Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 573) (1888 07 17)
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: “ le Roe pm i = hd a tip p= YA, Li A \ \ oul NS =e —- lune ala Ct Sr NC Vin Nan eee 2 tL Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright, 1888 by BEADLE AND ADAMS, ie July 17, 1888. $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, Vol. XX, a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. No. 578. S| ie iB) |) (ia ’ Ne / | il nn bed ih $j t Dodger Dick's Stop Game. | BY T. C. HARBAUGH, AUTHOR OF ‘* BUCKSKIN DETECTIVE,” “ FELIX FOX,” ‘‘ PHIL FLASH,” ‘* CITY FERRET,” “BRANDED BEN,” ‘* DODGER DICK,” ‘*¥ox AND FALCON,” ETC, CHAPTER T. CAPTAIN ASGEELO, “ Wuat is this?” “*T don’t know,” ** Who brought it here?” “* A boy a little younger than you. He said it was to be handed to you the first thing and I’ve @beyed orders.” THE LITHE, PANTHER-LIKE FIGURE WHICH HAD : gag . FOLLOWED THE GIRL SHADOW FRO: * Well, we'll see what 1t means, for I den* DODGER DICK’S HOME WAS NOW CLOSE BEHIND HEB. i a UU an —— a See: P=} i Mit i 4 IN iN = ——= i Dray my a = IN maT Mm hit ] } ee \ Lilt Hh i i) = sil iT | a ZA ~ ih
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ed 4 The Two Shadows. believe in many preliminaries,” and the speaker, a good-looking robust boy of | one seventeen, tore open the envelope and drew out a slip of poe e was watched by a woman past fifty and neatly dressed, ‘‘Tam requested to call at the private office of Bangs & Branson, private’ brokes’s, No — Broad street,” suddenly remarked the boy, look- ing up and catching the woman’s eye. **Who wants to see you?” she asked. “JT cannot tell. This note is signed by Mas- sena Branson, the junior member of the firm.” ‘ T hope this is not the beginning of another dangerous case.” ‘ Of course 1 cannot tell, Mamma Sturgeon,” smiled the boy. ‘I shall go over and see what Mr. Branson wants. I amat.a loss to know how he ever heard of me—” : “That's not difficult of solution, Nearly everybody has heard of ea gg Dick, the sharp- est detective of New York. You are more noted than you think you are, Dick, and you’ve made some enemies I would not like to have.” The boy said nothing in reply, but returned the letter to its envelope and placed both in an inner pocket. ‘*T have more than an hour to spare,” re- marked he, glancing at the clock ticking away on the mantle. ‘‘I could go straight to Bangs & Branson even if the number had not been iven in the note for I bave passed their win- ow a score of times,” A few minutes more the old lady was quite alone and the active youth was on his way to the business house of Bangs & Branson, private brokers, It lacked some minutes of three o’clock when he walked into the business office of the firm and inquired for the junior partner. At mention of Mr. Branson’s name a man be- hind the walnut counter dropped a paper and came forward, “‘T am that gentleman, and I presume you are the boy to whom I sent the message” he re- marked, eying Dick, sharply. The young detective acknowledged that his presumption was correct, and he was passed through a door at the end of the room into the private office of the firm, water While Dodger Dick had passed the brokers’ stand often enough, be had never before been brought face to face with Massena Branson, He found him to be a somewhat florid, but good looking man of fifty. There was a certain nervousness about him which the boy noticed from the first, but as it seemed to leave the broker when he had passed into the private office, Dick thought it might have been occa- sioned by his call. ‘* You are Dick, the young detective?” opened the broker, when the two had taken seats in the elegantly-furnished office. ‘*T am called that, sometimes,” admitted Dick. “Pretty often, I think,” smiled Branson. ‘ But, never mind that, I have sent for you to give you a little employment if you have noth- ing pressing on hand just now, as 1 trust you have not.” ‘* Nothing,” echoed Dick, leaning back in his chair and studying the man again. “T want to know, in the first place, whether acertain person isin New York at this time,” continued the Broad street broker, ‘‘ In order to strike his trail you may have to peep into ee considered dangerous, but I supposé you’ve one that often in the pursuit of your calling?” ‘‘Quite often, Mr. Branson,” answered Dick. **] will not now go into details why I want to know something of the whereabouts of this cer- tain man,” resumed Branson, ‘“‘ He is called a Malay, but he is not full blood, as there isa dash of Portuguese in his make-up, At home he is known as Captain Asgeelo, but he may have a dozen other names, for that matter, In hight heis about five feet seven, as straight as a palm, and as wiry as a tiger-cat. His strength is something prodigious. I have seen—” here the broker caught bimself and looked at Dick. ‘‘I have heard,” he corrected, ‘‘ that he has been known to lift an ox clear of the ground, but we have nothing to do with that, Captain Asgeelo looks. barely thirty, but he must be ten years past that point. One of his eyelids, the left ng one, droops a little, but it does not prevent his coal-black orbs from seeing everything to be seen, He hasa peculiar scar, shaped like a crescent, behind the right ear, but { presume he hides it with his hair, “Do you think you would know Captain Asgeelo, from this description, if you were to see him?” ‘1 ought not to miss a man so well marked,” replied the boy shadow. ‘Do you think he is in New York?” ee — Paste The broker gave one of his nervous starts, and glanced swiftly toward a desk at one side of the room, ‘‘7—-I have good reason to think he is,” he responded, ‘Birds of a feather flock together, hang and I suppose that he has found his ind,” ‘You mean, then, that Captain Asgeelo has found the Malay colony that infests this city?” Without replying, Mr. Branson took a card from his pocket and handed it to Dick, as if it were answer enough, The boy detective leaned toward the light and read the following: ‘NICHOLAS DE LA CRUZE, English, French, Spanish, Danish, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and Malay spoken. Mania SEAMEN’s Boarpine-Hovuss.” ‘‘ That’s rather profuse,” smiled Dodger Dick, looking up. ‘* The place is a reguiar Babel some- times.’ ‘* You know it, then?’ exclaimed the broker. ‘¢T am slightly acquainted with the old Malay and the place he keeps, Saint Nicholas, as he is sometimes called, is the king of the Malays iu New York, and he presides over a very peculiar and a dangerous kingdom.” ‘* But not too dangerous to prevent you from entering it?’ cried Branson, ‘““No,” returned Dick, “If your Captain Asgeelo has a drop of Malay blood in his veins—” ‘‘ He is a quarter-blood Malay,” was the inter- ruption. ‘*Then, if he is in the city, he has been to Saint Nick’s establishment.” ‘Tam glad to hear yousay so. I want this man spotted as soon as possible, If you find him, come straight tome with the report. But I would like for you to discover under what colors he is sailing now, who his associates are, and where he can be found when wanted. You will consider yourself entirely in my employ until discharged by me. The pay will be ex- cellent for good service, 1 know that you earn every dollar you get. I have heard of you be- fore, and I know what kind of a beagle lam putting on the track of Captain Asgeelo. No- thing must stand between you and the findin of that man. He is quick to perceive an prompt to act. I believe he is always on the watch. Well, he ought to be, from the life he has led, Now,I think I have given you the scent. Run down the game and report as soon as possible.” ‘J will do the best I can,” was the boy de- tective’s response. ‘* You have already inter- ested me in the hunt you have proposed. I go at once, Mr. Branson.” ‘“Good! You are not nape a the ho I had raised,” the broker smiled. ‘‘ Remember that youare to find Captain Asgeelo for me.” And again the Broad street money man sent a swift glance toward the desk against the wall. A minute more the boy stood on the sidewalk, with a new, and, he believed, very dangerous undertaking before him, _ He was puzzled to know why Massena Branson was so anxious to fiad the Malay, Captain As- geelo, but he was not the person to pry into what he believed wasa profound secret. He hada simple mission before him, and that was enough, ne me the skein will unravel itself by and by,” reflected Dick, starting off. ‘‘I am now booked for the paradise of the Malays in America, I wonder where Mr. Branson got that curious card of old La Cruze’s? He is the last man I would suspect of having anything of the kind. The whole thing 5 eapionne ap- tain Asgeelo,eh? That is y enough, but I'm likely to find_my yellow tiger-cat under an- other name, if I find him at all.” Meantime Massena Branson had vacated his office for the day. There was a satisfied light in his eyes when he pa its step and mingled with the bustling crowds on the street. An “LL” car took him up-town, and after alighting he walked a short distance to a house with an elegant frontage. Beyond the door he was met by a beautiful young girl of nineteen, who greeted him with an embrace, and then drew him, with a shower of kisses, into a room where a fire smoldered in a rich old-fashioned grate. “ Here’s a letter for-you, pee ” exclaimed the Leash taking a little packe m the marble mantle, ‘It vas slipped under the door while I was u irs.” Massena Branson grew suddenly pale as he ang the letter which he took from the fair and, One glance at its contents seemed enough, for he uttered a cry of pain, started from the chair, and threw the missive, now crushed in his grasp, into the grate, where it was consumed in a mo- ment, Then he reeled back into his chair, gave the horrified girl one look, and fainted! CHAPTER II. DICK IN MALAYSIA. BEnr on opening his new trail in good pe te Dodger Dick pursued his way to the Malay quarter of New York. 4 He knew something about the race te which Captain Asgeelo was said to belong, for once or house he was about to visit and had seen the exceedingly mixed population there. But now the place had become dangerous ter- ritory for him for he was looking for a man who would be on the alert, and if he had guess- ed correctly, from Massena Branson’s manner, Captain Asgeelo was one to be watched. Dick was aware that the New York Malays make their headquarters in Baxter street, near Bayard, and in the sailors’ district in Water and Cherry streets. The ground was quite fa- miliar to him, and when, after a considerable journey, he stood in front of Nicholas De La Cruze’s place, he watched the trap awhile from the outside, y Was Captain Asgeelo in there? Was he wait- broker? And would he be pounced upon by 4 pair of Malay eyes the moment he stepped across the threshold? ; “IT might have stopped on the way-here and picked up Tony Ted,” mused the young shadow, ‘Then there would have been two pair of eyes on the lookout for Captain Asgeelo. But I can take my double into the game yet if circum- stances demand it.” Without more ado he walked into the Malay “ hotel” and at once became enveloped in clouds of strong cigar smoke. " Senor De La Cruze, as the Malay landlord sometimes calls himself, keeps a queer place, for there he yet holds out. It is a very Babel for languages, and when all the inmates are chat- tering at once, as is often the case, the noise is almost enough to set one wild. Dick had Captain Asgeelo well photographed on his mind by the broker’s description, but for several minutes after entering the house he could see nothing but a few indistinct forms through the smoke. Gradually he became accustomed to the an- noyance, and when the cloud had lifted suffi- ciently, he saw the motley crowd by which he was surrounded. There were Malays, half Malays, quarter bloods, and a sprinkling of Chinese in the room. At one end, behind a dirty counter, stood a smallish man with a puffed out face end a queer countenance, Dick knew him at once for De La Cruze, the proprietor of that ‘‘ paradise.” : “The old fellow is pleased to-night, for he’s got a good crowd,” thought the spy as he again surveyed the various groups. ‘‘ 1 don’t see any- thing of Captain Asgeelo yet, but maybe he has yet to come in,” Dick’s entrance did not seem to excite any suspicion, and in a little while he was ensconced in one corner, from whence he surveyed the Malay’s guests and listened to the chatter, which resembled a magpie convention. All at once the boy spotter became aware that he had been as out by a pair of dark and piercing eyes. e felt their influence be- fore he saw them, and when he ventured to dis- cover them, he was not long finding where they a SSS Sess sO were. Leanin yg the dingy wall, almost direct- ly behind the broad back of the Malay king, was a well-built man in the garb of a common citizen, For all this, he had about him the air of a seafaring man, and the open collar witha _ dark string attached knotted like a sailor’s necktie confirmed this impression, — Immediately the broker's description of Cap- tain Asgeelo ran through the boy’s mind, He could not tell when the man entered the room. Surely he was not there when the boy spy came in, but then the smoke was still thick, and he might have dropped in without being noticed. The Dodger watched the man some time, and the longer he looked the more he became cou: vinced that he had discovered Captain Asgeelo. He saw the fellow rolla cigarette and puff away at it with a good deal of spirit, but several times through the smoke he caught his black twice before be had crossed the threshold of tke: ing for him as the spy of the Broad street
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? The Two Shadows. ‘eyes that seemed to shine like diamonds in their sockets, At last Dick’s man threw his cigarette away and disappeared through a door at the end of the room. The boy waited ten minutes, but the guest did not come back. ** ff that was Captain Asgeelo, I havo spotted him soon,” he murmured. “That is not enough, however, I was todiscover with whom > he associates, and what he is doing in New ; York, Massena Branson appears to be deepl + interested in the captain, and 1 confess that am interested in both.” ; } Quitting his place, Dick went over to the proprietor of the resort and found him drum- ming on the counter with his knuckles for want if of something better to do, Ma ‘Hello, boy! exclaimed Saint Nick, in fair English. Dick exchanged salutations, and then pro- ceeded: “ I’m looking for a friend of mine—” Ub “ Are, eh?” broke in the Malay. ‘This no mi American house, this Manila,” > Oe “Yes, yes,” assented Dick, ‘*My friends ie th ye come here, I am hunting Captain As- geelo. He thought he saw the Malay start but was not certain. , De La Cruze shook his head till his curls | ‘touched, **No Cap’n Asgeelo here,” he answered in _ Yather louder tones than Dick liked, ‘I no know him, boy, What he like, eh?” “*Oh, well, if you don’t know him, I needn’t go to the trouble to describe him,” was the re- ply **T thought I saw a man who looked like im smoking just behind you a while ago.” f “That man, hey?” cried the Malay landlord, . 2 throwing a look in that direction, ‘‘ That was a Cap’n Mingo.” =o “Oh!” ejaculated Dick elevating his head. **T thought he looked like the friend Iam hunt- ing. Captain Mingo, eh?” “sc Yes,’ Y “ Does he board here?” 3 “‘ Sometimes,” answered the Malay. ‘Cap'n \ Asgeelo, whoever he is, no come here. He keep pa; way if he come to New York,” and the fat 7, 4. an knuckles began to drum on the counter again, me There was a strange, far-away look in the ae Malay’s eyes while he talked, which Dodger Dick noticed, because his suspicions had been aroused from the first. “ The old rascal knows more than he lets on,” thought the young detective, ‘There isn’t a drop of Malay blood in New York buf what he knows where it is. The chances are that I have seen Captain Asgeelo to-night. Branson said he would be sailing under new colors, and who can say that he is not under the flag of Captain Mingo?” As there was nothing more for him in the house the Dodger concluded to withdraw, an act which he thought he effected in good style, He could see that the eyes of the Malay pro- ay mane followed him to the door, and even when ey e was on the sidewalk breathing the night air again he seemed to be under their influence. lick wished he could have followed the man called Captain Mingo by De La Cruze. He was almost certain that he had found Asgeelo, and also ig the Malay king of New York knew as muc He dared not, as a matter of course, ettempt to pursue hls quarry further into the house, He knew he would have been stopped at the door, and an ejection and exposure would have fol- Jowod. : If he could have carried out his wishes, he would have seen Captain Mingo go up a narrow stair two steps at a time. He would have fol- lowed him into a room where four men sat gambling at a small table, hardly large enough \ to accommodate two. _ They raised their eyes the moment the door opened, and when they saw Captain Mingo’s countenance, they held their cards back and - stared at him, He came up to the table and touched it with both hands as he leaned forward, his dark eyes _ Snapping, and his yéllowish face wreathed in x smiles, - fox—a little fox—is on the trail,” was “ce what he said, “I’ve dealt with these foxes be- ie my eye.” ** Where is fore, and I know them the moment they catch sb cows his ** hand,” and his venomous eyes he?” demanded one of the men, ting like those of a * Down below.” as “No more boys, _ @as the ejaculation, * till P’'ve seen this fox!” There’s too much at enn stake in the game to let a young fox smell us out. The captain knows aspy when he sees one, so I must spot him.” And pushing his chair back, he arose. His example was followed by his companions, for all sprung up. ‘Don’t all rush down at once,” enjoined the man called Captain Mingo, with a restraining gesture. ‘‘We want to discover if the bo comes from him. Having found that out, we’ tpn to clear the trail. Two of you go out y the back stair. Muffet and Mylo will go with me,” Instantly there was a division of the party, two vanishing through one door, and Captain Mingo and two others departing by another, A minute more the same eyes which Dick had singled out came back into the same room, buta searching glance told their owner that ‘the young fox” had fled. He was followed into the room by his com- nions, but his glance told them that he had ost the boy. ** Boy looking for you or some one else,” and the Malay proprietor touched Captain Mingo’s sleeve, “* For me, eh?” asked the captain, feigning as- tonishment, ‘Did he ask for Captain Mingo?” De La Cruse shook his head, - **No; he asked for Cap’n Asgeelo,” ‘“*Eh?” cried the other, and a sudden smile ap- ared at the corners of his sinister mouta. ‘What did you tell him, Senor Nick?” **T know no such man, I told’im so, and he went away.” : Captain Mingo looked at his two companions and went back into the house followed by bis friends, ‘“I was right,” he whispered to the men. ‘The boy I saw here awhile ago was a spy. As he was ooking for Captain Asgeelo, he must be in some one’s employ. There are five of us against him, and we ought to succeed. We must run the fox down, Come!” his eyes flash- ed. ‘If the American has hired a spy, woe to him from this moment!” And Captain Mingo led the two men straight through the house to the street where they were joined by the pair that had preceded them. CHAPTER III, MADGE MYSTERY, Ir was by alucky chance that Dodger Dick was permitted to move away from the Malay den without having some shrewd watchers at bis heels. If he had tarried on the sidewalk a few mo- ments longer he would have been seen by two of the five men, and probably caught or run down, and possibly stricken down right there— as men often are in that bad locality. As it was, fortune favored him again as she had on former occasions, and he got out of the teach of Captain Mingo and his men, Instead of going to Massena Branson’s up- town residence or to his own quarters with his foster mother, Mother Sturgeon, the young de- tective ercssed the lower part of the city and eet a bell alongside a very common looking oor. This summons was promptly responded to and he was admitted by a young girl who start- ed slightly on seeing him, She was not over sixteen in looks, and the dim light in the hall showed that she d a good figure, and a pair of bright, penetrating eyes. of You don’t come often, any more, Have you forgotten your friends in this part of the city?’ laughed the young portress. ‘I have been out myself,” she added, * and if you had come a little sooner you might have rung till you were tired.” The young girl rattled on in this manner un- til she had conducted Dick to aroom at the end of the corridor when she stepped toward him suddenly and laid her hand on bis arm, , ** What were you doing down in Malaysia?” aie rae ‘ e boy detective gave her a quick look which exhibited his warneiee. i *How do you know where I’ve been, Madge?” The girl laughed again. Looking around is my profession. You ere raring Raion tea u know Ive been there yourself,” he Cat od a “The ot I< av en perha: ht to w were doing there!” gia Sin se nat va Tbe girl watched him in silence for a few moments, “ ‘“‘ Before I answer, do you want Tony Ted?” she asked, “*T dropped in to see if he was here.” “He is not. He went away several days ago—out of the city—and will not be back for some time.” “Ts he on a trail?” ** A sort of one,” was the reply, “Very well; you need not tell me more, Madge. Go back to your trip to Malaydom,” **1t won’t take me long to tell the story,” the girl answered. ‘‘I am on a trail which I fear is too much for me, [f I should want help, what?” ‘‘That depends, I may be on duty myself,” “Ha, ha! you are/” cried the maiden. ‘“‘ You don’t go to Nicholas De La Cruze’s place for nothing. Were you looking for the Malay cap- tain—the captain of the Palm-Leaf, eb?” If a rocket had dropped, still blazing, at Dick’s feet, he would not have been more aston- ished. “ The—Malay—captain?” he then stammered. ** What do you know of him, Madge?” “*Not very much yet, but a good deal by and by, maybe,” was the answer. ‘‘I’d bet my head almost that I can guess who has set you on the captain’s trail. Jould it surprise you to learn that we are to be paid out of the same treasury?’ The boy shadow’s amazement increased. **Let me pull down the barriers, Dick,” she went on. ‘‘Let Madge Mystery tell you what she knows, and just why she went down among the queer bloods to-night.” “ to on,” ‘* Three days ago there came to me a mysteri- ous letter, which was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. It was addressed to‘ Madge Mys- tery, Number 896 W—— street,’ which is right here, you know. I was still more surprised after reading the letter, for it asked me to call at the house of one of the best-known and rich- est brokers in New York. I knew it was not from the broker himself--the writing was against a thought of that kind—and full of curi- osity, I went. ‘When I was ushered into the elegant house, by the butler who opened the door, I was shown into a parlor where a young lady and the writer of the letter, as I”kmew at once, ac- costed me. ‘*She proceeded to tell ine that she saw my name ‘Madge Mystery ‘in a newspaper article on the ‘ Queer People of ‘te City,’ and as I was therein cal'ed a girl shadow, and as she wanted some information she sent for me. She then told me that her father had been annoyed by a mysterious man and mysterious letters—tbhat he seemed to be the victim of a foul conspiracy which is slowly but surely sapping bis bappiness and his health. I listened with the deepest interest. 1 did not miss a single word. ‘** Although she could tell me a good deal about the merciless work of the mysterious man, she could throw no light on him—not enough, at least, to point him out with any certainty,” continued Madge. ‘‘She once heard her father talking excitedly to himself in the library shortly after receiving one of the missives, and once or twice the words ‘‘ Captain Asgeelo,” “hated Malay” and “ private” reached her ears, She told me all this without the slightest reserve, for she is a trustftl girl whose whole soul is wrapped upin her father’s welfare. At the end of her narrative she offered me a larger sum of money than I ever saw to find and as- certain all about this Captain Asgeelo, this “hated Malay” as ‘her father calls him. I promised to do my best, for the young lady enlisted my sympathies from the start. Besides, she is engaged to a young man whom she loves devotedly, but she says she will not become his bride until the mystery bas been cleared up, and her father freed from the toils of his mysterious enemy. Now, Dick, don’t you think I can guess what tock you down into Malaysia inasmuch as I saw you come out of a certain building on Broad st: cet to-day?” “You saw me there, too,” exclaimed the boy spotter. ‘Madge, I believe you are every- where!” ' “Oh, no; not quite so divisible as that,” smiled the girl. “T know you can guess the truth, so why keep it back? Massena Branson, the broker, sent me down among the Malays,” . “Ofcourse! And his daughter Bertha sent me to the same place.” “It is very strange, Madge,” observed Dick. “You did not obtain a description of the man — you were to find. In that respect, Iam ahead of you. «Perhaps I found him all the same,” insinu-
