Sats

SS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$0 96:0 20 SIO

(‘Bae yojeq) son1esqo easBep z "ueuIWNy| OSG
Gre: | S822 | 6zze-| Zz'Bh | LOSE te
veh [xe

600 00 —<— Aisueg
£20 | EF | 45'@s | 20'9%-| O9'6s | ce-0-
yO- | oFo- | Ss'eh | sett | Seve | cr'ee-|ze's |oeel-| ver | thet
90°26 | p2'2s | zer6e | ts'¢9 | ze'0d | 9's | oz'by | zerey | eso | ZI6e
or Weateatebead Selves Ole

6

1

Se

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dssued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, éy STREET & SMITH, 278 Willtain S24, Vai XG
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1902, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C

No. 1. NEW YORK, October 4, 1902.

Price Five Cents.

 

 

By A CELEBRATED AUTHOR,

 

° CHAPTER Tf.
SCENTING DANGER,

“Good Heaven! do you mean to tell me that man is in this
house?”

“Old Broadbrim!”

“My God, Nugent, then we are lost!”

~The speaker quivered in every nerve. It was evident that he

had some good reason in the past for fearing the keen old detect-
ive beyond the ordinary sensation produced in the breast of a
“crook” at the mention of a detective’s name.

If Old Broadbrim was on their trail Allan Prentice preferred
to be elsewhere. There was a method in his madness.

He had good reasons for fearing the great detective.

Nugent, however, had as yet known little experience with Ol d
Broadbrim, and although visibly alarmed at the threatening dan-
ger, was not yet ready to give up all hope of outwitting the in-
truder.

Allan Prentice had not spoken foolish words when he de-
clared they were lost if the old detective was on their trail.

Those whom Broadbrim tracked were, as a usual thing,
brought to grief.

He had never been known to touch a case but what it had been
run to. a conclusion. Sometimes the result may have been dis-
appointing, but the truth was what he aimed for, and he got it.

“T hope it is not so bad as’that,” said Nugent.

“J tell you, man, we are lost. That devil of a detective has

ruined more magnificent schemes in this city of New York than a

dozen ordinary men. We may baffle him for a time, but mark my
words as prophecy, he will run us.down in the end.” 6
“But we may kill him,” hissed Nugent.

“Others have tried and failed.”

“He cannot be invulnerable.”

“It would appear as though he were. I have known him to
escape all manner of danger, and more than one man who
sought to snare him has been caught in his own trap.”

“He must be the devil.”
“I fancy myeself he is some near relative of the evil one.’
“But surely you do not mean to give up?”

“You know me too well for that, Nugent.”

“Yes, I do. You will fight this cursed detective to the end
with me?”

“Count on me. I have fought him before.”

“And in the. death of the detective your wrong of the past may

be wiped out.”

A light leaped into the eyes of Allan Prentice. He caught his
breath as though he had for the moment dared to hope that some-
thing which had hitherto been a dead weight upon his memory
might be lifted.

“Tf it could only be,’ he muttered.

“It may be. Come, man, be yourself, and there is hope for
us yet.”

“Twill, Nugent. That devil shall not succeed again without a
struggle.”

“That is more like business. When you talk that way it tells
me I can rely on you as of old. Our secret may be in danger,
but don’t you realize that Old Broadbrim, in entering this house
to explore it, in order to satisfy some curiosity, has put. himself
in our power. I .cannot understand why one man of all the world
has power to make you tremble.”

“You do not know Old Broadbrim.”

“You are rignt—I do not. know him from experience, though J
placed his face in my memory. But, from the present indications,
it wotdd seem as though the time were near at hand when my

  

 
  

2 OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

oe aintance with this fiend of a man- tracker would be all I baat
a SUN.

“When you know him better, perhaps: you will not think sO
badly of ime?

“He improves on acquaintance, then?”

“The more a man of our profession knows of Old Broadbrim,
the worse it is for his health” -

“Ll have heard this before.”
~ “You will believe it soon,

“Perhaps so; but to business.”

cae his actions, what did you suspect was his ay? in "Vis
case!

“To me it seemed that he suspected or knew something Was in
this building, that would pay hini to investigate.”

#Ah! how was that?”

“His face—his cautious manner.”

“He carried a masked lantern, you say?’’

“In one hand—-a ready revolver in the other.”

“I have seen him use that weapon,” said Allan, with a iden

“and every time it sounds some poor wretch has a dose of lead. »

“He.is quick on the shoot, then?”

“Like lightning. Heaven help the man at whom that’ weapon is
disch arged. But, Nugent, time is passing. I fancy he ‘must be
nea arly through with his work below. He will then be coming
up.’

“Let him come. We shall be teady for him.”

“You are hopeful in regard to caging him.”

“T feel sure of it. With fhe’ ‘appliances - we have here, Old Broad-
brim should never leave this place alive. To work, Prentice, and
the old detective is doomed !”

Meantime, the man below was pursuing his investigations after
his own manner.

Old Bevadbein had not entered that beside through -mere
curiosity,

Josiah Broadbrim was above the eaditle height, and a donc ob-
server would have noticed that he had the frame, ‘muscles and
sinews of an athlete. He was elderly, his hair being touched
with gray, but his clear and bright, shrewd eye showed tliat -he
was still in the prime of life. His whole face indicated shrewd-
mess and acuteness above the‘common, while his heavy jaws
and determined mouth showed him to be a man who would ‘stop
at nothing, a man utterly fearless in the performance of his duty,
yét with sufficient caution to prevent him from pone foolhardy—
or reckless.

He was dressed in a quiet suit of gray, such as was worn by the
religious sect known as Quakers, some time ago, was clean-shaven
and wore a dark felt hat with a broad brim.

Josiah Broadbrim, the Quaker detective, hailing ene from
Philadelphia, had become known around the world as. one of the
shrewdest sleuths alive.

He was or a trail.

{he criminals of New York had been unusually. active, and
there was little time for a mai of his attainments to sleep.

‘When he entered that house, he believed he was on what gave
promise of being the greatest trail of his lite,

That meant volumes ; for the old detective had seen "many
strange and desperate scenes. in his day, and it must needs be
a startling and wonderful case that could outrank all others. He

had gone through most of the rooms below without making a dis- .

covery. In many of them the dust of years lay undisturbed, and
these he passed through with a mere casual glance around, He
knew there was something beyond.

The old manor-house, so familiar to the Ws BE one
of the most prominent - thoreughfares-in the great metropolis,
had lain idle for many vars Deconse, of. some lawsuit that eat
up. the estate:

“That it was not ee déserted all this time was a fact known
to few, if any.

‘To Broadbrim: had come ‘such knowledge.

He was there on this night because of a certain clew that aa

come irito his possession, and which started- him upon this trail.

‘He had now: explored all the lower story but one room, evi-

dently the library in times gone by. This he now entered.

It would have been a dismal! place under the most favoring cir-
cumstances, and seen at this solemn hour, with only the “fight
from the masked lantern of the detective to dispel some of the
weird shadows, the old library had an uncanny appeatance that
somehow reminded one of the tomb, ©

  

The damp, moldy smell that pervaded the: ‘apartment. was con-
ducive to this thought. See

Somehow Broadbrim seemed to take more interest in this reaii
than any he had yet visited. He scanned the walls, even gently
sounding them as though he were looking for some secret pe

back of” the surface. Tn this he did not succeed.

Leaving. the library he entered the hall. _ A> solemn silence

reigned.

The stairs leading upward were before him, and he sent a

ray of light above before commencing their ascent.

Did he suspect danger lurked there?

“More, he knew it.

This ‘knowledge did not deter tie for Old wae: was a
man who had many a time laughed at grim death, and kicked
hina out of doors when he tried to be too: familiar.

He started up the staircase. Halfway to the top there came a
crash:

The steps had given way.

A black pit yawned beneath, being an old vipat that — éxisted
in“the cellar of the house. On the stairs above a man appeared.

It was Nugent.

“Come here, “Alfan ! “Oar secret is safe!” he said:

na Cag hardly believe it,” answered Prentice, also making his
appearance.

The evidence is before you.”

“And Old Broadbrim is in the pit?”

» Exactly. Here, hold this*dark lantern while c creep to. the

edge. Then hand it down when Pm rea.”

“What would you. do?”

“Look in upon his ntisery.” i ; ie See

“Be careful; he may have life enough in him to plant a bullet
in your brain.”

vite risk thag”

Perhaps Nugent was jisihed in balevine that the man who
had gone into the old well through the man-trap would not be apt

to give them-any more The. last man who Bag made ‘

an involuntary descent had died eee
Nugent crawled forward.

His. companion in crime held the. little lantern so that its bull’ S-

eye light fell upon. him..

This. he did in order to save Nugent from. making a misstep
and heing precipitated into the depths that yawned below.

The man crouched upon the lower step. Zs

“Give me the lantern!”

Ere Allan Prentice could obey,-something occurred that was
evidently. not down.on the programme. A face Appeared, cone
from the blackness.

It was the countenance of Old Broadbran,

At the same moment an arm flashed up and the ee closed
with a grip of steel about the throat of Nugent.

This much the man above saw, and the sight ‘filled him with
horror, unspeakable,

When Nugent felt himself thus seized: ah int dineee of being.’
drawn over the brink into the mat-trap, he vaya a neg oil

his hold upon the baluster.
At the same time he drew back.

-This action brought the shoulders “of Old ban ocean into view. os

The ‘situation was such that Nugent must necessarily draw
his enemy out of the pit.

He could not release either hand to Strilee the old hain,
who was hanging to his throat like a bulldog, and his only

course was tos “save himseif by aa og Broadbrim nee the

stairs. ata
They were in ‘total eines: crac Ra Ree Gages) a
The man above had fled’ with a cry ‘ot alarm, aad: ae desertion

at such a critical moment seemed to seal Nugent's Bs Nr

Allan’ Prentice was ordinarily no coward.

‘He was known as a daring, reckless. man who. in his dee
with the police force of the great city, had always come out

ahead,

As has been shown, he had private yeasons ios entertaining
the liveliest fears toward: lhe at ay

His experience in the past had been of such a natute that
he did not hanker after any moré fike it in the future. :

‘He no doubt acted basely in deserting his. comrade in the
moment of his peril, when a leap forward and a quick, sute
blow would have settled the business, but ie spectacle of the
detective, appearing from the depths to which he had been
hurled. alfected the nerves of the inan and “broke him up,”

 

 

 

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

Hastily entering one of the rooms he locked the door. Then,
with drawn revolver, he listened breathlessly. Not a sound was
to be heard. The stillness of death reigned.

Ha! what was that rustling sound in the hall outside, passing
by the door?

