Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 892) (1894 08 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
Ld ae | | (nal | ial ae ANT A A leat) Ta a Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. X, Post Office, Copyrighted 1804, ) bY. BEADLE E AND ADAMS. —_— -— —_— TS ai ANS _August 28, 8 sisal My —} ; ») WEEKL ILE ; No 892. $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price Wi a Year. No, 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, ) ‘ T \ mf \ . ‘ » wt Way y = ~ SS . > SSS SSSSSSEN — SSS se . L ——— = ». << SS SS —~ ( 2Z Ez SIT ) e i. ~~ N \\{ i \ am a.) i i MA ‘i Mi aN A 5 cents. I i ‘: A ANIL ' 4) ii if y Hay \ me =| X MU hy) = ‘| = = BEX IN CHINATOWN: Sam - Ling, bis Bat Side Spork. BY HAROLD PAYNE, AUTHOR OF “ DAN, THE RIVER SPORT,” Ene] CHAPTER L LOST IN THE SLUMS, ‘‘ HULLo, Billy.” ‘Hullo, Ben! But I'll swear 1 didnt know you with that Chinese rig on, Your voice gave you away, though,” ‘lve no doubt,” laughed Ben Gaylord, better known in the quarter where he now was as Lung Foo. ‘‘But I don’t generally
Page 2
) ig ‘was because I knew that you wouldn’t recog- nize me in my Chinese lingo, that I used my natural voice.” **How do you come to be made up like that, Ben?” “Why, you see, a good part of my work is among the Chinese and by making up like this I am able to go among them without their suspecting that I am not one of them- selves.” “Then you must be preltw well acquaint- ed in this part of the fown, I should think?” “Well, if I ain’t, I’d like you to find me somebody thatis.” — “T’m glad of that,” replied Billy. . “¢ How’s that?” ‘Maybe you can help me out.” ‘With pleasure, if I can. But what’s the trouble, Billy?” *“My sister is lost down in here some- where,” Ben Gaylord, variously known as Lung Foo, the Chinese Detective, the boy detec- tive, and sometimes Bowery Ben, although only eighteen and extremely boyish in ap- pearance, had already won considerable fame as a detective, and was esteemed by Superintendent Byrnes as one of his ablest and most trustworthy assistants. Gaylord was a bright, handsome young fellow, with a muscle of iron and as brave as a lion He had a large, expressive and extremely tender blue eye, and a face as smooth as that ofa girl, which served him a good purpose sometimes, when he wished to impersonate a female, or even a Chinaman, William Brooks was a year his junior. being but seventeen, and the two had been schoolmates, Billy was also athletic, strong and brave, but his course of life had been somewhat different from that of his friend. He had entered the service of the District Telegraph Company on leaving school, and had continued in it ever since. The two friends had met at the bend of af street just where Doyers street runs in- to it. ‘ “Yon don’t mean to say that your-sister ot lost in this dreadful neighborhood?” said n. ‘‘T don't know that positively,” rejoined his friend, ‘‘ but the last seen of her was down this way, and I have an idea that she - got lost and was taken in by some of these villainous people.” “Which one was it?” “ Fanny. ” “IT remember Fanny very. well, and I am very sorry to hear that she is in trouble. You S04 she was last seen down this way?” “ce es, ” ef By whom?” “My little brother, Freddie.” “He was with her, then?” “6 Yes.” ‘* What were they doing down here?” “They had come down to the office to see me. As they started to return they missed their way, so Freddie says, and wandered about until it was dark,and then all ofa sudden, the boy cannot tell how, they became separated, and that was the last Freddie ever ‘saw of her.” “How long ago was this?” asked Ben, eagerly. ‘““Three days ago.” __ “ Have you notified the police?” ~ hs. Yes.” “And they have been unable to find any trace of her?” “So it seems, I had just come from Police Headquarters when I met you, and they had -learned nothing so far.” “Well, old chum!” exclaimed Bob, grasp- ing his friend’s hand, ‘‘if Fanny is anywhere | upon pul I infer that he thinks we won't.” ‘Then there is no doubt that it wasHung | Having apparently satisfied himself om in these diggivgs I'll find her, depen it. As I said awhile ago, I know every _ erook and turn of this locality, and she can- Os SE NS Aenea erie fain aa ae SG Pe ae , — 5 ~~ Bowery Ben in Chinatown. ‘use the voice and the make-up together, It not escape me, You donot think she would have gone off of her own accord, do you?” ‘I know she would not.” ‘Very well) I do not believe it either, and that will be to our advantage.” ‘* Will you try to find her, Ben?” asked his friend eagerly. ‘“ Why ask such 9 question as that, Billy?” va Sra Ben reproachfully. ‘‘ You know I will,” “Of course I know you will—that is, if you have timé. But I didn't know whether you'd have time or not. I didn’t know but you might be engaged upon some other “case.” ‘*So I am,” responded Ben, ‘‘ but that won't hinder me from attending to this one also, especially as the one I am on is located in this neighborhood.” Lee. But I mustn’t go on in this: They would know me sure.” ‘* What are you going to do?” ‘**T have a room near here,fand I will just run up there and make up as my other char- acter ‘ Bowery Ben’. They won't suspect anything then, And the next time I make up as a Chinaman IJ shall goto a laundryman friend of mine and procure a different suit, one they haven’t seen.” With that Ben hurried away, and in fifteen minutes returned made up as Bowery Ben. They walked on some distance, and finally the detective said: ‘* Here we are. Now mum’s the word,” andas he spoke turned into a shop with counters on each side and filled with Chinese goods. Several Chinamen were in the place, chat- Ze “‘T’m delighted to hear it, Ben,” cried | tering away in their own outlandish lan- Brooks enthusiastically, ‘‘ for I know of no one to whom I can intrust the fate of my sister as to yourself.” ‘Thanks, Well, come on,” said Ben. **You haven’t anything todo for the rest of the evening, have you?” «es No.” “* Well, come along.” “Where are you going?” ‘* Over here in Pell street.” ‘* What’s over there?” “There's an opium-joint run by a China- man by the name of Hung Lee, and we may be able to find out something there,” The friends walked on together for some distance, and as they walked Ben resumed: ‘* This Hung Lee is one of the worst char- acters ainong the Chinese residents of this quarter, He was run out of San Francisco on account of his connection with the High- binders out there, and he has had a good many collisions with the police of this city on account of running a fan-tan den or opium dive. They no sooner have him closed up in one than he opens in the other busi- ness.” ; ve And you think it likely that Fanny may have been enticed into his place?” asked Billy. ‘* More likely that she has been carried in by force.” ‘Are they in the habit of doing that sort of thing?” ‘* Indeed they are. Scarcely a week passes that some young girl is not abducted and carried into these dens, and then sent away to San Francisco to become the wife of some Chinaman, > “The fiends!” muttered Billy. ‘I hope that hasn't been the fate of poor Fanny!” ‘*T hope not,” returned Ben, ‘‘ But look! If I am rot very much mistaken, that is Hung Lee now.” ‘* Which?” “The big Chinaman standing there read- ing the bill, Run ahead, Billy, and find ‘out what the nature of the poster is that he is so much interested in, and I'll wait here. He would recognize me in this rig, and I don’t wish him to know that Lung Foo is in the neighborhood.” The messenger boy approached the post where the bill was hungy and found Sn Lee reading the advertisement offering $1,0 reward for the discovery of Fanny. “ Dey t’ink findee gal, pay tlousand dol- lee!” muttered the Chinaman, with a chuckle. Hung Lee then moved on, still chuckling to himself, and Billy waited for the detective to come up. ** What is it, Billy?” he asked. : ‘* Why, as you see,” ‘said Billy, ‘‘ it is the advertisement we had printed offering a thousand dollars for the recovery of Fanny, and that Chinaman was reading it and chuckling over it.” ‘* What did he say?” ‘* He said ‘ They think they will find the by paying a thousand dollars,’ by which guage, while behind the counter on one side stood a fat, oily-faced Chinaman, better dress- ed than the rest and wearing the little round cap with ared button on top, signifying that he was a mandarin of high degree, He appeared tobe on intimate terms with Ben, for as soon as he entered the place the aan grinned, bobbed his head, and said: ‘* Hello, Blen! Wanta hlit the plipe?” ‘* Dat’s right, Hung Lee,” replied Ben, im- itating the East Side dialect. ‘‘ I wanter hit it hard, see?” q “All litee,’ grinned the Chinaman, “ Flend?” he went on, glancing at Billy. ‘‘Yep, dat’s er pal o’ mine, Hung Lee, He’s all right.” ' “T know him all litee,” smirked the hea- then. ‘‘:Everblody all litee you bling. Walek up stlairs. You findee pl-enty plipe.” ‘““Yer bet yer life he’s all right, Hung Lee!” grunted Ben as he and his companion pushed past the knot of Celestials into the back room. They were soon after ascending a narrow, dark and bad-smelling flight of stairs. At the top wasa frail-looking door, around the ill-jointed edges of which oozed the sick- ish-sweet odor of opium. » Ben was accustomed to this, and did not mind it, but it gave Billy a sense of dizziness and nausea. ‘ Ben gave three distinct raps on the door, and pretty soon a wicket was pushed aside and a, Chinaman’s face appeared at the open- ing, *¢ Who lat?” demandéd a voice from with- in, 4 ' But recognizing the detective at that mo- ment, it said: ~ ‘* Oh, lat Blen! Hlello, Blen! And opened the door, Come in!” CHAPTER II. HITTING THE PIPE, Ir was a queer sight that met their eyes when the door of the opium jointewas open- ed, to the two friends. That is, it was queer to Billy. So far as Ben was concerned, he had seen it so often that it was nothing new to him, An oblong room of perhaps thirty by twenty feet in dimensions, poorly lighted and worse ventilated, the walls grimed with smoke and dirt, and the room itself totally unfurnished except for something like twenty dingy-looking mattresses thrown about on the floor, was what they saw. Lying about on these bunks, in various — stages of stupor, were perhaps a dozen men of various degrees of degradation, The place was reeking with the sickening fumes of the drowsy drug which hung in clouds about the ceiling almost concealing it from view. ; Ben’s first business was to about with a view to ascertaining whether there was anybody there whom he could re- — cognize. i, y,* ij eae Bott lance hastily — ee tad vf pee ir > aR eat he se ale ca a AVES Ee ae LP Y
Page 3
% gw ih ERECT ere. je ere mo at score, he turned to the expectant China- aman who had admitted him and his friend and said: **Ain’t much of er crowd ter-day, Hop Sing. W'ot’s der matter wid der joint? Runnin’ down?” *“No, he not runee dlown,” replied the Chinaman, with a grin. ‘Heep clome nightee. No clome day tlime, Want hlit plipe, Ben?” ‘Yep, we'll hit de pipe, Hop Sing,” re- plied Ben. ‘‘ Try it, Billy?” he asked, turn- ing to his friend, at the same time winking significantly. Billy did not relish the idea, but he did not know how to get out of it. ‘** Yes, I s’pose so,” he rejoined. ‘You needn’t smoke,” stepping close to him and whispering. | ‘‘ Make ‘a_ bluff. That’s all you’ve got to do.” ‘Yo’ flend smloke?” inquired the at- tendant. “Yes, he’ll hit the pipe, Hop Sing,” an- ‘swered Ben, ** All litee. Tlake blunk,” said the China- man, pointing to an unoccupied bunk. Ben and his friend lay down side by side on the mattress and presently the attendant brought a couple of queer-shaped pipes and handed one to each of the boys. He then took a small lump of opium from a tin box with a couple of bits of wire, which he used like a pair of pincers, or as he would two chop-stlcks. Placing the drug in the bowl of the pipe, he lit a match and held it over the pipe fora ‘moment, at the same time jabbing one of the wires down into the bowl and saying: ‘“*Dilaw, Ben, dlaw!” ‘*Pat’s all right, Hop Sing,” rejoined Ben, ‘I’m drawin’ hard ’nuff ter pull er toot’.” ; The Chinaman then went through the ‘same operation with Billy, repeating the in- junction: ‘‘Dlaw, mlister, dlaw!’’ He then turned his attention to Ben again, who appeared to be a great favorite with the ‘Chinaman, As he jabbed the wire into the bow] of Ben’s pipe, the young detective began ina aly way to question him. ‘“Yer say youse has lots o’ business at night, Hop Sing?” he said in a careless tone, | ‘*Pl-entee,” replied the Chinaman. “*Hleeps mien, clome nightee.” ** Plenty o' them, eh?” ** Pl-entee,” *‘ Any women, Hop Sing?” ‘‘No, Not have Chinee women.” e Hung Lee has a wife, I s’spose?” ‘But she don't come here, eh?” “ce No. ” : Ben thought he had got into the fellow’s «confidence sufficiently by this time to come out alittle bolder. | ‘Did he steal a white gm two days ago, ‘Hop Sing?” he questioned. ‘*Tlwo days ’go?” mused the Chinaman. - “Yep, bout dat long.” — ‘‘Las,” replied the Chinaman, dlays ’glo. * ** W’ot was she like?” *‘Hleep pletty,” answered the fellow, grinning very much, ‘Allee slame plic- ture on tlea-chlest,” * Like a girl on a tea-chest, eh?” ac Las. ” ‘She must er been a Chinee, den?” ** Allee slame.” ** W’ot was she?” ** Allee slame you callee shleeney.” me Kp she was a sheeney, was she?” **Tlwo ' “Wal, have yer seen anyt’ing of er gurl wid light hair an’ blue eyes?” 6s Led blair?” ; ' . _ Yep, sorter dat way,” returned Ben. _ Sorter w’ot we call er blonde, wid hair de _ color o’ taffy.” | Bowery Ben in Chinatown. ‘*No, me no slee,” answered the Celestial, * Shure?” ‘No, me no slee,” replied the attendant, positively, — ° ‘* I believe ye’r’ lyin’ ter me,” growled Ben, y “‘ but I's’pose I'll have ter take yer word fer it.” ** No, me no lie,” protested Hop Sing, The young detective lapsed into silence, and the Chinaman likewise remained silent for some time, but finally ventured: *'Whalet flor yo’ ask *blout glul, Blen?” ‘*Oh, nothin’,” rejoined the detective, in- differently. ‘I didn’t know but Hung Lee might be a goin’ in fer blondes, for wives for his friends. See?” {| ‘* Yo’ hear slomeblody slay pletty glul lost, Blen?” persisted the Chinaman, whose suspicions or curiosity, one or the other, had been aroused. ‘*Nope,” drawled Ben, ** No leed in plaper?” “ Nope.” “No hear ploleece talkee?”’ ‘* Not er whisper, Hop Sing.” . The fellow was silent a few moments, meanwhile eying the detective narrowly, But he failed to discover any change of countenance in that direction, for Ben’s face might have been carved out of stone for all the expression there was.in it, Indeed, it had more the expression of that of a man who was about to drop off to sleep than anything else. At length the Chinaman arose from his quatting posture, and straightening himself up, said; ‘**Blen, yo’ slay bimebly Hop Sing lie. Now Hop Sing slay yo’ lie alle slame hleep *Melican man!” In an instant Ben was upon his feet and had the Chinaman by the throat. ‘* W’ot’s dat yer say, yer yaller-faced rat- eater?” he yelled. The fellow was too badly frightened to make any response except a sort of gurgle, which the detective could not have imagined could have been heard twenty feet away. ‘Call me er liar, yer ginger-faced headen!” pursued the boy, affecting to be terribly enery: although ‘he was not in the least so, “and I see?” The Chinaman continued to gurgle inar- ticulately, and whether it was really heard down-stairs, or it was the voice of Ben him- self that alarmed them, he could never tell, but the next instant the door flew open and Hung Lee, followed by a dozen Mongolians, rushed into the room. As soon as his eyes fell upon the crowd Ben relaxed his grip on Hop Sing’s wind- pipe and turned to face the others. Hung Lee was white with rage as he glared at the young detective savagely, \** Whalet mlatter?” he growled, ‘**Dere’s nuttin’ de. matter,” repiied Ben, ‘‘on’y dis yaller-faced headen called me er liar, an‘ dat don’t go down wid yourn trooly, Hung Lee. See?” ra lit out!’ yelled Hung Lee, ‘ Yo" wantee flight, ye’ flight Hung Lee!” With that he made at Ben with-a club he held in his hand, He was closely followed in his attack by the other Chinamen, and soon the young ce- tective found his hands full. Billy, who had regained his feet, took a hand, however, and he was no weakling in a rough-and-tumble. ‘ll fix youse up fer a Chinee funer’l, CHAPTER III. OLP STUMP, THE BUM, THovuenH greatly outnumbered, Ben and his friend were equa! to the occasion. It is a well-known fact that Chinamen can not hold their own with Americans, Ben and Billy both had the advantage of being expert boxers, and, although the Chinese came at them with clubs, they were | too much excited to do exy execution, ACT REE ON et 7 , ' ee bd a 7 « } 5 The young men were cool and collected, watched their opportunity, and got in a tell- ing blow at the proper time. And it never failed to do execution. Every time Ben’s arm shot out a Chinaman went down like a shot stag. The melee was of short duration, therefore, for by the time that Hung Lee and half a dozen of his pals had been laid out the rest became panic-stricken and took to their heels. The boys toek this opportunity to make their escape from thé place. ** Well, that was a lively beginning,” ob- served Ben when they had reached the side- walk, ‘‘I think it was mistake, though,” ‘Yes, I do too,” rejoined Billy. ‘‘ And it was a great surprise to me.” ‘**Tt was no more of a surprise to you than it was to myself,” interposed Ben, ‘‘ When I jumped up my idea was to choke that lemon- colored heathen a little and let it go at ‘hat. You have todo that once in a while to let them know their places, I had no idea the saffron-faced hoodlum was squawking loud enough to arouse the others,” *‘Itwasn’'t his squawking that brought them up, I don’t think,” ventured Billy, ” ‘* What was it, then?” ‘Tt was yourself, I imagine.” “Do you think so?” forte “Yes. Yousee you talked pretty loud.” “Perhaps I did. Well, we didn't learn anything by that deal, after all.” ‘* Where next?” questioned his friend. “We'll go down here to Wah Hop’s, and see what we can learn there.” ‘* Does he keep an opium den?” asked Billy timidly. ‘“No, he keepsa restaurant, and it is a great hang-out for the worst characters in this section, both Chinamen and white men.” ‘You think you might learn something there, eh?” “Almost sure to, Some of these toughs make a living by doing odd jobs for these high-toned mandarins like Hung Lee. Some of them have it in for him, too, and are onl too glad to give him away to the police, if there is a shadow of a chance,” Billy walked on in silence, He was not favorably impressed with the adventure through which he had just passed, and, although he was anxious to rescue his sister, he would have rather that Ben had | prosecuted the search alone, However, he was too brave a lad to falter, and went along meekly, fully expecting that their next adventure would prove quite as fruitless and more disastrous than the last one. They were not long in reaching the restau- - rant, which was in Mott strect, in a base- ment, Ben took the lead and Billy followed rather timidly. The restaurant was not an -inviting place by any means, and its patrons, made up, as the detective had intimated, of the worst characters in that tough neighborhood, Billy shivered as he glanced about at the wretched and vicious-looking people who sat at the tables or sat dozing in their chairs, At length he got a chance and whispered to Ben: “You don’t think of eating in this place, do you?” “ Why not?” laughed Ben, :: “Tm afraid I can’t go the grub,” ventur- ed the other, “Then don’t, But there is nothing to hinder you from making a bluff, as you did at the opium smoking.” Billy said no more, and the’ two boys sat — down at a table. My Just then the proprietor caught sightof Ben, and called out; By BT ‘Hullo, Blen! Whalet up?” ‘Oh, nuttin’,” replied the young detec- tive. ‘Jes’ lookin’ roun’, dat's all, W'ot — aoe via <a yer got ter eat, Wah Hop?” A
