Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 238 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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tackled onto ma, an’—” — ee er ee a — oe -- —— — He was about to make a new play in the game. As he rode along he removed the dis- uise. . Arrived at the station, be only paused long enough to give the driver a liberal fee and dis- charge bim, then burried inside with the hu- man burden, still unconscious, in his arms. Both the night-captain and lieutenant chanced to be present. This was exaetly what he had hoped for. ‘‘ Hello, Mr. Hound! what have you there? demanded the captain. ‘‘] should say a dead man,” ventured the lieutenant. ‘** No, he is not dead, gentlemen. An import- ant witness in the Ardway case that I was lucky enough to capture.” The lieutenant was particularly interested at this announcement, ‘** Please let me have a couch to spread the fel- low on. And perbaps it will be as well to call he doctor,” Harry urged. In a side room the captive was deposited upon bed ‘‘] hardly think we’ll need a doctor,” re- marked the lieutenant, who had considerable experience with agly wounds. ‘Struck him with a billy, eh?” as es,” ‘“‘ Toere’s no actual fracture of bones. Sponge water and linen will repair bim.” By the time t'.e ruffian’s ugly phiz was washed and bandaged, he had recovered and was gazing a little stupidly at those around him, ‘‘ How do you begin to feel?” inquired the de- tective, with a grim smile. ‘‘Weel’s if I was all mashed to pieces, that’s how.” ‘* Do you know where you are” “‘ Looks like it was a station-house,” “You are a good guesser,” ‘Am I ‘ brought in?” ** Just that.” ‘* An’ where’s the feller w’ot—” he checked himself, ‘“ You mean the man you wanted to kill?” ‘T wasn’t a-tryin’ to kill nobody.” ‘Oh, yes, you were,” “Swear to ‘mighty I wasn’t. Some galoot ‘*H ld on, my friend. I’m the man you at- tacked on Custom-bouse street,” sé You !” “The very one,” * Oh, nary.” ‘‘ Not a bit of mistake, I assure you. I guess I remember laving out you and your pal. You see, | was on the lookout for your little game, I was dressed up to look like the man you meant to kill. See the p»int?” ‘Who are you?’ ‘People in your peculiar scale of society call me ‘ The Hound.’” “That settles it.” **Tt does, eh?” ‘¢7T mou’t ’a’ know’d it,” ‘* Known it—what?” ‘* Better ’n to tackle you. Who'd ’a’ thort— But the jig’s up, I reckon,” ‘It is, indeed. You are one of those who will have to help pay the fiddler. I shall soon have the rest of The Owls caged.” ‘What do you know about Owls?” “Enough to trap them, as you will admit. Captain—” He turned around to the officer and said something hurriedly in a whisper. ‘*Certainly, Mr. oe ae right.” ‘*Come, get up and trot,” ordered the detec- - tive, turning again to the bandaged and sore- beaded ruffian. The command was obeyed with the slow cau- tiousness of one who bas some uncertainty as to the wholeness of his limbs. The turnkey took hold upon his charge, lead- ing him away, and was followed by Harry Hound. A minute later the prisoner was thrus* into a ceil, and in the same minute he exclaimed, in the tone of one who encounters an old acquain- ance: “Hello, Cracker Bill! what are you a-doin’ here?” Then sounded the voice of the boss alligator from Florida: ‘“*Say—you jackass fool! Ain’t you got no sense?” ‘* Sensef—why ?” ‘* Wot do you mean, givin’ away a pal in that sort o’ style? You orter be slam down the gul- let of a old she-crockerdile, you ort!” ‘* Why, where’s the harm when you an’ me’ r’ both in fur it?” What further the boss alligator might have said, or growled, was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Harry Hound, who bad remained out of sight. His face was beaming shrewdly. “Turnkey, give this man another cell. Lock me in here and return iv twenty minutes.’ The new prisoner was forthwith marched cut. The detective turned smilingly upon the tangled- haired giant, . “Well, Mr. Cracker Bill, my little trick worked to a dot.” ““Say—you're just too smart to live long, you are.” — Hank Hound, the Crescent City Detective. ~~ e ‘Maybe so ” ‘*T kin see what you’re drivin’ at.” ‘*Sof You admit, then, that I’ve got a new point on you.” ‘Mit nothin’,” surlily. ‘*Come, now, my delectable boss alligator we must understand each other. You P ayed your part first-class when I last saw you,” ‘*Didn’t play no part at all.” **T think you did.” ‘* Hope to die if I did.” ‘‘ Whether you did or not, we'll have things fixed straight between us now, or you may de- pend I'll have you bung yet.” Bill gave his unkempt bead a dogged shake. ‘‘Here is the case in a nutsbell,” pursued the detective. ‘'In the city of New Orleans there is a gang of scoundrels calling themselves The Owls, They plunder when they can, kill when they choose. This gang murdered a gentleman named Girard Ardway. They buried a young and beautiful girl] alive. I saved the girl; she gave me a reliable description of the wretch who trapped her at the levee some days ago, and also of the fellow who drove her and the villain in acab to a house on Franklin street. The abductor I know; the driver I recognize as my companion at this moment—you, Cracker Bill. Now, just stop to consider—be a sensible rogue; I have captured one of the gang—the fellow in here a minute since; by what passed between you, I can see that you two are of the same crew—” ** Josh war a ornery fool!” ‘‘ Listen. The chief Owl of all, Percy Des- mond, I can put my gripe on at any instant I choose, I have sufficient evidence to send the whole of you ‘up’ for a number of years at hard labor and bang those connected with the Ardway affair. You are not fond of hard labor, 1 imagine.” Cracker Bill sat looking down at the floor of his cell, listening thoughtfully and scratching his head. “Say—w’ot do you want out o’ me, any- way?’ he blurted forth, at Jast, and at the end of a long breath, ‘*T want a clean breast, State’s evidence.” ° ‘An’ w'ot do [ get fur it?’ ‘*A very light punishment, if any.” Bill paused to ponder on this. He knew he was in a corner, but, unlike the proverbial rat, there was no fightin him. The mention of Percy Desmond as leader of The Owls, settled it in his mind that the detective had matters down fine and there could be very little use in trifling bravado, Be it said for him, his previous story regard- ing the manner in which he bad obtained the tell-tale diamond that led to his arrest, was true. He was in ignorance of the tragedy within the Ardway mansion until informed of it by the detective. But he was a member of the owlish organiza- tion, was already in the toils of the law, when the work of the detective culminated in the nabbing and trial of the whole gang, Cracker Bill could bardly avoid prominence as com- panion in guilt. Perbaps. in the uncertain in- tricacies of a court, they would connect him directly with the Ariway murder, Such pros- pects had a decidedly weakening influence. He resolved to betray the burglarious brother- hood out and out. CHAPTER XXIX. A CAPTURE AT THE LAKE, Tue Hound coolly awaited to hear the decision he knew was sure to come, : He had gauged the character of his man pret- ty correctly. ; ‘“Cap, you've got me!” exclaimed Bill, ‘Ina hole, eh?’ ‘ 'Y-a-a-s,” ‘‘ What are you going to do about it?” ‘There don’t ‘pear to me to be a openin’ for craw-fisbin’.” ‘* Not a slide, mv boss alligator,” ‘You want me to turn State’s evidence?” ‘Tt is your last chance,” ‘°F T tell you all w’ot I know, I’m a-goin’ to be let down easy, am I?” ss Yes ” ** No foolin’?” ‘“ You have my honest promise.” | ‘* You’re right ’bout them Owls— “ Oh, i know that already,” n’ Cap, I’m one of ‘em. . ‘* How Taga the gang altogether?” interro- gated the detective. 4 : ‘“'That’s the way—you jast come on with the questions a ‘ll open the thing out square. There’s bout six of us—on’y six, or hope to die.” ‘‘ Where is the rendezvous?” ‘Tne rendyvooz are on a island in Lake Borgne.” ** What island?” “There’s the pint. ’Tain’t got no name. Lies kinder out from the ma’sh like, where there’s a big sort o’ a two-j’'inted smooth rock.” ‘* How else can it be identified?’ “ A log cabin is built on to it, an’ nothink else **That will do.” ‘i D ’ ‘*T know the island.” 