Halsey Co. | Page 7

girl whose voice sounded like music in his ears. She was
close by his side. She was accompanied by an elderly couple, evidently
her parents. He thought her very beautiful and that she had the most
musical voice he had ever heard.
She changed positions several times as though looking for somebody
on the floor below. He noticed a tall, well-dressed man keeping close
behind her, peering over her shoulder at the crowd below. Something in
his movements caused Fred to look at him the second time, and to his
amazement he saw him pick the pockets of both the ladies. The thief
then started to leave, but Fred grabbed his coat-tail, saying:
"Here, I saw that little game. It won't go. Ladies, this man has got your
pocketbooks."
Quick as a flash the thief grabbed him and lifted him above his head.
Fred saw he was going to be hurled headlong among the brokers below,
and to save himself seized his assailant's coat collar. The two ladies
screamed, and the next moment Fred and the pickpocket fell over the
gallery and went down in a heap on the yelling brokers below.
CHAPTER IV.
--Fred's First Entrance to the Exchange and Its Results.
The screams of the ladies caused every broker to look up from the floor
of the Stock Exchange. Like a flash they saw a man and boy come

tumbling down upon them from the gallery. There was a party of four
brokers grouped together immediately under them, and, as a matter of
gravitation, they landed on top of them--on their heads and shoulders.
Hats were crushed and a confused mass of humanity scrambled about
on the floor. The yelling ceased when the shrill screams from the
gallery were heard, and brokers ran forward to help those who had
fallen. The pickpocket struck out desperately, trying to shake off Fred.
In doing so he hit Broker Bryant in the face. Bryant was a hard hitter
himself, and instantly returned the blow--a half dozen or more.
"Blast you, take that!" he hissed, and he gave him lightning-like blows
till he sank down on the floor unconscious.
"Won't somebody hold him?" Fred cried out. "He's a pickpocket!"
"Who is he?" somebody asked Bryant.
"I don't know and don't care," was the blunt reply. "He hit me in the
face after tumbling down on my head."
By this time the policeman on duty at the Stock Exchange pushed his
way through the crowd of brokers and called out:
"What is it? What's the trouble here?" and he looked at the pickpocket,
who was slowly pulling himself together.
"This man is a pickpocket," said Fred. "He took those ladies' purses up
there, and when I caught him at it he tried to throw me over the gallery.
He did throw me, but I brought him down with me."
"Good--good!" cried a broker. "Three cheers for the kid!"
The brokers cheered and then laughed.
"I am no pickpocket," exclaimed the thief, as soon as he saw the officer
had him. "The boy lies. I merely---"
"Officer, search him!" cried the elder of the two ladies up in the gallery.
"He has my purse and that of my daughter."

"Yes, search him! Search him!" called out a dozen at once.
Brokers held him and the officer searched him. He found the two
purses or pocketbooks in his pockets.
"That one is mine!" cried the elderly woman.
"What does it contain, madam?" the officer asked.
"Money and two diamond rings. You can open it and see for yourself."
It was opened and her claim verified.
"Madam, you will have to appear against this man," said the officer,
looking up at the elderly lady, and he led the prisoner out of the Stock
Exchange and into one of the many offices of the building.
The lady, accompanied by her husband and daughter, appeared in the
room and claimed her property. The young girl, who seemed to be
about sixteen years old, turned to Fred and said:
"We are indebted to you for recovering our purses. I hope you were not
hurt by the fall?"
"Only a little bit," he replied.
"I'm so sorry!"
"Oh, it's nothing," and he laughed. "It was fun to jerk him over with
me."
Then she laughed, too, and Fred thought hers the sweetest face he had
ever seen in all his life.
"What is your name?" she asked him.
"Fred Halsey."
"My name is Eva Gaines. I want to remember your name, for I never

had such a fright in all my life."
"I'll be sure to remember yours," Fred remarked.
"Why will you? Because you were hurt?"
Fred looked around and saw that everybody also in the room was
listening to the claiming of the two purses, so he went close up to