Prentice held his breath. His finger played nervously with the
trigger of his revolver, and his teeth grated together in a sud-
den fury. Was that a light suddenly flitting past?

The detective had lost his masked lantern down the pit, un-
doubtedly, but he might have picked up that left by Prentice
in his hasty flight.

“Tf he finds what we would hide, all is lost,” muttered the man,

- desperately.

A slight noise sounded back, of him. |

He started, but the exclamation that fell from his lips was one
of surprise and pleasure.

“Nugent!”

pe beret

“Thank fortune. How did you escape?” °

“T hardly know myself. That devil hurled me back into the
pit, but I caught the lower side and was downstairs like a flash.”

“Good. Broadbrim can be outwitted at times.”

"Evan Sure OL it.”

“And you came up by the secret panel.”

“Ves, determined to outwit that infernal detective. He must
not and shall not defeat us.” :

“Where is he now?” ©

“I do not know, but I fear the worst.”

eWhat do. you. fear’?

“That he has already entered that room

“<

49

CHAPLER IT:
WHAT HAD HE SEEN?

The fear that Nugent expressed was not groundless.

Broadbrim was in that very room. :

Passing along the hall, as though his instinct warned him in
regard to the proper place he must now look for what he sought,
the detective entered a room at the back of the house.

As Allan Prentice suspected, he had lost his revolver and lan-
tern when he made that sudden. descent,-for both hands were
involuntarily thrown out to catch hold of the edge of the last
stair.

Broadbrim always had a second revolver with him.

.The lantern left behind by the fear-stricken ‘crook’ in his
hasty flight was just as valuable as his own. Hence, he had ap-
propriated it.

As he pushed open the door of the room he flashed his
light hastily around the interior in order to see that it had no
living occupants. —.

Becoming satisfied on this score he entered. Five minutes
later cautious footsteps sounded outside the door which he had
left ajar.

By this time the detective had finished his examination of
what was in the room, and the second clew had been gained.
He crouched by the door. As the shade of his lantern was
turned, not a ray of light could be seen. The parties halted near
the door.

“Do you see anything, Nugent?”

eb do mot.”

A hand was laid on the door. At the same moment bold Nu-
gent uttered a cry, for his arm seemed paralyzed from some
shock. A light flashed in his face. s

Old Broadbrim had slipped back the mask of his lantern. Nu-

gent saw that he was covered by a little revolver held in the’

hand of the detective. The fight was all out of him just. then.
His one arm, seemingly paralyzed by some shock the detective
had been-able to communicate to it, and that grim little weapon
of death were two powerful aids to peace with him.

“T cave,” he uttered, quickly...

“Hands up, both of you,” said Broadbrim, sternly.

They hastened to comply.

“Now,” continued the great detective, “my only desire is to
leave this house. Do you intend to take the risk of trying to
Stop mer

“That depends.”

On whate’ :

“On the chances you give us.” :

“That's honest, Nugent. I see you do not know me fet.

tai

look back to that event with pleasure.’

 

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. 2

By the time you have run against me a few more times you
will be less bold, I imagine.” :

“T have seen all I want of you, curse you, for.a meddling de-
tective.”’

“Oh, ho, that toss I gave you grates on your nerves, does it,
my ‘fine duck? Never mind, the time will come when you can

“T mean. to,

The detective chuckled.

“Why are you here?”

“You know.”

“T may suspect, but I do not know.”

“Then amuse yourself suspecting; you will find it a profitable
business.”

“Vou have discovered something.”

“A. mare's nest.”

“But it will do you no good.”

“Indeed, and why?”

“Because if you attempt to interfere in this case you are a
doomed man.”

“Have your way, Monsieur Nugent.”

“You are inclined to sneer at me.’

“Not at. all You surely mistake.’

“You do not know me yet.”

“Tl have heard of you.”

“Ha! from whom have you heard

“The chief of police at St. Louis was so kind aS to send me
a note recommending you to my tender care, and urging that a
watchful eye should be kept upon you for fear some of our
wild Gotham sports might corrupt your morals.”

“You've been piping me, then?’

“Off and on ever since you reached the Pennsylvania depot
over in Jersey City three weeks back.”

“Curse you. Perhaps it was through me you got on this trail.”

“You gave mea clew.”

Nugent was fully aroused. He looked as though he would
have thrown himself upon the other in spite of the threatening
revolver.

“I can wait,’ he muttered, drawing a long breath.

“For what?’ asked the exasperating detective.

“My revenge.”

“Ves, you can wait. I know of more than one man who is
now waiting for the same thing, in his grave. Have a care Jest .
you go the same way.”

A} take the risk.”

“Then I have no doubt we will meet again, since our roads
lead the same way.”

“You have seen something this night which we would not
have any one see for a fortune. You are a bold man, and have
forced your way into this house to pry into its secret.”

“TI do not pry into secrets from curiosity. When they threaten
the peace of society it is time they became public property. Re-
member that.”

‘What you have seen this night will do you no good. The.
man who-has lifted the veil of that mystery must die.” '

“Admitted. But not till his time comes. Bah! Nugent, you
will know me better. I am going now.” |

As he took a step forward the light fell for the first time upon
the face of Prentice.

Broadbrim uttered an ejaculation.

He ordered the two men to the top of the stairs, where
he stood them together.

The trap was still open.

Descent by the stairs seemed impossible.

To the detective nothing was of this nature.

He quickly bestrode the baluster, and covering the two men
with both his lantern and ready revolver, commenced to move
downward.

They saw that he had outwitted them, and neither attempted
to stay his departure, even though he bore off with him informa-
tion that would prove terribly accusative should they ever find
themselves brought face to face with it in a courtroom where
they were being tried for their lives.

Broadbrim left the house as he had entered it, by means of a
window in the basement.

The two men left behind could only curse, and grate their
teeth with rage.

They had been hoodwinked, and the wide-awake old detective
was on the track, cy : :

demanded Nugent.

23?
 

 

4 : OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

What terrible thing he had seen in that room we shall learn
ere long.

The detective was fully in earnest.

He believed he had now chanced upon a case that was worthy
of his full attention.

Half an hour later he was in the disguise of an English
gentleman, and sauntering along the Bowery.

It was not long before Hungry Joe, a noted confidence man,
had him in tow, and was treating him to various sights prepara-
tory to taking him to some building where a panel game might
be worked to some advantage.

Broadbrim saw all he wanted.

‘Then he whispered a few words in the ear of Hungry Joe that
made that worthy smile in a sickly manner: He cast one halt-
alarmed ciate at the supposed Englishman, and then sidled
away.

For once in-his lif’ Hungry Joe had been taken in for a sucker

In one of the dens through which he had gone, Broadbrim
had sighted his game.

He went back to the place.

When he reached it his, appearance was changed so that he
might have defied recognition. He was now a coultryman.

Rawboned and gawky, he soon made the acquaintance of the
man upon whom he had his eye. This worthy was peculiar in
his appearance.

ae wore his hair long, had a keen eye, and was derbeed as

eneral” by his comrades. Among the men present it was
Se that he was a Southern brigadier-general.

Broadbrim exercised his accomplishments to the utmost, and
with complete success, The general winked at his comrades.

Tt was as inuch as to say he was in luck; and that they would
see him fleece this poor fool from New Jersey before he was
done with him. Adroitly the keen old detective worked the
racket. When it was finally brought to a climax he received
an earnest invitation from the general to accompany him to his
rooms.

‘This was what he fished for.

To outside appearance the Jerseyite had been struck by the
lightning manufactured in his own native State, for when he left
the den his companion was compelled to assist him.

They walked away like sworn brothers. Each was playing a
game. It was crossspurposes, and the best man would win in
the end.

The general allowed himself to be pumped so long as the
thickly- uttered questions of his comrade aroused no suspicion in
his mind, and more than one point was scored by the cunning
detective before they finally reached their destination.

This was a rather ordinary looking domicile and might have
been passed unnoticed by Broadbrim many times had not his at-
tention been drawn to it in some manner,

“An! he thought, while he held on to a post and let the gen-
eral open the door, “this grows interesting. I have seen this
house before. It holds game worth looking after.”

They entered the house. It was Broadbrim’s intention before
leaving it to be in’ possession of facts which were necessary in
order to fill discrepancies in the chain he was forging.

The general led him into his room. He fancied the country-
man was too drunk to notice that he slipped the bolt into its
socket aiter their entry.

Broadbrim smiled quietly as he thought how fe the wily
general was playing into his hands.

The first act of the general after securing the door was to pro-
duce a bottle and glasses.

He poured out a liberal allowance for his companion, which
Broadbrim ‘managed, when not observed, to empty in the ashes

of the grate.

They were seated at a table, and the general’s idea was evi-
dently to keep the countryman busy with the bottle until he was
thoroughly soaked, and in that condition he could be readily
robbed, :

Finally the time had come for the detective to show his hand.
Me suddenly covered the general with a revolver.

“A word above a whisper and you die!”

As these words were hissed into his ears the general gave evi-
dence of great consternation.

“What does this mean?” he gasped.

“Merely that you are caged. Adolph Werner.”

“Great Cesar! you know me?”

TAY, as one of the best accomplished bogus money makers in
the country.”

“You are a. detective,”

The man’s dashing face grew white as death. He ran one
soft hand through his long, ebon locks, and his eyes glittered
like sparks of fire. In his mind he was saying:

“T would give five years of tny life to have Jack, my partner,
suddenly. appear upon the scene, unbeknown to this devil, who
will force what he wants from me, I fear, before he is done.
But the chances are Jack is away, and, if so, then I am lost!”

It looked as though this last were the truth.

Broadbrim quietly. waited. He could afford to.. Having the.
“drop” on the other, he was. ready to let the seed work in his:
heart, believing in the adage that “he who hesitates is lost.’

The general writhed uneasily in his chair,

He would have tried anger, and turning upon his enemy with
blazing eyes and. quivering form, have cowed him by his fe-
rocity.

*« But he did not.

Whether he had, guessed ‘the identity of the seeming gawky
countryman or not, he could not but realize that the party who
had played this shrewd game on him must be a man of extraor-
dinary ability, upon whom such demonstrations would be lost.

‘What would you?” he asked, at length.

“Ah, now you are coming to your senses.
eyes, Adolph “Werner.”

Le aint fone”

“Now answer question No. 1: Where is Gertrude Alexander ?”

The man started as though shot.

“I do not know,” he finally replied. @

“You He. Be more careful this time, sir. Question No. 2:
Who among your friends carries a dagger shaped like a Malay
creese?’

The counterfeiter fairly gasped this time, but the eyes’ of the
detective held him to the rack, and it seemed as though he could
not avoid a straight answer this time.

