Darke Darrell, the Boy Detective — page 39: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 DARKE DARRELL, He had spoken at a venture, and not from positive knowl- edge that the two men were confederates. He saw that his little speech had made a favorable impression upon his audience. ‘You are a thief and a liar!” cried Tim J Loney in a fury. : He parted the crowd and advanced upon Darke, a large knife in his hand. To the astonishment of all, and mostso to the astonish- - ment of Darke, the young girl drew a Spanish dirk from her bosom and reached it toward Darke. “Take it, Darke! take it, Darke!’ she cried, her eipsy face aglow with excitement. ‘‘ Don’t let him cut you!” She must have been reared in strange society, Darke thought. She had called him by name, and it had caused his veins to thrill. He was not to be caught off his guard. He pushed aside the proffered dirk, drew a revolver, cocked it, and stood firm, one foot thrown forward, the crowd dissolving in alarm, the dead man stretched out between him and the advancing ruffian. | ‘You had better mend your manners,” Darke quietly yet significantly said. ‘‘ Drop your knife, or V’ll drop you!” comicbooks:com