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ated Madge. ‘‘So Massena Branson knows what his enemy looks like?’ ‘** He described Captain Asgeelo at any rate, But, how deep into Malaysia did you get?” ‘* Beyond the shell,” laughed the girl spotter. “I did not get into the smoker’s paradise, as perhaps you did, where one finds all kinds of faces and blood; but I think I found a man who more than once in times gone by has answered to the name of Captain Asgeelo.” ‘You find out many secrets, Madge. But, what about the Palm-Leaf?”’ ‘* That was the name of a vessel once famous as a pirate in Malay waters,” the girl explained, “Was Captain Asgeelo her commander?” ““We may get at that by and by, Dick—that is if you and I can agree to hunt the same trail,” ‘Why not?” demanded the Dodger, ‘‘ Our quarry is thesame, You bunt Captain Asgeelo for the daughter—I forthe father. From what Isaw of the man I take tobethe pirate, I think we ought to combine,” ‘* He’s a Malay tiger, is he?” smiled Madge. “Branson called him a tiger-cat during our talk.” ‘* Then we unite,” and the girl put out her hand, which was promptly grasped: by Dick. ‘** Let me tell you that Massena Branson has a terrible enemy in this mysterious man, whoever he is. Bertha feels his power. He holds some secret against her father which if divulged, would drive him swift to ruin, Last week Bertha picked ug, on the hearth in the library, the fragment of one of the mysterious letters, She did not tell me what it said, but she itn- plored me anew to find this Asgeelo for her and to find him soon.” ne she want to see him in person?” asked ick, “I donot know. The beautiful girl is des- perate. Tbe hated and much-dreaded Malay holds her happiness and her fate in his hands as wellas her father’s peace of mind. We must find this game for certain. If he is the sonce captain of the Palm-Leaf, we have a heartless and most dangerous wretch to deal with, Does Massena Branson want to meet him?’ **T should say not, from what I gathered in our oe an ce Dick. ‘‘He wants to know, first, ether Captain Asgeelo is in New York, and, if he is here, with whom he as- sociates,” “* After that, what?” **T don’t know.” “JT think I could enlighten Branson the broker,” remarked Madge, ‘But I am not in his employ.” “What will you report to Bertha?” | ** Nothing yet.” **-You want to know more first?” “ec Yes.” “So do I. The man whom I took for the Malay at St. Nicholas to-night is known as—” ‘Let me finish,” and Madge Mystery leaned toward Dodger Dick, ‘* As Captain Mingo,” ‘That is my discovery,” admitted Dick, ‘“Now that we think we have found Branson’s secret foe, let’ us follow the trail of the puzzle, It may be a dangerous one, for these Portu- guese Malays are the king-cats of malice and ferocity.” 1S 1 The maid did not reply, but crossed the room to a bureau, a drawer of which she unlocked. When she came back she handed Dick an old- fashioned daguerreotype, in a gilt frame. ‘* Where did you get this?” he queried. “Captain Mingo lost it last night!” was the reply. CHAPTER IV. , THE LETTER AND THE TRAP, THE portrait which the Dodger held in his hand was that of a young girl not more than ten years old. The face was one of rare childish sweetness, and ‘a profusion of glossy curls made for it a frame of bewitching ong 8 ‘For several moments the boy spotter looked at it with much interest, , An upward glance would have told him that the eyes of the girl were fastened u he did not look up till he had studi ta 5 to his satisfaction. «> “Captain Mingo lost this, you say?” he asked. “* He lost it,” she declare !- Do you know whose ‘picture it is?” Madge Mystery shook her head. “Does it resemble any one whom you have ever seen?” a iD ** Yes,” and she'took the picture from Dick’s hands, and gazed intently on it a few seconds.’ **] know-one who has the same soft eyes, and the same glossy hair,” she went on, ‘Of course n him, but the daguer- d, with a smile. y The Two Shadows. / x EE SOAS SE SRS RE Ln a 2 oe eee em ee EY she is much older than the person represented | So, upless he comes to terms inside of ten hours, here; but then the resemblance is remarkable,” ‘*To whom do you refer, Madge?” ‘* Bertha Branson.” ‘* What!” cried the boy spotter. this the portrait of the Broad street broker’s daughter?” ‘** You have never seen her, Dick.” That is true, therefore you are more able to pass judgment than Iam. If the portrait repre- sents Bertha Branson, in her childhood, then we have found Captain Asgeelo!” “So we have, but we know nothing yet about the secret he holds over the broker’s head.” ‘*Nothing; only that it is a dangerous one. Keep the picture, Madge. It may enter into the game by and by. Does Captain Asgeelo— I call him Captain Mingo no longer—does he know or suspect that this prize fell into your hands?” “T think not.” ‘* Where did he lose it?” **TIn Malaysia.” As Madge did not appear very communicative on this point, Dick did not press the question, and the girl replaced the portrait in her bureau and put it under lock, Haif an hour later she was far from her hum- ble lodgings and alone in a portion of the city occupied mainly by the wealthy. The time was past the common bed hour, but there were still numerous people on the street, late comer-home, and very few of them saw the statue-like figure that hugged the trunk of a certain shade-tree while a pair of sharp eyes watched a certain elegant house a few feet away. ' At length a gliding figure passed up the steps of the mansion to the door and stooped over the foot-rug. The figure at the tree was the figure of Madge Mystery, and she saw the movements we have just described. The person at the door did not remain there long, but rose soon from the rug, and flitted away with the same noiseless agility it had used in coming tothe spot, “The swing of Captain Mingo!” decided Madge, while she watched the figure. ‘‘ He was at the door just long enough to leave another of those mysterious messages which are slowly blighting two lives.” She waited until the man had vanished, when she crossed the sidewalk and crept up the steps. A moment more end Madge, the girl shadow, was feeling under the door with her slender fingers, here was not much space for her to operate in, but she managed to touch a bit of paper which she succeeded in drawing to her by moist- ening her fingers, and the next second she had the nocturnal message, There was triumph in Madge Mystery’s eyes when she ran down the steps and hurried off in the direction taken by the man supposed to be the Malay. If she had been seen at her task she might have fallen into the clutches of the police, not all of whom knew her, but, fortunately, she was not observed, and thus managed to escape with her prize, The girl shadow retraced her way to the house where she had had her interview with Dodger ick, and, once there, hastily ascended to her little room on the second floor and locked the door behind her, “What have I found?” she exclaimed, draw- ing forth the message. “If it is nothing about the secret, it goes straight back to the door, If the man who left it was Captain Asgeelo, per- haps it weré best that Mr, Branson knew noth- | we 3 the visit,” be Bae drawn) from under the door was inclosed in a small manila envelope, without superscription of any kind. This envelope was not sealed, so Madge lost no time in relieving it of its contents. pi ‘Her heart beat fast while she unfolded the paper and read the following: “Caprain Lovuts:—..., “I have waited over my time. No answer, I give you ten more hours of grace. If the vow is not fulfilled against that, time, I swear, by all that men consider holy, that the blow will fall With all its orce. You can’t play with Captain Asgeelo’s secret, Itis foolish for you to employ detectives. You must succumb, or go down, ean ” __The three daggers standing in a row in place of the signature, kept Madge’s attention for a momen ri iy Raabe a **“Captain Louis, eh?’ she murmured. ‘ Mas- sena Branson is in no way mentioned here, but I found the written threat beneath his door. the blow will fall! Asgeelo will strike. oung creature on whose head the stroke will That means that Captair If he does, I pity the fair y **'You think | fall hardest. This must not be! The blow must be averted, This letter talks as if Branson were guilty of some crime. I don’t care if he is, His child is innocent, The work of his enemy Shall not sacrifice her! Whereis Dick? I| want his head a little while. 1 must find him if he is to be found.” Thrusting the letter into ber bosom, she once more went out on the street, and never stopped her walk till she put ber hand on a door at the head of a dark and narrow street, In a moment the door was opened. ‘*Ts Dick at home?” asked the girl. “Not now.” ‘* Where is he?” **T can’t tell you; but won’t you come in? ” ‘No, thank you, Mamma Sturgeon,” and the girl disappeared so quickly that Dodger Dick’s. foster-mother for some time afterward ‘could not convince herself that she had not answered a knock in a dream. On the street in front of the home of the boy Vidocq of New York, Madge paused and let the cool wind fan her cheeks for a while, for she was tired and worried, and the note in her bo- som seemed to burn her flesh, ‘What shall | do?” she cried. ‘‘Did the boy go back to the Malay den? Is he down there now, looking for Captain Asgeelo? He must be careful for, if I mistake not, the Malay has friends who serve him faithfully. If I had fol- lowed the man from Branson’s house to night, I might know something I don’t know now, but [ considered the letter more important than that, and here I am with it in my possession,” Madge di¢é not krow tbat all this time the eyes of a dark-faced man were upon her, and when she started off she was followed by foot- steps as soft as a panther’s, : Madge reached the first corner undisturbed, but there she ¢ame under the espionage of a second pair of eyes as evil and as dark as the ‘Ss . The lithe, panther-like figure which had fol- lowed the girl shadow from Dodger Dick's home was now close bebind her, and, at a sig- nal which she did not see, the man on the watch at the corner reached her side with a few lithe bounds, Then the girl shadow felt a hand close on her arm, and, as she jerked back with a cry, the other arm was caught in the same manner, Madge knew that she was in the hands of Cap- tain Mingo’s friends, even before a glance om either side revealed the faces of her captors, “ Silence, pirl !” exclaimed one of the men, in low tores., A still tongue is the safest for you just now! We don’t want you forlong. By and by you will be as free as the gull of the sea,” “You have no right to hold me,” answered Madge. ‘I think I know why you have caught me ” ‘‘ Perhaps, my girl,” laughed the man, ‘‘ Now let us see bow quiet you can keep,” and with a look and a nod at his companion, the twe night- hawks started off with Madge Mystery a pris- oner between them. She was walked rapidly a long distance—long to her, for she was anxious to know what was to be done with her—and every now and then she took notice of the route. é “Tam going back to Malaysia,” she decided at last, with a smile; and, sure enough, the trip enced in @ house in the heart of the Malay quar- Tr. Madge was led up-stairs and pushed intoa room, the door of which was instantly locked behind her, “Thanks!” she cried, when she was left alone. ** You. have given me time to breathe and think, Captain Asgeelo! Now, when you come to in- terview me, you. will find me ready. CHAPTER. V. A FRUITLESS QUEST. More than an hour of silence and waiting followed Madge’s entrance into the strange rot Hh end of a certain time she heard a foct- step be ond the door, and then, as it opened, letting in some light, she found herself face to ace witha man... fi This person, who lighted a gas-burner near the wall after he shut the slightly above the medium hight. He looked Ponnger than he was, and for several seconds Mad eyes before a word was spoken. ‘What are you doing here?” the man asked, the door, wasa person er under the spell of his intensely-black - R's: ere ————- =a pte ne ‘
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_ wather abruptly, advancing toward the girl shadow and stopping as suddenly in front of i her. “You ought to know without asking me,” was the retort. ‘‘I came to this house in the hands of two men. They brought..me against my will,” ‘‘ Against your will, eh?” laughed the man. « “*I don’t quite understand that. Why didn’t you call for the police?” i “I was warned that I would be severely dealt | with if [ opened my moutb.” “*Do you know me ?” he asked. { Yes, Madge knew him, but did not deem it safe to acknowledge it just then, She knew that the man was Captain Mingo, if not Captain Asgeelo, but she kept silence. ‘““Lasked if you know me?” repeated the yel- low-faced man leaning forward and clutching Madge’s arm, ‘*T may have seen you before.” “Is that all?” responded Captain Mingo, for he it was, ‘‘ You mean that you have dogged me, don’t you?’ and. his look became. fiendish. “*Don’t you know, girl, that I’m the last man you want to shadow in this city?’ lg ** You make a very bold statement,” returned Madge, unabashed. ‘“‘f don’t see why I should shadow you!” ‘*Don’t, hey? Well, we'll see.” He stepped to the door, turned the key, and, opening the door, he looked into the hall and called ‘* Una!” He was answered by a quick step on the out- side, and, as he drew back, a woman came into the room. She looked first at Madge and then at the man who had summoned her, ‘*See what she has, Una,” commanded Cap- tain Mingo, pointing at the girl shadow. “Don’t let anything escape your eye. Knock on the door whea you are through,” He then turned and walked out: before Madge could speak again, and when the:door, shut with | a bang the girl detective was.in the hands of the woman, Whils Una evidently had Malay blood.in her . veins, she was not a genuine native of Malaysia, She showed her mixed lineage, and when Madge looked into her face she knew that she would carry out Captain Mingo’s commands. to. tie . letter. The searching process began immediately af- ter Captain Mingo’s departure, ; Madge saw that. resistance would avail he nothing, and while she did no submit to thee im- dignity with the best of grace, she, did not quar- { rel with Una, x j “At any rate, I guess the letter is safe,” she remarked to herself....‘‘I cannot think that Captain Mingo suspects that I found the writin he slipped under, the broker's; door,, . I believe am being searched for the daguerreotype he Jost the other night, Lam almost certain of it now,” she added, after the search had proceeeded a * -while. 4 t Una’s. search, was vigorous and complete. > Every particle of the girl’s clothing was sub- mitted toa close inspection, and when the end x was reached Madge breathed free again. : When Una stepped to the door and knocked 5 according to, Captain Mingo’s orders, her face showed ber disappointment, “She has nothing with her,” she reported, as the Malay came forward in response to the sum- mons, : “‘ Notning?” and Captain Mingo threw a fierce glance toward Madge. nf “ Nothing,” echoed the woman, ee ‘Are you sure you made the search com- plete, Una?” ‘ “‘T am sure,” “Very well.” And then he looked at Madge - again. ‘‘ You ‘will stay bere for the present, _ younglady,”hewenton, = |. The girl’s eyes lit up with indignation, and , She stepped suddenly toward the Malay, **You know that you have noright to keep me here!” she exclaimed, “No righ ? Hear the street bird, Una. One would think she had the mayor of this city at her back, Yes, you wil! remain in the cage. awhile. Come, Uva; we will let our bird sing to herself again,” ___ -Maiige was too eager to see her persecutors de- ! MY ager ‘to make. the slightest. effort toward de- iniug them, and when she was once more mine ih ot ige alight laugh, ~ pet ae Una bas good eyes, but they were not qui ood cnough,” observed she, , ‘‘1 fancy Captain | ingo could have done better, So far Iam _ still ahead, if I am cooped. up in.a strange house.” . sj Just beyond the door Captain Mingo was \ é wen Lr The Two Shadows. clutching Una’s wrist, and leaning toward ber was sending the intensity of his eyes straight into her, “If you have failed, the fault rest on your head,” he was saying, through clinched teeth. “You ave certain that nothing could have es- caped your eyes, are you?” “Why ask me that?’ retorted the woman, with a show of resentment. ‘Iam in your service, and [I think I’m not the person to give yourenemies a show. Of course | allowed noth- ing to escape my eyes. The search was well done, if I do say it myself.” “‘T accept the report.” And Captain Mingo dropped the woman’s wrist. ‘‘She is a spy, and I know it. She is called the Girl Shadow of New York, and she has fairly won the title. You know what I’ve lost since coming here the last time, Well, I had cause for believing that it had fallen into her hands, and I wanted no search that was not thorough, I left another letter to-night,” he went on, getting new breath while the woman silently watched him. “If it doesn’t bring him to terms, then by heavens! the blow falls,” Wis Are you sure you were not watched?” asked na, ‘‘ Who would watch me?—the girl in there?” a . Captain Mingo ended with a derisive augh., ‘* T did not say so.” ‘No, but. I followed your look, No, I was not watched, To-morrow morning the letter will fall into his hands, and he will know that the last, hour, of grace has been spoken,” ‘** Yes, But what of the boy who came into De La Cruze’s—the oue who slipped through your fingers before you could hold him?? ‘“Oh, we'll catch that little spy in time.” ‘Do you think he is working with the girl?” ““T cannot say as yet, but it is likely that both are in Ais,employ. What. if they are, Une! He dare not disregard the letter he will find in the morning,” Captain Mingo dismissed the woman who dis- appeared in the darkness at the end of the hall while he went te another room where in a short time he was joined bya man who had the un- nistakable look of the Portuguese-Malay. “\Woll, Mylo? asked the captain. What haveyou discovered? Tce man addressed shook his head before he spoke. ‘* Nothing, Senor Cap’n,” said he, “Did you search the route thoroughly?” st digs” ‘‘[T know what your answer implies. Your eyes are the keenest I ever saw, Mylo, They used to serve us better than a spy-glass when we were on the look-out,,.That will do, my man.” And Mylo bowed and went out, Captain. Mingo threw himself upon a sofa that stood against the wall behind his chair and was soon asleep, In a little while thereafter not a sound was heard in the house, and the nearest clocks in their towers struck the night out and the morn- ing in, Madge Mystery kept awake as long as she could, but sleep overpowered her at last and she did not see the light of the new day when it stole into the room and bathed her face in its beams. Captain Mingo slept late. His slumber was so. deep that the footsteps of Una did not disturb him as they came into the room and stopped at his cut, For some moments the woman stood there and looked. down into the handsome yellow face pillowed on the sofa, After awhile she. stooped and awoke the Malay. ‘Here is news,” remarked Una, drawing from behind her a morning paper, fresh from the press, Captain Mingo was on his feet in a second. ‘“What is it? Show me?’ he cried, jerking the banex from Una’s hands, “a our finger is at.the place, You—” $e ed and pn ine oew back and watched Is changes of color while r ‘ like this’ e read a paragraph “LIGHTLY Berrrr.—Latest advices from Massena Branson, the Broad street broker, who had a stroke att Ranelieis Fosterday afternoon, tell of a slight im- . a] averting @ speedy pad ysicians have » hopes. of The paper fell from Captai ingo’ Followed bye chaos ptain Mingo’s hands, CHAPTER VI, SIX TERRIBLE WORDS. CAPTAIN MINGO was not the only person in New York that morning who was interested in ey the paragraph concerning Massena Branson, the broker. A-sharp-eyed youth who borrowed a paper for a few moments of anewsboy whom he knew, saw the brief item and read it twice over before he caught second breath, “‘ Paralysis, eh?” ejaculated this youth, “I wonder if Captain Asgeelo’s hand isn’t in this affair? If he is half the rascal I hear he is, Branson has fallen into a demon’s clutches. And the girl, Bertha, too! Won’t marry, Madge says, as long as her father is ufder the spell, I’m going to see something about this thing, First, Pll stop in and see whether Madge dis- covered anything additional last night.” Dodger Dick called at the girl shadow’s lodg- ings as he went up-town, but the landlady of the premises told him that Madge had not returned, and he was obliged to go away without an inter- view. It was with some misgiving that the boy ferret rung the bell of Massena Branson’s man- sion. He expected to be refused admittance by the butler, but when the door was opened, instead of that personage, he stood face to face with Bertha berself. ‘*How is your father now: miss?” inquired Dick, tipping his hat to the young girl, whose face was pale, and showed signs of a long vigil. ‘A mite easier, perhaps,” was the reply. ‘Ts it really paralysis? Don't you think—” ‘*Who are you?” broke in Bertha, catching Dick’s arm before he could retreat even if he had intended to do so. He smiled at her in a curious manner. ‘* Your father would recognize me,” answered e. Bertha looked at him steadily for a few mo- ; ments, ! % re you the brother of Madge Mystery?” she | asxed, | ‘* Not her brother, but her friend.” “Then you are one of the very people I would see. Come in if you please.” | Dodger Dick was tbe last person to refuse an | invitation of the kind, and a minute “more he | and Bertha were the tenants of a darkened par- or into which but faintly came the first morn- ling noises of the street. “No,” she resumed, answering his inquiry at the door, ‘* J don’t call it paralysis; and I believe the doctors know it is not that, Father reveiv- ed a shock after his return from. the office yesterday. It was a terrible one. - If I had known the contents of the letter which threw him into a faint, he might not be in bis present condition.” ‘* A letter, was it?” queried the boy. “Yes—a letter that bad been put under the door.” ‘* You did not see it after the stroke?” ‘‘There was no letter after that. What re- mained of it was ashes in the grate, for father burned it before he fell. Has Madge told you that I have employed her? quickly continu the girl, ‘* What has she discovered?” Dodger Dick began by shaking his bead. “Madge keeps her secrets pretty well,” obs served he, ‘ dhe will report to you in due time. I am in your father’s employ.” ‘*In father’s?” cried Bertha with a start, and she threw a hurried glance toward the hallway. ‘* What does he want you to do!” ‘*Can you not guess?’ smiled Dick. ‘fam expected to discover Captain Asgeelo.” Bertha Branson uttered a slight cry. ‘Ah! father wants to get at that man of power and mystery,” she exclaimed. ‘tHe threatens us like the shadow of doom. I would like to know what his secret is,” ‘** Captain Asgeelo’s, miss?” *¢ Wea?” **Do you think he has one?” ‘He must have,” was the sudden reply. ‘If he has none why this terrible power over father —why the deadly work of the mysterious let- ters?” t ‘It looks like he has a secret,” admitted Dick. : ‘* Of course he has.” ‘*Do you know what sort of blood flows through this Captain Asgeelo’s veins?” ‘¢ Yes—Malay.” ‘* How could your father become acquainted with a man of his stamp?” ? ‘*T don’t know,” replied Bertha slowly. “Stay! wait till [come back,” and she vanish- - and went up a stair beyond the parlor ' Dodger Dick waited a few moments and was rewarded by the girl’s return. “‘T heard the nurse calling me,” she explain= ed. ‘Father seems a little better, but is not
