Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 653) (1890 01 28)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
eee eerceeceeerrerrs __ Entered at the Post Office at New York, ie Ses at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright 1890, dl BEADLE | AND ADAMB, January 2, 1890. $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADA) Price, Nc O. 653. Phy ot all seis 5 Cents. Vol. XXVL No, 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. TTT / Mi} || ie HH ii iW } —C—— = a ‘i | ll i 1 i) iN | N NAS ri i i} iil Hl et J | oe a si! ‘ Imi B ; Mlb ee i: i i y —_ it ay 4 = ALLE bis, >= mM ii My ‘ANA al oo sl a we jill: / Hi MN " 1))) Ml 2 t) IN her ge G “RATRERING THE GUILTY GAN BY T. C. HARBAUGH, AUTHOR OF “‘yuUTE MERLE,” ‘‘ BUCKSKIN px. TECTIVE,” “LITTLE LON,” ¢onp SKINNER,” “THE DOCK DETEC TIVE, ” rHE ‘DODGER’ DICK,” NOVELS, ETC, -, ETO. CHAPTER I. MR. MOSES’S CUSTOMERS, In spite of his name Mr, Mordecai Moses was nota Jew. He did business on Baxter street, New York, and three gilded balls were suspe ud- ed over the entrance te his establishment, but he was an American all the same, though not an ad to his og yoy a ; = : e was small and dark-faced, had one deeply © THE Boy SHADOWER DARED NO E SLI " : sunken eye which seemed to see as much as two TO DEPEND ‘oN pen sea ECTLY QUIET On EMENT, BIS 18 LIFE SEEMED .
Page 2
ae ordinary ones; and could tell the commercial value of anything brought to his shop the mo- ment he saw it. ' Mr. Moses was about to close his shutters one night, after a dull day, when a woman turned suddenly aside from the middle of the pavement and walked into his place, In an instant Mordecai had pounced upon her like a hawk. He saw that his customer was still young, though by no means good looking, and her man- ner indicated that she had visited him on secret business. Finding herself alone with the pawnbroker, she took a leather purse from her pocket and leaned over the counter. If the little man expected toseea jewel of great value he was disappointed, for, instead, he beheld one of his own tickets which the woman had brought ‘* home.” She placed the ticket before the pawnbroker and met his astonished look with a placid smile. The bit of card-board bore the number 666, and he knew he had never issued it to her, ‘t Did he send you after the article?” asked old Mordecai, taking up the ticket. ‘*How do you think I came by it?’ snapped the caller. ‘“tIf you ask questions here, we’ll patronize another shop hereafter.” Again eying the'ticket to make sure that no deception was being practiced, the pawnbroker moved away, carefully watched by the customer. In ashort time he came back and pushed a small package across the counter. tt was a square affair, of the length and breadth of one’s hand, and about six inches ht b. It was wrap- ped in brown pat and well tied, though the <not looked a g deal fresher than the cover- i ng. As she took the packet, the woman deposited twenty ‘dollars before old Mordecai, and then whisked out of the shop before she-could be re- strained. : . ‘*E ‘don’t ‘know about that; but, let it go,” muttered the pawnbroker, shaking his head. ‘I think I would rather have kept the package, If I had the right person here, I’d have her follow- ed.” And, apparently dismissing the incident from his mind, he closed for the night and tg to the room above the store where he slept. alf an hour later he was startled by a series of raps, and, raising the window, he saw a very small figure under the three. balls, and was greeted with: ‘*Get up, Moses! I think I’ve got the starting of a fortune for you. Ho! you old sleepy-head! Do you want me to take my trade down-town?” ‘* Whatis it now, Billy?’ : ‘“More than you think,” came up from be- ow, The one-eyed pawnbroker lowered the sash, and in a little while had opened his front door. In popped an agile little figure, a boy, with a pair of gleaming black eyes, and in the common garb of a street Arab. ‘Now, what is it, Bantam?’ demanded old Mordecai, brusquely, ‘* Speak out!” ** Not so fast!” replied the Arab; ‘‘I guess I don’t have to give you the pointers I’ve picked up. No, aot much, Mr. Moses.” The pawnbroker instantly changed his tactics, He was afraid that the boy had an important secret and he did not want to miss it; so he asked the street scout’s pardon, and the boy seemed satisfied, for one hand disappeared in a nocket, and a singular looking object was de- posited on the counter. Singular, we say, for its like had never greet- ed old Mordecai’s eyes, though some strange things had come to him in the usual way, : It was a gold cross, around which twined a silver serpent, the head of the reptile ping over one of the arms, from behind, Its eyes were two brilliant emeralds, and the tip of the tail a stone of the same kind. 1b ‘* What’ll you advance on that ?” queried the OVs The pawnbroker looked at the youngster in utter amazement,, ‘*T don’t want to get into trouble,” said he, ‘Into trouble?” repeated the boy. ‘“ Who said you'd get there?” ita No one, of course, but I know‘a thing or 0. ‘“T think I didn’t come by it honestly, don’t you?” exclaimed Billy, reaching over the counter for the cross, ‘* T haven’t said so,” ‘“No; but I’ve seen you before. Come! give me back the cross if you don’t want to give me a on it.” ‘* How much, Billy?” “ Fifty.” Billy Bant ME ut ray’ p te on —_ © am, the Boy Beagle. The pawnbroker uttered an exclamation of amazement, ‘* Why don’t you want a thousand?” he cried, This isn’t the Kohinoor, you young scamp.” ‘¢ Of course it ain’t! You don’t pick the Koh- inore up in New York, either. Don’t want it at fifty, hey?” "Td like to know, first—” ‘*Not from me, Mr, Moses!” interrupted the gamin. ‘A first-class business man like Pve taken you to be, asks no questions. If you don’t want the gem on the terms I’ve stated, Pll try somebody else,” It was one of old Mordecai’s. business princi- ples not to let anything slip through bis tingers that promised a bargain, and the result of his interview with the boy was the payment of fifty dollars as a.loan on the gold cross, and the ac- quirement of the prize. This bit of business seemed to compensate bim for the transaction with the unknown woman, and he was not un- willing to see Master Bantam quit his establish- ment with fifty dollars of his money in his sket. “T told him I’d get something on it!” mur- mured the boy, skipping away. ‘I didn’t like to strike the old shark for too much, for fear he’d kick. We'll redeem the cross in time. That is, I'll help the gentleman to doit. I be- lieve he came by it honestly, and jf half what he tells me is true, somebody ougbt to go to the gallows.” If Mordecai Moses had followed his young cus- tomer, he would have seen him dodge into a certain open hallway a good many squares from his shop, and run nimbly up-stairs to the third story. A few feet from the landing he opened a door and entered a room dimly lighted. ‘‘ What! back already?’ exclaimed a voice. ‘‘ Bet yer life, colonel!” was the response, Didn't think I had to go to Chicago, did ou? A low laugh answered the boy’s sally, and in amoment Billy was looking into the pale and almost deathly face of aman who reclined in an arm-chair. He was propped up by cushions, and one could see by his sunken eyes and cheeks that, unless some miraculous change took place, he would soon cross the threshold of ‘ the un- discovered country.” He might have been forty-five years old; but bis looks rendered it difficult for one tu guess with any degree of exactness, He appeared to be a person of refinement, “« Ffere’s the stuff,” resumed Billy, placing the roll of bills in the man’s hands, ‘*Not this much?” he exclaimed, with a look of wonder, ‘* Not a cent less than fifty, colonel.” “Youre worth your weight in gold, my boy!” ‘Not in gold, but old iron, mebbe!” chuckled the gamin, ‘‘I knew where to take the cross, and there’s a good deal in knowing, you see.” ‘That's more than half the battle. Now, I'll send the message, I couldn’t do it before. And if you see anything of my cormorant landlord watching my door, tell him to crop in and get every dollar of his rent.” The speaker took from his bosom a slip of paper which he handed to Billy, together with one of the bills from the lot. ‘* Send it off as soon as possible,” he continued, a The address is on the paper, Then come back ere, “Tl do it alll” assented Billy, cheerfully, and soon he was on the street once more, to rush ten minutes later into a telegraph office, where he at ones handed the message to one of the operators, a young lady, The young person must have thought it a strange message, for she looked from it to the boy, and seemed on the eve of asking him a question, but she did not, and made the change in silence, Almost before Billy could withdraw, the fol- lowing message was flying over the wires, its destination New Orleans: “Lemvet Lyyx:— “ They are here; but my hand is dead, and I can’t hold on long, Come! Poynter.” The lad went back to the man in the chair. He had fallen asleep, and did not hear Billy eome ‘*T never saw a man have his nerve,” thought he, while he watched the invalid. ‘ He is dead now, all but that wonderful head of bis!” Just then the sleeper awoke with astart and Billy went forward, ‘Ts it on its journey?” he asked, his eye bright- ening. ah No: it’s there !” replied the messenger, ‘Thank heaven! He'll come the mont reads it, Tben let the infamous scoundrels B out! But, what is that on your pants, boy?” * Mud.” ‘“Mud? What! is the weather moist?” “No, I got it under ground,” The man’s look was a strange query. CHAPTER Ii. THE TWO HAWKS. THx man called ‘* Colonel” by the boy looked at the soiled pantaloons again and then glanced into the owner’s face, ** Been making a mole of yourself, have you?” he smiled. “I’ve been underground any way,” replied the gamin—"* playing a beagle after a human fox.’ The man in the chair said nothing for a mo- ment. He fell to looking at the pawn-ticket which Billy had brought back with him from his transaction with Mordecai Moses, : ‘¢ Was the old fellow bard to deal with?” he queried. ‘* Rather.” ‘‘ Did he ask you how you came by the cross?” ‘‘ Not just exactly, but his eyes said a good deal.” ‘We won't let him keep it very long if noth- ing goes amiss with us,” continued Poynter. “‘ I kept it till the last moment, Nothing but poverty made me give it up.” He seemed to grind his teeth as if he hated the very words he had just spoken, : ‘“Weall bave our dark days,” observed the boy, consolingly. ‘‘ I’ve had mine, colonel. My clothes look like I’m still in the dumps, but what’s the use o’ kicking? It never does one any good. Everybody can’t be on top at once, and my experience is that the fellows at the bottom of the heap don’t bave to do all the growling, if they don’t want to.” Colonel Poynter looked strangely at Billy while he spoke. cigeeton's either in the boy’s na- ture or his speech, seemed to please him, ‘* Where’s your mother, Billy?” “ Dead.” ‘© When did she die?” ‘* Last summer.” ** And your father?” ‘He went three years ago. I’m alone in the world, colonel, If I were to drop out, I wouldn’t be missed, But you would!” ‘* Who would miss me, Billy?” ‘‘ Why, the men we're playing against.” cee they would,” smiled the occupant of the chair. ‘* Don’t let’s drop out!” and the hand of Billy fell lightly upon the man’s arm, and rested there. ‘“« Agreed!” exclaimed Poynter. “I’m not in very good shape; but, Pll agree to remain in the game to the end.” The boy saw that he spoke the last words through his teeth. The pale face seemed to flush, and the veins in the slim hands to geta new supply of blood. A minute afterward Billy saw the head sink back among the pillows, and almost imme- diately Poynter was asleep. The lad drew off and watched him a few mo- ments, ; **T wish I could find something that’d make him well again,” he murmured, ‘ They don’t know where he is, I think they’ve lost track of him; but it isn’t their fault.” Master Bartam stole to the door on tiptoe, He opened it softly and went out, closing the portal behind bim. : Having done this, he went down to the side- walk and looked carefully around before moy- ing off. The night was warm, Tenement New York was on the pavement enjoying itself. _ Billy Bantam was seen and recognized by a dozen boys before he was a block away; but he resisted their overtures in good humor, and kept on. id he know that he was followed? Did he see the man who had caught sight of him, and who was eying him like a hawk? Billy turned down the first street, went three squares further, with the man still at his heels, and disappeared in @ narrow passage between two houses, The hawk came to the mouth of the passage, and looked down it after the boy. Billy did not traverse the ‘dark place far. A few yards from the pavement he lifted a latch, which bis sharp eyes found, and let him- self into a cramped back yard. In a short time he had opened a door, and
Page 3
Fnted himself to a young girl of perhaps ghteen, and quite pretty. She greeted the boy with a smile, * + Where are you from?” she inquired. ‘From him,” answered the street scout, The girl at once became interested. “ Why not tell me now, Billy?” she said, in- sinuatingly. ** About him?” “ Yes.” ‘“‘T don’t know much.” — ‘‘ But you know something.” The boy did not vas : “Te it’sa secret, 1 don’t want to rob you,” continued the girl. “T oughtn’t to have any secrets from you Nanice,” he smiled. ‘‘ You’ve been my frien through thick and thin. Here goes! Colonel Poynter came from the South six months ago. He used to be rich, and he would be so now were it not for as precious a pair of rascals as ever ‘breathed. He had the settling of a big estate; but one night every paper was stolen. Right upon the heels of this a report got circulated to the effect that the theft was a fraud—that be had destroyed the documents in order to appropriate the estate to his own use. “‘That was all bosh, Nanice—all a part of the big scheme against Colonel Poynter. He put some detectives after the thieves, but they have failed to find them. He todk the trail bimself. He spent thousandsinthe hunt. He came North, as I have said, six months ago. One’ night he waked up in his sleep and drank from the glass he kept near his bed. Within a minute a thou- sand pains shot through his body. Foolishly, he took another drink. “From that night he went down hill. He wasted away like a man dying with the con- sumption. The water _had been poisoned, but when and by whom? The poison is all through his system, and he knows that there is no hope for him. But I never saw a man of his nerve, He says that he is not going to die until he has brought the real thieves to justice, and vindi- cated his own name. His brain works better than hishands. As he said in the dispatch I sent to Lemuel Lynx to-night, they are virtually dead.” “Who is Lemuel Lynx?” asked the girl. ‘¢ A detective in New Orleans, the only one who kept faith with the colonel when his wealth had departed.” “What! Is he really poor?” ‘*T helped him make a raise to-night.” You? how?” , ‘I pawned for him: bis last keepsake, a gold eross with a silver snake twined about it.” “ Td like to see, Colonel Poynter,” said Nanice. *¢ Some-how-or-other, I’m _ interested in him; on your.aceount, I suppose, Billy.” ““fe’s every inch a gentleman!” exclaimed the boy. ‘Ifhe wasn’t, you wouldn’t find Wil- liam Bantam associated with him. When Lemuel Lynx comes, we'll close in on the ras- cals.” ‘*‘ Are they in New York?” ‘¢ They are here.” A very natural question was-on the girl’s tongue, : ‘Let's stop right here for the present,” re- sumed Billy. ‘‘I don’t like to tell all I know, and you'll not think bard of me for saying 59, will you, Nanice?’ ‘You know I won’t.” The boy sprung forward and kissed the girl, who playfully threw her arms around him and kissed bim back. They did not look like brother and sister, but, such they were. “Won't they seek to harm you if they dis- cover that you are Colonel Poynter's friend?” she asked. “Of course they will; but maybe they won't find that out.” “* Be cautious!” A : “Tm old Caution, Nanice!” asserted the gamin, proudly, ‘They don’t catch beaglés asleep, When the game is flushed you know,” ‘But beagles sometimes get into a hole and cannot get out, you know.” ‘* Not this one!” laughed the Jad. ‘‘ Not Colo- nel Poynter's beagle, girl, No hole will hold him! Nanice looked at her in brother with a good deal of pride, When Billy told Poynter that he was “alone in the world,” he bad not seen fit to mention his sister, and few, indeed, knew that the boy had one so near of kin. When Billy emerged from the narrow sage, he was met by the human hawk still on guard. 3 He started off, with the shadower again at his eels. tt tr a fe et aH . Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 3 A few blocks away the trailer came across an- other man to whom he whispered, as he nodded toward Billy. “That is the mole whose tracks we saw to- day. Take care of him, and don’t let him es- cape you! If we'’rebaffiled by a boy, Pll turn parson,” and from that moment Master Bantam was watched by a new hawk as keen as the first. CHAPTER III. A LYNX AND A LOSS, Bruty Bantam had become acquainted with Colonel Fergus Poynter some time before the opening of our story. He was one night asked to run an errand for a very pale though handsome man who was air- ing himself in the Park, and from that hour he dated his acquaintance with the Southerner. It was not long before he became closely drawn to the man who was trying to vindicate his name, and who, as Billy told his sister, had been mysteriously poisoned in the night. Poynter unreservedly told the boy all about his troubles, and the two had worked together up to the time of their introduction to the reader. The police of New York were not inclined to listen to the Soutberner’s story. He had spent a fortune in search of the men who had wronged him, and, broken in health and penniless, he found himself almost friendless. But for Billy Bantam’s assistance and words of cheer, he might have given up the struggle, eager as he was to win a final victory. A few days after the events detailed in the foregoing chapters, the boy detective found a strange man with his friend. He at once surmised that Lemuel Lynx, the New Orleans Vidocq, had come. This was true, for Poynter introduced him to the gentleman to whom he had sent the telegram which had puzzled the girl operator with its singular language. ‘FT don’t like bim!” was the boy’s mental ver- dict, after a brief study of Lemuel Lynx’s ap- pearance, He was a dark-complexioned man of forty, had a pair of observing eyes that seemed to see everything at once, and a harsh, overbearing voice that did not impress Billy favorably. The detective listened attentively to the story told by Poynter from his chair, and the boy thought he treated a good deal of the narrative with contempt. ‘¢ Maybe I should not. judge him too soon,” thought the lad. ‘‘I’m not used to these South- ern detectives; and, then, the colonel puts a good deal of confidence in Mr, Lynx. Ill give hima trial, anyhow. ‘*What have ou discovered? The colonel says you've been helping him,” remarked Lemuel Lynx to Billy a short time after his interview with the sick man. My much,” answered the boy, shaking his ‘Buta little, eh?” persisted the detective. * Yes, a little,” The two occupied one of the settees in a cer- tain Square to which Lynx had led Billy. He seemed to have a singular knowledge of the nooks of New York for one who plied his calling in the Crescent City. ; Billy Bantam was still suspicious of Mr, Lynx, and he answered his questions with a good deal of caution, He remembered having told his sister that he was Colonel Poynter’s *‘ weasel,” and he seemed to have resolved anew that he would not get ** caught,” He went so far as to tell the Southern detec- tive that be believed Poynter’s enemies were then in New York, that they were determined to put his friend out of the way; and he added, with some emphasis, that he had resolved that they should not triumph, **T see! ‘You've been playing ferret for the colonel!” ** T’ve been helping him,” replied Billy. ‘Now the game will open in earnest. We'll show these rascals that they are dealing with a foe worthy of their steel, I’ll soon have them where the colonel wants them. I’ve dealt with rogues before,” ‘ There was too much pomposity about Lemuel Lynx to suit Billy. The next night the boy detective saw the New Orleans detective board a street car and ensconce himself in the covner nearest the driver, He sat there with his hat drawn over his eyes, and Billy watched him from the rear platform as the car jolted along. erirenead ynx ai ce gare poy ¢ar until it had carri m more than twenty squares from place where he had boarded it, om men ie Billy Bantam was nimble enough toavoid him * when he alighted, and saw the detective take a bee-line fora certain house which stood a few yards away. ‘‘ He knows New York like a book!” decided the gamin. ‘ Something’s wrong here.” He saw the New Orleans detective enter the house, which was a well-to-do structure, and the door close behind him, Resolved to see more, if possible, Billy made his way to the rear of the premises, and reached one of the rear windows, It was tightly shut- tered, but this circumstance did not deter bim. It was not long before the boy detective was looking between two slats into a room which had a lightand, at the time, two occupants—a man “| a woman. The former was Lemuel Lynx, the other a rson of middle age, and not at all good ooking. While the boy looked, a door leading into the room opened and a man entered. ‘* Ho!” ejaculated the window spy. ‘‘I begin to see something now. If that isn’t a pretty ‘hand,’ I miss my guess!” The new-comer was tall and good looking. He greeted the Southern detective with a oh | hand-shake, and the woman seemed pleased wit the meeting. ‘‘ How did you find him?” asked the tall man, addressing Lemuel Lynx. ‘** About as I expected.” ** He sent for you?” a Yes.” All three laughed. ‘* Has he hopes?” continued the last arrival, * Plenty of them.” “He is a man of nerve!” exclaimed the wo- man. ‘Ninety-nine men out of a hundred would have given up the struggle long ago.” ‘¢ Colénel Poynter is the hundredth man,” an- swered Lynx, and then he asked a question which startled the young spy at the window, ‘¢ What has the street vagabond done?” The tall man burst into a light laugh. **Oh, you’ve seen his young friend, then?” he cried. ‘Yes, D’vé met the boy, Billy Bantam, as he calls himself. What has he done?” ‘Not a great deal. He’s kept Poynter in good spirits, and he’s given us a little trouble, We don’t mind him, though, for we can put our bands upon him whenever we want him,” ‘¢ That is good,” added Lemuel Lynx. ‘‘ How long do you think he will hold out?’ “Probably a month yet.” ; It was the woman who answered the question, and she leaned across the table while she spoke, ‘‘ He’s poured his fortune into a rat-hole,” she went on. ‘*He did not seem to see it at any time.. We've kept beyond his fingers without much trouble, though if he had picked up the right persons, we might not have fared so well.” “T see,” laughed the New Orleans detective. ‘¢ With no one but a boy to take stock in his story, you may know that we have not had to play a very deep yame,” ** That is clear.” Billy Bantam had heard every word of the conversation thus far; but from this point he was permitted to hear no more. The people whom he watched suddenly ad- journed to another room, and the place of the overheard consultation was dark once more, But he.had heard a great deal. It had confirmed his suspicions concerning Lemuel Lynx, and had enabled him to see the the New Orleans sleuth-hound in a new light. What should he do? Should he go back to Colonel Poynter and tell him all? Perbaps it would be best to watch Lynx a lit- tle further. By doing so, he po. jo be able to lay bare the whole conspiracy and perform the greatest service of all to the man who had be- come his friend. y Billy withdrew from ‘the vicinity of the house and went back. The bour was not Jate, and Mordecai Moses had not closed his establishment for the night when he reached it on his way down-town, “Do you want it already?” queried the pawn- broker, as the boy appeared suddenly to him like an apparition. “Not yet, Mordecai,” was the response. “You have it still, 1 presume?” ‘Certainly Ihave. Let me show you.” Billy would have restrained old Mordecai from producing the pawned cross, but he had left bim and was already opening a safe in one corner of his shop. “My God!” suddenly cried the pawnbroker, and the next moment Billy saw a blanched faee pop above the counter, “What is it, Mr. Moses?” he inquired. “It is gone! I have been robbed!”
