Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1891 — DODBLE DICK AND JOE; OR The Poorhouse Waifs. [ARTICLE]

DODBLE DICK AND JOE; OR The Poorhouse Waifs.

BY DAVID LOWRY.

CHAPTKB Xm. JOB’S STRANOB VXSITOB. Monsieur Dufaur’s bell rang. One yonng lady entered, and two amerced from Dufaur’s academy. It rang again, ana a maid servant —a pretty girl—looked out.' The caller, a gentleman, retired Jauntily. As the maid was closing the door a little girl approached her. “Is Mr. Dufaur in?" “Yes; but he is engaged at present." The maid looked at the child suspiciously. “Well, is Mrs. Dufaur at home?” i “Yes, but she is very busy just now. ” “Well, then, the young lady—l forget her name —she’s from Barnesville —is she in?" | “See here, I don’t know anybody from ;Barnesville, and I’ve no time to answer your questions. Who are you, anyway, to ask such questions? Be off with you!” “You needn’t get so huffy Just because a person speaks to you. ” “A person! You a person!” The maid turned her nose in the air scornfully. “The impudence these little beggars puts on —it’s amazing. * But the beggar was out of hearing. A minute later she was relating her experiences to Mr. Ike Jenks around the corner. “2*o go, eh?” | “Jest froze me out ” i “Humph, Jenny, you ought to sweetpnftfi w • “No use tryin’. She ain’t the kind that sweetnin’ sticks to. I did all I could. ” “Well —but you’re sure Mr. Dufaur and his wife are engaged?” , “Dunno. I know a doctor pays Will .Tumipseed to say be is pngagod when ihe’s snoozin’ on a bare bench in his office. ” I “Well, there’s a quarter. ” I Ike handed her the coin, and soon the girl disappeared from view. “Point one. I’ll go right up to the door now, myself." When the bell rang again the maid !met a keen-faced young man at the entrance “Ah! Pardon ma I, ah—called — ah —pray is Mr. Dufaur occupied just now?” “You can see him in fifteen or twenty minutes.” j “No matter—no matter. It did not occur to me—l dare say Mrs. Dufaur is occupied at this hour. ” “Yes, sir.” “Ah! Very well, I will call again, unless ” the young man paused, then added, very deliberately, “the young lady from Barnesville is at liberty just a moment —I will not detain her a moment ” The maid courtesied. “I will tell her —step insido a moment” And then the maid left him. A minute late a young lady appeared, and led the way to the parlor. She looked at the young man. in silence and with apnrehension. “Ah! Excuse me—but I have come to ■—can I speak to you in strict confidence? My name is—there is my card, miss." Hq handed her a card on which she read the name, “Isaac Pratty. ” “Certainly—what is it you want to say?” She was very direct—came right to the point. He made a mental note of it. "Why, I came to tell you, miss—excuse me, I do not know your name. ” “No matter. It don’t signify. Go «n, sir. ” “I came to warn you, there is a scheme against you, miss. I discovered it by the merest accident in a lawyer’* office. ” “What is it?” “I can’t tell. I know something's up, and knowing it was against a young lady from Barnesville, and hearing there was a young lady here from Barnesville, I took the liberty to warn you. ” “What is it? Who is scheming?” Joe’s eyes flashed a look upon the visitor that puzzled him. Was she frightened, or was it suspicion that sat in her eyes. It looked like suspicion as the eyes read his, but it might have been terror. Ike proceeded cautiously. “I am not at liberty to tell. Maybe you would say it was mean in me to tell —but I can’t help it As for what is up, miss, that I don’t know. ” Joe looked at him in a puzzled way; ft was plain now she was perplexed. “Unless you know what lam to look out for, I don’t see what I can do. lam -obliged to you, sir. ” 6he stood silent Ike bowed, and withdrew. When be was on his way home, he smiled to himself knowingly. “That's all I want now. I’ve found her —she knows me. How she read mol That girl could pick me out ot a million. £ I’ve put a bug in her ear, too. And I didn’t give myself away. Isaac Jenks—you’ll get along in tho world—you’ll do. You’ll do.” And Ike pulled up his shirt collar and held his head a trifle stiffer. He was revolving a scheme —a beautiful scheme that was to surprise his uncle one day. In the meantime Joe was pondering over the warning. Who was he? A nice—a very nicely dressed young man he was, only she didn’t like him, somehow. His eyes were disagreeable. Why, she couldn’t toll. And why couldn’t he have scold her more? To come to warn her, and go away like that Of course it was the people at the poorhouse. Poor Joe did not know that it was a relief to the directors when a pauper ran away, walked off, or died. So the number was lessened, that was all they cared for. Would she tell Madame? Why—to cause unnecessary alarm. There was no need just yet By-and-by she would tell her. But maybe Zeke Caper would come some day and pick her up on the street She must tell some one. It would not do to be carried off, and nobody know what had happened. That would look like running away—and to run away would be very, very mean. But sh • would be on the lookout from this time forth. It was not often she had to go out: and she was always quick ftoaut her business. There was the music store; she was the messenger chiefly retted yj¥?.n to go And tbe