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6 The Two Shadows. well enough tosee you. You asked me how he could have become acquainted with a Malay, nd perhaps a pirate at that?” **] did, miss,” “Father bas traveled much in his time. It was before he settled down here in New York. He once told me about the beauties of tke tropic islands, but only once. He seemed to know everything about them and about the waters by which they are surrounded. He may have en- countered Captain Asgeelo on his native heath, but of course I cannot say. I was but two years old when mother died, or at least father tells me so. I have grown up under his care, and the blow that affects him, crushes me. Our sa happy till this shadow fell across our t ** When did it fall?” , “* The first letter I knew anything about came about three months ago,” answered Bertha. ** After that they camo frequently. I believe that he received them at the office as weil as here. Once, when I went down to him there, a man came out with a pair of eyes that seemed to look me through. nd when I looked after him, surprised at his insolence, he had stopped on the sidewalk and was staring. with all his might. I wasso indignant that I asked father if he had many customers like that fellow, and he turned deadly pale.” * Do you think that man was Captain Asgeelo?” asked Dick. ‘*I knew nothing about him then,” said the irl. ‘‘When I discovered that father’s enemy re that tesa name and wasa Malay, I be- came convinced that I had seen the arch-scoun- drel himself, It was my first and last encounter with him; but now, powerful as he is, I would like to face him for a few moments.” Dodger Dick looked amazedly at the fair young girl who thus boldly proclaimed her de- sire to confront her father’s merciless foe, armed as she feared him to be with a crushing secret. “What would youdo in Captain Asgeelo’s presence, miss?” he asked. . “fT would show him that the law can protect its citizens from the insults of an infamous enemy like him!” she cried, with spirit, “Do you think he would desist? A man like Captain Asgeelo would not care a fig for your threats. Why has not your father set men— detectives—on the watch for the writer of the letters? He came to me but yesterday, and now he only wants to know whether the city holds @ man sometimes called Asgeelo, and a Malay.” ** What! do you think the secret held by that wretch is the secret of a crime?” exclaimed Ber- tha, flushing. “Whatever it is, your father fears the man who holds it.” ** Yes, yes.” ‘Did you ever hear him say that a daguerro- type taken when you were, say, ten years old, was missing?” “I did,” answered Bertha, quickly. ‘‘He told me once that it disappeared some years a How came you to know anything about ‘Don’t think hard of it if I say ‘never mind,’ Miss Bertha,” and the Dodger smiled, ‘‘I did hot call for the purpose of reporting to your father. I wanted to find out how he was, and— bo see you. I will be going now.” ** But not till you assure me that you will find this enemy for me,” was theresponse, ‘I trust Iam not afraid of him. He bas wounded me as deeply as he has the loved one up-stairs. I want vengeance for his work. I trust in youand the irl called Madge Mystery. I am glad you ow one another.” “Tl do my best,” and Dick looked iuto the leading face of the girl as be spoke. ‘‘ [ would ike to usk you one more question, though,” “You told Madge that one day you found a fragment of one of those mysterious letters?” eT did.” | Bertha’s lips got very white as she spoke, ““You found something on the fragment— something that startled you?” “Yes.” And she lowered ber voice as she leaned toward the boy detective, and laid one finger softly on hisarm, ‘TI believe you ought ow what that bit of paper contained. It might help you to keep the trail of Captain As- o when you have struck it. I have breathed ose words to no living creature since. They have burned their way into my brain, as it were. The undestroyed piece of the letter which I found was the close, and the sentence was ak ‘Remember! your fortune or my e he boy detective looked at Bertha, and saw that she was steadying herself at a chair while she talked. There was not the vestige of color on her face, and the language which she re- peated from the terrible letter seemed to take her breath, “It is a strange sentence—a queer threat,” spoke Dodger Dick when the words had died away. “* Yes,” observed Bertha, ‘‘ there is something terrible in it—‘t Remember! your fortune or my wife? Now, for the love of mercy, run this villain down, Find out what mean _ those words, Get at the secret—the hold this Malay tiger has on father, Go! go! they want me up- stairs again.” And the boy shadow of Gotham was almost pushed from the room. “It is a terrible mystery sure enough,” he thought to himself when he reached the street. ‘* Now I shall not rest till I have gone to the bottom of it, and that despite the Malay and his four companions. He sha’n’t blight the life ot that girl back there. [won’t let him!” CHAPTER VII. THE FIVE M’s, IN asmall room almost bare of furniture a man was pacing back and forth with rapid rest- less strides like those of a tiger fretfully pacing the floor of bis cage, He was batlessand coatless, though the clos- ing day was a cool one for November, and ever and anon he would throw expectant glances to- ward the dooras if he was waiting for some one, At length the sound of a footstep fell on his trained ear, he suddenly ceased bis pacing, and seemed to hold his breath, The next moment the door opened and the two men whose yellowish faces and peculiar eyes proclaimed them not of American nation- ality stood before him. ‘*Shutthe door first, commanded the occu- pant of the room with an impatient gesture/ and when he had been obeyed, be went on: ‘* Now open your packs, What bave you in yours, Mylo?” and he singled out one of the ree who was as thin and wiry as a young sniek, ‘*T have watched the house all day.” . Well?” ** The rich American is still alive. One of the servants who came out told me that he is slowly getting better.” ‘“* Did he give an opinion?” ‘‘He ventured to say, Senor Captain, that he thought his master would get well.” “Thought he would, did he,” repeated the lis- tener at which the spy bowed. ‘ Well, we must put up with that for the present, Now, Muffet, what know you?” Muffet was a little heavier-set than his brother spy; his skin was a trifle lighter, a dif- ference caused by blood perhaps, but tbis dif- + eagi did not make him any the less a vil- ain. ie ‘He seems to be looking for the irl. | e has been twice to her house to- a Twice, eh?” ‘ Twice,” “‘Then— Ah! Malo and Maxar!” and that moment the door opened again and two men bearing a close resemblance to the others stepped in. ‘* Oristo! we are all here!” smiled Captain Mingo, rubbing his hands together gleefully. “Now we can fix the trap that is to catch the American’s paid fox. What have youto report, m M4 keen eyes?” be men called Malo and Maxar stepped for- ward and gave the peculiar salute used on ships that sail the Malaysian seas. It was returned by Captain Mingo, whose eyes got a sudden gleam as he delivered it, ’ ‘We don’t know much, captain,” reported Malo. ‘* We have been watcbing all day, but we have not been rewarded, If the trap is to be set, we are here to play our part.” > The sunlight came in at the little window on one side of the room and fell on the faces of the five foreigners thus grouped together. Captain Mingo was the tallest of the lot, but one or two of the others outweighed him, ‘* We caught foxes on the water, why not om land?” he suddenly exclaimed. ‘Those were times when we did not have to slip from spot to t to gild our hands and to give us money. bey will come again before long, my brave fellows. We will some day go back to the tracks we sailed in when we hada flag of our own making, and when we did not have to wait for an old man to get well.” An outburst of enthusiasm was the response, but Captain Mingo’s uplifted hand promptly checked it, Tnen for the next five minutes he talked rapidly. Now his sentences were interlarded with Portuguese, now he came back to English, only to fly off on native Malay, three languages Msc his audience seemed to understand per- fectly. : : ** Now,” said he, crycrengy J and looking straight. at the four men, ‘‘ you know your duties, have assigned you all. I work so that there can be no conflict, no failure. It shall never be said that a spy, and that spy a boy, baffled Captain Asgeelo,.” : He used this name for the first time, and he spoke it in a manner which told that he had spoken it before. ‘ ; : By this time the sunlight came in at the win- dow no longer, Where it had touched thedingy wall was shadow, and true dinginess besides, Hard upon Captain Asgeelo’s finish the five men tramped from the apartment and at the end of the narrow corridor down which they filed, the leader tcuched the arm of Mylo and care him a look the meaning of which he under- stood. 2 The other three went down the stairs and their footsteps were lost in the darkness, but Captain Asgeelo leaned against the wall, folded his arms and looked at his cat-like spy. ** Did you see her, Mylo?” he asked. “Yes, captain.” * Ah! I thought you would not come away without a glimpse. Is she beautiful?’ ‘* Very beautiful,” gsm Mylo. ‘‘I saw her at the window, and I passed the house slowly and got a good look.” i A smile overspread the Malay captain’s face. ‘The prize is worth 1 playing for,” he ex- claimed. ‘I have wai for this time with chained patience. I have come from our old sailing grounds to grasp a fortune with each hand. Her face is worth her father’s money to me, for when I call it mine, I get even for that old affront. You know, Mylo, The wiry Malay bowed and gave another of his grins. .“Tye given him ten hours more—ten hours only,” Captain Asgeelo—or Mingo, as you like, reader—wenton, ‘ it shall not extend the time another minute.” ** When does it end?” queried Mylo. The Malay chief took out an elegant watch set with diamonds. 3 ‘“‘At seven to-night,” he answered, looking up. ‘* Tf you have no reply, what?” “ Precisely at that hour his door-bell will rig and his servant will admit—Captain Asgeeélo Mylo seemed amazed at the cool audacity of the man who spoke. at ‘* He may have the police in waiting,” the spy suggested. Tet him!” cried the Malay foe, ‘‘ But he will not. No, not for all the wealth of New York would the American gold-bug attempt to arrest me in his own house, or to bar me out. He knows what I know; he knows that I am here because the time has arrived for him to fulfill his oath. I don’t blame him for figheing shy of Captain Asgeelo. Mylo, when he too that vow he did not look far into the future; he did not see to-day. Ha! ha! the next time he will take no more oaths!” ‘ It wasa cold bitter laugh of triumph that came out over the laugher’s lips, It seemed to startle Mylo from his statue like pose, and to Ag ae send him back a foot. , “Tf the answer comes it will come here— down-stairs,” continued Captain Asgeelo the _ Malay, ‘‘Now, Mylo, you will go to your duty. You, held te prey.” ou, ho. e prey. ‘ 4 Mylo tossed his head assuringly and his eyes glittered like a serpent’s as he he turned to go down the ste He was Followed to the bottom by his com- ba anion, but the two men separated there, Cap- ere Asgeelo whom we will follow proceeding to another room in the house. > Locking the door behind him, he went to@ wardrobe and took the & gentleman's suit of elegant apparel. His sickness sha’n’tinterfere, _ Make a sure catch and, mind 5 | f { \ MI * ag ae ") ¢ f
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>. Al TTF ee Sr er wes Then he made his toilet with nimble fingers in front of a somewhat dirty mirror, and when he had finished the transformation was surprising. He no longer looked like the man whom we saw pacing toe upper room minus coat and hat, Aside from his eyes which be could not change he did not resemble the person who had given orders in three languages to four dark- faced fellows, He was dressed like a gentle- man. ‘7 think I look well enough to take in two fortunes,” exclaimed the Malay, surveying him- self for the last time in "the glass, ‘‘ My old friend may receive a slight shock, but then he will soon recover. Ileave the four sea-cats to chase the troublesome sail to a finish while I gif my best hand with the old-time grace of aptain Asgeelo. I long to stand face to face with the beauty under her father’s roof. Iam eager to look into bis eyes and tell him that the vow must be fulfilled.” He drew on a pair of kids as a finishing touch to his toilet, and then tripped from the room and passed out into the street, ij It was that period between the brief fall twi- light and the lighting of the ten thousand lamps of New York. Captain Asgeelo looked about him with his keen eyes, saw nobody whom he suspected, and then started off to play another part of his mer- ciless game. CHAPTER VIII. DICK’S TEN-STRIKE. MeEaAntTmMeE for a brief period let us return to Dodger Dick, whom we saw last descending the steps of Massena Branson’s mansion, after his interview with Bertha, The boy shadow was resolved to stick to his self-imposed vow thatthe yellow villain from Malaydom should not blight the career of the beautiful young girl who had fully enlisted his sympathies, He had seen enough of Captain Asgeelo and had heard enough of him besides to feel that he was dealing with a man who would not scru- ple at the performance of the darkest deed, and if it was true, as Madge at Ara had told him, that the Malay had four yellow-skinned confed- erates, then, indeed, had he a herculean task on his hands. But the boy ferret did not falter. He went through the outskirts of the Malay quarter of New York after ans the broker’s house, and dodged into a small, dingy-looking frame building that seemed to be shunned by its ge gery ' ‘He was met beyond the threshold by an old man, dwarfish in figure, but as lively in his re Beate asa mrp: e 6 eyes this personage wore away back in his head snapped like live coals when the saw Dick, and he was welcomed in a queer of mixture of English and some outlandish lan- guage, wy want to see you, Moszeelo,” said the boy, touching the old man’s arm. “ Itisa long while since I’ve been here, but you don’t look one whit older. By Jupiter! I believe you are renew- ne oe youth,” he little old fellow smiled and patted the young baits on the back as he led him intoa room littered to some extent with shoemaker’s tools. If Dick had had with him a friend whom he wanted to introduce to the dwarf, he would have said: ‘‘Here is a man who has been everywhere, who has seen every country in the world, and who knows nearly every person in it. He makes those fine shoes which the rich young ladies of New York are raving over just now, for he holds the secret of their wonderful gloss and springiness, Yes, this is the famous Moszeelo, with Malay blood in his veins.” Fe Dick was alone, and could only think us, He discovered this queer old man by accident some time before the opening of our present story, and more than once he had listened to the story of his wanderings and adventures, Perhaps Moszeelo stretched it a little now and then, but Dick pretended not to doubt his most marvelous narrative, and a strong friendship had prown up between the two. never thought 1 would have any practical use for the old fellow,” thought the boy, when he had taken the one chair visible in the sbhoe- shop. ** But now I am going to make him serve me, if I can.” Thereupon he began, just as soon as Moszeelo paused in bis praise of a pair of shoes which he was finishing for a woman sup to be worth ' several millions in money, In the old fellow’s The Two Shadows. eyes, by the way, all his customers were im- mensely rich. ** Moszeelo, I want to know something about your own country to-night,” remarked the boy shadow. ** About Malaysia?” ejaculated the old man. “Yes; but nothing about its wonderful forests and its beautiful birds. You have told me about them before, I want other information now.” Dick bad never told Moszeelo that he was a young detective, and the Malay had never sus- pected anything of the kind. ‘‘Let the young American go on,” said the old man, “When did you leave your native island the last time?” asked Dick. Moszeelo reflected a moment, and then counted his long fingers. “It was eighteen years ago,” he at length answered, “Did you ever hear of a man named Captain Asgeelo?” The boy spotter of New York was coming to the work at once. “Captain Asgeelo?” repeated the dwarf, and Dick thought his eyes seemed to flash, ‘t Where did you ever hear of bim, boy?” ‘*Never mind, You may discover some other time, Moszeelo,” was the reply. ‘‘ Besides, I am questicning you just now, You are the wit- ness. Don’t you see?” The shoemaker fell back and laughed. All at once his face grew serious and catching one his sleeves he jerked it up and leaning for- ward again displayed to the boy’s gaze an arm almost as dark as ola parchment and bare to the shoulder. ‘“* Don’t I know Captain Asgeelo?” he went on, speaking now through clinched teeth, “ See, my young senor! He left his mark as [ came away from Malaysia.” Dick. was already looking at an old scar on the arm above the elbow—the proof of a wound which at one time must have been a frightful spectacle, Did ‘chee Captain Asgeelo make that?’ cried ick. “The pirate king whose floating palace and slaughter-house was the ship Palm-Leaf!” was the answer. ‘Yes, he gave this,” and Mos- zeelo’s eyes went back to the scar and rested there for a few moments with a tigerish glare. ‘* What does the young senor want to know of him? Is he near?” ® Dick shook his head for reply to the last ques- ion, y ‘*T want his history, Moszeelo, As you have encountered him in your time, I would like to know what he has done to make him famous.” ‘Eh? What has he not done?” cried the old Malay, and then he drew the sleeve back over the scar. ‘‘ Captain Asgeelo is part Portuguese,” he continued. ‘“‘He is a man of secret crimes,” and a hard customer to deal with if you want to buy a secret of him. He early became a bad man. In the Malay seas are pirate craft of every description—not so many now perhaps as there used to be. When I came away the waters swarmed with them, but the boldest and most merciless, young senor, was the Palm Leaf, com- manded by thissame Captain Asgeelo. Why, there is ay a price for his head offered by three governments. The English want it for the burning of the Victoria and the murder of her captain, the Portuguese want it because he has cisgraced the Portuguese part of himself, and the French seek it for the young French countess whom he drove maid by his cruelty. “Yes,” through his teeth again, “I ani Captain Asgeelo! We were on the sea one night when a lot of Malay rats swarmed over our sides and had us before we could lift a hand in defense of ourselves. I ventured to upbraid Captain Asgeelo on bisown deck, and got the scar you saw—from his cutlass. Now you know something of him. If the authorities of this city could get him they would do the world a service, But he will not venture here.” “ When did you hear of him last?” ‘* Five years ago. Malay drop who said that he had left the sea and was livin like.a prince somewbere in Europe. He coul do that, for his spoils I should think amounted to millions.” Dick seemed impatient for the old man to conclude, st ‘Now, did you ever hear of any American who was in any way connected with Captain aa of none who were his prisonors at any me in here _ ** Yes, there was one.” The young detective gave a quick start. What about him, oszeelo?” , as “I don’t know much. I heard once that in one of his cruises Captain Asgeelo captured a vessel on which were an American and his family consisting of wife and child, the latter a little girl but a few months old. The Ameri- can, the story goes, was taken down into the pirate’s cabin and there was made to take a ter- rible oath of some kind. No one knew what it was, and you may be sure that the American never told. The family was allowed to proceed, the rest of the people were transferred to an- other ship in the Malay’s service. I have heard that afterward the American went back and fought under Captain Asgeelo’s flag.” ‘“You don’t believe that part of the story, Moszeelo!” exclaimed Dodger Dick. _ The old man shook his head doubtingly. “Men do strange things sometimes,” he smiled. ‘*Wedo not know what kind of oath the American was forced to take.” Dick was silent a. moment. “Do you think we will ever know?” he sud- denly asked the old man. In an instant the shoemaker’s eyes got a look which they bad never had before in Dick’s pres- ence. “You savea reason for wanting to know se much about Captain Asgeelo, and his history,” he exc.cimed, throwing the fine shoe from his r. You -an’t deceive old Moszeelo long at a time, my young senor, You know something about the captain of the Palm-Leaf.” A smile came into life at the corners of the young detective’s mouth, . } “Yes, I know where he is and that is some- “He is here.” E ‘* And his oath-bound prisoner?” “* He is here, too, I am sure.” “What was the oath?” “T think I know. I see into the oan now further than I ever saw before. There! don’t press me, Moszeelo. You have done me a great service, but I must keep my own counsel, You bave given me a hold on this vulture of the Malaysian seas who seeks his victims in New York. Now I can fight him understandingly. A thousand thanks, Moszeelo.” And Dick broke from the old shoemaker’s hands, and rushed from the room. CHAPTER IX. A BIRD ESCAPES. » THE night of her captivityin the unknown house was a long one to Madge Mystery, the girl detective of Gotham. F ; Sbe was not again bothered by Captain Mingo after the strict search Una had carried out at his command. When day came she was not released, but b and by the door was a wide enough to ad- mit of the entrance of a breakfast which the imprisoned girl did not hesitate to accept. fter that the house grew quiet again and Madge was left to her own reflections. The message taken from beneath Massena Branson’s door and which Una failed to find in her search, had been deftly concealed under the sole of one of Madge’s shoes—the last place where the woman would have looked for any- thing valuable. The girl shadow was anxious to escape. She remembered that the broker’s enemy had given bim ten hours of grace, and she saw them slip- ping away and she unable to lift a hand to pre- vent the stroke. What would bappen at the end of the ten hours? Would Branson’s merciless foe deal a blow which would crush both him and his daughter? Madge was afraid of it. 5 The day wore on, and sbe continued to in- habit the cage to which she had been caught by Captain Mingo’s spies: t noon her dinner came as her breakfast had come in the morning, but when the nearest clocks struck six at night Madge was ready for a bold movement. i Ea es The approach of night threw her room in shadow, and she stationed herself near the door and waited for Una with the supper tray. Minute and minute slipped away. Madge almost lost her patience, and began to think that she was to be allowed nosupper; but such was not the case, 3 At last footsteps approached the door. Madge Mystery’s eyes got an eager gleam, and her expectations were on tiptoe as the steps ag genes : t length a key clicked in the lock, and the door opened easily as it had done twice since sunrise. _ The girl sleuth caught the outlines of a wo- ee ee ee Ae ee aes Saati: ayy) 2 ~