Page 4
« Nicee thling,” grinned the Chinaman. | Wah s Nicee lice, sloup, chickee, bled, blutter, tlea— ‘All right, Wah Hop,” interrupted Ben. ** Bring me some rice and a cup o’ tea.” **No sloup? WNicee sloup.” **No, I don't want no soup,” growled Ben. *‘T’m afeared dere might be rats in it.” ‘*No, no, no!"’ protested the Chinaman, raising his hands ina deprecating manner. % Me no glot lats) Wah Hop no clook ats.” **Dat’s w’ot yer say,” muttered Ben. *‘ Anyway, bring on de rice and tea. W’ot’s yourn, Billy?” he said, turning to his com- panion. *T’ll take the same,” replied Billy. ‘* Yo’ flend no likee sloup?” questioned the Chinaman. ‘*No, he don’t want none o’ yer soup either,” replied Bob. ‘* Him flaid lats too?” ‘Yep, he’s afraid 0’ rats too.” ‘No lats,” repeated the Mongolian. ** Nicee chlicken sloup.” ‘* All right, feed it ter yer udder custom- ers,” muttered Ben. ‘‘ Yer can’t git it inter us wid ersquirt-gun. See?” Wah Hop went away to fetch the rice and tea, and he had no more than disappeared into an inner room, when a tough looking specimen of humanity slouched into the | restaurant, When he reached about the center of the room he stopped and glanced about him. Presently his eyes fell upon Ben, and he shuffled over to the table where the boys sat and, putting out a dirty hand, cried: ‘““W’y, hello, Ben! hur did youse drop frum?” ‘‘Hello, Stump!” exclaimed Ben in re- turn, ‘* Whur did youse come frum?” *‘ Oh, I jes kinder floated in on de tide,” replied the old fellow, who appeared to be a tramp in the last stages of decay. ‘‘ Gwine ter ax er feller ter eat, Ben?” ‘*Shure,” returned the young detective. ‘- Sot down an’ order yer bait.” The oid fellow sunk into a chair on the opposite side of the table from the boys and stroked his long, tangled gray beard. lf gt appetite was backward before, it was doubly so now, for Old Stump, the Bum, as he was called, was about the least savory old villain that one could wish to meet. No one knew how old he was, and it would have required an equal stretch of memory to have recollected when he last washed himself. His clothes were in tatters, his face and hands were begrimed with dirt, and his breath was eronely impregnated with the fumes of bad whisky. Billy was less surprised that his compan- fon should have known this queer old relic than he was at the fact of his inviting him to sit down to the table with him. Wah Hop soon returned with the rice and tea and put them on the table, and then Ben asked : ‘What air yer a-goin’ ter eat, Stump?” ** Kver’t'ing go?” inquired the old fellow, a little doubtful as to the limit of his priv- ilege. “Yep,” replied Ben. ‘‘ Order w’ot yer want, Stump. I reckon I kin stan’ it,” _ **Youse mus’ er been makin’ er raise, I reekon,” grinned the old chap. ‘**Dat’s right, Stump.” “Not policy? ventured the tramp. ** Nope.” ** Not fan-tan?” y Hung Lee hes her, eh?” truth if there was any possibility of it. ‘‘T don’t say that he has her, but it is ‘* Yer t’ink, do yer?” he muttered. ae more than likely that he knows something re Xap.” ‘i aw about her, if she was abducted in this neigh- | ‘* Lookee hiar. Old Stump, doncher know? ah. x borhood.”’ ; ““Nope, not fer shure.” ; at « Shure,” grunted the vagabond. | “Doncher not on’ly know all bout it, but In his earnestness, the detective had for- | know dat I knows dat yer do—say?” — gotten his dialect, but tomuomiely the other The old man’s beard twitched and his eyes e i it, and Ben m haste to | dropped. : - ae eat sae em tellin’ yer straig’t, Ben,” he mutter- = ti ‘‘T know dat youse offen done work fer | ed. ‘‘Lon’y t’ink.” | s a. tnd de Chinee, see? An’ youse mus’ know ‘« Dat settles it!” cried Ben, with affected y a sumpin’ ’bout w’ot’s goin’ on round his | indignation, ‘‘Any man wot won't act ; yy joint.” square wid me’s no good, an’ he don’t come =—«-_ && Hw Old Stump made no response to this be- | in fer any 0; me plunks, see?’ i yond an elevation of his shaggy brows, which | With that he arose from the table and strode seemed to imply that perhaps he did, and | indignantly toward the door, * perhaps he did not. Billy arose and followed, and they were = ‘‘Now, I wanter put it to yer straight, | soon on the sidewalk. er) ; gS? Old Stump,” he pursued, waxing confi- ‘* Another failure, whispered Billys) 2. dential, ‘an’ I don’t want no: flim-flam or| ‘Don't you believe it,” returned Ben. me: skulduggery, an’ dere’s dust at de bottom | ‘‘ I’m dead on to that old duffer’s game. He Bay ED wants to hold me off as long as possible in ie hopes of raising me on the price. Mindmy ' words, he'll be after us before we get far, = gd Come on.” oe ae Tory \ ) of it.” “ Wal?” yawned the tramp. : ‘* Have youse saw a gal ’bout de Chinee’s joint widin two or t’ree days?” ‘ ‘ “Wot sort of er gal, Ben?” asked the old | The two friends walked on leisurely, con- | versing in a low tone. ie “Er purty gal, wid blonde hair an’ blue It had grown quite dark by this time, and eyes.” the wretched lights in this locality only “% “* Nope.” | served to make the darkness more appar- = ; ; ‘ ; Wty 5 7 ; ipvib ‘« Shure?” ( ee Sy iw | ent mets \ } a f J 4 ‘ .
Page 5
F They had reached the corner of the first sweet and paused to determine which way to go next, when they heard the shuffling sound of feet approach ng from the direction of the restaurant they had just left. That is he, or I’ll eat my hat!” whisper- ed Ben, And he was not mistaken. A moment later the dim light revealed the slouching form of Old Stump shuffling along as rapidly as his age and decrepitude would permit. Ben turned his back and affected not to see him, and pretty soon the old fellow was upon them, **Hullo, Ben!” he called in his wheezy voice. ‘‘I was afeared I'd lost yer.” The detective turned and looked at him with well-feigned surprise. ‘*Hullo, Old Stump!” he said! ouse?” ‘* Shure.” ‘Wal, w’ot d’yer want?” growled Ben. ‘‘T wanter talk wid yer,” muttered the old man in a confidential tone. “Talk wid me?” ‘ce Yep. ” ** W’ot about?” The old fellow twisted about uneasily, pulled his beard and finally said: ‘* Youse didn’t bleeve me w’en I told yer dat I didn’t know ’bout de gal bein’ packed off ter Frisco?” ** Course not.” ** Don’t blame yer.” “Yer knows den?” 4e I do.” ** An‘ she’s gone?” wmep.” ** Air yer shure o’ dis?” “* Dead shure,” “«Did yer see her go?” “* Nope, but I heered all ’bout it.” **Oh, yer did?” “* Dat’s right.” The old man was silent a moment, and then resumed: “Say, Ben?” ** Wal?” ‘Do I get any plunks ter-night?” “Tf yer kin furnish me de proof 0’ w’ot yer say yer do,” “Den come on,” said the old man, start- ‘ing off, “Is dat 7% CHAPTER Y. yn oe THE PLOT REVEALED. As they were going in the direction of Pell cia ‘street again, Ben suspected that his guide Oe intended taking him back to Hung Lee’s, ir cand he did not care to go there after what had passed on the occasion of the wh i former visit. ~’ hie ‘‘Which way, Old Stump?” he asked be _ fore they had proceeded very far. ai ‘‘Over hiar to er Chinee’s,” replied the é ‘tramp. e ie ‘Not Hung Lee's?” ‘ 1? ‘* Nope, to anudder place,” a “I’m glad o’ dat, fer I didn’t wanter go " * there.” |, . 4 ‘Den youse ain't on good terms wid 'im?” * Not much.” “‘Wal, hiar we air.” : And the old fellow turned into a narrow doorway which led into an even smaller and dirtier shop than that of Hung Lee's. pe Like the other, though, it was crammed Br: and packed full of goods of some mysterious kind, so that, with the half-dozen Chinamen 4% ¢ who stood about, it was next to impossible sto. crowd in, Old Stump pushed his way up to the _ counter, behind which a fat, greasy looking ‘Celestial stood smoking a long pipe, and who | ss sappeared to know the tramp, for he came _ forward with a grin. The old man said something to the China- ‘ » » a : { a, “A au Nt ‘ aman in bis own Janguage, and the latter } that he had told the truth. Bowery Ben in Chinatown. nodded and pointed with his pipe-stem to- ward the rear of the shop. Old Stump then backed away from the counter and, beckoning to the boys to follow, proceeded toward the back door. As they neared the door Billy whispered to Ben and said: “If this is another opium dive, I don’t want to smoke, I can’t stand it.” ‘Tt isn’t an opium dive,” returned Ben, ** What is it?” ‘‘ A fan-tan game, I guess.” They pushed their way on through and came into a narrow passage not more than three feet wide and so dark that they were compelled to grope their way. Old Stump appeared to know the way, however, and walked straight ahead for some distance, and the boys at length heard him knock at a door, although it was too dark to witness the action, Pretty soon thereafter a face appeared at a wicket which had been drawn aside in the door, and a voice asked; “* Who lere?” ‘Hi langa wo!” replied the old man. This appeared to be the open sesame, for the next instant the door was swung open, It appeared to be necessary for an ex- planation with regard to the old chap’s two companions, for he stopped and held quite a conversation in Chinese, during which the attendant darted frequent and suspicious glances at the boys. At length he seemed to be satisfied that all was right, for he stepped aside to allow them to pass in. Our friends found a long room, sparsely furnished and dimly lighted. It was also quite as poorly ventilated as Hung Lee's was, as the twenty or thirty Chinamen who sat cross-legged on mats about the floor were smoking, the atmosphere of the place was almost stifling. The room was so dimly lighted by the half dozen smoky lamps that the ei were unable at first to make out what the little groups of Chinamen were doing. But as their eyes became accustomed to the darkness they discovered that these fel- lows were playing the queer game of fan- tan, Before they had time to examine into the process very closely, however, Old Stump had drawn them aside and informed them that they were to pass on into the next room, Even Ben, with all his wariness, was mys- tified at this, but said nothing and followed his guide, At the further end of the room another narrow door opened, admitting the trio into still another narrow passage. Again groping their way along in thedark-. ness they finally came to what the boys sup- posed was a door, but which proved to be nothing more than a partition at which the passage ended, The boys were more mystified than ever, but the old man soon put them at their ease by turning and explaining: ‘We'd better stop hiar, an’ purty soon we'll see an’ hear sumpin’.” They remained standing there in the dark- ness for several minutes, neither of the party deigning to speak, At length sounds of voices were heard on the opposite side of the partition. By listening attentively they could dis- cern that the conversation on the other side of the wall was in English and the pigeon English peculiar to the Chinese. : Pretty soon our friends discovered that a light had been struck in the other room, and it streamed through a number of cracks in / the wall, “Now d’en,” whispered the old man, “put yer eyes ter de cracks an’ yer'll see sumpin’.” F The boys followed his advice and found *\t FORT Aw eee ghee Oa, y 4 n 7; ¥ ' wie on 3; * -. - _ LTTE SA ey fa” < z ‘ 5 Around a table sat four Chinamen and two white women. The women were middle aged, their eyes bleared and their faces bloated and discolored from dissipation. Ben did not notice for some time that one of the Chinamen had a bandage over his eye. And when he did finally notice the fact he was greatly surprised, It was Hung Lee. The bandage was in consequence of the blow Ben had dealt him a few hours pre- viously. But the young detective soon became ab- sorbed in what they were saying. One of the womenand Hung Lee did about all the talking. ‘*Yo’ wantee too mulech flor glul, P’izen Kate,” the Chinaman was protesting. ‘‘ Me no give. Me glive tlendlollee, Meno glive more,” _ ‘*Oh, why do you want to be so stingy Hung‘ Lee?” grumbled the woman, ‘t You have plenty of money, and can well afford to give fifteen,” ** Me no glive,” was the stubborn answer. ' ‘Me glive fliftleen for led hled glul last weel-ek, no glive fliftleen lis tlime.” ‘*That was the girl you sent to Frisco, bn 3 tit?” questioned the woman, ec as.’ ‘* And I didn’t make a cent off of her.” ‘* How yo' no mlake slent, P’izen Kate?” ‘‘Thad to pay her five, and afterward I had to give a policeman ten, to keep away till you got her ont of sight. ; ‘*Lat not my blisness,” growled the China- man, ‘‘ Me glive fliftleen dlollee. Lat all litee,” How they terminated the bargain Ben never took the pains to learn. The woman and the Chinaman wrangled on for some time, but he was interested in but one thing, dat That the girl alluded to as having been sent to San Francisco was no other than Fan- ny Brooks he did not doubt, and his only ob- ject now was to discover to what part of San Francisco she had been sent, and his mind was made up at once that he must make a trip to the Pacific Coast without delay. But the first thing to be done was to seek out and have an interview with this woman called P'izen Kate and through bribery or any other possible method, learn for certain whether the girl had actually been sent to this place. He listened meanwhile, however, for an further allusion to the girl, but that portion of the discussion was dropped for the one of. more iraportance to the disputants. | Finally the matter was settled between _ them, and the woman arose to go. Ben then turned quickly toOld Stumpand whispered; . ‘*Ts there any way of getting into that room from this side?” . The old man was doubtless astonished at the absence of dialect from the detective’s speech, for he stared at him stupidly fora moment before replying, ms: ‘« Nope,” he finally drawled, ‘* No way of getting through at all?” » M ‘* Not from dis side. Deon'y way’ster go roun’ in Bayard street an’ come in dat way.” ‘This building runs through to Bayard, | does it?” \ oe Yep.” ee, _ “Then, I must get round there in time _ to head them off. I must see and have a — talk with that old womanif itcostsaleg.” And without waiting for any more talk he | plunged back through the dark passage, pushed oe the door and made his way | e gambling den and into the next through ; ssage, and soon out into the shop, and rom that into the street. ia He had waited for ager and had no | other thought than tohead off the old woman | before she escaped him, Way Gace vito sy”
Page 6
