Night-Hawk, The Mounted Detective — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOUNTED DETECTIVE. ‘* Members of the gang.”’ . **'They have changed the programme?” ORS : ‘*Then what is the meaning of the presence of so many of them?”’ ‘‘] have sounded, and they tell me it is +o suard against contingencies.”’ ** Ah! that’s it, eh?’’ oe | ‘*]t means mischief?” ‘* Honestly, that’s -my idea.’’ ‘“ And what would you suggest, Byron?’’ ‘* You had better ‘ skip.’.”’ ‘* That is your advice?”’ 4¢ Yes.’’ _** But 1 do not know how to ‘ skip.’ here on business.’’ ‘*] have warned you.”’ ‘All right.’’ ‘* What more can | do?”’ ‘* No more.”’ ‘What will you do?” ‘* Proceed with the game.’, ‘* You will remain against all the odds?”’ ** Yes.”’ ‘“And shall I curry out the original pro- gramme?’’ ‘é Yes.’’ ‘‘ Alliight; it’s as you say. J arn to be held Hlameless as going against you, no matter what bappens.’’ . : ‘“If you carry yourself straight, and do not give me any false information.”’ ‘*] am giving you evelything * straight.’ ”’ **] shall know.”’ ‘* You Know, now, I’m telling you there are seven or eight, possibly ten or twelve oi the gang in tbe house, and that looks to me as though they intended to have a racket to- night.”’ ** It looks so.’’ ‘* And you stay?’’ cé Yes.’”’ : : | ‘* Enough. I’ll let the game go on.” ‘*'That’s my wish.,’’ The detective slipped back to the bar-room, ' anda few moments late: Byron also reappeared, and set td attend to his business. He was do- I am ing a lively business, and his young assistant was kept busy waiting on customers. After a few minutes, the man who had first spoken to Byron sought another opportunity and said: ‘* Have you tumbled to anything?”’ ‘* ] think he is here.”’ ‘** Can you designate him?’’ ‘* I would not dare do*that.°’ ‘““ Why not?’’ **] may be wrong, but if we goon with the original scheme, it will pull him out.”’ ‘* Will you tell me whcm. you suspect?’’ ‘* Yes; but you must remember itis only a suspicion.’’ ae / ‘* That is all right.’’ The tavern keeper was glad to be free to do as requested, as it aided him in his original de- sire to remain “‘ solid ’’ with both sides. oy LA, see the old man over by the wall?’’ é es,”’ ** The one in the light coat?”’ <é Yes,”’ ‘** 1t's my idea that Night-Hawk is under that eoat.”’ The robber walked away, and, taking.a seat, took an opportunity to closely examine the de- tective, The latter looked .innocent and harmless enough, and the robber almost felt as though he could go over and unmask him; but he re- membered that looks were deceiving sometimes. After a careful survey, he again sought By- ron. ‘‘ Are you sure you are right?”’ ‘* No, I am not sure; but he is the man I’ve selected in my Own mind.”’ ‘We must not make a mistake.”’ -** If he follows you out, there can be no mis- take. ’’ **That’s so,’’ assented the man. carry out the scheme. He set to CHAPTER XXXVI. DuURING all the time the talk was going on between Byion and the leader of the gang, the detective had, as the sailors say, his ** weather- eye open,’’ and, as matters proved later on, a still deeper game was going on in another dl- rection. Men were standing at the bar drinking ina seemingly triendly manner, and it was in their midst, as our readers will learn anon,. that a lit- the skirmishing was plogressing. At length the leader of the gang tipped his signal, and Byron and the three robbers left the saloon, and a moment later the disguised de- tective also slipped out. sil Once outside, the three robbers and Byrcn proceeded toward the barn, and after a mo- ment the leader, as « shadow fell across the lights from the house, whispered: ‘* He comes.”” _ ‘* What’s your game?’’ demanded Byron. ‘*Oh, you wait and you will see how we in- tend to work it.’’ ‘* Don’t go too fast.”’ ‘* Why not?’’ ‘‘ You’re playing against the smartest man in the world!”’ | ‘‘ We know it; but have you any points?”’ ‘*No: I’m only warning you.’’ ‘‘ Wel], he’s not smart, this time.’’ | The detective had taken up a position near the barn, and just as the robber said, ** You will see!’’ a shrill whistle rang out, and the three robbers dashed from the barn. A startling sight was presented; the two men had a third man backed up against the barn; and the third man stood stern and silent. As the leader of the party approached, he de- ‘manded: ‘* What 1s going on here?’’ ‘“We caught this fellow dodging around here and listening to your talk.”’ ‘‘Aha! Heisasry, eh?”’ ‘* That’s what he is, dead sure!’’ The leader addressed the man pressed against the barn. | ‘‘ Who are you?’’ he demanded. ‘* What's that your business?”’ ‘Give me an auswer. Your life is in dan- er.”’ ‘* My life is in danger?’ ‘* Yes, old man.”’ ‘* How so?’’ ‘‘There’s been @ crime committed around here, and we are looking for the assassin. Ycu are caugbt under suspicious circumstances, and you must give an account of yourself,.’’ ‘* Ah! that’s all, eh?” ‘* Yes; that’s all; and it’s enough, | reckon.”’ ‘*So you fellows have bad business on hand ?”’ cé Yes.’”’ . f ‘* 50 have L.”’ ‘* What was your business?”’ . ‘*To find out what yours -was, to speak plainly.’’ ** He admits he was spying,’’ said one of the men. ‘* Yes, I admit 1 was spying.”’ ‘* What were you after?”’ ‘* Well, we were on the same trying run down some thieves.” ‘* Shall we arrest him, cap?’’ 6 MOBS ss ‘* Hold on, my good friends; do not put your hands on me.”’ ‘If he resist, knock him down!’’ said the leader. The men were but too ready to carry out the suggestion, when there came a startling inter- ruption; a man, who in every way resembled the man pressed against the barn, suddenly appeared in their midst, and the new-comer exclaimed: | ‘* Hello! what’s going on here?’’ The robbers stood and gazed in dize amaze- ment. Here was a strange dilemma; two men as much alike, seemingly, as a pair of twins, stood in their midst. The new-comer repeated his question: ‘* What’s going on here, 1’m asking?’’ The robbers and schemets stood aghast. A third time the double asked: ‘* What is going dn here?’’ ‘Who are you, anyhOw?’’ demanded the leader of the gang afte: a moment. ‘*T’maspy!’’ came the startling answer. There followed the click of a pistol lock, when, suddenly, a third man appeared upon the scene, and he too was in appearance another spy, as he was gotten up to closely resemble the other two men. He Started in with the same query: ‘* Hello, what’s going op here?”’ The robbers were more and more amazed, but their leader kept his head, and remarked, quietly: ‘*] reckon it’s a mistake all round.’’ The detective auswered: ‘* 'There’s not much mistake about it; you’re heat.”’ The robbers gazed into each other’s faces, when Tom Hawk suddenly uttered a shrill ‘lay.’ I was S) ee whistle, and an instant later three other men came from out the darkness and joined the group. ‘*‘ Now, then, my friends, we’ve got you,” said ‘Tom, 3 The robbers began to realize that they had fallen into a trap, and made to get away, buf were brought to a stand. ‘* Surrender!’ cried the detective in a stern voice, : ‘“ What does this outrage mean?’ demanded the rascal who had acted as leader. ‘Tt means that you lads are beat at your own game,” “* What game had we?”’ | ‘‘ Oh, don’t play innocent. I’m Tom Hawk. You had a game to catch me, and | had a game to get.you all in a heap, and J|’ve got vou.’’ The leeder of the gang turned to Byrcn, and in a fierce tone said: ‘* Aha! you have ketrayed us after all!”’ ‘‘ No one hus betrayed you; I’ve outwitted you. Byron is as bad as any of you, and he is my prisover along with the rest.’’ . ‘* Do you arrest me?’’ demanded the tavern- keeper. ‘* Certainly.’’ : ‘‘Am 1 to be held responsible because my house has been made the head-quarters of both sides?’’ ‘You may be able to explain your hand in the matter, Byron, but not to mc; my orders call fc1 your arrest with the balance of the gang; they are all wanted on old charges.’’ : The men would have shown fight, but they were hemmed in, and they well knew that re- sistance meant death, and, in a few moments, the darbies were on evely one of them, includ- ing Byron. The latter, however, was not marched away, jand, after the other fellows had been marched off, he was released, and, later on, an explana- tion. followed between the detective and tavern keeper, ‘* Well, old man, it was well managed.”’ **] am ruined!’’ moaned the tavern-keeper. ‘* No, you are not ruined.’’ ‘* They wiil suspect me.”’ ‘*'There will not be any of thena left to harns you if you do your, duty.’’ ‘* W bat can I do?’’ ‘* Make a clean breast to me.’’ ‘* What can I tell you?’’ ‘* You know there is a robbery planned for to-night, and it was part of the game tu keep me here, at least, even if 1 were not downed. ‘So now open up, or indeed you are a doomed man!’’ CHAPTER XXXYII. ‘‘] HAVE nothing to opea up,’’ said Byron. ‘‘ Ah, 1 see you ate trading too largely on my good natire, my friend. I see clean through you, and there is but one chance for you.”’ ‘* What can | do?’’ ‘*Open up the scheme.’’ A momént Byron was silent; but after a time he said: : ‘‘T have not been let into their game; but | have an idea.’’ | ‘ What is your idea?’’ ‘¢« There is to be a robbery fo-night, I think.”’ ‘* Aha, sec 1 thought. Is Pell in the game?” ‘*] think he is.”’ ‘* You have not seen him lately?’’ eé No.’’ ‘‘ Be careful now; an3wer me truly.” ‘*T have not seen him.’’ ‘* Have you heard from him?” ‘*] heard the gang speak of him.” Byron was very pale. ‘* Come now, old man, there is a chance for’ you to run clear now.”’ ‘‘ There is a scheme against a bank.’ “At N——?” 6 Yes.”’ ° ‘*'To-night?’’ +6 Yes.”’ - ‘* Who are in the game?’’ ‘*‘ Five men, 1 think.”’ | ‘‘Encugh, Byron. If your information is good you will find you have done yourself great serviee.”’ Without ancther word the detective left the tavern. He knew that it required prompt action. A keen game had been played. He had lost a link, but if his good horse Badger was good for anything, he would make up: his biunder, — would hook on the missing link to his chain.