had not arrived, and asking if some steps could not be taken to ascertain her whereabouts, as she was known to | him to have left the city of Richmond, Grip happened to be in the marshal’s office when the coumunication was received, and learning its contents had at once informed his chief of his recent interview with the police captain. At first the marshal was for bringing the girl, without delay, into the presence of her appar- ently anxious guardian. But Grip prevailed upoo bim to heed the captain’s suggestion that Pooler Jim was probably up to some deep game which would warrant his being sent over the falis, as the authorities bas long regretted that James Jarrett—Povler Jim—had ever gotten out of limbo and that they bad not since had any square opportunity to send him “over” again, and Grip was instructed to place a shadow on J+mes Jarrett and watch the house of the bootblack for developments. The developments bad come sooner than expected, and before the shadow, who knew the baunts of Pooler Jim well, could get a sight of that individual. Entering the house, where Mrs. Brush was setting things to rights again, having fullest confidence in her son’s capability of attending ; ‘Vera. rT We ‘y “ e ‘ 4 ‘ i pey tar 1 ee \ DAY = ‘ ek x Witte bee %\ ; j ack Detective. i ny ae fy Bey wae Sats de AI Ter aE Sc Abi ae Ata area cae A Si eee tks! en En Pa ees. Wa he eee SA aa EE i pels timeeley! es ae ONS Aa. capa oe to the matter of the girl’s abduction, the detec- tive immediately asked: ke ‘““Can you give me adescription of the man or men who carried off the girl, madam?” ne “This is Jack Grip, one of the detectives,* said Ben, introducingly, and with a perceptible pride at being able to claim an acquaintance with the sleuth. Mrs. Brush’ could not give any description that was of moment to the detective. She had aes BTS only bad time tosee two men rush into the room while she was talking with the friendless girl— men who bad evidently stolen into the house from the back-yard—when she received a blow that felled her to the floor, though it did not entirely render her unconscious, On the phenomenon of the girl’s skin being of such elasticity that it could be dragged far fronx ~ : the usual rotundity of neck and arm, she dilated in an excited manner. i ‘¢Mother thinks she couldn’t be an ordinary human person,” Ben vouchsafed, as an excuse for his mother’s excitement on the unusual sub- ject. : ‘Oh, she is not the only person in the world with an elastic skin, madam,” said Grip, ‘though they are so scarce that they are sought for by the museums, That fact may help us to ; find her. For, let me tell you, she will be a grand heiress, no doubt, if she can be restored to the gentleman who is at this moment seeking "7 hoot Thomas iy Se ? rea | “Pooler Jim tried to paes bimself off on ber as Thomas Rugby,” interpolated Ben, Grip took his departure. ‘ ‘ But Ben was determined to look for the girl ve on his own account, and he resolved that in his rofession of bootblack he could pursue his investigations as well as some of the shadows who were making their mark in thé Monumental ity. : He did not go out again that day. His’ mother was too nervous to be left alone; but he resolved that if Pooler Jim was yet in town he would find bim and track him down to punisb-— ment for the crime he was perpetrating upon the girl who was, be had now learned, a young heiress. CHAPTER TV. A BOOTBLACK SPECULATOR, Bricut and early Bootblack Ben started forth, . ’ ' He did not, however, seek his usual localit for the plying of his trade at the corner of Cal- vert at Baltimore streets, Instead, be sought the vicinity of the pook — rooms on Gay street above Faye! e, b canse he believed that there he might cat a slimpse of Pooler Jim. At the moment that Ben was in front of the Variety show room a gentleman inquired, atthe —. corner of Baltimore street: ‘‘ Where in the world can I find a bootblack?” For, strangely, there was not one of this craft to be found there, in front of the saloons, which was, usually, a camping ground for the lads, But had any one cast an eye up toward the corner of Fayette, they would have been arrest- ed by an uncommon sight. At least a score of bootblacks were congre- gated there, and against the wall of the shce store was one who seemed to be the center of ut- traction to the rest, , A new bootblack—and something out of the ordinary line. i His box was brand new and of a superior kind; his clotbes were tidy above the best aver- age; be had in his mouth a cigar that was un-— mistakably of a costly brand, and his manners were those of one who felt himself above bis profession. ; Me ARS ieee » “Yes, i's a good cigar,” said the nice boot- black, addressing those nearest to him, “I don’t smoke no common stuff, I don’t. I getmineat = Gieke’s, You fellers could do thesame, if you was on’y smart enough. An’ it’s paid for, too, don’t you forget it. This ’ere box wot L carry? — Why, bless yer spitty mouths, Ion’y doit fera — blind, that’s all, I ain’t no need to black boots,” i Say, why don’t yer show some good in yer an” bea man likeI kin. Just es easy es a wink.” Out of the dozen who had congregated and were listening to the talk of the new bootblack — —who bad also popularized himself to a degree — by distributing a couple of the fragrant weeds among his closest admirers—one ventured to In-_ uire: i eae ei Say, reckon vou ye got a rich uncle inter the - lunatic asylum, hajn’t yer?” ras “Nary time, Tm me own uncle just about now. I am. sted Ue. “Where do you get it frum—the lusb—the duckits?’ y f ; " 7 ae 4 ‘ RE Meet) ¢ . 1A ig Op ¢, t * \ aah’ 1h
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for to give it clean away—” “ Tet’s have it, cully. “* What road did you come in at, anyhow, I’d like to know?’ put one, who gazed with longing and envious eyes on the dark and fragrant { elgar, he new bootblack was quiet and thoughtful for a few moments. Then he slipped his arm in the arm of one of the taller boys near and said: ‘*] want to tell you something.” Stepping off a few paces; he added: “What kind of a blister are you, anyhow? Are you in for making a pile?’ Ha, **1 don’t mind.” “‘T don’t like to give the thing clean away— but if you want todoas I’m a-doing, an’ give up blackin’ boots fer a livin’, jest say the word, an’ lll give youthechance. but it’s on’y tween you an’ me, remember.” **That’s all right,” acquiesced the other boot- black, who began to congratulate himself that he was about to learn the secret of his envied brother of the profession making somuch money in an easy way, —— ee 2 “Well, I’m a speculator in bananas, I ” * l ’ am. ** A speculator!” exclaimed the other, in sur- rise, 6 “You bet. Listen, an’ if you want to go in, here’s your chance. I’ve got the inside track of all the fruit-dealers on Baltimore street, clear ont to Pine street—they all buy of me, ’cause I -) +. save them the trouble, don’t you see, of gal- ie e lavantin’ away from their stands down to the oS wharf. They buy of me at a little above to save trouble—” “Little above?” ' Yes, Them’s margins. I make the margins. Whi, there’s no less than fifty of ’em, Every time the Havana steamers comes in, I don’t clear less than a hundred dollars outen’em.” ** Sho!” ‘* Now if I had the capital for to extend, you know, I could make double an’ treble. Oh, I’m a blood bootblack, I am, 1 tell you; an’ all I need is more capital, an’ then I’ll show you fel- ers sights. But don’t you go for to imagine that you can get in where I’m at cause l’ve given it away, my rubbin’ pard. I’ve got it all,” and he gave the other a sly wink that meant: ‘I’ve got my business down fine, and {don’t care who knows it, for they can’t break me up.” “Say, can’t a feller come inter this thing?” The crowd of other bootblacks, aware that something of special moment in regard to the wealthy bootblack was in progress, waited in a mass at the corner while this dialogue tran- _ sspifed.+ * - “Casting a dubious glance toward them, our nice bootblack said: ; “If you was all like me, you’d put your gmoney inter somethin’ w’ot pays, you would,” «Well, how are we going for to do it?” Bee “7)) tell vou. An’ if youw’rea mind togo in, ali right. But I don’t care about th’ bull of’em jie d4:nowin’ it. I need capital, I do, on’y for to ex- tetid business, es the ’vertisements in the papers say. Here’s the way of it, I’ve got the track of the fruit fellers. I buys from the steamers | an’sellstothem. I’m a jobber—a speculator. - "Tain’s much margin on a single man, but it counts onthe whole, an’ there’sa big profit, ss ‘Now, if I could make a pool and buy niore ban- — anas, don’t you see, I could put ’em up fer more —s- *dealers, an’ then comes the divvy accordin’ to the ’vestment. Why, if you was to ’vest a quarter, I could pay profits at ten per cent., as ' the bankin’ fellers says, in five days, an’ then if x! you was to invest the profits instead of drawin’ _ Yer, by the next speculation I'd be able for to you twenty-five per cent. on the whole _ thing; or I'd pay the profits, if you wanted em, It’s plain es day, an’ | on’y lack capital— «. “Put me in fer a dollar!” exclaimed the iVo her bootblack, breaking in and producing at a = 2" ite Bor aoe se give morning from bis papers and boot-blacking com- ined, And be added: _* But say, look a-here—if you want for to raise capital, w’ot do you want to keep the _ thing so quiet for? Nobody ain’t a-going to poil this game o’ yourn so long’s you work it ona plan o’ that kind. I’m in, | am; an’ if | yowil say the word, I'm a liar if all the boys in town don’t make up money enough to keep the thing »-goin’ till we’re all millionaires.” Af this the nice bootblack cogitated, _ _ * Done!” he said, as if arriving at a moment- ous conclusion. ‘An’ you kin tell ’em ‘at ?m ready to settle up any time after a boat load 0’ _* ‘the same time the last cent he bad earned that | Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. i. 4 | . F -—s« * There’s where you’re ‘off,’ if you expect me | bananas has been in twenty-four hours, I mean business, I do.” ‘You just come back here an’ talk to ther boys, an’ I won’t go to the peanut galler fer a peng! if they don’t all take you up on that thing. They reburned to the crowd. But at that instant a policeman, observing that there was something like a mob of boot- blacks congregated at the shoe-store corner, crossed over with his eyes on them suspiciously. ** Let’s go down to the falls,” suggested one. At which they moved off in a body toward the bridge, Here, on the footpath, the nice bootblack made a speech that seemed to them a little above the mental capability of the ordinary bootblack, but sufficiently comprehensive for them to understand that for every dollar in- vested in the banana pool they would receive a dollar and ten cents in five days, and if the profits were re-invested, at the end of another five days—the interim of the arrival of the Havana steamers—the investment would pay them twenty-five per cent on the whole, It became then only a matter of dollars of in- vestment to assure the speediness of acquiring a lazy fortune through the labors of this nice bootblack who appeared to have the inside track of the fruit-dealers, ‘And the steamer Grip-Fast will be in ter- night,” concluded he, after an explanation of his operations, *‘ an’ all you fellers w’ot wants to be millionaires, jest say so, an’ I’ve got a book here for to put the names down—” ‘“* Say,” shouted a spry newsboy from the ex- terior of the circle, ‘* who’s a-goin’ to figure out the thing when some puts in a dime an’ some twelve cents an’ some a dollar an’ so on?” ** Jest es plain as bread an’ molasses. I puts down the ’vestments accordin’ to the name, an’ when the sales is allin, I kin take ther book to a business college an’ have it fixed for the askin’, They’re powerful anxious for to increase the education of the bootblacks of this town, you bet, an’ they'll explain the whole modus oper- do-di while they’re a-doin it.” Then followed some canvassing among. the crowd by the first bootblack who had received the confidence of the young speculator, and there was considerable discussion on the new a 5 of speculation on bananas, | Some excitement prevailed, too. No wonder people were arsine: ‘* Where in the world bave all the Lcotblecks gone?” It was not long before a number of subscrib- ers to the speculation were obtained. But there were a few among the smarter ele- ment, who held back. They had resolved to wait and see whether this scheme had anything in it or not. . The nice bootblack accomplished wonders there in a short space—wonders for a speculative scheme among a class of bootblacks like bim- self, or like he appeared to be, ~ At the expiration of twenty minutes he jad not. less than twenty dollars in his pocket, ane bis fingers were wonderfully apt, some of the shrewrer noticed, for a common bootblack, in putiing down the names and the amount of the subscribers to the stock of investment. Hardlv had the last entry been made, when a voice cried, from the outer circle of the crowd: ‘You boys think you’re pretty smart. But I'll bet a cake you are going to lose on that thing!” A score of faces were at once turned toward the speaker, i ‘* Bootblack Ben!” exclaimed several in a breath, ‘Yes, it’s me, an’ nobody else. What are you fellers a-doin’, shootin’ off your money that- a-way? Ain’t you any better sense? What’ll your mothers say to-night when they are ex- pectin’ you to bring bome tbe pennies for to keep the pot a-boilin’?—” | ‘Say, you shet up!” The words were from the new bootblack. He evidently felt himself to be a power now among the clan around bim. His tone had an authoritative ring. “Pm not shuttin’ up for anybody,” retorted Ben. ‘“ What are you a-drivin’ at around here, anyway, takin’ the pennies away from them that makes an horest livin’ for their old mam- mies, There’s many a boy here ’at knows he ought to take home every cent he can get out 0’ the trade to the old ‘woman at bome who gives him a comfor’ble bed to sleep in. Who are you, anybow?” And Ben elbowed his way to the-front. There was a murmur among the boys. ; ** He don’t belong down here on Gay street,” ' vouchsafed one, sullenly—one of those who had invested the largest in the speculative pool. ‘“‘ He’s a Calvert street feller,” 1 The words were taken up. Then the murmur grew louder. Within a few minutes after making bis first intrusive speech, Ben found that he was being looked upon as an interloper. : ‘** 1 don’t take back a word I’ve said,” he an- nounced, ‘* That fellow is trying to skin you chaps. He’s a sharper; an’ I don’t believe he’s even a bootblack,” The sullen murmurs grew louder, Though off ot bis usual ground, Ben was known to all the bootblacks and newsboys as a youngster who never backed water from any- body who might ‘ tread on his coat tails,” But there existed a feeling of enmity between the Calvert street and Gay street bootblacks at the time, which even the patrons of the knights of the brush were aware of—indeed, a gentle- man who might place his foot on a box in front of Philbins, would almost immediately hear the remark as to whether his boots were blacked last by the Gay street boys or the Caivert street boys. ‘It would appear that the nice bootblack knew of this animosity, and availed of it promptly. ‘* Say,” be shouted; ‘‘are we to havea coal- stove polisher from Calvert street come down Kere an’ break up our business? I ain’t a-goin’ / for to permit it, [I ain’t!” Few though the words, they had an instan- taneous effect, as if only that was needed to cause a. belligerent breaking out of hostile feel- ing on the part of the Gay street’ bootblacks. “Rah fer Gay street!” yelled one, } Ben was at the front of the crowd when the shout wentup. He wheeled and faced the utterer of the words, “-. And by this time a dozen bystanders had forged forward to the unusual congregation of / bootblacks, ? “You fellers think you can scare me—but you can’t. Dve said my say: youre being skinned, an’ if you won’t listen to my advice, you can | take the consequences, This here feller—” ( » . Thuck! ‘ 7 Before Ben could complete his sentence, he ( received a blow on the cheek froma hard fist - that almost knocked him down, e ile was staggered for an instant, then he | made for the one who had struck him. ae It was the nice bootblack, “Take that!” ‘* ’'m a-takin’ a whole heap like that!” shouted f Ben, recovering bimself instantly, | : And then the Gay street bootblacks were © treated to aspecimen of what the Calvert street | representative was capable of. ; \ Atone jerk Ben had his blacking-box swung | around and off his shoulder; then, erucning itby ¢ the strap as we have seen him do previously; he | ‘* waded in.” Waded in, because the stroke of the nice boot- black seemed to be accepted as a signal for the rest to pounce upon the rival bootblack from Calvert street. Twice round his head circled the box. Twice in quick succession down came the box on the nearest heads, and within the space of — four seconds the bridge over Jones Falls, at Fayette street, was a scene of miniature riot, — en proved himself equal to the emergency, No one could get within the circling of that terrible blacking-box, and another went down who tried the experiment. Tn the melee, none noticed that the new boot- black bad drawn aside after his first blow, and was not taking part at all in the fray. Suddenly the scene was changed, A bundred people were running toward the scene of the fight, which bad the aspect of no ordinary affair, and foremost was a policeman, A signaling cry went up from the bootblacks. Like a lot of scared deer they scampered be- fore the officer arrived upon the spot, . Ben followed their example; he could nob © afford to be arrested at that time, when’ he had what was most important business to him on and, i And throughout the brief fight there on thé) | bridge, sib ae the “ nice bootblack.” Ph) cates This lad was disappearing in the divectio#", of the old Sixth ng he armory. Wem be Ben followed him hot-footed, ‘CHAPTER V. THE BOOTBLACK AS A “SHADOW,” Up Front street whirled the runnin black after the one who had gotten him. trouble on the bridge. to the s tee ae > . Lat he bad kept bis glance as much as pos: } _ boot- it i gs ee awe Se ee eS eee sal £ es = rae ke Dee an<58 — = Ma we" A == « 2 < e = Sees s i a Se : « a r sy