fq ; A peters is Pn ae eh eRe ae a4 atl ta ice 5 ‘i Ae ee ; my aoe ee 4 al iat 43 5. ae ees as 6 Bowery Ben in Chinatov Ben in Chinatown. It did not take him long to reach Bayard street, but when he got there it occurred to him for the first time that he did not know the number of the house. CHAPTER ¥L PURCHASING INFORMATION, ‘WHEN Ben discovered the mistake he had made in not ascertaining the number of the building before going “round the block, he stopped and looked about in a state of per- plexity. Then it was that he found that Billy was at his heels. “Hullo, Billy!” he cried. ‘I'd forgotten allabout you in my haste and excitement. Have you been with me all the time? ‘‘ Pretty much, although it kept me hust- ling to keep up with you part of the time,” replied his friend. ** Well, my haste hasall been for nothing,” sighed Ben. “+ How is that?” “*T don’t know the number of the house from this side.” Billy reflected a moment, and then said: esr Why, it must be along a little further, don’t you think so?” “‘T haven’t the least idea,” returned Bob. **7 was a fool to have come round without first finding out.” “Well, lev’s walk along a little further. ‘We may hit it.” ‘*Yes, we may as well, as it is too late to go round to Pell street again now.’ And the two friends walked along for some distance, ~~ | They were just passing an innocent look- ing laundry, the last place in the world where ca one would have looked for evil doing. t was dark within, and the detective sup- gg the place was closed for the night. He would have passed on without paying any attention to the place had it not been for one circumstance. He heard subdued voices within, and one of them was strangely familiar to him, , He stopped to listen. There could be no doubt of it. It was the voice of P’izen Kate, ‘*They’re there!” he whispered to Billy, at the same time pulling him back into the shadow of the building. ‘* Who?” inquired his friend. “*P’izen Kate, as they call her, and the Chinaman.” _ ** Are you sure?” | **Sure? Listen!” Billy listened, but unfortunately they had ceased talking. He looked at his companion for an explan- ation, but before he could give it, the door to the shop opened and three persons came ut. In spite of the dimness of the light Ben could see that it was Hung Lee and the two old women who were with him in the room next to the passage where our friends were concealed, When the trio reached the sidewalk they | exchanged a few words, and then Hung Lee ‘went one way and the women another. ‘‘Let us follow them,” whispered Ben. “T must find out where that woman lives and have a talk with her. I believe that half the battle will be won when that is accom- plished.” By this time the women had got some dis- tance in advance, and Ben deeming it safe to follow, emerged from the shadow and started in 2 Negglar he woman only went as far as Chatham street where they boarded a Third avenue car for up-town. Ben and his companion also got on the -ear, and the former managed to get a seat alongside of the woman called P’izen Kate. He did this with the hope of overhearing something in the conversation she was keep ing up with the other woman that would echo ares to the whereabouts of Adina But in this he was disappointed. Although the two women talked inces- santly and principally about the nefarious business they were carrying on, they never once alluded to that one matter, Meanwhile the car rolled on up the Bowery and in time entered Third avenue. At Fourth street the women alighted and Ben followed their example. They turned toward Second avenue, but only continued in that direction to the mid- dle of the block, where they turned in at the ‘entrance of a tenement-house, The neighborhood was a pretty respect- able one, and Ben wondered if the women’s neig hbors had any idea what kind of people they were. Meanwhile they had opened the door with a night key and entered, The detective remained in the vestibule until they had time to reach their flat, and then rung a bellat random. The door was promptly opened by some- body, and Ben and Billy went in, But they were as much at sea as if they did not know the number of the house, for they hadn’t the least idea which floor the flat to which the women had gone was located, However, they knew that they had gone up stairs, so the detective and Billy walked up one flight, and then iooked about them, Just then some one somewhere on a floor above called down to know who was there. Without answering Ben climbed on up until he came to where the person was, hop- ing that it might be one of the women, But in this he was disappointed. He found a woman, but not the right one, and she was in a bad humor because her bell had been rung at that time of night. Ben apologized for the mistake, and then asked her if she knew what flat the women (describing them as he could) lived. This offended her worse than ever, and af- ter delivering a piece of her mind i in which she was nowise choice of her language, she went inside and slammed the door to show her indignation. ‘Now we are in for it!” muttered the de- tective. ‘‘How are we ever going to find that flat?” ‘‘There is but one way that I see,” said Billy. ‘* How is that?” ‘‘Commence on the first floor and knock at every door in the building,” ‘“‘That is our only chance, I suppose. But we'll be lucky if we don’t get our heads knocked off before we are through. Acting upon the suggestion, Ben knocked at the nearest door, which was directly op- posite the door which the indignant woman had just entered. The door was promptly opened, and to the detective’s delight the woman called P’izen Kate stood before him! ‘* What do you want?” she demanded in a not unpleasant voice. en was prompt with his answer, as he knew he need to be. ‘*T desire to speak to you privately,” he replied. She looked at him a little surprised, but asked ; hat is it?” ‘It isa matter that must be discussed in strict private,” he answered, ‘‘ and something that is of great interest to yourself. * She looked him over curiously for a mo- ment or two, and then said: ** Come in,’ Ben stepped inside, but the woman was about toshut Billy - out when the detective spoke up in his behalf and informed her that he was a friend. She conducted them into a sera but neat- ly furnished parlor, and Ben was surprised to find that she was alone. However, guessing that the other woman had gone into another room, he introduced the ponies of his visit at once, finall LL ec psc ea a eS a Cm a 09S os wD SO, SS ‘““T have learned,” he began in a cool, practical tone of voice, ‘‘ that you had some- thing to do with the abducting of a young: girl who has been missing fur two or three: days. She is a blonde, rather pretty, and her name is Fanny Brooks. Now, I want you to tell me all you know about her present whereabouts, and you shall be well paid for _ it, I happen to know that you did not get much out of the deal before, and this will help you to get your money back.” He had spoken thus, determined to explain his position as fully as possible before allow- ing her to interrupt him. as he knew the fa- tality of any misunderstanding at the outset. Nevertheless, the woman started, and ex- claimed: ‘* You're a detective!” 3en laughed ‘* Do | look like one?” he said. She looked him over, and then replied in & milder tone; * Not exactly, but what do you want to know about the girl for?” ‘‘ [have a very y good reason, ** She is my sister,” aa. 4) 9 And the woman settled into a seat near him. ‘* And you say you're willing to pay good money for the information ?” she went on. ‘* A fair price—yes.’ ‘* What do you calla fair price?” “That depends upon the amount of infor- mation I receive. ‘* Well, somewhere near how much are you willing to pay?” she persisted. ‘* And not give you away to the police?” This was a set-back, ** Oh,” she said, “if there’s going to be anything of that kind, we can’t deal.” ‘** Perhaps you think ‘Il don’t know anything about the case? If you do, you are mis- taken. I know all about it.” CHAPTER VII. A HORRIBLE DISCOVERY. THE woman looked at Ben with a per-. plexed countenance. She evidently did not know whether to be- lieve his statement or not. He had just denied being a detective, and now he had asserted that he knew all about. her crooked business... _. At length she concluded to make the best of it, forshe burst out laughing and asked: “Well, how much do you Know, young man, and how did you get hold of the infor- mation?” ‘*T know this much, if no more,” he an- swered, ‘‘that you abducted the girl and sold her to Hung Lee for fifteen dollars. You made nothing on the deal from the fact that you had to give the girl five, and a policeman ten to keep away until she was. got out of sight.” The woman laughed uproariously at this. statement. ‘“‘T see how it is,” she laughed. been talking with Hung Lee.” ‘*No, I have not,” he protested, “You must have.” “ Why? 9”? ” rejoined Ben.. “a You’ve> ‘* Nobody else could have given you that information.” “Perhaps there are some others.” ‘* Impossible.” ** How so?” ‘Tt wasa bit of guff I gave Hung Lee for the purpose of driving a bargain with him.” ‘There was really nothing i in it, then?” ‘* Nothing whatever.” * You gave the girl nothing?” ‘“‘Not a cent. Why should 1?” “I didn’t know but it was pecessary im order to induce her to go with you.’ ‘‘No, that is not my method.’’ “You don’t use mone , then” ‘* Not unless the gir! {3 very simple.” a But this git! was too bright for thas, e
Page 7
mea,” ‘** How did you manage her?” ‘* Very easy. You see she had lost her way and it was raining. +I saw her wander- ing about, sol took her under my charge, invited her to a place which I told her was my home, gave her a cup of teaand promised to take her home afterward.” ‘But she had her little brother with her, What did you do’ with him?” ‘*Oh, I sent him home.” ‘‘What did you do with the girl after that?” ‘* As goon as she drank the tea she went to sleep, and knew no more until she was on her way to Frisco.” Ben could hardly restrain himself at this horrible revelation, delivered as it was in the most matter-of fact manner, and more than once he was compelled to frown at Billy to restrain him from flying at the hardened old wretch. However, Ben controlled his feelings as well as he could, and continued: “You drugged her, eh?” “Yes, that is the easiest way with such as she.” “You do a regular business with this Chinaman, do you not?” ‘“‘Oh, I make out pretty well,” she said with a light laugh. ‘‘I have no reason to complain.” ‘‘Where is this girl now?” ‘*Which one?” «Fanny Brooks.” **Oh, I sha’n’t tell you that for nothing,” she protested. ** Very well, how much do you want for the information?” ey woman reflected a moment, and then said: ‘*T want a hundred dollars for that bit of information.” ‘* You shall have it,” replied Ben. ‘‘ But I must be convinced that you are telling me the truth before I pay the money.” ‘* You cannot take my word, then?” *‘Certainly not.” * “Why?” M ** Because I have already caught you in one ie.” ‘What was that?” she asked, coolly. ‘I heard you tell Hung Lee that it had cost you every cent of the fifteen dollars you had received from him to procure the girl, and now you tell me that you were merely telling him that for the purpose of driving a better bargain with him,” ‘‘ You heard me tell him that?” she gasped, staring at him in astonishment. “és did,” / “I don’t believe you!” she affirmed, stoutiy. ‘« And yet you admit having told him?” Von “How, then, do you suppose I obtained the information?” ‘He told you.” “(Is that likely, when he knows that any such information would lay him liable to be a sent to the Penitentiary?” Z She was puzzled, but finally concluded to abandon any attempt at a solution of the Re problem, and returned to the question of the money he was to pay her for the information he desired. ; i. . “Well, what are you going to do about ae the information?” she inquired. “Vl tell you what Ill do. I will give you ten dollars now as a pledge of good faith; and as soon as I find that what you have told me is the truth, you shall have the balance—ninety dollars.” #: “That won’t do me,” she replied, stoutly. ‘*T must have the money in advance or there Ce. is no trade.” | eat: ‘« Very well,” said Ben, rising. ‘‘I have sufficient evidence against you to send you over the road, and I shall not hesitate to use it without delay!” With that he started for the door, et ~ i joey ne ae yEnSsEEE Syst sssssS SIS sn ssn ER ERR Bowery Ben in Chinatown. But as he did so, the woman stepped quickly back through a door leading into a rear room and gave a shrill whistle. Ben knew too well what the signal meant, and quickened his pace toward the door, He had just reached it and was about to put his hand on the knob, when a burly ruffian sprung through the back door and confronted him, Ben feared nothing on his own account, as he was so near the door that he could easily make his escape, even if he could not have defended himself, which he was amply able to do, but that was not the worst of it. In coming into the room the bully had come in between the young detective and his friend, and Billy was cut off from the door. It was therefore necessary to either fight or sacrifice his friend, and he could not think of doing the latter, In the mean time the bully was glaring at him in a ferocious manner, and finally growled: ‘So ye’re a-goin’ to give us away to the perlice, are ye?” Instead of replying, Ben beckoned his catia to slip past the ruffian and reach the oor. But the fellow noticed the silent commu-. nication, and just as Billy attempted to pass him, the bully grasped him by the shoulder and hurled him back. This was the most fortunate thing that could have happened for Ben. While the fellow was thus engaged, he took advantage of the situation to plant a sledge-hammer blow under the bully’s jaw that sent him reeling to one side. Taking advantage of the situation, Billy sprung forward‘and was again about to pass the fellow, when he recovered sufficiently from the blow he had received to strike out, knocking Billy down, But he had no more than done so when Ben came at him again, and this time deliv- ered him one on the jugular that staggered him back to the other side of the room, He did not fall, however. It was like striking a bull, so powerful was the ruffian, This gave Billy a chance to recover his feet, though, and when the bully came at hint again, tbe boy delivered him a stinger on the nose that made the claret spurt. But it only had the effect of maddening him, and he returned tothe charge with re- newed energy. He aimed a blow at Billy which would have laid him out had it reached him, but it did not. ; The boy was agile enough to parry the blow, and at the same instant Ben let drive with a catapult blow again on the jugular, and this time it had the proper effect. The big brute dropped to the floor as if he had been shot through the heart. Then without waiting for further develop- ments, the detective hustled his friend to- ward the door, opened it, and they were soon making their way out of the building, Taking a car on Third avenue, they were a short time afterward back in Bayard street at the point where ea? had seen the women come out of the building, and there on the steps, apparently lifeless, lay Old Stump. CHAPTER VIII. A SLIGHT CLUE. Ben’s first impression was that the tramp was asleep, and naturally concluded that the old fellow had managed to get enough whisky to make him drunk. ‘There is no such thing as doing any business with him to-night,” he observed carelessly. ‘‘ I was in hopes of getting a lit- tle more information out of him. also wanted him to go with ns to a police justice in the morning to add his evidence so that I ar er eR el OEE a >> tere aaa —— could procure a warrant for that_woman’s arrest. But it is no go.” And he was about to pass on. But Billy, who had taken a closer view 0 the prostrate man, stopped him, ' ‘“Hold on, old fellow!” he called out. ‘‘There is something more than sleep the matter with this man.” ‘*T have no doubt,” laughed Ben. ‘‘ He’s doubtless as drunk as a beast; but that is his normal condition, Come on.” “But,” persisted Billy, ‘‘ there’s something more than drunkenness here.” ‘‘What is it?” questioned the detective, still carelessly, turning back for the purpose of humoring his friend rather than because he took any interest in the matter. ‘‘Took!” cried Billy, stooping over and peering into the old man’s face, ‘‘What is it?” repeated Ben, also bending over to get.a better view in the dim light. The next instant he sprung back and turn, ed very pale. ‘““My God!” dead!” “That is what I think,” rejoined Billy. ‘‘ But maybe he has died of natural causes.” ‘*T don’t believe it,” objected the detec- tive. ‘‘People rarely die in this neighbor. hood from natural causes. He's been mur- dered!” ‘*Do you think so?” “T am almost positive of it. And T'll bet I can put my finger on the man that did it,” ‘* Hung Lee?” ‘‘Undoubtedly, I see through it all. The poor old chap followed me around here to get the money | promised him, and was un- fortunate enough to meet the Chinaman, The latter suspected that the old man had been giving him away, uo doubt, and they had a row.” ~* And Hung Lee killed him?” “Yes.” ‘‘ But,” objected Billy, ‘there is no sign of blood.” ' “Ts that so?” And Ben stooped to examine the prostrate man more closely. ‘‘You are right,” he assented. der what it can mean,” ‘My opinion is that he died from alchol. ism or something of the kind,” interposed his friend, ‘“*T don't believe it.” With that he drewa match from his pocket, struck it and held it close to the old man’s face, He also passed the light about in different directions, but there was not a drop of blood to be seen. “Don’t you see?” interjected Billy. “‘ IE he had been murdered there would be blood.” Ben reflected a momeut, ‘Not necessarily,” he finally said. “TI remember now that Hung Lee used to be Highbinder. ** What’s that?” . ‘A Chinese organization: something like — the Mafia among the Italians, whose object is to put undesirable people out of the way.” _ “Do you mean to say they have methods of putting people out of the way without — spilling any blood?” ‘ ‘‘ Yes, that is one of their strong points.” ‘* How do they do it? \ ‘“They have various ways of doing it. Sometimes they stab a man in the back with — an instrument so slender as to leave scarcely any mark on the exterior and the victim — bleeds internally; at other times they siip up behind the victim and thrust a handkerchief _ under his nose, the handkerchief being satu- rated with some deadly drug that produces | instant death and leaves no traces bebind.” “This is the way this man has been treat- | ed then, if he has been murdered at all,” re~ marked Billy. , ; Just then a policeman came along and © stopped. | Ss for What's up?” asked the officer. i he cried. ‘‘The man igs “T won- eo }
Page 8