Page 4
———— ‘Billy B —— Prey a The street scout went forward in sudden | now in your presence turns out to be something h I hope?” “It is not there now!” answered the pawn- broker, pointing excitedly to one of the shelves “The cross which you beyond the iron door. left with me is gone!” The boy saw that Mordecai Moses’s consterna- tion was genuine; that he had really been rob- that, in all probability, Colonel bed; an Poynter's gold cross had been taken. I never saw anything like it,” resumed the old man whea he had recovered his breath. The lock don’t seem to have been tampered with; but I “*The safe has not been blown open. have been plundered—robbed—all the same.” ‘What about the combination?” queried the street scout. “There wasn’t any. I’ve had that safe these twenty years, and I’ve never been robbed be- fore Billy smiled contemptuously at the man who had refused to protect his customers in order to save the cost of the Jatest improvements in locks, ‘** What has been taken, Mr. Moses?” he asked. “Nothing but the cross,” ‘* What are you going to do about it?” “What can I do?’ cried the pawnbroker, in whining tones. “Then I know what [ll do!” retorted the boy shadow, moving toward the door, “Tl find both the cross and the thief!” and he was gone, CHAPTER IV. A NARROW MARGIN, THE young street scout detective did not go back to the sick man and tell him about the loss he had sustained, He thought it best to keep the secret to himself for the present, or at least until he had made an attempt to recover the missing cross, Colonel Poynter knew nothing of his discoy- ery of Lemuel Lynx in consultation witb the man and woman in the shuttered house. He would be left to think that the New Orleans de- tective was true to his interests, when he was doubtless playing a double-handed game, and that in league with his enemies. paar was puzzled over the robbery of the wnbroker’s safe, He did not believe that old Mordecai was con- nected with the crime, for the pawnbroker had a wholesome dread of the law. He knew that it would ruin his business to be convicted of being a thief’s accomplice, although he had been en- gaged in some questionable transactions, Billy went back to the house where he had watched the Southern detectiveand his compan- ions, But now the place and its surroundings were dark, and the house seemed deserted by the living. - “I'd like to know more about them,” mentally exclaimed the street scout. ‘‘ I’ve seen the man and woman before, but I had no idea that the colonel’s shadow would seek them out. Lynx isa big fraud. He has the entire confidence of the man whom he pretends to serve. He is no better than the others who have fleeced Poynter, Sogeys he is the greatest scoundrel of them a - Billy was about to quit the spot when the front door of the house opened and a head was thrust out, S “The woman!” softly ejaculated the shad- ower. The following moment a female figure came down the steps and glided away. “Pll see what’s in this,” decided the Boy Beagle. ‘‘She’s been a sort of mystery to me long enough, and now, since I’ve found out that Lemuel Lynx knows her, I’m more than anx- ious to follow the trail.” The Boy Beagle had no difficulty in keeping his quarry in sight. He tracked the woman to a house some twenty be ged away. She ran up the steps and jerk appeared beyond the door. : ‘A doctor’s house, eb?” exclaimed the bo ferret, reading the tin sign to the left of the door. ‘‘She comes a long distance to consult a ce apa Can’t be an urgent case, or she’d ve found a ductor nearer home,” The sign bore this inscription: “DOCTOR OTTO, THE WORLD'S BENEFACTOR. Come In anD Bg CureEp,” * Quack! quack! quack!” said Billy, imitating aduck, ‘‘ Let mesee. What's the atten with me? I’m troubled with the shorts, Maybe I'll give you a call before long, doctor. The colonel ought to hear of you, and he may if the woman aste. “* Robbed?” he repeated. ‘* Not so bad as that, the bell-knob, and dis- |, more than an ordinary patient.” The longer the watcher remained in front of the house the stronger became his curiosity to know something about what was going on in- side. He moved to the window, but it was so well curtained beyond the shutter that he could see nothing. All at once he caught a sudden gleam of light overhead, It shone fora moment among the boughs of a tree which grew at the edge of the pavement, and then vanishea, to come back and remain stationary a little later on. The boy clambered to the first fork of the tree. He rested there a moment and proceeded on up. In afew moments he was on a level with the window from which the bright light came, and, crawling out on the stout bough to- ward the house, he began to use his sharp eyes to advantage. He bond himself looking into a room in which sat a young man with a dark Italian-like face. He was strikingly handsome; had jet- black eyes and a well-cared-for mustache, and his whole person had the appearance of a gen- tleman. If this man was Dr. Otto, and Billy did not doubt it, he was not alone. His companion was the woman whom the young detective had followed to the house. She had removed her bonnet, and Billy saw that she was neither very young nor very hand- some, Dr. Otto was in his shirt-sleeves, as if he had been at work, or had been roused from slumber by the late call, He was talking when the boy caught sight of the pair, and Billy anxious to hear what he was saying placed oné ear close to the sill, ‘““When did he come?” he heard the doctor ask. ‘* A few hours ago, He was sent for.” 6 Ah ” ‘*Yes, He was summoned from the South by the sick man.” ** And was eager to come, no doubt?” ‘* He did not hold back, you may depend upon that,” was the reply. “ How does he look?” ‘The same as he did when he was here last.” ‘* Did he ask about me?” ** He did.” ** And you told him—” Pit you had moved, but had not left the city. Dr. Otto did not speak again for a minute, ‘* Will he hunt me up?” he finally asked, ‘*Do you want him to?” “Not exactly; I can get along without that man; I hate traitors!” Billy saw the woman frown, ‘*But we must make use of them sometimes,” she reminded. “You can’t trust them!” exclaimed the young doctor, ‘They are always in the market. They will betray two masters aday. This man is a professional scoundrel., He makes double dealing bis business. How do you know that he won’t betray you one of these days?” The woman fell back and looked wildly at Dr. Otto, There was no color in her face, ““He dare not do that!” she cried, clinching her hand, ‘“*Ho! you don’t know the man,” was the re- ‘* He dare not go back on me!” “I say he will do anything,” laughed the young Cure-All, “You don't like hiin.” “No, I don’t! I wish you had never become conuected with him. Once a traitor, always one! You can’t drophim. He has possession of the secret, He knows more pec ar should know. What does he call himself now?” ‘* Lemuel Lynx, detective,”. A smile illumined the swarthy face of Dr, Otto for a moment, Se “Does bis victim trust him implicitly?” he queried. “* He does,” ** How is he now?” ** Going down-hill all the time.” “ Hopeful?” **Not hopeful, but resolved to live until he has vindicated himself,” ‘* With a traitor for his champion, ha, ha!” lauched the doctor, “ This is getting interesting!” muttered Billy, who had not lost a word, thanks to a glass which was broken at one corner. ‘There are four against the colonel, and I’ve got to fight the gang. It’sa deep and deadly plot against him, The gang is merciless, but Doctor Otto ntam, the Boy Beagle. hates the traitor detective, und that’s one ¥ in his favor.” Again the boy Vidocq ventured to look into the room. The scene had changed, Dr. Otto was alone. He sat back in his chair, twisting his black mustache in a nervous man- ner, as if something perplexed him, Billy Bantam saw that he was biting some of the dark hairs, ‘They ought to get rid of the traitor!” he heard the doctor say, ‘They can’t win whi'e this man is in the game.” © . Dr. Otto came suddenly toward the window. A thrill passed through the boy’s frame at the oe of discovery. He almost fell from tbe imb, Looking up he saw the doctor standinz just behind the glass, and but for the window, Within arm’s reach. The young man looked bandsomer than ever. The woman had already passed out of the house and was gone, and the boy shadower dared not make the slightest movement. His life seemed to depend on lying perfectly quiet on the limb, For a moment—it seemed an age—the eyes of a doctor seemed to regard him with an evil us ight. ' Billy did not breathe. fs “If I'm caught here,” he thought, ‘‘ Colonel ia Poynter will be at the mercy of the gang.” Suddenly Dr. Otto raised the sash and put out his hand. The heart of the boy detective came up in his throat. He saw that dreaded band move toward bim, and, just when he was about to drop td the side- walk and run the risk of crippling himself for life, it turned aside and closed one of the sbut- ters, ‘* A miss is as good as a mile, they say!” mut- tered Billy, and then he left his dangerous perch and quitted the neighborhood as soon.as possible, CHAPTER V. THE DETECTIVE WATCHED. THE duplicity of the New Orleans detective no longer occupied a place in Billy Bantam’s a mind in the form of a doubt, He had seen enough within the last few hours to satisfy himself that the fellow was an old hand at double-dealing, and he doubted not that he was deep in, if not at the head of, the con- spiracy against Fergus Poynter. ~ Doctor Otto was.also a member of the gang, though he hated the idea of being connected } with a traitor, as he believed the Southern detec- tive to be. ~ As the reader has not forgotten, the boy shadow promised old Mordecai that be would find, not only the person who had robbed the safe of the gold cross, Dut the cross itself, » believed that the precious trinket bad fallen into the hands of some member of the cabal, and he had gone to work at once. Dr. Otto’s words addressed to the woman had confirmed him in his opinions of Lynx. He would keep track of the wily rascal for a time, though be knew that it would be dangerous work. When he left the doctor's window after his narrow Re be made his way to a certain quarter of the city where he met a young man who greeted him cordially. : ' ‘* What have you found out lately?’ inquired 4 the youth who was good-looking, well-dressed and about twenty. Billy, who bad taken a chair in the young aan plain lodging, removed his hat and crossed is legs, ‘ os Youd talking about the Poynter affair, I suppose?” he said. ‘Of course,” was the reply. ‘* Links are rather hard to pick up,” remarked Bs Billy cautiously. C3 ‘And how is the colonel?” “No better.” *T wish he would let Doctor Otto see him.” The bov detective started. “T don’t want Doctor Otto to see him,” he said with some emphasis. ie has performed some wonderful cures.” e “ “He is young and talented. He told me yes- terday that he bas made poisons and their pro- perties a ity. I have faith in him.” “Did you mention the colonei’s case?” : ‘Yes: it came up during the conversation. Doctor Otte at once seemed to take creat in- Ry: ag ee smile appeared at the hoy’s lips. “We won't call the Worid’s Benefactor in just yet, Noab,” he said to his companion.
Page 5
j ” eg ¢ s "eget SOD ee we ee. aa *; 7 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 5 ad Colonel Poynter may pass beyond human aid.’ ‘* He says he will hold out until we’ve won the victory. You ought to see bim.” ‘*T should like to,” answered Noab. ‘‘ By the way, he never returned to the subject of the lost child, did he Billy?” ‘“Never,” repeated the young detective. “That was the strangest thing I ever heard of. You haven’t forgotten how it was, Noah?” ‘* Not entirely, but one has so many things to ’ think of that he can’t keep them all in his head at one time.” “Tt was just sundown and the room was nearly dark,” began Billy Bantam, ‘I had come in from the street so noiselessly that Poynter, who appeared to be asleep in his chair, did not hear me. All at once I heard some one talking, and when I had listened a moment I knew it was the colonel. Be was telling to an imaginary auditor the strangest stor ever listened to. It was abouta child stolen from his'father years ago, by the child’s mother from whom the father had parted because the two could notagree. The woman risked her life to obtain possession of the child; she crossed a swollen river and walked for miles through a swampy forest, baffled half a dozen ferocious blood-hounds, and carried off the infant in triumph. For years Colonel Poynter searched for his child, but at last he became satisfied that both it and the motber were dead. Since then he has not prosecuted the bunt, and not long ago came on the other trouble which forced him to fight for the vindicaticn of his honor against the most merciless secret gang man has ever dealt with. Such was, in substance, the singular nar- rative I beard from Poynter’s own lips that night. He did not seem to realize that he had given away one of bis secrets, for he showed no surprise when he discovered that I was in the room, Since then he has never talked on the gubject, for, in truth, I have not seen him in , 5 ‘ - | boarding-house. that Trance-like condition since that hour,” Noah Natcher was a young clerk who was looked upon by Billy as the favored suitor of his sister Nanice, and he hoped that, at the pro- per time,the young couple would unite their fortunes in a matrimonial way. The youth had little or nothing in a financial sense; but he had willingness and a courage to face the world, just the kind of man Billy would have chosen for his sister from among the many young men he knew. ; ‘TI want to see Colonel Poynter some time,” said Noah at the end of Billy’s narrative, ‘* You shall, Noah.” ‘Before he dies, too,” insisted the future brother-in-law. ‘Of course,” nodded the Boy Beagle. “Tve taken an interest in him from what ou have told me. In fact, I likehim, and in this battle ’'m on his side, We've just taken in a new lodger; that is, the landlady has. He is a tall southern-looking gentleman, and Mrs. Rotherham seemed to acquainted with bim, I think one of the boarders said he had been here before.” u ‘* What does be call himself?” queried Bill. **T don’t know.” 4 Tall and rather dark, eh?” ‘ “ Any beard?” _ ‘He sports a mustache that droops over his mouth,” ; “That is Lemuel Lynx!” exclaimed the boy. “When did he come?” He hasn’t been gone an hour. He engaged the room just back of this one and went off. a young clerk who lived with Mrs. Rotherham a yearago said he was here then; but that he didn’t stay long.” “IT presume you don’t know what he called himself then?” asked Billy. __ “IT think the clerk called him Mr, Lemuel, or some such name,” : ‘Of course he has different flags in the chest, and he sails under the ones that suits him best,” ‘* Who is he?” * A fellow who needs watching. ter’s detective.” ‘That man?” ‘*'Yes; the colonel thinks so, at least.” ‘*T shall watch him!” ‘Not openly,” exclaimed Billy. ‘* Lemuel Lynx is shrewd. He has come back to his old By Jove! I'm glad you're un- der the same roof, Noah, You want to keep a record of when Mr. Lemuel comes and goes, what sort of visitors he has, if any; and, in sh short, you want to pick up all you can about —bim, “Tl do that and be glad to,” was the response. ea) He is Poyn- He isn’t in just now, He left as soon as he had engaged the room. I heard him in there a efew moments. Ile changed some of the furni- ture, and seemed to be quite at home, which confirmed the other boarders’ story that he had been here before, and was acquainted,” While they talked, a quick step was heard in the hall beyond the door, and Billy Bantam caught Noah’s wrist. ‘* He’s come back!” he exclaimed. ‘*Mr. Lemuel, think you, Billy?” * Yes,” The next moment they heard the sound of a key in a lock and then a door opened and shut. Somebody was in the room just beyond the right-hand wall! Not for anything would Billy, the Boy Beagle, have been discovered by the tenant of the room, if he were Lemuel Lynx, the detective. Such a discovery would 1 Sat the man on his guard, and probably defeat Poynter’s hopes and his young champion’s plans. ‘There used to be a door between this room and that,” whispered Noah, leaning suddenly toward Billy. ‘‘ The place has beev rather im- perfectly changed. be bungling carpenters left a small opening where the transom was, It is hardly wide enough for the blade of a kaife, but your sbarp eyes might use it to advantage; tbat is, if you care to investigate.” ; ‘* Show me the spot!” cried the boy detective, eagerly. ‘ " Noa picked up a chair, and carrying it across the room, put it down at at certain place. ‘« Get up on that and see for yourself,” he said to Billy. In a moment the boy shadow was on the chair and it was not long before he found the crack mentioned, and bis eyes were at it and looking into the room beyond with all their eagerness. It did not take him long to single out the man who had entered the apartment, for he was the only one to be seen, — He stood in the middle of the floor looking at semething in the glare of the light above his head, At times he held it out at arm’s length, then he would aby Bex up for closer inspection. All the time he looked at it like a man proud of his victory. Suddenly the man—it was Lemuel Lynx and no mistake—turned toward the table and laid the inspected object thereon, ar Bantam now directed his attention to it. The firstlook sent a thrill through him, He nearly fell from his chair, but kept back a cry; and when he got down, he caught Noah Natcber and cried: ‘**Colonel Poynter’s gold cross is in there with that doyble-faced sleuth-hound!” CHAPTER VI. BILLY’S ‘‘ NIGHTMARE.” “COLONEL POYNTER’s gold cross?” echoed the young man, staring at Billy. ‘‘ What do you mean?” “Ah! you don’t know. I did not think of that,” and then the boy detective told in a few hurried sentences the story of the cross which had been stolen from old Mordecai’s safe, **Do you think Mr, Lemuel is the thief?” queried Noah. ‘**T don’t know that he is, but I do know that the man in there has the cross in his possession,” Without replying, Noah mounted the chair and placed his eye to thecrack. In another mo- ment he got down. ‘*What is he doing now?” eagerly inquired Billy. se ‘ie is writing at the table.” ** And the cross?” “T didn’t sve it.” This was true, as the hoy detective soon discov- ered. Lemuel Lynx was covering a piece of paper with writing, and was unconscious of the ionage to which he had subjected himself. — Rill and Noah took turns watching him until he bad completed his task, Then they saw him take the cross from his pocket and place it beneath the carpet in one corner of the room, “If he goes out it is ours!” exclaimed the boy Bantam; but the detective showed no signs of going away. He retired for the night, and was soon asleep on a low bed which stood within a few inches of the spot where he had hidden the cross, ‘“* He won't be in his room all the time,” said the Boy Beagle, ‘‘I don’t have to look an further for the cross. I know where it is, y can go back to Poynter now.”\ He found his friend asleep in the arm-chair an hour later. The light was burning low, and Colonel Poynter seemed to have a ghastliér look than Billy had ever seen on his face before, He stole forward on tiptoe and looked search- ingly into the man’s face, All at once the Southerner put out bis bands, and the boy drew back. “ He does not come!” said the man, in sepul- chral tones, ‘‘I bave waited these many years, but he comes not, A thousand curses on the head of the woman who plundered me. She was my wife, but what of that? I would have'raised bim in the path of honor and virtue. I wculd have made him an honor to the name he bore. But she would not. She came in the night and stole him from his cradle, If she is not dead, may the vengeance of Heaven overtake her for that crime!” Colonel Poynter left his chair with the last words falling from bis tongue. He stood erect before Billy Bantam, whom he did not see. The boy stood spellbound by his haggard appearance, and could not believe that he was clothed in his right mind. ““They think they have caught me in a deatb- trap!” suddenly continued Poynter. ‘* Well, they have. I’m not the man I used to be, I bave death in my veins now. I feel it there all the time. The poison I drank that night in my room is doing its work. Who made it? If I knew this, ’d force the antidote from its discov- erer, or send him to the shades of eternal death. I must set my detective on this trail, I will put Lemuel Lynx on their track. He is the faithful sleuth-hound who has’ stood by me, Lemuel, where are you?” A thrill of indignation passed over Billy’s frame when he heard Lemnel Lyrx thus eulo- gized by the man whom he had surely betrayed. He could hardly restrain himself trom grasping Poynter’s hand and telling him all; but be did not know what would be the effect of the truth upen the Southerner’s sensitive nerves, and he did not speak, \ Colonel Poynter, exhausted by the effort be had put forth, fell back into his chair with a deep. sigh. ‘* Where is the boy?’ he asked. ‘“‘I have a friend in the little fellow who works so hard for me. He shut his eyes and became quiet. Billy stole to the door, opened and shut it with some noise, and came back to his friend, ** Back, eh?” smiled the sick man, extending his hand. ‘I’m glad you’ve come.” He did not know that the boy detective had been near him all the time, that he had heard his strange words and had watched him like a hawk during their utterance, “Did you see Mr, Lynx anywhere?” queried Poynter. gain the revelation, destined to come some time, trembled on Billy’s tongue, but again he held it back. ““No,” thought he, ‘*Not yet. I want to watch the gang awhile longer. I want to see how far Lemuel Lynx will go.” Billy adroitly evaded Poynter’s question and left him under the impression that he had not seen the New Orleans sbadow, “Mr, Lynx will strike the trail,” resumed Poynter. ‘‘He isthe only man of the many who did not fleece me, eis faithful among the faithless. You must trust Mr, Lynx, Billy. He and you may work together against the common enemy; and with two such heads in the same cause there can be no failure.” Billy smiled. He work with Lemuel Lynx? The thought was absurd! He was working against him even then, for be had seen the man in his true garb, and he knew that_ Colonel Poynter had taken a viper inio his confidence. _ It wasa peculiar habit of Po ter’s to sleep in his chair, He said he could obtaiu better rest that way, and Billy was not surprised to - birn fall asleep shortly after bis sudden ques- ion, When the boy slept in Poynter’s lodgings it was on a cot in one corner, and when he found that his friend was sound asleep in his chair he sought the cot and lay down. He wanted to think out a new plan for the hunt he bad before him, He wanted a chance to think deeply and quietly about Dr, Otto, Lemuel Lynx, the strange woman and one or two other people. He turned the light lower, or until Colonel Poynter’s form was ly discernible, and for some time he watched his friend while le laid his plans, : In spite of his efforts to keep awake Billy Bantam fell asleep on the cot, With his face turned toward Poynter he slept soundly for two hours. When he opened his eyes the t seemed to have gone out entirely, but he finally discovered that a spark still remained. But what had becdme of Colonel Poynter? opi JNA - ct, , Pena ? 7 a?” 7s te