stand. She would not be harmed on the street And she would be sure to look under the bed every night now, Just to be sure that nobody was there in the pay of Mr. Caper, or Mr. Wonder. At that instant she heard Madame Dufaur calling her name. “My dear, I want you to go to the lpusic-dealer for me—and call around at the dyer’s, and see if my ribbons are ready." „ The dyer’s shop was in a narrow, poorly-lighted street Joe remembered the night she called there with Madame Dafaur the place made an unfavorable impression upon her. There were so many ill-favored men and boys lounging near a place with bright-colored bottles in the window. The bottles were filled with whisky and cheap wine. The gaslight back of the bottles made tho contents gleam in the night “Bring me ‘lll Fares the Heart,’ and any new song Mr. Gray recommends. And be sure to go round to the dyer’s. * Joe put on a bonnet and a neat light sacque Madame had a tered to suit her. The mußic was found in a few minutes. Then Joe went around to the dyer’s. There was a haug-dog faced man at the door of the sa oon she passed. She thought she had met the face somewhere. As she entered the dyer's, she tried to recall it, but failed. When she emerged from the dyer’s the street near the saloon was clear. She walked hastily but timidly passed the saloon. She thought “what If Mr. Caper is in there now!” But she was not molested.

And yet a footstep was dogging her’s. The footstep skulked in the shadow—darted in halways and doorways—crossed the street stealthily, followed her until she hurried breathless into Monsieur Dufaur's, thankful Caper had not kidnaped her. Then the hound that dogged her hastto a rendezvous appointed by Ike Jenks. “Well, Old Blinirer,” “It’s all a K.” “You must have had precious good luck.” “So I had. I wasn’t on the lookout more than a quarter of an hour till the door opened, and out came a girl same as yon told me to look for. She seemed awful *fraid. Walked as fast as she could —to that music store near the Dutchman’s Hall—you know where I mean. ”

“Yes —goon Blinker.” “She wasn’t in there long—then she went round to—well past Dandy’s saloon to the dyer's shop.” “Past Dandy's, eh?” “She didn't waste no time in the dyer's nothur. She more *n scooted home.” “That all?” “Why, in course I was as near as I could get I opened the door sly-like—-and I heard the woman say she was sorry—she'd have to come to-morrow night again. ” “Sure, Sllnker?” “I’ll hope J- may never ” Here Bliuker swore a horrible oath.

“Now, then; I’ll tell you what yoq must do, Blinker. You can loaf around there to-morrow evening, and get some of the gang to stay with you. You can make up some lie. Don’t give the game away. ” Blinker winked with so much mystery in his face as to justify the nickname. “Catch me!” “When you see her go into the store, or after she comes out, you lurch against her. Say you think she’s your cousin—or a gal you’ve met Leave tho rest to me. ” “Suppose the Bobby sees it?” “O! that’s all right—l’ve fixed him. That'S a man my uncle knows —and he knows I know him. No trouble with him. I’d give $5 —by George, I’ll have him cotae down on you. ” “Sco here, now. None o’ that. That’s playin’ it too fine, Ike. ” “What! Afraid of me?" “No—no more nor you are afraid of me.” They looked at each other Intently. “This is a square deal," said Ike. “I’m givin’ straight goods,” said Blinker. “All right then. ” “No Bobby in mine, if you please. No cuttin’ up rough, if you please. We kin Kanage without the Bobby seeitt’ me, yin’ bands on me. I don’t like it,” said Blinker. “Look here, Blinker. I’ll tell you a little ghost story. You remember Sdm Dolan’s hand—his right hand?” “I ought to—l chawed his right thumb nigh off once." “You look at the right hand of the new Bobby on that beat next time he passes you.” Blinker stared. “ Taiu't—’tain’t Dolan come back to life. Why, he was drowned —shot for a river pirate. Twas in the papers. ” “Was he? Maybe my uncle made a mistake. Wouldn’t it be funny if he has. Maybe I’ve never talked to the new man. Maybe I was dreaming when an awful cute man got my uncle to help him get this chan fixed on tbe beat here. ” Blinker looked at Ike in admiration. “You’ve got a head for a Congressman, Ike ” “I tell you he’s the man, but you know better than to blow it. ” “It’s worth too much to me. You bet I’ll be mum on’t. So he’s the Bobby! Talk about the ghost in Hamlet, IkeLord! If Dolan only gave a little squeak, wouldn’t tho boys have a night of it? I’m in for anything now.” “Well—do as I say—l’ll be handy somewhere, and then I’ll manage ail the rest, Blinker. Now, be sure you hang ’round tho corner there!” “You bet I will,” said Blinker. How much is in this for me, Ike?” “Oh!” said Ike, in a lordly way, “I’ll see its all fair. I never go back on a friend. " Then the couple separated, Blinker to return to his vile haunts among thieves, and Ike repaired to a locality where ho was in the habit of meeting eonginial spirits. Ike was in a very agreeable frame of mind that night. His thin lips puckered frequently as he twirled the light cane ne he’d in his hand. “Won’t I paste it on my uncle's eyel— O! won’t I, though?” And the light cane struck his thin legs £gain and again. “Won’t I, though!” CHAFrEK XXV. THB NICB YOUNG MAN, AND HERO. Lawyer Jenks looked up when his nephew closed the door behind him the next morning shortly after the lawyer entered his office. “Well’” “I called at Mr. Dufaur’s. I didn’t see the person from Barnesville, though. ” “You did it What prevented?” Jeremiah Jenks was biting his nails; scowling. Ike continued in an indifferent nftnner:

"Nothing much; only a matter of ten or twelve miles. * “Ehl What’s that? Don’t speak la riddles to me. ” “I’m not The girl Isn’t at home just now." “Where is she?" “She went away for a day or two with some friend of Mrs. Dufaur’s. ” “Humph! How did you find out?" “From a girl that lives next door. No, I did not talk to her, but a man who goes with her did, and he pumped her for me. ” “Humph!" “I’m just telling you all I know.” “Humph!" “I am giving you straight goods." “ ‘Straight goods ’ Kepeat that slang again and I’ll discharge you. I will, so help me." How ofton have I told you to keep your slang for your low associates?” “I’ll tiy and remember." “You’ll remember.” “I’ll remember." “The girl—who told her?" “The. girl in Dufaur s, of course. They are thick as thieves. ” “Humph!” Jenks the uncle was chewing his nails savagely. “Where does tho friend live?” “The girl didn’t know.” “Humph!” “See here—you don’t believe me.” “No, I don’t. You are lying.” The uncle and nephew looked fixedly at each other. “If I am lying, that settles It" Ike was returning to his desk in the back room, when Jeremiah called him back. “Hold up your hand. Swear it's the truth. ” “I’ll hold up hand —but what's the use. The man that tells a lie will swear to it.” t “No matter. You needn’t swear. Now, then. If she’s not there, when she comes back how will you know?” “My friend will find out in a little while and let me know.” “No possibility of a mistake?” “I’m pretty sure of It. ” “If I call you in in a little while you know how to answer my questions. ” “I guess so." “That will do. ”

Half an hour later Job Wondor entered Jeremiah Jenks’ office. The attorney received him cordially. His knuckles cracked as he creased his fingers and interlaced them. “A pleasant day, Mr. Wonder. I’ll have to disappoint you—but It will be only for two or three days. The person I have In view unfortunately is not in the city. She was sent away—to be gone a day or two." “Humph!” said Job Wonder.

Now, although the lawyer had uttered a similar ejaculation recently while listening to his bright nephew, he did not relish it coming from another. He turned quicTcfy to tfie farmer. “You are not satisfied, sir?", “No! Nor I don’t tnfnV you’d be in my boots. I’Ve come, I’ve waited, ’n nothin’ to show for my time ’n trouble. I can’t stop in New York long—got plenty things to look after at home. ” “I am sorry I cannot show you the person I mean; it is not in my power to-day. ” “About to morrow?” “One moment.” Mr. Jenks advanced to the dpor and called aloud: “Ike—here a minute.” Ike responded promptly. “You told me the young lady you called to see is out of the city far the present?” “I did.” “Can you assure this gentleman when she will return?” “No; except that she won’t bo away more than a few days. ” “A few? How many do you call a few, young man?" “Why, two or three. ” “That settles it I can’t stay here three days. ” Ike looked at his uncle. His uncle looked at the farmer. “I have no more to say.” “If I thought the girl would be here to morrow I’d stop over.” “Well, Ike, what’s the chances?” “Why, she’s as likely to be back tomorrow as any day,” said Ike, promptly. “How’m I to know when she’s back?” “Give me the name of the hotel you are stopping at” said Mr. Jenks. “I’ll do that, ’n I’ll cal’klate on seein’ some of you ’fore this time to-morrow, so's I’ll know whether to put off for home or stop over till night ” “Precisely. Well, we. will try to give you notice as early as possible. ” “All right Good-mornln’." And Job walked away, shaking his bead, and saying to himself: “I don’t like these here lawyers, a bit Seems to me as if that fellow doesn’t know his own mind. Bat what In thunderation did he bring me off here for? There wouldn’t be no sort of sense in lyin’ to me. I guess he's got on Joe’s track, *n is keepin’ quiet about it" [to bb continued.]