i \ ta ti Bi i _ shoulder, whispered excitedly _ bere, and met the Chinaman. _ @& the ambulance, and, as the body _ aken to the olice station, they accompanied ested him, Bowery Ben in Chinatown. ** Here’s a dead man,” dfwe, ‘‘ and in my opinion there has been fou y. The policeman shot the slide of his lantern and, held it down to the man’s face. “Ffullo!” he muttered, ‘‘ it’s Old Stump!” “ Yes, I know,” returned Ben. ‘‘ And in my opinion he’s been the victim of foul play.” ** Not on your life, young feller!” sneered ane policeman, ‘‘ Whisky’s the only thing Xhat’s. given him foul play.” “You may be right,” insisted Ben, ‘‘ but & is more likely he’s been murdered,” ** What makes ye think so?” | “Certain circumstances,” **Mebby you know something about this ase?” growled the officer. “ Maybe 1 do,” returned Ben, firmly. “In that case, I'll just take you along as a valuable witness, if net an accessory.” But as he finished the sentence the police- man raised his lantern so that its light fell the young detective’s face. He started and stared. * Hullo!” he gasped. Ben!’ “ Right you are, Casey,” laughed Ben, “ That changes the face of matters some. what,” continued the policeman, ‘‘ How'd ye come to find this chap, Ben?” The detective related the account of his ‘« Tf it ain’t Bowery _ adventure with the Chinamen, his meeting with Old Stump, and so on, and concluded ‘with the observation: “*In my opinion the old fellow came around to find me, and meeting with Hung Kee, the latter suspected that Old Stump had been doing him dirt, as they say among these people, and let him have it.” “But where’s the blood, Ben?” queried the policeman, pvtting the light down to the dead: man's face once more. ‘‘ There can’t be murder without blood ” ** No poison, eh?” smiled Ben. “Oh, yes,” growled the other with a supercilious jerk of the head, ‘‘ but if he had been poisoned he wouldn't be here. Besides, you say you think he followed you round How could he give his victim poison on the street?” “ Very easily. These Chinese Highbind. rs—” @ _ “ Oh!” interrupted the officer, Lee a Highbinder?” “Phat is what they say,” “That alters the case.” ** Yes, those fellows have methods of do: img this sort of thing that white men never dreamed of.” “Well,” interposed the policeman, ‘‘I must call an ambulance and have the fellow taken to the hospital or the police station, whichever the surgeon thinks proper,” ’ And off he strode. Ben and his friend waited for the arrival was “Is Hung “Upon arriving there the old man’s pockets were emptied, as is the custom, and at his wn request the young detective was per- _ mitted to look over some papers which were _ found therein. ‘The papers were cf no consequence for the most part, but there was one item that inter- ‘This was a very dirty business card upon _ which something had been written ina very fine feminine hand. 4 f He might possibly have passed over even that had not Billy, who was looking over his ae ir My God! It’s Fanny’s handwriting!” - Ben then read the writing, which was no easy matter, owing to the filthy state of the _ eard and the fact that the pencil writing had replied the detec. — _—__-_-_C errr eee ——— i a ‘*DEAR BROTHER OR FRIENDS, Or whoever may find this — ‘*] write thisin the hope that it will be found by somebody who cares for me, and will try to rescue me, Iam in the hands of a bad woman who pretended to befriend me, and what my Fate will be God alone can tell. Ihave heard a conversation—or part of one— between the woman and a Chinaman, and overheard the word San Francisco, and I fear that Iam to be sent there. I give this into the care of a person who has promised to deliver it to my friends, and given him all the money I had to do it I pray God he may keep his trust, though I fear he won’t. Good by Fanny.” After making acopy of the note, Ben re- turned the original, together with the other papers, to the police sergeant, and then with his friend left the station. ‘Well, what do you make out of it?” asked Billy as they walked along. “It proves two facts,” replied Ben. “« First, that Old Stump was a traitor, and second, that the old woman lied when she said that Fanny was unconscious from the time she drapk the tea.” CHAPTER IX. MISLEADING CLUES, q Ir was now past midnight, and thinking that nothing more could be done that night, Ben thought he might as well go home, Billy was alsy anxious to get home, as he was compelled to get to the office at an early hour in the morning. Me continued toruminate on the subject of their late conversation, however, and after walking some distance in silence, resumed; **But may not sister have written the note before she drank the tea, Ben?” ‘‘T was just thinking of that myself,” re- turned the detective. ‘‘ But from what the old woman said, I inferred that she had given Fanny the tea very soon after enticing her into the house.” ‘Yes, I thought the same,” said Billy. ‘*But sister may have been left alone for awhile—the entrance of the Chinaman, for instance—and took advantage of the old wo- man’s absence to write the note.” ‘*How could she have suspected that she was a prisoner at the time?” objected Ben. ‘‘She may have guessed as much from the conversation she overheard between the wo: man and the Chinaman,” “In that case, is it not strange that she should have been willing to drink the tea?” ‘You are right, Ben, 1 hadn’t thought of that.” ‘* Another thing, if she had just been en- ticed into the old woman’s den, how could she have had a chance to see Old Stump?” ‘“You are right,” exclaimed Billy. ‘TI tell you it takes a detective to work out these nice points, There isno doubt that the old woman lied im this case as in the one about having to pay Fanny and the police- man, But do you really believe Old Stump was a traitor, as you at first suspected?” ‘There is no doubt of it. If be had de- sired to deliver the note there was nothing to hinder him from doing so.” ‘Perhaps he did not know where to find us.’ ‘Tn that case he would not have been to blame, but there was no reason why he should not have delivered it to me when he met me, whereas he did not ‘so much as mention the fact that he had received the note.” . ‘*Perhaps,” persisted Billy, seemingly de. termined, as was consistent with his unsus. | picious nature, to make out as good a case as } possible for the old man, ‘’ perhaps he was afraid.” wee **Of what?” ‘You know how terrified he was at the thought of Hung Lee learning about his treachery to him.” ; _ “remember,” — wi H et | aa j eh fee ay a aeee Ae ‘Well, perhaps he was afraid the note might in some way fall into the hands of the Chinaman,” ‘‘There isa possibility of that. At the same time, inasmuch as he trusted me far enough to take me into the entry where I heard the conversation between the, China- man and the old woman, why should he have been afraid to trust me in this matter?” ‘‘That I do not pretend to explain,” said Billy, who was getting cornered by his more acute friend, ‘‘ however, as you know, there is NO one so suspicious as a natural traitor.” ‘* You are right, there, Billy. You can never trust a man who will betray others, and as you say, there is no one so suspicious. Being Hat onent himself, he suspects every one else,” ‘* However, you will investigate the old fel- low’s case, won t you, and ascertain whether he really was murdered or not?” “Oh, certainly., It will be directly in my line, Perhaps in the investigation of his case some light may be shed upon the other, for Iam confident that if the old fellow was mur- dered, it was in consequence of his infidelity to the Chinaman.” 1 How about having the Chinaman arrest- ed?” **T shall attend to that in the morning. You had better meet me at Justice Burger’s office at about nine, and we’ll get a warrant for Hung Lee and one for the woman.” ‘* Won't it be necessary to know her name?” **No, It would be better, of course, but I can swear out a warrant, with youas a witness, leave the name blank and have it filled in after she is under arrest.” *¢ You might have it filled out with the name ‘ P’izen Kate ’,” suggested Billy. ** Yes, I can do that.” ‘* How about going to San Francisco?” ** We'll talk of that later, I want to get more evidence that she has actually been taken there before undertaking the trip. Somehow, 1 begin to think the San Francis- co story is a ruse to throw us off the scent.” ** Do you?” ** I do, indeed.” ** Well, it would be in keeping with these rascals,’’ “You're right,” They had walked quite a distance up the Bowery, forgetting, apparently, in their ab- straction to take a car, but at length they took one and rode as far as the junction of the Bowery and Third avenue together, where Billy alighted, as he livedin Second avenue, not far from Sixth street, while Ben rode on up a little further, as he had a room in Tenth street near Third avenue After his companion had left him the de- tective fell into a state of deep meditation, and, as was his habit when deeply absorbed, he allowed his eyes to wander about the car, examining in an abstracted way, each face that came in his way, ‘ Asa matter of fact, he seldom gave an thought tothe faces he stared at on suc octasions, in some cases even staring for a minute or two at an accuaintance without recognizing him. But on this occasion there was a slight ex- ception, ass As his eyes wandered from one face to an- other they finally fell upon a group of four Chinamen. j They were huddled together, as is their habit, and chattering away likesomany mag ,_ pies. This would not haveattracted his attention —__ on ordinary occasions, and perhaps would not have done so on this had it not been that the kept watching him in a manner that led him to believe that their conversation concerned himself. | eR though he affected not to do so, he | epta close watch upon the Celestials. ; SPATS Gane His curiosity was aroused at once, and, al- ek The more he watched them the more fully | ie toy a &
Page 9
_ onvinced he became that his first impres sion was correct, They never for an instant removed their eyes from his face and he could not help be- lieving the animated chatter they kept up re- lated to him. Ben was in no sense a coward, butas he watched these ill-favored, villainous-looking Orientals, and read murder in their faces, as he imagined, he could not repress a qualm, He knew the cowardly instincts of the race, and knew only too well, that they would scruple at nothing if they bore a grudge against a person, He knew, too, that if the secret organiza- tion known as the Highbinders existed in New York, as it did in San Francisco—and he had good reason for believing it did—there ‘was little chance for escaping its fury, and he al- so knew that he had already given them just -cause for desiring to put him out of the way. _“* A few more blocks will test [the ques- tion,” he mused, ‘‘ for there I shall get off, and if they really mean anything they will al- ‘80 get off.” A few minutes later Ben jumped from ‘the car and, having reached the sidewalk, watched for his supposed spies. But to his surprise and gratification, they did not get off the car, so after watching for some time, he turned his face homeward and walked on with a light heart, at the same time censuring himself a little for his ground- ‘less suspicion. The house in which his room was located was about the middle of the block, and it did not take him long to reach it. The neighborhood was none of the best, and the street at this point poorly lighted as many of the cross streets are. He had walked on leisurely, and when he reached the entrance to the house in which his room was located he stopped for a few moments to cool off, as the night was warm, before ascending to his room. - He had not stood there more than a min- ute when his attention was attracted by the approach of a group of men from the oppo- site direction from which he had come. Some inexplicable premonition told him ‘that they were enemies, and he stepped back ‘inthe recess of the doorway where he was concealed in the shadow. A moment later the men came onup and stopped in front of the house. ‘He then saw that they were Chinamen, It was too dark to tell whether they were the same oneshe had seenin the car’ or not, ‘but he had no doubt they were, and waited for developmeénts,. The four Chinamen chattered away excit- edly for some moments, and then one of them approached the door, leaving the other three on the sidewalk, | The fellow did not enter the door, how- ever, but appeared to be pasting something on the side of the door-jamb, after which he | ‘returned to his friends on tke sidewalk. CHAPTER X. } THE WARNING.+, | Tne detective waited for further develop- ments, but was somewhat disappointed, for there were none. . As soon as the single Chinaman had per- formed the operation, whatever it was, at the side of the door and returned to his _ friends another excited conversation follow- ed which lasted for some minutes, after | which they went away, this time in the di- rection of Third avenue, ae Ben then emerged from his hiding and ex- amined the door jamb. . eee found, as he expected, a paper posted therese gt yi =! irene sateen was still wet, he had no difti- culty in pulling it down, and when he held it to the light, discovered it to be written in Bowery Ben in Chinatown. Then he thought of the Highbinders, which he had heard a good deal about on the Pacifie Coast, and made up his mind at once that this was a warning from this secret society. He would have given a good deal just then to have been able to read the language, or even to have had poor Old Stump present, as he could have read the mysterious paper for him. He puzzled over the queer document for some time before deciding what to do. There was one Chinaman with whom he was on terms of familiarity, so far as a white man can ever become familiar with the race. This fellow, Hap Kee by name, kept a laundry in Third avenue, not far from Ben's place, and he had no doubt he would inter- pret the strange message for him. was now nearly two o’clock and the laundry- man would be in bed, Could he wait till morning? It would be a terrible suspense, but there appeared to be no help for it. All these reflections had flashed through his mind in a few seconds, and then he made up his mind to do something which he won- dered that he had not thought of before, That was to follow the four Chinamen and find out, if possible, where they belonged, They could not be far, he thought, and he bounded from the stoop ard started off.on a | pleasantly. run in the direction they had gone, So rapid was his gait that he had the good fortune to catch sight of the fugitives as they were turning into Third avenue. They turned down-town as they reached the corner and he had no doubt they con- templated taking the Elevated trainat Ninth street. . Bob followed along ata respectful dis- tance, taking care that the fugitives should not see him. He was not mistaken in his guess as to where they were going, for a few minutes later they climbed the stairs to the Elevated station. Ben was right after them and took the same car. As they were not expecting him, he man- aged to slip into a seat without being seen by the Chinamen, and then to prevent recog- nition, he drew his collar up about his neck, pulled bis hat down over his eyes and affect- ed to be asleep. The plan was eminently successful, and the Chinamen never once glanced in his direction. . They kept up their usual chatter until the train reached Chatham Square, and they all arose simultaneously to leave the car. Then for the first time he bad a good look at them, and discovered that they were in reality the same he had scen in the horse-car going up. He wondered greatly that they should have been able to get off the horse-car, walk around the block and reach his house in so short a time, and for this reason he almost doubted the evidence of his own vision when he saw they were the same. As soon as they were wéll past him he arose and followed them out of the car, They made their way toward Pell street, and he still shadowed them. He guessed that they would go to Hung Lee’s place, and he was not mistaken, Hung Lee’s shop was in darkness, but the men were admitted, without so much as knocking, it seemed, which led the detec- itive to. believe the door bad been left un- fastened for their reception in case they should be compelled to enter in a hurry, — .. There appeared nothing more for him to do now, so making a mental note of what the four men looked like, he turned back toward Chatham Square again, and was soon on his way home once more. There was little sleep for the young detec- | : But it | of every individual with almond eyes and a Chinese characters, Se ue Dee : _ “This is strange,” he mused, ‘Whatcan! Between the exciting events of the day it mean?” i ii Vp vy J and evening, and the mysterious message, | . i Ie Y J : i ‘ . 4 ye ’ Hh ‘4 OPTUS SAP Te oe he had too much to occupy his mind to per- mit sleep to visit his pillow till far along toward daylight. He was up at an early hour, however, and as soon as he was dressed, and without wait- ing for breakfast, he called upon his Chinese friend Hap Kee for the purpose of having him translate the hieroglypbics on the slip of red paper which he had found posted on the door-post. He experienced some misgivings as he en- tered the place, for the thought occurred to ‘him that perhaps he was making a mistake incoming to this man after all, as he might, | for aught he knew, belong to this same society. Indeed, he had suddenly grown suspicious pigtail he came across, However, he had no other recourse, and he was bound to learn the contents of the secret message at all hazards, and so walked on | into the laundry. ’ Hap Kee was busily engaged in rolling up clothes ready for ironing, and squirting wa- ter out of his mouth over them as he did so, He looked up and grinned when he saw Ben, and in his pigeon English said: “* Glood-mlornee.” ‘¢ Good-morning, Hap Kee,” returned Ben, ‘Yo’ wantee yo’ shlult, Blen?” asked the Chinaman. ‘* Yes, Hap Kee, but I have—” ‘Yo’ glot tlicket, Blen?” interrupted the laundryman ‘Yes, I have a ticket, Hap Kee, but I _ have something else—” ‘*You no glit shlult somelt ells, Blen, No tlicket, no shlult.” : “Will you hold your clack till I tell you what 1 want?” demanded the detective im- patiently. : ‘*Whalt yo’ call clalk, Blen?”* queried the astonished Chinaman, ‘‘ glot no clalk.” ‘* Yes, you have a deuce of a lot of it, my friend,” grumbled Ben,. ‘*Now listen, — Here is a document J received last night which I wish you to decipher, There,” he | pursued, handing the Chinaman the slip of — paper, ‘what do you make of that?” i Hap Kee took the paper, knit bis brows Pi and began to look at it. The next instant he dropped it, raised — his hands above his head and assumed an ~ expression of the utmost horror, ** Gleat Glod!” he ejaculated, Hap Kee did not possess a very exten- sive English vocabulary, but like most — foreigners, he had contrived to pick upa | smattering of the profanity, and this was — & part of it, eek He knew that it was the correct excla- mation in cases of extreme surprise or hor- ror, and so employed it on this occasion. 1 But there was no doubt about the genu- | ineness of his consternation, for his saffron _ complexion became the color of chalk and | his small almond-shaped eyes were extended _ to their fullest limits, ton aa oe ‘* What's the matter, Hap Kee?” question. _ ed Ben, striving, in spite of his own feel- — ings of dread, to make light of the mat- — a ter. a ‘“Whalt mlattee?” echoed the Chinaman, — ‘Yo’ glit klilled, Blen, allee slame, blim, blim!” TOA And he went through the pantomime of. stabbing a man. , a Nay ‘*You don’t tell me?” cried Ben, still in | a jocular spirit, Merah ey ‘““Las! You’ glit klilled lite way!” * When?” smiled the detective, | if Vey ae i “«'Tonil-et!” bartatee! ' a “To-night, eh? That’s i By way who is going to do the pleasant job : me?’ . ite? Cs me Rate “Look!” cried Hap Kee, pointing — Bt Be, ig + fr Vie} % trembling finger at the paper, which he Na ny eee ae x ners af bs es Pe echt mat iciie MAM, 44: i) 7, ea
Page 10