There fell from his lips a name.

Broadbrim caught it.

“Allan Prentice !’’ w

The detective smiled “blandly, for this was a clew of some
importance to him.

“You do well to answer me. Now, once more to the breach.
Question No. 3: What was your share in that business?”

“What business?”

“No trifling. You understand from my questions that I am
on the track of your great secret. Answer me at once.”

The man fairly cringed before the words of the detective, and

Look me in the

“ opened his mouth to speak.

Then there flashed over his face a gleam of sudden hope that
caused him to close his lips again.

He would not betray himself.

His gaze seemed to have gone over the shoulder of the de-

tective to something beyond

CHASER It.
WRESTLING TACK:

Broadbrim. turned his head suddenly. He saw nothing to
alarm him. Back of him was a closet, the door of which stood
ajar, but there was not asion Of a living soul besides themselves
in the room.

He took only one “quick glance.

Fearing treachery from the man in front, he again transferred
his whole. attention to him.

The general looked despondent; whether the emotion was real
or, feioned it would be hard to say.

“Are you going to speak?” demanded Broadbrim.

“You are hard on.a poor devil. Have you no mercy? Some
time fortune might throw you into my power, and you would
experience the same sensations I do now. You want me to be-
tray not only my friends, but myself. Once I admit my share
in that business you can do what you will with me. That’s about
the size of our game. Now, I don’t propose to do anything of
the kind if I can help myself. You may take me to the Tombs,
and lock me in a cell, ‘and keep me there till doomsday, but
not a cursed word will you get out of me. You will have to go
elsewhere for your evidence, Mr. Detective.
pipe and smoke it.”

"ART?

Put that in your

«©

 

 

 

 

SI IRE IES II TO om OO TI
 

 

'
‘

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. 5

The words of the general had been rolled off in a voluble
manner, and in a loud key. To an ordinary observer it would
seem.as though excitement were working upon him. Broadbrim
knew better.

This man a minute before had cringed and cowered like a pol-
troon, and this singular courage had come to him suddenly.

Again he turned his head.

The loud voice of the general might have had a mission, and
that mission the deadening of footfalls’from behind his back.

At the moment Broadbrim turned something occurred. A
heavy stick that was held aloft in the hand of a man descended
with crushing force.

The blow was enough to have felled an ox.

Broadbrim rolled out of his chair to the floor.

The man who had thus suddenly appeared upon the scene had
issued forth from the closet, in which there was evidently a con-
nection with some hall or other room. He was a brawny, ath-
letic fellow, and evidently. a born athlete. ®

The general leaped to his feet.

wie i

“Give him another, Jack. Crush the head of the cursed de-
Hecran

“No; I think I have cooked his goose now. No man ever got
up again when Wrestling Jack got sich a whack at him. I say,
pard, he had you in a tight box that time.”

“I own up beat for once, Jack. I was wishing you’d put in
an appearance when I saw you peek out of the closet. Vhe rest
of the game, I fancy; was played mighty well.”

“First rate; but I say, general, they've dropped on your little
game. What's to be done now?”

“Hang me if)I know.”

“Perhaps this chap’s the only one that is on the trail. If so,
all is easy enough.”

“You mean—he disappears?”

“IL mean—he disappears.”’

“Good again—have you, any idea who he is?”

Jack scowled fiercely.

“Yes, I know him,” he replied.

“Who is the bloke?”

“Old Broadbrim, the Quaker detective!”

The general uttered a low whistle, and his hushed face turned
somewhat pale again in spite of his attempt to appear uncon-
cerned,

“Pve never run against him before.”

“But you've heard enough of him, I reckon?”

“Well, rather. When Old Broadbrim goes under there isn’t
a crook in all New York that won’t breathe easier. -I1 wonder

what Prentice and Nugent would say if they knew he was after -

them.”
“Perhaps they do know.”
“What makes you say that?”
“T have seen Nugent.”
“Lately?”
“Within the half hour.”
“And he had news?”
“News indeed. .Our secret is in danger.”
“From whom?”
“The man who lies there.”
“You say they knew this: How was it?”

“Broadbrim was in the house not over an hour ago. More

than that, he was in the room which we swore no man but our-
seves must enter.”

“Good Heavens! Then are we indeed lost!”

PINOr yet”

“What! you hope still.”

“While there's life there’s hope. That’s the maxim of the doc-
tors, and we, too, believe it. That Broadbrim is alone in this
matter I have good reason to believe. Again he learned some-

_ thing at the house, but not all he desired to know, else he would
not have come here demanding information.”

“Yes,-what you say is true.”

The general was regaining his courage, and in a few minutes
he would be as bold as a lion. He was no impostor.

During the Civil War he had really been a brigadier-general
on the PY Spa tes side. Fighting for what he considered prin-
eiple and patriotism, he had done noble service, and no man
had proven his bravery more gallantly:on-the field of battle than
Adolph Werner. Since that time he had sunk into the depths,
and his nature had been changed.

As one who broke the law and was coutinually in fear of ar-

rest and exposure, conscience made a coward of him. Many

men in this world are ruled by that inward monitor that makes
or breaks them.

“It may not be so bad afterall,” he admitted.

am sure itis not,’

“You have an idea?”

“And a good one, by which we can save ourselves and gain
our ends,”

“That idea is connected with Broadbrim here?”

“Well, rather, since its whole tenor is to dispose of him in such
a manner that he will never give us trouble again.”

“He is in our power.”

“And shoald never leave it.”

“Do you mean imprisonment—or death?” ,

“Dead men tell no, tales, Adolph. ~ I would never sleep well
if that man were simply held in confinement, for he is a devil,
I tell you, and the deepest dungeon would not hold him.”

“He would, escape?”

“Either that or find some means of communicating with his
detective friends. They have all manner of cunning devices, you
know. In either case our cake would soon be dough.”

“You are right. Only one thine remains. To save ourselves
we must sacrifice him.”

 
 

  

“Old Broadbrim must die!”
Cet { i 4 1 oy)
lf he is not dead already :

ye t

“True, I did give him a thump that would have broken thre
skull of any man but a negro. Possibly he is already gone. Our
plan must be the same, however.”

“You have a plan to dispose of the body then?”

“One I have thought of. before.”
“Throw him into the harbor?”

“Not much, They might find him there. My idea is to cast
the detective into the limekiln,”

“I catch your idea. There would be no body left to tell the
story to his friends.”

“Not a trace. Bones and all would be eaten up by the lime
until not a sign remained.”

“Ush! its a terrible thine to: do.”

“Do you hesitate, general? I understand you were considered
a fire-eater during the: war?

What if Lowe :

 

  

>

  
  

2? There’s a good deal of difference between
leading your men into the jaws of death, amid the roar of battle,
and coming down to murder. But do not mistake me, Jack. I
am in this thing, and will go to the end. Self-preservation is
the mrst law of nature.”

“Go for a hack, and Til wait for you here,”

“T suppose. Tim will be on hand?’

“Yes; get Tim and his vehicle. He can keep. a‘close mouth,”

The general left the room.

When alone, Wrestling Jack stood and mused.

“I wonder if | did break the fellow’s skull? He must have
a head of iron if he lived through such a blow. I can soon tell.”

He stooped over the fallen detective.

Old Broadbrim Jay in a heap, with one arm under him and
the ‘other by his side.

To all appearances he was dead.

Wrestling Jack laid his hand on his. heart.

“A

  
 

 

  

At the same moment a chill swept over him, for two surprising
things had suddenly occurred.
Wrestling Jack was no novice. He had been born and bred

in crime. During his checkered career, he had been at times a
jack-of-all-trades. One Year he was a gambler, the next a
“crook,” ready for the second-story racket while the family were
dining at dusk; a third year found him a bank burglar, and so
on to the end,

At present he was mixed up in a case that exceeded in mas-
nitude anything he had as yet attempted in any line. This
tangled skein the old detective had been endeavoring to unravel
when dealt such a murderous blow at the hand of Jack.

Experience had taught the “crook” many things. It had not
given him’ such composure, however, that he could meet-all sur-
prises calmly.

He had just laid his hand upon the breast of the fallen de-
tective, and discovered that it beat, when he became aware of
the fact that. Broadbrim’s keen orbs were fastened upon him,
The revolver of the detective was thrust in his face.

“You are caught, Wrestling Jack, Surrender!” tell from the
lips of the detective.

‘The old Quaker had. deceived them.

 
   

   

6 OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. ee

The hat he wore as a Jersey bumpkin was stuffed in the crown
in such a manner that the blow intended to take his life simply

stunned him a trifle.

Broadbrim had played a shrewd game. Every word that had
dropped from the lips of the two men had reached his ear. At
any moment he was ready for action.

Had there been: occasion for such a display of agility, he was
in good condition for a sudden leap to his feet and a confronting
of the rascals.

Vhe time for action had not come, however, until Wrestling
Jack, moved by curiosity to see what damage his blow had in-
flicted, stooped over him.

Though taken by surprise, Jack was equal to the poe:
His hand rested on Broadbrim’s arm.

A sudden pressure and’ the old detective was no longer able
to cover him with the revolver.

He made a spring upward, and throwing Jack off, managed to
close with him. Then began a desperate struggle.

Broadbrim was strong of frame, and something of an athlete,

but he soon found that in Wrestling Jack he had met one near
his match.

When one thing failed he turned to another.

That was really the reason of his great success in life—he
never gave up.’ li. Jack could not be secured by main strength,
strategy must answer. Pretending to be speaking: to some one
back of the wrestler, he called out:

“Careful, Richards—shoot the right man.
out. Now is your chance!”

Jack was seized with alarm.

He actually believed some confederate stood behind him ready
to fire. ‘Twisting his head he tried to learn the truth.

This was Broadbrim’s opportunity.

He gave the wrestler a twist that freed his arm from Jack’s
clutch. When the desperado turned his head again, anticipating
the truth, he was just in time to receive a crushing blow from
the revolver of the detective.

No hat with a cushion in the crown protected hi head against
the stroke.

Without a groan he went down.

Broadbrim was master of the situation.

This was a way he had of usually turning the tables upon his
Toes,

About fifteen minutes later the door opened and the general
entered, Back of him was a sturdy cabman. This was Tim.
He was well known among gamblers and a certain class of
disreputable men, as always “ready to share in evil worl: where
a hack was needed.

His vehicle was furnished with false numbers for certain oc-
casions, and more than one poor hack driver had come under
the law of suspicion because it was sworn that a carriage bear-
ing his number had been seen loitering near by at the time some
great robbery was committed, and in which certain men had
hastily. driven away.