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. LO ET frat - fn man beyond the partly open door, and she saw also a tray containing some eatables. The following moment Madge caught the door with both hands and: exerted all her strength to force it further open, There wasacry of resistance, accompanied by a show of opposing strength, and as the im- prisoned, girl bounded into the hall, she ran against a woman and upset a tray and its con- tents! Una was thrown almost against the opposite wall by the force of Madge’s dash for liberty, and before’ she could recover the girl shadow was flying down the hall. \ The Two Shadows. SS eS SS EE TO “T am going to see something about this!” thought she. ‘I must know how the blow was received, and what it accomplished,” It took her but a moment to cross the sidewalk and in a trice she was jerking the bell, _ Madge waited impatiently for a response to her ring. ‘*They certainly heard me,” she exclaimed. ‘*Can it be that they think that Captain Mingo has come back?” At that moment the door opened. ** What is it?’ inquired the butler, gruffly. ‘** ¥ would like to see Miss Bertha,” ; _** You can’t; nobody can!” was the reply, in The jaileress sprung after her with a sharp | the same tones. cry of rage, but Madge was at the door and the knob was in her hands, In a twinkling she had jerked the portal open, and in another second was out in the open air. Madge was now in acramped back yard sur- rounded by a high fence of upright boards, but this did not deter her, She felt that Una was at her heels—she did not look back to see—and so she made a bee- line for the nearest portion of the fence. The next instant she clutched the top eagerly with her hands and drew herself up with the agility of a sailor. True to her master, Una was doing her best, but Madge Mystery was too much for her, for when she reached the fence the girl was gone! Una knew that further pursuit of her cap- tive would be useless, and smothering her anger as best she could, she went back into the house to gather up the remains of the discarded sup- er, ” As to Madge, she was laughingly congratulat- ing herself on'the success of her ruse, and in a little while was on her way back to her old quarters. ‘* You must hold a prisoner better than that, Captain Mingo,” she said to herself, ‘‘ The next time you get mein your power, you won't in- trust me to Una’s care, but you will,secure a more careful guardian. When do the ten hours of the message terminate? I must find out if I can. When Madge reached her room she placed the paper with the daguerreotype and locked both up in the bureau, then she made a change of clothing and went out again. She now looked quite unlike the real Madge Mystery, thanks to the secrets.of her toilet, and it would have taken the keenest eyes in New York’s Malaysia or elsewhere to have penetrated her disguise, Madge hurried up-town as if the upper part of the city had an attraction for her, The cars that carried her ran terrible slow to her notion, and when she:reached the station nearest Massena Branson’s house she was begin- ning to think'she would néver get there, There was about the house an air of quiet that struck the girl shadow peculiarly, It was now past seven o'clock, and a light was to be seen heyond the closed blinds of one of the windows, Madge resolved to watch the house awhile, Perhaps the ten hours had not expired, but they might at any time, and the broker’s foe put in an appearance. She did not know what had taken place be- yond the threshold, nor what was taking place there then, as she could not see beyond the closed doors of the mansion, Madge’s figure was scarcely seen in the shadow of the shade-tree a few feet from the steps. She waited with much patience where she stood, seeing everybody that passed the house. At last the front door opened, and a well- dressed man came down the stones, Madge saw him from ‘the first, and when he struck the sidewalk she almost let slip acry, That sleek fellow was a veritable tiger in kids —a cool, calculating demon of intrigue, for she had now recognized him as Captain Asgeelo, the ‘Malay foe. For one brief moment the rascal surveyed the house from over his shoulder, Madge saw the satanic smile of triumph which spread over his face while he looked; she catight, too, the devil- ish glitter of his eyes, and heard the riippling “laugh of a scoundrel as he walked away! ‘* He dealt the blow, the villain did!” exclaim- el the girl, “‘f am toolate!. Why did I fall into the hands of hisspy? Why didn’t I get out of durance an hour sooner? What has Dodger Dick been doing all day?” She did not follow the Malay, who moyed on with a light step which confirmed his victory. She turned. her attention to the house, Beyond the shutter the light burned on as be- fore. Madge thought it was a little softer, but she did not know, | ‘‘ But I am her friend. She may be looking } for me—” **She can’t be looking for anybody now. If I) were to deliver an opinion, I should say that she has seen enough for to-night.” ‘“*In Heaven’s name, what did the man do?” cried Madge. “What man?” ‘*The one who just went away from here,” ‘Who are you?” The. butler leaned forward to get a nearer view of the girl’s face. “‘l am called Madge Mystery,” answered Madge, ‘That settles it. Heaven knows there’s too much mystery in this house now. I can’t let you in, Good-night!” And _ the door was shut and locked, with the girl. shadow of Gotham standing bewildered on the steps, ‘ She followed her first impulse and grasped the knocker again, but on second thought let it drop. ‘‘T_ won’t intrude. If Captain Asgeelo dealt his blow, those who suffered are too much crushed to see me. I will come again, but mean- while. L will make it hot for the sleek tiger from the tropics, i may have lost him for a time, but I will pick him up as surely as he bears two names, If Bertha could hays heard my voice, I would have been admitted, but after all I don’t want to see her under the cloud of the Malay’s cunning.” Madge looked up at the house once more and walked away. In the mean time the butler who had refused her admittance went slowly up a ricbly-carpeted stair, and met a young girl in the darkened hallway on the next floor. ‘Who was at the door, David?” asked a voice: ‘** A girl, Miss Bertha,” ‘** A strange girl?” ‘Yes. She called herself Madge Mystery, and said—” . The young lady interrupted the butler with a singular exclamation, . ‘That girl?” she cried. ‘‘I wish you had let her in, David. But, remember, that I don’t gensure you. No! My life has gone out like the flame of acandle. I wonder why some men are permitted to come into the world?” and Bertha Branson dropped her head and walked slowly down through the shadows of the hall and van- ished. ‘* The heartless villain who was just bere did it all. Twish I had him by the throat!” hissed the butler, CHAPTER X. DICK AND THE BROKER, HALF an hour after ber call at the Branson residence Madge was touched by a finger, and at the same time she heard a voice zay: “Go to your lodgings by a roundabout way. Go at once!” That was all, but it was enough. Madge.did not look around to see who had spoken, and if she had she probably would not have got a glimpse of the speaker. But. sbe knew the voice, and almost before it had ceased to sound, she had increased her gait, and was s)me distance from the spot. ‘The girl knows something, ean see that she has made a discovery of somekind. Well, so have I.” These words from the tongue of the person who had touched Madge, though spoken aloud, did not fall on the ears of any one for whom they were not intended, “ That is the fox! Keep him in sight, Mylo. Don’t let him get away this time. The captain’s orders must be obeyed to the letter, The sue: cess of his game may depend on our work, If we lose the fox, the captain may lose the big stakes.” Did Dodger Dick see the two nimble-footed and keen-eyed men who kept him in sight de- spite his windings among the people on the street? Did he have a shadow of suspicion of what was hovering over him? The two spies, Mylo and Muffet, the willing dogs of Captain Asgeelo, continued to keep Dodger Dick in sight. As. he turned into another street, a num- ber of startling cries of fright rung out on the air, and people fell back in every direction. Dick was caught im one of these receding waves and borne backward almost into the arms of the very men who were, thug-like, at his heels, The following moment the cause of uproar was apparent. Two large horses were coming down the street dragging after them a reeling express wagon, It was a scene terrible enough to frighten the’ stoutest men, and as the aninials were liable to dash upon the sidewalks at any moment, the terror of the hour was increased ten-fold, The air was filled with eries. Men in the panic overthrew women and cbiidren, and the efforts of the few cool heads had no effect on the excited mass, Suddenly the team veered to the right-hand side of the street, and then crashed into a lot of barrels and boxes, Nothing could have been more fortunate than this; for before the horses could recover, they were in the bands of several stalwart police, As usual in such cases, the crowd rushed for- ward to see what damage bad been done, and Dodger Dick was carried forward in the tide. , Hemmed in on every side, he could not have escaped if he had tried. He was carried on in the rush, barely touching the ground at all, but at the first opportunity, he disengaged. himself and started off again, ‘‘ Where’s the chap?’ asked Muffet, catching Mylo’s arm. ‘‘I must confess that I have lost him,’ ‘* So have I,” was the confession. ‘** | thought we could keep him in view.” “In that jam? Cristo! L feel as though my ribs have been driven in, He can’t be far away, though.” The two spies began to look for the Dodger, but it was a fruitless task; he had disappeared as effectively as if he had dropped into a secret scuttle-hole, As their chagrin increased they ran hither and thither, hunting-high and low for the boy sleuth of Gotham, but the longer they looked the deeper seemed to grow the mystery of the dis- appearance, The reader, who has listened to Captain As- geelo’s injunctions to his four spies, can imagine the frenzy that seized on,.Mylo and Muffet after their defeat. They were to entrap the Dodger that night; they knew how a failure todo so would be re- ceived; but what could they do more than to report that fate had baffled them—fate, assisted by a street accident? Freed. from the espionage which might bave proved disastrous to him, Dodger Dick pushed on. . He wanted to see Madge Mystery as soon as possible, and soon after the accident he entered the girl] detective’s house. He found ber waiting for him in the little room, ‘* You were right, Madge,” was Dick’s first exclamation. ‘The captain of the Palm-Leaf is in New York.” ‘“¢{ knew that. that,” ‘In what way?” ‘*T bave seen him, dressed in cloth and kids, come Gown the steps ot the broker’s house.” Dodger Dick. uttered a strange cry, and fell back a step, ‘* What was he doing there, Madge?” “‘They would not let’ mein to see,” was the reply. ‘‘At any rate, Dick, a blow of some kind fell to-night. { fear our work will avail nothing.” ‘What! You don’t want to give up the figh Madge?” cried the boy Vidoeq. ‘‘I’ve enlist for the war, and I don’t intend to ask for my discharge till I’ve seen the enemy completely routed. If Captain Aagseie has dealt his blow, now is the time to match bim.” “But how?” asked the girl. “ By putting our heads together, and devising a plan that will succeed. . What did he look like when he came out of the house?” “Like a man who had won a great victory. From what the butler told me, I know that the Malay played a cool hand to-night, and played it well, too, If be has any secrets connected with his life—if we could only learn for certain. that we could hold a sword over his bead—” “The sword is there already,” interrupted I have just had proof of
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\ ¥ | — villain’s career, I know that three nations want his head, and I believe that this Government would surrender him to the first of the three to ask for him.” Dick then proceeded and gave Madge the in- formation he had obtained from Moszeelo, the Malay shoemaker. The girl listened intently to the close of the narrative, when she said: ‘*You have obtained a footin cunning scamp, but that is all. is four con- federates are still on the alert; he has. crossed the thresholu of Massena Branson’s house; he has stood face to face with the family he intends toruin. Maybe the broker bas acceded to some infamous demands of his.” ** ] will know!” exclaimed the Dodger. ‘‘ You could not get in, I will see what I can do.” “The same butler will answer your ring,” smiled Madge. ‘‘He is a good man to obey orders, You will find him so.” ‘* Nevertheless, I am going to try to get to Massena Branson this night.’ *“*I trust you will succeed, Dick, but I fear you will not,” answered Madge, shaking her head. **T am off to try.” Left alone, the girl ferret of New York began to wait for Dick’s return from his: mission, She had no hopes that he would succeed where she had failed, and she could imagine him coming back deeply disappointed. Dodger Dick’s escape from the Malay spies had prevented them from finding him again, aud when he set off up-town he was uot watched. With a heart undaunted by nothing, he walked up the wide steps of the broker’s mansion and rung a summons. The shutters were closely drawn, and there were few signs of life about the house, but this did not discourage Dick, = Suddenly he heard a footstep beyond the oor. It was not the tread of a man, A moment more a bolt shot back, and Dodger Dick was looking into the almost expressionless face of Bertha. The young girl did not seem to recognize the boy caller till she had looked the second time, Then a new light appeared to shine forth from her eyes, and she held the door open with- out a word. Dick the Dodger glided into the hall, ‘t He has come and gone,” fell from Bertha’s lips, and her voice was so unnatural that Dick looked at her to make sure that she was really the broker’s child, ; ‘‘Pm sorry,” ventured the young detective. “Tf IT had known of it I should have been ahead of him—” ‘* Never mind that. We don’t blame you. Do you want to see father?” ‘* Yes, if he—” ** He will see you if only’to pay you off,” was the girl’s interruption, and Dick, without an- other word, followed her up-stairs. In. a little while be was usbered into a room and Jeft to himself as he at first thougbt, but in a moment he caught sight of a figure in an arm- chair, and then he started forward. All at once the head before him moved, and Dick saw the changed face of Massena Bran- son. In a night, as it seemed, the broker of Broad street had had twenty years added to his life, He looked at the young ferret a few moments and then spoke: ‘* What do I owe you, sir?” said he. Dodger Dick was at the chair in a twinkling. “I haven’t fulfilled my part of the agree- ment,” exclaimed he. “1 have found Cuptain Asgeelo—” *€ And he has found me!” broke in the broker, Dick looked thunderstruck. “T don’t blame you, boy,” continued Mr, Branson. ‘“‘ You may have dove your best, But it is now too late. The blow has fallen, . 1 am in the clutches of that villain of villains, I have avceded to bis demands. He made them boldly. Bertha heard! them all and submits— she says to save my life, It blights ber own, of pee for she is to become Captain Asgeelo’s wife against this CHAPTER XI. TAKEN UNAWARES. F ‘“‘IN heaven’s name, not. that!” exclaimed Dick red by the startling revelation, and then he ooked 4 Massena Branson in doubt whether he had heard him aright. ‘ _ The pale features before him and tbe lips still quivering with the fateful words, told the boy ‘Tha Two Shadows: / Dick. ‘I have just heard the history of that { ferret that the broker had really spoken as he had been heard. ‘* Yes,” continued he, touching the Dodger’s sleeve as he leaned forward, ‘‘ Bertha is to be- come the scoundrel’s bride. You wonder, I see you do, that I yielded. Boy, you don’t know the power held by Captain Asgeelo,. You can’t look back and see what happened years and years ago. I did not expect my enemy to- night, but he came like an evil spirit from the abode of such things.” ‘* When is the marriage to take place?” asked the young detective, catching his breath anew. “T won’t keep it from you for it will do no harm for you to know, as the consummation cannot be averted,” continued the broker. ‘ At the end of forty-eight hours from this time,” glancing at the clock, ‘‘ Bertha will, in a certain sense, be my child no longer,” ‘*So soon as that?” cried the Dodger. Branson bowed his head, ** It is not too late yet)” ‘© For what?” **To block this game—to save both you and your daughter from this shame.” ** You can’t do it; no man can,” was the re- ply. ‘‘I tell you we have submitted to the in- evitable. There was a time when [ might have escaped thisday; but why talk of that period now?¢ I thank heaven that Bertha’s mother died before this hour. No, boy, you can’t pre- vent the catastrophe. My word—my oath—is out, and I have nothing to do but to await the last act in the foul game.” Dick flushed with indignation, and his blood fac i to leap through his veins at these words, ‘** You will pardon me, Mr. Branson,” he re- sponded firmly, ‘‘ but I don’t intend to give it up. As Iwas going to tell youa while ago, I have found this Captain Asgeelo—I know who his associates are. I know more about the man than you think. You were his prisoner once.” The Broad street broker gene a guilty start. “Do you know that? es, 1 fell into his hands,” “ Taken on the high seas as a pirate takes his rey. ‘* Taken where you say,” assented Branson, ‘* You were made to take an oath to secure the release of yourself and family.” ‘* Who told you that, boy?” Dick smiled, ‘ “‘ You forget that you are the person who set me on the track of this Malay tiger,” observed he, as the smile vanished. ‘‘ You must not think that I would not want to find out somie- thing about his past while I was atit. Ihave discovered something that approaches a secret, as you see. You need not tell me what that oath on shipboard amounted to. I can see for myself that it has just finished its work.” Before the broker could. reply the door opened, and the figure of Bertha came into the room, The father looked up at his child with a frown, but almost immediately it was chased away by a look of pity. “*T caught your last words,” she said touching Dick’s shoulder gently as she spoke. ‘t You say you have learned something about my fu- ture husband?” She did not appear in the least excited, but while he looked at her, the boy shadow of New York resulved again that the final trumps should never be beld by the man called Captain Asgeelo. m on I've made several discoveries,” he re- ied. h hed ‘ ‘‘They can do no good,” continued Bertha. ‘‘ The die is cast; the blow has fallen. I don’t censure father. Remember, Dodger Dick, as they call you, that I stepped in. when be was about to dare Captain Asgeelo to do his worst, ‘and said that I would save the credit of this house by the sacrifice of myself, I wish I could think that some efforts of yours conld break the soell, but the final catastrophe must come, -night!” Bertha’s hand fell from the boy’s shoulder, and imprinting a kiss on-her parent’s brow she left the room and vanished. ‘The truest girl in. the world!” ejaculated Massena Branson. ‘ And I curse myself when Tink that ap act of mine made her ruin pos- He toppled toward the desk in front of him, and buried his face in the circle of bis arms. Dodger Dick. watched him in silence. He heard the ticks.of the clock as they mingled themselves with the broker's sobs, and, after waiting awhile, he stole away, P Massena Branson did not move. | - The boy ferret gave him a last look from the 4 All door, and then glided from the house, scarcely breathing till he found himself on the sidewalk once more, ‘‘T’d be untrue to myself and justice and ven- geance if 1 left the game now!” was his first ejaculation. ‘‘No grass grows under my feet from this moment, Forty-eight hours! Bertha Branson’s happiness is forever destroyed if I fail, and Captain Asgeelo, the pirate of the tropic, scores his greatest triumph.” Dodger Dick might have been seen bending over a city Directory a few minutes later. . He ran bis finger down a certain page till it stopped at a certain name: * DALLAS, DAVID, ** 666 S—— street.” “That is it, if I’m not mistaken,” murmured the boy, closing the book and quitting the hotel at once. ‘That is the name of the young man who was to have made Bertha Branson happy till this Malay shadow came between. I will not see him to-aight any more, as it is late, but to-morrow I may hunt him up.” He did not halt again till he entered a little office-like room on the third floor of a building on middle Broadway, and then he was lookin at a plain-faced, middle-aged man, who seemed to be wondering why Dick, bad made the late call. ‘*T want to know how I go about reporting to the English or Freach authorities. the presence in New York of a person for whom the two Governments have offered a reward,” began the Dodger, “Who have you unearthed now?” asked the plain-looking man, who was one of the best pri- vate detectives of Gotham—Captain Claude Coldgrip, by name. % > awd mind, captain ’ returned the boy, “I want a bit of information, as you see by my question, Can I have it?” : : ‘‘ Certainly, Dick, You can inform either of the resident consuls. But,” with a smile, “I would advise you to inform the one whose Goy- erpment offers the larger reward,” “JT don’t care for that. I want to block one of the most infamous schemes ever played here or elsewhere, What will the consul dof” “Tf be is satisfied that you have found the right man, he will have bim arrested.” “Can they extradite him?” ‘* What is the crime?” ** Murder.” ‘*England can take him.” **Or France, too?” “cc Yes,” “* Then it show my hand!” exclaimed Dick. ‘““Many thanks, Captain Claude. You'll, hear from me later on.” And without giving the gentleman detective time to interpose a question, he left the office. “France or England—which shall it bef? mused Dick, once on the. sidewalk. “Bunt Pil look after Madge first. She’s probably waiting for me to report from my journey up-town, I'm not far from her lodgings, so ll. run over a bit.” Ten minutes later, Dodger Dick went up the steps leading to the girl detective’s room, As he opened the door, which was standing slightly ajar, he gave a glance around and then gave utterance to a singularcry. -., His gaze was riveted on the bureau, the top drawer of which stood open. a“ **Madge has been robbod!” exclaimed Dick, springing forward, ‘‘ Ten chances to one the daguerreotype and the note are gone.” He could see at a look that somebody had plundered the drawer, and his hands failed to find either of the objects be had mentioned. “This is the work of the Malay’s spies!” cried Dick. ‘t They have taken advantage of Madge’s absence to search her room, They have oviggney found that which their chief has ost.” “Yes, Senor American, and we have you, too!” At that momenta wiry figure leaped across the room from behind the flowing. curtain of Madge Mystery’s wardrobe, and before the boy detective could lift a band he felt himself in the clutch of dark-skinned hands, At almost the same moment another figure sprung into theroom from the ball, and when Dick looked into the shining eyes that confront- him, he. knew he was the prisoner of Captain Asgeelo’s spies! CHAPTER XII. DARK DURANCE. MYLO and Muffet! These were the fellows who had captured the boy ferret of New York.
