Under His Thumb — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

190 UNDER HIS THUMB. cated that criminal relations existed between the = ruffian and his unknown companion. } Steve could only obtain an indistinct glimpse of the two men. The stranger was very cleverly dis- _ guised. Yet the boy was impressed by a certain familiarity in gesture and speech that convinced him that he had seen this person before. ‘“Who the duse is it?’? the lad asked himself. “Not George Dyer—too stout. But that may be | bogus. He’s well made up, anyhow. Who can he be? I’m blessed if I can guess.’ At that moment the stranger spoke again. | “You have agreed to see this thing through for five hundred dollars. Now I’m willing to double that figure if you will push it through without loss — of time. What do you say?” ; ‘A thousand!” exclaimed Leary, springing to his eet. ‘“T’ve said it Now, speak up.’ “What more do you want of me?”’ ‘“‘T want you to make sure of one of two things. Either go to work and prove Carl Brandon guilty, so that the detective will look no further; else that Hindoo detective and Croly, his rival, who are more to be feared than fifty others, must be effectually disposed Ob: ‘“Expect me to murder them two chaps for a thou- san’? Guess not. Careless business trying to beat them. Cost you more’n that. A lhttle rap witha slung-shot or a thirty-two cartridge don’t drop that sort of game. lI can fetch ’em, like enough, but it’ll cost ye a big price.’ The stranger-was silent a moment, and then said: ‘“‘Name your price.’ ‘Five thousan’ and costs.’’ “Too high.’’ ‘Then find *nother man, and pay me off. “ ie ‘“No, you must do It. You can command a score of desperate assistants, and you shall have your price. What is your verdict?” | Lb Ss a..0°0."7 ‘Then be about it.” ge ‘Not so fast; I want your help, with Croly at — comicbooks.com |