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A Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack ine - a = sateen ee — Detective. ! Ahead he saw the boy. “Pll have it out of him, if I die for it,” he re- solved, But he was checked by something unex- pected. Across the narrow street came a man who pias himself directly in the path of the nice ootblack. And this man was no other than, Pooler Jim. Sight of him instantly roused the thought in Ben’s mind: “Tf Pooler Jim was the man who abducted the gir], he is either a brazen, bold man, or he isn’t the man at all who took her,” Jim went straight up to the boy. Ben was close enough to bear what was said, The departing bootblack was not aware of being followed; he had not cast a glance over his shoulder after turning into Front street. i That’s a good rig,” remarked Jim, famil- iarly. ‘* What are you talkin’ about, mister?” Jim haw-hawed loudly. “Come! You can’t play it on me, kid, if you did on the bootblacks, I see the racket, And I’ve something to tell you, my young friend Cicero.” “Hush!” ** Oh, L ain’t talking loud enough for anybody to hear,” and Jim cast a searching glance around. Before that glance was given Ben had slunk bebind a convenient stoop. Underneath the stoop was space sufficient for him to see the couple without being seen himself. He was after the nice bootblack to give him a good drubbing—of which feat he felt himself fully capable—whken he saw here adevelopment that promised far more than revengeful satis- faction. ““Pve got the girl,” added Pooler Jim. “How in the world did you ever penetrate my disguise?” ‘Basy as mud, It’s a wonder that the boot- blacks you’re mingling with didn’t tumble to the fact that you’ve a very white hand; and between you and I, do you know that, you've got on the same ruby-mounted ring you wore when you made the bargain with me and my partner at the saloon on Aisquith street—” “'That’s enough!” broke in the bootblack, who was no other than the scion of a wealthy fatoer. ‘* Now, kid, where’s the money—” _* Yes, but where’s the girl?’ interrupted the disguised Cicero. “Safe enough,” “That don’t satisfy me. want to see her.” “* Will you meet me to-night—in your proper rig, mind—at Louis Rinehart’s?” “ Yes,” young Cicero just then happened to glance in his direction, ; . He took the messenger boy by the arm in a familiar way and led him out into the yard. In the gloom he said : ‘T want a message taken to the office of the police marshal, for Mr. Jack Grip. What’s the charge?” : “Fifteen cents. Where’s the message?” ‘OTain’t written out—you must take it by your mouth,” j “What is it?” ‘This: Tell the marshal, or Mr. Grip, if you ean see him, that Bootblack Ben wants to see him right away at Rhinehart’s restaurant on business that’s most important, you under- stand?” ‘“*Ts that all?” ““That’s all.” ‘*Where’s the money?” ‘* Here,” and Ben banded over the amount. Away went the boy. ‘*T guess that’s fixed,” Ben thought, as he carelessly sauntered into the saloon, At that moment he saw Pooler Jim address- ing the young scion, What they said, he could not hear; but in a few seconds they went out and entered a hack: that was in waiting at the curb. Ben was not to be “left.” Ere the driver bad whipped up his horses, our bootblack had glided unobserved to the trunk-; board at the rear of the hack and gained a. hold, : As the hack drove off be clung there like a very monkey. ‘‘T’'m sorry Mr. Grip didn’t get here in time,” he thought. ‘Vd have liked him to see these two together, an’ maybe he’d recognized the young man whose name is Cicero,” 2 But unknown to Ben, the detective was ‘fon hand.” Grip, in a disguise, was watching Pooler Jim, having gotten on the train of the crook from information reccived from the man he had star ed out early in the day to hunt up the sus- pected party. He was not ten feet away when the hack de- parted. j And Grip evidently had a hack of bis own ready for the emergency, for instantly he was in pursuit of the pair in the first hack inside a conveyance which came with a whirl to the curb at a signaling sign. ** Follow that hack,” he instructed, briefly. He had seen Ben attain his somewhut novel position on the rear of the other hack; he knew that the boy was conducting a piece of detective businessin hisown way. Iv rather pleased him, for he muttered to himself, in the darkness of , the interior of his seat: f “T think that’sa smert boy. Make a detec- tive out of him some day, maybe,” Grip had uot been in when the messenger boy — arrived at the marshbal’s office with the commu- nication from the restaurant, He had been sbadowing Pooler Jim for some hours. A long and strangely devious course was that pursued by the hack containing the shadowed pair. Strange, because, after a roundabout way, it. at last entered the dark thoroughfare of Coi- cord street below Pratt, where even in the ear- lier hours of the evening there is an air of deser~ tion and spectral hauntings. During the drive the bootblack had clung tightly to his uncomfortable perch on the trunk~ , board, Nor did he leave it when he saw the two alight and enter a large old frame building on the side toward the falls, CHAPTER VI, YOUNG CICERO IN BAD COMPANY. WHEN the back halted at the dwelling on Concord street, and before Pooler Jim and his companion alighted, the former said: ae" ** He certainly hangs on well.” ‘‘ What are you talking about?” asked Cicero. You're green.” ‘Green? ‘¢ Well, somewhat.” diy ‘¢ T'd like to know what in the world you drove all around town in that way for. to pet here, when we might as well have come straight down from the restaurant.” , ‘* Look out that window.” i He made a motion toward tue rear window of | the hack. which Cicero caught indistinctly im the gloom. Doing as bidden, he said: “ Well?” ** Don’t you see anything?” ay
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} t N y a! eee - Becu Baltimore Ben, f bor ‘ tt No.” ; ‘Well, we’ve been shadowed, that’s all, Look again. Hush! don’t talk loud. Do yousee that boy hanging onto the trunk-board? If you don’t, you’re pretty blind.” . “ I see stad “Hush, now! Just let me work it.” Jim alighted and entered the dilapidated house, followed by the young scion of wealth. The hackman who had brought them there was the same whom we have seen serving Pooler Jim and bis pal on a former occasion. He seemed to understand his business by pre- vious instructions, for he immediately drove off, In the semi darkness, Ben dropped from his hold on the trunk-board and crouched low on the cobbles at the curb, and so very black was the locality that he believed himself totally un- observed. When the hack was out of sight, the venture- some boy glided quickly forward to the door of the house. He had resolved to enter the building at every hazard, To his surprise and gratification he found the door unlocked, - A moment later and he was standing in the entry. He could not see his hand before his face. But there was a guiding sound that told him which way to proceed if he wished to keep close on his quarry. e heard voices in conversation, though the words uttered were indistinguishable. The sound came from above—on the next floor, the boy at once knew. Stealthily he groped forward. f Up the rickety stairs he went, and presently a flickering light served to further guide him in his uncertain course. -, But the voices suddenly ceased. And then—before Ben could realize that he had walked into a cunning trap, he received a blow upon the head which laid him insensible on the floor at the landing. Not altogether insensible, for he felt a pair of strong hands dragging him into the room at one side, and a voice said: “There! I reckon the imp won’t bother me any more—cuss ’im!” ‘Have you killed him?” inquired the voice of Cicero. , “No pity if Ihave, I struck him on the tem- le with this sand-bag, lalways carry a sand- ag, [do. There—let him Jay there till Bill eomes, and I'll have him tossed into the falls, That’ll be an end of Bootblack Ben.” Even as the villain was speaking, the boy’s ‘senses were returning to him; but he gave no sizeof ‘this, He wanted to see what these two were play- ‘ing. eNow, kid, how about the money?” Pooler Jim asked. : ‘**Are you sure we’re alone here interro- ated Cicero, glancing guiltily about, asif fear- fal that some one would hear or see him in con- versation with this man who he knew now must be a murderous rogue. . “Yes, This here’s my den, thisis. Look at them windows. I reckon it looks a little like a prison, don’t it. You see, I’ve spent so much of my life in prison that I don’t feel at home un- less I’ve got bars across the windows,” and he ointed, with a grim smile, to the windows, Bivtes which were heavy bars, “Now, kid, what about the money?’ * Have you got the girl?” ** You bet.” * Where?” ! “Right here in this house. show her to you.” , He led the way to another room, carrying as he went the candle which had been lighted when they first entered the apartment, Unlocking a stout door, he half pushed Cicero forward. Instantaneously, a small form darted for- Come, and J’ll ward from a far corner and grasped Pooler _ Jim by the arm, and at the same time the voice of the girl, Garnet, wailed: . *Oh, take me out—take me out! Don’t keep _ me in here any longer!” The beseeching voice reached Ben’s ears, He half started to bis feet at the sound, with the impulse to dash forward and rescue the per- vac ted child. eS aa cea aia 2 a a a a a a eee 2 ee ee ‘‘Here, take your hands off me,” growled Jim, surlily. ‘Have you kep’ quiet since I was away?” “Ob, yes, yes, I haven’t made ascund. Take me out of here, won't you? I’m afraid to stay all alone in‘thisdark room. And—and I’m so hungry.” ‘Well, ’ve brought you something to eat, Here,” and he drew a large sandwich from his pocket, giving it to her. Garnet was, in truth, about half starved. She seized upon the morsel greedily and ran off to one corner again, eating as if her life depend- ed upon a basty consumption of the bread and meat. ‘Now, kid, let me talk a little business to you. Did you suppose that your offer of fivo hundred dollars was going to make me kill this little gal? O}), no! Lt’/l take a heap more money than that. Why, she’s a fortune to anybody. And I and my pal, Bill Crook, mean to take her out West, into the towns, where we can make more money than you offer in a week—in every week that we ‘show’ her,” ““T don’t see anything particularly about her that she could bring in so much money just showing her,” rémarked Cicero, who was watching the girl with strange feelings of hate, because he knew that she was intended, by his father, to share in the Rugby wealth. “Don’t you? Then I’) show you something. Come here, gal,” Timidly Garnet cdme forward, her face plainly showing the fear in which she stood of the man. Taking her by the arm, be drew out the skin toan extraordinary length from the surface, letting it go, and it returned to its normal con- dition with a perceptible snap, Next he performed the same astonishing feat with the skin of the neck and even forced the ebild to bare a portion of her. pure bosom, which, under his pulling touch, yielded the same remarkable exhibition of elasticity and to such an extent that he actually brought tbe skin up to ber ee lip. ‘Now I reckon you see, don’t you, kid? This here’s an elastic-skin gal. There’s only two such people in the country to-day; the other’s a man who’s been going the rounds of the’ museums, Now, do you suppose that five bundred dollay's’!] pay me to kill such a gal as that?’ .' Bu—bu—but I didn’t say eny thing: about killing her,” broke in Cicero, with face a little blanched at the idea of murder, **Oh, you didn’t!” with a sneer. did you mean, then?” “Why, I only wanted her put out of the road,” ‘‘Of course, And that means you wanted her killed, else she’d interfere with the inheritance ie: expect to come into when your old pap icks the bucket.” ** Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!” Garnet cried, with dilating orbs and whitened face, “Shut up!” growled Jim, raising one hand as if to deal her a brutal blow, The terrified child shrunk back. “Is—is there no other way?” put in Cicero, hesitatingly. ‘‘Nary. If you want her out of the way, that means she must die, and there’s no use mincing words over it.” Then he added, while the mind of Cicero seemed to recoil in silent horror from a contem- plation of such a deed. ‘* Look here, you haven’t got the money, any- how, have you?” “Not with me.” **That’s what 1 thought. So I’ve hatched u another plan. It's ten to one that your ol pap’ll be offering a huge reward for the girl and all I’ve got todo is to take her to bim an gobble the aforesaid. Just as easy as mud, you see— “You mustn’t do that,” interrupted Cicero, suddenly starting into life again, “ Well, what am [todo then? You haven’t got the money—and you won’t haveit. I've an idea that your pap has shut down on you for allowunces,” \ ‘Yes, you’ve hit it, But I’ve just gone intoa speculation. Tl soon have the money.” ““A speculation? What, do you mean that banana business you’re working with the boot- blacks?” ** Yes,” with a wise nod. — Jim haw-hawed loudly, ‘““Why, kid, you couldn’t raise that much money out of the bootblacks if they gave you every dollar they earned to put into your ba- nana speculation.” **Couldn’t I? Why, I’ve got over forty dollars already, and that’s only from one gang of them. ** And what the Bootblack Detective. at 7 The news’ll spread, and before a week goes by Vil have over a hundred. “Take the profits out ’at pay,” suggested Pooler Jim. **Poob! Do you take me fora fool? Why Pll pay profits to those who demand it out o the investments of the others. And the great cbances are that the additional inducement of the bigger dividend will keep all funds in in- stead of any being drawn out, J don’t pay any profits. When I’ve got all I can, then I'l! dis- appear, I guess nobody’ll recognize me when I’ve changed my rig; none of ’em did to-night, and there was a lot of the same gang in'front of the restaurant when I wentin, No, I know my game, It’s about the same as they do on Wall street, There won’t be any profits, and I’ll soon bave enough to pay you what I promised.” “It’ll take too much time,” said Jim, with a dissatisfied shake of his head, Then, after a pause, he added: “Look here, suppose I suggest a way out of the difficulty—a way by which you get rid of the gal and I get all the money I want?” ‘What is it?” ‘‘Come back into the other room”—moving toward the door. 7 ‘‘Won’t you please, please take me out of here?” sobbed the girl, as she saw them depart- you're going to ing. ‘**No, and I warn youasI warned you before,” replied Jim, with a gon, 4 frown, ‘‘if you make any noise, I’1l come in here with a cart-whip and cut every inch of skin off your body, do you understand that?” arnet was presently left alone again in the secure and dark chamber that was her prison, “Sit down and let’s talk business,” Jim said when they had reached the first apartment, and shoving a stool toward his youthful companion. ‘* Now, I and my pal want to get out of Balti- more, and before we go we want to make a good haul,” ‘** A haul?” **Oh, don’t play innocent. You know what I mean, I know that your old dad must keep a lot of money in the big safe he’s got up stairs in his library—” ‘“ Why, how did you know that he has a safe up there?” exclaimed Cicero, in astonishment, ‘Well, I know it, that’s all. Now, suppose you just arrange it so’s we can get into the house after the folks are in bed, and if every- thing goes right and we get what money’s in the safe—and [ know there’s some thousands—I’'Il promise to take the elastic skinned girl away to another country, where she'll never interiere with your inheritance—” *T won’t do it!” declared Cicero, decidedly, as he comprehended the suggestion of a bold burglary. ‘© You won't?’ “No, I won't,” * Avd I say you will !” As Jim uttered the words, he rose from his seat and glowered down upon the youth threat- eningly. CHAPTER VII. A BURGLAR IN THE LIBRARY. Young Cicero possessed some spirit. At the authoritative words of Pooler Jim, he started to his feet, exclaiming: ~ ‘** I don’t think you can make me do what I don’t want to do— you or anybody else.” ** You don’t, eh?” with a leer, ‘* Well, if you don’t do as I say, Vil just march the girl right up to your dad, to begin with; and ll tell bim that bis son and heir offered me five bundred dollars to kill her, Then I'l] hand you over to the law for receiving money under false pre- tenses—this fine scheme of the banana specula- tion of yours. How about it? I guess by the time you’ve been thoroughly ventilated, you'll get a cell over the falls, won’t you?” Cicero realized that he bad jeopardized bim- self, ** Would you do that?” ** ‘You don’t know Pooler Jim,I reckon. Yes, I'd do it, every bit, and more, if I saw the — Come, I’ve got a claw on you, haven't chance, I? Now, which’ll it be: you do as ay, or you go over the falls for a term, or I’m mistaken,” **T guess I'll have to do it.” Cicero sunk dejectedly back u ““That’s sensible. Now, I'l plan—” t He paused, as a stealthy step wasaudible on the stairway. his stool, ‘*Somebody’s coming,” whispered Cicero, in . a guilty tremble, \ Y ** Tt’s only Bill Crook.” : i And in the next moment Bill Crook entered the room. 2F :. tell you the
