The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 19 as the stranger entered, and waited for him to intro- duce himself. ‘Is Ryerson in?” asked the new arrival, in clear, incisive tones. The clerk, startled out of his lethargy by the assur- ance of a person who had the temerity to speak of his chief by his surname and in that familiar tone, forgot to yawn before he replied: “Yes, sir. Shall I give him your name?’ ‘“That’s what you’re here for, I reckon,’’ re- sponded the stranger, without changing a muscle of his face. ‘‘Here’s the card.’’ The clerk did not stop to reflect that life was a bore, as government clerks are wont to do, but took the bit of pasteboard between his fingers, and walked away through an open door which led to an inner apartment. : ‘I wonder who he can be?” thought he. ‘‘Perhaps he’s a duke, or a foreign minister of some kind. ‘Ryerson,’ to be sure! Well, he’s a cool one, any- how. Let’s see—what’s his name?” and the govern- ment employee cast his eyes over the card which he held in his hand. There, in bold letters, was the name: DAN BURDETTE, New York. The clerk made no verbal comment, but gave vent — toa long, low whistle of surprise. ‘Show him in at once!’’ exclaimed the chief; and the subordinate lost no time in obeying the com- mand. ‘So that’s Dan Burdette, eh?’’? he muttered, as the stranger passed out of sight. ‘Well, I never saw him before, although I’ve heard enough about him. So that’s the greatest thief-taker in America—the Gomichboo “S (ele)