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They had lost bim once, in the episode of the runaway team as the reader will recollect, but fortune, and unexpected fortune at that, had tbrown him into their clutches. The truth is that if Dodger Dick had kept aloof from the house a few minutes longer he would not have found himself a prisoner, for, having come there to search the premises the two scamps were about to leave when they heard him coming up the stairs. They supposed it was Madge coming home, but when they looked from their concealment and saw the boy shadow, their exultation knew no bounds, It was vain for Dick to struggle in the grip of the spies of the Malay, and knowing this he did not go further than a quick jerk back. ‘* Boy no noise make,” said Mylo, giving Dick the full benefit of his tiger eyes. ‘‘Him get ‘Tong — well if him no talk,” uffet’s look confirmed Mylo’s words. ‘Well, you’ve caught me, but you must watch me well, IL Et out of strong cages,” exclaimed Dick boldly disobeying the injunction, ‘‘ 1 know who your master is and why I’ve heen trapped. It’s a beautiful game you five fellows are play- ing, isn’t it?” ‘ Big game, big money!” laughed Mylo, show- ing his teeth. ** What do you get for The two men glanc neither made reply. ** Do you find this more profitable than serving on the Palm-Leaf?” ** Boy no talk!” flashed both men at once, and Dick could see by their look that his last sally had told. ‘“T thought you’d have kept to thesea, But perhaps the powers that want your old captain wanted you also,” The fierce looks in the eyes before him grew fiercer still, and all at once one of the hands that held his arms was transferred to his throat. ** Silence! Cristo! does the American want to die where he is?” hissed the owner of the yellow- ish hand. Dick could not have answered even if he had desired to, but then be had gone far enough ne and had scored the point he wanted to make, Five minutes afterward he was down on the street with a Malay on each side. Suddenly something fell over his face and —— against his eyes, then the lights of New ork seemed swallowed up in darkness, and Dick knew that he had been blindfolded, ‘“* Now for prison!” passed through his mind, “‘ Maybe I won't get to report to either of the foreign consuls for some time to come, but I must do something before the forty-eight hours expire.” After being walked some distance through total darkness as it seemed, Dick was put into a vehicle of some kind and the journey was continued on wheels, He had no idea through what part of the cit: he was being taken, and the rattle of the ca over the stones threatened to go on forever. Asvall journeys end some time Dick’s came to a full stop—he did not know where. He was asgisted out of the vebicle, a hand on each arm and was conducted across a narrow sidewalk, and down a short flight of basement ste At the bottom one of his conductors unlocked our sbare?” at one another, but a door and all three entered a place which was After this Dick was taken up-stairs into a room which had a carpet and then the bandage He found himself blinded by a flame but only for a short time, then be made out the dimen- captors, j “ Boy kin talk now,” Jaughed Muffet. ‘* Him The tio men vanished before the Dodger almost bare room which had been selected for his prison. the place contained, It seemed to be protected on the outside by was enabled to find a crack beyond which he saw the street lamps twinkling in the darkness, as dark as rayless night. was jerked from his eyes, sions of his prison and saw the figures of his been good allalong. Good-by.” could frame a sentence and he was alone'in the Dick's first move was to the one window that heavy shutters, but by climbing to the sill he For some time Dodger Dick kept his position ‘ reflecting on the startling events which had taken place within the last three hours, He had been in traps before, but never in one from which he was so eager to escape as the present, He recalled the terrible revelation he had heard from Massena Branson's lips, ee ; a a en oe ee < a ———r The Two Shadows. At the end of forty-eight hours, and the clocks of Gotham were already knocking them off, Bertha would become the wife of the crafty and merciless Malay who was playing a deep game for more than her, There would be no let up on Captain Asgeelo’s part. He had come to New York to play the very nag he was playing; be had brought with him our men whose value he knew, and who would profit along with their master by the success of the scheme. Broker Branson was one of the wealthiest of the Broad street money dealers, He had a for- tune that ran away up into the thousands, and in the end it would fall into the lap of the ex- pirate of the trupic seas, Dick did not know that during his interview with his Malay foe, Branson had offered him one-half of his enormous wealth to go away and let him be, This was one of the secrets the broker had not imparted to the boy. Captain Asgeelo had scornfully refused this offer; he had come to the house for all or noth- ing, and the result was that he carried his cruel int. Pick could not tell how long he stood on the ample sill and looked out where the lamps were, ust beyond the iron sbutters of the window was liberty, but the question was: How am I to get there? The young Vidocq wondered what had become of Madge Mystery, and whether the Malays had not captured her before obtaining their vic- tory over him. Dick did not know the truth. It was impossible for him to be aware of the fact that when he came out of Madge’s house between Mylo and Muffet he was seen by a pair of Edad but observing eyes. e was followed by those same eyes tho whole distance of his journey on foot, and when the carriage started off with him it carried an ad- ditional passenger between the hind-wheels. This passenger was no one less than Madge, the girl shadow. Fortune had brought her home in time to witness the sight just mentioned, and in an in- stant her eyes were opened to the full extent of the scheme. k Agile, for one of her sex, Madge found no dif- ficulty in maintaining her position on the vehi- cle during the jolting journey over the stones, Probably she had taken such rides before. hen the cab stopped and Dick was taken out, Madge allowed it to carry her half a block cl when she dropped lightly to the ground, and let the driver proceed without any passen- er. ; z She went back and found the house which had received Dodger Dick as silent and as dark as one entirely uninhabited; but she knew that it held the young street fox of New York. Madge hovered about the place, devising one scheme only to drop it for another. She was fertile enough in plans for reaching Dick, but none of them suited her exactly. “He must get out somehow!” ejaculated the girl. ‘* We were to fight Captain Asgeelo to- gether, and I don’t want to go to the next move without Dodger Dick. He must come out, I “ That old house shall not hold him.” adge saw the iron shutters of the place. They were deceptive, for they resembled shut- ters of wood. It was enough for the girl to touch them, At last she disappeared down an alley which stretched away some distance from the house, then she scaled a fence and went from lot to lot till she believed she had reached the one which contained the Dodger’s place of confinement. _ This was a piece of risky business for the girl ferret. . If the enemy was on guard she was in danger of being picked up, and she had no desire to fall again into the fierce clutches of the four, The next time, perhaps, Una would not be her attendant. , Madge Mystery crept up to the house, and lis- tened at the back door, ' Not a sound rewarded her. Had she missed the — It could not be. She had counted lots and could not be mistaken. Suddenly the door at which she had listened opened. The person who came out brushed the girl de- tective as she drew breathless back. She caught a glimpse of a man’s figure ere it vanished to- ward the end of the lot. The door had not been locked, and Madge rajsed the latch softly and crept in. She was now inastrange house and amid darkness of the densest sort. Her peril had increased twenty fold. She collected her thoughts for the next move, and just asshe was about to make it, the out- side door opened and shut, and a man crossed the room in the gloom. ‘‘ I’m in for it now!” thought the girl shadow. Indeed she was. CHAPTER XIII. JUSTICE LOSES A LINK, More resolute people than the girl detective of Gotham would have recoiled from taking an- . other step in the drama she was enacting, but Madge did not flinch. 1 She believed she had entered the house to which her friend the Dodger had been brought by the men into whose hands he had fallen at her lodgings, and it was her duty to liberate him if possible. She had no idea of backing out now. When the door closed leaving her in darkness, Madge Mystery collected her thoughts and be- n to devise a plan of campaign. The man who had crossed the floor bad open- ed and closed another door somewhere—the girl could not exactly locate it—and Madge heard his footsteps no longer. By stealing round the room on — she found the second door, and immediately placed her ears at the latch. After a few seconds of silence she heard the hum of voices, and then she began to distinguish tbe words. “The captain won’t curse cur work to-night,” said one, and the words were followed by a light laugh of satisfaction. ; ‘Cristo! 1 should say not; but it was by accident we found the boy fox. He walked in- to what turned out to bea trap. It was a lucky catch, and what we lost on one street we caught on another. Now if we bad the bird that gave Una the slip!” ; ‘Well get her soon. Her liberty can’t last long with four of us on the lookout for her. By this time the captain holds the prize in his hands.” P ‘‘Tf the American did not resist.” ‘What if he did, Comrade Muffet?” was the quick retort. ‘Resistance would do him no good, and he knows it. Captain Asgeelo knows toc much, and I guess we know something ourselves. Ha! ha! Now for a bottle of somebody’s best, and then for the girl shadow—the only person now in our path.” Madge drew back from the door, for footsteps were approaching, and while she hugged the darkest corner of the very dark room, she heard the latch click and feet cross the floor, She knew that a match would discover her, or that the slightest noise on her part would throw her into the clutches of as heartless a air of ruffians as ever lived, and it behooved er to maintain a breathless silence, which she did. No search was made of the room, for the two Malays bad no suspicion that their girl foe was so near, and they tramped away, locking the door behind them. - For some time Madge did not stir. She was locked up in a strange house, and the men, who wanted to find her for a purpose that made her flesh creep when she thought of it, were off on the wrong scent. She knew that the door opening into the room beyond the one she occupied had but a common latch lock, and when she tried it, it yielded read- ily, and she went forward. * The room beyond was as dark as Erebus, but Madge’s fingers found a door as they had done many times before. “Who's that?’ exclaimed Dodger Dick, get- ting down from his window-sill and going to the door. ‘‘AmI to mh a visit from the rascals who caged me here He nas discovered, or thought he did, that the person beyond the portal was not one of the Malay spies, and then he placed bis lips near the i jamb. ‘« Who's there?” he asked. Madge started, but her answer was not held back. } “It is I, Dick.” “MM. ge.” “Thank fortune! [min atrap, I was clev- erly caught in your room by the two rogues who serve Captain Asgeelo so well. They had just plundered your lodgings—” ‘Did, eh?” broke in the girl, with a laugh, “That which they got, Dick, won’t enrich them nor make their captain smile.” ‘What! didn’t they find the picture?” ‘No, nor the message, either.” - a Se
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* Good!” ShE thought my place might be visited i tke spies, soI took the two articles away. They found nothing of any importance in my room.” a psy You forget, Madge, that they found me there,” replied the boy ferret, In a little while Madge Mystery was at work on the door which stood between Dodger Dick and liberty. ‘“*We have forty-eight hours for work,” he said to her while she labored. ** Why that length of time?” ‘Captain Asgeelo dealt his blow sure enough.” Madge stopped work at once. ‘““The rascal! when I saw him emerge from the house I thought he had played his hand. What will happen at the end of forty-eight hours if he is not thwarted?” ‘“* Bertha becomes his wife!” A sharp cry broke over the girl’s iips. That creature his bride? It shall never be while my name is Madge Mystery! So he — her for the keeping of his secret, does e ** He does,” “Then we must to work!” cried Madge, at- tacking the door again. ‘ The villainies of this irate and his spies shall not be consummated. f I can catch the lock as I had it awhile ago when you startled me with your announcement, I am sure I willsucceed. There! 1 have itagain. Now, hold your breath a minute, Dodger Dick.” pone boy detective did not have to be told to do is. He knew that all depended on the girl’s nerve and skill, which were almost marvelous when she bad anything of the kind on hand, and fora second he waited at the door in breathless si- lence. Suddenly there sounded on his ears the noise of the slipping of a bolt, and the next moment he seized the knob and gave it a twist. A cry of victory broke from his throat. ‘ He could not keep it back, for the door was open and he was holding Madge’s hands in the g — % the two apartments. ree There was something in the thought that sent a thrill through every fiber of the boy spy’s na- ture. ‘ Now let the Malay look out!” cried he, “No false step now!” whispered cautious Madge. ‘* We have reached the heat of the bt. We must make no mistake, for the foe will be on his guard. If Bertha. becomes his wife we must drop the game,” ‘“But she shall be saved! I don’t care so much about the broker, for he had no business to put himself into Captain Asgeelo’s hands; but the innocent shall not suffer for the guilty,’ “That is what I say.” ‘“‘Then we work together as before. Come! T want to get out of this place. Thank fortune! the prison did not get to keep me very long. T was afraid it would baffle me, for the shutters seem to be iron ones, and every article I pos- sessed when taken, was taken from me by the two tropic cats,” Madge and Dick did not experience any trouble in getting from the-house, and when they came out on the street some distance below it, they glided off like a pair of ghosts. ‘*T will now go to the consul’s residence,” re- were ee ca Pai e girl gave him a singular “For Seat she sored. parties “To close in with Captain Asgeelo. You forget what Moszeelo, the old anon. told me. “I forget nothing, Dick,” answered Madge touching the boy’sarm. ‘Were you Meany lodge information against the Malay, at one of the consulates?” Lo “se Yes.” “ At which one?” ; “‘T had decided on turning him over to Eng- land.” ‘‘ Let us see something first. Maybe Captain Asgeelo would be hard to identify. His spies would not give him away, and you don’t want to drag Massena Branson and Bertha into the case?” ‘* Not if I can help it.” ™ “I thought so. Are you sure that Moszeelo would swear that the man we want to turn over to England is the pirate captain of the pirate 'alm-Leaf?” _“*I would think he would, for the scar he car- ries on his arm.” “ Let us find out. It is not too late to visit Moszeelo?” “No; the old fellow is up all night.” A moment later the young ferrets of the metropolis were hastening toward that part of The Two Shadows. the city inhabited by the maker of nobby shoes Pee tke the Malay, who bated Captain As- geelo. This testimony would be highly important, as Dick could see. Indeed, without it he doubted whether the villain could be held an hour if caught, and he did not think for a second that the old shoe- | maker would hesitate to testify against the man whose saber had marked him for life. They reachea Moszeelo’s house, and went in at the door which was never locked. Dick knew where the shop was, He guided Madge, who had never been there before, through the hall, and found the door with which he was familiar. In they voth went. ‘*Great heavens!” cried the boy Vidocq, fall- ing back against Madge as he crossed the threshold, and then he caught the girl’s arm, ‘Look yonder! As I live, Madge, we have come too late!” The girl looked, and her gaze at once became riveted on the sight she saw. On the floor before them, among his lasts and shoes, lay the figure of Moszeelo, as if he had fallen forward from his bench. Dodger Dick sprung toward him with a cry. The next instant he had raised the old man’s head, and Madge had uttered three words which told the story: : ‘“* He is dead!”. CHAPTER XIV. STEPS ON THE STAIR. OvER this scene fell the somewhat sorry stock of light that emanated from the gas-burner in the}wall'several feet above the shoemaker’s bench, “Ts it crime, Dick?’ asked the girl shadow looking at her young companion, stooped over old Moszeelo, in one of whose hands was tightly clutched his last work, a lady’s shoe. “T can’t say, Madge,” was the answer. “I see no marks of violence. It may be a case of sudden death—nothing more. Of one thing I ar sure. Moszeelo will never crepes Captain Asgeelo for us, nor for any oneelse, The Malay is safe on that score. I think we had better get away from here. We don’t want to be dragged before the coroner. The forty-eight hours are passing, you know,” “« And we have much to do,” answered Madge. As Dodger Dick got up after his last word, be happened to look toward the wall where the jet burned. The following moment Madge Mystery saw him leaning forward over the shoemaker’s bench. *¢ What is it, Dick?” ‘“‘There are a few words of writing here,” and the boy detective showed Madge a number of marks on the wall. ‘‘Here’s a word, and there’s another. They look like they’ve been hurriedly scribbled. They are in some strange language,” - * Malay?” E "No, I think not.” ‘* Maybe they’ve been there a long time.” The street ferret fell back. “IT can’t say, l’m sure, Madge. Moszeelo knew a dozen languages besides his own,” he went on. ‘He used to write some words in all, just to show me how smart he was; but I think e could write Spanish best.” ‘Then, if that is Spanish on the wall, you are stuck.” “Not for long, Madge. I’ve got a friend who can make it out and I have a notion to go straight to him.” ‘¢ Who is he?” ‘‘ My friend, Claude Coldgrip, the detective.” “Let it be,” advised Madge. ‘‘ We will get at the meaning of the words on the wall soon enough. Moszeelo will never identify Branson’s foe in court. If you want him found by the authorities drop a hintat the right place, Now what about going to the consuls?” Dodger Dick looked into the girl’s face with a puzzled expression on his own. “ ‘* Leave that to me!” he suddenly exclaimed. Iam going over into Malaysia, We are on the edge of it now.” You'll find eyes on the watch there.” ‘* Perbaps.”” , : You won’t go in your present garb?” | Not much, Madge.” What do you want to discover in the Malay quarter?” ‘* Two things,” “Well?” “Tn the first place, I want to know where I will find Captain Asgeelo when I want him, and, secondly, I want to see the man himself.” . | 1 [don’t intend to give up. You don / looking at bim from behind a tr —_ —— Nop? appt yer ae li _——————————— ——eeellla————— a ooo ** Face to face?” ‘Not particularly thus.” By this time the old shoemaker’s house and its dead tenant had been left behind, and a square furtber on Madge and Dick separated, the latter keeping his intention by turning his face in the direction of Malaydom, This time be did not cross the step of Nicholas De La Cruze’s establishment, therefore he did not get the benefit of the vile tobacco smoke to be found there of all places. He passed the house with a vivid recollection of the usual scenes within, and stopped in the deep shadow of a low-browed building a few rods away. Tbe sharpest eyes alert in that quarter of New York that night could not have made out the boy .erret even a few feetaway. He was like the wall itself, a part of it as it were. There he stood for some time moving not, but not with his eyes cl a He saw every figure that passed; he noticed the gliding ones and the stumbling others. He distinguished the nearly full-blooded Malays from the mixed men whose only claim to Malay lineage is the creese they carry under their coats. For whom was Dodger Dick on the watch? He kept his place more than an hour with the patience of a Parisian detective. At the end of that time he was passed by & me whom he noticed with more than passing 00 ** At last!” muttered Dick, ‘I knew I had but-to stand here long enough to see the head villain himself, All the Malay population of New York pass this point between two days or after ten at night, or at least such is the saying. There you go, Captain Asgeelo. You don’t who had ( wear the kids you had on when you delivered the blow that made Bertha Branson wish she. had never been born. You have put your fine duds away—for the wedding perhaps. I want to see a little more of you before I dismiss you. Because Death has silenced my witness ny ta *t know odger Dick, Captain Asgeelo.” The young cetective followed the man who led him some distance before he stopped. He was then in front of a well-to-do house. Dick had stopped a few feet away and was at the gutter. . Captain Asgeelo stood at the steps going up to the front door and looked up the street toward the corner where the figures of two men were observable under a lamp. Dick saw the men by watching the man he had shadowed. Suddenly the figures x agg and one came aed own the walk toward Captain As- eelo. ‘One of the four,” thougbt Dick watching the figuie with a great deal of curiosity. “ The person who left him at the lamp was an- other.” ; By this time the footsteps on the pavement had ceased, and then he saw two men close to- gether in front of the house. “You have done well,” reached the boy’s ears: in the well-known voice of the broker’s enemy. “T expect you to find the sbe hawk when you will finish the play as you have been instructed. What have I done! By the stars! Mayo, I have pivdged my trumps and won, The game is nearly out. A few hours settles it. Don’t ask me what the winnings amount to, but they’re more than enough for all. Day efter to-morrow ou will be ready to go back. The voyage will made pleasant by what you will carry away with you. No more loafing around the smoke houses of New York. This isn’t the old stamp- ing ground, eh, Mylo, This isn’t the sea by odds, my friend, “ Cristo! no!” Dick heard. ‘‘ We'll hate to leave you, captain.” “Jt won't be for long. Tl join you sooner | than you think, for I’m not at home in the city , To-morrow night I make » the two fortunes; after that 1 become the old © of the Americans. commander again. Good-night.” There was an interchange of salutes, and the man who stepped back from Captain Asgeelo wheeled and passed the statue-like boy against. the tree. . Dick knew that discovery would mean a tiger- ish spring, with its consequences, and not for the city that surrounded him would he have reveal- ed bis presence to the fiercest and most agile of the Malay captain’s spies. He og Mylo vanish, watched by Captain As- gelo till he did so, and then he looked at his quarry. ; | “« They’ve stood royally by me,” ejaculated the \- = » . te este ped Se ee
