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« “He is wanted badly at headquarters.
took something soft, since neither of them
~used liquor:
s he was. drinking Sam stood facing
a te mirror that was behind the bar.
. There. was a lunch counter right behind
him, and he could see it in the glass as
well as though it was right in front of
him.
Men were walking to and from it, taking
something that-was good to eat, and when
ie saw the well-known form ‘of Greaser
Dan step up to it and proceed to help him-
self, the boy from Texas gave a start.
He was positive that the villain had not
seen them, for he did not act that way.
Greaser Dan had tried to disguise him-
self again, but it was not sufficient to keep
“Sam from knowin;
The boy quickly decided upon'a plan of
"action.
“Tom,” said he, in a whisper,
and get a policeman—hurry!
Moran gave a start.
“What!” he gasped.
“Do ‘s wt say. Hurry!”
The ig New Yorker said no more,
but tured and left the cafe without Buck
seeing him, for he was waiting for the
change he was entitled to from the five-
dollar bill he had tendered in payment for
the drinks,
Tom was in luck, for he struck an officer
right outside,
me in, Greaser Dan was still
at “he lunch counter.
When a policeman in uniform comes in
a place of that kind he is bound to attract
attention. .
This one did, and the moment Greaser
“go out
.. Dan saw him he made a move for the side
loor,
The boy from Texas knew what he was
up to, and he bounded after him like a
shot
But the villain saw him, and grabbing a
dish that was half full of free lunch from
the counter, he hurled it at the boy and
- then dashed out through the door.
“Sam cleverly dodged the missile, but it
checked him so that he was too late to
eatch his man.
“After that galoot, he cried.
He
fath-
officer! *
is Greaser Dan, the murderer of my
or Whoopee! ” shouted Buck, pastily cram
ming his change in his pocket. “It w
Greaser Dan all right! Jest let me ait
my eye on him once more! He’ll go down,
even if I am in New York!”
Revolver in hand, the cowboy darted
after the policeman and the two boys.
e' customers in the cafe were very
Tauch excite
But they started out to. find out what
it was all about, and there was soon a
crowd on the sidewalk.
im had been the first to get outside,
and he had caught sight of Greaser Dan as
he turned the corner and mingled with
the crowd on the Bowery.
He ran around, followed by the police-
man and his companions, and then their
progress was temporarily checked by the
crowd.
But the officer soon forced his way
through.
It was too late, however, for Greaser
Dan was nowhere to be seen.
“I. guess he’s gone, ne fellow,” se
the policeman to Tom. He is a prett;
slick guy.”
Once more the boy from Texas had been
. cheated from getting the man he had come
so far to catch, .
oe CHAPTER XII. .
“qne! two VILLAINS “ARE 5 CORNERED.
Oliver Underwood and Greaser Dan had
been doing some pretty good scheming
that. afternoon. .
They had brought Tom Kee, the China-
man, into the game, thus hoping to get the
girl that night.
Underwood succeeded in disguising him-
self so well that it would be hard to -tell
who he was, n by an intimate friend,
and with the villainous Chinaman he had
ne to the millinery establishment just
before it was atime for Minnie Harlan to
start for hom
Of course "they did not go direct to it,
but simply to the neighborhoo od.
Underwood waited long enovgh to point
out the girl as she came out, and then Tom
Kee gave @ grunt a aid:
“Me catchee Melican girl velly” easy. Me
havee in my store allee samee before twelve
o’clockee.”
Then the villainous Mongolian started
to follow the girl, not knowing that a de-
tective was also following her, so he could
make an arrest.
But Tom Kee made a mniserable failure
of.it, as ‘the reader kno
Underwood did not 0 “to Beck’s saloon
when he left the Chinaman, ‘He had an-
other place, which was on the Bowery,
Nrhere he was making his headquarters
oGreaser Dan was stopping at the same
place, which was one of the cheap hotels
to be found in that vicinity,
pair remained in the reading-room
The
that night until nearly nine o’cloc'!
\
going out to get a drink.
All right,” replied his partner, “I guess
it will be safe to go down to Tom Kee’s
store now. I’ll go on, and you can come
later. We are disguised pretty good, but
there is no need of being seen together.”