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7 RNR eS «5 LS Before allowing the comer time to speak, Jim said: “Take that boy down to the falls and toss him in. There’s no mark on him; they’ll think _ke fell overboard into the mud.” * All right.” Cicero averted his head. He had witnessed what was apparently a murder, and the cool manner in which Jim dealt with it really shocked his soul although ke was somewhat wicked himself at heart. ‘* It’s that cussed tblack,” Bill remarked, as he proceeded to lift the lad from the floor. ‘* Yes, he won’t trouble us any more, 1 recken. Hurry with the job, Bill, and get back here! | We're going to tap old Rugby’s safe to-nigut, and here’s the gay lark wno is going to help us.” ‘*T won’t have any hand init,” said Cicero, emphatically. ‘ If 1 can let you into the house, Pll do that mach. ButI won't do any more, if you send me to the jail or kill me for it—” ‘* Oh, we don’t want you to even be around, You're too green, and you might spoil every- thing if you undertook too much. Hurry, Bill,” as his confederate departed with Ben slung over his shoulder. Bill Crook descended the unlighted stairs to a door at therear which opened on West Falls avenue, It was but a few steps tothe murky gurgling filth of Jones Falls, into which be meant to cast the supposed dead body of our bootblack. Ben made up his mind not to take any such dangerous plunge, however. He quietly waited, simulating unconsciousness, until they were clear of the bouse, Tne locality after dark was always a deserted avenue; no One appeared in sight as Bill made his way toward the water. But just as he was about to give the lada swing that would have cast him into the mud and water, Ben became wonderfully imbued with life and activity. With a suddenness that almost resulted in success, he made a squirming motion intended eee himself from the other’s twining hold. ; Fe however, with an oath, tightened his ) “You cussed imp, why you ain’t so dead after all. Jim didn’t strike hard enough, I see.’ And he raised his own burly fist, bringing it down upon Ben’s head with a thump that brought a thousand stars into the lad’s vision. All seemed over for Ben then, : Limply he relaxed his struggles, As his senses deserted him, a single thought glanced athwart bis benumbed brain: “Ym a goner! What’ll poor mother do now?” Bill Crook altered his intention of hurling the lad out into the sluggish stream. Jt mighs rane a splash and result in the finding of the y must make sure of him,” he muttered, “*Tt wouldn’t do for him to be rescued and giva an account of how he came there. Jim and I'd have the whole police force after us. So, now, my meddlesome bootblack, there you gu—thare you go!”"—uttering the words lowly, slow!y and calculatingly, as he eased the body over the wall, presently lying flat on his stomach and he downward, with a gripe on the boy’s collar, / Down, down, slowly down went Ben, until at last Bill Crook released his hold on the collar, and the youthful form sunk into the black mua at the margin of the wall. Crook could not see whether his victim had falien into the water or the mud; but’ he bad confidence in the blow he bad dealt the lad be- fore consigning bim to the filthy grave. “He won’t ever come out of that,” was his uttered thougbt, as he paused a moment to listen, *‘until they find him and decide at the inquest that be fell over and got suffocated in the mud.” At about the hour of ten on the same night the servitors at the Rugby mansion were a little surprised to see Master Cicero enter the house by the rear basement way, A very uvusual proceeding for the wealthy gentleman’s son. ' “Is my father home?” he asked of one, ‘** Yes, sir; he’s up in the parlor.” “Well, [ dow’t want to see him. I’ve just got m from Wilmington. I'd started to go to Philadelpbia, but changed my mind. E Yes, I beard 'at you’d gone off for Phila- delphia,” balf-interrupted the man. — v ‘ I changed my mind. And I’m awful tired | I helped you to accumulate, with the sum you eee to ry y SE Pegs with so much traveling. I’m going up to bed. You needn’t say anything about my coming back, remember.” * All right, sir.” ‘Because I’m not in the humor of talking,” he added, * Yes, sir.” Cicero sought his room on the second floor. But not to retire; neither did he disrobe him- self at all. Those who saw him when he entered, passin through the hall beside the kitchen, SYisereed that he looked very pale. But they attributed it to fatigue, occasioned by his supposed trip as far as Wilnsiugton. | In his room this pallor increased. 4 He removed his gaiters and stepped to the loor. Satisfying himself that nobody was astir in the upper portion of the mansion, he stole forth and descended noiselessly to the library. A dim light always burned in the library. Crossing to a veranda-like window, outside of which was a rail reaching about two feet above the sill, he glanced forth into the starry night. There was a light tap on the pane. He raised the sash. _“ Hush!” he warned. ‘f don’t know what minute somebody might come in here—” ‘* Who's gabblin’ but you. Shut up!” return- ed the voice of Bill Crook, ks that worthy swung himself inside. bao he added: “e ‘“ Now you just light out—git. the balance.” , With white face and nerves in.a tremble, Cicero went out from the library, seeking again his bedroom in the far end of the passage, Locking the door, he went to the mirror and took a good look at himself, running his fingers through bis bair with a spasmodic movement, ** My goodness!” burst from his half livid lips. “ma sight! £ believe I feel as a murderer must feel! Here I’m a party to a burglary, and all through my being so fresh in getting in with those crooks. They’ve got me, sure. I couldn’t get out of it. But I must try and look on the good side of it. I am not the one who’s breaking into the safe.. And they'll place the girl where she’l] never turn up to rob me of the share of the inheritance which’ll be mine when the old man dies. I made Jim promise that he wouldn’t murder her, though. I’m not as bad as that. Why, beseemed to think I meant to have ber murdered from the first; and I'd never thought of such a thing as that—no! Hark! somebody is coming up the stairs.” He hastened to the door and stood like a pale statue, listening to a sound of footsteps in the hall without. “Tt’s father, library.” While this scene was transpiring, Thomas Rugby had been seated in his comfortable par- jor, amid his surroundings of luxury, talking with his wife. Thomas was a man of years, with grizzled bair and a cast of countenance which might reasonably have caused Cicero to think that it would not be long before he would be able to handle the old man’ wealth. : His wife was a woman ot peculiarly satur- nine countenance, ** ] dislike to give up the attempt to fina the girl,” he remarked. “The girl?” “ Yes, Garnet, you know—” ss. “That girl! I thought that you had arrived at the conclusion that you should show yourself possessed of more sense, Thomas, than to bother about her. The idea of making such a fuss about that thing!” ‘Not’ a ‘thing,’ Mariah. Remember, if it had not been for Samuel Fawnworth, Thomas Rugby would not now be what he is.” **Pooh! Well, the girl’s father died long ago, and you are what you are—thanks to nobody. Let her go, since she bas disappeared. It isn’t your place, I warrant, to be looking ber up.” | His face twitched a little. Some inward thought was annoying him deeply. “*T can’t altogether do that, Mariah, I really want to find the girl if I can. I sent word to the marshal’s oflice—the police marshal—that if sbe could be found I would pay any reasonable I'll attend to I hope he won’t go into the amount for the trouble of the detectives—” , “And that’s a good way to waste money, How long since this mood of charity struek in on you, Thomas Rugby. You're afflicted badly with it. I don’t care to see my son, our son, sbaring his inheritance with a ane 2 mind that—supposing he may survive you. aven’t Robs Sekt azo LA POG RSET TL ENE Tria ae semana } eit } a eee eae ae é _ Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective, Wee ea. } , had et first, until now you are one of the wealthy men of Baltimore? Are you going tu make a fool of yourself”—leaning forward as she uttered the words sharply—‘in your old age, Thomas? Let the girl go, I say, and be glad of the riddance, I'd be glad if she was under the sod, where she’ll never bother any—” “Hush, Mariah! You must not talk that v] way. You’re wishing awful things,” “No matter iflam. And I won’t talk any Fon more about the waif,” Mrs. Rugby started from her chair and left the room, No love in her heart was there for the orphan and friendless Garnet—the girl who had been expected to come into their home asa sharer of ; the wealth which she, who doted on her own son, believed should all belong to that son. And the fact that Thomas Rugby had re- solved to make a portion of his will in favor of the girl, was an enigma to her; more, it was an act which she meant to combat in the courts if matters went that far. | ‘If she only knew the whole truth,” muttered — (i Thomas, when alone. ‘I am getting very old, oF and somehow, I can’t refuse the dying request of the woman who was the wife of the man I \; know I so deeply wronged. The world does Ta ae not know it—the world never will know it until ; I am desd; but my own heart knows and shrinks at thought of it. I’m efraid I’ve taught the lesson of money-making and. saving. too | well to Mariab. In my will there is also a paper for the child, Garnet, to read when she is old enough to comprehend, and mtaybe my a act of restitution to her will cause her todo me Pe justice in her own mind when I am laid away. par! Well, it’s getting late. I'll go to bed.” ect Extinguishing the light in parlor and hall =, himself, he ascended the stairs. ) ' At the landing above, he seemed suddenly possessed of an idea, He turned aside and entered the library, f aie 4 os a corner stood a large safe of the Miller c f patent. Mae Advancing to this, after raising the gas jet, fa if he opened the massive door and drew forth a ei package of papers. ? he topmost of the papers bore a legend that ath told the document to be: The Last Will and : Testament of Thomas Rugby. Heo YH He grasped the end of this paper and was ; a about to draw it from the package, when he pat made a startling discovery. a day —— ‘a |) td!) ‘ . CHAPTER VIL ft CICERO IS STARTLED BY AN APPARITION. tal ey SIR A MAN was behind the safe! Sh tea se ‘ This intruder, Bill Crook, saw that he was ye ie b> discovered. ta io Fok Ere the old gentleman could makeany outery, __ or even rise from the stooping position in whidte ger} he was when he had drawn the papers from the safe, Crook was upon him, / he Like a vise the fingers of the burglar closed upon the other’s windpipe, ori A struggle ensued; but Thomas Rugby wasno mateh for this stalwart villain. In less than | three seconds he was hurled over on his back on — the carpet, with his scowling adversary above — im, And tighter still those merciless fiugers on the windpipe. “Struggle, you old gray-haired fool! And the more you struggle, the better yourchances are for being strangled, you hear me!” hissed © Crook, glaring down upon his victim.- te _ “You've saved me a heap o’ trouble by ecom- in’ in here, ’cause I couldn’t open the durned thing, even with my tools,” ‘ee! “Don’t murder me,” Rugby managed to gasp. oT don’t want to, but if I must, well, then, I must. Lay still there, now,” and he accompa-_ nied the words by a blow that caused Rugby’s eyes to close anc a deathly pallor tospread over his aged face. ; , ee! Starting up, with a grasp like the swoop of — an eagle, Bill Crook thrust his hands into the — safe. Several packages of | Sahar ary had he seen there, even in the midst of his struggle with the old gentleman. k Into epbapings pockets he stowed the money, giving only one glance over his shoulder during the operation to see that the man he had stra gied was not returning to consciousness, The task of robbery did not consume mo: than twenty seconds, Turning from his bur- — glarious work, he stooped to gaze into the face we of the man on the floor. Not a muscle twi hed; the hue of death itself was over the connte- nance, \ \ ae Then from his lips came the words, scarce] above a whisper: he ws 1 a Me re
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**T do believe I’ve killed bim! I didn’t mean to. But, it can't be helped now. I reckon Pooler Jim and I’ve got enough money now, even without the girl—for these packages all bear a ‘C’ mark on top, A pretty good haul! | Now to be out of this!” He hastened to the window and swung bim- self outward, A low whistle greeted him from below, ‘* How is it?” interrogated the voice of Pooler Jim from the darkness, se O EK ” “Any ‘damage done?’ as Bill reached the | ground by means of a hooked rope that dangled from the rail. ‘* Had to kill the old man, I guess. him some, and he’s laid out up there,” Pooler Jim uttered an oath of vexation. “Wasn't there any other way but that?” “Didn’t strike me that there was. we'd better be scarce ‘round here, l’m think- ing.” The evil pair slunk rapidly across the garden and out to the street. Strangled Ata distance of not more than twenty paces | from the gate they met and passed a policeman who came sauntering leisurely along and who eyed them a little suspiciously. But they got off safely with the booty that Bill Crook carried in bis pockets, Meantime silence like the silence of the tomb reigned witbin tue Rugby mansion. On the edge of a chair in his bedroom sat Cicero Rugby, A startled look was in his face. ‘I can’t stay here!” he exclaimed, presently, in a gaspy way. ‘I must know what tbey’ve done—I must. And if I’m rid of them, 1 swear Pll never bave anything to do with their Jike again. -I didn’t expect to get into any sie. tangle as this.” He stepped out into the hall, where every- | thing was so hushed, and moved in his stocking feet toward the library. As he came near to the apartment, he saw that the door was open, “ Father must have gonein there,” he thought, continuing to advance. ‘I hope he didn’t meet the man Pooler Jim sent to commit the burg- lary.” Then, as he reached the threshold, there pass- ed over bis frame an icy shiver that paralyzed him for.a moment, and his eyes distended in veriest horror, There on the floor lay the body of his father, in all the semblance of a violent death—violent because he realized that it must have been caused by an encounter with Bill Crook. Mechanically he bastened forward and bent over the motionless figure, gazing down upon it - with aft expréssion of unbounded fright. ‘“*Good Heaven!” burst from him, though so lowly that be could scarcely hear his own words, ‘‘ They’ve killed my father!” Then his eyes rested upon the package of papers, And as if Satan was determined to draw the youth further into the slough of crime which he had here entered through his collusion with the thieves, the uppermost paper was the will witb its bold, plain writing of indorsement which sbowed its character. He reached and took it, murmuring: “Tt is the will my father made last-—-the one in which he gives to Garnet Fawnworth an equal share with me in his property. And now he is dead!” His fingers closed over the document, He cast a hurried glance around, Then he almost ran from tho library back along the hall toward his bedroom. Locking himself in here, t » gazed again, with wide and guilty eyes, upon the paper he had snatched, as he believed, frota the fingers of his dead father. Then a mantle of red dyed his cheeks, “It is mine!” he exclaimed. ‘Vl destroy it, + and that will be the end of Garnet Fawnworth, > The whole estate will be mine after mother’s share, | didn’t kill him—I didn’t kill him! No!’ But he could not quiet his conscience, The oir around him seemed suddenly alive with hauntings. There were blue lines coming around his mouth, Without extinguisbing the gas he »threw him- self upon bis bed and lay with wide eyes, star- ing at the wall, And thus he lay when daylight came and he heard the servants bustling about busily, ** They'll find it—they’!l find it presently,” he mum pled, shiveringly. ‘I must take time and be ealm over it. L didn’t doit. What am I so afraid for! 1 didn’t kil) my father—no!” Come, | But, much to his ~urprise, there did not sound any sudden alarm . indicate that the dead body of his father had been discovered by the borrified servants. ‘It’s mighty singular,” he muttered, rising from bis sleepless couch in something like im- patience, ‘*They surely ought to have dis- covered the dead y by this time.” He arranged bis toilet, and at its completion tucked the stolen will inside bis coat pocket. Whén through with the task, he flattered himself that his appearance did not contain any- thing likely to attract suspicion toward himself | in connection with the tragic occurrence of the night gone, With a final effort to set bis nerves steadily, he went forth from his room and descended the staira. Everything seemed as usual; there was not the least excitement visible in ihe demeanor of tve chambermaid, whom be met at the landing as he descended the stairs. As he passed downward, he noticed that the | library door was closed; but he thought that he had closed the door himself wheu fleeing from it with the valuable will in his posses- 8100, ‘Your father would like to see you, Master Rugby,” broke in the voice of the hall servant, as he reached the bottom of the staircase, And so sudden was the speech, and sostrange, under the circumstance of bis excited thoughts, that he started and half-recoi'ed, as if be had been invited to look upon the ghastly corpse of Thomas Rugby. ** My father?” he half-gasped. “Yes. He’s in his bedroom, And. he sent word, or your mother did, that you had better come to him as soon as you were up. Someone of the girls told your mother that you’d come back, Master Cicero—I didn’t.” Hardly aware of hisown movements, so ut- terly dazed was the youth by this mess»ge from one whom he believed to be dead, he turned and ascended the stairs to bis father’s room, Thomas Rugby lay in bed. Mrs,'Rugby was by his side. ‘** Cicero,” said his mather, ‘close the door, Come here, Something extraordinary has bap- pened. I went to bed last night and waited for your father until I was tired, Then I got up and went in search of him. I found him on the floor in the library, and he was unable to speak a word to tell what bad transpired. He seems to be paralyzed; be can’t speak a word. I don’t know what to make of it. And the safe was open. Do vou know whether your father bad any money in the safe, Cicero? [have kept the remarkable thing quiet; I don’t want the ser- vants toknow. Butl’m all perplexed. I can’t make anything outof it, and your father can’t tell anything. What shall I do?