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12 man at the steps, as if forgetful of his situation, ‘* With the boy fox trapped, and the young she night hawk hunted by fellows who never fail, I think I ought to be congratulated. By the cross of the sisters! Iam in my element in the city of the Americans as wellas I am on my favorite deck.” ‘* Don’t whistle till you’re through the woods,” laughed the Dodger. ‘'I wish 1 bad found Moszeelo in a condition to use his tongue; but, never mind, captain, the game doesn’t end in tnis case till the last card has been played.” While the boy talked the Malay entered the house, and when the door had closed Dick went forward and noted the number above the door, ‘*{ think I can safely say that I have located him to acertainty. So he is going to ship his four spies each after to-morrow, is he? He won’t need them after that, he thinks, I think so, too.” Dodger Dick turned back from the house and walked toward De La Cruze’s Malay hotel. As he reache it the front door opened, and a man appeared in the light. ‘** My friend Mylo,” exclaimed the boy. ‘I wonder what he would give to know that I am within a few feet of him. Ho, Mylo, your traps don’t hold very well. The next time you want to make sure that Madge Mystery is not at your heels.’ For several seconds Dick secretly watched the wiry figure that stood revealed, unconscious of the espionage, and when Mylo started off he followed at a respectfut distance, **To-rnorrow to the English consulate,” he mused, ‘I think I will be justified in turning the man from the tropics over to the country that warts him. I won’t have Moszeelo to pack ine, but Pll be breaking the spell that holds Ber- tha Branson and her father in his clutches,” It was with these words that the boy detec- tive of New York turned his steps toward Mother Sturgeon’s, and when he. crept, silently he thought, into his little chamber to catch some sleep for the excitement of the coming day, he was met by a hand that touched him softly. “Dick, my boy, I’ve been waiting,” said a voice which he knew so well, *‘ A cat-like step has come up the stair and gone back twice with- in the hour. But you are here safe—thank for- tune for that.” Dodger Dick looked into Mother Sturgeon’s face, but sgid nothing. CHAPTER XV. THE SILENT WITNESS. THE next morning, bright and early, Dodger Dick rung the bell of No. 666 S-— street. It was his first visit to the house; but he knew who occupied a part of it as well as'though he had called a hundred times. He was admitted by a young’ girl, who in re- sponse to his inquiry as to whether one David Dallas was at home, informed him that he had not called in vain. é‘ Dick was about to be shown into a side-parlor, there to wait for the person whom he wanted to see, when a man’s voice came down from the second landing requesting the girl to send the visitor up. Ina minute the boy ferret of New York stood before a young man of twenty-three, with whose look was mingled wonder and inquiry. “You asked for David Dallas; 1 am that per- son,” said the gentleman, Dick knew that he confronted. Bertha Bran- son’s now discarded lover—discarded because Captain Asgeelo the Malay enemy had played his merciless game, He made himself known at once, for Dick the Dodger never stood on ceremony, and when he had spoken, David Dallas seemed to start. “IT presume you know what bas happened,” continued Dick. The young man smiled. ‘*T know, for one thing, that affairs of a car- |. tain kind are not running smoothly as they did a short time ago, If that is what you mean, boy, I am aware that something bas happened.” ** At Massena Branson’s house?” Bertha’s lover colored, ‘* Yes, even there if you insist,” he replied. “Come, let us get fairly at the business, hat ao you know?” That was just what the young shadow wanted. “I know that something must be done quick- ly,” answered he, ‘In a short time'Bertha will be a bride—” ‘“*Whose bride?” broke ‘in David Dallas, and he started forward as if he intended to jerk Dick out of bis chair, | ““Dan't -you know anything about , the schemé?” exclaimed the startled boy. The Two Shadows. *‘She would not tell me. The poor girl thunderstruck me with the announcement that, in the interests of the family, our engagement must be broken, and when I called to know just why, I was confronted by a secret which I have not been able to penetrate.” ‘* Have you tried to solve the puzzle?” ‘*T have, /l have had the house watched by private detectives.” ‘* With what result?” ‘** A man has been seen to go in—a well dressed man in evening costume, Is that the cause of all this change, boy?” There was a smile on the Dodger’s lips, ‘*T guess you may call him the serpent in the dove’s nest,” was the reply. ** Who is he?” ‘Captain Asgeelo,” The name seemed to surprise the young man, ‘Tt is not American,” said he at length. ‘*No; it is Malay.” “ Great Caesar! do you tell me that Bertha is to become the wife of that man?” ‘Tt has been settled so [ believe.” ‘* Why, I never knew that she had met such a man,” ** She has seen him but twice.” “IT can’t: believe this!” cried Dallas. ‘I mean, perhaps, that I don’t want to credit it, What is the grip which Captain Asgeelo has on Branson, the broker, for 1 will not believe that Bertha voluntarily released me for that yellow- skinned serpent from the South?” Dodger Dick told David Dallas as much about the plot as he knew. Through the narrative the listener sat spell- bound, but his color came and went, and his hands would close at times asif they felt the throat of the Malay captain, ‘Tam satisfied that the private detectives I have in my employ are no good,” he said at last, when Dick had concluded. ‘They could have followed Captain Asgeelo to his haunts. Then [ might have suspected something before this, You have done some good work, and now you have but to put forth your hand to block the yellow rascal’s game.” “Tt is not so easy as that. By this time the five foes know that I am not in the old house, and every movement of mine wijl be closely watched, They caught me at night before, but from now on they will not hesitate to strike in broad daylight.” “*T believe that,” admitted David Dallas, ‘I am eager to help baffle this cool head, Why, I never heard of such an infamous game! Do you think that Branson did go back and serve on his pirate ship as Moszeelo intimated?” **]) am afraid he did.” “Then, I can see why they bave yielded to Captain Aszeelo, The man evidently did not ask for money, or Branson would have bought him off.” ‘*T believe he would have given his last dollar,” answered Dick. ‘‘ The villain takes something more valuable than money. Bertha is not going to see her father exposed for the one error of his life. She steps in and offers to become the Malay’s wife to keep him silent. It is a terrible sacrifice, and one which must not be made.” ‘‘ Never!” cried the young man,“ This vil- lain of villains must be choked off; But how?” * Are you engaged for to-day?” “ No.” “Then I want you, I learn by the Directory that you are employed by Costelar & Son, merchants,” ‘*T am their private secretary.” ‘*Then you understand Spanish?” David Dallas smiled, ‘Yes, Spanish and several ph ie tongues,” said he, ‘*T want you to look at some scribbling on a certain wall,” continued Dick. ‘‘ And if you have no objection we will go at once.” Bertha’s lover was ready in a moment. A singular eagerness had seized him, and he hurried along like a person goaded by some great impulse. Dick guided him to the house where Moszeelo the old Malay had: followed the, for him, strange occupation of making shoes, They entered the house unquestioned, but a woman who met them in the hall said that the body had been found and that it. had been decid- ed that the shoemaker had died from heart disease. , “Tf that is true,” thought Dick, “then the writing on the wall discovered by Madge and I, may mean nothing. If the old fellow was sud- denly struck, he bad no time to leave anything behind. But we will see,” ; The two companions obtained admission to 1 Moszeelo’s workshop on pretense of looking for a shoe which they-said had been brought thither sone time before, and in a little while David Dallas was looking at some marks on the wall. “This is Spanish sure enough,” he observed looking over bis shoulder at the boy detective who stood breathless by waiting for the verdict. ‘*They are disconnected, jumbled to-gether and that sort of thing. It looks like they were written by jerks. Ah! I have it now!” Dodger Dick went forward with an.exclama- tion of eagerness, “What is it?’ hehe cried. ‘I hope you’ve found something that will help us.” ‘*T have found this,” was the response, ‘* The words on the wall read: Captain Asgeelo did it! Iknew too much, It was the poison of the dyaks, It is+taking—me—now !” Dick could not keep back a shout. ** Ts that there?” he exclaimed. ** As I live, it is!” responded Dellas. I translate:it word for word for you?” “That is not necessary, The old fellow knew too much, did he? He ought to know something since he carried Captain Asgeelo’s mark on his arm, Perhaps the Malay tiger discovered that I came to see old. Moszeelo sometimes, and so he silenced him, The poison of the dyaks! . What is that?” ‘* Ask ‘Captain Asgeelo,” remarked David Dallas with a smile. ‘‘ But from what I heard an old traveler say in our office one afternoon, it isa deadly poison that can be communicated to the victim on the point ofa pin; tut I never thought I would hear of its use in New York,” He then read the writing again and reported that bis translation was correct. ‘“*What next?” he asked turning suddenly up- on Dick. “The arrest of the man from the South Seas!” was the answer, ** At the request of the British Consul?” ‘*No! The hand of American justice is to close on the rascal now, That writing on the wall fixes upon him a crime for which be can be punished in this country where he played his big hand. It would be poor satisfaction to see him go to England for trial, and then to hear that the shrewd lawyers over there got him out of the snap. No! I want Uncle Sam to lay hands on Captain Asgeelo, I want to stand by and show him that Dodger Dick knows a thin or two when it comes to running a scoundre down.” “You are right!” observed the young man. “ Once break the spell and the Malay’s jig is u ” ** Shall ‘It may not be so easily broken,” replied Dick, in all seriousness. ‘* You: want to take down the writing on the wall, Take the words exactly as they are jumbled together; make a perfect copy if you can. I’m going to lengthen Captain Asgeelo’s neck with them if possible.” * David Dallas took out notebook and pencil and began his task. While he worked, Dick strolled to the window and looked out upon the street. : It was not wide, and he could recognize peo- ple across it by his keen eyes. All at once he gave a slight start, and leaned forward for better observaion. — Then David Dallas heard a quick cry. “ What is it?’ he asked, stopping in bis work and looking up. “Look at the man across the street yonder, against the house.” “«T see him.” ‘Well, that is my old acquaintance, Mylo, on the watch.” CHAPTER XVI. MADGE’S STORY. THE actions of the spy across the street con- vinced the young shadow that he was doing his master, the Malay captain, a service. Y ‘So that is your captor?” ejaculated David Dallas when he bad watched the man a few moments, “That is Mylo.” ) “He doesn’t look like a giant.” ‘“He is not, in stature, ut when it come to — and agility, look oat. ** Mylo is agile, is he?” * Asa cat!’ The boy and his friend left the house by the back way when Dallas had finished taking down » the writing on the wall. They did this in order to leave Mylo on guard, and not to cause him to su pect that he had been seen, “T promised Madge that I would make no very important move without. informing her,” suddenly spoke the Dodger looking up at Dallas, ‘This is one of that kind,”
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*‘ Must you see the girl?” asked the young man impatiently. ‘*She may have made some discoveries since I saw her last. We want all such, you know.” ** That is true,” “You can go where you will, but you want to 4 keep the secret of the writing to yourself,” con- : tinued Dick. ‘TI wil] join you either at Castelar & Sons, or at your lodging at the end of two hours.” ** At my lodging.’ ** Agreed,” and Dallas and and turned away to find Madge Mystery, en minutes later he was suddenly touched on the sleeve ina crowd on the sidewalk, and a voice said. ‘** To my house at once. IT want to see you,” It was Madge herself who spoke. In a little while the boy Vidocq walked into the room where he had fallen into the\power of Captain Asgeelo’s spies, and bound, and found #8, Madge waiting for him, The girl’s eyes were beaming with poorly sup- pressed excitement, and she came toward Dick ‘ ib an exclamation as he crossed the thres- hold. ‘*T have a little news!” cried she. “Well?” “a “ He knows that you are no longer in his power.” } ‘** don’t doubt it, Madge. I have just seen Mylo on the watch,” ‘“‘ And not long ago T had the pleasure of making a study of the otber three,” ‘* Where were they?” ** Exchanging plans over their glasses on the Bowery.” ‘*They need to work fast now,” continued Dick, laughing. ‘‘I am not the one to calla game out till it has been played out, for no one nows what slips may occur. But I am inclined to think that we have the chances in our favor.” Madge shook her head, / “‘T don’t know,” was the response. ‘I don’t know what to make of Massena Branson. I have been up there.” ‘* Since I came away?” ‘Yes. I have just returned from the visit.” **Did you see the broker?” pide Ho Pols ‘And Bertha?” | “And Bertha, and the captain of the Palm- : Leaf, too.” ; 4 3 *What!” cried Dick falling back-in his chair, +2 ‘* Where was Captain Asgeelo?” ? Ps He was on his way to the house when I left ~ ol er re a eg om it. 4 ‘““He takesa shadow with him wherever he | goes!” b “Yes; and that| shadow has fallen over Ber- tha’s life, effectually blighting it. But I want to tell you about my interview with fhe broker,” Ee ‘*Go on.” . a ‘‘He admitted to me that once he fell into Captain Asgeelo’s hands, and that he was per- A : suaded to take a certain oath which he never ex- z. pasted to be asked to fulfill, It was not long efore he discovered that he was at the mercy f of one of the greatest rogues in the world, At last some years passed away before he heard of his persecutor again. He began to hope that a Captain Asgeelo was dead, and during this period ‘a his wife died, and Bertha developed into a beau- J tiful young woman. When he made the dis- ps covery that the Malay still lived he began to fear that he had not forgotten the strange and foolish oath, and when the letters began to come he knew what. they meant, _ ‘ ‘ Massena Branson loves his child as a father see can love his daugher, but he loves also his busi- Ms A ness and social reputation as it is known to the people of New York. He hoped to fight. Cap- a ‘oa tain Asgeelo with silence, but when he found { Se that that weapon would prove of no ayail, he oe ie tried to buy him off. Then he realized the deep Be See iniquity of the Malay’s game, but. still he had ihe a resolved that Bertha should not be sacrificed, When the enemy came in his shiny kids to play . _his last hand, he found Branson ready to _fighf, but Bertha terminated the interview by offering to save the house by becoming Asgeelo’s wife.” , “ Did the broker tell you this, Madge?” ' “Yes, He told me the whole story.. At. the Me. close of it he said that things would. have to i - _ take their course.” Madge Mystery went on: %; “Bertha sat. at his side holding his hands in hers, and listening to every. word, They want the hunt to stop,. They believe that our work oo | _ can only end in exposing Massena Branson’s HAC} past and in breaking him down by the <Sppedre bs _of his shame, Bertha, with her face as white as a, her shroud will be some day, asked me to give up the chase—to let her become the wife of Dodger Dick separated from boy ferret, J and another there till the chain is about com- plete. What is the use of dealing in kids with | at length. The Two Shadows. their foe, and thus keep from the world the dreadful secret of their house. I wished I was a thousand miles away while she talked. For- | tunately she did not ask me tu pledge myself to inactivity, and I leit as soon as I could.” “You heard and sawa good deal, Madge,” observed Dick when the girl had finisaed her story. ‘*But you got no clew to the secret which Captain Asgeelo has played so well?” ** Of course they kept that back.” ‘But did not their words throw some light upon 1t?” “A. little,” answered Madge. ‘ Massena | | Branson seemed to measure his words while he | talked, and once or twice when he thought he | approached forbidden ground he looked at Bertha and stopped. I believe that he is the | man who, as Moszeelo told you, once fel] into | Captain Asgeelo’s hands on the seas, and that the oath he took involved his daughter, then very young—a babe, in fact,” “That is it!” exclaimed Dick. ‘‘It can be nothing else. Branson thought that, as things usually go with Malay pirates, Captain Asgeelo would soon have his career cut short, and that | then the oath would not have to be fulfilled, and the secret could be kept,” ** You must be right, Dick.” “*Tt isn’t all guess-work Madge,” returned the ‘*T have picked up one link here this case? I want to beat this Malay serpent who, with his four spies, would like to silence us forever; but at the same time I would get abead of him without exposing the family up town.” Madge Mystery reflected for a moment, ** The five will keep a lookout for us,” she said **T overheard as much from the three I saw in the Bowery, They suspect that I helped you out of the old house, and therefore Lag would like to tickle me under the chin, ha, a! “Which they will not get to do, Madge?” ‘*“Not: while I am Madge Mystery of New York!” was the laughing rejoinder. Dick proceeded to tell of his visit to Moszeelo’s room and to acquaint the girl with the finding of the writing on the wall, as they had seen it once before, and with the translation made by David Dallas. “That helps to weave a web about Captain Asgeelo,” remarked the girl, ‘It is circum- stantial evidence, and pretty strong at that, I think, It is enough to begin Tt enough to cause the arrest of Captain Asgeelo, the Malay.” ** At once, Madge?” ‘* At once!” cried the girl, promptly. Dick did not keep back his acquiescence. ‘‘Tt shall be done! Now or never!” he ex- claimed. “We must not rest till we find Captain Asgeeélo!” continued the girl, in the same strain, ‘* The allotted time is wearing away and Bertha Branson is nearing the most miserable hour of her existence. To work at once!” ** Alone?” ** No, Choose several keen detectives to help us close in on the game.” “Tam ready.” A few minutes later Dodger Dick was closeted with one of the highest police officials of New York who listened to his story of the find in Moszeelo’s house, ‘‘ The Captain Mingo of the Malay quarters is the. Captain Asgeelo I’m after,” finished the Dodger who had not mentioned Massena Bran- son or Bertha even by imputation, ‘‘ He is to taken for the murder of the old shoemaker, Is the writing on the wall enough to begin on?” Tt is quite enough, Dick,” replied the in- spector. ‘From what you say, I think we will be able to put the Malay in a tight place.” “1 am sure of it. If I don’t bring to naught one of .the most dastardly games ever played in this city or elsewhere, I’ll bid Mother Sturgeon good-by and emigrate!” And the boy shadow of Gotham walked out of.the office, in his eye a Feam of triumph and his lips resolutely set. _ the inspector had promised him that seeret information would be.sent at once to ecértain officers, and that in Jess than an hour Captain eelo the Malay would be caught. ut the young idocq was yet to play another exciting act in the stormy drama. CHAPTER XVII.- 129 oid yj HE. NICK. OF TIME, Be MapGE Mystery if been fortunate in picking up the three Malays in the Bowery. If they had discovered ‘the girl, it is highly probable that she would not have got to narrate « | fused a certain degree of warmt 18 her adventures to the Dodger in her own little room, for the yellow trio were on the lookout for her. She.learned enough from the bits of conversa- tion which she was able to pick up that the gang knew of Dick’s escape from the old house, and that she was suspected of aiding the boy. This was true, The rage of Captain Asgeelo’s spies knew no limits when they made this discovery, and in the consultation that followed, a dark oath was, | taken to the effect that Dick and Madge should | | be silenced at once, ft was about the time of Madge’s narrative that Captain Asgeelo himself entered a house in the Malay quarter and unlocked an iron- bound trunk or chest that stood in the darkest corner of a small room, A small fire was burning in the grate and dif- throughout | the place, | | } | | darkened library of his elegant home. Among the things which the man of the | tropics took from the chest was a smal] vial half- filled witb a thick greenish liquid that moved but sluggishly when the little bottle was violent- ly shaken. Captain Asgeelo seated himself at the small table in the room, and placed alongside the vial a box which, when opened, displayed a lot of needles and little knives, He opened the vial and drove one of the needles into the green liquid. When he drew it outa tiny drop of the com- pound adbered to the point, but it gradually dis- appeared until it seemed to bave been absorbed by the needle, There was a singular expression on the Malay’s face while he worked, and he did not put the vial aside till he had inserted the points of five needles into tne emerald fluid, After that, instead of replacing the needles in the box, he put them into a leather case which he carried in am iuner pocket, and then both box-and bottle were returned to the chest. Nobody dropped in to disturb the captain while he worked, and satisfied with his task. he stood erect in the middle of the room and laughed. ‘“] throw the last card in a few hours!” ex- claimed he. ‘‘ Despite the ups and downs I’ve had in the game, I’ve kept the mark in view al} the time. It is true that the annoying rats have slipped through my fingers, but I will have them again ere long, for theJast time. My lieu- tenants will get their last instructions—the ones I have held back for ‘an emergency. They will then be armed as man was never armed before in this city. I have made the American remember his oath, I bave forced him to keep it. Aha! I’d like tosee them circumvent Cap- tain Asgeelo when he*goes into the game deter- mined to win the stakes. It can’t be done. I succeed wherever I am, on sea orland. I am the Portuguese-Malay, hated by half the world, but I am still all-powerful!” Just an hour Igter, a man pushing up Broad- way in the crowd that lined it, had a small pack- age placed in his hand. He looked. round to see who had touched him, ‘and his eyes caught sight of a figure which drew a smile to his lips, A little later another man, yellow of skin and with intensely-black eyes, felt something in his alm, and he looked down to behold a roll of eather which, when be investigated, was found to contain a shining steel needle set in a little handle of ivory with the point protected by a transparent shield that looked like gelatine. Not long after this presentation, two other men received like rolls of leather in different parts of the city, and the person who placed them stood alone under the trees of one of the parks with a glow of triumph in bis eyes, ‘Now for the final victory!” he exclaimed, starting up suddenly, ‘I did not live among the dyak gentlemen for nothing; neither was I asleep while I sailed under the flag of the Palm- Leaf in the tropic seas,” Tt was eg yo Asgeelo! If he had gone up-town instead of plunging into the living sea surging up and down Broad- -way, he might have witnessed a scene to which we transport the reader. : Massena Branson occupied bis chair in the . The hue of a dead man was on his face, and his most in- timate acquaintances would have had to look a second time to have recognized hi It was apparent, even.in the dim light that fell about him, that. the pening work of his Malay foe bad worked the chang, . His hands shook as they manipulated the pen and paper before him. For some time he wrote without looking up as