Page 6
Billy Bantam, the Boy Billy Bantam lay quiet and looked toward that spot where he had last seen the Southerner in his chair. Suddenly he observed that he could see more than he had been seeing, and then he noticed that this was caused by an object, which had poe between him and the chair, moving to one side. ’ In another second the boy detective saw a wo- man in the room. _ How and when she had entered he did not know, It was very plain that she was there, Billy’s first impulse was to lie still, but when he saw the woman bend over’ Colonel Poynter, now visible in his chair, he left the cot. In doing so he made a slight noise, and in an instant the woman turned. She leaned toward the boy detective and then came forward with a sudden step, She towered like a giantess before Billy who seemed to be | riveted to the floor. No word escaped the lips of the unknown, Her hand darting forward landed under the young sbadow’s chin and closed there like a turtle’s mouth, In a second everything grew dark to the gamin Vidocq. The accursed grip seemed to sink into his throat; he tried to loosen it with his hands but in vain. He might as well have tried to break the cables of some great bridge. He was at the woman’s mercy! Sorne time afterward Billy Bantam .found himself wandering through the shadows of a deserted square. He could not tell how he came there. He had no recollection of quitting Colo- nel Poynter’s lodgings. He was hatless and barefooted and there was a confused feeling in his head. By degrees the adventure we have just de- scribed came back to the boy. He recalled it point by point until he could put the whole to- = and see everything just as it had occur- red, “T must go back!” thought Billy. ‘‘ Some- thing may have happened to Poynter. There is no telling what a woman of that stripe might not do. I must have escaped from the house, in a delirium of some kind, She is worse than Jezebel!” ‘ He left the square at once. His head now seemed clear but there was a suggestive sore- ness at bis throat. He let no grass grow under his feet between the park and the old lodgings. He ran up-stairs with the fleetness of a young acrobat and burst open the door leading into the colonel’s room, Instead of finding his friend dead or missing,, for either sight he was proper he saw him leaning back in his chair breathing like a person whose sleep has not been broken for a long time. Billy stopped amazed in the middle of the room He could hardly believe the evidence of sight. ‘“*Was it a nightmare?” he asked himself, *““Was [ dreaming? No! this tells me that it was real,” he put his hand up to his throat, People don’t get choked in dreams. But the wonder is that the colonel is alive in bis chair.” CHAPTER VII. A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE. COLONEL PoyNTER was not disturbed by the boy detective’s return. He seemed to have no knowledge of the visit to his quarters of the mys- terious woman who had administered such a severe choking to Billy Bantam. The boy was astounded, He could not believe that such things could occur without waking the victim of the gang; but by and by he was forced to admit that Poynter was totally uncon- scious of the whole proceeding. This was confirmed when the Southerner awoke, j He told Billy that he felt stronger and better than he had felt for sometime. There seemed to be new life in his system; he believed he could walk out and enjoy the bracing air in the park. “Shall I tell him?’ thought Billy. ‘‘He might laugh at me, and I have nothing to show for my tussle with the unknown woman whose face I could not seefor the poor light in the room—notbing but.a sore throat, and it might not convince him, No; I'll keep my secret. Pll know more one of these days. The myrtery will be cleared up before long. I’ve made several important discoveries of late. I know where the cross is, and I have seen Lemuel Lynx in his true garb. The next morning the Boy Beagle found him- self back in Noah’s lodgings. The young man said that the new boarder, Lemuel Lynx, had Beagle. already left the house, and Billy at once pro- posed an invasion of his apartments. ‘We mustn’t be caught,” admonished Noab. **Of course not,” was the response, ‘* Lemuel Lynx doesn’t know that we are friends, there fore, if he loses the cross, he won’t suspicion you. I’veno doubt that the prize is where be put iit last night under the carpet in the cor- ner, Billy took Noah’s key and slipped to the door which opened into the detective’s room, In an- other moment he had admitted himself, and springing across the carpet, knelt over the im- portant spot. Lifting the corner of the carpet with his eager fingers, the gamin detective of New York felt for the cross, but touched nothing! A look of blank disappointment overspread his face, ‘*] see!” exclaimed Billy. ‘‘ Mr, Lynx bides the cross only while he sleeps. When he is on the war-path, he carries it with him. I might have suspected this,” He restoréd the carpet to its place and went back to Noah. “The detective is sharp enough, Noah,” he smiled. ‘‘If we would despoil him we must do it when he is at home.” Noah Natcher drew back at the suggestion. “Tt can’t be done then!” he exclaimed. ‘© Lemuel Lynx, as you call bim, probably sleeps see a cat, and the slightest noise would disturb im. ‘ But the cross has to go back to its owner!” persisted Billy. “'m with you there, .I want to see Colonel Poynter win the game against the gang. P’m willing to help bim all I can; but I font want to make a bad play at the start.” ‘You mean that you don’t want to make an attempt to rob the traitor-detective and fail?” ‘*That is it.” The failure to find the pawned cross where he had seen it hid, rather vettled Billy Bantam. Lemuel Lynx had come into possession of the bauble in a manner unknown to the young de- tective. He might have robbed the pawnbroker’s safe, but it was not likely. Billy was inclined to think that he had received the cross from the real burglar, and he already believed that it was an important card in the game against Poynter. When he left Noah he sought out his sister Nanice, to whom he related his singular adven- tures, The young gir! listened’with her usual attention. The visit of the strange woman to Poynter’s abode interested her most. “Your friend, the colonel, ought not to be kept in the dark,” said Nanice. ‘“‘He ought to know that Lemuel Lynx is playing a double game—that he is in league with those who are against bim. Doctor Otto is in the conspiracy, too; but how deep no one knows. I can’t see what they expect to accomplish now. Poynter has spent his fortune. He has been unable to run down the villains who broke him up by their villainies. He has been fleeced by every detec- tive whom he bas employed. e trusts too much. See how he clings to Lemuel Lynx, A greater. scoundrel than he I believe does not exist!” . ‘* They want Colonel Poynter out of the way,” exelaimed Billy. ‘‘'The secret poison is doing its work, but they.seém to fear that it may fail, or that he will keep bis oath and live long enough to bring them to justice, A strange idea has entered my bead since I saw the unknown woman in the room.” ‘* Well?” ‘‘ His wife may not be dead.” ‘¢ But he says she is, I understand.” *« He believes so. Remember, the only times I heard him speak of his wife and child were when he seerned to be in a half trance—when he talked like a man under the influence of a spell of some kind. There is a woman in this game againsthim. I have seen her with Lemuel Lynx and the other man.” ‘Who is the othér man?” “TI have fouud ovt but little about him, 1 have tracked him over one half of the city, him and his friend. I have caught them watching me many times, but have eluded them as often, Now, Nanice, what is your final decision? Would you lay the whole story before Fergus Poynter?” “T would,” said the girl, firmly and promptly. “1 think it is wrong to keep him in the dark concerning the man who is playing double,” * "1 do it, come what may!” cried Billy Ban- tam, ‘Inside of an hour the colonel shall know the whole story; 1 won’t keep anything back, V’'ll tell the story of the stolen cross, and how I have followed two trails—the one above and the one under ground,” Nanice smiled her approval, and eager to carry out his resolutions, the boy detective took his departure. He went straight to Fergus Poynter’s lodgings, During the journey he revolved the whole thing in his mind, and knew just where and how he would begin. a But « startling surprise was in store for the oy. When he opened the door and stepped into the little room, he halted and gave utterance to an exclamation of astonishment. Poynter was not there! The chair whicn he had seen occupied day and night was empty; the cot in the corner, too, was untenapted. ‘“* What does this mean?” exclaimed Billy, rush- ing forward, The table standing near the chair did not solve the mystery. It contained no explanation of Poynter’s absence. Suddenly the boy detective recollected that his friend had remarkei tvatehe felt strong enough to walk to the square near by and enjoy the morning air. Had he gone thither? In another moment Billy was bounding down the steps toward the sidewalk. He ran to the square unable to control his excitement. The morning was cool and bracing, and the benches were already well taken up by all sorts of people. Billy went from one to another in search of Colonel Poynter, He looked every- where and let nothing escape him, The object of his solicitude was notin sight. The marked Southerner bad disappeared as com- pletely as if the earth had swallowed him. .** He can’t be far,” said the young searcher to himself when he bad looked the square over the third time, scanning every face closely, ‘‘ He hasn’t the physical strength for a long journey,” and he continued to look for Poynter, extending his search to the territory surrounding the square, But it was all for nothing. He inquired of a dozen policemen concerning his friend, but they bad not seen him. He went back to the house and prosecuted his search still further in that vicinity. Nobody had seen Poyn- ter quit the place. It was very strange. At the last moment the boy detective picked up what promised to be a faint clew, He found a street Arab of his own age who had seen a man enter a carriage a square from the house. The gamin’s description of the per- son gave Billy some hope. Had Colonel Poyn- ter been earried off? Had heordered the carriage and gone somewhere to play a card of his own/ , against the gang he was fighting? Billy Bantam was inclined to say “no” to the last question. ‘* He would have left some word for me—a note on the table or something of the sort!” ex- claimed he. ‘‘Some evil bas befallen Fergus Poynter! The gang is playing a bold hand, Lemuel Lynx did not come to New York for nothing!” In the solitude of the deserted room the young shadow went carefully over the whole mystery. ‘‘T'm alone against the gang now,” thought he. ‘Poynter has'fallen into the power of his enemies, They won't sparehim. First the cross disappears, then the man himself, Where shal} I start in? What shall I do next?” No wonder the boy detective was perplexed. He rejected twenty plans as fast as they suggest- ed themselves, “T must do something!” he cried at last. ‘T can’t sit here and rescue Fergus Poynter, Every moment is precious. The gang isat work, I must go to work, too!” Five minutes afterward he was on the street, “Tl go back to the underground trail; it may yield something,” said he. He boarded a passing car and ensconced him- self in one corner, At the next street a man entered and took a seat nearly opposite him. Billy felt bis blood tingle in bis finger ends as he looked at the last ssenger, for he was DO less a personge than r Otto b In a moment his adventure in the tree at the doctor’s window came back to the boy detective, and as the ear moved on, he fell to watching the “ World’s Benefactor,” and to wondering whither be was bound, CHAPTER VIIL. IN THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES, Dr. OTTO was a young man with a dark though good-iooking face, a well-shaped figure and to all appearances very much of a gentle- man. Heexchanged nods with several people who happened to know him and then settled back as if for a long ride. f { rh, Hale tO
Page 7
Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. i without interruption. The car jogged along square after square un- til Billy and the doctor were the only ones left in it of the many who were passengers when the two commenced their journey. At last Dr. Otto got up and moved toward the door. “Pll give him a little rope,” murmured the ‘¢To start after him at once might boy shadow. I can’t afford to lose the render him suspicious, game vow.” The doctor was on the sidewalk when Billy left the car, but a second later he disappeared round a corner and vanisbed. Master Bantam showed a good deal of agility in the next movement made by himself. He turned the corner in time to see a figure whisk a certain door which, when out of sight beyond he found shut and probably he reached the spot, locked. The building entered by Dr. Otto was a large, Alongside the door hung a words: ‘* Doctor Dalrymple.” and the letters were as bright three-story affair. sign bearing the It was a new sign, as polished gold. ot caring to be caught spying in that par- ticular spot, Billy did not tarry there. He saw and read the sign in a moment, as it were, and assed on down the street. He could not help aughing at the manner of Dr. Otto’s disap- pearance, ‘* He’s a sleek one,” thought Billy. ‘‘ I don’t see that I’ve gained anything by this bit of busi- ness, so I’ll go back to the underground trail,” Just then there sounded a footstep behind him. He turned in time to see a man about to ass him, and an upward look at the face made is nerves tingle. It was Dr. Otto, but disguised. Ten minutes had barely elapsed since he had lost the doctor in the three-story house, and here he was again, not in the samefeathers, but for all this the same bird. He wondered if Dr. Dalrymple and Dr. Otto weren’t one and the same person, Ip an instant all thought of the ‘“‘ underground trail” left Billy Bantam’s mind. He went back to his old business; he shadowed the doctor. It was not a long chase this time. Dr. Otto rung a bell a few blocks from the spot where the boy encountered him the second time, and was admitted bya man. The young Beagle caught a glimpse of the face of this per- son, then the door was shut, and Dr, Otto was lost again. These incidents did not take up much time. Billy approached the house and noted the num- ber above the door. It was 410 R street, and in a locality not exactly renowned as the abode of honest people, He did not care to hang about the place, waiting for the doctor’s reappearance, but he was anxious to know what was going on inside, It seemed to him that the young Cure-Allhad come to the place in connection with the mys- “Tt surrounding Colonél Poynter. he house, as Billy soon observed, happened to be flanked by an alley, This wassuggestive and inashort time the boy ferret was scaling the fence at the rear of the building and dropped in- tothe back yard without injury. He now saw before him a small arbor covered by a luxuriant vine, and beyond this the glimmer of alight ina basement window. The young spy of New York crept forward, took further observations from the depths of the arbor and went on again. He was on dangerous ground and he knew it. A misstep, or the slightest noise might precipi- tate a disaster and the whole game be lost. The window, beyond which gleamed the light - has discovered, wes not but a few steps dis- n The boy reached it without accident and ven- tured to look in, ? ed : second the light disappeared and all was ar Billy Bantam drew back alarmed. Had he been discovered with all his caution? He could not think otherwise. For several minutes he stood in the dark as motionless as @ statue and barely breathing. To move an inch might be to court capture if not worse. ‘All at once the boy heard a sound which, slight as it was, seemed to still his fluttering heart. A door had opened within arm’s reach on his right! The boy was now sure that some one stood very near him, It seemed to him that he could make out the outlines of a man in the doorway, that he was seen by that person and Billy’s presence in the car seemed gave no him | that the slightest movement on his part would uneasiness; indeed he barely noticed the boy, | end the adventure. so that the young detective could study him ‘Here goes!” mentally ejaculated Billy Ban- Ne tam. ‘I can’t remain here under the eagle eye in the doorway,” aud he moved toward the ar- bor. His start seemed a signal for the person on guard, In another moment a dark object dart- ed toward the boy and in spite of his attempt to clear the arborand reach the fence a hand closed on bis arm and he was lifted off his feet. The grip of his captor appeared to crush Billy’s arm, but he did not ery out. “Into the hands of the Philistines!” thought he. ‘This is what I get for following Doctor Otto when the underground trail deserved the most attention.” He did not offer much resistance—what was the use?