Detective Bob Bridger — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 89 said, that Bill obeys Meg Bolard’s will like a dog, it would seem to follow that she has sent him forth to steal. Per- haps, not hearing from her husband, she fears that her money may run short; or, very likely, ‘she has hired se- cluded apartments from some member of the criminal class, who is filching from her a large hush-money rent.” “Then we must take a look about through the city’s thieves’ ‘kens,’ and find if we can what ‘crooked’ people might have such apartments to let—eh, Bobe ?” ‘‘T would think so,” said Bridger. “God bless you, yes, boys!” exclaimed Dr. Macy, gazing at the miniature of his daughter, which he still held in his hand. ‘You must look everywhere, and pause not until Annette is safe. Alas, how hard it is to think that the sweet child is this night an inmate of a thieves’ den, and that I, wretched man, am the cause of it all. But 1 know that you will find her for me, boys—for surely God’s mercy is evident that I am _ here to know that she lives, and that two such detectives are bent on her rescue. “IT promise you each five thousand dollars, boys,” he added, wiping the moisture from his eyes, “if you bring the dear girl to my arms in safety.” “Then that makes your reward, Bobe, just ten thousand dollars,” said the Scotch detective, ‘‘and my reward shall be Annette, eh, doctor 2” “If she loves you, Detective Fandon, I will interpose no objection to your happiness,” returned Dr. Macy. “Ah, I have learned wisdom in that regard from the case.of Al- fonse and Alice.” ‘That reminds me,” quoth the Scotch detective. ‘‘You have not as yet told us of your wanderings on leaving Eng- land, or how you happened to meet Annette’s father, Al- fonse, whom you say still lives.” “It is a roundabout tale,” returned the doctor, ‘‘but if you can find patience to listen to it, I will tell it to you. “On that cruel day,” he began, ‘when in foolish, crimi- inal anger I left England, I sailed directly for Australia. i “There I remained for years, squandering my fortune ‘aimlessly, and leading a fast life. “At length, becoming broken down from drink, I re- solved to taste liquor no more, and from that day I have not done so until to-night. “Leaving Australia, I visited other countries, and finally -brought up in India almost penniless. “In Madras I began the practice of medicine—for a time with little success. (E(oy janiel exeye) — (E(0) <S