—send for a doctor?” Cicero was very pale as he gazed into the aged face on the pillow. There was something in bis father’s face that seemed to search into his very soul—and such a change in that face! It was truly ghastly; only the eyes, the small and burning eyes, seemed to retain their life, and these were upon him ina way that almost seemed to say: **T know all, my son!” ““Why, of course, mother—send for a doctor, What inthe world can it all mean?’ The burning eyes of Thomas Rugby were fastened upon him so intently that the young scion could not sustain their look. But Rugby made no sound, made no,motion, He seemed to be, as Mariah Rugby had stated, paralyzed in limb and tongue. Cicero hastened after a doctor in person. ** Not dead!” he muttered, ashe went. ‘‘ What if he was only semi-conscious and knows of my coming into the library and taking the will? I almost wish now that Bill Crook had been more sure with bis work—” But even as the heart- less wish entered his brain, he shuddered at bis own thoughts, The office of the physician was not far from the mansion, Cicero found the man of medicine in, and his account of his father’s eondition caused the apne to basten to the Rugby home without elay, Cicero did not accompany the doctor, After leaving the office, he beld back until the other had driven off in his gig, then, by a roundabout way, ke started homeward. As he came near the house, something hap- pened to send a thrill through every fiber of bis frame. On the opposite side of the broad thorougb- fare, beyond the reservation near the Peabody Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. Institute, were two persons who evidently had their gaze fixed upon him. One wus a mau—a stranger. The other was a boy of about his own age, And the latver was no less a person than our bootblack, Ben Brush, Ben was pointing straight with one finger at the young scion. And any one standing close enough might have heard the boy say to bis older companion: ‘* There he is, Mr. Grip! That’s the same boy I saw in the bouse on Concord street with Pooler Jim last night. And if I’d only met you sooner, | might bave saved bis father’s Louse from being robbed. It’s been robbed, as I reckon you'll find out before long; ‘cause he was to let the burglars in—I heard him make the bargain with them,” The man was Jack Grip, the detective, Cicero averted his head slightly, so ag not to let the pair know be was aware of their presence. But the apparition of the bootblack was like a ghostly warning to Lim that he was soon to be in a terrible trouble. He surely thought that the bootblack was killed by Pooler Jim. and afterward tossed into Jones Falls by Jim’s pal, Bill Crook. Within the mansion, the doctor was making a very sensational announcement at the bedside of Thomas Rugby. ‘He cannot possibly survive, madam,” to Mrs. Rugby. ‘It is a severe case of paralysis, and of a kind that a second stroke may be ex- pected at any moment. When it comes, he must die, It’s very plain talk—but it is some- times better to be plain. The only pity is that he cannot give some explanation of what oc- curred last night.” Astonisbingly to all at that moment, Rugby made a sign that was easily interpreted as mean- ing that he wanted pencil .ud paper. CHAPTER IX, BOOTBLACK BEN, DETECTIVE! PROVIDENCE was especialiy good to the boot black, Ben Brush. The manner in which he was lowered over the wall at Jones Falls by his would-be mur- derer, brought bim feet-firstin contact with the soft mud that had accumulated at the base of the masonry. Mercifully for bim—because instantly the mud began toingulf him like a quicksand—he was not long in that unconscious state produced by the terrible blow which Bill Crook had dealt him upon the head, Already he had sunk in as deep as his knees, and was s'nking deeper in the oozy bed, when he regained his senses and, with an instinctive motion, reached outward to grasp at the jagged sides of the stone wall. For some minutes be remained thus, to more fully recover himself; and as be clung, there was a painful throbbing in his bruised head, caused by the first and the second blows he had re- ceived from his enemies, / “*T don’t think [m dead yet, though, by a good sight,” he articulated, faintly, while his aching eyes strained upward in the gloom at the hazy sky. With the recovery of consciousfiess came the alertness that told him he must exercise to pro- tect himself from further assault, His would-be assassin might then be not far off, watching to smite him again if be gave any indication of being. able to extricate bimselé from the muddy depths. And all the while the sucking mud around his limbs seemed to be resisting the attempt to re- lease the contemplated victim, The very bones in his legs began to twitch and ache under the strain, Fully an hour went by; and at last the boy resolved that be would take any possible chance that might. be lingering above in the gloom be- yond the wall. Slowly he dragged bimself upward. It. was not a difficult task to gain the broad top of the wall, by means of the unfinished pro- ections. d When he gained a sitting posture thereon, he looked about him for a glimpse of his recent foe, ‘1m left for dead, I reckon, And what have they been doing with poor little Garnet all this time? I wonder how long I was laying down there in the mud,” feelin downward upon his bedraggled garments, ‘* Hello, there! what’re you doing there?” The gruff voice of a policeman broke in upon him. **On’y waitin’ for strength enougb to get away, thal’s all.”
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ee. ee = sere $l Se ix a => 2 ar a ~ “Have you been overboard?” ‘* That’s about the size of it.” The shrewd boy was not going into any ex- planations. He preferred to pocket his experi- ence rather than set anybody on the trail he was now resolved to pursue to its very end, for the double motive of revenge upon his enemies and the rescue of Garnet Fawnworth. ‘Well, you lads shouldn’t be skylarkin’ so much round the factories hereabouts. Moveon, now, if you’re able.” “7 guessI canwalk. You needn’t shove me.” He burried away as fast as he could, At the first lamp he paused to take a look at his conditioh. ‘‘Great Goshen!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Well, ’'m a sight, an’ that’s afact. I don’t care, though. I’m bound to see Mr. Grip.” He started on again, making toward Balti- more street. It was his intention to seek the detective at tha marshal’s office—for he knew that Mr. Grip was frequently there at a late hour in the night. A disappointment was in store, Mr. Grip was out; no one knew where he could be found or when he might return. *Tll wait for him then,” announced Ben, de- terminedly. ‘*You must have something important on hand,” queried the clerk, who was just then alone in the office, ‘“*T have.” ‘* What like?” “That’s telling.” ‘* You'd better wait outside— Don’t sit down on that bench, there; you'll fill it full of mud. Why, you’re as dirty as if you’d been dipped into the falls—” * And that’s just what’s the matter with me,” ‘What's Mr. Grip got to do with it?” **So much that I reckon if I tell him you was trying to pump me about some business of his, you'll get your walkin’-papers in a hurry, and don’t you forget that.” This had the effect of silencing the clerk, He asked the boy ‘no more questions. Ben settled himself for a ‘‘ wait” if it took all night. - And pretty near all through the night had he to wait; for it was nearly two o’clock in the oe before Mr. Grip showed himself in the office. He was considerably surprised at finding Ben there. ‘* Why, hello! what’s up with you, Ben?” G oe want to see youin private on business, Mr rip. “Allright.” And tothe clerk: ‘Dick, step around to the coffee-house and bring us two lunches, ‘You’re hungry, are you not, Ben? And, Dick, you can stop long enough to eat a lunch yourself,” When alone with Ben, he asked: “* What became of you to-night?’ ** When?” ‘ ‘When you were hanging on to the trunk- board of the hack containing Pooler Jim and the young man.” “Did you see me?” *‘Of course I did. I was shadowing Pooler Jim. But they were too much for me after all. I tracked them to a house on Concord street, I entered the house about twelve o’clock, under the impression that I might find the girl there— the one we're after, you know—” ** And there’s where sbe is,” said Ben, break- ang in. s ‘Ob, no, you’re mistaken.” “But Pm not. I saw her, and I heard her, begging for ber life.” “ Begging for ber life: Thisis getting seri- ous. Why, I went all over the house, and nota aa could I find either of the girl or Pooler im. ** But she’s in there: and the chances are, Mr, Grip, that Pooler Jim and the other man have committed a bold robbery by this time and are out of the city,” and the lad went on to relate ali that he bad heard pass between those in the Concord street house, including the almost fatal mishaps to himself at the bands of Pooler Jim and bis pal, Bill Crook. _ ‘““A pretty close shave that, Ben. But the girl is no longer in the house, neither is Pooler im, “An? what about tho burglary I’ve been telling you was planped when they thought I was dead?” Grip looked at his watch. ‘Tf it was really to be carried out at all, it is probably accomplished ere this, All I can do now is toJook up Pooler Jim. And I want your assistance, Ben; I belieye you're a shrewd Jad,’ “Do you, Mr. Grip?’ the boy exclaimed in delight, “Yes. But go home now and change your clothes and get a nap. Come here early in the morning. By the by—” pausing and drawing a revolver from his pocket, which he handed to the boy. ‘* What's that for?” ‘*You’d better carry it. The men, Pooler Jim and Bill Crook, may be on the lookout to make sure of your death, since you will@be an important witness against them when [ catch them.” ‘**'You feel sure that you’ll catch them?” “Certainly Ido. Be off now, and come, as I say early in the morning.” en hurried away to his home, Mrs. Brush, in a high state of anxiety con- cerning ‘the whereabouts of her son, was still sitting up when he entered. “‘Ben, my dear son, wherein the world have you been?” embracing him solicitously. ‘* Playing detective, mother—” She interrupted with a little startled ery: ‘* What’s the matter with your head, Ben? It’s all swollen on one side.” *“T got burt, mother; but it don’t amount to much. There, I must go to bed and get some sleep. Pve got to start out with Mr. Grip in the morning to find Garnet. Oh, I’ve been ap- pointed a regular detective, under Mr. Grip—’ ‘Look at your clothes! Have you been over- board, Ben?” ‘“‘' Yes, and pretty near drowned. But I’mall right now, or’y I'm nearly dead for some sleep, that’s all.” . He retired to his bedroom and began to dis- robe, taking the revolver first from his pocket and depositing it on the mantle-piece. A low cry from the doorway attracted him. Mrs. Brush was standing there, and she had seen the gleaming weapon in her son’s hand with a thrill of horror. . ** Ben, for goodness sake! Tell me, my son, what all this means?) What are you doing with a pistol?” ** Don’t I tell you, mother, I’ve been appoint- ed a detective? All detectives carry pistols. Don’t worry; I’m all right. We’re going to find Garnet. Good-night!” and he tumbled into his cot to snatch what little sleep he could between that late bour and daylight. Bright and early he was up, and took hastily the cup of coffee that was prepared for him. Attired in his best suit and feeling very proud of himself, he sought the marshal’s office, Mr. Grip was there, apparently waiting for im ‘Come with me,” he said to the lad, leading him from the office. ‘Til tell you what I bave been doing while you were asleep, and I’ll tell you what I want you todo. Pooler Jim is still in town. He hasn’t been to bed all night, either, but drinking like a fish at a saloon on Bath street. I felt pretty sure I could spot him in the ‘Meadow.’ Wherever Pooler Jim is, there’s where we'll find the elastic-skinned girl. There’s no account in the Sun this morning of any rob- bery. I have inserted this advertisement, though,” handing Ben a paper, J The lad read, to himself: _ “WARNING, “Managers of museums throughout the country are hereby warned not to negotiate with any person or persons offering, as agents, for exhibition, a child known as the elastic-skinned girl. Any person mnonring: aught of sucha phenomenon will be re- warded by communicating with the Police Marshal of Baltimore and retaining in custody any persons who may have possession of such a child. Papers of other cities please copy.” “IT reckon that’ll be a pretty costly advertise- ment,” remarked Ben, returning the paper. “*Tt is done under authority from Thomas Rug- by, who communicated with the marshal yes- terday afternoon.” ‘*And what is it you want me to do, Mr. Grip?” he asked, as he perceived that they were nearing Mount Vernon Place, “IT want you to point out to me the youth known as Cicero.’ ““ Cicero?” ‘ **The one you said was in collusion with Pooler Jim in connection with the contemplated robbery.” Hardly had the detective uttered the words, when Cicero bimself, just then returning from his hasty call at the doctor’s office, came in sight around a near corner. Instantly Ben pointed, saving: ’ ‘‘Thtre he is, Mr. Grip. That’s the same boy I saw in the house on Concord street with Pool- er Jim!” ot That will do, Do you know who it is?” Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. ante ee ee ee ee ee ee eee SSS See cc No.” ‘s Well, it’s the son of the old man—Cicere Rugby. Now, Ben, go tothe saluon on Bath street and watch Pooler Jim—for unless I’m very much mistaken, you’ll find bim there still drinking. Lf he bas been up to a burglary—and we’ll soon know if such is the case—he is acting like a fool; for when he gets full of liquor, the chances are that he will give himself dead away—” { “Vil be off at once—” making asif to start — across the street. i But Grip detained him. ‘*Oh, no, not in that rig.” ee Why?” ‘*Come with me and put on a disguise.” An bour later, Bootblack Ben was at the saloon on Bath street in the full rig of a boot- black; but bis face was black as midnight, and be looked for all the world to be the veriest negro who ever went down on knees to polish a boot. pays CHAPTER X, BEN MAKES A FAILURE. DEVIOUS and treacherous are the environs of the ‘‘ Meadow.” White and black live and mingle there ina curious and somewbut questionable anomaly. The saloon into which Ben soon worked bis way in his bootblacking vocation, was a den of the lowest kind, presided over by a man of the lowest specimen. The air was suffocatingly pregnant with rum. But it. would seem that many of the frequent- ers of the place had ways—perhaps very dark ways—for supplying themselves with money, as Ben observed that there was very little of the ‘ trusting ® business done at the counter, ‘*What would mother think, I wonder,” passed in the lad’s mind, ‘if she knew I was in such a place?” At one side, about the worst intoxicated and | prvfane among the motley gang, was the quarry, Pooler Jim, with his fashionable suit bedabbled and his face flushed with the potations he had partaken of freely. ‘*Here, shine my boots!” he growled, as he tipsily regarded the negro bootblack. Ben,proceeded to tbe task. ‘ But hardly bad he finished on one boot, when something startling transpired. °! A faint scream of some one in distress penetra- , ted to the dipgy bar-room. It had an immediate and partly sobering effect on Pooler Jim; for without waiting to say a word to the bootblack, be sprung from bis chair and lurched off in the direction of the room at the rear, In a far corner of the room was the girl, Garnet! Over her towered a virago with a strap in her hand, and by the attitude of the two, it was evi- dent that the woman had just administered a brutal stroke upon the cbild. ‘¢ What’s the row here, bey?’ demanded Jim. “Why, the thing was pretty near getting away, that’s what,” replied the hag. ‘‘I caught her in time though, an’ I guess she won’t try it again,” pointing to a great welt which the strap had raised on Garnet’s pure shoulder, “Ob, sir!’ she screamed imploringly, to Pooler Jim. ‘‘ Don’t let ber kill me. Yes, L was trying to getaway. It’s so awful here; I ean hear the men swearing up in the little room where you put me, and I was afraid God would visit a judgment upon the house while I was in it— ‘* Here, you get back to your room,” be broke in, harshly, and grasping her roughly ,by the arm. As he did this, the girl’s skin stretched out- ward, revealing the wonderful phenomenon of her person. : The hag gazed upon it with wide eyes. ‘*Say, what kiod of a girl is that? ‘‘None of your business. Come,” to Garnet. and pushing her toward the greasy stairs, ‘Pm the gutta-percha girl! He’s carrying me away to make a show of me! Save me from him! Save me!” screamed Garnet. Jim slammed sbut the door on the stairs and | then balf carried her upward. ’ Thrusting her into the foul-smelling room which was another prison provided by her ab- ductor, be uttered a fierce oath, adding : * If you trv to get out of bere egain I'll cut your head off with this, do you hear me?” and he flourished a long knife before the eyes of the _ terrified child. ' The fat and red-nosed barkeeper was bus with his drunken customers, when his wife © came to his side, saying: Z vs “w, i} >