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i4 though he was compelled to finish his work in a given time, He did not hear the door open nor see the beautiful eyes full of tears that looked in upon him for a minute and then silently vanished. Bertha stole up-stairs and left her father alone. When Branson had written diligently some time he threw the pen aside and fell back in the chair like a man exhausted. ‘* Why do this?” he asked himself in a husky voice. ‘‘ Why leave any statement at all be- hind? 1t will only fix on Bertha the stain of having a foolish criminal father. I will not do that, neither will I survive the work of the ser- pent of the Malay lands.” / He leaned forward as he finished, and taking up the sheet he had just covered with writing, read his work as follows: ** 10 the world :— ‘* The last statement of Massena Branson, broker, madein good health and with his mind properly balanced. In the year 18611 was coming home from a voyage to the Old World with my wife and child, the present Bertha of my heart. In the Malaysian seas our vessel was surprised at night by a piratical craft commanded by the then terror of those waters, Captain Asgeelo. Being unarmed, we made no resistance, but fell into the Malay’s hands like a ripe plum, Being the only American passenger on board accompanied by his family, I was treated with much consideration by the pirate, but all at once his temper changed, and I became the victim of his displeasure. “Shortly after the capture I was taken to his cabin, where he made the most infamous proposi- tion that ever fell from the lips of man. He offered mea choice between swearing that my daughter should become his wife on demand, and walking the plank with my child in my arms, I was thus thrown into an awful predicament. Could the cruelty of man go further than did Captain Asgeelo’s on that occasion? I thought of my wife, in delicate health, of my child, a beautiful babe. in her arms, and I re- ‘membered, too, that the careers of pirates are brief. oe that justice would speedily overtake the Malay and his crew, and in-order to spare my wife any sorrow, I subscribed to tee oath and was re- leased. ; * Years on pa away. My wife died in ignorance of the awful compact, and my daughter grew to womanhood, the solace of my clouded life. I was happy tilla few months ago. I thought that the sea had swallowed up the pirate of the tropics, but all at once his shadow fell across my path Captain Asgeelo had come to claim his own. Not all the money I have could buy him off. and my prayers for bim to spare us fellona heart of stone. Bertha, with a fortitude 1 have never seen surpassed has, submitted, She sacrifices herself to keep dark the one error of my life. It is said that the man who took an oath in ag ig Asgeelo’s vessel afterward served under his flag. I did not do that, Some vther person perhaps did, I never saw the Malay from the day I left his ship till he followed up one of his mysterious letters with his face. *T shall leave this confession behind May ven- geance ere long overtake the serpent who has stung me to death, and may my child forgive her foolish father. In afew hours hz will come for the sacrifice; the step of the man of the\tropics wil) pollute my house; but I shall not look into his triumphunt eyes nor listen tothe voice I detest. .The triumph of ‘Captain Asgeelo is complete. He has killed two! ‘*MAssENA BRANSON.” The broker of Broad street read this paper with quivering lip, He went ees it like a person who sudden- ly finds his death-warrant, and he sat like a statue in the chair while he read. When his hands moved they folded the paper, and placed, it in one of the pigeon-holes of the desk before him. After this, he wheeled his chair across the room and opened a small sideboard where none seemed to exist, Taking a bottle from one of the shelves, Mas- sena Branson went back to the desk and poured some of the wine into a small glass which he found there. 1B wine was red, and emitted an appetizing or. Having done this, he took a vial from his ee and let several drops of an almost color- Jess liquid mingle with the wine, His hands did not tremble now; it seemed as rhe a the reading of the paper had steadied them, “Tf I had set a man on Captain Asgeelo’s trail, it might have been different,” he mur- mured, ‘* But [ was afraid to share the secret with a man, so I chose a boy; and what has he done? Nothing!” — At that moment the door behind the broker was opened, and a person bounded across the room. Branson started and wheeled with a cry. ** Ah! you are here yet!” exclaimed the vis- itor, who was a girl with flushed cheeks and glowing eyes. ‘““IT have come to tell you that we have not failed—that Dodger Dick has The Two Shadows. thrown the Malay into the hands of the police; | them a terrible emphasis, but they were met but tbat is not all the good news!” The girl, Madge Mystery, stopped suddenly, and fell back suddenly pale. ‘““ What is the rest? Tell me!” cried the broker. A strange, wild look shone from the girl shadow’s eyes, and she reeled away before he could catch her and fell to the floor. CHAPTER XVIIL THE SPELL BROKEN, Ir is one thing to proniise victory, quite an- other to achieve it. Dodger Dick’s friend, the inspector, talked eonfidently of having Captain Asgeelo within an hour after the interview; but that time pass- ed and more, too, and the man from the tropics was still at large. The police had taken two men supposed to be the captain, but they turned out to be some one else, and thus much time was lost, Meantime, Dodger Dick himself was not idle. He was a hunter on his own hook, and a cer- tain quarter of the city was the bush which he was beating for his quarry. There were several places where there was a robability of finding the Malay, and the man- unters visited all, but without success. ‘*T don’t say that your man has given us the slip,” remarked the inspector to Dick, when they had met accidentally on a corner. “He sha’n’t escape me!” cried the young ferret. ‘“‘I have not calculated on anything of that kind.” ‘Then you are looking for him too, eh?” ‘*T am busy in that direction. I shall try an- other place.” ** Alone?” “Yes. I will be within hailing distance of one of your men, if I find anything,” and Dick left the officer and ran up the steps of an ‘* L” depot, ntering one of the cars, he took a seat unob- trusively in one corner. The coach at the time was pretty full, and the boy ran his eye up one side and down an- other. 5 Suddenly his gaze became fixed on a man, who seemed to send a thrill through his frame. He did not have to look twice at the passenger —he knew him too well for that. It was Captain Asgeelo! Did the Malay know that the boy kad named him to the Philistines—that even then the hounds of the law were after him? Was he aware of the fact that Mylo, his favorite spy—the keen and silent Mylo—had been vaught, and was behind iron bars? If the Malay did not know something of these things, why the slouched hat that fell over his black eyes, and why the garb Dick had never seen him wear before? ‘¢The rogue of rogues sees me,” thought Dick. ‘* He seems to know-that we are closing in on him like a net. There can be no mistake, Cap- tain Asgeelo is playing a forced hand.” For some time Dick leaned back in his corner and covertly watched the man he wanted, ** We leave the car together,” murmured’ the young detective. “* The allotted time is draw- ing to a close, It is a run to the death now, captain.” ick was right. Under the existing circumstances it could be nothing else, As tothe Malay he knew his young pursuer the moment he set eyes on him. In fact, he discovered Dick a second before the boy ferret found:him, and he had passed the interval with his eyes on his foe. Dick was nearest the door, but he knew that be could pot block the way long for the. desperate man whom he wanted. It was watch and counter-watch for some time during which the train whirled along over the trestled track. Allat once as it began to slow up to one of the stations Captain Asgeelo left his seat. The following moment he came down the aisle toward the boy shadow. “The tug of war has come,” thought Dick. “Tf the fellow escapes me now I lose the game for good,” ‘Fourteenth street!” called out the guard. A number of ngers were already on their feet. Dick got up and stood elbowing the man from the South Seas. Suddenly Captain Asgeelo leaned forward, ~ his eyes at the same time seemed to catch “If you dare!” he whispered at Dick’s ear. “T carry death in my hands. Remember!” The look that accompanied these words gave with a glance of fearless defiance. ; In a second Captain Asgeelo was beyond the oor, Dick saw him leave the coach. ‘** Now or never!” passed the boy’s lips. e next instant be had cleared the car hime self and was after the Malay, Across the depot platform he bounded, and in a twinkling had reached the steps, Captain Asgeelo was already half-way down, The boy spotter of Gotham had nobody be- tween him and the broker’s foe so be got the full benefit of the savage eyes that were turned -. suddenly on him as their owner stopped and looked back! Below Captain Asgeelo the way seemed clear, but if he fled the young hunter would be at his heels. _It was an exciting moment in the Malay’s ife, “Is the tiger coming back at me?” Dick asked himself. ‘‘ Have we got to fight it out here?” No! Captain Asgeelo turned toward the street once more, but near the foot of the steps he gave asudden start which drew the young detective’s attention to a man whom the Malay had noticed with alarm, Dick could not suppress an exclamation of joy when he saw the man. Captain Asgeelo seemed to notice his young tracker’s delight. “Captain Fox?” cried Dick leaning over the side of the stair, ~ The man on the sidewalk looked up. He was one of the special men detailed by the inspector to keep a sharp lookout for Cap- tain Asgeelo. He knew Dick on sight, and for him to see him on the stair was to step quickly forward. ‘That is the man you want,” pursued the boy covering the Malay with his finger. ‘‘ You have before you Captain Asgeelo.” Before all the words were out Captain Fox, alert, agile and strong had reached the stair. Captain cy 20 turned with a muttered oath upon Dodger Dick. ; One of his hands fell from his breast as he did so, and the boy caught a sudden glitter of something too small for a pistol barrel or a dag- ger blade, ? The boy RL Babs enter drew back for at that moment the handwriting which the old shoemaker, Moszeelo, left on the wall flashed across his mind. He thought about the poison of the dyaks! ‘You go with me, rat of the sewers!” hissed the Malay. ‘If the game is out, so is your exis- tence!” But there was behind him a man who seemed to divine the yellow rascal’s intentions. The map of the tropics felt bimseli suddenly grasped from the rear and crowded against the side of the stair, ) Dick sprung down to help the detective, but the Malay had found bis match in agility and strength, und the grip of Captain Fox was all he needed to keep him quiet. . When Dick looked for the glittering object which he had seen in the Malay’s hand, it was gone, and a brief search of the sidewalk failed | to reveal it. ‘¢] must tell Madge about the victory, then for Massena Branson and Bertha!” thought Dick, as the manacles snapped at the Malay’s wrists. CHAPTER XIX. THE END OF THE STRING. Tr took the young detective some time to find Madge, but he found her at last. He had more news for her than the arrest of Captain Asgeelo, There had been a tragedy ina cell of the sta- tion, and the lieutenant in charge had made a startling ng tty” b The man from the tropics, the cool gamester who had played for more than a young bride for the broker’s wealth was, after all, the true object before him—had tried to cheat the courts of justice of their own. A few minutes before Dick found Mad Captain Asgeelo had attempted to take his life with a needle, which was found on the floor of the cell “Go back to the ‘Malay, and let me take the ood news to Bertha!” exclaimed Madge, when Hick related what had occurred. “Go, then,” answered Dick. ‘And say to the wt for me that he is saved and the secret is safe. We have seen how the girl shadow reached
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- - ry BB ety Lo * mt: ity, hae “0 Be " at ot Lar les er ‘« The Two Shadows. 15 Branson’s house in time to prevent another crime, and how, with her message half told, she fell senseless to the floor. It was believed for a while that Madge had been stricken with death, but she was revived to finish her story and to say that, when within a few yards of the house, a man jostled her and she felt, at the same time, a sting in her arm like the pricking of a needle! It was this sting which sent a keen pain through her body, caused asudden giddiness, and then made her reel from the broker's chair. It was the poison of the dyaks! When Dodger Dick presented himself at the house, now the abode of joy, be told how Cap- tain Asgeelo had died at the station from the deadly poison of the steel needle, and be added, with a smile and a glance at Branson: ** He died without a word or a sign, and jus- tice made his own hand avenge the murder of old _Moszeelo and the crimes committed on the sea. Madge went through a long and strange spell of illness from the effects of the needle, the poison of which had lost some of its strength ia some manner, but she was nursed by Bertha, and the best medical skill of New York was at her service. But one of Captain Asgeelo’s four spies es- caped—Maxar, who got wind of the blocking of the game in time to get away. The others, Malo, Mylo and Muffet were sent to Sing Sing for conspiracy against life and property, and the three yellow slavesof Captain Asgeelo are there to-day, As a matter of course, David Dallas was wel- comed back to Bertha Branson’s home, and with the spell of the Malay broken forever, the young couple’s marriage speedily followed. assena Branson was willing to give Dick and Madge his entire fortune for their services, but they took only a modest portion of it, Dick declaring that his joy at saving Bertha from the clutches of the man of the tropics was re- ward enough for him. He never played a better game, nor wona grander victory. THE END. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. BY WILLIAM «. EYSTER,. 190 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. 210 Faro Frank; or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Pards. BY ©. DUNNING CLARK. 185 Captain ieals or, The Boy Spy of the Mountains, 280 The Yankee Rajah; or, The Fate of the Black Shereef. BY W. J. NAMILTON, 68 The Red Brotherhood ; or, The Twelve Avengers, 66 Single Hand; or, A Life for a Life. 72 Mad Tom Western, the Texan Ranger. 887 Ben Bird, the Cave King; or, Big Pete’s Scoop. BY COLONEL DELLE SARA. 108 The Lion of the Sea; or, The Vailed Lady. 186 Cool Desmond; or, Thre Gambler’s Big Gane’ BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON. 278 The Three Trappers; or, The \ i % 288 Indian Joe; or, The Waite Spirit “y he Hie BY JOHN J. MARSHALL. 40 Roving Ben, A Story ofa Y 97 The Outlaw Brothers; es "The Captive of the Harpes. BY GEORGE ©. JENKS. 485 Git Thar Owney the Unknown, 492 Git Thar SL becte Pledge. 518 he Demon Dector. BY J. W. OSBON, 469 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Luck, 587 Old Buckeye, the Sierra Shadow, BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR, U. 8. A. 1191 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker; or, The Doomed irteen. 194 Buffalo Bill's Bets or, The Gambler Guide. BY HARRY 8ST. GEORGE, 80 Roaring Ralph Rockwood, the Ranger. an Rattling Rube; or, The N ighthawke of Kentucky, 59 Old Mickory § or, Pandy Ellis’s Scalp. 108 Paring aN! or, The Trail of pane ra Ph ekory Harry; or, The Trapper-Brigade’s Spy. 17% Thunderbolt Foms or, the WollHerder. BY MAJOR NENRY B. STODDARD, Ex-Scout, B06 Neck-Tie Ned; or, The Dug-Out Pards. #46 Rapier Ita acl ¢ or, The Swordsmen of Zacatecas, B08 Kid-Glove Feit cea Baeza ee Reettet ay - an ng. 406 ane Mad Man-Hunter3 ‘or, The Mystery’ of u . 405 Powell's Pard; or, The One-Armed Giant. Golden BY JACK FARRAGOUT. 815 Ned, the Cabin Boy. 820 The Sea Sorceress; or, The Boy Skipper. BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One*Eyed Sim; or, The Abandoned Forest Home. 110 The Black Steed of the Prairies. A Story of Texas. BY CHARLES E. LASALLE, 50 Burt Bunker, the Trapper. 52 The White Buffalo. A Tale of the Northwest BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girl. 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. ZY Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. 253 Joe Buck of Angels and His Boy Pard. AZ New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham, 58 New England Nick; or, the Fortunes of a Found hing 64 Nimble Nick, the Circus Prince. 93 ‘Luos Ted, toe Arizona Sport. 510 Cool Colorado, the Hall-Breed Detective. | 618 Cool Colorado in New York. BY FRANK DUMONT. 120 The Branded Handy; or, The Man of Mystery. 127 Wild-Fire, the Boss of the Road. 140 Blue Blazes; or, The Break o’ Day Boys of Rotky Bar 1 Ebony Dan; or, The Rival Leagues. 1 Svil Eye; or, The Vultures of the Rio Grande. BY EDWARD 8. ELLIS. 6 Bill Biddon, Trapper. 8 Seth Jones; or, The Captives of tne Frontier. 10 Nat Todd3 or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive. 21 The Frontier Angel. 98 The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island. 182 The Hunted Hunter; or, The Strange Horseman, 254 The Half-Blood; or, The Panther of the Plains. 271 The Huge Hunter; or, The Steam Prairie Man. BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE. 86 Dandy Rock the Man from Texas. 90 The Dread Rider; or, The Texan Duelist. 99 The Tiger of Taos; or, Dandy Rock’s Angel. 115 The Mad Miner: or, Dandy Rock’s Doom. 181 The Golden Hand; or, Dandy Rock to the Rescue, 164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge; or, Hunted to Death. 178 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The Si a Maid of Taos. BY ROGER STARBUCK. 25 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter. | 114 The Black Schooner; or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar. 259 The Golden Harpoon; or, Lost Among the Floes. 848 Fire-Heela; or, Old Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. 854 Big Horn Ike, the Hill Tramp; or, The Odd Pards. 861 The Phantom Light-house, 870 Breaker Ben, the Reef-Runner. BY MAJOR E. L. ST. VRAIN. 292 Sancho Pedro, the Boy Bandit. 801 Leadville Nick, the Boy Sport. 812 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. 888 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quartette, 852 Tombstone Tom, the Arizona Boy of * Sand.” B59 Durance teave, the Y ung “ine ion V restler. 871 Kingbolt Chris, the Young Hard-Shell Detective. 880 Avalanche Alf, the Foothills Guide. 890 Jaguar Joe, of the Mountain Mail-Line. BY JO PIERCE, 897 Bob o’ the Bowery 3 or, The Prince of Mulberry Street 415 The Vagabond Detective; or, Bowery Bob’s Boom. 452 Hotspur Bob, the Street-Boy Detective. 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow; or, Luke’s Legacy. 472 Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. 494 Surly Sim, the Young Ferryman Detective, 504 Five Points Phil. 509 Jack J agmerny the Butcher Boy Detective, 516 Tartar Tim; or, Five Points Phil’s Menagerie, 526 North River Nat, the Pier Detective. 588 Wrestling Rex, the Pride of the Sixth Ward. 541 Jeff Flicker, the Stable Boy Detective. BY PHILIP 8. WARNE. 67 Patent-Leather Joe: or, Old Rattlesnake, the Charmer. 175 Capratn Arizona; or, Patent-Leather Joe's Big Game. 198 Captain Mask; or, Patent-Leather Joe’s Defeat. 219 Despard, the Dueliat; or, The Mountain Vempires. 888 A Tough Boy ; or, The Dwarfs Revenge. 