Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 238 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

—= Hank Hound 11 His disguise must indeed have been perfect to so utterly defy the keenly perceptive eyes of a loving girl. Harry was too honorable to permit the em- brace he knew was meant for another. Mrs, Clyde, who was dressed as if on the point of going out, came into the entryway at the mo- ment of the announcemeut, *T am not Royal Ardway.” ‘“‘Then who are you, sir?--and what is the ex- plonation of this?’ she demanded, sharply. ‘* My name is Hound; I am a detective.” ‘“A detective!” Both grew pale at this ominous introduction and the motion which exhibited the bright badge beneath his vest lapel. “Yes, ladies. I have called to make a few business inquiries.” ‘*Please to state their nature,” spoke Mrs. Clyde, warily. ‘**T think Miss Edna Crystol visited this cottage to-day—you know her? I wish to know exactly what she came for. It is of professional import- ance to me.” Mother and daug’ ter exchanged glances. ‘Step this way, sir,” Mrs, Clyde said, briefly, in the tone of one having formed a resolution in the moment. She Jed him into the modest little parlor, Isa- bel following. There, andin afew minutes, he was informed, From this chance incident the detective gath- ered an important argument. Deemcnd’ must have been an accessory, if not prime mover, in the mysterious disappearance of Nell Deems, There could no Jonger exist doubt that there was foul play concerning her. 3ut what were Desmond’s reasons for wishing to destroy a poorshop-girl? Several, possibly. First of these, he knew that Desmond, in his role of Charles Courtley, intended paying ad- dresses, with view of marriage, to Clarice Ard- way. Ferhaps there was some tangling alli- ance between Nell Deems and the bandsome ad- venturer, and the latter had not scrupled to ar- range for the death of one whose existence en- dangered his plots. Harry had in contemplation a singular under- taking inspired by this theory, in which Trim Taskar was to figure as an aid. Shortly after leaving the reporter he met the lice lieutenant, who was mixing himself up in the Ardway affair. That officer was in noticeably high spirits. **Ah, Mr. Hound, glad to meet you. Any- thing new in the Ardway case?’ “Nothing to give away just yet.” **T guess I am getting a little ahead of you.” ** How so?” ‘*T have a bit of news for you about this mur- LE almost verbatim, of the scene that had trans: | der case—” pired between Edna and Isabel. Then, women-like, they wanted to know his object in seeking the information, and—detec- tive-like—he politely evaded the question, assur- ing them, however, that while his operations in a measure concerned Royal Ardway, the young man was, in his firm opinion, entirely innocent of anything like what Miss Crystol had so sig- nificantly averred. Leaving the cottage, he observed that the “shadow” was persistent on his track. ‘*T must drop that fellow,” he muttered, as he entered his cab and was driven off. “ And I don’t think that matter will be very diffi- cult,’ Tre shadow ” had acab near and was in im- mediate pursuit. Tue method of the man who was playing spy was so broadly open that our detective con- | But how do you know it is a murder case?” chaffed Harry. ‘*Oh, come! you are having a joke out of our _ first oversight, I grant. But we have made up (for it—more than made up—by what we have accomplished in a short space of time.” ‘Then you have accomplished something about the mystery ?’ ‘* Don’t I tell you I have some news for you?” ‘1 would like to hear it.” ‘* We've captured bim.” Who?” | ‘The burglar and assassin—if not the princi- al, at least one of his gang. He’s an ugly one. ea: sir, we’ve nabbed one of the Ardway mur- derers!” This was undoubtedly news—surprising, in- credible news for Harry Hound. Could it be that all his theories were working , the Crescent City Detective. — —_ cot. Upon Desclaing the intruder, he started to a sitting posture and growled: ** W’ot!