When the general entered he found one whom he supposed
to be Wrestling Jack bending over the prostrate form of the
detective, over “whose face he had drawn the old hat that had
been worn by the supposed countryman.

“Ts he dead?” whispered Werner.

“No, but he must die,” uttered Jack, hoarsely;
waiting?”

“Shure an’ it is, sor,’

Blow his brains

“ts the hack

* replied the driver.

He was a tough- -looking fellow, with a shock of red hair upon”

face and bead, and a squint in his eyes that made him look both
ways for Sunday,
“Then take hold here.”
He himself caught the limp form by the shoulders, ‘aa while
Tim seized the heels, the general propped up the body.
They slowly pr ceeded outside.
All was dark and silent.
A hack stood by the curb, dr awn by‘a pair of rather fine- -looking
horses.
Tim made heaps of money, and it was necessary that he pos-
_sess horses of good speed, for more than once he had been com-
pelled to race with other vehicles because of some desire on the
-patt of the inmates of his hack to escape.
They had just reached the open door of the hack when the
general uttered a note of alarm.
Tack looked down the street.

Close by and advancing with great strides to the spot was a

policeman.

“Hold on, there!” he ordered, gruffly.

“In with him,’ said Jack.

The body was hastily deposited inside the hack, and the general
leaped after it.

“Tt ig a run ye’re afther?” asked Tim.

That agile worthy was already on his box, and, whip and reins
in hand, seemed equal to any emergency, no matter how serious.

“No. Leave him to me.’

As Jack said this he advanced to meet the officer, who was
now almost at hand.

The general watched them a anxiously.

Was it a part of his comrade’s scheme to leap upon the police-
man and throttle him?

That would be a tough game, for the man held a revolver in
his hand.

Theg seemed to engage in conversation a minute.

Then Jack either showed the policeman something or else
passed over a bribe.

“Tt’s all right,’ said the officer, loudly.

He turned and walked away.

“What did you do?” asked Werner, as the other reached the
hack door. .

“Told him we had a drunken friend we were taking home.
He seemed incredulous at first, but when I had caused him
to look at it from a different light, and through gold spectacles,
he saw that I was a man without guile.”

Between the general and the body of the senseless man, the in-
terior of the coach was pretty well occupied.

“Vl sit with Tim,” said the wrestler, as though an idea had
struck him.

“What if this devil comes back to hfe?”

“Choke him,’ chuckled Jack.

“By George! I will.”

“Off we go, then.”

Another minute and they were moving along at quite a bri
pace.

Tim had not received his orders as yet.

He was ready and willing to drive anywhere. ie

Wrestling Jack seemed dreadfully tickled over something or
other.

Every now and en he veuid indulge in a quiet little laugh.

“Down Broadway, Tim!” he, said.

“Down Broadway it is, sor.”

Some fiiteen minutes later the wrestler again’ gave an order.

y Turn into Canal and then to the right “down Centre street,”
he said,

Evidently the thought of getting rid of the detective in such a
cunning manner had much to do with his merriment, and pos-
sibly in imagination he already saw Old Broadbrim’s bones eaten
by the quicklime, so that every trace of his existence was swal-
lowed up. As the hack turned down Centre street at length,
Tim became a trifle uneasy. The grim walls of the Tombs
loomed up. : ae

“Drive up to the curb here!”

ane ly jnurther! Shure yeas don’t want to go in there at a

Jack,” gasped the driver.

paiceee up and cease your clatter, or I'll do it for you,” said
the other, sternly.

Tim was amazed. The tone was no longer that of Wrestling
Jack. With a groan and a curse he obeyed.

“Now,” said the other, showing a revolver, “hold your horses
still on peril of your life. I am not to be trifled with.”

He sprang to the pavement.

Cpening the door of the hack, he said, grimly:

“General, we are at the sepulchre. Step out!”

Then Old Broadbrim uttered a cry of sera

The vehicle was empty!

CHAPTER IV,
THE CRYPTOGRAM.

For once in his life the wide-awake detective had been ‘caught
napping. In this little game of cross-purpose the etfemy had
managed to outwit him.”

Not that he cared very much about their escape, for so long
as the birds remained in the metropolis he could place the nip-
pers on them at any time. It was the chagrin that caused him

  

 

 

 

    
 

 

 

to feel angry at first. He believed himself more than their

Lanarch:,

Yet in the encounter of wits they had plainly gotten the best
of him. The matter was as plain as print. The other door stood
partly open. This was the means of their it.. It all flashed
upon. the detective as though he were looking upon the scene.

During the drive Wrestling Jack whom he had fixed to repre-
sent himself by exchanging clothes, had recovered his senses.
Before the other could :put his threat into execution the man

had made his identity known.

They had jumped at conclusions respecting the intention of
the detective; and, determined to thwart him, had slipped from
the hack one after the other. Their forethought was made mani-
est by the fact that they had selected that door of the hack on
the side where Tim was sitting. No man could take a joke better
than Broadbrim.

“Vm a suit of clothes better off, anyhow, and perhaps they
may hold something of importance. The next time I have those
chaps in my power I think. it would be wise for me to take a
seat inside the hack instead of out.”

Tim meanwhile was in a sweat.

He was sure the fates had come down upon him at last, and
that he was henceforth to occupy one of the rough cells in the
grim Tombs.

Broadbrim had no use for him in that shape.

. Entering the hack he bade Tim drive him uptown, and then
left him with a word of advice upon mending his ways if. he
did not want to be run in at an early date, all of which Tim
listened to with’ a twinkle in his eye. He appreciated the trick
that had just been played. upon Old Broadbrim, and when alone
laughed heartily over. it.

As-to mending his ways, that was something Tim had no idea
of doing.

Old Broadbrim was satisfied for one night. He went home
when Tim was left behind. A search of the clothes he had
taken from Wrestling Jack when that worthy lay senseless
brought to light a number of small inplements used in the coun-
terfeiting line, and all of them were of the most beautiful pat-
tern. In one pocket the detective found a scrap of paper crum-
bled up as though it were a note he-had received and thrust
away after reading.

It was a cryptogran That is a sn GseeRe in a secret writing.

Without a key, no one could read it.

The detective became convinced that if he could but master
this puzzle it would throw light on a mystery in which he was
groping. He ni an hour over it. Success failed to come to
Bind.
His. brain was weary and ea rest, but before he gave it
up he believed he had ‘struck the keynote to the whole.

At ten the next morning he was in his.office. Again the puzzle
was before him, Letter by letter, he was making it out, and his

success. was.s0 satisfactory. that a grim smile of pleastire came

‘athwart his features. At last the end was achieved. He had
solved the ¢typtogram.

—Phis.is what. the note oneatoed

“Be on your guard. The game is ours if we watch and work.
Remember the sign of the cross at midnight. .Do not fail. When
this job-is done the coast is clear, and the stake ours. wo
_ . Who was the writer? Atter mature del liberation he decided
‘this..-”: :

- It was either Nucent or Allan Prentice.

What midnight*was intended? Hardly the night OS as
it had been a trifle before that hour when Broadbrim, as: the
Englishman, being steered around: town by the bunco man, Hun-
gry Joe, had first seen Adoltpli:Werner, and shortly. after ‘twelve
when the dénoueyient occurred at the room of the general, in
which Wrestling Tack had a hand. Was it possible: “the meet-
ing referred to had already taken place?

Broadb rim ‘could not: Say.

He remembered that while he lay there; apparently: ane,
listening to the conversation of the two rogues, Jack had said he
had met Allan Prentice or Nugent, and heard about Broadbrim,

which had put him on his guard to such an extent that he had ©

recognized the famous old “detective at first sight the moment

he saw. the position of affairs.

- Might not this be an indication. that the meeting had already

‘taken place?
“Tf it hasn’t, [ll be there on time.

the. old. detective.

Mark that down,” imuttered

the blemish of timé*on his face.

   

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. 7

A rap at the ioe

Broadbrim swept the papers into a drawer where the butt of a
revolver could, be seen.

Then he pressed a little knob on’ his désk. i

The door quietly opened and a singular personage entered.

He was a tall man , angularly built, with a suit of rusty brown
and a_ stovepipe hat. His garments were antique. A. pair of
gaiters, the uppers of which were of yellow cloth, clothed his

pedal extremities, and his pants, too short for beauty, were held
- down by straps under the re A pair of cotton gloves much
‘too Jarge covered his hands,

trembled as though age had ‘fected his nerves.

nd the heavy cane’ he carried

A pair of green ee covered his eyes, and when he took
off his tile his thin white hair showed is temples bare.. Such
men Broadbrim had met before.

hey cling to the. customs of fifty years ago, and yet sheds
passage at arms he had invariably found them “keen and logical.

He arose and presented a chair.

The old gentleman slowly sank into it,
meantime with his cane.

Broadbrim noticed one thing.

This trembling was spasmodic. It came and went by fits and
starts, as though the old gentleman suffered more acutely when-
ever he chanced to remember his bodily ailments.

“I beg your pardon, sir, but I fear age is creeping on tne. At
seventy-six we are not what we were at forty.”

The old gentleman’s tones were strong and buoyant, but
Broadbrim knew the voice often nee when all other facul-
ties felt the infirmities of age, and he hastened to answer.

Tatidsu sity trie: ) Dut it iS some Satisfaction to look back to
what we hav e once been.”

“Ves, yes. It 1s, indeed, as you say, a pleasure. Vhen I re-
member the childless orphans 1. have cared for and the poor
little fatherless parents I have bestowed favors on, } feel like
weeping with gratitude that I have been spared SO Jong.”

“The 6ld getitleman’s a little ‘off, whether because his ‘mind
is wandering, or his liqtior was too. strong I can’t say. What
the deuce can he want with me?’ Perhaps one of his childless
orphans has mysteriously disappeared. I will tap him,’

W hile the detective was thinking thus the old gent was going
about a business-like proceeding.

First he drew out a great red and yellow bandanna hand-
kerchief, This he spread across his knees, ha aving hooked his
cane upon the desk. ‘Then, after some fumbli ng, he produced a
large silver snuff-box. Laying this in one hand, he tapped it in
that mysterious way old gentlemen are given to.

The lid opened.

ol BG a pinch, Mr.—ah—Broadbrim, I believe.

_At your service.”

The detective took a pinch, as he had known more than one
old’ gentleman to get wrathy at a refusal in this respect. He
took exceeding eood caré, however, that none of it should find
a passage up “his nose, although he made a great pretence of
doing ‘so.

The oo“ ceitlemati snuffed with the fervor of a machine,

and then blew ‘his nose so loudly that the papers ‘on the large
desk rustied.