1 f i ' “ 10 fortunate spider has been mashed on there, but what does that amount to?” *““Yo’ no slee?” gasped the laundryman with wlld staring eyes, **Certainly I see, as I told you, and it looks just like a beautiful poem you sent me the other day on a wash ticket. What the blazes is it ail about, anyway?” ** Highblinders!” gasped the Chinaman. **Oh, is that all? I didn’t know but some Chinese poet had sent me a spring poem, and that | would be compelled to read it, What do these gentlemen propose to do, anyway, and what is their motive?’ Of course this was all Greek to poor John, and the detective was compelled to enter into a delicate and painstaking ordeal to get the fellow.to understand what he meant, and in turn dig out what the real meaning of the document was. In the end he managed to learn that in accordance with an order from the chief of the Highbirnders, not only the young de- tective, but all his relatives were to be ex- terminated in as short a space of time as con- venient, and that he in particular was to be ‘ put out of the way that same night. CHAPTER XI. A HEROIC EFFORT. Havinea learned the purport of the mys- terious message, Ben left the laundry, still in a jocular mood, much to the astonishment and mystification of the Chinaman. He evidently expected to see the young man turn pale or perhaps even weep. He could not understand the temperiment ofa man who could laugh under such cir- cumstances, ' But he did uot know Ben Gaylord. He was not aware that he could have laughed just the same if he had been stand- a, in front of balf a dozen cannons. hisapparently happy mood did not indi- cate his feelings by any means. - For, although he was as brave as man ever ‘was, he possessed none of the quality known as foolhardy bravery, He had simply learned to put a good face on matters, knowing that appearances often carried a man far beyond his natural prowess. As a matter of fact, the young man was far from being at his ease, after this blood-curd- ding revelation, for he knew too well the real danger he was in. Nevertheless, he cast it off as well as he could and proceeded about his business. His first move was to visit the police jus- tice’s office for the purpose of procuring war- rants for the arrest of. Hung Lee and the woman called ‘ P’izen Kate.’ There he met Billy according to agreement, and the two proceeded to state their case to the judge, who, when he had heard their sec? fe promptly issued the desired warrants, hen these were procured the two friends left the court together. Ben was on the point once of telling his friend of his adventure, but upon second thought concluded not to. It would only serve to harrow his feelings -and render him apprehensive of the fate of his friend, he thought. Neither would he allow Billy to accompany him on his next expedition, for fear that the Highbinders would attempt to put into exe- cution their threat, and, supposing Billy to be ‘arelative, mete out the same fate to him. This will give the reader a slight insight _ into the noble, unselfish nature of the young detective. Another view of it may be had from the fact that he did not even report the fact of his peril to the chief of police, as almost any other man would have done, lest he should be thought a coward. _ After taking leave of Billy and advising him to return to his office, Ben repaired to “hoon station where the body of poor _ Old Stump lay, with a view to attending the — Anquest which w eee. as to be held that morning. | ° Bowery Ben in Chinatown. (Se SSS SSS SSS See Oe ea The inquest wasin progress and Ben was supcenaed as a witness, After all the evidence that could be gather- ed had been submitted the young detective told what he knew about the case, not omit- ting his suspicions that the man had met with foul play. But it was of no avail. An autopsy had been held, and the physi- cian had ‘decided that the man had died from alcoholism, and that settled it. The opinion of a mere lad such as Ben was laughed at. ‘“ A young and officious detective,” sneer- ed the doctor. ‘‘ Wants to make a record, that’s all. Well, [don’t blame him so much, but he’ll learn something before he’s many years older.” ‘*He’ll learn better than to advance his opinions against old heads like ours,” added the old detective, who had been ‘‘ smell- ing” the case, as the professionals term it. “Indeed he will,” laughed the doctor. And the two old wiseacres went off to- gether to celebrate their wonderful knowl- edge in a ‘‘ smile.” But all this cold water had no Bowery Ben. He was not the least shaken in his original theory, and was all the more determined to sift the case to the bottom and prove the older heads to be in the wrong. If he should succeed in this, his fame was established, he realized, and went to work with renewed energy. His next move was to call upon Superin- tendent Byrnes and request a detail of men to help him in making his arrests, When that was done, be argued, half the battle would have been won. The superintendent was surprised, first, that he had engaged upon the case on his own account, but not displeased; and second, that he had already made such pro- ress. " ‘You shall have all the men you want, Ben,” said the superintendent, ‘‘ but are you sure you have the game run to earth?” ‘Certainly, superintendent,” he answer- ed, confidently, ‘‘If I was not I wouldn’t ask for the detail. All I have got to doin the case is to goto the shop of Hung Lee and arrest him, and in the other, go to the woman's flat.” ‘You think neither of them will expect you and elude you?” ‘‘T don’t imagine such a thing. Why should they? So far as the Chinaman is concerned, he does not even know that I am after him, and the woman, although she may expect that I will try to have her ar- rested, does not know that the young man who visited her last night is a detective.” ‘“Very well. I hope for your success, wel boy, but I’m afraid you are too confi- ent.” And Ben discovered later that there was wisdom in the superintendent’s words, for effect on ‘when, with his squad of policemen, he ar- rived on the ground, Hung Lee could no- where be found. Nor could anybody be found who knew anything of his where- abouts, : Some of them suspected, however, that he had departed the night previous for San Francisco as he had been talking for’some time of going. Of course Ben put no confidence in this story, but it opened his eyes to another theory, and that was that there was as little truth in the story about Fanny Brooks being taken tothe Western metropolis. Having failed in his first object, the de- tective took his men on another wild goose chase, . He took them up on Fourth avenue to the residence of P’izen Kate, ; Having obtained admission to the building, the young detective mounted the stairs with a good deal of confidence, followed by the squad of policemen, \ f 1 _ But when he knocked on the door there ~ was no response. Not put out at this apparent set-back, he repeated the knock, not once, but a dozen times, but all to no avail. Nobody came to the door. ‘‘There is but one thing left us,” he re- marked to the sergeant. ‘* What's that?” asked the officer. ‘Burst the door in,” was the reply. ‘“Tt’s little good it'll do you, in my opin- ion,” volunteered the policeman, “Why?” ' ‘“You won't catch them folks napping. ‘«What do you mean?” ‘““They’ve skedaddled, depend upon it.” ‘* Perhaps you are right,” admitted Ben, a little disheartened, ‘‘ but we can do no more ‘than try.” ‘““That’s true, and if you say so. down comes the door.” ‘Down with it!” cried Ben. The sergeant began to bang at the door with his baton, but before he had struck ” many blows the janitress came tearing up- . stairs, saying: ‘Don’t smash the dure! git in, Oi’ll open it for yez wid the kay. The officer stepped back and he and the detective exchanged looks of mutual inquiry. Before they had time to answer each other’s. mute questions in words, however, the im- petuous janitress had the door open. Ben was the first to peer in, and was quick- ly followed in the action by the sergeant, _ Again they exchanged glances, this time of mutual surprise. The flat was.as bare as the day the car- penter had left it. | There was not a stick of furniture in sight. 4 ‘«They moved out airly this mornin’,” ex- plained the janitress. ‘‘Phwat was there about thim, annyway? Oi knowed they was: a bad lot, but phwat was they afther doing, at all?” Ben did not have time just then to answer the question, He had business down-stairs, and went ac- cordingly. He was soon followed by the squad of men, and when they were on the sidewalk the sergeant said in a rather sarcastic tone, Ben thought: ‘TI guess we kin carry our game back in our vest pocket this trip, young man,” Yes, they have given me the slip, that is: a fact,” admitted the boy, laughing, for he had recovered his spirits by this time, ‘‘ But it'll do them no good. 1'll .be onto them again before they know it.” ‘* Yes, yes,” sneered the policeman, ‘* That. is the way all you fellows talk, but it is. easier talking than doing, by a long shot,” As soon as Ben took leave cf the police- men he returned to his room where he re- mained the rest of the day, and in the mean time he had formulated a plan of action If yez want to ” which he felt confident would result in suc- cess. And he had resolved to goit alone from that out. CHAPTER XII. A NEW DEAL. oat Latr in the afternoon Ben paid another visit to his friend the Jaundryman. Hap Kee was surprised to see him, and exclaimed as soon as the young detective: made his appearance: ‘‘Hello, Blen! Highblinders no klill yelt?’” ‘‘No, Hap Kee, the Highbinders haven't done me up yet, and what I’m hoping for ‘is that they never will,” ‘‘Whelt yo’ wantee now, Blen?” - ‘“‘T want you to help me out, Hap Kee.” ‘‘Hel-ep yo’ outee?, Whalet mean?” “Tl tell you, I want you to lend me # suit of your Chinese clothes.” a ‘‘ Chlinee clothee? Whalet flor?” “T want to make myself up as a China~ man,” Boat St hed: tet ae a
Page 11
**'No can.” “Why not?” ‘‘No glot pig tail, no glot shavee head, ‘Blen.” “Oh, I'll manage that all right.” “How yo’ do, Blen? Shlavee head, makee pig-tail?” ‘No, I have a better scheme than that,” ““Whalet yo’ glot, Blen?” “A wig.” ‘*Whalet yo’ clall wig?” Ben explained the mysterious substitute for real hair, and concluded by exhibiting a sample of the article, the wig which he wore on such occasions, The Chinaman was greatly interested, and not a little horrified, for he was under the impression that the arrangement had been taken from the head of one of his country- men. But when Ben explained to him how it was made and that it was only a combination of horsehair and cork, be breathed easier. ‘‘Me t’inkee he allee slame sklalpee, all slame Injun takee on plains. Heep Chinee, long back, allee slame sklalp huve take by Injun, Yo’ kno? Yo’ lead, Blen?” ‘Yes I read all about it,” replied the de- tective, : Hap Kee alluded to the Chinese massacre in the mountains in the early days of the gold-digging, and which is known to every Chinaman you can meet, _** Lis no sklalp, eh, Blen?” he went on, still a little suspicious, turning the wig over and examining it carefully, ‘*“No, that is no scalp,” replied Ben. ‘‘Now, there is another thing I want you to do for me,” said the detective, after Hap Kee had furnished him with the clothes. ** Whalet lat?” ‘*T want you to go with me,” **Me glo?” e Yes. ” ““Me no glo, Blen,” objected the China- man stoutly. ‘““Why not?” | **Me no likee glit killee.” ’ «There’s no danger while you are with me. I'll protect you.” **Yo’ no plotlect, Blen. No can. High- blinder klill quick, allee slame, bim, bim! No can plotlect, no can run, Blen, Allee slame flall dead!” ‘You are afraid to go then?” “‘Me no gio, Blen.” However, after a good deal of palaver, the laundryman spoke to one of his assist- ants, a young Chinaman who was something of a sport, and, unlike most of his race, a good deal of a fighter. Bowery Ben in Chinatown, been hard to tell which was the real and which the spurious Chinaman. ‘* How do I look, Sam?” asked Bob. ** Allee same Chinee,” was the enthusiastic reply. ‘*‘Chinaman no can tell.” ‘That is sufficient,” smiled Ben. ‘If a Chinaman can’t tell the difference I am all right. Come.” Together they left the house. It was eight o’clock when they reached the street, and to Ben’s surprise the identical four Chinamen he had seen the night before were standing in front of the house. They were evidently watching for him, and he experienced a slight qualm as he passed them. They stared very hard at Sam Ling and muttered something in their own language. When Bob and his companion were beyond earshot, he asked what they had said. ‘‘They say, ‘Whalt Chinee do here? can tell.’”’ “Ts that all?” *¢ Yes, lat all.” ** Oh, 1 thought they were talking about slugging me,” ‘** No can tell,” returned Sam, by which he probably meant that the four men did not recognize Ben. Taking a down-town car, Ben and his Chi- nese friend were soon in that portion of the city which is mostly inhabited by Celestials. They directed their steps toward Pell street, and as they approached the little shop which the Cetective knew from his pre- vious experience was the entrance to the fan-tan den, he asked his companion; ~ ‘* Are you acquainted with the proprietor of the fan-tan joint down here, Sam?” ‘Wah Lang?” questioned Sam, yt em: ! ‘* Me know.” ** Have you ever played in his place?” ** Heep lot. Losee heep lot mluney.” ** We're allright, then,” ‘* You glo there?” ae Yes.” ** Play fan-tan?” ‘‘ A little, maybe. But the real object of my visit is to get into another place back of the gambling-den.” ** Whalt there?” ** Don’t you know?” ** No, me no know!” “Well, I don’t exactly know myself,” smiled the detective, ‘‘ but we shall see.” By this time they had reached the door of the shop and Ben allowed his companion to take the lead. It should be stated that Ben had taken the precaution to arm his friend before starting, No He had imbibed a good deal of the spirit ) so that they were well prepared for all emer- of the class of Americans with whom he had come in contact an the East Side, and rather baa a racket now and then, le spoke fairly good English, too, another decided advantage. His name was Sam Ling, and as soonas the scheme was proposed to him he was de- lighted. ““You blet I go, Blen,” he said with a broad grin. ‘‘I bad man, all same ’Mellican man, fightee like deuce!” ‘You're the stuff, Sam,” returned the de- tective. ‘‘ You’ll probably have plenty of it todo. Come on.” ‘‘Where do you go, Blen?” ‘‘T’m going to my room first, to make up, and then we'll pay a visit to Chinatown.” “ Alllight. Wait till flix up.” “Allright. Ill wait for you to fix up, but hurry up.” **Me hully.” And away he went. : In five minutes Sam returned with his best duds on and announced himself ready to travel. eS, They then went to the detectives room, where Ben proceeded to make himself up in a accordance with the living model before him, a and at the end of half an hour it would have gencies, Sam walked in, and, after exchanging a word with the proprietor, the two went on back into the gambling-room. The place was pretty well crowded as usual, and quite as nearly suffocating with smoke. The manager recognizing Sam ‘as a regu- lar frequenter, paid no attention to him or his companion, and after loitering about for a few moments, they strolled back through the rear door into the dark passage. ‘* Whalt do here?” whispered Sam. “T don’t know yet,” replied Ben. want to see what we can discover.” The place was very dark and Sam wasa little nervous, but he said nothing and wait- ed for developments. Half an hour went by, and then voices were heard in the next room, as on the pre- vious visit of the detective. Presently a light sprung up and threw its rays through the cracks in the wall, and Ben peeped through, CHAPTER XIII. A GREAT SURPRISE. Tue sight that met the detective’s “gaz was a great surprise, cor 5 . i OO OOOO 11. Me was also, to some extent, a gratifying: sight. n the first place, there was not a China- man present. But there were three women, Two of them were P'izen Kate and the-_ woman who had accompanied her the pre- vious night, and the third one was Fanny Brooks. The girl was pale and showed signs of re- cent weeping, a The old women were urging her to con- sent to something, the nature of which could not be understood for some time, as the: parties spoke in an undertone, but after a while they gradually raised their voices te such a pitch that the detective could hem all they had to say. *T cannot do it!” the girl was heard to- say. ‘I had rather die than to be the wife of a Chinaman!” ‘*Oh, as to dying,” sneered the old wo- man, ‘‘you can do that easy enough, and. probably be glad to before I get through with you,” ** But,” protested the girl. ‘*I—I—” But she broke down, buried her face fm _ her hands and gave herself up to sobbing. ‘* Now, now!” growled the old woman. ‘‘That is going to do you no good, Come, listen to reason, You object to the plan I have just stated, I will propose another,” ‘* What is it, ma’am?” cried the girl, look- ing up quickly as if she was eager to accept any proposition rather than the one which, had been offered, ‘‘ what is it, ma’am?” ‘* Listen!” said the old woman. She arose from her seat. and went to the door, tried the knob, listened, and then came back. ‘‘T guess it was nothing,” she muttered. ‘‘T was sure I heard some one. We must.\— not be overheard in this, miss,” she went on | | | \ q \ in an impressive tone. ‘* What Tam going to» propose is for your good, and in offering it I am laying myself liable to—to— God knows. what!” She paused, and Fanny gazed wistfully, expectantly at her, ‘*So far,” pursued the old woman, ‘1 have kept you from him—” ‘‘T know,” interrupted Fanny eagerly, | ‘“‘and I cannot thank you enough for what. — you—” 7 Silence!” commanded the old woman, | ‘Tt will be time for you to talk when I am through. What I was about to say was, that. — so far I have kept you from him. In doing — so Linjured my own cause, but it was on ac- count of no feelings of kindness 1 enter tained for you. No, I had another object. I knew that you have relatives who are pretty well off, and believed that as soon as. they discovered that the police were power-~ less to find you they would be willing to pay well for your ransom. : 4 ‘‘Last night two young men came tomy | flat—that is, where I then lived—one of — whom claimed to be your brother, Tafter- | ward discovered that the one claiming to be — your brother was nothing of the kind, but a. detective, while the other one—who had. nothing to say—was your brother—” * Billy?” gasped the girl. ‘Don't interrupt me, miss!” snarled the q woman, ‘ You have another brother, IT find, who will soon come into a good deal of | property.” : ‘f “Yes, yes, he will!” cried Fanny, eagerly, ‘“‘How much?’ demanded the woman, | coldly, M ‘“Oh, I don’t know. A_ great deal... 3 i though.” | . ty ; ‘‘ Very well, How soon will he come into: — ‘ it?” a > ae ‘“‘Let me see,” murmured the girl, ex~ | man with an expression of cold calc ‘This is August. Four months.” Re ae, ulati
Page 12