Not knowing that Tom Kee was safely
lodged in a cell, Underwood went on out
and walked by ‘a roundabout way to the
Chinese store.
He happened to get there just as half a
dozen sightseers in the custody of the well-
known character, Chuck Connors, were go-
ing i into the store, and he slipped in with
While the sightseers were bargaining for
the souvenirs of Chinatown they wished
to take away with them, the villain got
into a rear room.
He was known by the two Chinese clerks
R the store, so it was easy for him to do
thi:
Te was a dingy, foul-smelling place, but
Underwood made the best of it and sat
smoking a cigar until Greaser Dan arrived.
It was not hard for him to tell that
something had happened to his. partner,
for he seemed 2° be very much worked up
over somethin;
“What's ther matter, Dan?” he asked,
anxiously.
“I come mighty near gittin’ caught, that
is what's ther matter,” was the reply.
ae ere—outside?” and ‘then Underwood
pale
“No, not near here; it was up on ther
street you said was ther , Bowery. Right
near where we’re stoppin’
Then Greaser Dan related how he had
entered the cafe on the corner, and how
the boy from Texas and his friends had
been there and put a policeman after him,
I don’t know how I ever managed ter
git away from ’em,” went on the scoun-
drel. “It must have been my good luck
what done it, cane I didn’t know which
way ter turn, n I run right inter a
crowd I thought I “was gone. But I got
through all right, an’ halfway up ther
block I got on a car. I went up a ways
an’ then come down on another car, an’
here I am.”
anes and I'll bet you were followed,
2NO, I wasn’t.
have follered- me;
Them galoots wouldn’t
they'd have nailed me
if they seen me. Buck Sterling had his
gun out ther last I seen of him, He'll
shoot quicker’n a wink, ’cause he don’t
know better than ter do it.”
It was some time before Underwood
calmed dow
“Dan,” said he, “ig Tom Kee don’t show
up by twelve o' clock with the girl we have
got to do one thing or the other.”
awwhat do yer mean by that?” ‘asked
Pash the thing through in a hurry or
quit.”
“If we quit we'll lose a pile of money.”
“Well, we’ve got a thousand a-piece now.
That's enough to take us anywhere we
want to
“But look how much more we’ ‘Il be able
ter git if we land ther gal fur Howard!”
Greaser Dan shook his head, Signifying
that he did not want to quit the .
“Well,” said Underwood, when he had
thought for a minute or two, “if Tom Kee
don’t show up by twelve o'clock :there’s
one more chance for us. If that don’t work
I am going to drop out and take a quiet
sneak from the ¢' .
“What is your “oan?”
“I'll get a policemap’s harem and, put
it on, and then go and get the girl!”
“Great snakes!” cried Greaser Dan.
“How did yer come ter think. of sich a
thing as that? Why, that would be bound
ter work. Yer couid tell her that she was
wanted at ther station-house ter see if she
recognized ther prisoners what was there
s them what abducted her.”
“Yes, it will work all right, providing
that boy from Texas or some meddlesome
detective don’t interfere,” answered Un-
erwood. “Anyhow, it is worth trying.
But maybe we won't have to do that. Tom
Kee is supposed to be a very clever scoun-
drel, and what he can’t do in the line of
villainy, no one can, so I’ve heard, We
have got to give him five hundred dollars
if-he lands the girl here, you know.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s a big pile of
money fet pay ther heathen galoot, too,
ain't
“Tr consider it pretty cheap, Dan.
“Well, I n’t, you'd only thought
about this ‘scheme yer was jest talkin’
about afore yer said anything ter ther
heathen about it, we’d have been that much
ahea
tH admit that.” But it will all come
out right, anyhow, guess, no atter
whether the Chinaman gets her or we have
to do it, We'll wait for him to report.”
They did wait, too, but twelve o'clock
came and there were no signs of the China-
man. .
Underwood knew the city pretty well.
When another hour passed he arose to his
feet.
m going out,” he said. “TI guess
something has happened to Tom Kee.”
“I’m goin’, too,” Greaser Dan declared.
As they stepped from the door a minute
later a man faced them with a drawn re-
volver.
as
HA PPY DAYS
Then Greaser Dan declared that he was
sai
“You’re wanted—the pair of you!” he
id.