—for he was carried toward the house and taken inside almost before he got second breath. Up to this time his captor had said nothing. He seemed to be harboring bis voice for some future occasion. In a little while Billy was thrown half-way across aroom into a deep, old-fashioned chair, At the same time the dim light grew brighter, and he saw not one man, but two. “There he is!” cried the one who had cap- tured him. ‘I knew I wasn’t mistaken. You can't fool me very often. I know the ways of these gutter rats. That’s the king of ’em!? Billy glanced from the speaker to the person addressed, and in aninstant knew that he had encountered Dr. Otto again. Nor was his captor an entire stranger. He was the man whom he had seen with the unknown woman and Lemuel Lynx in a certain house on another occasion, the same person whom he had tracked half over the city, and one of the chief members of the gang paying a dark hand against Fergus Poynter. Billy did not fear Dr, Otto, but he did fear the man who had caught him playing spy. ‘* Leave him with me,” said the young doctor, “To get away?” was the quick retort, “‘ He’s a rat, I tell you, and so long as we—” A look from Dr, Otto checked the speaker, and with a mad look at Billy be sullenly withdrew. For a few seconds the boy and the doctor looked at one another without a word between them, Billy from the chair into which he bad fallen, and the doctor from the table near which he was seated, “What were you doing out yonder?” asked Dr. Otto, at last nodding toward the window, “You know what he said 1 was up to,” an- swered the boy detective, referring to the man who had just left. ‘‘TDo you deny it?” There was nothing harsh about Dr. Otto, His voice was soft and musical, and as he uttered his Jast words he crossed the little space between them, ‘‘T thought I had a right to be out there,” an- swered Billy. ““hought you had, eh?” “ec Yes,” The young doctor appeared taken aback by Billy’s frankness, “Then you were playing spy!” he exclaimed. ** For whom, boy?” ** What if I should say for myself?” Dr. Otto smiled. ‘*T wouldn’t believe you,” he replied. dou’t play spy for themselves,” ‘¢They don’t, eh? That shows that you have yet something to learn. I’m my own master.” “Come!” laughed the doctor-conspirator. ‘You can’t afford to play a band of that sort against me—can’t afford to, I say, my youug map.” At the same time he moved around in front of Billy and took one of his hands in his. His touch was moist and gentle. It seemed to send an irresistible thrill through the young detec- tive’s frame. At first he thought of leaping from the chair and rushing toward the door; but in a short Sag he realized that such a thing was impossi- e. The eyes of Dr, Otto were fixed upon him, not madly nor in a stare, but with a singular fasci- nating softness that could not be withstood. A. feeling of gradual surrender to a peculiar influence stole over the boy, as though Dr, Otto was exercising a potent ecbarm, Billy tried his best to shake the feeling off, but in vain, He no longer possesstd the power to qvit his chair, One resolution went after an- other and at last Dr. Otto became an indistinct figure and finally faded altogether, eu Bantam was in the power of a mesmer- ** Boys CHAPTER ixX. A STUBBORN RAT. Soms time passed before the boy detéctive came back to-consciousness, At first he could not recall anything that had happened, but the last event came back at length and he remembered his capture by the strange man and his interview with Dr, Otto. Billy fcund himself lying on a pallet near a wall. He could not tell bow long he had oceu- pied it, but ‘he knew that the nigbt had passed, for daylight pervaded the little apartment whose furniture consisted of one rickety chair. The solitary window of tbe place was small and beyond bis reach. It was crossed’ by two bars of iron which he knew, without trying them, would resist bis strength. 5 “I] see what is beyond this prison!” ex- claimed Billy, dragging the chair to a spot be- neath the window, In another minute he was standing on tiptoe on the chair, and gazing out upon innumerable roofs and chimneys: He looked a long time before he got down. “In a trap!” thought. he.’ ‘* Doctor Otto seems to be no better than the rest of them, If I could have resisted him, I might not be-here now; but I was powerless. He’s a Gangerous man because of bis power. What if Colonel Poynter falls into his hands?” Thoughts of Poynter and of bis mysterious disappearance seemed to send the boy’s blood leaping through his veins. What had become of the victim of the gang? Did Lemuel Lynx, the double-face detective, assist in his vanish- ment? Had Poynter become the prisoner of the enemies he had hunted so long, the people who had reduced him from wealth to poverty? There seemed no way out of the trap iuto which Billy’s eagerness had got bim., The door was locked from the outside, and the wiudow offered no avenue of escape. The only hope appeared to lie in the mercy of his jailer, whoever be was. “‘)}] get a glimpse of him when Py break- fast is brought, for surely they don’ intend to starve me,” said the young Vidocg to bimself. He was compelled to wait for a long time for a noise which sounded like a footstep. Billy thought it would never come, He held his breath when the step sounded at the door. ‘“T shall see him now! Will it be Doctor Otto or the other man?” A key turned in the lock with a gratiog sound. Billy stepped back. Allat once the door opened and a man en- tered. ‘Hello! up already?” he laughed, at sight of the boy in the trap. ‘Of course I am,” replied Billy. ‘‘ What would make me sleep in this poet His words were followed by a contemptuous look around tbe room. ‘T's no palace, that’s a fact,” remarked the man, whb carried a frugal breakfast on @ pew- ter tray. ‘‘ I guess you wouldn’t be here if you bad your choice.” Billy, who was looking at his jailer, made no response. He had never seen the man before, but he did not doubt that he belonged to the league against Poynter. | He was a middle-aged ‘man, with a well-knit frame, a dark face and dangerous-looking hands. Billy felt that an appeal to him would amount to nothing. : “Do you belong to the game?” suddenly asked the boy detective. f “To what game?” Ce ‘‘ Tnnocence!” laughed Billy derisively. The man seemed to frown. ; ‘“Tve nothing more to say. your lesson well.” : “See here! [I want no insolence. I didn’t come here to listen to anything of the kind.” As he finished, the man. put the tray on the floor and came toward the victim of the trap. Billy retreated to the chair which he placed between his jailer and himself, He believed that he could use it as a.weapon’ of defense should the man offer any violence; but be was. not driven to this point, for his jailer stopped short and burst into a laugh. ‘‘ Bat your breakfast,” said he, turning away. ‘¢ T don’t quarrel with boys, But you can’t af- ford to be troublesome. You've got toomuch at stake.” ? In another moment the door opened and shut and his jailer was gone. aie Too much at stake! Billy ‘could not eat fora while for thinking of these words. Yes he had a good deal at stake; but why should the man remind him of it? An hour later the door’opened again, and. Isee you know
Page 8
. a rs y ney Taian bes pbinanteecge Vibe Be, — em FE Billy Bantam, the dark-faced man came.~ Billy thought his eyes had a softer look, that the face was not as barsh as it had been. : He took the tray away without exchanging words with the little prisoner, and the young detective was alone again. He could tell by the shadows thrown by the iron bars at the window that the day was wan- ing. He watched the sunbeams as they flitted across the floor, and thought a thousand times of Colonel Poynter, Nanice and Noah, The afternoon was nearly gone when he heard more footsteps at the door, There were voices there, too. The boy sprung from the pallet where he had been busy with his thoughts the whole aay, and watched the door. “ Ah! the unknown woman!” be mentally ex- claimed, and as a masked female came in be recalled his brief struggle with Poynter’s visitor in the Southerner’s lodgings. The door shut behind the woman, whose face was concealed by a black velvet mask, with openings for the eyes. ‘* How do you like it here?” aske' a voice be- hind the velvet. “You ought to know that,” answered the boy. ‘*Do you want to get out?” There was a taunt in the woman’s tones, ‘You can get out,” she went on. ‘‘ You don’t. have to perish here, but it all lies with you.” ~ ‘Of course I want to get out,” said Billy. ‘I was bruught to this place without my consent, I did nothing to merit punishment of this sort.” “Nothing?” repeated the Unknown. ‘ You were playing spy.” “T was performing a duty.” ‘* For him?” ‘Por whom?” “Come! concealment is unnecessary, were spying for the Southerner.” *“*T was working on my own hook.” ‘* Helping him at the same time, though,” ‘“There was no answer. ‘* Let us see if you really want to get out of here,” continued the womap. ‘* Where does he keep his papers?” Billy started, although he more than half-ex- pected such a question. ‘* What papers?” he queried, assuming an air of ignorance. “You know! This is no child’s game, Master Bantam,” rejoined the woman, sternly. ‘‘ The man you serve has concealed certain papers whose whereabouts are known to you. The re- vealment of their hiding-place shall be your passport to liberty.” , The boy detective looked indignantly at the speaker. “You take me for a traitor!” cried he, ‘€Don’t you think you’ve made a mistake?” It seemed to Billy that the face behind the mask got scarlet, for the eyes flashed. ‘¢] think you Value life and liberty,” was the response, ‘* You don’t want to perish like a rat in a trap.” “'That’s just what I am now,” “Nothing more nor less, Fergus Poynter cannot reward you for your services, The man is bankrupt. He hasn't a dollar which be can call his own.” ‘* What’s become of him?” The question came from the Boy Beagle with- out an effort. The masked creature seemed to recoil. “That’s a queer question to put to me,” she replied. ' ‘I don’t know that it is.” ‘Ts he really missing?” ‘* He is gone,” ‘Since when?” ‘* Since last night.” The eyes behind the velvet certainly twinkled. ‘*] am dealing with a person who knows more than she will tell,” thought Billy. ‘Tf your friend is missing, he is likely to re- main so,” she suddenly said. ‘‘ His disappear- ance ought to dissolve your connections. Let me have the hidden papers, and you walk from this room, free, Don’t say that you know noth- ing about them, We know better. The papers _ which Fergus Poynter drew up some months ago he intrusted to you. You carried them away and hid them, The man himself has betrayed ou! *“ Colonel Poynter?” You ~~ &Golonel Poynter!” Billy Bantam was dumfounded, “Did I startle you?” laughed the woman, “T don’t believe it! . I won’t believe that there is a ek of treacherous blood in the colonel’s veins. hat! betray the papers which contain ae, On S 4 . x } I a Tt Oe yt A eee ye the story of bis life, his long hunt, and all bis suspicions? Tmpossible!” ** Would you know his handwriting?” “Yes. There is nothing like it that I’ve ever seen,” Billy’s visitor took from her pocket a piece of paper which was the conclusion of a document, for the top part had been torn off, leaving sev- eral lines and a signature. ** Here, then, hose hand wrote that?” cried she, handing the paper to the boy. One look sent every vestige of color from the young detective’s cheeks, He knew that a pair of eager eyes were watching him while he read the lines, which ran as follows: “The boy known as a Bantam knows where the papers are, and I am willing to have him give them up. Frraus PoyNTER.” ‘* What do you say now?” asked the woman, “ Didn’t he write that?” ‘*T think he did, but—” ** But what?” ‘By Jupiter! I won't go back on him yet!” ‘‘ Then die in the trap!” was the response. CHAPTER X. BETRAYING HIMSELF, ‘“THERE’S a mystery about this!” exclaimed the prisoner of the strange room when once more he found himself alone, the masked wo- man having departed immediately after her lust recorded words. ‘‘That handwriting bas all the looks of Colonel Poynter’s, but why would he write thus? To save bis life? He told me once—the night he gave me the sealed packet of papers—that on no account, should 1 reveal thei hiding-place. They may have forced the letter from him by threats, I don’t know. I took the chances of disobeying him, and heard the woman say that I could die in this trap fur my stubbornness, Whether I do or not, remains to be seen,” i Let us go back a step and keep track of the masked woman. Let us see if, by following her, we cannot penetrate the mystery sur- rounding Fergus Poynter. Before she was out of the house she removed her mask, revealing a resolute but not hand- some face, “T thought I would find him stubborn, I told them so!” she exclaimed. ‘‘We’ve got to play another card, for this one won’t win. He might send a peremptory command to the boy, but I doubt if that would move him. We'll get them, however, When I am backed in this game, by a boy—a street rat—I'll go to the river and never return!” This woman took a car to belp ber to ber des- tination which was a certain house many squares from Billy Bantam’s trap. She was met beyond the door by a man who looked very much like Dr. Otto. ‘* Well?” said this person at sight of her. The woman laughed. ‘“T failed!” she exclaimed. ‘ The rat showed his little teeth and they are sharp, too,” “What! wouldn’t he give up the papers?” “ No.” wie you did not go far enough with im. ‘‘T showed him the fragment of the docu- ment.” ‘“‘ What did he sav to it?” “‘ He did not dispute its genuineness.” ‘* But still refused?” ce Yes.” ‘* What did you say then?” ‘*T told him to stay where he was and die like a rat in a trap!” Before the woman’s questioner could reply, she bent forward and caught his wrist. ‘“« How is he now?” she asked, in a whisper. The man glanced toward a door at one side of the room, “He’s asleep,” he answered. tried your power since?” ‘*T bave not.” ‘** Are you sure he sleeps?” ‘Yes. Come and see,” The couple approached the door on and the man—Dr. Otto—opened it softly. Beyond the step deep shadows lay, showing that heavy curtains excluded nearly every particle of light. A little gas-jet burning with a bluish flame dimly revealed the appointments of the room, : The woman leaned forward with an eager ‘a “Have you tiptoe 8a je Near the middle of the apartment stood an old-fashioned cushioned chair. It had an occu- pant. ‘He 1s asleep sure enough!” she whispered the Boy Beagle. seems to have failed within the last few hours!” “Very much, I think,” replied Dr. Otto, ‘* But his vitality is wonderful.’ “He always had a constitution of iron,” smiled the woman, The man in the chair was our old acquaint- ance, Fergus Poynter whose whereabouts were such a puzzle to Billy Bantam. He lay’ back like one exhausted, his skeleton bands resting on the arm of the chair, and his eyes closcd in slumber. For ten minutes the woman feasted her eyes upon this ee spectacle—pitiable because Poynter looked like a dying man whose every breath might be his last. She exhibited no signs of pity; on the contrary, the sight seemed to give her secret delight. All at once she turned to Dr, Otto and touched his arrn. ‘“Ts he very hard to put under the influence?” she asked. “Yes, him.” “You must try again. The next time he may tell us more.’ t The doctor shook his head. “Dm afraid not,” said he. ‘It was with the greatest difficulty that I got him to write what he did. I don’t think he knows what the papers are, “ But won’t you try him once more?” d “TY will, hen he’ comes out of his sleep, if he happens to be in proper condition, I will mesmerize him again.” The two now left Colonel Poynter alone in the darkened room, and retired to another part of the house where the woman related her ex- perience with the boy detective. At the conclusion of the narrative, they were joined by a stalwart man, who at once ad- dressed the women. ‘‘T see failure in your eyes, Marcia,” said he. ‘¢The boy was too much for you.” She smiled, but not pleasantly. ‘Why didn’t you wring bis neck?’ the man continued, ‘Tt wouldn’t have done,” “By Jove! it’s a good thing I didn’t goin your place!” “1m glad you didn’t.” ‘*So’s the boy, no doubt.” : ‘“T have just told the doctor to mesmerize him again,” replied the woman. ‘And get nothing better, eh?” laughed the big man. ‘ Lemuel Lynx is now at work. Leava it to bim, I say. If the boy won’t give the pa- pers up, Lynx will find them, I know him, He is sharper than thesbarpest. If wecan’t do any better, we'll let the rat escape.” i ‘* Let him escape?” cried Marcia. ‘“Yes, He'll be likely to go straight to the papers. This is Lynx’s plan, if he doesn’t hit the trail presently.” “T don't like it,” rejoined the woman. “The boy is shrewd, He suspects. He might go straight to the police.” Dr. Otto started at the word ‘‘ police,” ‘‘ Better keep the bov where he is—for the present,” be put in. ‘‘ We want no risks beyond the ones already taken.” The big man smiled half contemptuously. He was a thorougbbred villain, a man willing to take any risks that offered to benefit the game he was playing. An hour later Dr, Otto stole into Colonel Poynter’s room and found him wide awake. He greeted the sick man pleasantly, and after a few moments fixed upon him the look which had fascinated Billy Bantam. But he soon discovered that he had @ more stubborn subject to deal with, still be exerted all his powers, and at last had the Southerner in his power. ‘ He drew a small table up to Poynter’s chair and went to work. “You must give me the boy’s residence,” said he, ‘T can’t find him, though he has been hunted for high and low. Where does he live?” Colonel Poynter shook bis bead. “Think,” persisted Dr. Otto. ‘At one time or another he must have told you about bis There’s a good deal of resistance in said something concerning a street—an alley, rather—-which he called Bottle Alley.” “Do you think Nanice lives there?” “‘T don’t know,” ales aanrin ht we tinal with a hasty look at her companion. ‘* How he f
Page 9
‘ —, ~* Or Noah, perhaps?” 1 cannot say.” Again and again Dr. Otto returned to the attack, but he could get no further clew. ee | rng he muttered. ‘‘ Bottle Alley. Nanice or Noah may beastarting-point, Tt will be something for Lynx—a clew perhaps. If he is ‘sharper than the sharpest,’ as was said a while ago, he may get to the mark by help of the three words I’ve picked up.” Dr, Otto now permitted Colonel Poynter to come out of the trance-like state in which he had followed his (the doctor’s) will, and with a deep sigh the Southerner sunk back in his chair and wearily turned his head away, Out in the other room he suddenly encoun- tered aman who had been waiting some time for him, It was Lemuel Lynx, the New Orleans detec- tive. Dr. Otto gave the double-faced Vidocq the results of his experiments with Poynter. ‘“‘ Thanks, doctor,” replied Lynx, with asmile, “You've caught something by this cast of the net. I know where Bottle Alley is, and I think I can find both Nanice and Noah.” CHAPTER XI. THE FACE AT THE WINDOW, Noau NaTcHER, Billy Bantam’s friend and Nanice’s lover, became alarmed as the hours passed and did not bring the young detective back, He feared that the boy had fallen into the clutches of those whom he was watching, and his fears increased as the day drew to a close, It was near dusk when Noah, on the eve of seeking Nanice, in hopes of learning something through her, heard a step approach bis door, __\ and then a rap saluted his ears. “Come in,” said Noah, in response, and the next moment Lemuel Lynx, the detective, stood before bim. Noah was surprised by this visit from his fel- low-boarder, and conld not imagine what it meant. But his first glimpse of the Crescent City sbadow put him on his guard, and he re- solved to be cautious, Lemuel Lynx greeted Noah pleasantly and said, with a soft smile, and an oily tongue, that he was a fellow-boarder, and that he had drop- ped in for the purpose of. becoming acquainted, “ Pretty sleek,” thought Noah, ‘I'll have to mind my p’s and q’s if tbis thoroughpaced ras- cal don’t get ahead of me.” The young clerk told Mr, Lynx ‘that he was glad to see him, that he had become aware of his being his fellow-boarder, and that he hoped he would find the house to his liking and remain with them a long time. : “ falready like the place,” replied the detec- tive. ‘*Mrs, Rotherham andI are old friends, We shall get along pleasantly together, I assure ou, Then the two fell into a conversation common- place enough on the face of it, but all the time gta was leading up the object of his call. ; “Speaking of street boys,” said he, ‘I recall a sprightly little fellow whom I met during my former visit to the city. He was worth re- membering. I am now in a position to make something out of the boy. He « called himself Billy Bantam—a queer name, and one which I’ve thought of a thousand times since.” _ Noah saw the speaker shrewdly watching him, and he took good care not to betray himself by a start at mention of his friend’s name, “You see a good deal of these street Arabs, don’t you?” queried Lemuel Lynx, “Yes, a good deal,” echoed Noah, a | presume you have met my little acquaint- ance, “Tt is not unlikely. Iam a poor hand to re- call faces, or recollect names.” ** Indeed?” It