Then he restored snuff-box and bandanna, and turned so as to
face the detective.

supporting himself

“Now, Mr.—ah—Broadbrim, -I’m ready for business,” he said,
complacently. fc
The detective seemed to be*taken with: the old ‘gent. There

was something rather fascinating about him that told he was not
asleep by any means. He had evidently been a swell in his day.

As that day grew older, he had even descended to: art to hide
Broadbrim could seé traces of
paint or powder on his face even in the uncertain light: of the
office from which the sun’s rays were excluded.

“You come here on busiriéss, sir ee

“Certainly, sit. (Let me give you my card. if

Upon this bit of pasteboard, written in a crabbed hand; was
the legend:

LUTHER T, ASTOR.

_“Any relative of@John Jacob. Astor: ne

“A cousin, Mr—ah—Broadbrim. Once associated with him in
‘business. ‘That’s where I made my: money. Have been’ acros $s
the water for years and only lat@ly returned to my native land.”

“Ah! I am glad to know you, Mr. Astor. “I trust our busmess
relations may be pleasant.’

  
OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

“They will on my part, I am sure, sir, and if you do your

duty 1 am certain you will have nothing to sercels of from
me, sir, nothing.”

“Vou have work for nie, then: ee

ale a will undertake it.”

“YT will undertake anything in my line.” )

“Have you any big case on hand now?”

Broadbrim looked at the old gentleman quickly. :

Was that a castial question, or was there a mee meaning be-
hind it?”

He smiled blandly.

“1 shall have when you give me your case.’

Tt was the ancient g gentleman’ s turn to ao now, and he did
so with fervor.

“Hear! hear!” he said, shrilly, bringing his heavy cane down
with a thump upon the desk with each word, “a Daniel come to
judgment. Yow are smart as a'steel trap, sir, and I believe
I have done the right thing to come to you.’

“Who recommended you?

“An old friend of mine, Sir Baie Hatch.”

“Ah, yes, Mr. Hatch and I are acquainted. I have ee some
business for him at times and always found him a gentleman.
You. could not have come to me with a stronger recommenda-
tion, Mr. Astor.”

“T am glad of that, Mr.—ah—Broadbrim. Yousee, Mr. atch
has kindly looked after some of my resources while I have been
away, which are enormous, sir, enormous.”

“Some one of your friends, then, is missing?”

“Ves; sir, that is why I visited you this morning. There has
a strange thing occurred in our family. A young girl has dis-
appeared.” : :

“A young girl?”

“Mir -—ah-—Broadbrim, is it a habit you have repeating wor -ds,
or do you mean to intimate———”

“A mere habit, I assure you, my dear sir. Your statement

interested me from the fact that the last ease | had worked on
concerned the disappearance of a young girl, Pray, proceed.” .

“The young girl is my granddaughter. IT saw her on Wednes-
day night. Thursday she had vanished utterly. There.is some-
thing so terrible about the matter that, old man as I am, my
soul is up in arms against the scoundrels who have perpetrated
this foul wrong. ‘Could- -I put my hand upon the throat of one
of them I feel that he would pay dearly for his work.”

The old gentleman was excited. His cane rapped on the desk
again, producing a peculiar hollow sound. All the while it
seemed bearing upon the detective as though it were a rifle.

He moved three times, and the old cane. on each occasion
changed with him. This was probably a mere habit of the old
fellow’s, yet Broadbrim kept one orb on that cane.

“Do you know anything of the object they had in view while
making this abduction?”

This question went home.
and in a husky voice said:

_ The: root of all evil, sir; money, sir.’

“Another Cudahy kidnapping atpait, a Come, there should
be little difficulty in tracing the rascals down. What makes you
believe that the girl has been taken away for the sake of money?
What is to hinder there being a lover in the case? Young girls
are very apt to have a lover or two, you know.” \

“Read the letter received this morning, sir, and tell me what
you think then,”

From the pocket of his ancient velvet waistcoat the old gentle-
man produced a letter.

It had no envelope.

te old gentleman leaned forward,

o “Bore T. ASTOR, Eso.;

“Fifth Avenue, New York.

“Sir: Your granddaughter is in good hands. When you pay
Lawrence. Kemble’s lawyer, Broadway, near Chambers street,
twenty thousand dollars, and make oath that you will not allow
any one to proceed against us in your behalf, Gertrude Alexan-
der will be returned to you unharmed. Unless you, comply with

this demand inside of one week from now, you will never see

the girl again alive. ‘
The detective- ceil ee ae He had discovered several
things. First, the name of the young girl was identical with the
one whom he was already erlgaged in hunting - for. This alone
was" a singular coincidence.
Again, the note bore the same signature that was affixed” to the

-. @

soir

ceed.”

_ don‘ the impatience of an old man.

cryptogram which he had succeeded in puzzling out before the ©
arrival of the singular old gentleman. Without a doubt the same
hand had penned both missives. :

Aloud the detective muttered: oN

“Him! this is blackmail beyond a doubt. Do you object to
paying this price, Mr. Astor?” :

“TL would ‘pay double the price for the safe return of the. dear
but don't you see, sir, I’m a stubborn old fellow, and it
does go against the grain to knuckle down to these scoundrels.”

al comprehend, your position. Have you been to See. this law-
eo ae

“Yes, sir, and found that he was a sharp rascal. He is a
go-between, and yet cannot get into trouble; we cannot look ‘for
anything there. “Tf you only knew who wrote this note it would
he

dt think I do know, Mr. Astor.”

HOW, Sine

“A man named Allan Pr entice is the Sper

“Mr.—ah—Broadbrim, can it be possible ‘that — you already
know something of this case?”

“Not -only possible but exceedingly probable, sir.’

“Then IT am in luck, sir—in luck, I say. Let me ae what
you have discovered. I engage you, sit, at your own figure ;
money is no object to me, Mr. —ah—Broadbrim, when there is a
poor child in trouble. My- heart is as big as a bushel basket,
sir. It throbs like the pendulum of a clock. Consider yourself
engaged, Mr.—ah—Broadbrim, at your own figure, mind. And
now we can have a very ° confidential chat. Proceed; sir, “pro-

‘The detective moved not. ee

A keen observer might have caught the flicker of a simile about
his lips. .His eyes were fastened on the queer old gent, who sat
directly in front of him.

Through his mind was running:

“At last . I see light. An object. was all that it lacked before.
Now we have it. The -fish did not nibble, but swallowed bait,
hook and ail. Those words tore off the mask.”

CHAPTER V.
PRONOUNCING SENTENCE.

The ancient gentleman’ was eying him closely, but not by a
quiver did the detective betray what was passing in his. mind.

“What do you say, sir? Is it a bargain? I will give you a
check for five thousand dollars to begin with if you agree. Par-
if you area father you can
understand: my haste.”

“You wish to know what I have discovered, Mr.
detective asked, quietly.

“That is it, sir;.that-is it!” eagerly.

“Would you object to filling out the check first 2”

The ‘old gentleman with trembling hands drew out a- Rene

Astor?” the

_pocketbook and, selecting a paper, handed it to Old Broadbrim.

It was a check for five thousand dollars, payable to. bearer at
the Broadway National Bank, and signed Luther ‘To cAston”*

“IT fancied I should need it. Besides, it has always been a
freak of mine to carry several signed checks with me. My hand
trembles so at times I might not be. able to sign my name when
necessary. I hope all is right, sir.’

“TL assure you it is, Mr. Astor.”

The detective put a cigar in his mouth and then eee out a
match from a safe near by.

“Taking the check in his hand he struck the match, and, ap-
plying it to the paper, held the laiter up as he lit his cigar. with it.

The ancient gentleman watched this scene with consternation.

“What did vou do that: for?” he demanded.

At the satne time he handled his heavy cane nervously, as
though he would have ‘given something to resent the oe by
its vigorous tse.

“For three reasons.’

The detecfive nee away at his cigar while Oe right hand
toyed with the papers and something else inside the drawer of
his desk.

“And these reasons, sir, were they business or personal one
asked the choleric old gentleman.

“Boths sigs born, oe he first reason I destroyed sour check | was
because [I have always made it a rule never to ore a tee
until I have earned it.”

“A sound principle, sir. And your second reason?”

 
OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. 9

ST consider. your check worthless, sir.’
“And the third?” gasped. the old gent.
ae that you are as great a humbug as your five thousand dollar
chee

The shot was sent forth with emphasis. :

It literally took the ancient gentleman off his feet, a stag-
gered him. a

“You insult me!” he said at ine

“Not at all, my dear sir. My remarks. were addressed to a
certain humbug Known as Luther T. Astor. eas do not apply
to you.”

“But, my dear sir, | am——

“Arthur Nugent, once comedian ab ie old Bowery Theatre,
now turned rascal, swindler and accomplice of Allan Prentice.”

“Furies! you know me.’

“Like a book, Nugent ; you betrayed yourself by your eagerness.
The game is up.’

wes, the game is up, Broadbrim.”

The detective ducked his head like a flash.

It was well he did_so.

39

From the heavy cane which the old enlenan. had held pointed.

at him all the time there issued forth a sudden cloud et dust-
like substance.

 Red-pepper.

The cane was hollow and: filled aes pepper. A tiny, cork
the end kept the contents from spilling when the cane was.
use as a walking-stick. It was arranged somewhat on the same
principle as an air gun.

A pressure of the finger upon a certain little protuberance
threw a spring into instant action, and the result was that a
cloud of pungent red pepper was hurled forward.

There was enough of the villainous article to blind half a score
of men if properly aimed and distributed.

But for that sudden ducking of his head, Broadbrim would
have received the contents of the strange air pistol full in the
face. As it was, the cloud of red pepper shot over and passed
him without doing any damage.

_ The hand that had been toying with the papers in the drawer
was suddenly withdrawn.

Rising, old Broadbrim leaned forward. One hand rested on
his desk and bore his weight. The other arm was extended.
edt grasped -a small object that gleamed in the arrow of sun-
light creeping in through a crack “beside the window shade. It
was a deadly revolver.

As the detective thus leaned forward the, fearful little weapon
was brought within six inches: of the other’s nose, and he might,
had he so wished, counted the bullets in those dark-mouthed
chambers.

When he had witered those few words that told, he threw off
the disguise and discharged the air-pistol; the disguised Nugent
had also leaped.to his. feet.

The heavy cane was ‘whirled aloft. It was. vended to fall
ith crushing force upon the head of the detective as, blinded
by the cayenne pepper, he sprang: wildly from his chair.

But the cane did not fall. That silver-mounted thing of life
and death that the old detective had so suddenly extended was
thrust under the nose of Nugent before he could strike.

It was a picture,

The detective, cool as au
the very soul of the other.