CHAPTER XIII,
BUCK BUYS A ROPE,
Sam Hall did not attempt to try and
find Greasemw Dan again that night.
He knew how useless it would be, for
it would be like hunting for a needle in a
haystack, as the old saying goes.
Buck Sterling hinted that he would like
to go into another show of some kind, but
th boys had quite enough of that, so the
result was that they decided to go back
o the boarding-house.
Our hero was beginning to think that
the police would be the best to run down
Greaser, Dan, after all, and he made up
his mind to rest in his quest for a day or
two and see what the result would be.
They went to the nearest “L” station
and took a train for uptown, and in due
time reached
“I guess it SS bedtime, anyway,”
Tom Moran, as he looked at his watch.
is ten mintites to ten.”
“That’s right,” answered Sam. “I feel
pretty tired. We have been going it pretty
good since we reached New York, I thin
a good sleep and a little rest tomorow
will fix m
So they retired in a few minutes, and
in spite of the excitement he had passed
through, our hero slept soundly until six
o’clock, When he was aroused by Buck,
o Was up and dressing himself.
“Breakfast is ready, Sam,” said the cow-
hoy. “Ain’t yer hungry?”
“I haven't had time to find out yet,”
was the reply. “I guess I must have slept
like a top. I don’t believe I even turned
over after I struck the bed last night.”
“Well, I slept putty good, too, But I’m
as hungry as a bear jest about now.
wonder what they’ve got fur breakfast,
anyhow?”
“We'll soon find out,” and the boy was
quickly up and donning his clothes.
After a good, refreshing wash they both
went downstais to the dining-room.
Tom and two or three of the boarders,
0 ad 0 early to their work, had
Just taken their places at the table.
“I didn’t expect to see you fellows up
50 carly.” remarked Tom, with a smile.
“How do you feel, anyhow?”
“Fine,” answered Sam.
“I'm in great shape,” added the cowboy.
“T reckon it ain’t rook me appetite away
ter come ter New Yor
“How about going NO the theater to-
night, Buck?
The boy had told of the incident just
before our two friends came down, so there
was a smile all around at the cowboy’s
expense.
“Oh, I reckon I’ll wait a “while afore I go
agin,” he retorted. “If I ever do go I want
r see somethin’ different from a- Wild
West play. te nice opry would jest about
suit me, ma;
“That would ‘suit you about as much as
it would me, Buck,” spoke Sam, “which
would be not at all, What do we know
about the opera?”
hey do say as how it’s fine, though,”
Buck declared.
He was a good-natured fellow, anyhow,
and he was not going to get mad because
the rest laughed at him.
@ knew very well he had made a fool
of. himoae but he let it go at that,. decid-
ing to try and do better next tim
Tom went away to his work after break.
fast, and in a short time Sam and Buck
found themselves alone in the house, as far
as males w
he. boarders were all men and boys
who had to work for a living, and as they
most all had jobs away downtown, they
had to start rather ea
Our hero had declared that he was go-
ing to take a rest that day, but he very
fon got tired of hanging around the
said
“It
There was plenty there to read, to be
sure, but Sam did not f
He s
mother, and When me went out to mail it
Buck went with h
“Let’s take a in somewhere, Sam,” said
the cowboy. “We may as well be lookin’
around ter see what we kin see, Do yer
know what I've been thinkin’ of?”
“What's that, Bu ck?”
“Buyin’ a rope,
“A rope?” and the boy looked. curious.
“Yes, a rope—a. laria
“Why, what in thunder would you do
with a lariat here in New York, Buck?”
“T'll tell yer what I'd do with it, Sam.
Ther next time I sot eyes on Greaser Dan
I'd rope him, that’s what! It’s agin ther
law ter pop a galoot with a revolver here,
pate I reckon it would be all right ter rope
Sam nodded his head in the affirmative.
“That’s a pretty good idea, old fellow,”
he said, “We'll buy a rope as soon as I
drop this letter at the corner,”
. They walked.to the corner where there
was a mail-box, and as the boy dropped
the letter in, the cowboy grinned and ol
served:
sae yer know what I used ter think,
m?”
5 there.