seemed to Noah that the detective suspected him of playing a secret havd. ‘Billy and I became quite familiar,” Mr, Lynx proceeded, ‘J think he had a friend whem be called Nanice.” In spite of his resolye Noah started. He felt that he bad betrayed himself; he was conscious ‘of having blushed, and of having been seen to do so oy the New Orleans shadow. ‘I don’t know,” said he, hastening to remedy theevil, “I’m afraid you'll have to look else- where for Billy Bantam and the girl called Nanice.” ; Mr, Lynx replied in insinuating tones that he was sorry. He had hoped that Noah could give him some information. He would now have to _ abandon all hopes of meeting Billy Bantam again; he might run across him on the street, poe ARE Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle, but that was not a likely chance, one hardly to be thought of, Noah was glad when his visitor took his de- parture. He was afraid that he would betray himself the second time, and when his door had closed behind Lemuel Lynx’s figure, he admin- istered to himself a good lecture, But this was not all he did. The detective’s visit bad increased his fears concerning Billy. He felt that Lynx’s questions hid a deep plot against the boy. Nanice ought to be put on her guard. The schemer might visit her next, especially since he knew that she existed. Noah put on his hat and went out. He did not see the man watching for him near the house, nor did he know that the sharp eyes of Lemuel Lynx were following him up one street and down another, Noah took the shortest path to Nanice’s house. The detective tracked him to the door and wait- ed until he came out again, ‘‘T’'ve warned her,” said Noah to himself, ‘I did it without the knowledge of Mr. Lemuel Lynx, too, Nanice believes thata plot exists against Billy as well as against Colonel Poynter. We must get ahead of these rascals, They will stoop to anything, and that is why they need watching. Mr. Lynx did not know that I know a good deal about him; that I am aware of his double-dealing; that I have seen the gold cross in his possession,” Noah went home feeling that he had, to some extent, counteracted his mistake of a short time before. He had warned Nanice, and that was something. Lemuel Lynx did not follow bim back, The detective had scored a victory which he smiled over. He had found Nanice without much trouble; be had frightened Noah to the girl, and if she was Billy’s friend, it was more than likely that he had hidden the papers in her house, He waited for night to take his next step. He met the big man whom we saw last at Dr. Otto’s, and told him that the trail had be- come hot, and that he expected to report good news before long. ‘*T knew you would!” exclaimed the big man, “*T told Mordecaiand thedoctorso. What have you found?” ‘*T’ve discovered Nanice,” “She has the papers, eh?” ‘*T think so.” ‘Tf you think so that settles it.” The boy detective’s sister occupied a small room in the house whose side ran along a part of Bottle Alley. Nanice had deft fingers, and they made her a fair living, Noah bad helped her some and she sometimes had little outings which kept her in good health and spirits, She had been troubled by her lover’s call and by the story he had to tell, She pelieved that some great danger impended, and when Noa went away she locked her doors and resolved open them to no one, The girl took her sewing away from the win- dow at which she usually sat, She was afraid to sit in the old place, ee AE eee eee eee 9 soeasily. Never mind. Everything is working rigbt. I can work unmolested now.” He left the girl and began to search the room. He looked everywhere, through the bureau that occupied one corner, under the edges of the car- pet, behind the few pictures on the walls and even into the little cot along the chair-board, “Not here!” said he, ‘‘The boy either did not make the girl his confidante, or he hid the papers elsewhere. We must let the rat out of the trap and follow bim to the prize. I see no other way to it.” He looked at Nanice again and withdrew. He had tried to replace everything he touched, and when he went away he thought he had left behind no traces of his visit. But the eager eyes of Nanice, when she came out of her swoon, saw that he had been in the room, With a quick ery she thrust one band into her bosom, ** Thank God!” she cried, ‘I have them yet! He did not think of looking here for Fergus Poynter’s precious papers!” , CHAPTER XII. BILLY’S FORTUNES TURN. As the hours passed bringing him no liberty, Billy Bantam felt more and more like a rat con- demned to die in the trap that has caught it. He saw the day fade by the movements of the shadows on the floor, and when night came again he feared that it was the first of many of the kind to come, What had become of Colonel Poynter? Did Noah suspect that he (Billy) bad fallen into the hands of the gang? Would Nanice be able to reg the pps against the schemes that would sss ye or their capture? Was everything ost These were the mental questions that met the boy detective at every turn. No thoughts could dismiss them, and he was well-nigh in de- air. "He did not seek the pallet on the floor until he had revolved and dismissed a bundred plans, one after another. ‘ He heard a clock in the neighborhood strike ten before he retired to the darkness of the cor- ner and shut his eyes, After a short sleep the young Vidocq found himself wide awake, He could not tell what had roused him, but be was sure something had broken his slumber, He got up and crossed the room, A portion of the floor was covered with moonlight, It reached to the door, and to Biily’s astonishment, showed him that the portal was an inch ajar! It then occurred to him that some one had visited him, and had. accidentally left the door open on retiring. Had fortune provided an avenue of escape? Billy Bantam was prompt to take advantage of the situation. He would not stop to inquire into the whys and wherefores of the changed fortunes, It was his duty to accept it without question. He opened the door noiselessly and stoleaway. He found a broad staircase beyond the portal, and descended cautiously, Night came, and the hours of darkness began |¢ This didn’t look like dying like a rat in a to pass. She thought Billy might come, but trap. Noah’s story had filled her with many fears con- cerning hint, All at once a strange sound broke the stillness that reigned in the Jittle room. Nanice’s fingers stopped suddenly, and she felt afraid to look up, It seemed to her that she would see some one should she do go, The sound was not repeated, and after a few a nrg the girl ventured to glance at the win- ow. The following second a cry parted her lips. There was a face there}! tt was the face of a man, and was pressed against the pane, the eyes watching her like a hawk’s, full of evil dark- ness, Poor Nanice did not know what to do. The face at the window seemed to possess some weird powers of fascination, At last she left her chair and tottered forward; but all at once her strength seemed to give way, and she sunk to the floor in a swoon! _, The terror of the face had unnerved the girl; it had won a silent victory for its possessor, For a few seconds after Nanice’s swooning the evil countenance remained at the window, theri it muepenly disappeared as if it had left the girl er fate, : Ten minutes later a man entered the sewing- chamber, He turned the light down and bent over Nanice, She had not stirred once since sinking to the floor. “She'll come out of it bravely,” muttered the man, ‘I did not know she could be frightened Billy reached a door at the foot of the steps, He knew that it must comraunicate with the street, so he turned the knob, and passed out. He was free! The long lighted street was before him; it had never looked so beautiful before. A backwerd glance at his prison showed Billy that he had been imprisoned in a tall structure with the figures ‘' 929” akove the door. But he stopped to see no more. A square from the house he paused to collect his thoughts, 5 “Tl Jook into the colonel’s lodgings first,” said ke, ‘After that, mebbe I'll hunt up Nanice, or Noah.” He went back to the Southerner’s late abode, He stole into the little room where he was accustomed to seeing Poynter and found it empty. Poynter had not come back, Billy was about to quit the place when the door opened “Noah!” forward. * Billy!” The two youths stood face to face for a mo- ment with hands clasped, and joy im every lineament, “‘ They’re on the trail!” said Noah, the first of the pair to speak, ; **On whose trail?” “ Yours,” ‘What! do they know that I’ye escaped?” ‘cried the boy detective springing Se RA REE 9 SOE
Page 10
‘Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. ‘‘T can’t say about that; but Lemuel Lynx called on me and asked many questions about u.” a When?” ** About dusk.” ; ** What did he want to know?’ ‘He was anxious to find out where you lived,” “ Ah! they want the papers?” cried Billy. ‘© What papers?” ‘The story of Poynter’s life. I was offered my liberty for the papers. The woman of the game showed mea piece of writing from the colonel saying that I had his permission to give them up; but I would not. Then I was told to die like a rat ina trap; but I don’i intend to do any such thing, So Lemuel Lynx wants to find out where I live? He wants to find Nanice!” Noah and Billy discussed the whole situation in Colonel Poynter’s room. The young clerk told the boy that he bad come to the house in hopes of finding him so as to put him on track of Lynx’s schemes, and that finding him -there was the greatest of surprises, They agreed to watch the double-faced de- tective, since they believed that he knew where Poynter was, and would, in time, lead them to the Southerner. They would also watch Dr. Otto, the unknown woman, and the big man, for all four were it the game against Poynter. Billy said it would not be wise to go to Nanice just then, as they might be watched, and he seemed to have a strong motive for staying away from the girl. , , “Tf there’s any one on our trail now, we'll throw them off,” he said to Noah, “I want to show you something besides, Come!” Instead of quitting the house by the front door, the two friends left it by a back entrance and started off. . Billy conducted Noah into a certain dark lit- tle alley, where he opened a gate and entered a house with the aid of a key. Noah wondered whither he was leading him, The boy detective descended to a musty cellar, the door of which he closed and bolted. Then ’ he struck a match and took several stones from the wall. Noah looked on amazed. “Tt won’t soil your clothes much, Noah,” smiled Billy, pointing to the opening tbus re- vealed. ‘‘l’ve been here before, and Poynter has wondered at the dirt on my clothes,” The young shadow crawled into the hole and was followed by Noah, though not without some misgivings. ** Halt)” said Billy’s voice in the dark. The next instant a light flashed up. “This is the underground trail,” explained Billy, looking at vis companion and seeing the look of wonder that fified bis eyes, M =e underground trail?” repeated Noah, ecg. ‘Whose underground trail is it?” ** ll show you.” The two friends advanced again. “Don’t think I’m taking you across the city,” Noah heard Billy say at last. ‘ 1’m doing noth- ing of the sort, though the way seems long be- cause it isdark. Here is where I picked up one of my first links, Listen.” Noah felt a hand encircle his wrist and hold it steady. ‘“*They’re not here now,” continued Billy. ** At least I cannot hear them.” A moment afterward he found a rope in the dark, and pulled it downward toward him. A trap-door overhead opened slowly. ** Let us go up,” said he, and in a little while the boys stood in a comfortably furnished room, the windows of which wére both shuttered and curtained. - ‘* Here is where they came to talk over their schemes against Poynter,” explained the boy de- tective. ‘I’ve heard the whole gang here but Lemuel Lynx. I discovered the underground trail some time ago, and it has beer of a good deal of service to me, They don’t come here as often as they used to, They have other places— Dr. Otto’s house and the like.” Noah expressed his astonishment while Billy went on to tell him how he had overheard the conspirators in that very room, he being under- ground, the words coming down to him through he floor, — ‘“‘ They would hardly fetch the colonel to this house, even if he has fallen into their hands,” resumed qe “Tt isn’t very secure as a jail, and that’s why I think he isn’t here,” In order to make sure that the missing South- erner was not in the house, the friends searched it thoroughly, Billy Bantam leading the way. When they had finished they came back to the bird passed through the underground corridor, and emerged upon the street once more, ** We must solve this mystery, and that soon,” exclaimed the boy detective. ‘* Colonel Poynter is in the shadow of death. He knows be cannot recover from the work of the fatal draught which he unwittingly took that night some months ago. He must be rescued from those who have entrapped him, for I am now con- vinced that he has fallen into the power of the ang. , “Tam with you Billy,” answered Noah, reso- lutely. ‘‘The more Isee of Lemuel Lynx the more I despise him,” ‘* A greater traitor never lived!” replied Billy. “TItisa pity that Poynter ever met him, for Lynx has become his evil genius.” The two friends heard the clocks striking one. “T shall go back,” said Noah. ‘* Lemuel Lynx may need watching, and I want a clew to Colonel Poynter’s fate.” Billy watched Noah out of sight, He saw his figure fade gradualiy in the distance, and then he turned away. He went back to Poynter’s lodgings again. He could pass the rest of the night there on his old pallet. Casting himself upon it, the boy detective of New. York went back over the adventures which had befallen him, His corner was dark, but other parts of the room were not equally so. While yet awake the door opened, and Billy saw a figure, gigantic in its proportions, enter the room, There was something desperately fierce in the aspect of his visitor. All at once the man crossed the room to Col- onel Poynter’s arm-chair, drew a knife and. slit the cushion from back to front. Then-be thrust his hand into the gasb, and withdrew it empty, a curse announcing his ill success, “You won’t find ’em there!” chuckled Billy Bantam, ‘It’s a cold trail yon’re on now,” CHAPTER XIII. A SCENE AT DOCTOR OTTO’S. Or course the boy on the pallet in the corner did not move until the man had taken his de- parture, He watched him from the moment of bis en- tering the room until he had closed the door be- hind him, _ Billy had cause for remembering him, for he was the person who had caught and dragged him into the presence cf Dr. Otto, by whom, as we have seen, he was thrown into a mesmeric slumber. ; He did not want to fall back into the stalwart fellow’s clutches, He had just escaped from a trap with which the man had doubtless had to do, and recapture might put an end to his (Billy’s) hopes and plans. The cutting of the chair told him that Colonél Poynter’s papers were still objects of pursuit by the gang, and he was glad to’ know that they were still safe. Of course he did not know bow near Nanice had been to losing them, In hopes of getting a clew to Poynter’s where- ‘abouts, the boy shAdow of New York followed the big man down-stairs. He saw him walk to a corner, where be was joined by another person, and the two pro- ceeded on together. An hour later Billy saw the big one enter Dr, Otto’s house, “Ts he in there?” asked the boy. ‘“ Havel found Poynter at last! If { have we will bring this game to an end, for if we don’t, the gang, reinforced by the New Orleans detective, will finish him suddenly,” Billy remained ‘‘ on guard” in a secluded spot until morning. His desire to finda clew to his friend overmastered every other one, but his hopes seemed destined to be dashed to earth un- satisfied. ‘ No one came out of the doctor's house during his watch, and the door did not open to admit a single person. If he could have entered the place he would have witnessed several scenes that would have given him new courage, Dr, Otto was alone when the big man came in, The ‘t World’s Benefactor ” occupied a seat at a small table in the center of a room whose shelves and bottles told that it was his private office, He was so busy at work over some chemical apparatus that he did not hear the man, and for a aims he fas closely watched by a pair of hawk- like eyes. ‘ Suddenly the big man stepped forward, and Dr, Otto heard him. The next instant their eyes met, ; _“ Nothing yet?” growled the visitor, a frown darkening his face, ‘ ‘That is what Mr. Lynx says,” answered the young doctor. A) 75) ‘He does, eh? What did he do?” al “He visited the girl’s room. He went to P Nanice’s lodgings and searched them thor- oughly,” ** Where was the girl at the time?” **On the floor in a swoon,” ** And he found nothing?” i ** Nothing!” repeated Dr.-Otto. } The big man was silent for a moment. ‘Tt beats all!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Where is Marcia?” **T don’t know.” **On the hunt, too?” **T think so,” “It is aggravating to be baffled by a boy. He knows where the documents are. Colonel Poyn- ter intrusted them to him for safe-keeping, If he did not take them to the girl, heaven knows ‘ where they are. We tried the other scheme. We left the door of the rat-trap open, and the boy walked out, He went straight to Poynter’s old quarters, and gave us the slip by going out by the back way. e is sleeker than the sleek- g iest,” : Dr. Otto smiled. Dy ‘*f conld have told you tbat the boy is ae oh 4 vee shrewd,” cried he. Tha large man looked around the room, 2 ‘* What does he say?’ he suddenly queried, bea ae) * The colonel?” ah oe Yes,” = ‘* But little,” answered Dr, Otto, SPCR ‘* Where is he?” ies { ‘Tn the other room,” ees ‘* Asleep?” HF ‘* Doubtless; he sleeps a good deal,” 4 **T believe I'll take a look at him,” CAVE ‘* Be careful,” admonished the young doctor, ie as his visitor withdrew. ie As he did not follow the big man, he did not pal see him tip-toe into a room adjoining the labor- eit atory and stand over a man who was sleeping © in an arm-chair. Laney It was Colonel Poynter, maa A smile illumed the watcher’s face while he ne looked. m4 ak ‘* Why doesn’t he come back?” suddenly fell het from Boynter a UES fos 20 ae ce . man now. His mother-—a thousand curses upon ar 134 her head !—should have repented long ago. Isn't i her band still against me? Who has brought me to death’s door, and whose hand gave me \ the fatal draught? But I will live to win the “ith battle! I am not alone, I have a famous FY sleuth-hound on the trail—the only one of al! £ 3 who has proved faithful. Thank fortune for ‘ee Lemuel Lynx!” i fe It took the big man some time to discover en that Fergus Poynter was not wide-awake while Cee he spoke, He probably knew nothing of the eee strange talking trances into which he sometimes Ruy fell, and he Jooked at the man amazed while a be heard him through. At theend of the Soutberner’s speech he left oy the room and went back to Dr. Otto, bg “He looks better!” was hiseXclamationashe — crossed the threshold. ‘Ss ae ** Do you think so?” was the reply, ipa’ “Tdo. He hasa better color. ‘His face looks te fuller and his voice seems a trifle stronger,” Cris ** Did you converse with him?” v6 “No; he talked in bis sleep,” d a *“* About what?” bl ‘ A! (eed ‘It was a rambling speech; nothing con- . = nected,” replied the big man, cautiously. hie ye Dr. Otto turned toward his table, but in an ; instant the hand of his visitor darting forward na closed on bis arm, ; % ay 4 “Say, isn’t he getting better? he asked, the ~ = question seeming to draw fire from hiseyes, __ r “ You seem to think he is.” ein 3 ‘He looks that way, 1 say. You don’twant to carry your experiments too far,” a ey “What do you mean?” cried Dr. Otto, shaking off the grip and springing to bis feet, Dat 2 “Do I speak in ricdles? was the quick re-} sponse, “I warn you not to carry your ex-, periments too far. ou don’t want to make ' him too strong. I know what you can do.” Dr. Otto did not answer, He looked at the big man with asrort of de- fiant light in bis eyes, in spite of the physical difference between them, < , “You are as deep in the game asany of us,” his caller went on. “ You area member ofthe = | league against the man in the other room, = = You—I need not recall your work in thegame, Pee You know what it has been, and now if youat- { ‘ tempt to counteract it with the secret powersat = == your command—” i The threatful soeech was _brok en at this june- ture by the opening of the deor.
