Night-Hawk, The Mounted Detective — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

>... : —— ~ and unreserved series of answers to all my qguestions,’”’ ‘* Do you know what I suspect?’’ es Yes.’’ | ‘Name my suspicion.’’ ‘‘ You believe you recognized in cne of the robbers your own son! ’ “Yes, yes. Oh, to my sorrow, I did! There can be no mistake. It was my poor Charlie— the boy whom I once loved as the apple of my eye.’ ‘‘ And you ale sure you recognized him?”’ ‘‘} am,’’ came the answel in atone of agony. ‘‘ | think it is a terrible mistake.’ ‘* You are a good man, and you would seek to console me; but, sir, it is the fatal—the dumning truth—I received this wound at the hand of my own son,’’ ‘* One question, sir. Until] to night had ycu any reason to suspect that your son was a Vil- Jain?”’ : ‘* Never, sir. He had always given evidence of being one of the noblest boys who ever lived! And he was until he fel] into the hands of a siren; but I never believed that a Circe from the very realms of the archfiend could convert my son into a common burgiar.’’ ‘* and how long since vour son has been un- der the influence of this siren?”’ ‘‘ Less than one year.”’ ‘* You are sure of this latter fact?’’ ‘*] am sure, certainly.’ ‘‘ Then, sit, I affirm that there is a positive chance that there is some fatal mistake.’’ ‘ There can not be. No, no, l saw his face!’’ ‘‘ Did he speak to you?”’ ‘** No, no; but IL saw his face.’’ ‘‘ Listen to me, sir; [ama man who has had a great deal of experience, and a strange and weird impression has taken possession cf my mind. I will not tell you now whence the im- pression arises; but 1 honestly believe, despite ihe evidence.of your own eyes, that thereisa terrible mistake here, and your son is still an honorable young man.’”’ ‘‘Itcan not be. Were the evidence of my eyes denied and proved false, there remains one -onfirming fact.’’ ~ And what is the confirming fact?”’ | The siren was here, aiding and abetting jm.”’ ‘* Ah, it is as ] thought!’’ ejaculated the de- tective. — | ‘* Sir, do you know the siren?”’ “7 will not speak cf that now; but I propose to have a talk with my prisoner in your pres- ence. circumstances say One word yourself, rely upoa you?”’ | ‘* Yés, sir.’’ ‘“Mr. Pladwell, you have my full sympathy. Iam with you heart and scul in this matter, and l assure you 1 have good grounds for-believing that, despite all that has cccurred to-night, you are laboring under a fatal mistake.’’ ‘* You think it possible that J] would fail to recognize my Own sun?” | ‘‘ | have reason to helieve that in this instance you have mistaken another man for your son.’”’ ‘¢ Would that 1 could share your belief! but it is impossible. Strange and terrible as is the fact, there is no mistake—my poor boy has been misled into the life of a villain, and has sought to make a victim of his own father! Horror! horror !”’ . ‘‘ We shall see, sir. 1am not a man to go so far astray in such an important matter; but re- memper you leave the burglar to me, and under no circumstances say one word, or you may. give a Villain « cue.’’ ‘*T wil] attend your words. ”’ The detective went into the parlor and ordered the captured thief to be brought into the library. The fellow, when his limbs were released, fol: lowed in dogged silence. Once in the Jibrary, the detective seated the robber in a chair, and said: ‘‘ Now, my man, l am going to ask youa few questions, and 1 want direct answers, as I am able to answer all my own questions; but I want 4 little corroboration from you in the presence of this gentleman.’’ ‘‘T’ve got nothing to say; you’ve ‘ nibbed ’ me and that’s my luck!’’ answered thecaptured kobber in a surly tone. ‘* So you refuse to answer my questions?’’ ** Yes, I do.’’ ‘* Very well, it will go all the harder with you when you come before his honor.”’ ‘‘T ain’t givin’ nothin’ away, | ain’t.”’ “Oh, yes, youvare.’”’ ** No, sir.”’ Can I Mark well all that is said; but under no|’ ——— Se — =~ ae } THE MOUNTED DETECTIVE. ‘* Don’t you want to get oul of this scrape?’’ The robber laughed and answered: ‘**Ah, 1] know you fellers; you can’t come that over me!’’ | ‘‘ But don’t you know a little secret that might induce us to let up on you?’ ‘* I] wish | did.’’ | ‘* Just think, now.”’ - ‘*T ain’t much of a thinker; I ain’t had enough schoolin’.”’ ‘‘ How many were in the racket to-night?’’ ‘‘] reckon you know that or you wouldn’t have been here to-night.’’ ‘‘ How many sre in the gang outside of the two chaps who were with you?”’ ‘** | ain’t givin’ nothin’ away.”’ ‘* Snagsy was with you to-night?’ ‘“JT didn’t say so.”’ ‘* And Billy Pell was with you?”’ * lain’t givin’ nothin’ away.’’ ‘ ‘* Answer one question: How long have you known Billy Pell?” CHAPTER VIII THE man answered cnce more: ‘*T ain’t givin’ nothin’ away.”’ ‘* Hie’s an old pal of yours, isn’t he?”’ The thief remained silent. ‘* You’ve known him a good many years?”’ Still the burglar maintained silence. ‘* Hear me, Bradley. Jf Pell is a new pal, there’s a chance for you.”’ ; ‘* Is there?’’ ‘*: Yes,” ‘ What’s my chance?”’ ‘‘ Well, come, now, my man, speak out.”’ ‘* I’ve nothing to give.”’ ‘* Who suggested working this house?’’ ‘‘ Do you want me to speak before I’m in the pox? No, no; ycu can’t makemeopen up. 1’m too old a bird, and you know it.” ‘‘ All right, old man; you may never know the chance you’ve had for getting out of this scrape.” . . ‘* By turning state’s evidence, eh, when I’m no squealer? No, no; I’ll take my dose like a little man, and wish the lads better luck; and you’ll never get a word out of me!”’ ‘* Take him away, Mr. Gains; take him into the other room,’’ said the officer. ‘* And here, take this; if he attempts to cut-ur an didos, just give him a rap or two, and Call me.”’ The detective handed the young man his locust. When the robber was led from the room, the detective said: ; ‘‘ What do you think now, sir?” | ‘‘Oh, do not ask me what horror tu think that the wretch who was here is the companion of my son.’’ ‘* Listen, Mr. Pladwell, I] am more and more convinced that there is a terrible mistaxe in this matter. J will admit that since being in your house I have recalled certain incidents which I have heard which Jead me to believe that my conclusions are correct. Now, answer me, you have had a misunderstanding with your son?”’ ‘* Yes, sir)’’ | ‘* And you think he may have become a vil- lain ?”’ ‘* Did 1 not see him this night with my own eyes?”’ ‘lf it was your son whom you saw tc-night that fellow who has just left this room does not know it,’”’ : ‘* He will not admit it.” ‘* Bah! you are nct as well acquainted with the characteristics of thieves as | am or you would know that the fellow would have taken my hint and have let out the fact in a jiffy.”’ , ‘‘'Then you think my son has not disclosed his identity?” | ‘‘ Tf your son is a thief one thing is certain; that man Bradley doet not know him as your son. I'd bet a thousand on that against a ten. dollar note.’’ | . ‘“It may be possible that my son did no know that it was my house they intended to rob until he reached here.’’ ‘‘ It is more probable that your son knows nothing about the robbery.”’ | The father remained silent. ‘* Now, sir, tell me all the circumstances that led up to the disagreement between yourself and your son.’ ‘* Do not ask me to go over the sad details. Have 1 not been punished for my severity?’’ ‘* Tell me all the facts, sir.”’ | ‘*No, no! Oh, weuld I had Known what you suspected when vou first asked me about : F mall PF ‘ 7 = “\h Se oi = 7 4 TT st Py C ’ *_ * ‘ . . , F | oles So 9 . S S overt, : Ng , . x & > ¥ = re > Cre * < hs Aled 7 . ~* - ott —<— rea 5° } ¥ Ar: . Tak: vy > : ~ rt Se 7% o. a — = ea “a a. % that photograph, and this thing would never ‘have occurred; now that I remember, you are a cruel man in your zeal to have let this thing proceed so far.’’ ‘* What should I have done?”’ | ' ‘‘ Warned them off before they entered the house. ”’ ‘‘ Listen, sir; had I been sure that one of the robbers was your son | would have done so, but I sweur lam fully convinced that the man Pell is not your son, despite the fatal resem- blance.”’ , ‘‘ The what, sir?’’ ejaculated the father. ‘The fata] resemblance. ’’ ‘* What do you mean?” ‘*] mean that I have reason to believe that there lives a villain who bears a fatal resem- blance to your son.”’ ‘* What grounds have declaration?” — ‘* Tell me all the facts concerning your quar- rel with your son, and | willtell you all I know and all 1 believe.”’ ‘* You shall hear the story.” ‘* Yes, sir; proceed.”’ ‘* My son was a noble bcy untl abont a year avo, when a young lady came to live with a neighbor of mine as governess to jis children. She is a handsome girl, and met my boy and fell in love with him, and at once set to work with all her siren arts to win his love, and fail- ing in the conventional manner, she managed one day, at an opportuve moment, to fall from a boat into the river. My scn rescued her, and from that moment the mischief was done. She torged her siren chain around him, and he promised to become her husband,”’ ‘* And you opposed the match?” ‘* Certainly I did. I knew her to be a bad. woman,’’ ‘‘ Who told you so?”’ ‘* 1 knew it.”’ ‘* Who told you she was a bad woman?”’ ‘* One who knew her well.’’ . ‘* Had you no other proof?’’ ‘* Net until to-nighbt.”’ 7 ‘* Well, what proofs did you secure to-night?’’ ‘* She wasin Oharlie’s company in his attempt. {o rob this house; it was her hand that guided his aim when he fired at me.’’ The detective was an interested listener. ‘So you think it was her arm that guided the you for this strange weapon?”’ ‘* Yes, sir; 1 saw her do it.’’ ‘‘ She guided his arm to save your life.”’ The father gazed aghast. ‘* Sir!’’? he ejaculated. : ‘* Yes, [ mean what I say, and, in good time, I will prove that the ‘siren,’ as you call her, saved your life.’’ ‘* Had the weapon been in her hand alone, I would that the shot had been fatal!”’ ‘‘The day will come when you will feel differently; but we will continue the narrative: The young man you saw did not believe the young laay to be a siren?’’ ‘‘ No; he belieyed her to be all that is pure and innocent, and there is. where she obtained her power over him.”’ ‘ ** And he sought to marry her?’’ é¢ Yes.’”’ ‘‘ He came to you for ycur consent?’’ ** Yes.’’ ‘* And what did you say?’’ ‘* 7 told him if he married the girl he should never enter my house again.”’ ' ‘* And what did he say?’’ ‘*‘ He was ‘cool as a cucumber ’—Chariie al- ways was: cool—and he said: ‘** Father, I shall marry Emily North with or witbcut your consent; and, as that means practically an accomplished fact, 1 shall leave your house never to enter it again, except upon ycur invitation. 1 will go and earn a fortune, and then come back and marry Emily.’ ”’ ‘* How long ago did this occur?’’ ‘“'Three months.”’ ‘* And in three months do you think that that noble young man has become an accomplished burglar?” CHAPTER 1X, THE father gazed at the detective in speech- less amazement. ‘*Come, my good sir, answer me—do you be- lieve that in three months a noble, generous, and brave young man could become an accom- plished purglar?”’ : ‘* But, sir, did 1 not recognize my own flesh and blood when the mask was raised? Yes, yes, it was my scn, 1 know it?”