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eed “Slack!” ; ‘Well, what’s up?” ‘We've got a fortune in the house.” ‘*Will have, you mean, if these fools keep on spending money with me like they have for the past year.” - "7 don’t mean that.” “ What then?” * Have you seen the paper to-day?” ** Ain’t had no time—too busy,” he grunted. He cared nothing for daily papers; he only thought of money to be made by selling rum. From her pocket his wife produced the Sun and pointed out the advertisement that Grip had shown to Ben. : ‘ Well, what about it?” after reading it. ‘““Do you mind, there’s a reward for the old woman?” “The girl’s in the house, up-stairs. If we give her up to the police, we’ll get the reward.” He stared at her in astonishment. ‘You don’t mean the gal Pooler Jim brought here last night?’ ‘¢That’s just who I mean.” ‘‘Bnough said.” ‘* Wil] we do it?” ‘*Squeal on Jim? Cert--or anybody else ’at I kin make dollars out of. Wait till Jim comes back, an’ I’ll keep him busy while you go fora policeman.” Pooler Jim presently re-entered the bar-room. While he was taking another drink, a man came in at the door that opened into the yard. ‘Look here,” said the voice of Bill Crook, sharply, though in an undertone. ‘‘ You’re throwing the whole thing away, Where’s your eyes, eh?” ‘“What’s the matter, Bill?” ' “Come, an’ [ll show you. The detectives are right on top of us, an’ in broad daylight they’re about to take the girl from under your nose.” és No ” _ Jim grew still more sober now. He followed his pal out into the yard, mak- ing no noise at a sign from the latter. ** Look,” said Bill Crook, briefly, and raising _a finger to indicate the grape-rack which ex- tended from the fence of the yard in an em- bowering trellis across to thé windows of the second story. é There he saw, crawling cautiously along, with the intention of reaching one of the windows, the identical bootblack who bad but a few mo- ments before been working on his boots. From their position the crawling lad was in plain view, woiie he could not see the evil pair _. who now watched bim with glaring orbs. At a sign from Pooler Jim, they withdrew back again to ube house, The barkeeper—who knew that his wife had gone for a policeman— endeavored to attract Pooler Jim by the offer of a treat. : But the now nearly wholly sobered schemer paid him no heed, ascending on tip-toe to the aie story, accompanied by his partner in guilt,’ ‘* We'll give that boy a surprise, whoever he is, ’at he won’t forget ina pers And then he asked, as if with an inspiration: ‘* Are you sure you dropped that cussed little _ bootblack into the falls last night?” * Of course 1 am, an’ gave him another whack over the head into the bargain, Why?’ **Oh, nothin’, only somehow, it came into my head that this might be the same one,” “This is a nigger.” : Before the door of the room where Garnet was confined, Jim stooped and peered in through the keyhole. The window being opposite the door, he could see the bootblack gradually gaining the sill; and more, Garnet had evidently been attracted by some sign or call from the Jad, for she was standing at the window, and there was a hope- ful light in her childish face. ! It had never struck the child that she might ' have effected her escape by the same mears this | boy was now adopting to get to her side, - “Don’t make any noise, Garnet,” presently _ said the voice of Bootblack Ben—and the sound - sent a thrill into her young heart, for she in- stanily recognized the speaker, notwithstand- his disguise of the blackened face. **Oh, is it you for true, Ben Brush?” . Yes, it’s Ben Brush. And l’mbgoing to get --you out of that if you’re brave enough.” _» “I’m brave enough for anything to get me out of this horrid place and away from the bad men, , : ’ “Ys 5 J vee Ae a ea ‘Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. ——— eee Ben had reached the sill, on which he sat down to draw a breath of rest. His idea was to take the girl over the rack; but he realized, after his own exertions, that it would be a perilous task for ber, “Cheer up,” he said, ‘‘ V’Ilsoon get you out of this and into the hands of your friends—your true friends. I had to black my face this way to get in here without Pooler Jim knowing who I was. He tried hard to killme last night. Wait till I’m sure there isn’t anybody out in the yard, then we'll chance it—” There was an interruption. The door swung open, striking the wall with a loud bang. Into the room rushed Pooler Jim and Bill Crook, the former flourishing the murderous- looking knife which had so frightened Garnet. “I reckon we'll spoil that little game,” he cried, with an oath that was echoed by Crook. Ben sprung upright on the sill. Quick as lightning he whipped out the re- volver he had received from Jack Grip, and his voice rung defiantly. ** Reckon I’m a-holdin’ the fort! Stand back, Pooler Jim, if you don’t want a hole bored through you!” A tableau! The two villains halted before the muzzle of the weapon. Garnet uttered a shrill shriek, for she expect- ed to see the boy shoot them down at once. At that instant there was a sound of footsteps in the yard. Ben could see, without removing his defiant glance from the pair of ruffians, taat a police- man had entered the yard, accompanied by the wife of the saloon-keeper. ‘* Pve got you!” be cried, in triumph. ‘‘ Here’s a policeman down in the yard; and I'll soon have you fellers behind the aaa Bill Crook was behind Pooler Jim. If the’ revolver was discharged, he knew that the bullet would strike Pooler Jim and not him. With a quick and adroit movement, he reached and grasped up the three-legged stool that happened to be close at hand. Then over the shoulder of Jim he hurled it at the daring lad, The aim was a true one, The revolver exploded, its bullet thudding into the ceiling. The force of the blow from the stool broke pit boy’s gripe on the lower part of the raised sash, And another ery escaped from the lips of the cowering Garnet, as she saw her champion go headlong downward through the rack! “ Quick!’ exclaimed Jim, darting forward and grasping the girlby the arm, ‘* Somebody is coming—maybe a policeman,.as the rascal said. He’s got help close, no doubt. Out of this, Follow me!” Smothering the child’s mouth with one of his brawny hands, to prevent any further outcry, he started on arunalong the narrow entry to- ward the rear of the premises. Bill paused to close and lock the door between the front and back building, and be heard voices on the stairs that convinced him the comers were after the girl. ‘‘ She’s right up there,” said the voice of the saloon-keeper’s wife, “cand the chances are Pooler Jim’s killed her, having found out we’re coming after her. Did you kear the shot? I beard him say ’at he’d kill her before he’d let her go. Oh, it’s the elastic-skinned girl, an’ no mistake. She’s up there—but maybe deed by this time. reward, an’ I’m going to have it, I am.” Crook hastened after big companion. ‘*What did you bear?’ Jim asked, pausing for the other to come up, and still keeping bis suffocating hand over his captive’s mouth. ‘¢Tt?s a dead give ’way.” ‘Who did it?, Wasn’t the policeman with tho hoy?’ ‘“No, the woman, Slack’s wife, tumbled to the racket about the elastic-skinned gal, an’ started out for a policeman, She’s after the reward—” : * Rewarc ?” “Yes, The detectives are offering a reward for the gal. It wasin the paper this morning, but you were too drunk to read it.” “Vjl settle with Slack’s wife for that,” said Pooler Jim, with an ominous scowl. ‘‘ Come,” CHAPTER XI. EXPOSING A YOUNG SWINDLER. ’ AGAIN was Providence with the daring boot- black. As he went pitebing from the window-sill, he had presence of mind enough to make a grasp ! a eaetey ENG Hurry—for Ive got a right to the |. at the cross-piece of the rack through which he was falling, and succeeded. But the force of his descent was so great that. he could not sustain himself. His arms were nearly wrenched from their sockets, It had the effect of turning him over, how- ever, and when he struck the pave below, at a distance of not more than twelve feet, he aligh*- ed on his feet with no other injury than an un- comfortable jar of his every muscle and bone. Quickly he darted into the house and up the + back stairs. He reached the threshold of the room where Garnet had been imprisoned, just as the police- man was saying: **T don’t see any girl, ma’am.” ‘But she was in here a moment ago, I tell you!” cried the bag. ‘‘ Look for her! She’s somewhere around! Pooler Jim’s got her out. while we were coming up here. He can’t be: far.” Ben did not stop to bear all that she said. Instantly he dashed toward the door betweem the front and back buildings. ° The lock was not of the strongest, and the im- petus of the boy’s form, as it came burling for- ward, broke the fastening, precipitating him downward over the single step there. Away he went toward the rear, Something seemed to spur bim on. dle felt sure that he was following the right iead, And xs he emerged at the top of a flight of exterior steps at the back of the house, bigh up, he was just in time to see his quarry disappear- ing out at the alley-way ina light-wagon, which Bill Crook had brought there at the time we saw him enter the bar-room to warn his associ- ate in guilt of the closeness of those who sought. the rescue of the clastic-skinned girl. He saw them over the top of the high fence: and when he ran with all speed to the gate, be found this barricaded by some buge barrels om the outside, makiug it necessary for him to climb the fence if he wanted to pursue, This he did, accomplishing it nimbly. But by that time the wagon with the girl captive had disappeared, and upon reaching the street, he could not follow the trail further though he made excited inquiries of several who chanced to be passing. ‘* Well, that’s too bad!” he burst forth. “T was almost on the point of saving her, when, instead, | had a narrow escape, 1 think, from dashing out my brains on the cobbles in that den, ‘* What’s too bad, Ben?” So engrossed was he with straining his eyes in one direction at the time for a glimpse of the wagon containing Garnet, that be did not cb- ne the approach of a man until the latter spoke, tc Mr. Grip! Why, I say it’s a shame.” “What?” ‘‘] was just going to get the girl out of the claws of those fellows, when the whole tables were turned on me,” and he proceeded to relate: his narrow escape. " So she was in the house, eh?” , sir, ‘* Weil, we'll catch them easier, now.” “ How?’ ‘““They were in a wagon, you say?” ‘*Yes,” and he accurately described the wag- on as far he could from the point of observation he had had from the top of the outside flight of steps. hile he was doing this, Grip was writing: rapidly. He presently folded a slip of paper, giving it to Ben, and saying: ‘‘Run up to the northeastern station witt that, and tell the captain to telegraph it around without delay. Unless I’m very much mistaken, they'll try to get,out of town by the Bel Air. road, and we'll head them cff. After that, I want youto hunt up tke youth, Cicero. He’s | disappeared, and 1 want him pretiy badly just. now. Anything new?” Ben could not help pausing to ask. ‘The robbery was committed at the Rugby mansion. More, too, the old men received in- juries—probably in a struggle with the burglar —which resulted in his death about thirty min- utes ago. Before he died, he called for pencil and paper, by signs—for he could not speak— and be made a revelation that will make it go pretty hard with thi$ Cicero when I catch — him. But he has disappeared most unaccount- ably... oy reckon I can find him,” said Ben, confi Gently. a ca tae ay ree we et ge sary * 5 t *
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12 Grip had learned through the physician who had been called in to attend the singularly stricken Rugby, that quite a large burglary bad been committed at the mansion on the previous night. ugby had encountered the burglar and after a desperate struggle with bim had been left for dead. In a transient moment before death ensued, his faculties had returned, but not his power of speech. He had called for pencil and paper, and with | this medium had communicated the fact that while he lay in a half-conscious state on the li- brary floor, his son had come stealtbily in and snatched from a package of valuable papers, which he held in bisspasmodically griping hand, the will which was‘intended to give to a young girl named Garnet Fawnworth an equai share in his estate with bis own son, because of a ne- | ecessary restitution which would be explained | in a paper folded inside the will. The old man had been able to write down a brief description of bis murderous assailant— brief, though enough, when it had reached tne detective, Jack Grip, to show tbat that villsin was no other than Pooler Jim’s pal, Bill Crook. For robbery and murder was Bill Crook now ** wanted,” For a bold abduetion was Pooler Jim‘‘ wanted,” For complivity in both was young Cicero “‘ wanted.” To Bootblack Ben the detective left the task of finding Cicero, while be pursued the ugher game. Ben had not boasted idly when he said that he could find the youth, He felt that he woud be again among the bootblacks of Gay street, plying bis new swindling game of the banana speculation. Removing the disguising black from his face ‘in the wash- room of a fac‘ory near the bridge, after emerging from the vicinity of the ‘* Mea- dow,” he hurried toward the locality where he thought it most likely Cicero would be opera- ting. The message he had been given to deliver to the captain of the station he turned over to an American District Telegraph messenger, whom he chanced to meet, and into whose legs he put additional speed by paying him a quarter more than was charged. He was ambitious to get on the track of Cicero at once, The young scion had done precisely what Ben anticipated. After summoning the physician, he had gone out at the rear of bis home to an arbor in the smail but luxuriant garden. Under the seat of this arbor he had his dis- guise as a bootblack, and with the suit donned, the blacking-box slung over bis shoulder, and his face smutted with dirt which he took up by handfuls from the path, be started forth trom the gate in the high wall. He had no wish to meet again that peculiar, burning stare of his father’s eyes, though he had no idea that Thomas Rugby was so near his death, only supposing his condition to be the result of the nervous shock produced by an ap- parent encounter with the burglar whom he had assisted. The wicked young rascai carried the stolen will in his inner pocket. He had not mustered ‘the courage to destroy it yet, ‘* 171] clean out some more of these bootblack idiots and then skip the town,” be was thinking, as he made his way toward Gay street. And as if he had been expected by his patrons for some time, he was no sooner in sight than at least twenty of them congregated around him, ‘* Look here,” he said, casting a severe glance upon the crowd; ‘‘some of you’ve been a-fol- lerin’ me ’round, you have, and I want to say ’t if you do it any more I'll giye up the specula- tion.” There was a murmur, the tenor of which was a denial of this accusation, The remark had been a feeler, and a look of relief, undis- oa da by the others, settled ix his smeared ace. *W’ot’s the news?” demanded a boy—one of those who had held back on the previous day, not caring to invest till he saw how his com- rades fared. “Heaps o' it, am the best. You fellers w’ot ‘vested into my speculation, you just step for- ward; an’ the rest—you as ain’t got any nerve— vou just fali back there. The steamship Grip- Fast got in las’ night, an’ though it ain’t more’n balf a day yet, l’ve made a pile, I kin pay some divvies, an’ the princ’pa' too, if you want at—”’ , ‘* Hi! hi!” interrupted the shrill voice of a youngster from the outer circle. ‘‘ Here comes the Cilvert street boys. Fight!” “ Fighv! fight!” was taken up and echoed im- mediately. Haif a dozen at once began picking up stones and other missiles, as a knot of boys with blacking-boxes over their shoulders appeared coming from the direction of the Gay street pool-rooms. There was a menace in their approach, and the inherent disposition’of the rival gangs was for a fight at once and severely. ‘Rab for Gay street!” yelled one. But there was no answering shout from the coming gang. Steadily onward they walked toward the , waiting belligerents, and then the murmur of a discovery went up. The intruders did not carry any missiles in hand for a fight! And foremost among them was one, at sight of whom the face of the speculator bootblack blanched, ** Bootblack Ben’s a-leadin’ ’em,” said one. Tbe murmur grew more,sullen. Ben evidently had a reputation that was to be feared if aroused to a figbt, which be was, however, seldom known to indulge in, Onward came Ben and bis companions, and almost before the Gay street lads realized it, the two gangs were mixed together without a blow ora hurtling stone baving been exchanged. **T didn’t come to make any row,” Ben said, addressing them ashe caine up: ‘I’m here on a piece of business. And there won’t be any broken heads unless you fellers make the trou- ble yourse! res,” “What're you fellers a-comin’ down on our egrcund for?’ demanded the bootblack who had been the first recipient of the ‘‘ nice” boot- black’s confidence, “T’ye come down to save you from bein’ swindled out o’ your boots—to do you a friend- ly service, that’s all.” ‘What're you talkin’ about?” Ben turned toward the nice speculative boot- black, and his clear blue eyes fastened on the latter like the piercing brands ‘of accusing lightning. Leveling one finger, he said; ** lve come to arrest that feller.” * Arrest me!” shouted the culprit. “That, an’ nothin’ more.” ‘* An’ how long since you was a policeman, say?” ‘‘ Since last night, after I didn’t choose to die as you an’ Pooler Jim meant I should. Look ag te he do you know who this feller is?” “ec oO. ? * When I tell you, you'll just be lively after his skin, I reckon. Why, that’s the son 0’ one o’ the richest men on Mount Vernon Place. His name is Cicero Rugby. He’s come round here disguised just for to swindle you out of the hard-.arned pennies you ougbt to be takin’ home to your mammies. He isn’t any boot- black at all; no more is he a speculator, ’cept it is te get all he can out o’ you an’ light out. If he’s promised to pay you any divvies out o’ that Eo naun spec’at I happen to know all about, its your own money he’s payin’ back, in the idea that you’ll invest more, He ain’t been reidin’ the papers for nothin’ about this Ward failure over in New York, All the bananas he’s going to spec in are in his eye—an’ your money in bis pocket. I’m just here to haul bim in. He’s wanted for somethin’ worse than that, though,” and turning to Cicero, he said: ‘* You- ‘ve got to go with me to police head-quarters, you have, *ecause I was ordered to bring you in—’ ‘** You fool!” burst from Cicero, in his natural voice. ** You won’t take me in, if I know it!” Simultaneous with the words, he aimed a blow at the head of the Bootblack Detective with his blacking box that might have