Page 11
Billy Bantam, the Boy Beag ? “Or enh sims “ Heavens!” cried the big man. ‘‘ The colo- nel himself!” He fell back and stared at the person who had come upon the scene, His face was colorless and his eyes had a frightened look, Fergus Poynter looked like one in the grasp of death, His tall figure had the spareness of an Indian arrow; his flesh had sbrunk to his bones; his eyes were wild in look and deeply set —in short, he was enough to terrify the man with a giant’s frame. Dr. Otto went forward and took Poynter’s hand. “Who is he” suddenly cried the Southerner, breaking from the touch and confronting the big fellow. ‘I’ve seen that face before, but where? The years have changed it. Time bas given it a devil’s' countenance. Ab!'I see! I see! Basil Porterham!” As the name rung from Poynter’s throat he ‘ madea wild dash at the doctor’s visitor, and before that person could lift a hand in self-de- fense, he was caugbt by the throat and borne back' among the shelves. “Pye longed a thousand times for a chance like this!” continued Poynter. ‘‘ You were seen about the plantation the night my wife came back and stole my child from the cradle, Your hand was.in the conspiracy to blight my name and to wreck my life! I wish I had the power of an iron vise. I[’d like to grip your coward throat until death came,” : The big man struggled to free himself from the clutch of the skeleton hands which seemed to possess a demon’s power. In doing 80 he brought down a shelf of bottles, The crash was loud enough to be heard in the street beyond the room. The fall of this singular avalanche broke the Southerner’s hold, and the large man sprung away free, “Now I'll return the compliment,” he cried, advancirig upon Poynter; but Dr. Otto came between and met him with unflinching gaze. “Not now,” said the young doctor, sterrly, “It is your fault; you should not have let him BN bt see you.” “tae The big man’s face became scarlet. : ian a) “Are you his champion?” cried he. “ Have aM ye. you turned traitor?” . ‘Never mind. This is no place for scenes of he this sort. There is one infamous double-face in ss the game, and that ought to be enough,” and, % unawed by Basil Porterham’s look—it was the look of a tiger—Dr. Otto led Colonel Poynter from the room, BA ‘I see through his plot!” exclaimed a voice behind him. ‘From this time on the game passes swiftly to its end!” ON CHAPTER XIV. eae OVERHEARD. ss. Pe next day Billy Bantam became aware ss that he was watched. More than once he dis- ee, covered a pair of eyes on the alert, and several Ayia. times he found himself dogged by a certain man Ma who seemed resolved not to lose sight of bim. ey eke This person was one whom he had seen in the a Pe . same business before—the big man’s companion, cee 2 not the big man himself. pins 8 ‘ eet The boy detective had been unable to pick pp any clew to Colonel Poynter’s whereabouts. He fox had been outwitted by some clever doubling, but the young clerk could give him no informa- tion. ; ye, At nightfall Billy went secretly to Nanice and ’ heard from ber lips the story of her fright. The girl thought the papers safe while they were se- -ereted on her person, but the boy was not of the _. Same notion. i “+ “Noah shall lock them up in the safe at the _ store,” said he. ‘‘ They'll be safe there. I could get Mordecai Moses to put them under lock and ey, but I wouldn’t trust the old fellow. Vil make Noah the keeper of the records,” which he did that very night. For some time Billy bad seen nothing of Lemuel Lynx, but when he was returning Bion Noah’s, with the papers out of his possession individua among the crossing. Curious to know what had called the New - Orleans detective to the spot, Billy Bantam drew off, and began to watch. Ina short time q female figure came toward Mr. Lynx, and a moment later the two were seated together. “That's the viperess of the game,” said Billy to himself. “‘ She's p like a steel vise. apparently waiting for some perso benches of a square which he was od fem taere ped enemy, ve nearly figu ‘on bor identity | the youngster. better than the rest of us just because you’re in ‘himself. managed to meet Noah clandestinely, when the, once more, he nearly ran plump against that, i. ta ought to know, for I've pom ut She is Colonel He watched the woman closely while he com- muned thus with himself, She was dressed in plain black, and though possessing a good figure, was not handsome. The pair were conversing in low and earnest tones, and Billy, eager to catch the run of their conversation, approached them from the rear, “Hello, there!” suddenly rung out a voice, “Did you ever find the man you was bunt-| ing?” Bill turned and saw the speaker within a few | got something feet of him. the very boy who bad once given bim a mite of information concerning Poynter’s disappear- ance, He was a ragged street gamin, and The boy detective felt like pouncing upon the gamin like a young eagle, ‘s Needn’t Jook so mad at a feller,” continued ‘*T don’t know that you’re any with Colonel What’s-his-name.” In another moment Billy was at the speaker’s ‘¢T'l] see you later, pe Mallett,” he whis- 1 “‘You’ve nearly spoiled a game for Master Mallett was inclined to be resentful; but Billy, all the while leading bim away, talked to him in a strain which overcame the difficulty. When he had got shut of the gamin, he went back to look for Lemuel Lynx and the woman, Marcia—but both were gone! Whether they had taken alarm from Dick Mallett’s interference, or had finished their talk, he had no means of knowing; he only knew that they were no longer where last seen, and the dis- appointment was most keenly felt. “‘T owe you one, Mr. Mallett,” said Billy, at the height of his chagrin. “I'll pay you back with interest one of these days. had two birds in the hand, a while ago, and now they’re in the bush once more,” Half an hour later who should he spy but Lemuel Lynx again! This time the double-faced detective had picked up another companion—the big man whom Billy had last seen enter Dr, Otto’s house. ‘* As pretty a pair of hawks as I ever saw!” exclaimed Billy. ‘‘ If there’s an honest drop of blood in their veins, it must feel awful lonely.” He saw the two talk earnestly for a time, saw something that glittered pass from Lynx to Basil Porterham, and the pair separated. ‘‘Was that the gold cross?” the boy asked ‘** Has the trinket passed from the New Orleans detective to the New York rascal? It looked very much like the cross from the glimpse I had of it. Ill follow you, Mr, Giant, and see! -This time Basil Porterham did not lead the boy trailer to the young doctor’s, He took him on a longer journey to a house which he recog- nized with a start, : ‘T’}] go back to the underground trail!” ex- claimed Billy, withdrawing. ‘‘It promises to belp me a little again.” He was soon creeping through the dark pas- sage to which he had senda Noah some time before, and ere long he stood beneath the trap- door listening with all his might. At first he heard nothing; then a hum of voices, ‘‘ He has the strength of a tiger yet,” he heard a voice say. ‘One would not think it from his looks, but he has. By Jove! if the bottles had not rattled down upon me When they did, [don’t know what might have happened.” “What did the doctor do?” *“Steod there and said nothing.” ‘*That was strange.” ‘¢ The man has turned on us.” ‘* Impossible!” “I say it is true! A look at the colonel as he now is will convince you. He’s got a better look. What does it mean, eh? I'll tell you. Doctor Otto is experimenting with his so-called elixir of life.” A short silence followed, and the heart of the boy in the dark beneath the house seemed to beat as it had never beat before. ‘‘ Does Marcia suspect this?’ was the question tbat broke the stillness. “Not yet. She bas not seen him for some hours. Doctor Otto cannot afford to play a double game.” q “Not with us! Did you mention your suspi- cions to the ferret?” t “To Lynx? I did.” ** Well?” ; “Tt did not astonish him.” sf: ‘Had he already suspected”, ‘* He seems to have suspected something, He gave me the cross.” | keep it. le. Ee ‘** Ah! have ‘* It is here.’ Although Billy Bantam could not see the you got it with you?” speakers, he could imagine that Colonel Poyn- ter’s cross was produced after the last words, He was not mistaken. “‘ He kept it to the last,” said the big man’s voice, ‘ He did not part ‘with it until starva- tion stared him in the face, Then, as you know, he sent the boy to old Mordecai’s and on it, No wonder he wanted to It was found im the cradle the night he | lost his son—how long ago, Marley?” side, and his fingers encircled his wrist before he | could withdraw. “Twenty years ago to-morrow night.” “So it is! He’s kept the cross all this time.” ** And the boy?” “Slipped through his wife’s fingers after the event,” was the reply. “Do you think he’s dead, Basil?” “No! He'll turn up to plague Marcia one of theso days,” laughed Basil Porterham, “I’m sure of it. That boy isn’t dead. Colonel Poyn- ter believed so once, but he doesn’t any more. You ought to hear him talk in his sleep asI have. Vengeance and love for that son are what have kept him alive so long. But for these two things, he would have died long ago. You know what his oath is, eh?” ‘To live until he has vindicated his name?” ‘“‘That’s it; and until he has paid us back; hat ha!” The coarse laugh set every nerve in Billy Bantam’s frame a-tingle with indignation. “Tm going to see that be does live until that time, you infamous scoundrels!” cried he, clinching bis fists in the dark, ‘‘ The old under- ground trail has given me the very clew I’ve been looking for. Ill give odds that I can go straight to Poynter at last. In Doctor Otto’s ( charge, is he? Well, he may not remain there long. The doctor hates a traitor; I’ve heard him say so. He doesn’t like a hair on Lemuel Lynx’s head; and he may have taken pity on the victim of the gang.” A few minutes luter the two men showed signs of quitting the room above the boy ferret ; but Billy did not stir until they had taken their departure, and then he crept back through the old tunnel and out upon the street, saying to bimself that fortune was smiling upon him at last in ‘‘ dead earnest.” He was the happiest boy in New York, CHAPTER XV. THE TALE OF A BUTTON. Tue next morning Billy, fast asleep on the cot in Colonel Poynter’s lodgings, to which he had gone fora short rest after his successful work against the league, was roused by a hand at bis sboulder. It was the hand of Noah, and the blanched face of the young clerk sent a thrill of fear through the boy detective. ‘“‘ We had a catastrophe at the store last night, or rather this morning,” began Noah, ; Billy guessed the rest im an instant. *¢ The safe was robbed, was it?” he cried. “*Tt was robbed!” For a moment the young Beagle could not respond, He looked at Noah ina dazed man- ner, and felt that he must be as white as a sheet. 5 Noah had said nothing about the loss, but it was not necessary. He knew what’ had heen taker. Of course the precious papers which he had taken from Nanice to the safe for safer keeping bad disappeared, which meant that they had fallen into the hands of Poynter’s ene- mies, ‘Go on, Noah,” he said at last. ‘I've got to bear it all some time, and I know of no better time than the present.” , Noah went on to say that the safe of the store with which he was connected in the capacity of clerk had been burglarized and successfully plundered; that a few bundred of dollars bad been taken. He said that the proprietors were glad it was no worse; that they knew nothing of the depositing of the papers in the safe, and that they were not aware of the real motive of the robbers. y As Noah finished he took from one of bis kets something wrapped in tissue paper, and illy saw him open the littleepacket with burn- - ing curiosity. When the paper had been removed a coat but- ton was revealed and Noah held it toward the boy detective while his eyes got an amused twinkle, “Do you know it?” asked the clerk. Billy Bantam took the button and leaneé toward the light. “Where did you get it?” he suddenly at his companion. queried, looking om
Page 12
12 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. ' “*T picked it up in the store near the window / where the burglar effected an entrance,” It was a rubber button of a shape peculiar enough to compel one to recognize it who had ever seen it before. ‘Do they know you have the button, Noah?” e No.” ‘“‘T think we have a clew,” smiled Billy. ‘““Then, you have seen such a button before?” “‘T have. A fewnights ago I had a good look at a certain gentleman, and as I had nothing else to do, I took him in from head to foot at my leisure. I was close enough to see the buttons on bis coats they were like this one.” ‘Thank fortune!” exclaimed Noah. ‘*Exactly like it,” continued Billy, turning the button over and over. ‘‘ The bits of thread pos to your find tell me that it was torn off. ‘Yes, I think I could show you the nail that did the work.” ‘*When we match this button we have the man who stole Poynter’s record,” resumed the young detective. ‘That is plain, unless there be many buttons like it worn in New York.” “There may be ten thousand for that mat- ter,” was the reply, ‘“‘ but only one man wore it last night. Did you ever see Mr. Basil Porter- bam and his friend?” “The big man, do you mean?” “ Yes ” “T don’t know him.” ‘Nor his friend?” ‘** Nor his friend.” “ The friend is smaller than Basil. He is as wiry as a cat, just the fellow to crack a safe and —to leave a button bebind.” ‘*Then you suspect him?’ exclaimed Noah. “ Basil Porterham’s friend is the man whose buttons I counted half a dozen times while I watched him. He has followed me quite often since I became connected with Colonel Poynter’s fortunes, He is the trail-dog of the gang.” ** What is his name?” ‘* Basil sometimes calls him Morley, and aman by that name was Colonel Poynter’s overseer when he was living in the South.” ‘¢ How came the colonel to tell you so?” ** He has told me much about his past,” re- joined Billy. ‘* But what is the matter, Noah? Vou are agitated. Did you ever hear of Morley before now?” ‘““The name brinsg something back to me,” answered the young clerk. ‘¢ What is it?” ‘* You know that my early life is a blank to ra) ae eu” ; ‘‘T have been my own father, as it were, since my tenth year. Before that time I lived with a man in this city who was a great mystery. I knew he was not my parent. I have no recol- lection of any guardian before him. One day, as I may have told you before, Billy, this man went off and never returned, I afterward dis- covered, one of our neighbors told me, that he had been arrested and taken to another State for trial. I waited a long time for bis return, for he had not been unkind to me, and I had no otner home. During the interval several letters came to the place for him and were given to me, “T kept them in trust for him, for I thought he would come back some day; but I never saw bim afterward. Young as I was, I was com- pelled to go out into the world and make a liv- ing. I took the letters with me—there were three of them—and they remained unopened for ayear. All were addressed to ‘Sylvester Solon,’ but inside they began ‘ My dear Morley.’ Each one contained ten dollars, to be expended, the writer said, ‘for the comfort of your charge,’ which certainly meant me. I remember read- ing the letters over time and again. They were all signed ‘M,’ and appeared to have been written by a woman, I thought I had a right to the money and keptit. It gave mea start; it putme above the first round of the ladder, though I’m not very high up yet, This is why I must bave started when you mentioned the naine of’ Morley. The old letters came back to me. Ibave them still, and I believe now, as I did then, that ‘Morley,’ whoever he was, knew the secret of my birth,” **There may be two Morleys,” replied Billy Bantam, ‘Did you ever bear what they did with your guardian?” ‘*Tnever heard; I don’t know whether he was innocent or guilty. He wentaway and that was the last of him,” / The boy detective was silent for a few mo- ments, a ed ‘beha ‘© Well look after the Morley of the present,” ** You may not,” thought Billy, though he aia he said withasmile. ‘‘He may turn out to be an interesting subject to you, Noah.” “He is that already!” cried the young clerk. ‘The name has brought my boyhood back, and I am eager to go to the end of the button’s trail with you.” Billy then detailed bis adventures since sepa- rating from Noah; how he had gone back to the underground corridor and overheard the im- portant conversation between Basil Porterham and his companion, He believed, he said, that Colonel Poynter wasa prisoner in Dr. Otto’s house; that, from what he had heard Basil say, he was iu no immediate danger there, and he though it best to look after the stolen papers, especially since the name of Morley had been invested with new interest. The button was returned to its paper and handed back to Noah. **T might lose it,” added the young ferret with asmile. ‘ There’s no telling, what may occur. I've been in one trap; ’ve had the hand of the woman, Marcia, Colonel Poynter’s enemy, at my throat, and the gang is desperate and cunning. Keep the button, Noah. I think I know where to look for its late owner; and the papers won’t be far away when I’ve found him. They want them above all things, I believe that Poynter has written out the innermost secrets of bis life, He intended the papers to bear witness against bis enemies in case they carried out their in- famous plot. The woman is at the hottom of the whole affair. She hasa drawn Basil Por- terham, Morley, Doctor Otto and Lemuel Lypx into the scheme, and a prettier set of scoundrels this big city never harbored.” ** Who is the woman?” asked Noah, ‘Why does she hate Colonel Poynter?” ‘* Ab! that is, in part, a mystery,” answered Billy. ‘*I think we would have to go back many years to get at the beginning. It’ll all be unraveled some time. If Poynter’s life holds out—if he can fight the secret draught long enough, and if success attends our efforts in his Tr-we'll solve the puzzle.” Not long afterward Noah was reminded by a look at his watch that he was expected at the store—his vacation having ended that morning —and Billy was left alone. ‘* Here’s a go, sure enough!” he exclaimed, “They’ve got both Poynter and the documents. The gang has played auvother bold hand, and a successful one at that. Noah must have been watched. He must have been seen to deposit the papers in the safe. Morley is the burglar of the plot. He is the man who stole the gold cross from old Mordecai’s shop; there’s no doubt of it now—and his fingers were at work again last night. Now, let me see what I can do, breakfast first, and then for the trail of the but- ton. Ten minutes later Billy the Beagle was the occupant of a cozy corner of a cheap restaurant —which he sometimes pztronized, He bad given his modest order, and was waiting to be served, when a man took a chair at the nearest table, and threw a quick glance toward bim. Billy’s heart seemed to find its way into his throat. ‘*Why! I didn’t know you at first sight!” ex- claimed the man, leaning toward the boy fer- ret. ‘* Where have you been keeping yourself; and what took my friend, Colonel Poynter, out of town so suddenly?” The young detective could not repress a start; it was impossible, : ‘Out of town? he repeated, staring at the speaker, ‘* Yes, yes. port, but the colonel wasn’t in.” ‘That may be true,” Billy looked straight at the man as he spoke. ‘Colonel Poynter hasn’t left the city, Mr. Lynx. He’ll turn up all right yet. And don’t you forget it!” CHAPTER XVI. FREED, Brtuty BANTAM’S answer seemed to take Lem- uel Lynx’s breath. He fell back and looked—half-stared—curious- Wy at the boy, as if he bad not heard aright; but illy’s face confirmed his words, ‘**T hope he may, indeed I do,” said the detec- tive, coming to his own rescue as best he knew how. ‘* You are aware that I came up from the South to help Colonel Poynter—tbat I was called North by telegram?” _ **T know that,” replied the boy, and then he turned questioner: “It’s a pretty deep case, isn’t it, Mr. Lynx?” ‘* Well} yes, In fact, I may say that it’s ve deep; rather mixed, too; but we'll come out wit flying colors in the end,’ T’ve called several times to re- he Pte not speak. ‘‘There’s liable to be a slip or two between cup and lip. I wonder what you’d say if 1 were to tell what I know? But I won’t; not to-day, Lemuel Lynx; nor here.” It happened that the boy’s order came af this moment, and he turned his attention to his break- fast. He knew that Lemuel Lynx was eying him like a hawk, but he seemed to take no notice of the espionage and devoted his whole attention to the food before him. The detective took a cup of coffee and a roll, both of which he soon finished; and as he pushed’. his chair back, he cast a look toward the young detective, ‘““Should Mr, Poynter come back to the old place, I wish you’d nolify me,” said he, at the same time hastily scribbling an address on a bit of card-board. ; Billy glanced at the directions and saw that Lemuel Lynx had given him the number of Noah’s boarding-house. ‘I shall be glad to oblige you,” rejoined the boy; and the next moment Lynx stalked toward the door, leaving him to the enjoyment of his corner. ‘Yes, Pll tell you!” pursued Billy, but in different_tones, ‘*Whatdo you take me for, Lemuel Lynx? I’m no chump, if I am some- what green. I guess you know that I’m in for the war. You couldn’t hoodwink me with your pretensions, You saw mecome in here, and you thought you’d catch a gudgeon,” Some little time elapsed before Billy passed to the sidewalk. When be got there he looked all around for Lemuel Lynx, but that worthy had disappeared. ‘* A visit to Nanice first,” muttered the boy. “ve got something to say to her. She hasn't heard of the robbery of the safe,and I don’t know that I'll tell her just yet, for she thought the papers would be safer with ber, which is right.” By doubling adroitly, as he knew how, the boy detective of New York soon stood in his sis- ter’s presence, “‘ Nanice,” he began, ** did Noah ever tell you about his boyhood?” / ‘¢ There never was much for him to tell,” smiled the girl. ‘* But he has told you?” “ec Ves.” , ‘* About the three letters addressed to Sylves- ter Solon on the outside, but to ‘ Morley’ with- in?” ‘* About them, Billy. I have seen the letters,” ‘‘ When were they dated, Nunice?” The girl had a remarkable memory; names and dates rarely slipped away from her, ‘* One bore date May 10th, 1872,” ‘Twelve years ago.” “A little over,” corrected Nanice. ‘‘ The other letters were dated the same year; the first some- time in June, the second in August,” ‘‘From what place were they written?” ‘* They mentioned no place.” * But the postmark?” “That was too dim to be deciphered.” ‘* Was it the same on all three envelopes?” “Yee.” : ‘Noah thinks they came from a woman,” ‘T think so, too,” said the girl quickly, ‘“* Now,” resumed Billy, crossing his legs and putting onan air of importance. “ Those letters are connected with the secret of Noah's life.” Nanice gave Billy a curious look, and he thought-he detec her eye. “You think so, too, Nanice!” he exclaimed, ‘Your eyes give you away.” “Do they?” laughed the girl, ‘Then let me tell you what I have kept from Noah. Those letters came from his mother ied : “ Heavens!” cried the young detective almost leaping from his chair, “Don’t you think so, too?” queried the girl, calmly. ‘‘ Haven’t you had just such an idea in your head a dozen times since Noah told you?” Billy confessed that he bad. : “T thought so!” continued Nanice, “T don’t know what Noah thinks, but this belief flashed across my mind before I had finished the second letter,” } “His mother!” repeated Billy several times. “Its all clear enough now. Sylvester Solon must have been in_ prison, else he would have come back to Noah.” * **Tt looks that way. “ He went away suddenly, you know?” “And they told Noah that officers had taken him to another State for trial,” “So they did. And that’s why he didn’t come back. Maybe be went up for a long term, and : when he came back Noah was gone.” a gleam of merriment in :
