Night-Hawk, The Mounted Detective — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

* J : oh Ce * - cs \ : : . - ‘ * * os Wig ~ io - Nae eT Oy .'9 aa . a Fa i 4 PS 5 ete rv" a 7 4 e : ee Pe ves rE «Ss nF < os ~~ Ned La, tere iy A nal , ae ~ “ ; ad oT ed pene fe wig ii | is ne a ~ ‘ { % bday _— ” ‘* | will prove myself your friend.”’ A moment the burglar tramped to and fro in the presence of the old witch, while the latter sat swaying herse}f in motion with her staff. ‘* It’s strange 1 should meet you, old woman.”’ ‘‘No; it is not strange, because I sought ou.”’ ‘*1t’s strange that you should know all these facts about-me.”’ . ‘1 possess the powers that aid me to obtain certain facts.”’ 3 ‘* And what do you want to gain by my reve- Jations?’’ ‘‘ A premise that you will share your fortune with me.”’ ‘‘ 7 promise to share with you, if you will aid me to obtain a fortune.”’ ** You will?’ ‘* Yes, I will.’’ ‘‘T can do you great service. ” ‘‘Do so, and 1] will share with vou.” ‘ Answer me one guestion: bcw much of the truth have you revealed to Mr. Pladwell?’’ The old witch had not before mentioned a name. ‘* How do you mean ‘“ What story have you told to the master of the Castle?’’ : ‘‘ How do you know that I have seen him?”’ ‘‘] know that you have seen—yes, seen—him since the night ycu made the attempt to rob the house.’ ‘* You do appear to know everything.” ‘Ves, |] know a great deal. There are some facts which are at my call, but others are be- yond my ken: conversations are not within my powers, only facts.”’ ‘* And what do you wish me tp tell you?”’ ‘* Did you claim to be his son or his nephew ?’’ ‘* | claimed to be his son.”’ ‘‘ Did he ackncwledge the claim?’’ ‘* At first he was puzzled; but at length it be- came evident that he did not regard me as his son.”’ | ) ‘And then?’’ | ‘‘] claimed to be his nephew.”’’ ‘‘Now you are coming right down to busi- ness, and I will be of service to you. When you claimed to be bis nephew what did he say?”’ ‘* He said if | was his nephew he would never acknowledge me.’’ ‘¢ And what did you say?” ‘*T told him if he did not acknowledge me to be his nephew 1 would claim tc be his son.”’ ‘* Aha! and then?’’ ‘* He defied me, ”’ ‘You are his nephew?”’ Pee Soy | ) ‘* Under what circumstances were you born?’’ ‘‘T have told you so much | will tell you all.”’ ‘* Proceed. ”’ | ‘* Mr. Pladwell was once in active business. He had a younger brother, who was sent to Paris to take charge of the branch house there. The brother, Henry Pladwell, met, loved, and married an English girl.”’ ‘* Married her?’’ 66 Yes.”’ ‘** Well, proceed.”’ ‘* After a year he deserted her, claimed that the marriage which tcok place in France was invalid, and he was to marry an American girl.”’ ‘© Well?”’ ‘* He died.”’ ‘* Under what circumstances?’’ ‘Jt was always supposed he died a natural death, but, on her death-bed, my mother con- fessed to me that she poisoned bim.’’ . ‘Did your mother ever come to America?’’, ‘* Never.”’ ‘‘ Did she know of the elder brother?”’ ‘* Yes: and she wrote to him for assistance.”’ ‘* And what did he answer?’ ‘* He never answered her letter.”’ ‘* Well, proceed.”’ . ‘* On her death-bed, she told me to come to America and find my uncle, adding: * You are the perfect image of your father, and your Ie- semblance wiil establish your identity.’ ’’ ‘‘ How long have you been in America?”’ ** One year.”’ ‘* Did you present yourself to your uncle?” ec No.’’ ‘* Why not?’’ . ‘*] will tell you all. I was a thief, and.1 cal- culated that he would only turn me off at best, 9?? and | made up my mind not to ask any odds of} him, until one day 1 met a ycung man in New York who was in appearance my very self. | followed the young man, trailed him to his home and learned all about him. I had acci- 4enially found my uncle and a cousin. whom | - ‘ ~ ae ‘ al ~ ; Pe i ve - a is a = Po. - Se ar 3 ae uw, ‘ . - S442 - * X. - Pe. « s P > - ae “ itz ¥ A e a A, o-, _' aye . resembled even as one twin brother resembles anothe:. 1found out he was secretly engaged to a young lady; 1 dogged their steps, and ofttimes overheard little confidences between them, and I learned of the opposition of the father to the marriage, and uf the final quarrel, and then an accident occurred. ’’ ‘* What accident?"’ ‘‘The son went away, and one day I met the young lady; she mistook me for her lover at first; merely as a joke I encouraged her in the mistake and then —’’ | The young man hesitated. ‘Well, what then?’’ ‘‘ | determined to take advantage of my re- semblance and her mistake to calry out a Cer- tain purpose.’’ - | ‘* What was your pulpose?’’ ‘‘] had made up my mind to rob my uncle— take by force what would be refused me as a ‘| rizht, *’ © ‘* What had you as:a right?” ‘* My father was a partner in the concern.”’ ‘* He was, eh?’’ | ‘‘ Yes: and, as the son of my father, I was entitled to his share in the business.’’ CHAPTER XLV. Ir was a strange tale the young man was revealing; and the old witch listened with rapt attention. ‘* How do you know your father was a part- ner in the business?” | ‘* My mother had the proofs,’’ . ‘* Did she not have proofs of the marriage?’’ ¢¢ y es.”’ ; > ‘‘ And where are those proots?’’ ‘‘] have them,’”’ | ‘‘Does Mr. Pladwell know that you hold ‘those papers?”’ ‘*T told him I did.’”’ _** And what did he say?”’ ‘* Nothing.”’ ‘‘ Did you make a claim for your father’s share?’’ ‘‘] did. 1 told him if he would give me only one portion of my father’s share, I would leave America, become an honest man, and he would never see or hear of me again.”’ ‘* Were you in earnest?’ ae [ was,’”’ ‘* You would really like to become an honest man?’’ ** Yes, ”’ ‘* How is it you became a thief?’’ ‘* Bad associations and poverty made a thief of me.’’ ‘*But you appear to possess a good educa- tion?’’ | ‘‘ Yes, my mother became an actress and earned money and brought me up as a gentle- man. I did not know she was an actress until a little time before she died; 1 believed her to be a lady and myself a gentleman; but when her health failed we became very poor. I had not been taught a business, and I became (hief.”’ ‘* And even now you would prefer to be an honest man?’’ ao ea. ‘* And you would have robbed your uncle?”’ ‘* Yes—and I will.”’ “ Why?’’. ‘* He has wronged me.’’ ‘‘ What do you expect to gain by your uncle's ‘death ?’’ ‘* His whole fortune.” . . ‘* How can you succeed in that?”’ ‘*] shal] claim to be his son.”’ ‘‘But the real son may appear upon the scene.’ The young burglar mad¢ no answer. ‘What would you do under those circum- stances?’ ‘‘ The son will never appear.’’ The young man spoke in a strange tcne, and, there was a world of significance in his words. The old witch sprung to her feet, advanced, and laid ber staft upon the shoulder of Pell, and, in a terrible voice, demanded: ‘* Answer me—what do you mean?’ ‘* Just what I say.”’ ‘* You say the real son will never appear.’’ **T mean it.”’ . ‘* Have you harmed him?”’ ‘“You possess supernatutal ‘powers—find oul.”’ | ** 1 will find out,’”’ ‘Aha! it’s ag I friend.’’ ‘Yes, 1 am your friend, but 1 would have thought— you are not my no harm come to ycur cousin; as to yeur uncle, 1 am willing you should obtain justice froma him.”’ ‘‘ If the son comes to dispute my claims, 1 can not obtain justice. ”’ ‘* Yes, the son is a fair man; but the father should do you justice under certam conditions. *” ‘Eh? what is that you say?”’ ‘‘I say what 1 mean, unless you have Tell me, have you done away harmed the scn. with him?’’ 6 No.’’ ** You swear?”’ . Yess’ ‘‘Then why do you say he will mever ap- pear?’’ ‘* 1 can prevent it.’’ ‘You mean to rob the father to-morrow night?’’ ‘Lhe young man remuined silent. ‘*Come, come, you have told me se nauch, te]l me all.”’ ‘*] do not mean to harm him.”’ ‘* 'W hat do you mean to do?’’ ‘* Secure certain papers.’ ‘* What papers are they?’’ ‘* Proofs.”’ ‘How do you know he holds the papers?’’ ‘* 1] know he does,”’ | ‘You are sure?”’ ¢¢ Yes.’ | ‘* Where did you get the information ?”’ ‘‘It is not necessary for me to tel} it; it enough that I know he holds them.”’ ‘* Have you made a demand for them?”’ se No. 73 “* Why not?”’ | ‘* He would destroy them.’”’ a at you seen him more than once?” «6 es.’’ ‘* and you made an appeal to him?’’ | ‘‘] made an appeal to him to save me and save himself.’’ ‘‘ And his answer was—’”’ “That 1 might go to the devil and do my worst?’ _ ‘* He did not fear you?’’ ‘* He said he did not.’” — ‘* Did you threaten him?’’ ‘*T told him I would have my rights some day at all hazards. ” ‘* And what did he say?’” ‘* He Jaughed in my face.’’ ‘He now knows who you really clam te be?”’ | | , ‘* Yes,”’ | Ai 44) be ask you concerning his son?”’ cé ae ; ‘* What was your father’s name?” é Henry.”’ ‘* And your real name is Henry Pladweil?’” ‘< That is my real name.”’ . ‘“And you would really like to become am honest man ?’’ ‘*) would.’’ : ‘* Have you ever taken humien life?’’ —* Never.”’ . ‘* You are not an assassin?”’ ‘* Not yet,’’ answered the young man in a sige nificant tone. | ‘Young man, 1 have heard your story and am disposed to be your triend.”’ ‘Can vou aid me?’’ } ‘* Yes, if you will permit me.’’ ‘* You hate old Pladwell?’’ ‘* Hate him!’’. ejaculated the old witch. ‘* Yes, you have a grudge against him. ”’ ‘We ‘will not talk about that now; how much money did you claim trom Mr, Plad- well?”’ ‘One hundred thousand dollars.”’ ‘‘And what did he say?’’ ‘* He laughed at me.”’ ‘* Did he threaten you?’’ ‘* How threaten me?’’ | ‘‘ Threaten to have you arrested for the at- tack on him?’’ ‘No; but he did say, that in good time 1 would meet my dues.”’ ‘** He did not exhibit any sympathy for you at all?”’ | ‘‘No; but he appeared to hate me, and glory in the fact that 1 was a felon.”’ | | ‘Once more you are really desirous ef. be- coming an honest man?’’ | é¢ ] am.’”’ ‘‘ But you are a member of one of the wert gangs in America.’’ ‘*T know I am.”’ ‘* You contemplate a crime.’’ ‘‘T am only seeking my rights.” ‘* And you will fail.”