Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 941 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Je “ha ©, 23 * se o * ¥ ‘ a - owl 7 5 Rh . => “ a & 10 or. $$ me looked for all the world like a_ sailor about the stage of ‘half seas over.”’ He rolled along the street singing, not rolling enough to draw police attention, perhaps, but not walking steadily enough to make a straight course. And in this manner he proceeded to Cherry Street. Reaching that thoroughfare he _ pro- ceeded to the house where he had before made inquiry for Brady and Dunn, and entered. Almost the first person he saw and recognized was Michael Brannagan. He had evidently been there but a few seconds, and was pacing the floor as if waiting for some one whom le expected immediately. This was a surprise for Murphy, and yet no great surprise, either. It gave him proof that Brannagan was probably the raseal he was reputed to be, and he was glad that he had happened upon the scene at so opportune a time. Stepping to the bar, Murphy asked for a glass of grog. While he was disposing of that Brady and Dunn entered from the rear part of the house, and their-faces showed sur- prise when they saw who their caller was. Brannagan advanced to them at once and they all sat down by a table, and it was in a location where it was the easiest thing in the world for Murphy to drop into a seat just behind them, where he ordered more grog. * What brings you here, sir?” ready heard Brady ask. ‘* Because I wanted to see you,’ Bran- nagan had replied. And then when they had taken seats he added: “T am afraid the devil is to pay here, boys, and I have come to put you on your guard and tell you to get, out of these quarters and seek another place till you sail.” “T guess the devil enough,” agreed Brady. “Then you have seen him?” “Yes, for a certainty.” “Just what I was afraid of. I have taken a risk in coming here, but I had to do it, for I couldn’t rest easy until I had seen you. That keen-edge detective may do mischief if you don’t. be guarded against him.” * Bah! We have seen the detective, but all he made out of us he could put in his eye and it wouldn’t hurt him a bit.” “T am mighty glad to hear you say that, for I thought maybe he would lead you into saying something that would commit you. If he has seen you, and you have turned him off, maybe that will settle it.” | “ He told us he was working for you, sir.’ “Yes, so he is; but, confound him, he he had al- is to pay, sure ‘knows too much!” «* How is that?’ ‘““Why, you might be sure that I did not mention your name to him, and yet he had found you out, somehow.” “Tt was only by merest chance, sir, by falling in with a wild Irish lad who came over on the same steamer with us.” “And what did he know?” ‘Nothing, of couse.” “Well, if that is all there is to it I can rest easier. But, boys, take the best of care that nothing happens before you get away.” “Don’t you be afraid of us,” assured Dunn. ‘And here is something apiece for you, to make you all the more careful,” and he slipped a bill into the hand of each. “Good luck to you in your sew country!” With that Mr. Brannagan arose to-go, ‘Brady, SS ee ee for he evidently wanted to make his stay there as short as possible. “Thanks to ye,” said Brady. ‘Go home and rest easy, sir, and so will we.” They shook hands and Brannagan hastened out. * That was a mighty elose shave,”’ bringing his fist down upon the table and emphasizing With an oath. ‘IJ thought he had seen that other one, when he asked us if we had seen him.” “So did I.” agreed Dunn. “ But L steered him off, soon as I found he meant the detective, and then all was plain sailing. But, Hogan, we are in a tight place, if we don’t find that fellow and do him up.” They were speaking in low tones, but Murphy could hear well enough. “ There is no doubt about its bein’ him; we have agreed on that,” averred Dunn. “It was him or a twin brother, and as he had none it was him for sure. We take no stock in ghosts or anything of that sort. It was Lawrence Brannagan.” setter speak no names, Neal.” “You are right, that fact down hard.” “The fact that the Irish boy knew him makes it certain beyond a doubt.” “Yes, we have settled all that. The thing now is to settle what we are goin’ to do for our protection.” “I wish we sailed to-day.’ “So do I, with all me heart, but we don't.” * Worse luck. We have got to keep clear of the feller, and of Brannagan, too, now.’ He is all right.” “Yes, but he won't be if he gets onto the fact that the youngster is alive. That Was what I was so careful about, don't ye see?” « \ cried “ What d'ye suppose the feller will do?” “No tellin’ what he intends to do. if he gets sight of us we ought to know pretty well what he will do.” “And if that wild Irish lad sees him again he will speak to him, and. the Whole business will come out. I tell you what it is, that boy ought to be put out of the way.” “And how would you do it? *T don’t know, but he is a dangerous witness. If young Brannagan could get hold. of him, and then run us to Cover; he would make it hot for us.” “Not a doubt of it, but there is a great big if in it. The chances are about one in a thousand that the boy will fall in With him again. If the fellow goes to his uncle there w'll be music.” ‘And we had better be out of it.” “What do you say to changing our quarters at once?” “TI think we had better do it, for it will insure our safety a good deal better.” So,they talked on for a time, and De- tective Murphy .was taking in all that passed between them, with keen interest in everything. That the two rascals were in a stew of anxiety was plain, and it was also piain that they had good reason, to be. Murphy had heard enough to give bim the main points in the business. 99° Some things seemed perfectly plain. It | appeared clear that Brannagan had hired these two nen to murder his nephew, and that they had done it so far as their good intention in that direction was con- cerned, but, to their amazement, here was the victim alive and well. These seemed facts, and yet wiht puz- zled the detective puzzled the rascals themselves as well. Murphy paid close attention to every: thing. “TI tell you what I think about it,” said ‘Dunn, after some thought. | but I ‘wanted to set The Bowling Green Detective’s Drop. | —— “WwW hat is it?’ asked his compantonnm ‘I think we had better slip quietly out of New York and leave the whole bus- iness behind us.” ‘We will be off in three days.” “A good deal might happen in three days.” | ) “T know it, but we must take chances of that and take steps against any dan- gers. We have paid our passage money, and we Gan’t afford to forfeit that,” “ Maybe we Gan get it back again.” “We won't try to. We have made up out minds to a certain thing, and we will carry that out, and Satan help the man who would get in our way.” “ Well, if you are willing to risk it I suppose I can, but I don’t like it all the same. But we will change our place of lodging, and that at once. I'll settle our score While you get our luggage,” That agreed upon, they rose from the table, and one went from the room while the other made a settlement with the man at the bar, and the first soon re- turning, they left the house. Half an hour later Detective Murphy lo- cated them in another similar resort with- in a stone’s throw of the ship upon which they expected to take passage in a few days. There he left them for the time being. CHAPTER NII. LIMERICK LARRY LEADS THE WAY. The Limerick. boy’s rich brogue, per- haps, was what had first given the Irish sailor a friendly regard for him. Whether that, or his ready wit, as be- fore suggested, does not particularly mat- ter; a few words brought out the fact. that both were natives of the same coun- ty, and that was enough. “And so it is to ,Australia ye have been and back again?” Larry observed. “ Roight ye are, me b’y,”’ assented the man, with a brogue if anything a little thicker than Larry’s own. * And is it a foine place?” “A place? Don’t ye know dhat it is a whole wurreld set off dhere by itself, me b’y? Av ye mane Port Ebillip and Mel- bourne, then it is shouting ye say foine place!” “It would be me delight to go dhere.” “And phwy don't ye, av it is free ye are, and av ye are having no luck jn America ?’ . “But Oi am not free altogether,” said Larry, with a thought of Kitty Callaway. “No matter about dhat; it is strange dhat we should. be talkin’ here on dhe mere strength avy me st'amed out av Cork.”’ “By dhe same token, lad, did ye note dhat we haved to soon after yure stame- ship had passed us?’ “ O! did not,” said Larry; “ Oi wint be- low.” * Well, man.” “Picked up a man?” and Larry's eyes flew open io their widest upon hearing that. “Phwy, have ye lost one?” asked, in an amused way. in yure pockets and see, me lad.” ‘“Phwat koind av a man was he?” Larry asked. * Oi didn't know dhere was more nor one koind,”’ remarked the sailor, in a lazy way. “Begorra, it is no joke,” declared the Limerick boy. “A man was lost off dhe Atlantic dhat same day, and maybe dhis was dhe man. lookin’ ?” “Dhat he was, me b’y. ‘* And phwat was his Sate | “We call him Barney; | ane is all 01 know about him.” we did, and we picked up a f the sailor ) ‘ ‘s 2 ; . 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