Page 13
y Thegirl thought so, too. “Noah wants to keep his letters, continued the boy ferret. ‘‘They may prove something one of these days. Now, I’m going back,” ‘* Back to the Poynter trail?” “ Yes.” Night descending again over the spires of Gotham, saw the slight figure of the boy detec- tive creeping through the shadows of the house. he place seemed. deserted, for the shutters weredrawn, but if he had thought it was not inhabited Billy Bantam would not bave been there. He halted at the foot of a tree which grew at the edge of the sidewalk and stretched its branches toward the house. In a short time he was ascending the tree and, in spite of his perilous adventure in the same vicinity on another occasion he crept out on one of the boughs toward the window. Several minutes later he was looking into a room occupied by twomen, A number of jars and bottles on shelves told him that it was an office, or laboratory; but the men before him told him more. Dr. Otto was there; but he was not the person whom the boy detective watched, He saw a face which he knew better than the doctor’s, He saw a mau lying back in an arm-chair just as he had seen Colonel Poynter do a thousand times; and, what was more, the person before him was the colonel himself! Billy could hardly keep back a cry at his discovery. : He looked into his friend’s face with more curiosity than he had ever regarded it before. ‘By Jove! he looks better!” he exclaimed. ‘* He’s stepped back from death’s door. I know he has. His eyes are brighter. What is the doctor going to do?” His question was prompted by the strange ac- tions of Dr. Otto, He saw him unseal a bluish bottle and then dip into its narrow mouth the end of a singular- looking instrument with a rubber tube attached. At the same time the skeleton bands of Colonel Poynter bared his bosom, and the young doctor, bending forward, seemed to put some of the con- tents of the bottle into his system. The boy ferret watched the operation with an interest impossible to describe, He sawa new light fill Poynter’s eyes as if the fluid was in- stantaneous in its effects, and he thought he heard an audible “Thank you!” from the pa- tient’s lips. ** Doctor Otto may not be all scoundrel,” said Billy to himself. ‘*He is doing the colonel a ‘service from what [ can see; but, after all, he may be hastening the end.” : At that moment a slight noise beneath him attracted the young beagle’s attention. The sidewalk was one-half in shadow, and my parted the leaves noiselessly with his hands, ' At first he saw nothing, but a closer look showed him a dark figure against the body of the tree, “A spy!” thought Billy Bantam, “I’m not gy one playing a hand in the game to- ni y this time his eyes, accustomed to the vague light, showed him more, e saw that the man was tall and of stalwart build, and that he was looking up into the tree as if be bad already found him. ‘Basil Pi orterham |!” ejaculated Billy. “TI don’t want to fall into your clutches now!” CHAPTER XVII. NOT A MOMENT TO LOSE, Tue presence of the big man under the tr Was enough to alarm the boy shadow, pare could be no mistake, it was Basil Por- rham, Billy at first thought he had been discovered, buta little scrutiny gave him hope, The man seemed to be watching the bouse, and not him, A few seconds later another man joined Basil on the sidewalix, his person was smaller, and the young fox in the tree r nized him also. Morley had joined his fellow-plotter. “The man who lost the button!” mentally ejaculated the boy, “q like to look at your coat, Mr. Morley; but time enough for that. Maybe you've sewed on another button, or changed garments, Now, what are you two ras- —eals going to do?” It was evident that the two men were up to something dark, Billy, as we know, had overheard Basil Por- _ terham say that Dr. Otto was playing a double _ hand—that be was trying to give Colonel Poyn- ter new strength, if not to restore him alto- Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 138 gether, and this, of course, the gang did not want done, The boy detective watched them as he had never watched any one before, They held their consultation in low whispers, with their heads close together. The young fer- ret could not make out a word. Once or twice he saw them look up at the window where there was a light, and he feared that Morley, being the slightest in weight, would ascend the tree for closer inspection, At last the men separated. They moved noiselessly toward the door and let themselves in by means of a night-key which Porterham pro- duced, The secrecy of their movement suggested some new villainy and caused Billy Bantam to take more interest than ever in the play. The door closed behind them, and he turned his attention to Dr, Otto and his patient. Suddenly the young doctor turned his head to the dvor, and then quickly left the room, Colonel Poynter lay back in the chair with closed eyes, ‘* The effect of Doctor Otto’s elixir has passed off, and he is weak again,” thought Billy, The following moment he beheld a sight which nearly loosened his grip on the bough. A door directly behind the Southerner had opened, apparently without noise. Billy had not known before that a door was there. A man came into the laboratory with his dark eyes fastened upon the chair. He carried in one haud something that looked like a shawl; it had a terrible significance for the boy who looked on from the tree. The man was Basil Porterham, and he had the tread of the sneaking panther, The boy detective wanted to cry out and warn Poynter, but his tongue seemed glued to the roof of his mouth. He had to look on and keep silent. All at once Basil Porterham leaned over the back of the chair, then the shawl, if sbaw! it was, ascended and dropped over the victim’s face, so quickly that there was no chance for a ery of alarm. The hood was drawn tight, and Basil Porter- ham lifted Poynter from the chair. This seemed an easy task for the giant, and Billy saw his friend carried beyond the secret door and out of sight. All this did not seem to occupy a minute of time. It had the semblance of some terrible dream to the young ferret of Gotham; but he knew it was real. Colonel Poynter bad been taken from Dr. Otto’s charge; he bad been stolen by Basil Porterham! What would become of bim now? Something seemed to hold the boy shadow to the bough, What would the young doctor do when he came back? Ah, would he come back? While Billy wondered thus, Dr. Otto entered the room, He~ stopped short and stared at the empty chair, Billy felt like tapping on the window and tell- ing him all he knew; but be held back. He was curious to know what Dr. Otto would do. Presently the doctor crossed the room. He Seemed to touch a button in the wall, for the hidden door opened again. _ In a moment he had disappeared and the room was empty once more. Two minutes later Dr. Otto came back. He was flushed and excited, ‘*By heavens! they shall pay for this!” he cried, striking the table with his fist. ‘I know what it means. I hated the scheme from the start. They held a club over my head and made me serve them, If she were to come in now l’d tell her to look for another tool, It is the most infamous plot I ever heard of!” The boy on the limb could stand it no longer. ‘Hit or miss,” said he, ‘1m going to see Doctor Otto!” The next moment his fingers struck the pane, He saw the young doctor start at the sound and then come toward the window. : Billy tapped again and the sash was raised. Dr, Otto fell back with a cry at sight of him, and before he could recover, the boy shadower had helped himself into the room! ** You?” exclaimed the doctor. by not” answered Billy. I think I ought to be around at a time like this, Weve _— ~~ d See the whole proceeding.” “What proceedings!” queried Dr, Otto, The theft of Colonel sy The big man —Basil Porterham—did it.” There was no respon: fore; but never mind that. I happened. continued the young street scout; “ but I know of nobody who has a better right. Are you going to fet them finish the colonel and drag you down with them? Why don’t you break away from the gang and help us? They suspect you already. Basil Porterham believes that you have turned against them. He will tell the woman so; then—” ** How do you know this, boy?” ‘“*T overheard him tell Morley.” Dr, Otto's face suddenly got another expres- sion. It was one of resentment. - “They bad better look out!” be said, madly. “You are the man who should do so,” put in Billy. “A pretty nest of scamps it is now. Morley stole the papers last night—” ** Stole tbe papers?” “Yes. And now Basil Porterham has stolen Poynter.” ‘“ Where is the traitor?” ** Lemuel Lynx?” ** Lemuel Lynx.” ** Oh, he is playing his card somewhere.” The boy detective eyed Dr. Otto closely, while pe anpenre to be deciding between good and evil, “Yuu ought to know where they will take Poynter,” he said at length to Otto. “I think I do,” was the reply, ‘‘ but, if they really suspect me, as you say they do, they may have selected another place.’ ‘But let us go to work. No time is to be lost.” “Not if you would save Colonel Poynter,” answered the doctor, Billy saw the young chemist place a small leathern case in an inner pocket, is face bed now a determined look, as if he had really turned agnor the conspirators whom he had served so long. ‘““Ab! some one is coming,” suddenly ex claimed Otto. The boy shadow was seized and thrust bebind a curtain stretched across one corner of the room. He had heard nothing, but the doctor had, and he did not resist. A moment passed and then the door opened. “Well, bere yougare,” exclaimed Dr. Otto, pleasantly, and a woman’s voice replied. The imprisoned boy drew the curtain aside and looked out, He saw in the room the woman called Marcia, by Basil Porterham. ‘* How is he now?” she asked. * About the same,” rejoined the doctor. “T’'d like to look,” she went on. ‘It does me good to see him occasionally. I used to see too much of him, ha, ba, ha! The game is nearly out, and we are winning it. About how much longer do you think he will last?” ‘One cannot tell exactly.” “ A week id **T don’t know.” Marcia looked displeased, “You ought to know!” she exclaimed, “If be should outlive the work of the secret drug, I'll know where to put the blame. They say there’s a change in him;—that he looks im- proved. Beware! You can’t afford to tmfle with me /” If Billy Bantam had never seen a buman tigress before he saw one at that moment. ; ones was not prepared for the scene that fol- owed, Dr. Otto sprung suddenly at the woman and pushed her into the empty arm-chair before she could resist. Almost instantly several stra were in view, and Marcia was secured in the seat beyond possibility of escape without assist- ance, Otto laughed at her ravin “Come!” he cried, dragging Billy from be- hind the curtain. ‘We haven’t a moment to lose!” And they darted from the place together, CHAPTER XVIIL MARCIA, THE MERCILESS. _ If the two had come back a minute or so after their hasty exit they would have witnessed the frantic struggles of an enraged woman for liberty. ; The prisoner of the chair hardly waited for the sounds of their feet to die away ere she commenced her efforts. But, Dr. Otto seemed to have provided against ber strength for the straps were strong and well fastened. Still this did not prevent Marcia from working until her face got red and her eyes appeared ready to quit ber head. ‘* A thousand curses rest upon bim!” she ex- claimed. “He has turned against us; he ig leagued with the street rat whom we had in the trap for a time and who is Poynter’s spy, |”]) ‘ se, “Mayte you think I oughtn’t to interfere,” » get even with Dr. Otto, I will show him that it Ce ae
Page 14
= aoe = en. Se Reese Sf aS ae ee . [ i Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. is dangerous to trifle with me. I know enough to blight bis career, and ke shall discover to his sorrow that Marcia, the Merciless, is no empty title,’ Her struggles increased rather than dimin- ished, and a supreme effort sent the chair over, and the woman, with a wild cry, went with it to the floor, Her shriek died as suddenly as it had been ut- _ tered, for a dead silence followed the fall of the ¢ chair, and still imprisoned by the straps, Marcia lay like one dead on the carpet. - ‘An hour later a man opened the door of the laboratory, and fell back at sight of her. ‘* Hello! what does this mean?” he exclaimed. «‘ By Jove, she’s tied in the chair, too! She isn’t dead, though! No, there’s life enough here to plague some one yet.” The speaker, who was no less a person than our old acquaintance, Lemuel Lynx, loosened . the straps and picked Marcia up. He bathed her temples with some water, and brought her back to consciousness. Then he listened to the story of her strange experience. She had nothing but deep hatred for Dr. Otto. She would make him suffer for his work: he should never forget the avenging hand of the Merciless, The detective did not like the information ob- tained from Marcia’s story. It annoyed him. If Dr. Otto had turned against the gang, was he (Lynx) safe? Would he not fail into the hands of the police when he went forth? ‘* As to Colonel so oe said the detective, “the is safe enough. Basiland Morley have him in atrap which the ingenuity and the shrewd- ness of Dr. Otto and the boy spy cannot find.” ‘ola responded to this with an exclamation of joy. “Still in our hands? she cried. ‘I was afraid he had slipped through. So the game is not lost. It is oursin spite of the traitor and the gutter ferret!” Marcia was then told where Colonel Poynter might be found, and she again thanked Lemuel Lynx for his timely assistance. “‘ But for your help I might have died here,” said she, ‘I passed from one swoon into an- other, I felt that the end was near—that, when some one came, I would be found dead with the straps buried in my flesh.” Not long after these events a woman unlocked a certain door and looked intoa room dimly lighted and almost stripped of furniture. She saw a large rocking-chair in one corner, and her sharp eyes detected the figure that re- clined in it. ‘* Ha! still in the toils!” she muttered gliaing noiselessly forward. ‘I said [d follow you to the death and I am here. Thought to escape me, did you? thought to bunt me down first with one sleuth-hound and then another, eh? They played you false, thanks to the power of old! They hoodwinked you, even to Lemuel ynx, the most trusted one of all. Pve been too much for you. You can’t escape from the shadow, Fergus Poynter. Your ferret friend is at fault, and Doctor Otto came over to your side too late in the game!” She might have touched the man in the chair while she spoke, she stood so close to him, She bent forward. with her hands clinched, and rage and triumph mingled in her dark eyes. All at once she seemed to discover that the victim of the league was not asleep. Colonel Poynter’s gaze was fixed upon her with a pier- cing steaciness which seemed to look her through. ‘““At last!” said the bloodless lips of the Southerner, and bis skeleton hand came up until it covered her, “You areright! At last!” was the answer, “Where is he? What did you do with him ?” continued the tenant of the hay. ‘‘Ask the grave,” was the cold-hearted re- sponse, se te uplifted hand dropped at its owner's 2. ‘ ‘* Woman, you lie!” he cried. “TI don’t be- lieve a word of it! I thought so once; but I got over that.” She came still nearer and with ea bitter laugh. “Rind him, then!” she exclaimed. ‘If your son is living, hunt him up! Don’t ask me for information. How do you feel?’ The question was a taunt, and, knowing it to be such, Poynter did not reply. - “To-morrow TPli see you again if you are here,” she went on, ‘I told you, years ago, that I would bring you through a thousand tor- tures to the door of death, 1 have kept my word! Those in whom you have trusted fs) r « %, ‘Skee SA te pd Fam fy mal a ~ iy have betrayed you; they were all in my employ. You held on to the cross to the last; but, if went to the pawnbroker’s, and from his safe it passed to me.” Poynter was as immobile as a statue, ‘‘ To-morrow ! don’t forget!” she resumed, drawing back, and a moment later, she passed from, the room and he was alone again, Exerting all his strength, the victim of the plot left the chair and stood in the center of the room, “Pll keep my oath! All the powers that be shall not prevent!” he cried, ‘I swore that I would live to see the guilty in the hands of jus- tice, and I will! I know I am in the shadow of death—that the fatal midnight draught still,has me in its power, and that it will conquer in the end. Lamdoomed. Butin sight of Heaven I renew my oatu! 1 will see the er brought to justice, I will live to punish! More than that, £ will live to see my lost Yr : If Marcia had listened at the door she might have heard these words; but she did not,” In another part of the house she was looking into Basil Porterham’s face while he told the story of the abduction of Poynter from Dr. Otto’s office. The big fellow told it with a good deal of zest. “They won't find him here,” he declared, in conclusion. ‘The Boy Beagle is sharp enough, but he is baffled now. Doctor Otto knows noth- ing of this retreat, and then the club we have held over his head so long will deter him from carrying his treachery too far.’ I’m glad Lynx came to the house in time to rescue you. We did not intend to go back.” ‘Colonel Poynter don’t believe that the boy is dead,” remarked Marcia suddenly. . ‘* Neither do I.” The woman started and stared at Porterham, ‘“‘ What have you found out?” she exclaimed. A puzzling smile was the reply. “‘Té you know anything about him, tell me!” cried Marcia, bending forward and clutching Porterham’s arm, ‘* You know how he was lost, years ago? When Morley came back from prison the boy had disappeared, and the trail was lost, It has been lost ever since, If I could but re- cover it now!” ‘“* What would you do?” ‘1d make his last hours his bitterest!” she al- most bissed, nodding toward the part of the house where she had left Colonel Poynter. ‘‘ Where would you look for the boy if you were going to find him?” Porterham twirled the ends of his big mus- tache; but before he could answer, Marcia mor he | with a cry to the window. \ * What was it?’ queried the big man, “A face—a human face! It looked like Colo- nel Poy nter’s when he was a young man!” CHAPTER XIX. ' CLOSING IN. BASIL PoRTERHAM could not help looking at the woman, She was as white as a sheet, and was trembling from head to foot, a “Tt was not imagination!” she cried asif be doubted her word. ‘‘I saw a face at the window and I tell you that it looked like his, Now ae Rat you going to tell me about the lost The big man did not seem to hear the ques- tion. He went to the door and passed out, leaving the woman alone. She waited impatiently for him but he did not come back. By and by she went away herself, but not without taking another look at the man who seemed to be dying in his chair in the dim room. “The game is nearly out,” she said with a low triumphant laugh. ‘' Now that you are away from Doctor Otto all the science in the world won’t save you.” Colonel Poynter did not) hear a word of this, and Marcia closed the door softly and locked it with a key which she took from her pocket. Porterham soon afterward found on the street a@ small man whom he called Morley. 4 “Marcia saw a ghost awhile ago,” said he with a smile, ap ghost?” repeated Morley, ‘‘ Where was 1 - “« At the window of the house where he is.” “What was it like?” “I did not see it, but Marcia called it a face which resembled the colonel’s @ good many years ago,” Morley started , I sy I know whose face it was,” said he, e. : “Lemuel Lynx has @ fellow-boarder, I saw him when I went up to the detective’s roorn last yt hy fs was we a eer fg night, and the surprise nearly knocked nt my'feet. No wonder Marcia thought the fact at the window looked like Fergus Poynter’s. By Jupiter! it would have given me a shock.” “ But, tell me—” ‘‘1’d sooner let you see for yourself,” was the ete interruption, ‘‘ We'll find bim somewhere _be- " tween now and morning. It wasn’t Billy Ban- tam’s phiz, Basil.” And ‘No! Marcia knows the boy.” he ‘* She has cause to.” —- of The two pards went away together, arfd, half an hour afterward the band of Morley sought Basil’s wrist. Gy ‘Look straight ahead at the young. man standing in front of old Mordecai’s trap,” he whispered. ae The big man obeyed. } “Great Cesar!” he exclaimed, “that is the ghost Marcia saw.” “Of course,” returned Morley. ‘That is Lynx’s fellow boarder, They call him Noah Natcher, but you know what his real name is.” Porterbam said nothing but looked at the young man thus singled out, eying him from head to foot with the scrutiny of a hawk, “You've found him at last, Morley,” said he, without looking toward his companion, ‘“ Dve suspected his existence, and was preparing Mar- cia for it when his face appeared at the window, Now, what are you going to do?” ‘“‘ We'll finish the game in hand first.” ‘* But he may be a spy.” ‘‘ He and Billy Bantam are friends.” ** Leagued against us, eh?” ‘* Certainly.’ ~ “Weve got to look after them. Noah Natcher is standing in front of the old pawn- broker’s for a purpose. Does he think you pawned the papers?” e He’s not so big a fool as that,” grinned Mor- ley: ‘< Ah! the mystery is clear now,” and the two men fell back a step as the figure of the boy — detective emerged from the shop and joined oah, “The old fellow is as mute as a clam,” they f heard Billy say. vi ‘*Then we'll work the other racket,” was the reply. ‘‘The house on X—— street will give us. something—I’m sure it will. Don’t tell the doc- tor. We may need him when we've found the colonel,” Other words were spoken, but the two part- ners heard no more, “Tracked down!” growled Porterbam. ‘‘ The foxes have found the new retreat. Back to it at once! \They will come to it to rescue. We can catch them both! Now or never, Morley! We never had a chance like this!” 15 They let Noah and Billy disappear unmolested, _ and started back toward the house which had become Colonel-Poynter’s prison. sthiaay “They won’t come early in the night,” said Morley. ‘‘ They'll wait for the wee sma’ hours,” And he led the way into a big cafe where he or- dered a supper with a prodigality that nearly took Basil’s breath. The couple enjoyed themselves at the table, — They had a cozy corner and broke a full bottle each over the rich repast. ve _ Morley told how he lost his little protege some years before; bow he had been suddenly re- .— moved from bis guardianship by officers of the _ law; how, as he learned since, Marcia had sent = him’ some letters containing money which the boy had probably appropriated to his own use, — ‘ “Pm not mistaken, Basil,” he concluded, — “The resemblance was too striking to deceive _ me, Wecan play a new hand with the boy for ‘a trump card. Marcia bas plenty of money, and it sticks to her fingers too well to suit me, The discovery of the boy is @ bonanza, It epens anew mine of wealth to us, don’t you see Porterham bowed and smiled. 4 ee The feasters got through at last. As they = came toward the open front door of the estab- — lishment they did not see the two plain-looking — men who were watching them closely, nor di they hear these words spoken by a boy: “Those are the birds—the big and the little one, Basil Porterham and Morley.” Ae As the two men reached the door they were \ fallen. “ othe *¢ Who makes it?”