laid the latter low had he not been prepared for just such an occurrence, ‘Ne you don’t!” and he caught the box by its strap, giving 1t a wrench that tore it from its owner’s band. From the mob of boys there went up a howl. Ben was known for bis truthfulness; the rivalry of the gangs seemed suddenly to be for- gotten in the exposure of the young swindler. The next instant the bridge seemed likely to become a scene of gore. CHAPTER XII. A BATTLE FOR A PRISONER. IMMEDIATELY upon perceiving the effect of his words, Ben leaped close to the accused. One of his brown hands grasped Cicero by the Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective, i ee eee collar; the other raised to wave back the naass of boys who seemed determined to wreak sum- mary and terrible vengeance upon the one who had, they all believed, on the representation of Ben—coupled to the discovery that the young speculator had all along been addressing them in a disguised voice—deliberately swindled them out of their hard-earned pennies, ‘Hol on! Stand back!” shouted Ben. ** Don’t do anything like that. I want him my- self, I do, for something a great deal worse than this here thing about the bananas. He’s my prisoner.” “Toss ’im over the rail!” * Souse ’im inter the falls!” Drown ’im! Pitch ’im over!” A chorus of maddened cries arose simultane- ously, The crowd of beys pressed closer, notwith- standng the upraised hand of the Bootbiack De- tective, **Stand back, I say!” Ben commanded. His hold tightened on the collar of Cicero. But he was not to be heeded by the angry bootblacks. They wanted vengeance then and there; the whole attitude and appearance of Cicero seemed to confirm the cbarge that had been made against him. And now Cicero began to realize his peril. These lads whom he had so outrageously swindled were thirsting, in their righteous in- dignation, for his very life; there-was no telling how far they would go if tuey succeeded in lay- ing hold upon him. “Where’s my dollar ’at I give yon, say?” howled the bootblack who had been the first to receive the supposed confidence of the pseudo speculator. , ‘‘An' my fifty cents!” ** An’ mine!” ‘¢Tip ‘im over the rail!” ‘*That’s just what we’re a-goin’ to do,” yelled another, who was making the effort to reach ac culprit through the tightly packed mass of Oys. ‘* An’ that’s just what you fellers won’t do’s long’s I'm here an’ got hold of him!” declared Ben, determinedly. ** You get out o’ the road, Bootblack Ben?!” shouted one who was evidently a leader of the Gay street gang. ‘‘Let go that feller, or ivll be the worse for you.” **T reckon I can take care of myseif!” And then was manifested the true reason for Ben’s having accompanied himself with a por- tion of the Calvert street bootblacks, The crowd was pressing bim too close. He saw that there was no use talking; if he hoped to retain Cicero as his prisoner, it must be done by main force, ‘Rally! Rally!” he shouted, at the top of bis shrill voice. Instantly at the signaling ery, those who had come forward with him} threw themselves to the front. Blacking-boxes were unswung, and, in imita- tion of their leader, Ben Brush, the Jeather straps were twined around the wrist in readiness to circle them in merciless blows. The action precipitated the brewing collision, Worked up to a frenzy, the Gay street gang answered the battle-cry of the Calvert street boys, and then— There waved up from the Fayette street bridge such a pandemonium of cries, yells, screeches, as to attract the attention of people for a distance of a square in both directions, A thrilling sight it was, Two-score of lads engaged in a hand-to-hand combat; “where blacking-boxes swung on high and came down here and there on the head or body of an antagonist spitefully. Backward and forward across the bridge swayed the center of the warring mass, at times straining even the stout rail 6f the foot-path to its utmost with their packed bodies. Louder the yells; and at times a shriek, as some unfortunate received a blow to stagger and blind him, It was no child’s play, this cor flict of the rival gangs of bootblacks; the double incentive of desire to wreak vengeance upon the one who had swindled them, and from which object they were debarred by Bootblack Ben—and the ever living animosity that existed between the two gavgs—combined to render the scene startling in its earnestness and savagery. Throughout, with one band still firmly griping the collar of his cowering prisoner, Ben fought with his other band—with bis blecking box, | rather—keeping a small circle cleared around « him by the dexterity end yrecision of bis n ove ments, and more than once knocking ons ul bie ? Wt Ueieabi abt we sR | “
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ak , . _mearer enemies squarely off his feet by the ‘stroke of the adroitly wielded box, ** Don't let them get hold of me!” fairly whined Vicero, sharply through the din, and addressing Lis captor. ‘**Not if I can help it.” Such a scene had never been witnessed among _the boys of the bootblack profession in the Monumental City. Dozens of people were rushing to the spot— some on the distant corner were congregated in a knot, to look on from a safe distance; for it cannot be told at what moment the Baltimore urchin will discard the fists as implements of war and resort to the nearest pile ot bricks, The mob element is inherited by generations in them. But it could not last long. Two policemen, running abreast, came in sight, he warning signal was given. Then began a scampering of those who could run, and some swung themselves over the rail, to clamber out of sight on the under-trellis of the bridge. Ben stood his ground, quietly waiting the ' arrival of the officers, > _ is,” burst from Cicero, unblusbingly. 4 Immediately he was seized, The second officer started in a chase after the less brisk of the recent mob. ‘it’s all right, mister,” Ben said, as a gripe closed simultaneously upon bimself and Cicero. *‘But don’t you let that feller go, mind,” nod- ding toward his legitimate captive. ‘Ob, you’re anxious to be taken in, are you?” ‘*That’s just what’s the matter. March us off to the station!” " ‘*You’re a cool one, anyhow.” **Reckon I am, when | know my business.” At the Central Station, to which the two boys were Apion yee marcked, the captain eyed Ben steadily before asking a question. ‘* W hat’s the charge, officer?” “ Rioting in the streets—” ‘Captain, may I speak?” **Ben, ’m afraid you’re bent on spoiling your good character by this kind of going on, his is twice you’ve been brought in here; and heretofore you’ve had a reputation for being a well-behaved boy.” “Ob, I won’t spoil. If you'll on’y just hear ‘* Well, say your say.” J *T went for to capture this young feller, un- der instructions, an’ I had to take him away from the Gay street boys by fightin’ for him, that’s all. matter, but I didn’t want him to get away. I was bound to have my prisoner.” * Your prisoner, eh? What’s he your prison- er for?” ~~ ** Because Mr. Grip, the detective, told me to find him an’ get him into the station-house un- til he cowld get hold on him—Mr, Grip, I mean.’ ‘‘Mr, Grip told you to capture the lad?’ “Yes, sir. AndIcouldn’t do it without the fight on the bridge, It’s good for him that I had some of my own boys along, too, or they'd hhave tossed him over iuto the falls. He’s a swindler, be is—been takin’ their earnin’s an’ makin’ believe ’at he was speculatin’ in bananas an’ was goin’ to give big per cent. profits to those who got taken in. Yes, sir, Mr, Grip told me to capture him, an’ please don’t you let him get away till Mr. Grip comes.” .** So, he’s a bootblack speculator, eh?” “No, sir, he isn’t a bootblack at ali—” “Tam—I am!” broke in Cicero, ‘‘Captain, he’s lyin’, He’s Cicero Rugby— the son o’ Thomas Rugby who lives on Mount “Vernon Place, an’ he’s been playin’ a crook me among the boys,” ‘Tsain’t so! I’m a bootblack, the same as he * And he tried to get me tossed overboard by the boys on e bridge, ’cause I was takin’ some of his trade awa meee 2] : ~ i lagi Captain, the scamp ’s a howlin’ liar—” “Hush! That’s enough o’ that, Yousay Mr, Grip wants the boy?” : vom an’ if, you don’t believe me, you can keep both o’ us an’ send for Mr, Grip, thav’s all -—ain’t that fair?” <e “Turnkey!” the captain beckoned this im- S » co personage forward, and at a sign both lads were taken back, without further dialogue, ) cells in the rear, ; “Tf I ever get the chance,” hissed young Ls Be into Ben’s ear, as they brusbed for an in- stant gegether, “Ti kill you for exposing who iz "8 _“That’s all right, Kickero. 1 reckon after . Grip gets hold of you you won’t be hurtin’ , i - @ I wanted to be taken in, for that. y Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective, pias ict? PER ean (Gi ey ae oat ee ‘ U many people. He’s after you for the burglary what’s been committed up to the mansion, an’ I’m a witness, if he catches Pooler Jim, ’at you an’ Jim was together in that little racket,” As Cicero was thrust and locked behind the bars, bis face was pale with apprehension; but he maintained silence, contenting bimself with scowling daggers at the Bootblack Detective until the walls between shut them from each other’s view. “ Did you search them?’ the captain asked, when the turnkey reappeared in the station- office. ; ** Yes,” “Find anything important?” ‘“‘Rather. The boy, Bootblack Ben, had this in his hip pocket,” producing the revolver, ‘* And the other had this paper, which certainly looks strange to be on the person of a boot- black,” and he handed over the rail a folded document of legal shape, ‘““My gracious!” burst from the captain, ‘‘ Why, look here—‘ Last Will and Testament of Th mas Rugby!” The captain and the turnkey exchanged glances intently. ‘*Send around to the marshal’s office and see if Mr. Grip can come here at cnce—or stop; Vil tick it off,” rising and stepping to the telegraph plate he answer presently came back that Mr. Grip was out and his present whereabouts un- known. ‘* It’s very singular—very singular,” the cap- tain muttered, as he proceeded to place the im- portant paper away in thestationsafe. ‘There may be more in this affair with the boys thin appears on the surface. ‘Ill hold both until I see Grip.” It was in the afternoon that Grip put in an appearance. He came hastily into the station with an or- der from the marshal for the detachment of four policemen, who were to accompany the de- tective, under his orders, These were quickly peligpesep: 5 ‘*Wait a moment,” the captain said. ‘I’ve got a couple of boys here that I want you to see, There’s something mysterious about their being brought in.” He led the way to the cells, At the first cell, he looked in and saw Ben. ‘““Why, Ben!” he immediately exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” ‘* Waiting for you, Mr, Grip. “Got who?” “Cicero. He’s in the next cell. And now eis you explain to the captain, so’s I can get outs ; _ Grip stepped to the adjoining cell and glanced i I’ve got him,” n, He at once recognized Cicero through the dis- uise. : ‘*Did you find anything on this one?” he in- terrogated, turning to the captain. ‘‘That’s just it. I found a very mysterious paper. The will of Thomas Rugby—” “ Ah!” A whispered conversation ensued, A few minutes later the cell door was un- fastened and Grip said to Ben: “Come along. I think [ve got something else for you to do,” The detective, accompanied by the detach- ment und the boy for whom he had conceived a strong liking, started immediately from the sta- tion. As he went, he leaned and said to Ben, confi- dentially: | “ The game’s treed.” ** Who?” j “Our men—Pooler Jim and his pal, Bill Crook.” Grip had a hack at hand. He placed the uni- formed officers and. Ben on the inside, mount- ing himself beside the driver. _CHAPTER XIII. CORNERING THE QUARRY. Far out on the Gay street road, beyond the car line terminus, there stood a house amid a grove of locusts—a dilapidated affair known to be inhabited by a lone woman named Sally Pepper. A woman tall and angular, and whose dis- osition for seclusion had succeeding in keeping rem the slightest form of acquaintance any of the neighbors at the scattered houses around, The lot she owned, and the house upon it; but so disagreeable bad she made herself, that the owners of the adjacent lots had even de- pees her of the privilege of drying her clothes bereon. r On this day, when the woman had a quantity Se of clothing iy like many-colored flags to the breeze from the lines on an improvised shed on the top and rear of ber bouse, a wagon stopped at her door and two men alighted, bearing the figure of a girl between them, who had a white, scared face. No less than Pooler Jim, Bill Crook and their | terrified captive, Garnet. ‘*What do you want here?” demanded Sally Pepper, snappishly, as she opened her door in answer to their summons. “ Shelter, Sal—” Oh, its you, is it, Pooler Jim? Well, you can just mount into that there wagon again an” be off. I haven’t any room for you here. Whose gal’s that?” ** Look here, Sal, we’ve got a fortune in this gal. Now all you've got to do is to give us & place to keep her for awhile, till a little rumpus in town blows over, and you can come in for a share—” ‘*T don’t want any shares, Pooler Jim. You know that I stopped all crooked things long ago an’ retired on what I had.” “Tll give you a hundred dollars,” spoke up Crook, ahve the amount at the same time from a huge roll of bills, ‘if you'll break in on your resolutions just this once, Jim an’ me’s in a hole. If we try to keep on, we'll be headed cff, no doubt; our best holt is to stay right around the town for awhile.” Her eyes glittered greedily as she locked at. the tempting money, and she finally said; “Well, give it here. But mind—just this once, an’ you mustn’t come around me again.” ‘All right, Now, where’ll we put the girl?” as they entered, — tw ‘““T)] show you.” As she turned and led the way, Pooler Jim. said; “You go along, Bill, and [ll get rid of the horse and wagon.’ Jim drove off toward the brewery about @ half-mile further along the road, where he left, the team to be cared for, and left, too, an amount sufficient for the keep of the animal for a week, ‘We'll bave to be pretty close housed,” be was thinking, ‘‘after what Billsays is going on. But Vll hang onto that gal, if it costs some blood-spilling, cuss me if I don’t!” Garnet had been piaced in a room that was astonishingly strong considering the generat appearance of dilapidation about the premises. Bill Crook was seated at a table enjo ing ® bottle of vile liquor which another liberal offer of money bad persuaded the woman to bring forth, when his partner returned.,. “ We're going to stay here about a week,” he said to Sally Pepper, as be joined his pal at drinking. ‘‘ An’ to begin with, suppose you make up something for us to eat. ou won't lose anything, Sal.” She set about preparing the desired meal and surprised them by the abundance an variety of her possessions in the Jarder, There was acontinual and cunning glitter in her steely grey eyes, as she watched her guests. furtively. But she asked no more questions. Leaving them eating and carousing, sLe stealtbily made her way up to the "room in which Garnet had been confined. When Garnet was placed in here, Bill Crook had locked the door: and put the key in his pocket, But wily Sal Peprer had another key to fit i*, and presently sbe was standing in the presence of the young captive, ‘+ Hush!” she warned, placing a long, skinny . oud, but. finger across her lips, Don't talk Who answer what I’m a-going to say to you. are you?” Garnet thought she detected in the other's | face something friendly. Sle came cautiously forward and said, in ajow tone; ‘* My name’s Garnet, and those men stole me from my friends. Will you belp me out of here, ma’am?” ‘« What did they steal you for?” . ‘Cause ]’m thé gutta-percha girl.” ‘* Gutta-percha girl? bat’s that?’ ‘“« See!” and Garnet gave an exbibition of the wonderful elasticity of her skin, | Sally Pepper looked on in astonishment, ‘* They wanted to steal me and make a show of;me, ‘cause they said there wasa heap of money to be made out of it! to get see from them, won't you?” The steely rom her Sally drew a paper ket, and in some excitement she turned to the page of per — sonal advertisements, Ob, ma’am,” . —suddenly and imploringly—‘' you'll help mo gray eyes fairly snapped, as af Bs ny om