21 “‘Reckon there’s a heap o’ plunder inside o’ that cabin what you detec’ chaps ’1l be glad to come acrost,” said Bill, with a mysterious nod of his shaggy locks. ‘*‘ Lots on band, eh? How did you happen to be so down at the heel, then, when you were caught?” “Why, d’you see, we only divides onc’t a month,” ‘Oh, is that the way of it? Your leader has some system, then?” ‘**Cap, how’d you learn ’bout Percy Desmond bein’ the boss Ow]?” The detective’s eyes glistened. Though pretty sure of Desmond, it required just this little speech from Cracker Bill to confirm his sus- picions. ‘Why, a little bird—” ‘‘ Say, I ain’t no fool.” Harry Hound laughed. ‘Now, Cap, a-nother thing. Maybe it mou’t be vallyble to you to know ’at this night are a meetin’ night. ’F I wasn't jugged in here I'd be there when the boss Owl] rapped, to claim my share out 0’ the sale 0’ bobs,” The detective arose quickly on hearing this. He well knew the almost deserted island alluded to by Cracker Bill. The announcement that the Owlish crew were to hold a meeting there that very night aroused bim to the urgency of imme- diate action. Now was the time to strike, ‘*Say—w/’ot are you going to do? Don’t vou want to know any more’n that little bit?’ Bill demanded. ‘Ts there much more to tell?” *“*T sbould grin?” ‘* Well, it will keep. You save it for ma.” “You're a-goin’ to scoop the rest of my pards, ain’t you?” “ That’s exactly my intention at present,” ** Don’t let ’em know ’at I give it away.” Harry abruptly left the cell and the station, He went direct to detective head-quarters, Luckily for his object he found his chief there, A rather brief, low-toned conversation ensued between the two. At the expiration of half an hour Harry hurried away fromthe Agency. Hailing a cab he gave the driver orders which soon deliver him at the cottage of the Clydes, His visic here was short and of a surprising character io Mrs. Clyde and Isabel. Still retaining the conveyance, he nextsought a store, where he purchased a small supply of provisions and wine, and with these in his arms arrived at the house on Baronne street, where Royal Ardway was in seclusion, ‘Your term of imprisonment will expire to- morrow,” he said, sociably, to the young man, ‘*T am heartily glad to bear it, I declare.” *‘ Now listen to me, To morrow moraing you will have a dangerous part to pla and] must put you thorougbly on your guard,” He proceeded to relate the existing plot against Royal Ardway’s life, giving the true character and part history of the beautiful impostor who had assumed the name of Edna Crystol, expos- ing, at the same time, the villany of Percy Des- mond—Charles Courtley—the reputed scion of a good and wealthy family. The whole was startling information to Royal. Then followed a few very explicit instruc ons for the morrow, Leaving the young man, our busy Cetective el his driver to ‘he Louisville & Nashville po * ** And be smart about it!” he cried, urgently. By the time be reached the bead of Canal street he had but a few seconds in which to catch the outgoing accommodation; hardly had his feet touched the car steps when the engine belled and puffed forward on its route. And while Harry sped thus away upon a bur- ried mission, be bad left a very important piece of business behind for his chief to attend to, The clocks were pointing toward late at night when a number of shadowy forms began con- centrating toward that spot in the marsh which Cracker Bill had indicated by a“ big sort o’ atwoj’inted smooth rock,” The water made an inway through the weedy, wet herbage, afford- ing a danding for a small bateau: and such a craft, capable of bolding half a dozen men was moored to the spongy shore, The night was stil! and starry; excepting the whispering breathings of lonely nature, or a stray gleaming light out on tle glassy Borgne, there was an absence of life fairly palpable, _The shadowy forms came singly at intervals, sinking noiselessly out of sight, As the hour verged on twelve, midnight, three new and different figures, stealt!y as huge, erect cats, and walking swiftly, approached in single file along an almost imperceptible path. Silent as the specters they resembled, they advanced to the boat, and one stooped to take the mooring padlock from its stout chain in an old log. While the operation was being performed, out on the stilly air sounded, from the throat of one of the others, the mournful tewyt-oo hoo of an owl, as if in signal to some possibly lurking companions. The signal was answered in a way that im- mensely astonished the trio. * Inasemicircle around them, uprose a cordom Ne Ee ee ~ ) comicbooks.co