—ain’t you gents come to the ’clusion et itain’t no use a-tryin’ to drag my tongue oose? W’ot do you want now, anyway, say?” Harry quietly folded his arms and surveyed the uncouth prisoner. ‘Well, you do look hard enough to have com- mitted the murder, that is a fact.” ‘“ Murder!” exclaimed Bill, in evident aston- ishment. “ Yes, it was awfully cold-blooded.” * Wot air you talkin’ about?” ‘** How many times did you stab your victim?” ‘““Stab! How many times did l— Bay, you can’t get nothink out o’ me by your trick talk, so you'd as well give it up.” ** What is your name, my man?” *‘I'm Cracker Bill, from Floridy. I’m a boss alligator. I kin tell you that much,” **Now, Cracker Bill—just for a friend, you know—what did you do with the body of Mr. Ardway after you murdered him?’ The blear eyes distended; the giant jaw, with its unkempt beerd, dropped till his wide round mouth yawned. As if a sudden light bad dawned upon bim, he drawled, in a high, nervous key: “Great alligators! Hev I been slammed in heyr for a murder—say?” ‘That's the size of it. Guess you were not asleep when it happened,” coolly said the detec- tive. ‘“ Why, I’m innercent—jest as innercent as a six-weeks crockerdile.” ** You’d better be bunting up some der: of it then; the proof is now decidedly the other way. The cnances are you will have a very short trial, a quick conviction, and then a free ride in the air,” and The Hound made a signi- ficunt circular motion with the index finger around bis neck. The shrewd detective saw that Cracker Bill had not so much as heard of the murder, He was under the impression that be had only been arrested upon the suspicious circumstance of a rough tramp, such as he was, being pos- sessed of and trying to pawn a valuable dia- mond, But how had he obtained the gem? The detective was now playing to learn this. The blank look of mingled astonishment and cluded he must be a very green hand at the business, When the cab containing the ‘‘shadow ” dismay depicted in the visage of the “boss al- ligator” was too genuine to be mistaken. ‘*Now, my friend from Florida, as it is a set- | on a false trail?—and the police were ahead of | him in getting down to the nucleus of the mys- | tery while he was ferreting through the channels | wheeled around a certain corner, the cab sup- posed to be conveying Royal Ardway—who was plainly a suspected man—was a good half block ahead, Standing and leaningidly against the awning- post of a grocery store, paring his finger-nails, and smoking a cigar, was Harry Hound him- self, his coat even of a different color, wearing the tight cap that was a favorite with bim— every particle of resemblance to Royal having vanished, When cab No, 2 was out of sight on its goose- chase, the detective sauntered away, hailed another conveyance, and was driven to the St, Charles Hotel. In the basement he encountered Trim Taskar. ‘Trim, you’re the very party I’m looking ‘** Well, here I am,” **T have something for you to do.” - Any thing in my power to serve you, Harry.” ‘Can you give me a few hours of your time to-night?” ** Cheerfully.” * Report to me at the agency at twelve, midnight. I have a ticklish job to perform and will need help. No one will suit me as well as you.” ‘Tl be there, depend.” The Hound had a reason for preferring Trim’s assistance in whatever he was about to do, It was a matterin which he did not care to share certain knowledge with any brother officer of | shop on Royal, Conti, Bourbon and Baronne Harry Hound obligingly seated bimself beside | the force. streets. the man, who leid a huge dirty band on bis vis- & He had half expected to find the reporter “What has your capture amounted to beyond | itor’s knee in a confidential way. here, and having accomplished the meeting this, Roatanante ‘‘Who air you, anyway, Cap?” was abow to move away, when Trim suddenly “There is the trouble. I tell you he is an ‘“ Well, I am a detective.” ¥ cauzht him by the sleeve. _ | ugly one—sullen as a tiger, close-mouthed as a ‘An’ so I thort—shake! I’m a alligator, I “Mr, Hound—look there!” he whispered, in | clam. Can’t get anything but a growl out of | am, a boss from Floridy.’ a stagey voice. him. Swears point-blank he'll die before he’ll | They shook hands. Harry had an object in “a ., What's up, Trim?” give anybody satisfaction.” humoring him. . , That man over there, with the fawn-colored ‘* Look here, lieutenant, I would like to have “Now, I am a-goin’ to sing the thing out J overcoat.” a talk with him.” square to save my neck.” ie eee ‘* Well, I don’t see that there can be any ob-| “ Don’t tell any lies about it,” suggested the ‘‘ He’s wearing very different clothes, but I | jection. But if you expect to get anything out | detective. am <ure of the face.” of him, I think you will find yourself fooled.” ‘*W’ot!