Buck Hawk, Detective | Page 4

kin do is to go and surrender," he muttered-- "but I'll be dashed if I'll do that, either! Every one fer hisself; an' ef I don't keep an eye peeled fer Turk, durned ef any one else will. Jeremity! I bet that niece of St. Clair's got a tongue-lashin' when the old gent got home and found his diamonds gone!
Mechanically, he turned and wended his way toward his tenement lodgings in Black-cat Alley, and succeeded in reaching his bleak, cheerless third-story room without any one being the wiser for it.
Old Mother McFadden ran the establishment, her tenants being bootblacks, newsboys, and the like, who had no other home, and who were glad to turn in the better share of their earnings for the shelter of the McFadden roof and a very meager allowance of provender.
Such had been the case with Turk ever since he could first remember; but he realized that he must now bid adieu to the classic precinct of Black-cat Alley, and that without delay.
Hastily divesting himself of his regulation messenger attire, he donned a neat new Sunday suit, which he had recently purchased, and a hat in place of his cap; then placing his few effects in a sachel, he quietly took his departure, and made his way toward the southern part of the city, where be found a cheap boarding-house in a retired street, and paid his board two weeks in advance, explaining that be was looking for a job.
After being assigned a room, and securing his supper, he started forth, and mechanically wandered toward the district office where be had been employed-- for he now no longer considered himself one of the employees of the company.
A glance into the office through the glass door satisfied him that there was nothing of excitement about the place, which gave him a deal of relief.
Bill Jones, of the receiving-window, had been relieved by the night-clerk, and, knowing where his lodgings were, Turk at once turned his footsteps toward them.
"There's barely one chance," he mused, as be hurried along. "Bill ain't always exactly honest with the company, and don't always turn in an account when he sends us fellers out on errands, for which he knocks down the cash. Don't like a feller to be dishonest; but I hope to gracious he's made no account o' my trip to-day."
Jones occupied a room in a block on Market street, third-story back, and usually got his meals at a restaurant
Although he had been in the company's employ for a long time, he had not yet sown the full measure of his wild outs, and knowing his failing, Turk was not surprised to find him "half the seas over" on reaching his room.
"Hillo! Sultan! jest in time, old feller. Got some prime stomach bitters here," Jones cried, at sight of the boy.
"Much obliged, Billy; I don't drink. You'd be better off if you wouldn't."
"Nonsense, what's the harm of a fellow having a little cheer, after getting out of prison? I believe in work when you work and smile when you play. What fetched you up from Black-cat, Turk?"
"Oh! I came to see you on business, Bill."
"Bah! business be hanged. No more business for me till eight to-morrow morning."
"But I say yes," Turk declared, firmly. "There's a big row goin' to be kicked up, and you're the chap that can stop it. Did you turn in the cash for my errand to-day?"
The question seemed to have an electric effect upon Jones, and to dissipate all the effects of the liquor he had imbibed.
"To be sure I did," he flustered, appearing to feel highly indignant at the question. "What do you take me for, you young Arab?"
"Oh! I only wanted to see if you were prepared to prove your part of the transaction, in case there's trouble," Turk returned, eying the clerk.
Jones flushed and grew fidgety.
"What the blazes are you driving at?" he demanded, sharply. "Explain."
"There isn't much to explain, more than that you're liable to get tripped. Ye didn't turn the cash for that errand to-day."
"Curse it. Does the company know? Have you been squealin' on me, Turk?"
"The company knows nothing. I know of several hits of cash that the company never saw."
"You sharp-eyed rascal. I've always been suspicious of you. Jack told me to look out for you once."
"Jack Grimes?"
"No. Jack Freitcher."
"That's a lie," Turk inwardly commented. "But let it pass. I must work this wire for all it's worth, since I hold the key."
Aloud, he said:
"Yes, Billy, if I choose, I can cause your discharge, but I don't propose to do it if we can agree. No one connected with the office, aside from ourselves, knew of that errand to-day, eh?"
"Of course not. There was no one about, and so I made up my mind I might as well make an