The jail bird, foiled in his scheme, thwarted in his last attempt
to take the life of the man. who. knew so much of their secret,
stood there with the heavy cane upraised,-the froth gathering
at the corners of his mouth after the manner, of a mad wolf, his
eyes, no longer. screened by the green goggles, glowing with the
mingled emotions of hate, wonder and fear.

But he did not strike. The magnetic eye of the detective pal-
sied his arm, and though his spirit was willing his flesh was
weak

“Why don’t you strike, Nugent?”

The other uttered a low curse. His arm slowly oe and tl
cane fell on the. desk, and Broadbrim quietly possessed himse
of it. He had a weakness for things of this sort.

“Now. sit down again, Mr. Astor,” he said, grimly.

There was nothing for the other to ‘do but obey. He resumed
his. seat.

Broadbrim knew his man. He kept
him, and was ready to pull the trigger.

i¢icle, ae clear orbs penetrating to

he
lf

that revolver pointed at
As for Nugent, he pre-

sented. so ludicrous an appearance that the detective could not
prevent a smile from coming upon his. face. ee

Nugent’s. make-up had been magnificent. He had not. been
upon the stage for years for nothing-—that was evident. He
had come there with a well-defined mission.

That mission, as must have been. evident to the reader, was
to learn how much Broadbrim knew of the case in w hich they
were. -interested.. The manner in which the fellow had gone
about this showed he was a genius. With most men he miust
have succeeded. That fat fee would have ‘disarmed all caution
and made their eyes stick out-of their heads.

With the old detective it was different. He was sharp as a
steel trap, and haying scented danger baited his hook and cast it.

The catch had been a fine one.

Nugent apparently failed to enjoy the situation, and there could
be little wonder respecting this, for he was not in condition to
crow.

“You acknowledge yourself bested: Nugent? a

“I do, and if it had been any other man ae n
kick myself.”

“Thanks for the compliment. But you carried out your work
well, and only when your cbject flashed upon me I guessed your
identity.”

“What will you do with me?”

“L- shall try your own game, my dear fellow.”

“My own game! What the devil do you mean?”

“Mystery !”

“What imvstery, you sphinx.”

“Your fate will be unknown.
and be seen of men no more!”

you, I'd like to

You shall disappear. strang sely,

CHAPTER VI
A TERRIBLE CLEW.

The game had failef. When the plotters thought to find such
an old weasel-as Broadbrim asleep they made serious blunder,
that was all.

The idea was well conceived.

Disguised as Mr. Astor, Nugent, who believed the detective’s
acquaintance with him was not strong enough for him to peer
beneath the disguise—had intended blinding Broadbrim by the
immensity of his fee and the check he displayed.

When this had been done he believed all. the rest would | be
easy enough. All they wantéd was information.

li Broadbrim divulged all he knew of the case in question
they could take means to render his information abortive. What
tf he did learn the worthlessness of the check, and that no such
man as Luther T. Astor was known at the Broadway bank?

By that time the bogus Cp eee would be out of harm’s
way, and could be chuckling over the success of his scheme.
But this had failed. -

Although partially deceived at first, the keen old et had
“jumped the claim,’ so to speak, and come down heavil y upon
Nugent. That awiul threat was no farce. Nugent soon expe-
rienced it. Allan Prentice waited in vain for the coming of his
comrade. He looked at his watch, and swore a dozen times.

What in the fiend’s name could be keeping the fellow when
he should have been back an hour before at the least.

Could there be anything wrong?

Finally, his patience wearing out as the day slipped by with-
out any news coming from his confederate, Allan Prentice leit
the house. : ;

He had become too nervous to wait longer.

Proceeding down to the Bowery he entered a gambling den.
Night had now closed in. The tide of humanity along the great
thoroughfare had begun to ebb, and still Allan Prentice lounged:
in the den. | ue i

He played little. Now and then he ventured a stake, more for
the sake of passing away time than because he had any hope of
winning. If Nugent had come to the house after his departure,
there was a note left for hira which would tell him where to find
his comrade.

At the time when Prentice was worrying over. the non-ap-
pearance of his friend, who had siarted out. hours before, full
of buoyant hopes concerning the success of his new scheme, a
man came to a halt before the house where that note was. lying
in wait for Nugent. He surveyed the surroundings. Then he
went up to, the old-fashioned door, and aiter fumbling about it
for a: minute, Tee magic it opened before him.

 
10

E ntering, he elecel it after him. A bull’s -~eye antes was now
produced, and the intruder carefully: made his way upstairs.

The man was Old Broadbrim. He had come back to the house’

where his. former adventure had occurred. His first action: ae
to make straight for the room where he had seen something
the preceding “night that had. given him much thought.

Whatever that may have been, it was nat there. when the de-
tective looked this time. The apartment was empty. Whether
the old detective expected such a thing or not could never have
been told from his. manner.

A: paper on a little table canbe his eye.
i the secret alphabet which he had mastered ‘after such an ef-
ort: ;

I am tired
Dr. Mudd has done his part. We

dNocee —You will find me at Tony’s pipet
waiting, and fear the worst.
mist now do ours
I hope you have outwitted that cursed old detective. er:

The old Quaker grinned.

He left the note ‘whete he had found. it.
Nugent would ever appear to claim it.
was.

In: fact, Old Broadbrim was the an man alive who’ could
have: put his hand on the ex-comedian at.a moment’s notice.
The contents of this note were not entirely lost on the detective.
The signature told him, if he had had the least doubt before,
that: the man’ who. signed his name with a double X was no
other than Allan Prentice himself.

Ae knew: where Nugent

The name of Dr. Mudd See to give ‘the old detective con-

siderable satisfaction.
His eyes sparkled as he read it, Tt was the name of eG pro-
prictor of a well-known private insane asylum or sanitarium..
Ah! he’s the old villain concerned in- this strange affair, is he—
the keeper of the insane asylum? My God! can ‘they have taken
Gertrude there?” seem Aaah
Te had struck a new clew.. That: careless. note left by Allan
Prentice had put him upon the track once more.

Grimly exultant:at the thought, Broadbrim lnokes. about the
room as he pondered. -

He here began a cursory examination of ine room, examining
with interest a number of strange things that lay scattered about
on little stands or hanging shelves on the walls. More than once
he handled things carefully, and.even refused to touch not a few
of them. They” were dangerous.

Those who were acquainted with their Pesan ieee might
handle: them with impunity, but a.stranger within the gates would
have to be careful lest he got his head blown off, as more than
one of them had the appearance of an infernal machine.

When Broadbrim had entered the chamber before he had seen
what was either the dead body of Gertrude Alexander, or a) wax
figure made to represent it. It was gone now.

“The old detective left no evidence of his visit. He did not wish
to alarm Allan Prentice further than was necessary in the Ps
terious absence of his. sworn colleague, Nugent.

There ~as not a sign about the heuse that would indicate a
human presence.
to longer bear ‘the suspense, was waiting for him at the gam-
bling den. Old Broadbrim soon left. the “place: He had formed
his plans and arranged’ for a desperate venture ‘in the Beareh for
more light.

CHAPTER es Vit.
HOW “PRINCE BISMARCK” ARRIVED. .
About noon on the succeeding day, a vehicle drew up infront
of a high wall some little distance to the north of New York
City, though convenient to it. either by the railroad along. the

Sound -or by. carriage. Two men issued forth from it. One. of
these seemed to have’ charge of the other in some way.

This was made manifest by the manner in which he locked

arms with hin |.
“We are at the castle, prince,’ said he.
fat then why do not your relatives show themselves ? - Do
forget the distinguished company you are to have to-day?
ea my noble duke. Remember Bismarck has but to

snap. his fingers and the German lion “has. all Europe by the

throat, An insult to me means something, must. be
washed out in blood.”
“Toassure you, prince, no insult is intended, Once in my cone

here you will be cha armed with everything, I feel sure. Come.”

which |

‘Opening it, he read.

If you see the boys, bring them with you,

Net that he ed

Nugent was gone, and Allan Prentice, unable’

?

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

By this time the ring at the gate had been answered by a heavy-
set man, The gentleman in charge uttered a few words
a low tone.. They served as a talisman. The porter bade oo
enter, and closed the heavy’ door behind them. It shut witha
clang that seemed to speak like the crack of doom, and, indeed,’
such it had been to more than one poor wretch.

This. was Dr. Mudd’s private madhouse.

The two whom we have seen’enter had business there, at least
one of them seemed to. Before them was the building, ‘There
was a grim look about it that would make a man in his proper
senses shudder,

The high wall surrounding the grounds seemed to preclude the
possibility of- er No one had ever been known to go over
them.

Once in a while one ei the crazy inmates of the asylum would,
by the exercise of considerable cunning, manage to escape. Such
were invariably hunted down and dragged ba ck to their dungeons.

Over the gate was a sign. stating that this building was an. asy-.-
lum for the insane kept by Dr. John Mudd. ee

Walking atm in arm up the’stone flagging, the two men en-
gaged in conversation,

The one humored the fancy of the other; .. Prince Bismarck had
come to stay, and it was just as well he was humored into beliey-
ing that this hellhole was. a. palace.

Those who came into the asylum of Dr, Mudd seldom left him
until carried out feet first. :

At times the patient seemed rational.. Uhen again. he would
rave and rant about his pomp and power, ordering up innumer-
able legions of soldiers, and threatening to throw the German
bulldogs:at the throat of Europe if an insult was given to him. A
strange man was this patient. When in one of these paroxysms
his eyes would roll in fiery frenzy. At. such times his comrade
clasped his arm closer and -hurried him on. pane

When finally he entered the private office of Dr.. Mudd, he
heaved an audible sigh.

The doctor was a bony man, with a cadaverous face and ‘deep-
set lanterns of eyes that seerfied to be burned_into his head. ie
had a favorite habit of rubbing his. hands one over the other, and
smacking his thin lips, when pleased, thereby showing the yellow
teeth behind them, not unlike the fangs of a serpent.

The gentleman introduced him to his unfortunate companion

‘as Kine Humboldt, and then managed to get the prince imterested

in a book of engravings: representing the various phases of grow-
ing insanity.

“You come on business ?” said the doctor. es

“T ‘do, This unfortunate gentleman is’ my brother-in- law, a
Mr. Roberts, of Chicago. He has been failing for some time,
and as my wife i is in delicate health, I determined that there was
no use in our keeping his malady a ‘secret longer, especially when >
there are such splendid retreats near at hand as yours.’

“A sensible idea, my dear sir, a very sensible idéa, “I am glad
you selected my fetreat, for although I never have much’ space,
there are a few vacant rooms, and the patients teceive the best of
care I shall be glad to accommodate Vous

“Thank you,’ ’ returned the gentleman, dryly,
whom you are to accommodate.”