—me lie? Hope I may die if I do. ‘Nothing extraordinary about his face, is ‘* Where have you got him?” Cause why? The naked truth is my best holtin 4 there?” ‘ ‘* He’s at the station yet.” this heyr case. Now, then, where did I git the . ‘Yes, there is. There goes the identical per- **T shall see him.” diamon’ stud at, w’ot I was a-tryin’ to pawn— “7 son I saw looking in from the entry when the | _ The detective went to the station forthwith. | say?’ and Cracker Bill, with a comically wise MI voodoos were dancing around the girlon the cot | He was promptly conducted to the cell contain- | look, paused as if he expected the other to guess “e at the house in Franklin street.” ing the latest important arrest when he made | the riddle instanter. i “ Sure?” himself known. ‘Ob, I give it up,” rejoined The Hound. 4 at oath to it.” . Being admitted and left alone, the detective *Lis’en unto me, then. Two nights back I a **Y'll bear him in mind, Trim.” stood confronting the man whom the reader has | was a-tangin’ onto the wake of a fellow w’ot ; The man was The Prince, Desmond. Uncon- scious of the fact that he was being so keenly scrutinized, he walked on out of the hotel, ** Don’t forget, Trim, to-night at twelve,” ad- of a deep and intricate plot? For a full quarter minute he stared silently into the lieutenant’s beaming face. CHAPTER XIV. A TALK WITH ‘‘ CRACKER BILL.” THe lieutenant enjoyed the astonishment his words had caused. ‘* Are you quite sure, sir, that you are on the right track?” Harry asked. ‘Oh, quite. You see, we obtained from Mr. Royal Ardway a description of some jewelry usually worn by his father and which had been stolen, The pawnbrokers were warned and fur- nished with written duplicates before eight | o'clock this morning. And none too soon. A ligie after nine o’clock we were telephoned in a h@rry from Conti street. Dispatched an officer there and nabbed our game in the act of hag- gling over a loan upon a piece of the missing jewelry.” ‘* What was the article?” ‘¢ A diamond shirt-stud, with the letter ‘A’ on the back of the mounting.” “You searched the fellow for more, of course?” ** Yes, but that was all we found. Enough, isn’t it, to prove that he must be more or less connected with the Ardway mystery?” ** Looks that way, truly,” Harry was somewhat surprised that he had not been advised of the presence of the man at the pawnbroker’s, for he, too, bad notified every had a glimpse of on the night Edna Crystol fol- arn Royal Ardway like a spy to Clyde cot- age. The tigerish ruffian whom we know as Cracker tled fact that you will be hung—” Bill broke in with a loud snort: ‘* Hang me, when [ ain’t done nothin’!” “Yes, but you bave.” ‘‘ Hope to die if I’ve brok’d the law since I struck Louzeanny.” “You killed a gentleman named mais you robbed him, too; you were caught in the act of pawning some of the jewelry taken from his person—” sé Sa Jann? “« What is it?” ‘*D’you take the boss alligator o’ Floridy for a jackass fool ” ‘* D’'you think I'd kill a gent then po’ka roun’ the town where I murdered him at, a-hawkin’ an’ peddlin’ his bobs?” Cracker Bill appeared disgusted that such a thing sbould be t ie of him. ‘**‘You want me to believe you did not kill Mr. Ardway ?” ‘‘No more did I—nor nobody else, Cap, I swored I wouldn’t give them police any satis- faction outen me. I know’d I hadn’t done nothink, when all to a sudden—w’ot!—heyr you air a-talkin’ bout me killin’ somebody. I’m a eg to confess right up, I am. ’Cause why? hings is gettin’ a sort o’ a dubiousaspec’. ’8-s-t) Come , an squat on me oriental otterman heyr. He thumped in couch, inviting the detective to a seat. ats on the scant-covered meandered his wey outen Pr’tania street. I was dead bu’sted an’ lookin’ fur a opportunity to raised me pile, an’ as he was rigged in tonny togs, says I: ‘Cracker Bill, down that chap an’ monished The Hound, moving off.” Bill by his own appellation. rake in all the wealth ’e carries.’ D’ you see? > 1 **Ohb, I'll be on hand, never fear.” He was sprawled lazily on the rough camp 'I follered ‘im to a cottage, an’ when he come “ee | : } comicbooks.com