Kt . ‘i ly { az ‘* Yes, a little over four months, ma’am,” ‘*But it will be some time after he comes »of age before he will get the money. Let us *say six months from date.” ‘*'Yes?” cried Fanny, eagerly. “Now, how much of his fortune do you «suppose he would be willing to sacrifice for the ransom .of his sister?” “Oh, I don’t know, ma’m, “maybe.” “Hardly all of it.” ** Yes, yes, I know Charles would be will- ‘ing to sacrifice every penny of it to get me -out of trouble.” ‘“*I do not believe it, my girl. Men are mot given to such remarkable unselfishness. If he would be willing to give up a quarter of it I should be surprised. But we sha’n’t Aet him off so easy. If he loves his sister as Aa brother should love a sister, he should be willing to sacrifice at least half his fortune “for her deliverance, rather than that you should become the wife of a Chinaman. All of it, _ “Therefore we shall call it that.” _ “Hung Lee!” replied the oth ** Yes’m.” “Now, my plan is this: You shall. be “taken toa place of safety, where there can be neither chance of escape or molestation from the Chinamen. “*There you shall be kept until such time as your brother comes into his fortune. In “the mean time I shall have you write to him explaining the situation and the conditions upon which you will beset at liberty and re- stored to gene family.” ‘But I won't be able to see any of them for six months!” protested Fanny. **On the other hand, if you do not accept “this proposition, you will never sce them, “Take your choice.’ The girl broke down and wept again. ‘*It is very hard,” she cried, ‘‘ What shave I done that I should suffer so much?” ‘* Nothing, except the crime of being beau- ‘tiful,” sneered the old woman, heartlessly, “*But you should congratulate yourself upon ‘being more fortunate than most girls who are merely pretty. You have the advantage -of a rich brother who has or will have the “power of rescuing you. Had you been sim- ply good-looking like many girls, you would _ have been whisked away to San Francisco ‘without ceremony. It was only because I -knew of this money coming to your brother that I saved you from this fate.” The girl was silent, except for an occasion- -al subdued sob that escaped her in spite of her efforts to keep them back. The old woman watched her with a cold, thalf sneering expression, waiting, apparent- ly for her decision, __ Finally the: other woman, who had held cher peace up to that time, appeared to lose her patience, and spoke: _“ Td have an end of it, if I was you, Kate. If we wait here much longer that Chinaman _ will be in upon us, and then the fat will be ‘in the fire.” “Yes,” replied Kate, ‘‘we must get ‘through with this at once, If Hung Lee finds out what weare about, there will be ‘trouble. You see, so far he doesn’t know ‘anything about you. Though if he sees you he'll want to take you for the wife of some -of his friends. Now, miss, you must make _your mind at once,” _ ‘Cannot I see my mother just once before ‘Lam taken away?” pleaded the girl piteously. “No,” snarled the old woman, ‘‘ you will be allowed to see nobody. What is your de- cision?” “Oh, I cannot, I cannot!” cried the girl. ra “Very well,” snapped the old woman, _ jumping to her feet, i r+} | aloor, ** You shall accept the other alternative!” Py Pa At that moment there was a rattling at the __ ‘My God!” gasped the woman. ‘‘ Here ¢ mes!” : CO “Who?” cried Fanny, iy er, re uN en ok +t | to save the girl. “ Bowery Ben in Chinatown. | ‘Oh, save me!” pleaded the girl. “There is but one way,” said Kate firmly. “* What is it?” **To accept my proposition.” “Yes, yes,” cried the half franuc girl. **Tt shall be so.” “Get back here quick, then,” muttered the woman, As she spoke she hustled the girl into some place in the rearof the room, which Ben supposed to be a closet. The old woman then went to the door and opened it. Hung Lee came in, and it could be seen at once that he was not in a good humor. ‘“‘Whalet yo’ keep me waitee long tlime, P’izen Kate?” he growled. ‘Why, really I didn’t hear you, Hung Lée,” replied the woman pleasantly. _“* Yo’ tell heep blig lie, P’izen Kate. Yo’ hlear allee tlime. Yo’ no wantee clome. Yo’ glot someblodee inslide. Me know.” “Really, you are mistaken, Hung Lee,” pleaded the woman, ‘‘ There is noboby here except Molly and me.” ‘* Me flind outee!” muttered the Chinaman, and he made toward the closet where Fanny was concealed, CHAPTER XIV. IN THE TOILS. BEN was wild with excitement when he saw the Chinaman approaching the closet where the girl was concealed. He knew that if he found her it would be all up with Fanny, unless she could be res- cued in time. He knew that if Hung Lee found her in his present state of rage he would lose no time in shipping her off to his Western friends, and the young detective was de- termined to save her if there was any possi- bility of such a thing. But how was he to do it? . Old Stump had told him that there was no other way of getting into the next apart- ment than by going round to the next street, But may not the old man have lied, as he had done in some other matters? on was determined to find out for him- self, In making his preparations for the trip he had not neglected to provide himself with a lantern. i This he now drew from his pocket, struck a match and lighted, He threw the glare of the lantern over the narrow passage in a hurried manner. for he realized that there was no time to be lost. He allowed the lantern’s glow to move along the frail partition, revealing, little by little | every inch of it. | But at the end of a minute or so he had only made the discovery that Old Stump had told the truth. There was no passage through the wall, tunity with nervous eagerness. . “What was to be done? The Chinaman, for some reason, delayed Every instant only enhanced the danger of , striking the fatal blow, and Ben could not poor Fanny. | guess the reason. Not satisfied with his first search, he again Then suddenly they swung about and he passed the light along the wall, but with the | saw that the ‘woman was struggling so same result. | heroically that the fiend had no chance to There were two alternatives left, neither of | strike, them practicable, he feared, | But as they swung about, the Celestial One was to break through the wall, which / contrived to throw her back over the table, was possible, as it was very frail, and the ; pinned her down, and raised his Weapon to other was to run round to the Bayard sircet | deliver the deadly blow. ‘sar Rly ' Still the woman was between the detective The first was impracticable for the reason | and her would-be-assassin, that the slightest sound would warn the in- | But as he raised his hand an opportunity mates of the next room; and the second | offered. i was equally impracticable for the reason | Taking deliberate aim at the hand which that it would take him ten minutes to | hele the deadly dagger, the detective fired, reach the other entrance, and probadly by that time the parties would make their escape, | But a few minutes had elapsed while all | this research and reflection was going on ! and Ben had about made up his mind that | the only thing to be done was to try to reach the Bayard street entrance to the place in time Sam Ling, and now for the first time since he had entered the place his eyes fell upon the Chinaman, As soon as their eyes met Sam said: “* Whalt do?” ‘*Tam at a loss what to do, Sam,” replied Ben, ‘‘ There appears to be no way of get- ting through into the next room, and before I can have time to reach the other en- trance—” But he got no further, At that instant he was thrilled and shocked by a shrill shriek which emanated from the other room, ‘**Whalt lat?” gasped the Chinaman. ‘‘My God! what is it?” questioned Ben, with a shudder, The mystery was soon revealed, however, for both men put their eyes to the crack in the wall, and the sight that met their gaze froze their blood. Hung Lee had found the girl and was at that instant dragging her from the closet by the hair. The poor girl was nearly paralyzed with terror, while the Chinese brute’s countenance wore the most devilish expression the young detective had ever witnessed. In another instant he had brought the girl into the middle of the room, and in front of the woman, ‘‘Now whalet slay, P’izen growled with a fiendish leer, ‘‘ Yo’ now pe! yo’ no lie? No glot noblody here, eh?” he woman was paralyzed with terror. She turned ghastly pale, and could utter no response, ‘* Now whalet yo t’ink me do, P’izen Kate? Ye tinkee me no klill?” ‘‘T intended to—to—” the woman attempt- ed to stammer, but the Chinaman shut her off. ‘* Yo’ bletter no lie me alle slame lalst tlime, P’izen Kate. Me kill!’ Meanwhile he had released his hold on the girl and she lay upon the floor, too much overcome with terror to rise, The next instant the infuriated Celestial flew at the woman and clutched her by the throat with one hand, while in the other he grasped a dagger which gleamed in the light. ei Shloot, Ben!” whispered Sam excitedly. **No let klill!” Bob had thought of this, and had even drawn his revolver, but in the position in which the two stood fhe could not hit the Chinaman without danger of killing the woman, He was in a terrible quandary, A moment’s delay, and it would be too :ate, And yet, what was to be done? Kate?” he woman, air ard the Chinaman released his victim an grasped his wounded hand. ; howl., down pletition.\ Glit in ve ] [him plis’ner. No can flightce now!” Airey Ly In his anxiety he had forgotten all about : There appeared to be no help for the. The young detective watched his oppor- The next instant the dagger flew into the He began to dance about the room and ‘* Now our tlime,” whispered Sam, “Blake he oom, y ‘Tlakee ‘ 4 wr if ri _ m q an wd Las & + mT ie es rey My + 4° ‘i * = x a bah? > aN ee a ~ ek Vek \ ee. * { \ nye * i bx ) a $3 - ty | my *7 Fs j ae « * — sa ‘Th Se “ay a. yb, , Ve ‘ Lee, Ves oe: ae a a) _™* ade ‘i Bs Be ag { et ’ ey es 4 a. {f a J
Page 13
eis . *« a me ae Hite ¥-. * a4 ve et ‘a ie yh a Cae oe ot oe »~T Np « >} * . — ¥ om ufficient, “That was sufficient. Poe hy LV ha Aa al at 3 "But the Chinaman had only voiced the “Sa that had already entered the detective's ead. Indeed, he had already begun the work of tearing off the boards of the wall which sep- arated him from the two people he was de- sirous of capturing. Thrusting a knife he carried beneath the boards, he gave it a heroic wrench, and one of them came away. This gave hima chance at the next, and as he grasped it Sam came to his assistance, Board after board was thus ripped off. The Chinaman wasin too much agony with his hand to notice what was going on, while the woman and Fanny were too much overwrought with terror to see or hear any- thing else. Thus our friends worked on with perfect safety. But a few minutes elapsed before a hole sufficiently large for them to crawl through had been made. As soon as this was done the detective turned to his companion and Ben whispered: ‘** Now, Sam, I’ll slip through and you fol- low quickly after me. Be ready with your revolver, for we shall probably have use for ‘*Me sabe,” responded Sam. ‘Me have levolvel allee slame. Me shloot quick.” “'That’s right. Now come on.” With that the detective slipped through _them before we are through.” /the hole he had made in the wall. Sam was directly behind him. Hung Lee still had not noticed them, so distracted was he with the wound Ben had given him, Neither had P’izen Kate, who had fainted from the severe choking, coupled with the fright she had received. _ Fanny alone saw the men enter. She had arisen from the floor, and stood staring at them, not knowing what to make of them. She was puzzled from the fact that she suspected that one of them had shot Hung) Lee, and yet she was evidently astonished to see that they were Chinamen, Ben approached the girl, intending to whisper to her and reassure her, but, think- ing that he was on'y another one of her ene- mies, she sprung back from him and uttered a shriek. This brought Hung Lee to his senses, and he uttered a shrill whistle. The next instant the place was swarming with Chinamen. / CHAPTER XV. “MULLER GAHILER!” | As the Chinese swarmed into the place Fanny had the good sense to run back and conceal herself in the closet where she had hidden before. Ben would have told her to make her es- cape through the opening in the wall, but for the fact that he knew she would be frightened if he should approach him. Pisses yo he had all he could attend to just en, When the Celestials entered the place they stared about in wonderment, not compre- _hending what it all meant. Had they seen a white man there, they would have understood it, but seeing only their Own countrymen, as they supposed, _ they seemed to wonder what all the row was about, [ But Hung Lee soon put them right. Seeing their perplexity, he stormed about, ‘doubtless using a good deal of Chinese pro ly fanity, which only had the effect of in- creasing the excitement and dismay of the |. others. _ But at length, in apparent desperation, he pointed out the intruders and uttered the two potent words: ite ‘‘Mullee gahilee!” wv Bowery Ben in Chinatown. The succeeding instant the whole pack He crawled for some distance, and finally~ - made a wild dash for our friends. Ben, realizing the odds against him, and the little chance he would have against such numbers, made an attempt to reach the breach in the wall with a view to escaping in that direction. But this was the worst move he could have made, as it turned out, for as soon as the Highbinders found that he was inclined ie retreat, their courage increased according- Therefore by the time that he had real- ized the impossibility of escape and that he would have to fight, The were so close upon him that he could do little execution, Sam Ling had shown his wisdom by tak- ing time by the forelock, and was already knocking his assailants right and left with the butt of his revolver, they being too close upon him for him to use the weapon in ny other way. en turned from the breach when he saw the futility of trying to escape, and profiting by the example of his Mongolian ally, be- gan to belabor his assailants with the stock of his pistol. But the two men were at a disadvantage in every respect. In the first place they were outnumbered twenty to one, and in the next place, they were divided. In his attempt to escape Ben had left his friend in the middle of the room while he was at one side of it, and the mass of China- men were between them, Their efforts, therefore, were of little avail. It was in vain that Ben trie time and again to turn his revolver and fire into the, surging crowd. o sooner would he stop pouring blows upon the heads of those who came in his way for the purpose of using the muzzle of his pistol, when a dozen swarthy hands would attempt to grasp his wrist, and he would be compelled to resume his clubbing tactics in order to keep his assailants at bay. He soon recalled that this sort of thing could not last long. He would vo more than clear a path in front of him than it would be refilled with fresh recruits, and his strength soon began to wane. He was driven back tightly against the wall, so closely that he was unable to do much execution even with the butt of his revolver, and his enemies were apparently gaining in strength. ; Then came the sad calamity of Sam being knocked senseless, Ben saw this in a hasty glance he had ven- tured in the poor brave fellow’s direction, And then came a time when he could no longer defend himself. He was crowded so close to the wall that he could not use his hands, and the next in- stant a dozen hands grasped his and the re- volver was wrenched away. It was soon over after that. The infuriated Chinamen, not satisfied with having overpowered and disarmed him, proceeded to shower blow after blow upon his unprotected head until he was finally rendered insensible. . What happened after that the detective had no means of. knowing. Several hours must have elapsed, when he at Jast came to himself and realized that he was more dead than alive. His head was nearly bursting with pain, | he was in a high state of fever and burning with thirst. But even all this affliction did not worry him so much as the question of where he was All he knew was that he was. in total darkness and lying upon a hard, bare floor, He attempted to rise, but found this a difficult, at first an impossible, task, After making several attempts in this ] direction, he gave it up, and began to crawl, . \ oF | pose of torturing me?” he said to himself. — came to a wall. Feeling about, he found that it was only” an ordinary plastered wall, and his hopes re-- vived. Then he crawled along the wall for some’ distance, and finally came to some sort ef a. | stand it appeared, and putting his hand up» and touching the top of this he found it was. wet, This was a delightful discc very. It was an indication that water was not: far off, and this was what he longed for — above everything else. Reaching up and taking a firm held en the top of the stand, he pulled himself up te his» feet with a painful effort, Then he discovered that the arrangement was a sink, and he was not long in finding: the faucet and turning the water on. Placing his mouth beneath this, he drank: long and deep. " Ben had never realized the blessing of: cold water till that moment, He would not have exchanged the bliss of. that moment for a kingdom. After satisfying his thirst, he bathed his: face and hands in the delicious stream, and. felt greatiy relieved. He could even walk slowly, although he | realized that he had been bruised and cut. in every portion of his body, and the oper-. ation of walking was very painful in the ex+ treme. As soon as he could walk a little, he moved) about the wall, steadying himself by it, and» at length came to a door. He was not long in discovering that the» door was thoroughly barred, and he moved: on hoping to find some other means of egress, . He tound what seemed to be a window,. but it was barred as thoroughly as the door, It then occurred to him to search for samer — means of making a light. His lantern was gone, as was also every~ article of value about him. He succeeded in finding a few matches,. however, and lighting one, looked about) him. He appeared to be in an unfurnished room: of an ordinary flat or tenement. é There was but one door and one window, and both, as he had before discovered, fas- — ag up so securely that escape was impos-- sible. ‘* What could it all mean?” he mused, Why had the Highbinders put him in there- instead of killing him? Perhaps that they had imagined that they: had killed him, “s He was certainly near enough dead for aliy purposes, Having exhausted three matches, he walked about in the dark for awhile. hela, Still his thoughts were busy. ta ‘‘Have they not put me here for the pur- ‘*The fiends! Perhaps they will return and | take me ont for the purpose of inflicting — some excruciating torture upon me.” Hit! Just at this point he thought he heard — something, p . ee a ot SNe At first he supposed it was a human voice, but quickly dispelled the idea and coneluded. — that it must have been a cat. . (a Presently he heard it again. i This time it was more distinct than before, _ and his first theory returned to him, i He was satisfied that it wasa human voice, | But where could it be? ; 4 Again he listened, and again it broke upon. the deathly stillness of the place. otto _ He hesitated no longer, but followed the — direction of the sonnd. j aoe) This brought him plump against.a wall, | and when he again. heard the ery he re- oy that it was on the opposite side ef the wall, : ofiy’, alt ec Lighting another match, he found that — what he had supposed to be a wall was the . door of a closet. Mirai ( ae