“Quite true, my dear sif, quite true. I begin to perceive you:
have a rich vein of dry sarcasm in your nature. Iam affected the
sameway. Era sure we will. eet along together famously, sir,
famousiyi ( <

“I have no doubt of it. Iama business man, Dr. Mudd. There
is my card—a lawyer of Gotham, you will perceive,”

“Very. good, sir, very good. Among tny patrons | have more
than one lawyer.” bean

“And among your patients, also, 1 presume?’

“Well, 1 fancy every profession is represented theré more or
less. But about this gentleman. Have you had him exa amined ?”

“By several of the most eminent doctots “in this- country. I
have spent twenty thousand dollars in his case already.”

“And the re, ee

The old shark scented a fat fee and rubbed his hands in.
eager anticipation.

“Was.to the effect that there was no hope.”

“Ah! unfortunate indeed, Mr—ah—Arnold,?’ ae
“Yes, we cherished hope. until the last prop was khocked ‘away.
He is a gentleman, finely educated, and has even periods of~al-
most sanity, but there is not the slightest hope of jis ever recover
ing his. senses.’

“Your object in bringing him to me?”

“but, it is not 1 ‘

 
OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. at

“Simply to provide him a home where he will be well taken
care of.”

“You have another object, Mr. Arnold?”

“Well, yes. It is not known to. our friends as yet that poor
Roberts has gone insane, and when I have got him secure here,
_ where there is no danger of any one seeing him, I shall announce
that he took a sudden departure for San Francisco, there to sail
for Australia.”

“You are a shrewd man, sir, a shrewd man. Of course you
know, Mr. Arnold, that, this being a select establishment, our rates
are inclined to be somewhat high.”

“We will not quarrel upon that matter, doctor. You can send
your bill weekly or monthly to the office, sub rosa, you. under-
stand, and it will be paid.”

“That is perfectly satisfactory, sir, perfectly so. Now, I sup-
pose you would want the best of accommodations for your un-
fortunate relative ?”

“The best in the establishment, doctor. Again,-I do not want
him deprived of his liberty more than you can help. During the
daytime let him out as much as possible. You undex ‘stand 2”

“Perfectly, my. dear sir, perfectly. This retreat is merely a
hotel. .A few patients have to be confined in padded cells and
kept separate, but the majority of our boarders mingle at cer-
tain hours and hold levees. We have a theatre where the actors
and audience are all insane, and yet no one would suspect it.
Prince Bismarck,’ with a glance toward the wretched patient,
‘Sust comes in time. The last one of that name died a week ago.
He will fill up the vacuum.”

“Well, I must be going, doctor.
take good care of poor Mr. Roberts, can I not?”
for his hat.
You ‘can,
week.”

“They shall. be as promptly paid.”

“I feel sure of it, sir. I should like to accommodate any ot
your friends at any time.”

“Tl shall recommend you, doctor.”

Another moment and the doctor had bowed his visitor out.

Mr. Roberts remained behind

Thus was the detective’s little game worked.

The insane patient was the wide-awake Old Broadbrim.

ican depend upon you to
as he reached

sir, and the bills shall be sent in promptly each

CHAPTER | VIE:
THE RETREAT.

The old detective was on the track. He had determined to
play a bold game, for the stakes were high. Although during his
adventurous career he had seen many strange things, never as yet
had a trail led him to a madhouse, Somehow, the thought was
almost repulsive to him, but when once his mind was made up
nothing could move him.

OLD BROADBRIM IN

was interested in the case, how fone tierce: the ees will
learn as the story progresses. Broadbrim had assumed a difficult
role.

A fool may imitate a crazy mian easily enough, for there is not
much space between the two, but a man in his senses must needs
be cunning as a serpent to deceive such an expert as this Dr.
Mudd.

Broadhrim was the man for the hour.

He believed this gloomy old pile of stone concealed more
mysteries than a man could count upon his fingers.

One of these alone concerned him.

He was determined to get at the truth of the matter by hook or
crook, even if he had to turn the whole retreat topsy turvy in the
search...

Dr. Mudd came back after seeing his latest patron ou, rub-
bing his hands and smacking his lips, as though well pleased.

“A good bargain, Mudd, my boy, a deuced good bargain.» I
fancy a hundred and fiity a month lies in that “business.”

“Did you speak, King Humboldt?”

The shrewd doctor started and looked keenly at the patient
fram under his heavy brows.

‘Old. Broadbrim met his look firmly, with a dignity of bearing
that would have done the genuine Bismarck himself honor.

Gradually the doctor’s face assumed a grim smile.

“Oh, L had forgotten yeu were there, prince. However, we'll
soon dispose of your case.”

He tapped a bell.

through the wicket from the hall.

In ten seconds a man appeared.

He was short, muscular, and had the face of a human ghoul.

There was this peculiarity noticeable among all of Dr. Mudd’s
keepers. Possibly, the devilish work they had to do was the
cause of that lock upon their gaunt faces, for it must needs be a
fiend who can daily torture a man or woman into eraaua in-

_ sanity.

“Hardy, show this patient, Number 62, into his ie He is
Prince Bismarck, come to do penance here for a time for the sins
committed in the flesh. Prince, be so kind as to follow this lord
in Waiting to your apartment.”

The prince. made an eloquent rejoinder, and went after the
keeper into the gloomy depths of the insane asylum. Men of the
class to which the detective was now supposed to belong, may for
years live under the delusion that they are the illustrious beings
whom they represent.

Their. ingenuity is wonderful, and they are continually. finding
excuses when visitors cal!, as though even in their insanity they
realize that all is not as it should be, so that they must apologize
for the absence of this and that luxury.

The docter proceeded to take a nip out of a dark bottle which
he brought out from a closet. He appeared to be drinking the
health of some imaginary personage. Possibly, if he could have
had a glimpse of the truth, he would not have felt so cheerful.

Old Broadbrim looked keenly about him as he was conducted .
to his cell. The keeper was rough, and did not attempt to humor
his fancy, knowing that this would not long weigh upon the mind
of one insane. In’ half an hour, possibly, the patient would have
reached the conclusion that he was in durance wile.

‘Then he would believe that Prince Bismarck had been betrayed
into the hands of his enemies, and would spend his time in plot-
ting and planning how to get word to his loyal subjects in order -
that they. might come and. rescue him. e

Alone in his cell, Broadbrim moved around: examining its in-
terior. At no time did he forget to be the man whose mind was
completely turned.

He heard wild cries almost continually
from one quarter, and again from another.
in moans.

In the afternoon he was taken out into the grounds for an air-
ing. There were some twenty persons assembled.

Among then: were representatives of all the crowned heads of
Europe, and they gravely acknowledged the introduction to Prince
Bismarck.

There was hardly a foot of the grounds he did not scrutinize.

The wall he mentally measured.

‘There was need for all this.

The night was coming when he must work, and before another
day dawned he meant to know the mysteries of that grim build-
ing beyond Harlem.

Sometimes they came
Then they died away

4

CUAL DER hx,

HORRORS OF THE MADHOUSE.

awful
The

Darkness had closed in. Only now and then was the
silence broken by the ear- -splitting shriek of some lost soul.
business for the day was over.

Until dawn came again the doctor’s victims might hed over
their sufferings, and with the advent of each day their poor brains
were one step nearer annihilation. The hours passed on.

Broadbrim was wide awake.

All was dark in his room save a little strip of light coming
He had heard the clock in the
doctor’s office strike midnight. Then he knew that the time for
work had come, and that to remain idle longer was to lose val-
uable minutes.

He approached the door. It was-heavy and massive, but when
five minutes had gone by the old detective had it open. There
were few locks that could resist him, and this was not one of
them.

The corridor was lighted up, but only dimly.

Creeping along the corridor, he examined each of the cells
in turn. A bull’s-eye lantern held to the wicket quickly showed
him the inmate. In every case he was disappointed.

He recognized those poor souls whom he had met in the
grounds that afternoon, Evidently this floor was devoted to
patients who were undoubtedly crazy.. lo find the one he sought
he must go either above or below.

He had noticed that the cries came generally from the lower

 
a OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

part of the asylum. Still, he believed it best to examine the upper
floor first.

More than once he had to exercise considerable ingenuity in
avoiding discovery by the keepers who occasionally moved
around,

The sights he saw were terrible in the extreme.

Awtul ‘face s were raised as.the light of his little lantern flashed
into the cells—faces on. which were written ali the miseries of
Fades.

He believed that some of these miserable wretches wetfe not:

yet mad, but they soon mist be.

In the doctor’s office, cn a book, a letter in well-known
chirography had caught his eye. It was signed with the name of
Allax Prentice, and the few words visible read:

—‘her safe on your life, and we will stick to our agree-

nent.”

‘That alone was evidence enough;
mention of Dr. Mudd’s
read.

Gertrude Alexander, the unforttnate victim of this Becheraic
and unscrupulous clique of gold, was undoubtedly under the same
root wy him, and 1f she were saved it must be through his
efforts of this night.

Again Broadbrim sought the lower floor.

He had just reached the landing and turned the corner when
he came face to face with a man.

It was Dr. Mudd himself, ‘

The old detective was not taken by surprise, for he had at-
ticipated that such’a meeting might occur, and was ready for it.

Possibly, at first glance, the doctor imagined that the person he
had-thus met was a keeper.

When he saw the look that flashed upon the other’s face he
comprehended his fhistake,

tio Avas' then. too late,

The detective had alre

Dr. Mudd was not generally a man ce me compre ehension,
but he had confidence in hie) locks, and it was eviden ntly not a com-
mon thing to find one of his patients Wander ing about the cor-
ridors.

Broadbrim was at his throat,

The ery which the doctor would have an was choked in
its incipiency.

He was borne back to the floor.

So terrible: was the clutch of the iron- handed detective that
the man’s very factlties were benumbed, ar he could not even
struggle. It was with a grim satistaction that Broadbrim went
through with this perforn :

He remembered that one of the cells near
Thither be bore the nee doctor.

When he had’ deposited him inside he lo cked the door and
carried of the key, which had been left im it:

As they were all different in pattern,
dificulty in getting the doctor out,
«sufficiently to make his situation known, which Broadbrim did
not believe would be until some little time had elapsed.

He was now ready to descend to the lower regions. :

As another meeting might not have such a successful issue as
this one, he determined to use even more caution in the future.

Passing down the stairs when the coast was clear, he felt a chill
at the coolness of the atmosphere.

Many of aoe cells were literal dungeons, where an. unruly
patient was kept in awful darkness for days and. weeks at a
time until the end was accomplished for which he was immured.

