From the exhibition
Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 479
· September 28, 1886
The Mystery of Trak Hearty, by Charles Morris, serialized in this September 1886 issue of Beadle and Adams' *Dime Library*, centers on Frank Hearty, a street orphan in New York, who encounters two unexpected offers. Merchant Julius Marsden attempts to recruit him for a confidential office position, which Frank dismisses as confining. More dramatically, the wealthy gentleman Mr. Bidding subsequently offers to adopt Frank as his son and heir to his fortune. The shock of this proposal sends Frank reeling. The narrative shifts to Detective Dodge's office, where Frank arrives seeking advice, revealing that both men have been offering him concurrent employment, rousing his suspicion about their intentions.
Public domain (pre-1929), restored and presented by comicbooks.com public-domain