Page 15
PIt is made in the name of one Fergus Poyn- pul. - ‘The two rascals exchanged swift glances. “Tf there’s a boy in the mess, the whole thing’s a villainous scheme!” cried Basil. The two officers smiled. Nos long afterward a man well known to the reader ran upa flight of steps and opened a small trunk in one corner of a small room. He took out a few small things in a hasty manuer and concealed them on his person, “*T don’t want to let any Gotham grass grow - under my feet!” said he to himself, ‘‘ The jig seems to be up; the gutter rat and his friend, a next door neighbor, have played a succe s- ful hand. Doctor Otto will turn against the gang. They’ve already bagged Basil and Mor- ley; but, Marcia eludes them, Colonel Poynter is likely to fulfill his oath, thanks to the Boy Beagle, for beagle he has proved himself to be. IT must be off at once!” And Lemuel Lynx ulled his hat down over his eyes and left Mrs, otherman’s boarding-house forever. He made hasty tracks'toward the ferry. The boat was just quitting the pier, and his leap was a marvel to all who saw it. : He entered the gentlemen’s cabin, and, nearly pe of breath, took the first seat that offered it- self, “Going South, Mr. Lynx?” asked a voice at his elbow. ‘ Lemuel turned with a start, looked once at the speaker, then sprung up, and darting from the cabin, leaped over the chain into the river! In a second the double-faced detective had _ disappeared. CHAPTER XX. PERSEVERANCE WINS, _. THERE was great extitement on board the ferry-boat over this unexpected and tragic event. Tho craft was stopped as soon as pos- sible, and several hundred eyes looked for the New Orleans detective. The man from whose side he had sprung an- nounced to some in a quiet manner that he was a detective on the lookout for Mr, Lynx, and, , he added significantly, that it would be no great loss if the rascal never turned up alive, The search was a vain one, Lemuel Lynx had effectually disappeared, and the ferry-boat resumed its journey, Meantime a haggard-looking man, reclining in an arm-chair, was talking to a boy who stood near by, bat in hand, and on the eve of going out. “It’s a blessed thing to get back to the old @uarters once more,” said the occupant of the chair, who was Colonel Poynter, found in his new prison through the assistance of Noah, whose face had startled Marcia, as already de- scribed. ‘Doctor Otto has probably fied the city, although ‘he has turned against the gang, and I won’t feel the cheering effects of his _ powerful antidote,” “Ifthe doctor is in New York he shall be found,” responded the boy, ig Bantam. ‘** We've corraled Porterham and Morley; a lot of detectives have been posted and are looking for Lemuel Lynx and the woman. I tell you, colonel, we’re getting there in fine shape!” “ Find the woman!—find Lemuel Lynx, the traitor!” exclaimed Poynter, “1 want to stand face to face with them once more! I never sus- pected that man, I thought him faithful among the faithless. I would have trusted my life in tbat man’s keeping. Now I see him with his mask off. What a base scoundrel! As to the -woman—Marcia the Merciless, she calls herself —I can have some pity for her, despite her many crimes. Bring her to me, boy! I will be here, I feel the deadly ne in my system; but I will fight it off until I have triumphed _ over them. The oath registered in Heaven shall ere hen Ca _ A few minutes later, when Colonel Po was alone in his old quarters, the door bs Sa a. oe face of Noah Natcher appeared at the shold. The young clerk looked at Poynter, apparent- ; 7 asleep in the chair, and stole forward. He id not notice that the eyes of the Southerner _were riveted upon him as they were from the moment of his Coming, but, when he stood _ within arm’s length of the patient he became _ aware of his watchful rness. » , “My God! at last!” suddenly exclaimed Poyn- ___ ter, throwing out his hands, “‘I don’t have to ata for her secret,” ___ Noah gave a cry and fell back, He stared at Colonel Poynter as if he thought him bereft of reason. ~ Come!” continued the conspirators’ victim, Billy , TO Pa aca Raa ie ECE isek Bantam, the Boy Beagle, = tw Soba RSE mS “What! do you desert me? You, the stolen child of the plantation?” He left the chair and came toward Noah, who, still not understanding him, recoiled anvther step. The next moment Poynter halted. He was seen to retrace his steps, his figure reeled like a drunkard’s, and Noah sprung forward to sup- port him, but too late—Poynter fell senseless at the foot of his chair! ‘*Look, Nanice! We have them again! We have trapped the game, and bere are the lost papers; but they are useless now, for Colonel Poynter is going to live to see his name vindi- cated.” Nanics of Bottle Alley looked at Billy Ban- tam, her eyes full of amazement, and wondering if he had not lost his wits. When he quieted down he told her bow he had found Poynter in the old house, bow a search of the place had revealed the lost records and the gold cross, how Basil Porterham and Morley had fallen into the hands of justice, and finally how he knew, from Noah’s description of the scene at the Soutberner’s old quarters, that the young clerk was nameless no longer! The overjoyed girl could hardly believe. “* Marcia and Lemuel Lynx are yet at large,” he went on, ‘‘ but we will get them both. Colo- nel Poynter wants to see them once more. He wants to meet the double-faced detective and the woman who was once his wife. We'll put the police of New York on their trail, The under- ground corridor brought forth splendid fruit in the end,” ““But Doctor Otto?” queried Nanice. ‘You have not mentioned bim.” ; “He is missing,” answered Billy. ‘ He is the man who can bring Colonel Poynter back to health, if human agency can accomplish that miracle, He made the secret death-draught for Marcia. He must be found; he must keep Colo- nel Poynter this side of the grave, We will for- es his part of the conspiracy if he does this, The girl clasped her hands and said something which Billy did not catch. The next day and the next there came to the hunters no tidings of Marcia the Merciless. _Lemuel Lynx had not reappeared, as if the river had refused to give him up. _ Colonel Poynter had become convinced that in Noah he had found the child who had been stolen from his cradle by the wicked woman, once his wife, and the young clerk, with Nanice, was watching over the victim of the deadly draught. Billy Bantam was ever on the alert, and the detectives were assisting him to find Dr. Otto and Marcia. At last—it was the fifth day after the arrest of Porterham and Morley—the Boy Beagle saw availed woman enter a certain house near the river. j 1t was not the first time he had followed her within the past two days. After a while the agile youth stole to the rear of the house, dropped into the» basement, and came up into the house proper. How dark and still it was! He climbed the wide staircase in the hall, and was stopped at the head of the flight by a singu- lar noise. He went down the corridor and lis- tened atadoor, All at once he was startled by the fall of a heavy body inside; then the silence of death reigned again. ‘The Boy Beagle turned the knob, Thé door yielded and he went in. The darkness of the tomb enveloped him. By and by Billy struck a match, and, as the fiame leaped up he fell back with a cry. The body of a woman lay at his feet. One look told him that he had found Marcia the Merciless, ; There, in that little up-stairs room of the old house, the exciting trail of the Boy Beagle came to an end, for, when he went back to tell those who waited for bim how he had fared, be saw a man bending over Colonel Poynter. Billy Bantam uttered a cry of delight. It was Dr. Otto! The young man had come to the front of his Own accord—he had come to do what he could or the Southerner, and then sufrender to the law. So he said, at any rate. _Colonel Poynter for months lingered between: life and death, but the change for-the better came at last, He went back to the scenes of his misfortunes, he vindicated his name before the a and n life anew, j Noah Poynter—once Noah Natcher-r took } ; Nanice from her cramped quarters in Bottle | Alley, and gave her a better bome, where Billy was always welcome, aud the young people’s wedding-trip, with the Boy Beagle to keep them company, extended to Colonel Poynter’s new place in the South, It turned out that Morley had robbed both the safe of the pawnshop and the safe of the store; that the button belonged to his coat, as Billy bad suspected, and so forth, The two graceless ras- cals went ‘‘ up the river” for a long term, where they still curse the shrewdness and the skill of Billy Bantam, the boy who stuck to Colonel Poynter through thick and thin. THE END, Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. BY CAP'1. J. F. ©. ADAMS, 84 Oregon Sol; or, Nick Whiffies’s Boy Spy. 46 Glas«-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. 54 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. 56 Nick W hifties’s Pet; or, In The Valley of Death, 60 The White Indian; or, The Scovt of the Yellowstone, 70 Old Zip’« Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods. 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. 85 Buck Buckram; or, Bess, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Pets; or, The Wild Huntress. 251 Light-house Lige; or, Osceola, the Firebrand. 257 The Lost Hunters; or, The Underground Camp. 283 The Scalp King; er, The Human Thunderpolt, BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 78 Blue Dick; or, The Yellow Chiefs Vengeance. S87 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 EDWARD 8. ELLIS, ° 6 Bil) Siddon, Trapper. 8 Seth Jones; or, The Captives of the Frontier, 10 Nut Todd; or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive, %1 ‘rne Frontier Angel. 98 The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island. 162 The llunted 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 J. C. COWDRICK, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold King; or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without » Name, 424 Cibuta Johny; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-Horse Hunters, By Capt. Mayne Rela and Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift, 14 Aladdin}; or, The Wonderful Lamp. _ 16 Robinson Crusoe. (27 Illustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Sailor. His Seven Voyages. 22 E Joon Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Rohinass Crusoe, By Juan Lewis. 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees. By S, W. Pierce. 86 3s Boy Clown} or, The Queen of the Arena, By Frank nn. z 88 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 51 The Boy ee; or, The Underground Camp. By Archie C, Irons. he Rival Rovers; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. ce Leeann tesa Bh tie % b' js the Outlaw: rl; or, af M - or moat Prof. Gilderaleeve, ee Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive, Captaln ase Hamilton Holmes. verre 112 The Mad Hunter; or, The Cave of Death. By Burton Saxe. 124 Tippy. the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George erson. 128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate’s Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy. By J. Alexander Patten. 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper: or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- « lowstone. By Edward erson. 261 Fergus Fearnaught the New Y rk Boy. a! G. L. Aiken. 266 Killb’ar, the Guide; >%r, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail. By Ensign C. D. Warren. ; 298 Red Claw, the neta ‘Trapper; or, The Maid ot the Cliff, Captain Comstock. 81T Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville, By Lieu- | tenant Alired Thorne. 828 The Sky Detective; or, A Boy's Fight for Life and Honor, B M Free. 850 Kted Ralph, the River Rover} or, The Brother’s Re- 865 Tait «3 —: the Bootblack Detective. By A. P. Morris. 8t4 Gold-Dust Tom; or, Ben’s Double Match. By George H. M 6 876 California Joe’s First Trail. By Colonel Thomas Hoyer Mons . 418 Bliily Rombchell, the Cliff Climber. By F.S. Winthrop. 475 The Black ohtp By John 8 Warner, - ; Comanche Dick and Hix Three Invineibles By rv d. omnas. SS Wizard-Arm, the Dandy Sport, Arthur F. Holt. 582 The Cowboy Duke. By Edwin 5 bees Forrest. B52 Ariel the Athlete. By David Druid, 585 Will Waters, the Boy Ferret. By H.Entonm A New Issue Every Tuesday: The Half-Dime Library is for sale by al! newsdealers, five cents per copy, Or sent by mai! on receipt of six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York x aap ik he : > PP iy kh ste Xk AM ako Oe aPC wEn) Wyte, ee eerie ay
Page 16
e dae High Hat Harry; the Base Ball Detective, YY TT ee tg a a "1 as en See 2 mar eee Te py ae } sot * BEADLE'S*HALF-]JIME*]IBRARY. ~ Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. !20 Double Daggers} or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance, | 28 Buffalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise. , 85 Wilda Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. 42 Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza, 49 Omaha OL; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. BZ Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or. Calamity Jane, the Heroine, 27 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 Blonde Bil); or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. 149 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivuls of the Road. 201 The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Deadwood Dick’s Ward. 205 Deadweed 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 Roughs and Toughs, 268 Deadwood Dick’s lees od al 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 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- ginga. 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;3 or, A “Cute Case,” 480 Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand, 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Nickel-Plate Neds or, Deadwood Dick Ir’s Defiance. 458 Pesheyer Sam, of Shasta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Full and. 459 Flush Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Ronnd- Up. 465 Philo Fly, of Phenix; or, Deadwood’ Dick Jr’s Racket at Claim 10, 471 Bozeman Bill; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Corral. 476 Humboldt Harry the Horricane; or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Dog Detective. 481 Moll Myaterys or, Deadwood Dick Jr. in Deadwood. 491 Prince Pistol, the King of the Weat; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Compact. 496 Monte Cristo, Tr.: or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Inheritance. 500 Deadwood Dick’s Diggings 5 or, Dr, Death-Grip’s Swoop, 508 Deadwood Dick’s Deliverance, 515 Deadwood Dick’s Protegee. 522 Deadwood Dick’s Three. 529 Deadwood Dick’s Danger Ducks, 584 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. 5389 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Texas. . 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr. the Wild West Vidocq. 549 Deadwood Dick on Mis Mettle. B54 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick tn Boston, 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Philadelphia, B72 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Afloat. BS4 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Decree. b9S Deadwood Dick Jr. in Beelzebub’s Basin, 600 Deadwood Dick Jr. at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Dick Jr’s Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Cincinnatl. 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, 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Chase Across the Continent. Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler, 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. B2 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 4b Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, BS Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn BIL; or, The Red Rifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the > nny mee re or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Krob or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner}; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Plictograph Phil; 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 Hoyle _the Young Speculator. 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective, 121 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 188 Hows ttob 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. 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada} or, The Sierras Scamps, 181 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventril ulist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective. B86 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Slerra Sam’s Secret} oo Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard3; or, The Angel of Big Vista, 25S Sierra Sam’s Sevens or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll , the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll’s Victory. : 255 Denver Doll's Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza, 291 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 6 Denver Doll’s Drift; or. The Road Queen. 9 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or. the Iron-Nerved Sport. B25 kelley, Mickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, B80 Little Qui ck-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggeraville, 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miuer. 889 Kangaroo Kit’« Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood. B58 Firat-Claas Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherers or, The Lottery of Life. 2 Yreka Jim’s Prize. rth Nabob Neds; or, The Secret of Slab City. BS2 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. B85 Yreka Jim's Joker; or, The Rivals of Red Nose, BRY Bicycle Bens or. The Lion of Lightning Lode, 4 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, ty Weinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 7? The Biying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccaneer; or, The Fugitive Yacht, 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship3 or, The Rival Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea- Wolf. 02 Dick Dend-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 11 The Sen-Devil 3 or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 16 The Hussar Captain ; or, ‘the Hermit of Hell Gate, 97 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter, 04 Gold Plume; or, The Kid-Glove Sport, 216 Bison BIL, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midshipman Mutineer ¢ or, Brandt, the Buceaneer, 264 ape Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure sland. 269 The Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, The Chase of “The Gold Ship.” 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl, the Pirate’s Bride, 284 The Sea Marauders or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy 3; or, Bemto, the Boy Bugler. BOS Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 ame Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Long rail. 877 Renodel, the Boy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner, 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island, 887 Warpath WILL, the Boy Phantom, 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant, 402 Isodor, the Young Consptirator; or, The Fatal League. 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta, * 412 The Wild Vachtaman; or, The War-Cloua’s Cruise, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy's Luck; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly ; or, A Middy’s Vengeance, 446 Haphazard Harry; or, The Scapegrace of the Sea. 450 Wienrd Wills or, The Boy Ferret of New York. 454 Wizard Will’s Street Scouts. 462 The Born Gulde; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Conster. A474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard. 488 Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard W i})’s Last Case, AST Nevada Ned, the Revolver Kanger, 495 Arizona doe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King ot the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy ; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 5607 The Hunted Midshipman. 511 The Outlawed Middy. } 520 Buckskin BILL, the Comanche Shadow, 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 580 The Buckskin Bowers. 6585 The Bue «kin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder of the Rio, 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lalfitte’s Legacy: or. The Avenging Son, 555 The Creole Corsair. 560 Pawnee BUI, the Prairie Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. 5SO The Outcast Cadet; or, The False Detective, 586 The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea Rover. 597 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. 607 The Rover Detective; or, Keno Kit’s Champions. 617 Ralph, the Dend-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 Daknoke Scout. 68 Border Robin Hoody; 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 Hardy, the Boss Bey. 126 Picayune Petes or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective, 180 Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags, 142 Handsome Marry, the Bootblack Detective, 147 WIll Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Reaa, Will Wildfire’s Racer. 57 Mike Merry, the Harber Police Boy. 162 Will Wildfire in the Woods. 165 Billy Baggage. the Railroad Boy. 170 A Trump Card; or, Wl! Wildfire Wins and Loses, -_ 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughored. 805 Baskawey; of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in the Quaker sity. 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 lnvinelble Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret 456 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vagavond- 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detectives or, Entombed Alive, 479 Detective Dodge}; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty, 488 Wild Dick Racket. 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 566 The Secret Service Boy Detective, 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tom Bruce of Arkansas; or, The Wolfin the Fold, BY OLL COOMES. 5 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. 18 The Dumb Spy. . r 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies. 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 5S The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. 71 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. 74 Hawk-eye Harry the Young Trapper Rasger. $8 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. 148 Scar-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter, 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 158 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. 168 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. 202 Prospect Pete ¢ or, The Young Outlaw Hunters, 208 The Boy Mercules: or, The Prairie Tramps. 218 Tiger Tom, the Texas Terror, 224 Dashing Dick; or, Trapper Tom’s Castle. 228 Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detectives or, The Little Ranger, 248 The Disgulsed Guide; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger, 272 Minkakin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter, 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon ; or, Rainbolt, the Ranger. 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules; or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. A1Z Webfoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. 422 Perl. Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone, 444 Little Buckakin, tne Young Prairie Centaur. 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul, 468 Tamarac Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemte, 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trappex. BY T. ©. HARBAUGH. 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of '76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Little Hunter, 47 Nightingale Nat; or, The Forest Captains, 4 Dandy Jack; or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Trails. 4 Midnight Jack 3 or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queea. 128 Klown Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lynch, Jr.3 or, The Boy Vigilante. 155 Gold Trigger, the Sport; or, The Girl Avenget. 169 Tornado Kom or, tajun Jack From Red Cera, 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkansaw ¢ or, The Quen of Fate’s Revenge 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Tovknot’s Crusade. 231 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Red Jezebel. 241 Bll Bravo; or, The Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apelin, we King-Pin of Bowie. 267 The Buckskin Detective. 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dan; or, The Bowie Blade of Gochetepa. 802 The Mountain Detective; or, The Trigger Bar Bally. 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Neties. 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasse. 845 Pitiless Matt; or, Red Thunderbolt’s Seeret. 856 Cool Sam and Pard; or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass; or, The Boccaneer’s Girt Feo, 896 Rough Rob; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blazes, All The Silken Lasao; or, The Rose of Raneb Rebdia. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox- 445 The City Vampires; or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon, 461 One Against Fifty; o% The Last Man of Kene Bar, 470 The Boy Shadows or, Felix Fox’s Hunt, AT? The Exceistor Sports 0 The Washingtem Spotter. A99 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective, 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge, 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. B88 Dodger Dicks the Dock Ferret, 548 Dodger Dick’s Double; or, The Rival Bey Detectives 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidooq, B78 The Two Shadows, 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop, 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. - 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sheap ## Geard. 626 The Champion Pards. 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective. 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Rider Detective; or, Buffale Bill’s Boy Para. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, Z 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective. By Wm. G. Patten. 652 Don Barr, the Plains Freelance. By Oll Coomes. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. By T. C. Harbaugh. 654 Deadwood Dick, JF Among the Smugglers. By Edward L. Wheeler 655 Plucky Paul, the Boy Speculator. By Charles Morris. Ready February 11- 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt, By Col. P. Ingraham. Ready February 18. ling William, the Mountain Mountebask. By bj Ware sims. Ready February 25: A New Ieane Every Tuesday: The Half- Dime Library {s for asle by all newadealers, five conts per copy, OF sent by mail on receipt of six cente each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York,