FRANK AS A DETECTIVE.
Of course Frank's daily duties were far the most part of a commonplace
character. They were more varied, to be sure, than those of an
errand-boy, or shop-boy, but even a telegraph messenger does not have an
adventure every day. Twice in the next three weeks our hero was summoned
by Mrs. Leroy to give her pet dog an airing. It was not hard work, but
Frank did not fancy it, though he never failed to receive a handsome fee
from the mistress of Fido.
One day Frank was summoned to a fashionable boarding-house in a side
street above the Fifth-avenue hotel. On presenting himself, the servant
said, "It's one of the boarders wants you. Stay here, and I'll let him
know you've come."
"All right!" said Frank.
"Come right up," said the girl, directly after, speaking from the upper
landing.
Frank ascended the stairs, and entered a room on the second floor. A
gentleman, partially bald, with a rim of red hair around the bare
central spot, sat in a chair by the window, reading a morning paper.
"So you're the telegraph boy, are you?" he said.
"Yes, sir."
"You are honest, eh?"
"I hope so, sir."
"Because I am going to trust you with a considerable sum of money."
"It will be safe, sir."
"I want you to do some shopping for me. Are you ever employed in that
way?"
"I was once, sir."
"Let me see,--I want some linen handkerchiefs and some collars. Are you
a judge of those articles?"
"Not particularly."
"However, I suppose you know a collar from a pair of cuffs, and a
handkerchief from a towel," said the stranger, petulantly.
"I rather think I can tell them apart," said Frank.
"Now let me see how many I want," said the stranger, reflectively. "I
think half-a-dozen handkerchiefs will do."
"How high shall I go?" asked Frank.
"You ought to get them for fifty cents apiece, I should think."
"Yes, sir, I can get them for that."
"And the collars--well, half-a-dozen will do. Get them of good quality,
size 15, and pay whatever is asked."
"Yes, sir; do you want anything more?"
"I think not, this morning. I have a headache, or I would go out
myself," explained the stranger. "I live up the Hudson, and I must go
home this afternoon by the boat."
"Do you want me to buy the articles at any particular store?" inquired
Frank.
"No; I leave that to your judgment. A large store is likely to have a
better assortment, I suppose."
"Very well, sir."
"Come back as soon as you can, that's all."
"You haven't given me the money yet, sir," said Frank.
"Oh, I beg pardon! That is an important omission."
The stranger drew out a pocket-book, which appeared to be well filled,
and extracted two bills of twenty dollars each, which he passed to
Frank.
"This is too much, sir," said the telegraph boy. "One of these bills
will be much more than sufficient."
"Never mind. I should like to have them both changed. You can buy the
articles at different places, as this will give you a chance to get
change for both."
"I can get them changed at a bank, sir."
"No," said the stranger, hastily, "I would rather you would pay them for
goods. Shopkeepers are bound to change bills for a customer."
"I don't see what difference it makes to you as long as they are
changed," thought Frank. However it was not his business to question his
employer's decision.
Sixth avenue was not far distant, and as Frank was left to his own
choice he betook himself hither on his shopping tour. Entering a large
retail store, he inquired for gentleman's linen handkerchiefs.
"Large or small?" asked the girl in attendance.
"Large, I should think."
He was shown some of good quality, at fifty cents.
"I think they will do," said Frank, after examination. "I will take
half-a-dozen."
So saying he drew out one of the twenty-dollar bills.
"Cash!" called the saleswoman, tapping on the counter with her pencil.
Several small boys were flitting about the store in the service of
customers. One of them made his appearance.
"Have you nothing smaller?" asked the girl, noticing the denomination of
the bill.
"No," answered Frank.
She put the bill between the leaves of a small blank book, and handed
both that and the goods to the boy.
Frank sat down on a stool by the counter to wait.
Presently the cash-boy came back, and the proprietor of the store with
him. He was a portly man, with a loud voice and an air of authority. To
him the cash-boy pointed out Frank.
"Are you the purchaser of these handkerchiefs?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," answered Frank, rather surprised at the question.
"And did you offer this twenty-dollar bill in payment?"
"Yes, sir."
"Where did you get it? Think well," said the trader, sternly.
"What is the matter? Isn't the bill a good one?" asked Frank.
"You have not answered my question. However, I will answer yours. The
bill is a counterfeit."
Frank looked surprised, and he understood at a flash why he had been
trusted with two of these bills when one would answer.
"I have nothing to do with that," said the telegraph boy. "I was sent
out to buy some articles, and this money was given me to pay for them."
"Have you got any other money of this description?" asked the trader,
suspiciously.
"Yes," answered Frank, readily. "I have another twenty."
"Let me see it."
"Certainly. I should like to know whether that is bad too."
The other twenty proved to be a fac-simile of the first.
"I must know where you got this money," said the merchant. "You may be
in the service of counterfeiters."
"You might know, from my uniform, that I am not," said Frank,
indignantly. "I once lost a place because I would not pass counterfeit
money."
"I have a detective here. You must lead him to the man who supplied you
with the money."
"I am quite willing to do it," said our hero. "He wanted to make a tool
of me. If I can put him into the hands of the law, I will."
"That boy is all right," said a gentleman standing by. "The rogue was
quite ingenious in trying to work off his bad money through a telegraph
messenger."
"What is the appearance of this man?" asked the detective as they walked
along.
"Rather a reddish face, and partly bald."
"What is the color of the hair he has?"
"Red."
"Very good. It ought to be easy to know him by that description."
"I should know him at once," said Frank, promptly.
"If he has not changed his appearance. It is easy to do that, and these
fellows understand it well."
Reaching the house, Frank rang the bell, the detective sauntering along
on the opposite side of the street.
"Is Mr. Stanley at home?" asked Frank.
"I will see."
The girl came down directly, with the information that Mr. Stanley had
gone out.
"That is queer," said Frank. "He told me to come right back. He said he
had a headache, too, and did not want to go out."
As he spoke, his glance rested on a man who was lounging at the corner.
This man had black hair, and a full black beard. By chance, Frank's eye
fell upon his right hand, and with a start he recognized a large ring
with a sparkling diamond, real or imitation. This ring he had last seen
on Mr. Stanley's hand. He crossed the street in a quiet, indifferent
manner, and imparted his suspicions to the detective.
"Good!" said the latter; "you are a smart boy."
He approached the man alluded to, who, confident in his disguise, did
not budge, and, placing his hand on his shoulder, said, "Mr. Stanley, I
believe."
"You are mistaken," said the man, shrugging his shoulders in a
nonchalant way, with a foreign accent, "I am M. Lavalette. I do not know
your M. Stanley."
"I am afraid you are forgetful, monsieur. I beg pardon, but do you wear
a wig?" and with a quick movement he removed the stranger's hat, and,
dislodging his black wig, displayed the rim of red hair.
"This is an outrage!" said the rogue, angrily; "I will have you
arrested, monsieur."
"I will give you a chance, for here is an officer," said the detective.
"I give this man in charge for passing counterfeit money," said the
detective. "The next time, Mr. Stanley, don't select so smart a
telegraph boy. He recognized you, in spite of your disguise, by the ring
upon your finger."
The rogue angrily drew the ring from his finger, and threw it on the
sidewalk.
"Curse the ring!" he said. "It has betrayed me."
It only remains to add that Stanley was convicted through Frank's
testimony. He proved to be an old offender, and the chief of a gang of
counterfeiters.