Night-Hawk, The Mounted Detective — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOUNTED DETECTI : ‘* You are an honest man.”’ ‘Eh!’ ejaculated the detective. ‘‘ You are an honest man.”’ ‘‘ How do you know?’’ ok Sig ** ¥ou are too brave to be a rogue, and your pye speaks in your favor.” ‘T’‘hank you; and, as you compliment me, i will say one word: You are the bravest woman lL ever met, und I have often seen women brought face to face with seeming dan- er.’’ ae W iil you tell me why you came here?” ‘‘There are ten thousand dollars concealed _4n this house.”’ . The girl gave a start; all her ideas of the tramp’s honesty appeared to vanish, and for once she displayed signs of real terror. She did not make answer. ‘+ You will not admil it, and if is not neces- sary; but 1 know the money is in the house, and that is wny I am here!”’ And again the detective’s face betiayed the pleasant smile. ‘‘ Who told you any such ridiculous story about money in this house?’’ ‘“It is‘ well for you, and for your aunt, and for the possession of the money, that I’m hvre.”” ‘* Who are you?’ ‘* Probably you never beard of me. My name Hawk.’’ . ‘* The great detective?’’ ejaculated the girl. 6 Yes. ”’ > ‘7 thought so.” ‘* Ah! you thought so, eh?” ‘* ] was prepared for some such declaration.”’ ‘All right; send the dog off. 1t’s plleasant to talk to you, but hanging on to this beast is tather tiresome. ”’ The girl called: ‘*‘ Tiger, come here!”’ \ The detective released his hold upon the huge animai, and the beast quietly walked over to his mistress : ‘* Put him out.” , The girl opened the door and sent the dog out. ‘‘ Now, then, we can talk matters over, You are a brave, heroic girl, and 1 will open up. | ‘ accidentally learned that a gang of thieves had located this house' for a lift tc-night, and l came here to meet them when they come.”’ ‘* Why did you come in this guise?”’ ‘¢] did not want them to know 1 was com- ing,’’ said the detective, with a sly glitter in his fine eyes, ‘“Why did you not announce your purpose at once, and save me this terrible ordeal?” ‘*] will tell you: 1 wished to gain your con- fidence. Had I] come with a tale, you possibly might not have believed me; so | Jet you * set ’ the dog on me, demonstrated that | meant no harm, and furthermore, I went beyond my original intentions, simply because 1] enjoyed the scene. ’’ a Bus you subjected me to a very trying or- deal.”’ ‘“ Very goud! You will be proud of the ad- venture some day; and now as to our plans.”’ ‘*You are sure they intend to rob this house?’’ ‘*] am sure that a desperate gang have organ- ized to do so.’’ ‘* How did they discover there was money in this house?”’ ‘*} will tell you a strange story.” ‘* Do, please. ”’ The detective told of the visit of the old man to buy the bonds, or rather, to inquire about ‘them, and how the thiet had trailed him; and then again how the detective had overheard the robber relating his exploit. But he did not tell her how desperate the situation was, but her own declaration betrayed the fact that she fully realized the terrible peril. ‘* They might have murdered us!”’ ‘* Well,’’ said the detective, ‘‘ there is no telling what may happen when those scoun- dreis once start out.”’ ‘ And you “re here to protect us?” ‘ Yes; that is why 1 came here.’”’ ‘* And now what shall we do?”’ ‘* How about your aunt? Is she a particu- larly nervous person?”’ 3 ‘No, she is a lady of most excellent nerve.”’ " tren has yetired for the night?’’ * Wonid i* startie her particularly were you ts wake her up?”’ *- le it mecessary?’’ ac Yes. b ; “ Ca¥ not you and I manage this thing?’’ > How wouid you manage it?” is > ‘* Send for several] neighbors. ’ . ‘¢ There are several reasons why we can not adopt that plan.”’ ‘* You know best.”’ ‘‘ Well, yes; 1 have ciphered this aftair down pretty fine, and should we attempt to notify some of your’ neighbors, we might notify the robbers at the same time.’”’ ‘*Ah, Lsee! You wish to capture them?”’ ‘* That is my idea,”’ ‘Can I not aid you, and can we not avoid disturbing my aunt?” ‘“The chances are vour aunt might be dis- turbed under more exciting circumstances. No, no; that will not do, and there is no need for you to remain here. I can manage the matter alone.”’ ‘‘ What would you have us do?”’ ‘* Arouse your aunt at once, and you and she both go to some neighbor’s, and remain until | summon you.”’ ‘“ And leave you here alone?”’ A cunious expression came over the detect- ive’s face as he said: ‘You must take the money with you, cf course.”’ ‘* Sir, you are unjust to me, and to yourself.”’ ‘* How 8s0?”’ ‘‘You woald insinuate that I did not have confidence in you; know now that I have the most implicit confidence in you, and will do whatever you say.”’ ‘My suggestion is the true cne, and we have not much time to spare.”’ ‘* Can | not remain?” ‘ No.”’ ‘* Something may happen to you.”’ ‘Thank ycu for your solicitude on my be- ‘| half, but 1 am in the way of duty and business. ”’ ‘“ What excuse shall I make to our neigh- bors?’’ ‘| will leave that to your own ingenuity.’’ ‘Very well; 1 will act under your instruc- tions, ”’ ** Go at once.”’ She left the room and the detective paced the kitchen floor. _A new sentiment had risen in his heart. Tom Hawk was a man over thirty; a fine, generous, manly tellow; a regular bachelor in- deed. He bad never met a woman who had cre- ated one faint spark of sentiment in his heart, and here, within a few moments, he hai met one of whom he had not even heard a tew hours previously, and he had been but a half hour in her presence, and found himself ex- perienciny emotions such as he had never ex- perienced before in all his life. | He had been a man of business, 4 man who had lived a life of peril; but at the bottom he was kindly and geod, and in the most unex- pected manner he had met a-fair girl whom he felt toward as he had never felt toward woman- kind before, and he muttered: | ‘* She is the bravest woman | ever met —_———————- “ee 7? CHAPTER XXXVI. A FEW moments, and the girl re-entered the 100m, accompanied by an elderly lady. ‘Lhe lat- ter was tall, ard rathe: fine-looking, and to the detective she said: ‘‘ Sir, my niece has told mé all; we owe ; much to you.”’ ‘* Madam, it is one of those strange experi- ences of life; robbers exist, and so do detect- ives. By accident, the thieves came to make your home the objective point of a raid, and by accident in the way of duty, I fell to their plans, and you owe me no thanks, but rather 1 owe ‘you thanks in permitting me to capture them.”’ ‘Are you not afraid to remain and meet them ?’’ ia ‘‘ Pear, madam, is a quality which detectives leave behind at an early stage of their profes- sion: no, 1 have no tear; 1 am only glad of a chance to capture a gang of the worst rascals who ever set out tc roba house. But no time isto be lost; the rascals may appear at any moment; they must not know 1 am here. They must not know that you leave the house, and 1 urge you to go out at once.”’ A tew moments later and the detective was alone in the house, and muttering to himself, he said: 7 ‘ ‘¢Jt’s all right; and now I’m ready for the comedy.”’ Tom put out all the lights, and ascenced to the second floor. He drew his little masked-lan- tern, and placing it so that its reflectlon would not go beyond acertain space, he set to work, and in a few seconds seemingly, a rather feeble- » ~ or. PEP ooo ~ 17 looking old wcman tumbled into the bed fron. which a real old woman had but recently risen. All lights were extinguished and the detect. ive’s vigil commenced. An hour passed when the keen ears of the de- tective fell to a certain sound, and in a husky voice, he muttered: ) ‘““ They are here!’’ Tom was a brave man, but he was just a lit- tle excited. He knew he had a heavy job of hand, and he knew also that he could have called in assistance; but for reasons of his own be had preferred to run the racket alone. A few moment passed after the hearing of the noise, and the bedroom door opened, The detective lay low, with closed eyes, | He heard a step as a man crossed the room, knew when the villain stood beside the bed, and was conscious when the flash of light from a dark-lantern was thrown upon his face. A moment passed—a terrible moment—al- though it was but a brief space of time. A hand was laid on the detective’s forehead, and in a squeaky voice, the question came: ‘* Who: is there?”’ No answer followed the query, but again the hand was Jaid upon the detective’s face. . ** Who is there?”’ again asked the oilicer, im. the vuice of an old woman, ‘*1’m here.’’ ‘‘ Who are you and what do you want. The latter question was spoken in a voice of rising alarm. ‘‘Don’t be frightened, old woman; we will not harm you.” . ‘‘ Harm me!’’ came the response, and the ol& woman sprung up in the bed. ‘* Fold on, missus; don’t make any noise or T’ll choke you!”’ ‘“ Choke me?”’ ‘Ves, — ‘¢ Why will you choke me?” ‘*] want that money.’’. ‘* What money?”’ ‘¢ The money in this house.’’ ‘« There is no mecney in this house.”’ ‘‘Don’t lie to me! There are ten thousead dollars in this house.’’ ‘* You are a robber!”’ ‘* Yes, | am a robber.”’ ‘* You are in the wrong house. monev here.’’ ‘‘'That won’t do, old woman. ’’ ‘‘ Man, whoever you are, go away; there is no money here in this house. Go whiic you have a chance, cr 1 will seream for heip,”’ Be | you make the least noise I will choke ou. ‘Tell me where the money is hidden?”’ ‘¢ You dare not choke me!” ‘‘ Where is the money?’’ ‘* There is no money in this house.”’ ‘¢] know better. There are ten thousand dollars in this house; tell me where it is or b will kill you.”’ : ‘Tf 1 tell you, will you go away?” ** Yes.”’ ‘* And do.us no harm?” ‘* No harm shall come to you.”’ ‘* You must never betray that 1 told you.”’ ** Never fear abcut that,’’ laughed the robber. ‘* Will you let me see your face?”’ r ‘* Why dc you wish to see my face?” ‘‘T want to Know who youare.” ‘‘ Well, you are acool ’un! No. no, madam; you can not see my face; and I want to know where that money is. Quick!” ‘€ T’]) tell you.’’ ‘‘ Well, be in a hurry about it.” ‘‘Put your ear down by me; 1 donot want any one to know that 1 tcld you.” Tbe man bent his head forward, and he war gone ina moment. His neck was encircled by the powertui arm of the detective. The rascal could not make au outery. He jiggled his feet, — and wriggled, but he was held in a gripof iron, and then the detective whispered in the scoun- drel’s ear: ‘© T’ve got you all right, my hearty.”’ The man’s struggles, after a moment, ceased; the detective actually choked the rascal to in- sensibility, and then, rising from the bed, he put the handcuffs on him, tied his feet together, put a gag inhis mouth, and shuved him under the bed. An instant later, and a second robber entered, and the seeming old woman was sleeping appar- ently as peacefully as though all were real, and no strange tragedy were in progress. The second robber entered the room on tip toe, and called his companion’s name. There is s@ ; oe ee oo) ey ee ee ee ——~ - : - — — —— ee teen ee ee ee el ee ee eee LP gle ye Oe ee ee ile ™ - os ” a 6 2b 4% " = : —“s -* ; ~~ > . ¥ - a a : <