Night-Hawk, The Mounted Detective — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

~~ a“ —— a a oT we 26 id . pes ss: em {’ll be fixed to make matters all right; but I *iust have assistance.’’ , ‘* What is your game?”’ . ‘* Another raid on the Castle.”’ ‘‘ Bh? you want to get another pair,cf us in the same hock as Cheesy and Suagsy?”’ ‘*] want to make a big haul. I’ve big netve and | only want one man to help ime.”’ ‘‘ Only one man, eh?” sé Ves.’’ . ‘‘ Whe is the fellow you want to drop out pow?” The man Pell fixed his eyes on the speaker and said: ‘‘ You mean something by that remark,”’ ‘** Do you think so?”’ ** Yes, 1 do.”’ ‘* Weil, meb be I do.’’ ** What do you mean?”’ ‘* 1’]] tell you square ”’ ‘* Sing out your ténor.”’ ‘*] think you’re in with Tom Hawk, that’s plain.”’ ‘‘ You men suspect me?”’ ‘* Yes.”’ ‘© Will you tell me why?” ** Yes.”’ CHAPTER XLII. ‘Tam men sat glaring at each other. ‘* Let it come,’’ said Pell. ‘* You’re a new-comer up here, and since you appeared in our midst you've been an evil genius; all our trouble has come since we swore ou in|” . | ‘‘ Am 1 to be held responsible for that?”’ ‘Yes, if you’ve had a hand in it; and 1 might as well tell you; it’s been whispered afore that you were only a ‘feeler’ for the 4 cop.’ 99 ; ‘* You fellows don’t know me, that’s all, or ou’d never set in on me this way. I tel] you i'm scuare, and I’ll prove it.’’ | ‘* How?’’ ‘* You are all in trouble.’’ ** Yes, we are.’”’ ** Nu soap.” **Nct enough to buy a steel pen to sign a note.”’ ‘‘1’ve got a job on hand.” ‘* No doubt.”’ **] understand your meaning when you say “yo doubt;’ it means I’ve a job on hand to drop out some more of the lads.”’ ‘“ Well, you can take it so.”” _— ‘¢7’)1 prove to the contrary.”’ ‘*]T hope you will.” ** And 1 will.” ,** How?” | ‘*1°ll go my next job alone—take all the wisks,’”” oe > ‘* 'That’s good. ”’ ** if I succeed I’ll have money.”’ _ ** That will be better.”’ ** VN chip it in.” ** That will be ketfer atill,”’ ** And you fellows will be satisfied?’’ ** Well, yes.”’ . ** All right. lll win or lese this time, and t’ll drop my all into the chance.”’ The three rcbbers appeared to be pretty well satisfied with their pal’s declarations. Upon the night following the above detailed eonversation between the three robbers, Tom Hawk appeared at Byrcn’s. ‘The detective had worked a remarkable tittle game. He had se- lected a prototype, a fellow called Silent Jim; the latter was a man who frequented Byron’s place and who had earned his sobriquet by his singular silence. He was an elderly man not well known save by sight, and no one appeared to be acquainted with his history, although there was a rumor that he was an old crank who had been disappointed in love and who had settled down into a sort of idiotic existence. The man was about the same stature as the detective, possessed the same colored eyes, the same shaped face, but his hair was gray. Detectives, like actors, ofttimes select a model when designing a disguise, and our hero had made a study of the habits and actions of Silent Jim, and tc what purpose he had utilized his studies will be disclosed. as our narrative progresses. A tew men only were gathered in Byron’s place and those were discussing the recent capt- ure of the burgiars. | a ee Ore a ee eee The keeper ot the place, although attending to business, was very greatly excited and nerv- ous. He did not know just how the capture would affect him, and he was the more despond- ent, not having seen or heard from the detect- ive. Indeed, muttering to himself when an op- portunity offered, he said: ‘* He’s played me for al] l’m werth, and now he’s going to leave ne to the mercy of the gang; but Jet him look out, 1 may turn and get him ‘downed’ yet.”’ | Later in the evening Silent Jim entered the tavern. Sut little attention was paid to him as he walked over to his accustomed seat in one corner of the bar-room and motioned for his usual beverage. Byron waited on the man and returned to his other customers, and so the evening passed until quite late, when most of the men went away and the -ar-room was left to Byron, one other customer, and Silent Jimmy. The tavern-keeper at length exchanged yvlances with the man who had remained, and finaily addressing Silent Jimmy, he said: ‘*T am going to close up, my friend.’’ ‘* And you want me to go?” — sé Y OR... Silent Jimmy paid his score, rose and left the house, while the one other customer remained, and when alone the two men uncovered. ‘* Where have you been, Pell?’’ ‘* 1’ve been workng a little scheme,”’ ‘* Matters have gone badly?”’ ‘*“ Yes; and the gang suspect mé of having given things away.”’ | ‘*{s that so?’’ TS eee A, ‘* 1 don’t see how they could suspect you.”’ ‘Don't you?”’ 4¢ No. >? ‘‘ Well, Byron, I’ve something to say to you! It’s my opinion that you have given facts away.” ‘* Hold on; 1 don’t want you to come here giving me that; I’ve taken too much of that talk already.’’ ‘‘Some oue must have leaked.’’ ‘* You know the facts?’’ = 4 ‘* What are the facts?’’ ‘* Night-Hawk has been lying around here under a dozen different disguises. You fellows have held ycur consultations, and he’s picked up the clumbs and made his loaf.”’ ‘But you knew he was around here?’’ ‘‘ No, 1 didn’t until the last moment, and when I tumbled to his ‘ cover’ I put the lads on him and they set .o drop him out; but some way he doubled on them, get the points, and five more of the boys are in * hock.’ ”’ A momett Pell remained silent, and at length he said in a low tone: ‘* Do you ever do active work?”’ ‘* What do you mean?”’ ‘Do you ever get into a scheme?”’ ‘© Well, 1 have in my time. Why do you ask?”" | ‘* l’ve a big scheme on hand.’’ Byron turned paie. ‘* You aip’t going to ask me to join you?”’ ** No; but lll let you in.” ‘** Can’t take the risk.” ‘The work is light, and stakes will be big, and J’il do all the work.”’ ‘* What’s your racket?” .. ‘* Oh, I’m not opening up unless will go in with me.” . ‘* And I’m not going in unless | know what the ‘jig’ is; 1 don’t get iato these matters ‘blind.’ ”’ % $ ‘* There is cnly ‘do.”’ ‘* What is that?’’ ‘‘ Drive me over to the scene of operation, wait until 1 do the job, and then bring me away.’ | ‘* What is your job?” ‘‘] know wherea big heap of governments is ‘ cased.’ ”’ ** Verily ?”’ 4¢ Yes.”’ f ‘* When will you work the game?”’ ‘* To-morrow night.” ‘‘“All you want me to do is to act as coachee?”’ ¢é Yes.”’ ‘* How abcut the ‘ swag ’?”’ ‘** You shall have your share.”’ **Ona quick division?”’ 46 Yes.’’ ‘* Now tell me where the governments are hidden, ”’ ‘I’m not giving that away.” I know you one thing you will have to ‘* Who else will be in the scheme?’’ ‘* No one; you and | will go it alone, and if we succeed, you are a rich man, and can * skip’ from this side the country and live iikes prince . the balance of your life.’’ ‘** It looks like a big opening.” ** lt is a big opening.”’ ‘* ]’ll think the matter over,”’ ‘* You must decide now.’’ ** Well, I'll go in with you,”’ OHAPTER XLIL Iv is hardly necessary to inform our readers that Silent Jimmy for the night was ‘lom Hawk under *‘cover.’’ There were 1easons why the detective desired to visit Byron’s place hidden even from byron himself; the fact was he expected certain disclosures, but not of the character which actually came, and again a dead sure ‘‘ cover’’ even against Byron wasa matter of safe policy, as the remaining mem- bers of the gang would be in a bloody mood after the trick that had been won against them, When Tom entered the place he recognized the man Pell, and also discovered that the tel- low was under ‘‘ cover,’’ and at once made up his mind that there was a game on hand, Under the circumstances detailed, it is alsp hardly necessary to state that the detective made up his mind to overhear any little talk that might pass between Pell and the tavern- keeper; and he did overhear every word that passed, and he rejoiced in having taken in the confidence, as a suspici¢n had all along run through his mind that there was danger of a tragedy in a certain directiou, and although Pelll refused to tell Byron where tie ‘* govern- ments’” were hidden, the detective discerned easily enough, and congratulated himself upon his forethought in getting under a complete ‘* cover,”’ When Byron said he would go in on the racket, Pell said: | ‘*Old man, I’ve put a good deal of con- fidence in you, and now if any one tumbles to this little business there wiil be no question as to who * Jeaks.’ ”’ Byron grew thoughtful, an odd suspicion flashed through his mind. ‘* See here, Pell,’’ he exclaimed, *‘ if you are on any doubie-bank game with me, you’re start- ing up the wrcng man!”’ ‘* Bah! what game could | have?”’ ** 1’]l tell you. There has been some leaking, and suspicion has been turned against you, and you may want to turn it on me, but you can’t dp it!’’ : ‘* Will you open clean up?” ! “Yes, I will. You may give this thing to me, go and. give it to some one else, and then claim that 1"* leaked.’ ”’ ‘* You are a keen fellow, Byron.”’ ~ | _ * ]’m Keen enough to look out and not be ‘trapped.’ ”’ . | ‘* You need not fear; this is a good scheme 1 have on hand. 1 will win or be dropped dut. Yqu come in fora ‘1ake’ without taking any chances. Do you want) anything better than that?’’ : 6 . ” Pr ‘* Very well: tosmorrow we will put the m ter through. You have a wagon at mien put in a coop of chickens, as though you were — going to market, and meet me at the cross roads, just where we strike to go across tha mountain.”’ | Bee eRe, ‘* At what hour?’ - ** Midnight.”’ : a ‘* Exactly at midnight?”’ sé Yes.’? ‘‘ All right; I will be on hand. But remem: ber, if any job is put up on me, it will be the” worse for you; I’ve a little trick to bat. will make you sick.” hoy Posy ‘You have nothing to fear if you are straight yourself—you have everything to make.”” “ A few moments later the men separated and Pell lett the tavern; the man proceeded away from the village and went to a house situated in a lonely district. He had just opened the door to enter the house when he heard a cry. The man stopped and listened and he beard a moan, ‘** What can it be?’’ he muttered, and he walked down to the gate and listened and again he beard a groan, and, as he cast his eyes around under the starlight, his giance restea. upon a dark -heap in the middle of the road. He walked over and found an old woman lying as though she had fallen and injured herself. ‘‘ What is the matter with you, My go00q@ woman?’’ asked the burglar.