11°
“What, Buck?”
“When I first heard about droppin’ ay
ters in letter-boxes in ther big towns I
had an idea that they started right off ‘tur
where they was sent on telegraph wires.
I dian’ think that a galoot come around
an’ unlocked ther boxes an’ took ’em to
ther post office.”
“It would save a lot of expense to the
government if letters could be sent that
way,” and Sam laughed heartily.
“Oh, I reckon ther government don’t
want ter save no expense,” Buck declared.
mee more galoots they’ve got workin’
means ther more votes fur ther party what
give’ om their jobs when "lection day comes
’round. There’s a whole lot in that, Sam.
Votin’ here ain’t like it is in Texas, any-
how. You know how it is in our country,
don’t yer?”
nek never paid much attention to politics,
oven we all vote ther one way down
there, or putty much so, I think there was
ve what voted agin us last ‘lection, an’
of ’em was niggers an’ tent other three
ween ‘titled ter vote by "
The cowboy now took a’ ue chew of to-
bacco and began to see how far he could
expectorate,
“Sam,” said he, suddenly, “let’s git on
one of them ‘lectric cars an’ ride far as
she goes, It’ll kill time, a we kin see
somethin’ at ther same tim
ie. boy from Texas thought this was a
prety good idea, so a couple of minutes
later they boarded a car and started for,
the Bro.
They ‘both enjoyed the ride immensely,
and when they got to the end of the route
Buck gave the conductor a dollar, told him
to keep the change and take them back
as far as he went the other wa:
The conductor gave them transfers then,
and Jooking at him in surprise, the cowboy
“What's this fur, boss?
“You can get off when we 2 Bet downtown,
and then take another car and get a ‘ood
long ride by Just handing the ‘conductor
the transfers.”
“Oh, I see.. Much obliged, boss.”
The two Texans rode around until noon,
and they enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
After dinner Buck thought about his
rope again, so he asked Sam to come out
with him till le bought it.
They went out, and after they had visit-
ed two or three stores the cowboy found
about what he wanted,
He took the rope to the boarding-house,
and when he-had spent about an hour on
it he had made a pretty good lasso,
“Now then, " said he, nodding in a satis-
fied way, “I reckon I'll git Greaser Dan
ther next time I lay eyes on him. What
do yer say if we go out huntin’ fur him,
Sam
“Well, I promised Minnie Harlan to meet
her when she came out of the store and
take her home,” the boy replied, “so I
Suppose we could go now and hunt around
a little bit. But you Nant to carry that
rope under your coat, ”
“Not much! I carries St slung right over
my shoulder, like th
Hie showed the wile he proposed to
carry it in, and he seemed so determined
about it that Sam said no more,
“I reckon no one will think I’m a cattle
roper, anyhow,” Buck resumed, “They'll
take me fur a galoot what's workin’ on a
job somewhere, where a rope is yeeded. ”
“All might,” ” se amswered Sam. “We m:
as well go 7”
They left, “the boarding-house and started
downtown.”
. The boy from Texas was beginning to
learn how to travel in New York now, and
when he heard the guard call out Chatham
Square he knew that was the place to get
off, if they wanted to visit ‘the neighbor- .
hood where Greaser Dan and Oliver Under-
wood were supposed to hang out,
Of course Buck Sterling attracted more
or less attention, but as he remained rather
quiet, it was only passing, and when the
two started through Doyer street and min-
gled with the passersby they were not ob-
served any more than they would have
been had they been without a rope.
The two walked around past the places
they had been before, but saw nothing of
their enemies.
After an hour at it Sam gave it up.
“I guess they are not around to-day,”
he said. “Come on; we'll go over to the
place Minnie works at and
It might be that the galoots are
phere, waiting for a chance to get hold of
“So they went over to the street the. girl
worked on and were soon passing the store.
Of course they could see nothing of the
girl, so they went on for a couple of blocks
and then turned back again.
But they saw nothing of Greaser Dan
or his partner, and so it went until it was
time for Minnie to leave the store.
Sam was right there, and se
employees come out, he asked them for the
rl.
S
“Minnie Uarlan!” exclaimed one
them; “why, a policeman came after her
and took her away to court about an hour
ago.”
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