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_ . offer of a reward for the discovery of the elastic- oy 7. ae 7 ep 4" a Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. For the woman took the Sun regularly and ‘was pretty well posted on the affairs of the world, even in her strange seclusion. At last she found the advertisement she was ooking for. The same which Grip showed to Ben—the skinned girl. Sally Pepper, when she had read it carefully, glanced around asif she half expected to see the two men making to pounce upon her from the doorway. ‘Hush!’ she warned again. ‘ Don’t you make any noise, Yes, I’ll get you out of this, an’ that in a hurry, if I know myself!” ‘* What's that you werereading in the p~per? —anything about me?’ Garnet asked. ‘‘ I know my friends, when they find I’m missing, might be apt to advertise for me.” ‘* Hush up! Just you keep as still as a mouse. Don’t try to get outof here. If you do, Vl put aga in your food, do you understand, and ill you!”*and she laid a convulsive gripe on Garnet’s wrist, again glancing apprehensively toward the door, With another motion, she tiptoed away, leaving Garnet to imaginings that she was not, after all, to find the friend she bad at first dared to hope for in this woman. “Oh, dear!” moaned the dejected child, throwing herself on a pile of carpets at one side, ‘‘ ’m so hungry! on’t ITever get free any more? I’m so hungry, too! Why don’t ‘they give me something to eat?” Half-way down the stairs, Sally Pepper paus- ed in a reflecting attitude, her eyes fixed on the bare and splintered floor. “Tt’s the gal! The elastic-skinned gal! Jim an’ his pal have stole her. An’ here’s an offer of a reward for her an’ for those ’at took her. I told Jim I’d stopped my crooked ways long ago; an’ now if he don’t believe me I'll show him. How’l] I doit? I must send word to some of- icer that the men are here at my house,” A moment later she seemed to have hit upon an expedient. And at the same instant there sounded the voice of Pooler Jim from the forward room: **Sal!—oh, Sal! where are you? Bring us some more of this bottle stuff.” She hastened into the apartment. ‘* What’s that you want?” she demanded. ‘‘Whisky. Bring some more whisky—” \ ‘*There isn’t anything more to drink in the wouse, » But I'll tel bi what I’)l do, if you’re ere, to pay good for the trouble.” “* What?” ‘*T'll go to the brewery an’ get a crate of beer sent over here, since you two seem to be so @ush, I drink a little beer myself sometimes, too, “Allright, Here’s your money,” giving ber | a twenty-dollar bill. “They’ve been robbing somebody, besides get ing away with the gal,” she muttered, as ‘she departed. ‘‘ Well, Tl show you, Pooler Jim, ’at I meant what I said: I’ve given up all ‘crooked ways.” At the brewery she gave the necessary orders for the beer. . Then she inquired of the proprictor: ““ Say,"haven’t you got a telephone here?” ‘*T have.” *“*T want to use it.” , “ All right, there it is—help yourself.” ’ Sal seemed suddenly plunged in a dilemma, She was totally unfamiliar with the working of the apparatus. “ Won’t you please say what I want to say?” ** Yes, ‘hat is it?’ going to the instrument, ** Who do you want to talk to?” “The police marshal—” - Before she could say more a hand fell upon cher shoulder, ‘What have you to say to the police marshal, my good woman?” She turned upon the speaker. The person was no other than Jack Grip. The detective had already followed his quar- ‘ry so far through information received from the northeastern station, as to learn that the identical wagon and the people in it had passed out on the Bel Air road. Tracking it persistently, be at last found that it had not passed the forks of the road near the brewery. More, within five minutes gone, he had ascer- tained that the wagon he described had been left there, at the brewery stables, by a man, a description of whom, though scant, told him was Pooler Jim. The scoundrels were, therefore, hiding some- where in the neighborhood. 3 _ Standing \at the counter sipping a small glass SS jeg steps 2 aes ee eee of beer to refresh himself after his long chase, his alert ears at once caught a significance in the woman’s announcement that she wished to communicate with the police marshal, Instantly he tapped her on the shoulder, ques- tioning: ‘* What have you tosay to the police marshal, my zood woman?” “TI don’t know as that’s anybody’s business but my own,” was the sharp reply. “Maybe it is and maybe itisn’t. Are you looking for police to arrest the two men who have the girl?” : ‘¢ What girl?” and Sal’s orbs widened. But the keen detective saw that her suyprise was simulated. ‘‘ Look here,” he said, slyly turning the lapel of his vest. The action revealed the detective badge, and her glance fell on it for just a single instant. ‘* You're a detective?” He nodded. She hesitated a moment and then said, with a ance over her shoulder at the proprietor of the place: : **Come outside.” When they reached the road, out of earshot from the bar, Sal said: ** Are you lookin’ for a little gal?” “That’s precisely it. And I am looking for the men who made away with her. Now, what did you want to communicate with the police marshal for?” Grip instantly realized that he had struck a clew through his first impulsive speech to the woman. “Mind, I want the reward,” she said, sin- gularly. ‘*You know where I can find those I am af- ter?” ‘* Maybe,” “ At your house, no doubt. And since I begin to smell a mice, Pll just go over with you and nab my game—” Ste broke in with a harsh laugh that even de- ceived the keen sleuth, “You're ’way off. But if you’ll give me your word, I'll tell you where to find the men an’ the al.” ne Word for what?” ‘About the reward the paper offered this morning.” “‘Very well, tell me, and I promise to see to it that you get the reward.” ‘‘Tt’s a square bargain?” ‘Yes, square all over.” ‘“*Then—they are at my house.” ‘*T thought so, Where do you live?” , She pointed off in the direction of her dilapi- dated home. ding to the motion: ‘Don’t you flatter yourself ’at you can take ’em of, yourself. If you don’t have some help you'll find yourself stabbed an’ shot before you get through with Pooler Jim. I know him well enough,” Grip acted on this adviée. \ “You keep them supplied with liquor till [ can close in,” he said, when he learned that they were drinking heavily. ‘‘ I’ll make you all safe about the reward.” He remounted the horse that had brought him there and started on a lively gallop back toward the city. CHAPTER XIV. AN ASTOUNDING CLIMAX, WueEn the hack containing the detective and the policeman reached a point on the road a short distance beyond the car-stables, Grip told the driver to halt. Bidding him await there, be ordered forth his assistants with Ben at his side. ‘*I know just where to put my hand on the rogues,” he remarked, to the boy. ‘And while we're bagging them, bic get around lively and find the girl, for that she is also in the house, there is no question.” “ Allright, Mr. Grip.” It was almost dark when they arrived, steal- thily, before the isolated home of Sally Pepper. So dark, that Sally had long ago lighted a spluttering lamp for her guests, who were, how- ever, scarcely in need of it, as they had drank themselves neariy drunk, and were at that very moment stretched out on the floor in a sort of brutish sleep. At the time, the the room. / Her steely eyes glittered avariciously, and she was approaching theslumbering form of Pooler mD. From her shriveled lips there were escaping woman was tip-toeing into ee words not above a whispery hiss, and her — fingers, like the talons of some huge bird, were working as if in anticipation of presently grasp- / ing something. ‘Tl have the money—yes,” she was saying to herself. ‘It won’t do them any good when they’re caught; I might as well take it. Jim’s got it in his breast-pocket; I saw Bill Crook. hand it to him. Drunken fools! They'll wake up to find themselves in the gripe of the police. But what do l care? Ill have the money, and they’ll be sent up for so long, that [ needn’t be afraid of their ever doing me any barm.” Reaching the form of the man, she stooped noiselessly and inserted one hand beneath his coat. She could scarcely suppress a cry of triumph as her bony fingers closed on the great wallet in which she had seen so much wealth, ‘‘Tt’s mine!” she aspirated, rising and begin- ning to retreat. But she paused. Her ears had detected footsteps on the road- way—some one had evidently stumped a toe against a cobble or loose brick. She cast a half-frightened glance around. ““They’re coming. But I have the money. And the police won’t suspect me of having it.— Ah!” The footstep was again audible. She did not want to be seen in the room with . the drunken wretches, lest, when possible search was made for the money which she reasonably conjectured the two had stolen, she should be suspected of having it. ,At one side of the room was a closet. Like a gaunt gliding specter she ran to this, thrusting herself inside and closing the door. The door, wbich had a patent Spring, gave a loud click as it slammed shut barder than she had intended. And the sound aroused Bill Crook, - Raising to one elbow, he glanced bewilderedly around, Then the bewildered bee gave way to a\ stare of astonishment and dismay combined. | In the doorway were several men in uniforms of blue. Foremost was a man whom even his half drunken senses recognized as Jack Grip, the well-known detective. ‘‘Surrender, my birds!” exclaimed Jack, com- ing briskly forward. J Crook scrambled to his feet with alacrity. He blurted an oath and cried: “Jim! Jim Jarrett! Wake up! the potice!” - At the same time he drew arevolver and fired straight into the officers in the doorway in his desperation. : o It needed no second warning to arouse Pooler im. He was up as if on springs. 2) At one sweep, be knocked the lamp from the table—his alert mind, even in the midst of de- bauchery, baving a fertile readiness for expedi- ents. Instanteneously with the darkness, a revolver shot rung through the room, as if in echo of the shot fired by Bill Crook. A shriek of mortal agony followed the re- port. The police— Txsen a desperate form came burling against — the officers—hurling and squeezing between them out into the passage before they could in- tercept it. \ Grip struck a patent fuse. " The light showed the body of Bill Crook lying prone and dead on the bare boards of the floor. ‘¢The other's Pooler Jim!” he cried. ‘ After him. He’s gone up-stairs! Forward!” - In a body they pursued the fleeing ruffian, whose pattering footsteps were audible on the next floor above. ‘ At the front of the hall in the second story was a small room. Into this Jim dashed, closing and locking the | door, and inimediately piling against it what few articles of furniture were in the apartment to form a barricade. J As the officers were striving to force the door, down-stairs a little creeping flame, caused by the knocking of the lamp from the table, was — making headway over the dry planking. Larger and larger it was growing with every — tightly — passing second. In the closet Sally Pepper, clutchin on the money she had purloined from the pocket ot Pooler Jim, was smiling grimly at her safe concealment and the prospect that the police — would soon depart, leaving her in posseayioi yan at J “They're the wealth, ” “Somebody’s shot,” she muttered. at killing one another. But I don’t care who ao ay i ‘ , ,
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} a ~* on c : >A ea —— ~~ - — ais, ae Se eh ee oe wre - a a gets killed. Ihave the money. Oh, how I love money!” A crash followed presently on the upper floor. The door of the forward room had been burst open finally by the combined efforts of the offi- cers, But when Grip flared ahead the light of another fuse, they saw that Jim had disap- peared. “The roof: He’s vut on the roof!” cried Grip. ** After him!’ and he set the example, springing toward a slim ladder set against the rim of a ~ scuttle in the ceiling, which led to the clothes- drying roof of Sally Pepper’s house, Following him, all were presently out on the unstable structure, But Poolér Jim was not to be seen, While the officers were trying to break down the door of the room, something terrific had happened to the villain. crambling out upon the roof, he paused to zvemove his boots and then ran around the eaves io see what chances for ascape he might have from the elevated position. At last, he struck upon a method, Tearing down one of the lengths of clothes- iine, he made a hasty loop in oue end and se- cured it by the chimney. Retaining a bola upon the other end he ran toward the eave, Just as he reached the edge and was about to stoop to lower Limself over easily, he tripped upou a bag of clothes-pins., A curse escaped him, ’ He struggled frantically to regain his bal- ance, A useless struggle. Over he went. And how it happened Pooler Jim never lived to explain; but as be instinctively retained bis desperate hold on the end of the rope, this rope seemed suddenly imbued with a suaky tangle —the tangie passed around his neck as he went pitching headlong downward. Then there was a sudden tension of the rope— a snap like the crack of bones, A limp body hung below in the gloom, twirl- ing round and round as if the rope was a thing of life striving to disentangle itself from the neck of the man it had killed. For his neck bad been utterly broken by the fall in the coil of the rope. ' A search discovered the dead body shortly afterward. While they were taking down the body, the flames of the burning floor within attracted them. ; They all hastened inside to try and extinguish ‘the fire. But there was no usein the attempt, The ijny flames tad now become huge darting tongues; the apartment was filled with dense and stifling smoke. ‘Out of this,” Grip orfered. ‘ And bring the body of that man along vith you,” pointing toward dead Bill Crook. The trampling of feet and the mingling of their voices drowned the sound of another voice that was straining to its utmost there. No one beard the voice of the woman, Sally ' Papper—the tone of agonized fright with which she cried, smothered already nearly to death in the closet by the subtle smoke that penetrated her concealment, ** Let me out! Lat me out! The house is on fire!” she shrieked frantically. ‘ll be burned alive! Let me out! Here, in the closet! Help! Help!” But no one heard. And the flames burnt higher and fiercer and the smoke grew denser and the scorching heat expanded till it blistered and lapped up into flame everything around. Then the whole building from ground floor to roofing, in one great roar, glared forth on the sky, sending its crackling embers up, upin the draught of heat in showering sparks and bil- lows. ‘*I wonder what became of the woman?” _ Grip queried, as they drew near to the hack, ‘But she'll show upin good time, I guess, to claim the reward. "where's Bear’ ‘* Here, Mr. Grip.” * And—and—” ‘Yes, I’ve got her, you bet!” In the excitement aitending the final corner- ing of the ruffians and the pursuit of Pooler Jim, with the after occurrence of the fire, Grip had half forgotten about the child, 4! : Garnet. Ben here brougbt forward _. He had not been idle in the part. assigned to ~ bim. / It did not require long for him to burst the door of the rear‘room up-stairs, and Garnet’s joy ~ at finding herself in the hands of Ben Brush can better be imagined than described, An officer was left in charge of the bodies at a house near by while Grip and the rest vepair- ed straightway to the station. His report to the marshal shortly was a very satisfactory one. « ‘‘ Probably it’s better that the State is saved the trouble of hanging the scoundrels after all,” was tbat official’s opinion. And he added: ‘* Here’s a note that was left by a messenger for you a few moments ago.” ; Grip opened the missive and read, with amazed eyes: .‘*Mr. Grip:--Come to the Rugby mansion, As: tounding discovery, Rugby not dead! *Sruas HARTWELL, M, D.'’ For the family physician of the Rugbys had been startled nearly out of bis wits at a message he had received from the undertaker sent to pre- pare Thomas Rugby’s remains for burial, in the early part of tne evening. Like this: “Dr. Hartwett:—Come to Rugby mansion at once. Rugby isn’t dead at all!” And sois proved. The rich gentleman whom the pbysician had surely thought dead, had only relapsed into a transient condition of coma that had deceived him completely. Thomas Rugby. when the man of medicine arrived, was awake and entirely conscious, with bis faculties completely restored, He greeted the astonished physician calmly. Hartwell instantly dispatched the message to the detective, to whom he had communicated the circumstances which he bad pelieved caused Rugby’s death, When Grip arrived, Rugby was conversing, though his efforts were very weak, ‘*T don’t want any harm to come to my boy,” were his first words. ‘‘If you can only find him and get back the will he stole from me when I[ layin the library, and if you can find Garnet, I shall be satisfied.’ Then he turned on bis pillow and fell asleep refreshingly. P His recovery was only a question of a few d ays. Grip had a lengthy conversation with young Cicero. When the youth had all the heinousness of his crime painted in the most glowing colors lan- guage was capable of, and learned that his old father was ready to forgive, be was overcome to tears which the detective saw were genuine. Grip obtained his release from custody, be- coming responsible for him, When, aftera few days, Thomas Rugby was able to be out of bed and to converse upon the strange occurrences which had become mixed in the family, he had Cicero and Garret both before him, The young girl around whom had clustered 30 many rapid dangers was at last with a true protector, and Cicero became at once as much her friend as he had previously been her enemy. Indeed, no one knew how the youth, in the silence of his heart, thanked Heaven that mat- ters had turned out finally as they bad, to re- lease him from the entanglements which had made him a villain at such an early age by his collusion with Pooler Jim and Bill Crook. He made a clean and manly confession and wns forgiven. To Grip was given a handsome and substan- tial reminder of satisfaction for the services he had rendered. But Grip stated that he felt Ben Brush to be entitled fo as much praise as himself, and the Bootblack Detective who had so bravely follow- ed Grnet’s trail to her ultimate rescue, was brought in for a good share of thanks and crisp reward, The two youths, Ben and Cicero, shook hands in the presence of the old gentleman, who said to Ben: ** My son has done wrong toward some boys, whose names you may know—at any rate you can find them. Will you do me tbe favor, my lad, of returning to them whatever my erring son may have taken from them in the shape of money? Here is the amount, which Cicero tells me is correct.” Ben promisea, of course. It may be relied upon that tbere were more amicable feelings in- augurated between the Gay street and the Cal- vert street gangs of bootblacks when’ Ben Brush, of the latter class, came forward to re- rg to them that which they had given up for ost. But the parting between Garnet and Ben was quite a picture, \ \ , 4 Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective, ‘ od He held her little hand in bis and sid: * You an’ I’ve got to part now, Miss Garvet. An’ I want you to promise me ’at you'll think sometimes of Ben Brush, ‘cause we may veVer meet any more.” “Pll never forget you, Ben.’ In an impulse which she freely forgave, the boy leaned quickly and kissed ber red lips. Then Ben Brush, the Bootblack Detective, wus gone, and the romance of Garnet's abduc- tion was a thing of the past. , Garnet is happy in her elegant new home. on Mount Vernon Place; even saturnive Mrs. Rug- by seemed to bave been softened by what bud transpired to momentarily darken her home, and ‘Sreated the advent of the adopted cnpild with at least gentleness. What the secret was that caused Thomas Rugby to wish to make restitution, for some cause, to the daughter of Samuel and Rachel Fawnworth, has not yet transpired; and Thomas gives promise of living for many years to come with the secret still locked in his breast and in the paper which will only reach the public eve when that will which gives a share to Garnet is opened. The workmen who have siuce cleared awa the debris from the premises of Sally Pepper's burned domicile found some charred buman bones there, and it was supposed tLat she perished unaccountably in the flames THE END. The Best Weekly of Popular, Uincterta’- ing and Usetu) Literature Pub- lished in America! Its Unrivaled Corps of Contributors. almost all of whom write ewclusinety for its publishers —-embraces the following authors ot world wide repute— Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. Albert W. Atken, Capt. Fred. Whittaker, Capt. Mark Wilton, Joseph FE. Badger, Jr., Edward'L. Wheeier, Charles Morris, ON Coomes, C. Dunning Clark, Buffalo Bill, White Beaver, Buckskin Sam, Major Dangerfield Burr, T. C. Harbaugh, Philip 8. Warne, Willian R, Eystet, Anthony P. Morris, Launce Poyntz. i Eacb and all of whom give to BEADLE’s WEEKLY their very best productions in all the varied flel.s oF Border and Wild West R:mance— Adventure Exploration and Sport-— City Life Character, Courts and Ways— Detective and ‘Shadow’ Revelations— Stories of the Great Deep, etc., etc. So that each and every number is overflowing with reading of the most interesting and excitmg nature; while in its Special Departments, covemng all the needs, and adding to the general interest and usefulness of the popular journal, BEADLE’S © WEEELY is the paper of all others for your weekly reading and entertainment, Beadle’s Weekly is Published at the Following Rates:. For Four Months.. For One Year....... 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Dime Chess Instructor, : enmity ime Book of Beaut©, (The above books are sold by hewscesivs everywhere, or will be sent, post-paid, to any au. dress, on receipt of price, ten cents each, BraiLs AyD ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William st., N. Y.