Page 14
| Fanny?” he asked. jn the d had become one,” ~~~ —— CHAPTER XVI. A DISCOVERY, Ben had no more than mado the discovery “that the supposed wall was the door of a closet ‘than he realized that the person or creature from whom or which the cry had emanated was in the closet, What could it be?” It was still natural to suppose it to bea cat “under the circumstances, and yet he did not believe it was. He tried the door, and found it fastened. He lighted another match and by its light ex- amined the door. It appeared to be nailed up, and there was mo sign of a lock of any description. In vain he attempted to force his fingers be- hind the edge of the lintel, be could not. Finally be groped his way along to the sink again in the hope of finding something there with which’ to open the door, This reqnired the assistance of another match, -ard he realized that his stock was growing very small, However, he expended one more and with it jooked about the sink, There was no implement of any kind, nor was ‘there any part of it that appeared capable of being torn away to be used for the purpose he desired. And then a happy thought occured to him, Perhaps he could unscrew the faucet. Ben was possessed of a powerful grip when at his best and, in spite of bis present debilitated condition, he was no weakling. Grasping the faucet with both hands he gave it a terrific twist, and had the satisfaction of feeling it give. Encouraged by this, he concentrated all his power ina mighty effort and gave it another wrench, This¢ime the faucet yielded still more, Another wrench loosened it to such an extent that his work from that on was comparatively easy. In a few minutes longer he bad removed the faucet and at once returned to the closet door. Singularly the voice had entirely ceased since ‘his effort to open the door, and he began to think that, after all, ho had been mistaken. However, he was bent upon opening th» door, -now that he had begun it, and began to bammer the frail boards with the heavy brass faucet, He had not continued this long before he had ‘the satisfaction of feeling that the door was yielding to his attacks, and this encouraged him ‘to continue, At length the door came open, and he quickly ligted his last match and held it inside. he sight that met him amply repaid him for ‘all his labor. There, seated upon the floor, in a half-terri- ‘fled state, was Fanny Brooks, “Why, Fanny!” he exclaimed. But to his surprise, she shrunk from him as if he had been a contagion, “Why. Fanny!” he repeated. ‘know me?” “Yes, I know that you are one of those horrid ‘Chinese who want to carry me off and make a slave of me,” she faltered in a tremulous voice. Grim and pathetic as the occasion was, Ben could not refrain from laughing. ' He had forgotten till that moment that he was still disguised as a Chinaman! How he had escaped losing his wig’ and the rest of his make-up he was unable to understand, but the girl’s words convinced him that it was ‘Don’t you still intact, To remove any doubt upon the subject, be put ‘his hand upon the top of his head, and then he found that his wig was still there.” ‘My dear girl,” he resumed, *‘I am no more Chinese than you are, If I were I should not be ‘@ prisoner here as well as yourself.” he was silent a moment, and then asked tim- idly: TWwho are you?” ** My name is Benjamin Gaylord,” he replied. ‘* You remember me now, don’t you?” ‘* Yes,” she said, still doubtfully, ‘* I know Ben ‘Gaylor , but—bat—” ay Apa am I doing in this rig?” he interposed, dJaughbing. **'Yes. You look exactly like a Chinese,” { Or did, rather,” he laughed, for the match ‘had gone out by this time and they were again “ What are oo doing in that horrid costume she repeated, now I am a detective, don’t you, “ Yes, Billy told me some time ago that you eee ig : ‘ Le iu SESS ae oes a et ’ eee be RT ee) ey ee ee ae a tl ne ee ee ee ee Bowery Ben in Chinatown. “ Well, it was through Billy’s request that I went to work to try to find you.” ‘Tt was so good of you,” she interrupted. “Never mind. lt isa part of my business, only in this case it was a good deal of a labor of love, for I always thoughta good deal of you and Billy, ever since we were children at school.” ye I know,” she interjected impatiently. ‘'Go on, ‘*T tried several schemes to get at these ras- cals, and all of them failed. At length I hit up- on resuming my Chinese disguise only changing it somewhat from what I formerly used.” ** And didn’t they know you?” ‘Tt appears not,” ** Well?” ‘“ Well, last night— suppose it was last night, for I have lostall reckoning of time—in company with a friendly Chinaman I got into a passage which adjoins the room in which you and the old woman were talking, By looking through a crack inthe wall I could see you and I could also hear what passed between you. “Twas just racking my brain fora plan to get in and rescue you, when Hung Lee came in, and the row ensued between him and the old woman, I saw that he intended to kill her, and was determined to save her if possible,” ‘Then it was you who fired the shot that wounded the Chinaman?” she interrupted, ‘* Tt was,” **T wondered who it could be, At first I thought it was the police, but when I saw you break through the wall I thought you were a Chinaman, and thought the shot must have come from some other direction.” “That was why you shrunk from me, eh?” AY ree? ““If you had listened to me then we might have made our escape before the old rascal gave the signal which brought all the hungry pack in pees us,” ; ‘“*T realize it now,” she said, mournfully, ‘*But when you consider the state of agitation I was in you cannot blame me,” ‘“*T do not blame you, Fanny,” he rejoined, kindly. ‘I only say that it was unfortunate that you did not allow me to approach and tell you who I was,” ““They overpowered you, didn’t they?” ‘*'Yes, they knocked we senseless, What I wonder at is that they did not kill me outright while they were about it. But, where are we?” he suddenly broke off.” **T haven’t the least idea,” Were you unconscious when they brought you here?’ ‘* No; but they bundled a cloak or somethin; about my head so that [ could not tell where was being taken.” “Did you seem to be going far?” ‘No, I don’t think we are far from where we were last night.” ‘*Tt was last night, then?” ‘Yes, but it must be nearly morning now.” . ys this place must be shut off from all ight? ‘*T imagine it is,” *“*T wish I bad another match,” continued the detective, fumbling fruitlessly about his pockets. “Tt would not be quite so bad if we could see each other.” . .“T don’t want to see you—” ‘* What?” : jor that disguise,” she exclaimed, _ iH id how are we going to get out of here, eng” | “That is a question that is bothering me. There seems to be no way of getting out, Oh,I have it!” he exclaimed, suddenly, “ee What?” . “The faucet with which I broke open this door!” “Good! Try it!” “ Picking up the faucet again, Ben groped bis way to the door once more, and, having found it, began to pound, e had struck but a few blows, however, when he heard some one on the outside in the act of unlocking the door, ‘* We're lost!” gasped the girl, “I[t is the Chinamen!” * CHAPTER XVILI NOT SO BAP AFTER ALL, WHEN Ben discovered that some one was un- locking the door from the outside, his hope of escape vanished, He knew that it could be no friendly hand that was about to come in upon him, for who, but the Chinamen themselves could have pos- sessed a key to that door? ng a eee ‘Try eS AE aa. , ° ~~ J Therefore he retired into the room, shrunk NS back against the wall, and awaited bis fate, Fanny, who bad emerged from the closet, was ~ at his side, and he iustinctively placed bis arm about her as if to protect her from the intruder. The door was soon opened and some one came into the dark room, Once inside, however, the person paused and listened, The stillness of death reigned. Ben and Fanny held their breaths lest a sound should direct the intruder in their direction, and thus hasten their inevitable fate. This lasted for perhaps a minute, and then the person was heard to mutter inarticulately to him or berself, Still Ben and Fanny remained silent. Then the. new-comer was seen to scratch a match. Our friends’ hearts sunk, They realized that their time was near at hand, An instant later the flame of the match flared up, and they saw, to their surprise, that the new-comer was none other than P’izen Kate! This mitigated their terror somewhat, but did not allay it, for although Ben knew that he could easily overpower her, he supposed that of course others were close at hand, As the flaming match illuminated the room the old woman gazed about, and at length her eyes fell upon our young friends. She started slightly at the sight, but soon re- covered, and even smiled, ; But Ben interpreted that smile to be one of malicious satisfaction, and it only had the effect of sending a shudder to his heart, The match soon burned out, and the old wo- man lighted another, \ Then holding it up closer to the faces of the young people, she said: ‘‘Ob, I have found you, have I? I was afraid I wouldn’t succeed in tracing you,” ‘*- Yes, here we are,” replied Ben coldly, for he had by this time recovered his courage fully. ‘What do you want?’ The detective’s voice startled her, She held the light more closely to his face, and finally gasped.” ‘“Who are you? You do not speak like a Chinaman,” ‘*f[ am not a Chinaman, thank God!” replied Ben. She appeared to be more puzzled than before, But efter a long and careful stare, she sud- dently exclaimed: ‘*] know now. I recognize your voice, You are the detective who came to my house tke other night. I thought I recognized the voice when you first spoke, but could not place it.” Realizing that it would be useless for him to try to longer dissemble, and having about aban- doned hope any way, the young detective retort- ed bitterly: “Well, what of it? What do you want?’ *“*T came to take the girl out of here,” an- swered the woman in a kindlier voice than either of them could have given her credit for, ‘* but as 1 also find you here, you may as well go along too,” The young couple could not believe their senses, j Surely this old wretch must be jesting! But upon second thought, Ben concluded that he had mistaken her motive, She only meant to take them to some other lace of confinement, and he at once began formu- lating a plan of esca But Fanny had nok interpreted the woman’s * words, Her hopeful heart told her that the woman was somehow actuated by some generous motive, what she did not stop to consider, ¥ Te us out of here?” gasped the girl, ‘* For good ‘* Not for bad, I hope,” gasped the old woman. ‘But come on, We have no time to parley. We may even now be too late,” With that she grasped Fanny’s hand and be- gan to lead her toward the door, Ben followed, of course, and soon they were on the outside, and descending a stairway which was quite as dark as the room had been, But they were soon down to the bottom, and the late prisoners found that they bad only been confined on the second floor, “Tf I had known that,” mused Ben, “TIL swear I would bave made a greater effort to es- ca we { But another thought was agitating his mind. _ Why had this woman suddenly taken it into her bead to befriend them? : Had she some other motive in view, or was she really desirous of rescuing them? — ¥
Page 15
at \ aa a My u * i. f iB): | ‘ ae. “ @ y Then he thought of the attempt upon her life ‘by the Chinaman, and concluded that that had something to do with it. She was probably taking this method of aveng- paeete for his ill-treatment. o word passed between the trio until they weached the street, Then the woman said: “‘Now go. I have done my part. If you do not make your escape now it is your own faults.” Ben was dumfounded. He did not reply for a moment, and then mus- tered courage to speak : ‘But stay! You must accept some reward for this, my good woman, I haven’t a cent with me, as those fellows cleaned me out, but if you will let me know where I can find you, I shall reward you for your kindness to-night,” The woman laugbed, ** You would like to find me again, wouldn’t you, young man?” she chuckled. ‘ Do you im- agine I’m so green as to tell you where to come and arrest me?” “No, Pll swear I have no such intention,” he asserted earnestly, ‘ { wish to arrest Hung Lee, and shall do so at the earliest gil nity, but after your humanity to-night, I should ‘consider myself an ingrate to arrest you. Let some One else do that,” Tho woman hesitated a moment, and thea in- -dulged in another chuckle, Ah, young man, I can’t trust you. I’m ‘sorry, but it is better to be onthe safe side, ‘Good-night, and God bless you!” And she turned upon her heel. Ben and Fanny stood watching her in the dim light in dumb amazement, f she was so suspicious of him, why had she gone to the trouble to rescue him? She did not proceed far, however, when she stopped, stood for a second, and then hastily re- traced her steps, “I forgot something,” she said, as she ap- proached the couple, “ You said, and I know it to be a fact, that you have no money, You want some to get home. I should haye thought of this before, but I’m apt to be forgetful. Here,” she went on, handing Ben some change. “* It will enable you to ride home,” us And again she was off, before the detective could offer a protest. ** Thatis a strange creature,” commented Ben, as they watched her trundling away until she was lost inshadow. ‘ A queer mixture of fiend- ishness and generosity.” ; ** [don’t believe she is half as bad as she seems,” interposed Fanny, who had been deeply moved by the woman’s noble action. ‘1 wish she ‘would let us do something for her. I should | like to take her with me and give her a home, I believe if she had a chance she would be a good woman,” p ““You’d better not try any experiments of that kind, Fanny,” returned Ben, laughing. “16 would be something like petting a tigress, She might be docile for awhile, but would be likely to scratch you svoner or later,” **]I don’t believe it,” sighed the girl, ‘* Any- way, I’m glad we're out of her clutches,” f “No more so than I am,” rejoined Ben. ** But, what puzzles me is how she came to do this.” ‘*Out of her goodness of heart.” “Don’t you believe a word of it. People of ‘her kind are not in the habit of doing things out fooduess of heart.” ~ ; “What could have actuated her, then?” “She did it, in my opinion, to get even with old Hung Lee for attempting to kill her last might,” ‘Do you think that is the reason?” **T haven’t the least doubt of it.” **' You may be right, but I would rather be- ‘lieve that she was actuated by real goodness of eart, 2 “That is because you possess such a good heart yourself, Fanny,” laughed Ben, ‘ Iam constituted differently, and so think differently. ‘But here we are at the station.” ; They took the train, and, after seeing Fanny ‘safely bome, Ben returned to his own room, He spent the remainder of the night on ar- riving home in formulating a new plan to ar- rest Hung Lee. CHAPTER ahd ant A REAL CLUE AT LAST, It was long after daylight when Ben finally dropped asleep, nevertheless, he was up early in the forenoon, ‘ He was sore and weak from his last night's experience, but the little sleep he had got had refreshed him, and the thought of Fanny’s hav- “the talking, and asked for Hung Lee. @ Bowery Ben in Chinatown. FRR Ny ng Soe at Ne ing been rescued, although through no effort of his own, buoyed him up for a fresa attempt to capture the arch flend, Hung Lee. But the matter that agitated him most was the fate of poor Sam Ling. **T hope the poor fellow wasn’t killed,” he sighed, as he recal'ed the young Chinaman’s heroism. ‘‘He told the truth when be said he could fight like the Old Scratch, I didn’t im- agine he had it in him,” As soon as he had breakfasted, therefore, the detective called round at the laundry of his friend Hap Kee to see if he knew what had be- come of Sam Ling, To his utter surprise the first person he met on entering the place was Sam himself, He had a bandage about his head, but other- wise appeared to bs in prime condition, and as happy as usual, ** Hullo, Blen!” he cried, on seeing the detec- tive. ‘* How you glit out?” ° * Oh, I got out allright,” replied Ben. ‘* What astonishes me is how you managed to escape alive,” ‘Oh, me all litee,” grinned Sam, ‘ High- blinders no can klill Sam Ling. Me too stlong, No can klill. Sam Ling heep dam stlong!” ‘*[ belisve you, Sam,” laughed the detective, “otherwise they would have done for you last night.” “*No can klill,” he repeated. **So it would seem, But we didn’t get our man after all.” ‘* Hung Lee?” “ s,” **Blettee you ketch quick, Blen.” ae Why ” ‘He glo Slan Flancisclo right away.” “* How do you know?” ‘*Sam Hop say.” * Who is Sam Hop?” ‘Him Hung Lee flend—heep stlong flend.” ‘* However, he may have been giving you a game of talk, Sam,” observed the detective, ‘** Does he know what he is talking about?” ‘‘Yep, he know. Sam Hop lite allee letters Hung Lee.” ‘* Oh, he’s Hung Lee’s secretary, eh?” ‘Yep, slekeetalee.” ‘* When does he expect to go, Sam?” “ Tlo-night,” * Allright, Pll try and head him off. I sup- pose you wouldn't care to take a hand in another affair like that of last night, would you, Sam?” ‘‘'Yep, me likee!” cried the Chinaman, de- lightedly, ‘‘ Me likee beep, you blet!” ** All right, call round at my house about two o’clock and I'll be ready for you.” ** All litee; me ble lere, Blen.” ‘ On returning to his room the detective re- sumed his Chinese costume and make-up, except that he made some alterations in the cast of his