The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 53 As he had surmised, she became restive under this novel treatment, and finally, after a little while, adopted new tactics. Allowing her face to turn as she appeared to examine the broad circle of the horizon, her eyes fell suddenly upon him. Starting in her saddle with well simulated surprise, she ex- claimed, with affected ry ah oe ta “Ah! You here?’’ Dan looked at her with a glance that was half piercing and half roguish. She could not carry out the deception under that searching examination, and her eyes fell. This was enough for the detec- tive, for it showed him that he had conquered her _ first attempt to give him a false impression. “Why, yes,’ he responded, in answer to her ques- tion. ‘I’ve been here for the past ten minutes.”’ ‘“Indeed?”’ “Yes, ma’am,’’ he continued, suddenly remember- ing his dialect. ‘‘I didn’t know as how thar was any harm in that.’’ Esther noticed the change, and her eyes went straight to his face. It was Dan’s turn to be dis- comfited now, but he stood her mute inquiry with the fortitude to which a life of danger had inured him. The girl surveyed him carefully from head to foot before she spoke again. When her eyes had com- pleted that task she said, in a calm, measured voice: - “Tet me see. I believe you said yesterday that you were an old partner of Posey Ryan’s. When did you separate?’’ | “Oh, some years ago,’ responded the detective, with a vague notion that he was being quizzed. ‘Where have you been since then?’’ she contin- ued, without stopping. cS co comicboo