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BEADLE'’S« H ALF- DIME* LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in Disguise; or, Buffal, Ben 85 Deadwood Dick in His Castle. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The .«antom Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Oll. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. 28 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity 4 ne, the Heroine, to0 7p | a Last Pot or, Corduroy Charlie, ead wood ck in Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick’s« Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. 188 Deadwood Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strikes or, A Game of Gold. 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road. 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel. ave ponewses Woke 2 a peated Jane’s Adventure. eadw oot ck’s Dead Deal. 221 Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Toughs, +4 penaw ood i he pavite or, ie Spirit of Swamp Lake. eadwo ck’s Death Trail, 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducata; or, Days in the Diggings. oan oan wed pink Benreneed } or, the Terrible Vendetta, adwoo ck’s Claim, 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s _Nnbin ot fea 421 Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A “ Cute Case,” byt penawerd pickin past’ or, The Chained Hand, endwoo ck, Jr. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defiance. 458 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand. 459 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Big Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10, Sod Rina weed Dick, Seva Dor Bulestive. e 7 okey *y Dog Detective. 481 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Deadwood. 235 eaduecd Bice! Sei feesace ead woo ck, Jr.’s, Inheritance. 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Di pings. 5608 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dell verance, 515 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Protegee. 622 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’s, Three. 529 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Danger Ducka, 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death Hunt. aid Bentreca Bick: dr he Riz 4 endwoo ck, dre, the yest 00 94 _enewees date ore on yo Me: tata ; eandwoo © r-, in Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Boston. 67 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia, rik ae aloe isk gers rc Pe aed endwoo eke Ires oat. &S4 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver. 690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin, 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island. stg Bestvecd feck: Seyapearaie eadwoo ck, Jr., in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Cincinnatl. 624 Beadwood Dick. Jr., in Nevada. 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In No Man’s Land, Ote peadw eed Disk’ gr, in Huffalon eadwoo ek, Jr., in_ Buffalo. 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Chase Acrosa the Continent 654 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smugglers. 660 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Insurance Case. 666 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mines. 672 Peadwood Dick, Jr., (un Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” aha peadwoue mene hn pieceverys or, Found a Fortune. cadwo ck, Jdr.’s. Dazzle. 690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s Dollars. 695 Deedwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide. 700 Desdwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. 204 Deadwood Dick, dr., at Jack-Pot, 710 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in San Francisco, Other Novels by E. L, Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot, 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. Ab Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 53 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix, 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter; or, The Bey Detective, 80 Rosebud I ~¢" or, Nugget Ned, the Knight, ne Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand, 88 Pheto ape Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. 92 Nanaia w et 3 or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’a Camp, nn #6 Watech-Eye } or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City. 18 Jaek Moyle the Young Speculator. % Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 1 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 5 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll’« Drift; or. The Road Queen. 458 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 486 Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler. BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 7 The Flying Vankees or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht, 4 Diamond Dirk: or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenanta. 2 25 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 02 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier, 11 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 16 The Hussar Captain ¢; or, ‘he Hermit of Hell Gate, 97 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 04 Gold Plume; or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 216 Bison BILL, the Prince of the Reins; or, Batt Bill’s Pluck, 222 Grit, the bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy) Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midshipman Mutineer ¢ or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 264 The Floating F eather: or, Merle Monte’s Treasure. 269 The Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned, 276 Merle Monte’s Orulse; or, * The Gold Ship’ Chase, 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pear), the Pirate’s Bride, 284 The Sea Marauders or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 2ST Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy 3 or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, 808 Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterious Marauder}; or, The Boy Bugler’s Trail, B77 Bonodel, the Buy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner. 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. 887 Warpath WILL, the Boy Phantom. $98 Seawalt, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Isodor, the Young Conapirator} or, The Fatal League, 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta, 412 The Wild Vachtamany or, The War-Cloud’s Cruise. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck; ‘or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Ralder. 441 The Ocean Firefly ¢ or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 HMaphazard flarrys or, The Scapegrace of the Sea. 450 Wizard Wills or, The Boy Ferret ot New York. 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts, 462 The Born Guide; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagavond Pard, 488 Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard Wi))’s Last Case, 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger. 495 Arizona doe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy 3 or, The Shark and the Sea Cat, 507 The Hunted Midshipman. 511 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin BIll, the Comanche Shadow, 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 530 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Bue: skin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder ot the Rio, 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lafitte’s Legacy: or. The Avenging Son, 555 The Creole Corsair. 560 Pawnee Bill, the Prairie Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. 5S0 The Outcast Cadet; or, The False Detective. 686 The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte. the Young Sea Rover. 597 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. 607 The Rover Detective; or, Keno Kit’s Champions. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders. 644 The Hercules Highwayman, 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Kider Detective; or, Buffalo Bill’s Boy Para. 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Wunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccaneer Midshipman. 674 The Wizard Saflor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover. 679 The Sea Shadower; or, The Freebooter’s Legacy 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag; or, The Tarnished Name, 692 The Rival Sharps; or, Redfern, the Secret Service Scout, 697 The Scarlet Sombrero; or, The Sharp from Texne, a4 702 Blue Jacket Bill; or, The Red Hat Rangers’ Red Hot Racket | 707 The Red Sombrero Rangers; or, Redfern’s Last Trail, BY BUFFALO BILL (len. Wm, F, Cody). 8 Kansas Kings or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy s or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 55 leadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout, 68 Border Robin Hood; or, The Prairie Rover, 158 Faney Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’a Trust, BY CHARLES MORRIS. 18 Will Somers, the Boy Detective. 22 Phil Hardy, the Boes Boy. 26 Picayune Pete ¢ or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 80 Detective Dicks or, The Hero in Rags. 42 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, oT N s2 Will Wildfire in the Woods. bh Billy Bagrage, the Railroad Boy. 0 A Trump Card; or, Will Wildfire Wins and Loses, 4 Rob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. 9 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, ’ 8 The Widden Hand; or, Will Wildfire’s Revenge. ? Fred Halvard, the Life Boat Boy; cr, The Smugglers, 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock. 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two * Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashawnay : or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago, 262 The Young Sharps: or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The Young Detective. 208 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoronghored, 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Ladin Quaker City. $24 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. $41 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective 3 or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, B67 Wide-Awake Joe}; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry. the Levelers or. The Bloods of the Boulevard, 408 Fireily Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 422 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret, 456 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vagavond. 4 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. : 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, b66 The Secret Service Boy Detective. B96 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tom Bruce of Arkanana: or, The Wo)fin the Fold. 655 Plucky Paul, the Boy Speculator. 667 Rob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives. 2709 The Curbstone Detective; or, Harry Hale’s Big Beat, BY J, ©. COWDRICK. 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold King}; or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name. 424 Cibuta Jonny; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. 606 Redlight Ralph, the Prince of the Road, 514 Broadway Billy's Boodle. 524 The Engineer Detective. 586 Broadway Billy’s ‘Diftikilty.” 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Racket. 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer. 579 The Chimney Spy; or, Broadway Billy’s Surprise-Party 592 The Boy Pinkerton. o 605 William 0’ Broadway; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning, 615 Fighting erties the Chief of Chained Cyclone, 628 Brondway Billy’s Dead Act. 640 Barebsek Beth, the Centaur of the Circle, 647 Typewriter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgan, the “ Pizenest ”? Man of Ante Bar. 669 Broadway Billy Abroad. 675 Brondway Billy’s Best; or, Beating San Francisco's Finess, 687 Broadway Billy in Clover. 696 Broadway Billy in_Texaa. 708 Broadway Biily’s Brand. 711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe. : BY T. ©. WARBAUGH. 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of 776. 87% The Hidden Lodge}; or The Little Hunter. 47 Nightingale Nat} or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy Jnck3 or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Trait. 82 Kit Waretoot the Wood-Hawk.- 94 Midnight Jack 3 or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lyneéh, Jr.t or, The Boy Vigilante. 155 Gok Trig er, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado Tom; or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkansaw ¢ or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenge. 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet ; or, Little Tonknot’s Crusade, 281 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Re| Jezebel. 241 Rill Bravo; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apoli«, tne King-Pin of Bowie. 7 The Buckskin Detective. 279 Old Winch} or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dang or, The Bowle Blade of Gochetopa, 802 The Mountain Detective; or, The Trigger Bar Bully, 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pards; or. The Terror of Take-Notice. 886 Ble Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. 845 Pitiless Matt; or, Ked Thunderbolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam and Par; or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass or, ihe Beccaneer’s Girl Foe, 896 Rough Robs or, The {win Champions of Blue Blazes. 411 The Silken Lasso: or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. : 445 The City Vamplres; or, Ked Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar. 470 The Boy Shadow; or, Fellx Fox’s Hunt. Av? The Exceisior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter. 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 602 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. 538 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 648 Dodger Dick’s Double}; or, The Rival Boy Detectives. 558 Dodeecr Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidoeq. 578 The Two Shadows. 5682 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard. 626 The Champion Pards, 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective. 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 671 Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler; or, Shadowing the Shadower. 685 Happy Hugh, the Boy-Musician Detective. 701 Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 718 Carl, the Mad Cowboy; or, The Lariat Queen, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 714 Old Misery, the Man from Missouri; or, The Mystery of the Mountain League. By Wm. G. Patten, 215 Wide Awake Len, the Quaker City Ferret; or, Caging the Cormorants. By T. C. Harbangli. 216 Dendwood Picks Jr.’e, Stil Wnts or, The Second Round in San Francisco. By Edward L, Wheeler, W1T Mosquito Jack; the Hustler Gamin; or, Move-on Mike’s Gann Cateh, By Jo Pierce. 718 Light-Heart Lute’s Last Trails or, The Gold Crater’s Secret, By Joseph E, Badger, Jr. 719 Pawnee Bill's Pledge; or, The Cowboy Kidnapper. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. ’ 220 Broadway Billy’s Full Hand; or, Te Gamin Detec- tive’s Double Snap at Santa Fe. By . C, Cowdrick. 21 Maverick Mose, the Arizona Detective; or, The Wizard of Urkes Pass. By Will Lisenbee. Ready May 19. 722 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dominoes: or, The Rival Camps of the Northern Border, By Edward L. Wheeler. Ready May 26, 728 Silverblade, the Shoshone 3_or, The Border Beagle’s Secret Mission. By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. Ready June 2d. A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library !s for sale by all newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on reeeipt af six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishera, 98 William Street, New York.