Detective Bob Bridger — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 183 as I know his father, who was for twinty years my own husband.” ‘*Do you say that you are his mother ?” ‘‘No, indade. Heaven above saved me that shame. 4 Well, what. do you know of him?” “Know av him, isit? I know that he was clerk of the old man Godot’s estates in England, av which me husband was the head gardener. And I know that betune the two av them they put up the job to murder old Godot, and thimsilves take the estates. AndIknow that this man Videre brought this poor ‘pig-widgeon’ from London to commit the crime and take the blame av it after the two of thim had kidnapped the master’s son to sea.” “°K, ’e! We hexported ’im on the bloomin’ bark a thou- sand miles haway, ’e, ’e! din we, Mr. Videre? ’e, ’e, ’e!” simpered ‘‘Silly” Billy. Videre remained cool and undisturbed. ‘And I know,” continued Meg, “that me ould fagot of a ; husband wouldn’t permit Billy heer to do the murther for fear he would give it away afther. And I know that me husband himself cut the old man’s throat, and this man obtained possession of the estates in keeping for the absent son. And there they committed another murder—for the - poor deserted woife of the kidnavped son came from the strates of London to old Godot’s land—but Heaven above heard her prayer. For whin she fell exhausted at me hus- band’s door-step, and niver spoke afther, but to name the choild, I took the babe to me arms. And there she is now, the thrue owner of the Godot estates, for ye, Pere Videre, and at her soide is Detective Fandon, of the Scotland Yard that’s lookin’ for ye—lookin’ for ye! and who’ll have ye soon, Jack Drugo, in yer old lodging-house, Millbank prison. That for ye, ye dirty dog!” For the first time Videre began: to show uneasiness, and. he eyed the Scotch detective keenly. As Meg ended her tirade, and the sheirff led her aside, the dignified invalid suddenly sprang to his feet and ap- proached Annette in a highly dramatic manner. “Then,” he said, ‘‘this—this is my long-lost daughter, Annette.” “You!” cried Dr. Macy,.confronting the man. “Avaunt! thou base impostor !” ‘‘Down brakes, Wilberforce!” said Bridger, and the dig- nified invalid sat down. “Swear this gentleman, please,” said the Scotch detec- tive, eoning Dr. Macy. | GOmIicboo <S Go