Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 941 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

' have made some inquiries. er made for his reception?” 4 keep house for me, is now his nataibdenky and 1 am able to pick up information through her. lt seems that a young lady in lveland has been directing letters to Lawrence Brannagan, in care of Michael] Brannagan, and as there is no such person there it has aroused the curiosity of the housekeeper. She asked Michael about it, and he explained that he had invited his nephew to come out and see him, months before, and he feared that something wrong had happened.”’ 1 follow you, sir; go on.” “ Well, knowing what I did, and know- ing that old rat for the rascal he is, I Through the woman Hull I got the address of the girl in Ireland, and I wrote to her and asked for information. She said that her lovey sailed from Queenstown on the steamship Atlantic in the last week in January, and that she had not heard a word from him since. She wanted to know if he was in New York, and, if so, why he was Silent So long. She feared that something had huppened, since they were elgag red loy- ers, and there was no reason, far as she knew, why Lawrence should ‘treat her fa such a manner. You see just how the mat- ter stands, and knowing that man as I dw 1 do not hesitate a moment in saying that he is evil enough at heart to put his young hephew out of the way for his own gain.’’ “That is rather a delicate and dangerous charge to make, Mr. Powers.” “It know it; but I am not saying it openly. lam saying it to you as a detec- tive. We will investigate it, and if I am wrong, no harm is done, but if I am right Il will openly make the charge and drag him to justice! He has done me too great a wrong for me to think of sparing him. In fact, any man ought to look into such a matter, if such a suspicion should enter his mind. I can show you the letters from that young lady, and you will then be able to make up your mind more fully about it. 1 have given her caution. about writing to the uncle, and she is keeping still, waiting to hear from me. I have promised to write to her-at as early a date as possible. and if you think you can be of any service in the case, we must get down to work immediately.” * That we will do, sir. I have, as I said. already picked up an item regarding the young man,” * Yes, so you said. How did you learn that he was on the steamer?’ * By an Iris lad who came over on the. same steamer,” ‘* Ha! Then he may know more about it!” “A strange thing about it is, that the lad did not see the young man once afte the vessel started.” -“ Well, that is peculiar. I tell you, Mr. Murphy, there is something wrong, must be worked out and made right. You must go into it with all your might and probe clear to the bottom.” “Will you now show me those letters, please?” They were produced, and the detective read them through thoughtfully. “It seems that the young man had beet invited out here by the uncle,” he stated. “The uncle had been telling his nephew about some gr and opportunities to invest, and had advised him to sell the estate there and come to America. start to pay his uncle a visit.” ““Yes, there you have it. I thought I mentioned all those little points, but it seems I did not.” “ What has the housekeeper to say about the matter?” 3 “She knew nothing about it. fa “ Did she not know that the n go ar was expected to arrive? Was no preparation and if. The young | P ~man did not sell the property, but he did The asics Green Deteéctive’s Fearne “No; and there 2 is Ssaae where it looks suspicious to me. When I expect any one to see me, to stay, I let the women folks know, so they can prepare. It appears to me as if he had réason to know that the young man would not arrive at all.” “T see you are bound to suspect the man of the worst. I cannot do that until I have seen him and heard his version of the matter. Your hatred for him may have biased your judgment.” ‘‘Not a bit, for I know the man. I can not blame you for toinking so, however Go and see him, find out what you can, and look into the matter. That young man must be found, if alive, and if dead his murderer must be punished.” Murphy was about to take his leave. when a servant announced a caller. “Hal” the master of the house ex- claimed, on hearing the name. “Sit down again, Mr. Murphy, for this is a person you will care to see. Tell the woman to come right in here, Mary.”’ - The servant withdrew. “Tt is Margaret Hull, Brannagan’s housekeeper,’’ informed Mr. Powers. “Who is acting the part of spy for you in the home of her employer.” “You do not know the man, my good fellow, you do not know the man. If you did, you would make no bones about such trifles. Ev ‘His housekeeper is false to him?” “She knows him for his worth. Why, he owes her several years’ wages—think of it, several years’!”’ ‘ It strines me that she must be the one to blame, in that case. But, I am not try- ing to pr ove that black is white, you un- derstand,” The door opened, and a woman of middle age stepped into the room, She was a respectable-looking person, with something of refinement in her face. and she came into the presence of the stranger without embarrassment. The detective gave her a keen, search- ing look, and her appearance gave him more confidence than the statements of Mr. Powers had inspired. She did not look like one who would place herself on the side of wrong in any matter of import- ance, Mr. Powers introduced them. CHAPTER IV. MURPHY GETS TO WORK. When the woman had taken a seat, ‘Mr, Powers asked: “Well, Margaret, what jis it? I feel sure you bring some information concerning the case in which we are interested.” — “Yes; but I expected to find you alone, Mr. Powers.” “No matter; I have told you who Mr. «Murphy is.” “And you want me to speak right out before him?" “Yes, certainly.” “Very well, then. Yes: I have some in- formation, and I now feel sure your sus/ picions and my own are well grounded, Mr. Powers: itors—two men they were, and about as rascally-looking a pair as I ever saw in my life.” “What did you find out about them?” “T found out their names-—Neal Brady and Hogan Dunn. paid them each a big sum of money, as much as he owes me for services twice over.” Powers looked at Detective Murphy. “What do you think about this?” he demanded. — “Ts it not possible that he was paying them for some honest service?” the detec. tive asked. “T never knew him to pay any man at. the house before in all tlie time I have | | nagan no wife?” | been in his employ,” a woman averred, ji-x) Mr. Brannagan has had vis- MOEN NES a —— ee “ And he has men in his service?’ * Lots of them, big work on hand. His clerk brings a pay roll and he makes out checks.” “Then it looks as if this is payment for some unusual work, I must admit. But, did you learn anything further, magam— hear anything to increase your suspicions?” “ By the talk, I took it that these men came over on the steamship which was supposed to bring young Lawrence, sir.” “Ha! That brings it nearer to the point,” “And I heard them talking.something about ‘the young one,’ though I could not make out a great deal of what they said. lt is my opinion that they were talking about Lawrence,” “Then you think they have done him harm?” ‘I believe they killed him.” “Do not say that, madam, for it may get you into trouble, as you have no proof. ‘Take very good care of your speech until there is something to back up your sus- picions, What more can you tell?’ “'That is about all I know to tell, sir. Mr. Brannagan shook hands with the twa men when they left the house, and thanked them for something, and they all Seemed to part on the best of terms. He said something about wishing them well in the new country.” “Then it would seem as if they were going away?” “So I thought and believe.” * You could not cateh where?” *" No, gir.”’ “Well, all this may lead to something more. The move now is to call on Mr. Brannagan.” “But, sir,’ the woman hastened, “you will not give me away? That! is, you will hot expose me as the one from whom you have obtained your information?’ “I will say nothing about you, madam— nothing whatever. I shall go there as a Stranger, and state my business as looking for the missing Lawrence Brannagan, and will let the inference be drawn that I have been employed by some one in Ireland.” ““A good plan,” avowed Powers. “And, meantime, you will do well to keep wholly silent about what you sus pect,’’ the detective cautioned. “ Never fear but we will do that, Murphy. that Brannag an is suilty—guilty, too, murder,” “And yet there is room for a mistake, and we must make no mistake.” The Bowling Green Detective took his Mr. Sut, I can now almost sweay ot leave, and went straight to the house of Michael Brannagan. It was some minutes before the door was opened to his call, and when at last it was opened it was by a woman evidently from the kitchen, who was wiping her hands on her apron as she stood there. * Does Mr, Brannagan live here?’ the de- fective asked.’ “ Yis, sor,” the answer. “Well, is he at home?’ — “He is not, sor.” “Do you know when he will be?’ “Oi do not. He has gone out, may’ be gone ten minutes or as many hours; Oi cannot say.” And Mr, “Brannagan | ‘IT desire to see him upon a matter of importance, so I think I will come in and wait, if I may,’ said Murphy. “He may be back again in ‘the course of an hour or less,”’ * Suit yoursel’ about thot, sor.”’ “T think I will wait; I can sit down here r in the hall—”’ “No, ye may go in dhe room heyaimt” “Thot is phwere callers wait, has Mr. Bran indicating. , , sor.” “Very: wall By epi way, a . se yh a wd vy, i Ao 7B ee’ ; ‘ We SEL ry 5 a sometimes, woen he has and he | ‘ ' a } aad : 4 7 ‘ ' avy “( hs = a : : syne eg - ue ‘. be pe oon oa a «b. ~ te x A a “Speyer st me |