features in order that those who had seen him on the former occasion would not recognize him now, Upon examination he found that the warrant for the Chinaman’s arrest was one of the few things the Highbinders had left in bis pockets, “That is fortunate,” he mused, ‘as it saves me the trouble of going before another police justice,” By the time he was ready for the expedition ‘Sam Ling arrived, and they set off at once for Chinatown, Sam had dressed himself in an entirely differ- ent suit of clothes from the one he had worn be- fore, and altered his appearance still further by sticking a queer looking mustache on his lip, They directed their course toward Hung Lee's pace oes Ben walked boldly in, followed by his rien According to a previous agreement Sam did He was informed that the Chinaman had al- ceed taken his departure for Sav Francisco, don’t believe a word of it,” said Ben, as soon as they were again on the’outside, “‘Itisa bluff, depend upon it,” is ‘Me tink blull-ef too, Blen,” replied Sam, Hung Lee no go. He hide like lat slum place.” It occurred to Ben to walk around by the place on Bayard street, where the fight had oc- curred the night before, Taking a roundahout course, they approached the place from a different direction, hen within half a block of the place they were surprised to see old Kate come out of a door and walk away in the direction of the Bayard street place, | mee vie Sam excitedly, “ Lat P’izen a ‘So I see,” replied Ben, ‘* We'll follow her and see where she goes,” They did so, and were surprised to find that = ae wel VV Spree. ‘“* Yes,” she was heard to say, ‘‘ I did set them ‘ i’ 'y F- Ler ge te ‘ she did not go to the place where the fight had occurred, but continued around the block into Pell street, Following her along this street, they saw her enter another door, It was the house in which Bob and Fanny had been confined, When they got to the door she was already ascending the stairs, and after allowin reach the top, Ben and hir companion followed. Kate did not enter the room where Ben und Fanny were, the night previous, but a door on the opposite side of the hall. Stepping up to this door, Ben put his ear to it and listened, He could hear talking within, and one of the speakers was a Chinaman, When be turned he saw that Sam was also listening, and as they exchanged looks, Sam ~ whispered: , ** Hung Lee!” ‘* Yes, I think it is,” rejoined Ben, ‘* I wish we could get near enough to hear what they are talking about.” Then it occurred to him to peep throuzh the key-hole, and he saw that the speakers were not in the room into which the door opened, so he tried the door, and finding it unlocked, opened it softly and went in. ; Sam followed, and closing the door noiseless- ly, the detective looked about him. Kate and the Chinaman were in the next room, the door of which was slightly ajar, Ben crept softly up close beside the door, and listened, From this point he could hear everything that was sald, The old woman seemed: to be holding her own this time and the Chinaman wes not suc- ceeding in intimidating her, as he had done the night before, at liberty, as I had a right to do.” ‘*Whalet flor yo’ do?’ demanded the China- man, angrily, “For the purpose of showing you that you could not mistreat meas you did last night, I did it in revenge.” ** And yo’ no flade me klill?” “Not a particle. You have threatened that often enough and attempted it, too, but some- how you never succeeded,” “Me will!” threatened the Chinaman, filool wil me, P’izen Kate me, klill quick !” “You only think you will! Now, look here, Hung Lee, you probably are not aware of it, but I know who killed Old Stump!” “ Whalet?’ and the Chinaman was heard to jump from his seat in an excited manner, ‘* Yo’ know who kiillee?” ** Yes, I know?” ** How, yo’ know, Kate?” ‘* Tsaw you follow him from Pell street round into Bayard street, slip up behind him and cover his face with a handkerchief.” ** Hal ha!” laughed Hung Lee, ‘ Walet yo’ talkee? Hlankeechee no klill.” - “i a“ Yo’ No, an ordinary handkerchief would not, but after you bad run away I picked up tbe handkerchief and examined it, It was saturated with enough of dczen men,” ‘* W’ere lat hankeechee now, Kate?” **T have it,” your Ckinese poison to kill a chief!” The speaker was Ben Gaylord. ra He had stepped into the room at that juncture and covered the pair with his revolvers, ‘** And as for you, Hung Lee, you ere my pris- oner! I have a warrant here for your arrest for spanning Fanny Brooks and murdering Townend, Thomas otherwise known as Old Stump!” CHAPTER XIX. THE ROUND UP, Hune L&E, who was an arrant coward at heart, was so terrified when he saw that the game was up, that he did not even attempt to. signal his allies, if he had any within call, He stared wildly and helplessly at the detec- owe but did not speak. dead silence fell upon the scene, which lasted for a minute or so, and then the China- man made a quick move with his hand, t / i / \- bh 5 i + ; R ahs Ale Mei 2 ros ds Oe So bb em ber to | "eee ad “ Ves. ? y reir *.! th Aya) i. y ee po madeira Laie ir oi mee es te bd
Page 16
16 Ben thought he was about to draw a revol- ver, and prepared to shoot in case he should attempt anything of the kind; but, he was sur- oer to see that he only drew out a hander- chief, The truth flashed upon the detective instant- ly, but the Chinaman was too quick for him, for, before Ben could stay his hand, the Ori- ental had clapped the handkercbief to his own nostrils! Even then the detective sprung forward and oa snatch his hand away, but he was too ate, The succeeding instant Hung Lee’s head drooped forward on his breast, he uttered a gasp, and passed away. ** My God! he has killed himself!” cried the woman excitedly, “*There is no doubt of that,” replied the de- tective. ‘‘ But it is just as well, Isuppose. He has saved the State the expense of doing it for him, Ben took the woman into custody, to be de- tained as a witness, and she delivered the band- kerchief with which Hung Lee bad murdered Old Stump, and upon examination by chemical experts, it was found to contain a subtle poison little known to the chemists of this country, but #0 potent that when placed over the nos of a cat the animal expired almost instantly. Ben had the laugh on the doctor who had pro- nounced the old man’s death to be the result of alcoholism, and he concluded that ‘‘ the boy” knew something after all, Ben visited the old woman at the House of De- tention a few days after and had a long talk with her, **J don’t know whether you intend to brin any charge against me or not,” she said, ** but want to thank you for bringing about what was equivalent to the indictment and execution of Hung Lee for the murder of Stump.” ** Then you thought something of the old man?” inter Ben, *** Not much, although I did once.” ** An old beau, eh?” ‘** More than that,” * Eh” ** He was my husband.” ** ‘You don’t tell me!” ‘* Yes; and there was no better man before he got to drinking and gambling. He was pretty well off at one time.” “But he got pretty low down toward the last.” **'Yes, he went completely to the dogs,” ‘ a must have been aa ignorant man, wasn’t C) BI refer to his uncouth manner of speak- "Een? “ That wad assumed after he got to runnin with the crewd of ruffians and thieves, and suppose toward the last he could speak in no other way.” ‘*What was Hung Lee’s motive for killing Stump?” i , “ Why, you know the night you went into the passage with the old man and the young man who was with you?” , * Yes,” ‘** Well, one of Hung Lee’s spies followed you in and heard some of your conversation, He carried this at once to the Chinaman and he knew that Thomas had betrayed him, He watched for the old man and saw him emerge from the F grows pass out through the fan-tan room and round info Bayard street, Hung Lee followed him, and as he was about to en- ter the door of a house there he clapped the poisoned handkercbief over bis nostrils, as you saw him do to himself, held it, there for an in- stant, and then dropped it and run off,” ‘*The old man was frequently employed by Hung Lee, wasn’t he?” ** Yes, he used to do a good deal of the China- man’s dirty work, but I will say this for him that he was always ashamed of it and would have been willing at any time to have washed his hands of him forever, had not the Chinaman kept him in terror of his life,” ‘He was afraid to quit, then?” “ Yes.” **Aad yet Hung Lee was a great coward, as you saw when I went to arrest him,” “I know he was; but he was surrounded by his secret organization who were scattered everywhere, and he could never tell at what moment some secret assassin would step from a dark corner and either stab him with the ‘ needle dagger’ or poisou him with the deadly meurtel- la, the Chinese "rman he Mate did Stump first meet this China- D Se eee ee ne b’ Bowery Ben in Chinatown. “In San Francisco, It was while my bus- band was still well to do. He was out there on business, but got to drinking, and while un- der the influence of liquor wandered out into what is known as,Chinatown, He did some- thing while there to incense the Chinese and the Highbinders decided to kill him, but Hung Lee, whose friendship Tom had gained in some way, Rot him away from the murderers and saved his e ‘* And this rendered him grateful to the China- man, I presume?” ‘* Yes, and laid the foundation for his future slavery to bim,” ** How did you come to get in with Hung Lee?” asked Ben. ‘*Tt was through my husband,” replied the woman, witha sigh, ‘t When he began to sink he dragged me down with him.” ‘* Who gave you the significant name of ‘ Poi- son Kate?” »° The woman laughed. ** There is something funny about that,” she smiled, ‘As soon as [ gotin with these people and learned their methods, I realized that the first misstep I should make would subject me to their wrath and that I was liable at any time to fall a victim totheir terrible poison, so I set about discovering an antidote for it. I succeeded in discovering an infallible antidote and always kept it about me, Well, the time came when it served me a good purpose, They attempted to kill me with this meurtella, but the antidote saved me, and they declared that the reason the poison had no effect on me was that I was poi- son myself, and from that out I was called ‘ Poi- son Kate,’ or‘ P’izon Kate,’ as they called it.” In consideration of her valuable testimony in exposing the members of the murderous clan of Highbinders, aud her interference in preventing the death of the detective and the girl, Ben did not prosecute the charges against old Kate, and she afterward reformed and became a good wo- man, Ben had been so busy since the final capture of the Chinaman and P’izen Kate that he had not had time to see his friend Billy Brooks and his sister Fanny, but on bisreturn tohis room, after the trial, he was agreeably surprised to find them, together with their father and mother and severa! other friends, there awaiting him. ‘*We have been waiting all this time for an opportunity to thank you for your noble work in rescuing our darling, Mr. Gayiord,” said Fanny’s mother, as soon as the young detective appear- ed. ‘* We feel that we owe you a great debt of gratitude,” ** And something more,” added Billy, grasp- ing Ben’s hand warmly. ‘I shall soon come into my fortune now, and you will do me the favor of accepting a portion wf it.” ** Yes,” put in Fanny, blushing. ‘It would not be too much after what Ben has done for us, to give him ac least half of your money, Billy.” ‘Half it shall be!” declared Billy earnestly. *T believe I have something to say in the mat- ter,” interjected Ben stoutly, ‘‘and I say that I will accept nothing of the kind.” ‘Oh, but I insist,” cried Billy, passionately, * And I!” added Fanny, ‘** And I resist,” persisted Ben, ‘‘ It is enough for me to know that I did my duty and was in- strumental in uniting and restoring the happi- ness of a family, and to know that I have won their esteem,” ‘** You always had that,” ventured Fanny, ‘* In the highest sense,” averred Billy. ‘ But you must have something more, You are vo friend of mine unless you accept a portion of my wealth,” ** Well, if you insist,” finally yielded Ben, ** But it must not be much.” “* We shall settle that part of it,” interposed Billy. “It shall be enough to repay you for risking your life for sister.” To everybody's surprise there was a new ar- rival at that moment, It was Sam Ling! He bad not seen the detective since the day when Hung Lee committed hara-kiri, as the Chinese call it, and he was anxious for the fate of his young triend. *‘* How are you, Sam?” cried Ben, grasping his and, ‘* Me all litee!” assured the Chinaman, with a broad grin, ‘‘ How you, Bien?” “* First class, Sam, By the way, Billy, here is a worthy legatee of sothe of your wealth,” ‘* Aud he shall have it,” replied Billy earnest- y. And this explains how Sam Ling was able to go into the laundry business on his own ac- count. THE END. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. | BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM. 888 New York Nat's Crook-Chase, 877 New York Nuat’« Trump Card, 87l New York Nat and the Grave Ghouls, 865 New York Nat’s Masked Mascot. 859 New York Nat, the Gamin Detective. 858 Dick Doom’s Kidnapper Knoek-Out, $47 Dick Doom’s Ten Strike. Dick Doom’s Flush Hand, Dick Doom’s Death-Grip; or, The Detective by Destiny. TZ Dick Doom’s Dexwtiny; or, The River Blackleg’s Terror. 784 Dick Doom; or, The Sharps and Sharks o! New York, 788 Dick Doom In Boxton; or, A Man ef Many Maske, Dick Doom in Chicago. 798 Dick Doom In the Wild West. bn Sit! Dick Doom’s Clean Sweep; or, Five Links in a Clue, 808 Dick Doom’s Death Clue. Dick Doom’s Diamond Deal. 819 Dick Doom’s Girl Mascot. Dick Doom’s 885 Dick Doom’s Big Heul. ee EXA Dashing Charlie; or, The Kentacky Tenderfoo.’s First Traii. Dashing Charlic’s Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captive.. Dashing Charlie’« Pawnce Pard, 766 Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. 497 Buck Taylor, King ot the Cowbeys. Buck Taylor, the ¢ omanche’s. Captive, Buck Taylor’s Boyan; or, The Red Riders of the Rio Grande... Pawnee BU, the Prairie Shadower. Pawnee Bith: or, Carl, tie Mad Cowhey. Pawnee Bills Pledge; or, The Cowboy's Doom, Pawnee BIL; or, Daring Dick. Redtern’s Curious Case; ™, The Rival Sharps. 7 Redfern at Devils Raneh; or, The Sharp from Texas, Redfern’s High Mand; or, Blue Jacket, Redfern’s Last ‘Trail; or, The Red Sombrero Rangers, Red Ralph’s Ruse; or, The Buecimeer Miasuipman, ed Ralph’s Bold Game; or, The Wizard Sailor. Red Ralph, the Shadower, or, The Freebooter’s Legacy. 644 Butterfly Billy’s Disgul«e. NA 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Express Rider. 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 6 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. Kent Kingdon; or, ‘The Owls of the Overland. Kent Kingdon’s Shadower 3 or, the Card Queen. Kent Kingdon’s Duel} or, The Surgeon Scout. Kent Kingdon’s Doom; or, The Buckskin Avenger, 545 Lafitte Run Dow n;3 or, The Pucaneers of Barrataria, 550 Lafitte’« Legacy; or. The Avenging Son. 555 Lafitte’a Contessl on; or, The Creole Corsair, 520 Buckskin BID, the Comanche Shadow. 525 The Buckskin Brothers in Texas. : 580 The Buckskin Bowers; or. The Cowboy Pirates, 5856 The Buckskin Rovers; or, The Prairie Fugitive. 5640 The Buckskin Pards’ Quert; or, Captrin Ku-Klux. 508 The Royal Middy 3; or, The Shark and tne Sen Cn, 507 The Royal Middy’s Luck or, The Hunted Midshipmam 611 The Royal Middy’s Foe. 4560 Wizard Wt: or, The Boy Ferret or New York. 454 Wizard Wills Strect Scout«. 474 Wizard WIIl's 3 ard; or, Fiera, the Flower Girl. 488 Wizard Will's Last Cases or, The Ferrets Aflont. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 Dunean Dare’s Vlot; or, A Cabiv Boy’ Luck. Duncan Dare’s Prize; or, The Sea Raider 441¢Duncan Pare’s feeret: or. The Ocean Firefly. 402 Iaodor, the Young Conepirator; or, The Fata) Lergue, 407 Isodor’s Double Chaney or, The Boy Insurgent. 412 Isodor’s War-Cloud Cruixe; or, The Wild Yachteman, Bison Bll, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Bison Bill's Clue; or. Grit. the Bravo Sport. Dead Shot Dandy’s Pilemma, r 808 Dead Shot Pandy’s Pouble; or, Kero Kit. 814 Dead Shot Pardy’s Deflances or, The Boy Bugler. 607 Dead Shot Dandy’s Chic fs; or, The River Detective. 245 Merle Monte’s Junp for Life. 250 Merle Monte’s Mutiny ¢ or, Brandt, the Baccaneer. 264 Merle Monte’s Treasure Island. 269 Merle Monte the Condemned, Merle Monte’s Crulse: or, “The Gold Ship” Chase. Merle Monte’s Fate: or, The Pirate’s Pride. Merle Monte’s Pledges or. The Sen Marander. 197 The Kid Glove Sport; or. Little Grit, the Wild Rider, 204 The Kid Glove Sport’s Doom3 or, Boffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider, i & Dend-Shot BRalph’s Ten-Strike. 867 Dead Shot Ralph's Bree. Deck-Hawk Roy’s Big Scoop. 8425 Marlo, the Cowboy Coaster, Ruth Ream ond, the Girl Shadower, Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag. Ralph, the Dend-Shot Scout. 602 The Vagab ond of the Mines. byt The Texan Detective; or, The Black Bravos, 5Y1L Delmonte, the Young Sea Rover; or, Tre Avenging Sailor. 5S0 The Ontcaxt Cadet; or, The False Detective. 495 Arizona doe or, The Boy Pard of Texas Jack, 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger Neptune Ned, the boy Conster; or, Pirate in Spite. 2 The Sailor Boy W anderer; or. The Born Guide. 446 Haphazard Warry : or, The Sea Scaperrace $98 The Red Clasped V' ands; or, Tbe Boy Lieutenant, B87 Warpath WIL. the Traitor Guide. 888 The Indian Pilot ¢ or, The Search for Pirate Island. 877 Bonedel, the Buy Rovers or, The Flagless Schooner. 2R7 Billy Blue-Eyes, of the Rio Grande. 2837 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. ; 229 Crimson Kate, the Girl Trailer; or, The Cowboy's Triumphs — 116 The Hussar Captain: or, The Hermit of Hell Gate. 111 The Sen-Pevil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Smuggier , or, The Cruise of the Vixen, 75 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Woll, 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants, 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccanver; or, The Fugitive Yacht. @ The Flying Yankee}; or, The Ocean Outcast. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 886 The Five Points Lodging House Janitor; or, Monk Merry and the Italion. By Jo Pierce. A New leane Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library is for sale by all newadealers, five tenta per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York;