868 Little Tornados or, The Outcasts of the Glen, 878 Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard. 888 Little hemzs or, Caught in His Own Trap, 401 Little Shoo-F ly; or, A Race for a Ranch. 408 Little Leather-Breeches ; or, Old Jumbo’s Curse. 481 Little Ah Sing or, The Curse of Blood. 451 Colorado Kate. A Tale of the olines. 480 Three Jolly Parda, 517 Jim Gladden’s Deputy. 527 The Jolly Pards to the Rescue. : BY J, C. COWPRICK. 860 Rilver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the told Kine; or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 wae, Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a amé. 424 Cibuta John: or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude 490 Rrondway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. ee 9 Redlight Ral ‘t the Prince of the Road. Pty | Broadway Billy’s Boodle. B en he Engineer Detective 86 Broadway Billy’s ‘ Difikilty.” BY CAPT, J. F, ©. ADAMS. 84 Oregon 8& ’ 46 Gi a Seta el Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. per. ex's Pets or, In The Valley of Death. 0 The W hite Indian; or, The Scout of the Yellowstone. ® Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods. Y 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. . 85 Buck Buekram ; or, Bess, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Peta; or, The Wild Huntress. Bh Mesieeye en nace tare »L unterae: or, The Unde d Cam 288 The Scalp King} or, The Human Thunderooll. BY WM. G. PATTEN, 489 The Diamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Reck 519 Captain Mystery ; or, Five in One, 581 Dalay Dare, the Sport from Denver. BY CAPT. MARK WILTON. 25° Young Kentuck; or, The Red Lasso. 270 Blizzard Ben; or, The Riot at Keno Camp. 286 Josh, the Boy Tenderfvot. BY HARRY HAZARD. 828 Arkansaw Jack; or, The Scourge of the Mimes. 829 Red-Skin ran or, The Demon’s Trail, 842 The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack, the Outlaw. BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 78 Blue Dick; or, The Yellow Chief’s Vengeance. 87 The Land Pirates or, The League of Devil’s Island. 187 The Helpless Hand; or, Backwoods Retribution. 289 The Gold-seeker Guide; or, The Lost Mountain. BY BRACEBRIDGE HEMYNG. 89 Island Jim: or, The Pet of the Family. 91 The Captain of the Club; or. The Rival Athletes. 101 Jack Narkaway in New York, BY EDWARD WILLETT. 167 Asa Scott, the Steamboat Boy, 199 Featherweight the Boy Champion of the Muskingum, 228 Ozark Alf; or, Featherweight Among the Outlaws. 282 The Typo Detective: or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp. 295 Feurless Phil; or, The King of Quarizville. 11 The Roving Sport; or, The Pride of Chuckalnck Campe 22 Nemo, the Setectives or, Kit Kenyon's Vendetta. 840 Clip, the Contortionist; or, The Montana Vigilantes. {BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKER. 15 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien. 29 The Dumb Page} or, The Doge’s Daughter. 48 Dick Darling, the Pony Express Rider. 150 Lance and Las«ao; or, The Children of the Chaco. 154 The Sword Hunters; or, The Land of the beg = ee Rid 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabez Coffin’s Cruise to t) Open Polar Sea. 200 The Boy Bedoutns; or, The Brotlers of the Plumed Lance, 214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine. 249 Milo Romer, the Animal King; or, The Round the World Wanderer. 265 The Tiger Tamer; or, The League of the Jungle. 881 Black Nick. the Demon Rider. 895 California Joe’s War Trail. BY BUCKSKIN SAM (Major Sam. 8, Hall.) 284 Old Recky’s **Boyees 3” or, Benito, the Young Horse- Breaker. 246 Giant @eorge; or, The Ang’! of the Range. 275 Arizona Jack 3 or, Giant George’s Pard. 297 The Tarantula of Taos; or, Giant George’s Revenge. 807 The Strange Pard; or, Little Ben’s Death Hunt. 818 Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo; or, The Tarantula of Taos. 827 Creeping Cat, the Caddo; or, The Red and White Pards. 882 Frio ered : or, The Tonkaway’s Trust. 844 The Fighting Trio; or, Rattlesnake, the Tonkaway. 849 Wild Wolf’; or, Big-Foot Wallace to the Front. 857 The Ranch Ralders: or, The Siege of Fort Purgatory, 864 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger. 875 Chiota, the Creek 3; or, The Three Thunderbolts. 881 Randera Bill; or. Frio Frank to the Front. 892 Romeo and the Reds; or, The Beleaguered Ranch. 404 Little Lariat; or, Pecan Pete’s Big Rampage. 414 The Daisy from Denver. 427 The Three Trailers; or, Old Rocky on the Rampage. 442 Bluff Bill; or, The Lynx of the Leona. 455 Little Lone Star}; or, The Belle of the Cibolo, MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS. 4 The Wild-Horse Hunters. By Capt. Mayrie Reid and Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift. 14 Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. 38 newman reser RE ate ‘ 8 Sindbad the Sailor. s Seven Vo 22 The Sca Serpent; or, The Boy Roblessn Crusoe. By Juan Lew 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees, By S. W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Clown; or, The Queen of the Arena, By Frank §. Finn. 88 Ned Wylde. the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 561 The Boy Rifles; or, The Underground Camp. By Archie 6 C. Irons. 95 The Rival Rovers; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. By Lieut.-Col. Hazeltine. 98 Robin Hood, the Outlawed Earl; or, The Merry Men of Green- wood. Bvw Prof. Gildersleeve. 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes 112 The Mad Hunter; or, The Cave of Death. By Burton Saxe, 124 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George ePson. 128 Ee oan a arry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Sam}; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy. By J Alexander Patten. 227 Durky Darrell, Trapper: or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- « _ lowstone. By Edward Emerson. 261 Fergus Fearnaught the New York Boy. By George L, Aiken. 266 Killb’ar, the Guide; »r, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail. By Ensign C. D. Warren. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid of the Clif, By Captain Comstock. 817 Peacoc tenant Alfred Thorne. 828 The ky Pe. ecommves or, A Boy’s Fight for Life and Honor. By Maior Mic * 850 Red Ralph, the River Rover; er, The Brother’s Re- venge. By Ned Buntline. B65 Itimore Ben the Bootblack Detective. By A. P. Morris, 874 ‘ 1d-Dust Tomy or, Ben’s Double Match. By George H, oree. 876 California Joe’s First Trail. By Colonel Thomas 418 Hilly Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By F. 8. Winthrop, o e ™ . ~ 440 Little Foxfoot, the Gold Bowie Kid. By Arthur C. Grissom, 475 The Black Ship, By John S, Warner. 484 Comanche Dick and His Three Invincibles, By 528 Wisard-Arm, the Dandy Sport. By Arthur F. Holt, zard-Arm e vs . EES The Cowboy Dukes By Edwin Brooke Forrest, A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dim bi is for sale by all newsdealers counts por copy, or nt Roper 4 receip f six cents each, ave BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, Privateer; or, The Pirate’s Stronghold. By 98 William Street, New Yors \ k Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville. By Lien- — ot 4
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eed rede en a r 33% Denver Doll's A henna ‘or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. ~ BBO Little Quie ' BI2 Bis Nabob Ned; or, The Secret of Slab City, | 88 BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela. r 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance, [28 Buffalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise. . 55 Wila Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. 42 Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza, 49 Omaha OL; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. p78 Dendwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine, @@ Corduroy Charlie; or, Deadwood Dick’s Last Act. 100 Deadwood Dick In Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick’s Device: or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick's Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Gulch. 188 Bionde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. 149 166 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivyls of the Road. 201 The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Deadwood Dick's Ward. 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Ad- venture. 217 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand. 221 Sugar-Coated Sam; or, The Black Gown. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Rough: and Toughs, 265 Deadwood Dick’s Divide ; or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal; or, The Gold Brick of regon. 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Dendwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- gings. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible Vendetta. 862 Deadwood Dick’s Claim. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Diamonds, 421 Deadwood Dick In New York; or, A “ Cute Case,” 480 Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand. 445 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Nickel-Plate Neds or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Defiance. Sunflower Sam, of Shasta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Full Hand. Flush Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Ronnd- Up. 465 Phito Fly, of Phenix; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Racket at ‘aim 10. Bozeman Bill; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Corral. Humboldt Harry the Hurricane;- or, Deadwood Dick Jrs Dog Detective. . Moll Myatery; or, Deadwood Dick Jr. in Deadwood. Prince Pistol, the King of the West; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Compact. ¢ Monte Cristo, Jr.: or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Inheritance. 500 Deadwood Dick’s Diggings ; or, Dr. Death-Grip’s Swoop, Deadwood Dick’s Deliverance, » Deadwood Dick’s Protegee. 522 Deadwood Dick’s Three. 9 Deadwood Dick’s Danger Ducka, 584 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. Deadwood Dick Jr, in Texas. 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr. the Wild West Vidoeg. 549 Deadwood Dick on Mis Mettle. 554 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Gotham, Deadwood Dick in Boston. 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Philadetphia, 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Chicago. Deadwood Dick, Jr. Afloat. Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Denver, Deadwood Dick, Jr's, Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Beelzebub’s Basin, 600 Deadwood Dick Jr. at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Dick Jr's Lendville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr. In Cincinnatt, 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Nevada, 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in No Man’s Land. 686 Deadwood Dick, Jr. After the Queer. 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Buffalo. 645 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Chase Across the Continent. -_ «© Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-F ace, Detective; or, Life in New York, 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the Snagpenoeter, or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Rob or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Photograph 11; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. 92 Canada Chet ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 96 Watch-Eye ; or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City, 118 Jack Moyle the Young Spectlator. WT Gllt- Edged Dick, the Sport Detective, 121 Cinnamen Chip, the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza BILL, Miner. ri 188 Boxa hob the King of Bootblacks, 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. 145 Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective, 17% Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, Tho Sierras Scamps, | 181 Wild beenk the Buckskin Bravo. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective, | 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The V eg > Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective, 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young G)adiator. 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Slerra Sam’s Seeret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 255 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Angel of Big Vista. 258 Sierra Sam’a Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs, RTT Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll's Victo 1 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll's Drift: or. The Road Queen. 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker, 808 "Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the qren-Wasred Sport. \ B25 Kelley, adhere Co,, the Detectives of Philadelphia. > ; F Shot hones ae a of Daggersville, angaroe or, The Mysterious Miner, 9 Rangarce Kite Racket. Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood, 58. First-Class Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 68 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer 3 or, The Lottery oi Yreka Jim’s Prize. ” Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. 5 Yreka Jim’s Joker; or, The Rivals of Red Nose. B89 Bicycle Ben; or. The Lion of Lightning Lode, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam. | 400 Wrinkles, the ht-Watch Detective. 416 High Hat Ha the Base Bal) Detective, Sam Slabaides, the r-Boy Detective, . Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 436 Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler, el ag ca i Se a 51 5 I o BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 7? The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht, 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Dnelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Hussar Captain ; or, ‘Ile Hermit of Hell Gate, 197 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter, 204 Gold Plume; or, The Kid-Glove Sport. 216 Bison BI, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer, Crimaon Kate ; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph. Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 5 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Freelance Heir. The Midshipman Mutineer; or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, Dope Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure siand,. The Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned. mente Monte’s Cruise; or, The Chase of “The Gold Ship.’ Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl, the Pirate’s Bride. 284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Long ‘Trail. 269 276 280 Bonodel, the Boy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner. The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. Warpath WIII, the Boy Phantom. Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant, Isnodor, the Young Conspirator; or, The Fatal League, The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. The Wild Yachtamany; or, The War-Cloua’s Cruise, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. A Cabin Boy’s Luck; or, Tie Corsair. The Sea Ralder. The Ocean Firefly ; or, A Middy’s Vengeance. HMaphazard Harry; or, The Scapegrace of the Sea, Wizard Will: or, Tike Boy Ferret of New York. Wizard Wiil’s Street Scouts, The Born Guide; or, The Saiior Boy Wanderer, Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster, Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard. Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard Will’s Last Case. Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger. Arizona doe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. Buck Taylors King ot the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy ¢ or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. The Hunted Midshipman. 1 The Outlawed Middy. Buckskin Blll, the Comanche Shadow, Brothers tn Buckskin. The Buckskin Bowers, 585 The Buc skin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder of the Rio, Lientenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. Lafitte’s Legacy: or. The Avenging Son, The Creole Corsair. Pawnee Bll, the Prairie Shadower. Kent Kingdon, the Card King. Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective, 580 The Outcast Cadet; or, The False Detective. 86 The Buckskin Avenger, 591 Delmonte. the Young Sea Rover. 507 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond ofthe Mines. 607 The Rover Detecttve; or, Keno Kit’s Champions. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Raiders and the Red Riders of the Kio. 644 The Hercules Highwayman, BY BUFFALO BILL (Hen. Wm, F. Cody) 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie, 55 Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout, 68 Border Robin Hood; or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. BY CHARLES MORRIS, 118 Will Somers, the Boy Detective, 122 Phil NWardy, the Boss Boy. : 126 Picayune Petes or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 180 Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags. 142 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, 147 WIll Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Ress, Will Wildfire’s Racer. 157 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. 162 Will Wildfire in the Woods. 165 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy, 170°A Trump Card 3 or, Wil! Wildfire Wins and Loses, 174 Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. 179 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, 188 The Hidden Handy or, Wi!| Wildfire’s Revenge. 187 Fred Malyard, the Life Boat Boy; cr, The Smugglers, 189 Bob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wall. 196 Shadowed ; or, Bob Kockett’s Fight for Life, 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 Dashaway ; 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. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughored. 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in the Quaker City. 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times, 879 Larry, the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard, 408 Firetly Jack, the River-Rat Detective, 428 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vagaoond. } 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive, 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. BREADLE’S+H ALF-DIME* LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Hach Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman: as Sharp for the Sharper, | 566 The Secret Service Boy Detective. 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tom Bruce of Arkansas; or, The Wolf in the Fold, No Double Numbers. ° BY OLL COOMES. 5& Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. 18 The Dumb Spy. 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies, 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger, 58 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. 71 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy, 74 Hawk-eye Harry the Youug Trapper Ranger, a 88 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. % 3 184 Sure Shot Seth, the boy Rifleman, - € 148 Scar-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter, 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. Little Texas, the Young Mustanger, Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. ; Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. ro hee Pete ; or, The Veahe Outlaw Hunters, The Boy Hercules: or, The Prairie Tramps. 218 Tiger Tom, the Texas Terror. Dashing Dick; or, Trapper Tom’s Castle. Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detective; or, The Little Ranger. The Disguixed Guide; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. Minkskin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. The Sky Demon ; or, Ruinbolt, the Ranger. W hip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. Hercules; or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. Webfoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone, Little Buckskin, tne Young Prairie Centaur. Wingedtoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul. Tamarac ‘Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic, 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan, 562 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trapper, BY T. C. HARBAUGIL i 8 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of 776. a 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Little Hunter, “AT Nightingale Nat; or, Toe Forest Captains, * 64 Dandy Gack $ or, dine Outlaws of the Oregon Trali. 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. a: 94 Midnight Jack 3; or, The Boy Trapper. - 06 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen. y 28 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. a 89 Judge Lynch, Jr.; or, The Boy Vigilante. , 4 55 Gold Trigger, the amperes or, The Girl Avenger. . 69 Tornado Font 3 or, Injun Jack From Red Core, y 88 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. « 98 Arkansaw ; or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenge. 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. y 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Tovknot’s Crusade, ’ 81 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Re! Jezebel. 41 Bill Bravo; or, The Roughs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apolins te King-Pin of Bowie. 267 The Buckskin Detective. 279 Old Winehy or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dany or, The Bowie Blade of Gochetopa. i B02 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 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. am 845 Pitilesas Matt; or, Red Thunderbolt’s Secret, B56 Ooot 61 Old Kit Bandy’s Deliverance; or, Banner Ben, the og “4 Wildfire of the Brailes. By Ol] Coomes. A 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza; or, The Spectre Soldier ot % the Overland. By Col, P. Ingraham. ; ; 668 Violet Vane’« Victory; or, The Jaspar City Clean Out. vy By Wm. G. Patten. 664 Cheeky. Charley, the Special; or, The Life Racket at 4 Rattlesnake I idge. “by P * Warne. a fah, the Plains Detective; or, Warbling Wil- f 665 Jolly Joremun By Lieut. A. K. Sims, Ready April 22, . dawood Dick, Ir., Back in the Mines; or, The $6 ea Amazon’s Doubie Game. By Edward L. Wheeler, Ready April 29. A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library |s. for asle by all newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six conte each, | BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 bi sears Street, New York,