Broadbrim passed these dungeons by.

He did not believe Gertrude Alexander was in one of them,
for she had been brought to this den, of miquity more for saic-
keeping than because it was nga to steal away Her reason

still, it was believed there might be a search for her, and until
a certain time had gone by the doctor would keep her in absolute
seclusion. “The. detective began°> his work.

He saw a man sitting on a stool in the corridor, but after

watching ae soine little time he became convinced that the
feli6w: was sound asleep. . There seemed little danger to fear
ir oni a One by one he examined the cells.

was his tread that the man heard nothing, but slept

besides, he remembered the
name in the second cryptogram he had

ney. leaped into action.

him was quite empty.

even when he did recover

So light
“on undisturbed.

‘There were only
failed to reveal the
the case.

and if these
of two things must be

r two more cells to be exatmined,
person he sought, one

there would be some

Either Gertrude Alexan der was not in the asylum of Dr. Mudd
‘or else she occupied one of those padded dungeons. :

He raised another wicket. The cell was empty.

But one more chance remained. With an anxiety he made no
attempt to conceal, the energetic night prowler proceeded to ex-
amine the interior of this last apartment.

Hardly had he raised his lantern to the wicket, than a low ex-
clamation fell from his lips.

Just’ beyond he saw a white face—the countenance of a young
girl.

A pair of large brown eyes, like those of a gazelle, full of in-
tense horror and alarm, met his glance.

“Found!” he muttered; “found at last, Gertrude Alexander,
I am here to save you. Do not utter one word above a whisper.
Lain coming through this door. Be brave and you shall be
saved.’

Broadbrim turned his attention. to the door.

A little manipulation caused the lock to fly back, and he stepped
into the celi.

“There is no time to waste.
young lady?”

, 1, am. Oh, sit, save me from this den of horrors!

“T will, if it takes the life of every keeper in: the retreat,
tmaust léave here at once. Comet’

“Hark! what is that sudden alarm?” : ‘

“Well, I reckon the doctor has come to quicker than I cal-
culated, and that there is going to be some high old times here-
abouts,” replied Broadbrim, coolly.

Phe sounds that reached their ears were suggestive of danger.

Shouts came from men who were not maniacs, but who were
evidently laboring under some strong emotions.

Only ‘one thing could have caus sed this,

The wily doctor had played ‘possum and when sure that his
assailant did not mean to return to him, had staggered to the
wicket ‘and given the alarm: j
Broadbrim quietly stepped to the door and peeped out.

The keeper in the corridor was asleep no longer.

He stood erect, a pistol in his hand and his head-bent forward
in a listening attitude, as though he were endeavoring to catch
what was going on upstairs.

The doctor's voice could be heard above all the rest, and when
Broadbrim realized that the madhouse keeper was coming down
to the’ lower corridor, he concluded that it was time something
was done.

A Search was certain:

Now that discovery had come he must make the best of it. |

As he turned: from’the door a draught of wind dréw it shut
with i clang that at once brought the keeper to the spot,

cle tried to open it after inserting «the “ke ey.

‘The détective suddenly pulled the door open, and ctructe the
man a blow that sent him reeling across the corridor.

By the time he had recovered Broadbrim had removed the:
key from the outside and locked the door from within, Ex-.
cited voices now sounded from. without. (

Dr. Mudd had reached the scene. How he got out-of his cell
the detective never knew, but the truth of the matter was that
the ‘lock of the door was broken, which was one reason of the
céll being empty; and’ when: the de stective turned the key it was
simply a waste. of time.

Knowing what would be the first move on the part of the
men, Broadbrim drew. the young girl to one side, so that shé
could not be. seen,

Immediately after a light flashed in the cell.

The wicket was raised. A villainous face was exposed to view.
as the keeper endeavored ‘to Scan’ the interior. <

Three secon ds he remained in-views Then he drew back with a
wild exclamation. Some liquid had struck him in the face and
burned like fire.

it Kept the fellow hopping mad, and he could be share dancing
around in the corridor and uttering a. choice vocabulary of ex-

pietives. Aiter that the men without were not so particular
about looking into the cell. 7

While they consulted as to the best means of reaching the man
within, Broadbrim, by the aid of his masked lantern, was able
to scan the interior of the cell in which they were confined. :

He quickly made a discovety.

It had never been thoroughly finis shed, or élse some maniac.
stored above had cuta hole thr ough 10 the ccll below, for in one

You are Gertrude Alexander,

2?

We

»

 

 
  

 

    
  
 
  
    
  
    
     
 

 

 

 

corner he detected quite a fissure How to reach-it would have

bothered some men. It did not Old Broadbrim.

\ He had something in his possession that was just carried for
such an emergency. It was a thin but exceedingly powerful rope,
with a peculiar clamp at one end, which seemed like the jaws of
a-vise. By a strange little twist in throwing, this could be made
to catch hold and remain firm. ae novice could have accom-
plished anything with the cunning little contrivance, but the de-
tective had experimented with it so long that he was guite pro-
ficient in its use. Before he had made half a dozen casts he had
done all that was necessary. Dr. Mudd was ‘no fool He could
put two and two together, and figure on what must be the in-

‘evitable result.

When he had been thus fiercely assailed he had recognized his
assailant as the new patient.
Still, when he gave the alarm, it was to the effect that a mad-

man was loose, for up to that moment he suspected nothing else.

When, however, he learned that the inan who was at large was
in cell of Gertrude Alexander, suspicions flashed into his
minc

He remembered the conditions under which he was keeping the
young girl there.

She was liable to be seught after.

How had this new patient escaped from his cell?

Again, how had he entered her cell?

These were questions that went home, for they tqld him in
plain language that what he had feared had come to pass.

He was the victim of a deep plot. Mr. Arnold was a humbug.
The man who believed himself Prince Bismarck was worse than a
fraud—he was a swindle, and no more mad than the doctor him-
self; nay, perhaps not half so near distraction as at that moment.

All these things were plain as the nose on his face. Although
provoked himself for having been so easily duped, the doctor took
grim satisfaction in one thought. He had the man safe. While
he ordered some of his keepers to bring a heavy joist to batter
down the door, his mind was bent upon the subject, trying to
grasp all its details.

Who was this man? Who, indeed, but some skillful detective?

Ugh! The doctor shuddered at the possible and terrible result
that might come from a detective seeing the inside working of his
model institution. “He must not escape!” he ground out between
his set teeth, “it would mean my ruin. We must have him safe
in one of the dungeons. When his friends come to look after him
he will be mad indéed, and can tell nothing of what he has seen,
Either that or death, as he chooses. Ha! the men are here. Now
we shall see, my fine fellow!”

The battering- ram was placed in order. There was not much
room in which to swing it, but the men managed to give it such
impetus that with three blows the door was stove in.

Then a rush was made. Lanterns flashed around the interior
of the cell,

An outcry from the madhouse doctor announced that he had
received a shock.

Well he might. The ‘cell was empty!

Quickly he leaped at the truth

“They have gone through the hole up yonder that crazy monk
made before he died. Upstairs with you, every man. Hold!
One of you remain here as guard. The rest follow me!”

Away they went pell-mell.

In the story above they gathered around a door which appeared
to be locked.

“Is he in here, doctor?” asked, a keeper.

al fancy so. The door is locked, and I have the key safe
enough.”

The cell-had been used by the doctor for some time as a recep-
tacle for various things which he desired to have under his own
eye,

For this purpose the wicket had been nailed fast and the key
kept on his person.

They listened.

No sounds came from within.

The doctor thought he would unlock the door quickly, and in-
setted. the key without noise.

Hardly had he attempted to push it further j in, when there was a
sharp report, and the heavy key was propelled out of the lock
with such violence that, striking a keeper in the stomach, it
doubled him, up as though he had the colic.,

Old Broadbrim was not asleep!
He had placed a little bit of a bomb in the ieevtivie: merely to

 

   

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. a

warn hin should the enemy attempt to open the door at a time
when his attention was engaged in another quarter. If it demor-
alized the enemy somewhat in its action, he was not the one to
complain.

He immediately placed several more in the lock, intending to
give them a largér dose next time.

Dr. Mudd was ina dilemma. Then he struck an idea.

A man was sent below with a small bellows, which was filled
with a noxious vapor. Poking the muzzle up the hole, he began
to pump away, and the gas commenced to fll the cell.

Broadbrim soon got a whiff of it, and knew that the idea was
to render them insensible.

He jumped upon the man, and as the fellow picked himself up
from the ruins of his bellows and the sack of beans that had been
the cause of his disaster, he had learned a lesson he was likely
to heed,

After thus effectually disposing of the fellow who was working
the bellows so industriously, the detective proceeded to prevent
any more incursions from the hole in the corner.

This was niet done.

A barrel was rolled to that point and tilted up on end so that it
just filled the hole.

Some power would be necessary to remove it, as it weighed
over two hundred pounds.

When the bad fortune attending his little scheme was reported
to him, Dr. Mudd was exceedingly mad.

Still, he was a cunning fellow.

He had not been dealing with crazy people all these years with-
out having ap wits sharpened.

If one trick failed, he was ready for another.

He commanded his men to be silent, and then rapped sharply
upon the door of the cell.

“Hello! in there!’

“Hello. yourself!”

“Who are you?”

“That’s my business, not yours.”

“But your case is now hopeless.”

“You think so?”

“I know it, my dear fellow. Escape is impossible. No one

ever escaped from Gilead Retreat. Unless you come to my terms

you are hopelessly lost.”

“What are your terms, doctor?”

“Ah! you begin to comprehend your danger. I wiil te
In the first place, you must sutrender yout ‘self and the gir

““What do you propose to do for me?

“Give you your freedom, man,”

“It is not enough.”

“What will you get for entering here?”

“Possibly a thousand dollars.”

“Then I will double it.”

“What! give me my freedom and two thousand doilars if I
capitulate?’

‘Exactly, my bold friend.”

“Tt ain’t enough, doctor.”

“What! you hesitate, my dear sir; double it again, and say
four thousand.” :

“T refuse.”

“Who are you—-what is your name}

“If it will do you any good, you may have it. Those who
brought Gertrude Alexander here would know me, at any rate,
when you reported to them.”

“The name, man—the name!”

“You are growing excited. Calm yourself, doctor, for you have
a hard row “before you. Possibly you may have ‘heatd of Old
Broadbrim?”’

“The Quaker Detective?”

“Well, they call me so sometimes.”

“Good God! I believe you lie, man!’

“You are at liberty to believe what you ada I simply tell
you tacts.”

“And you are that noted detective?”

“J am Mr. Josiah Broadbrim, known familiarly among the
criminal classes as Old Broadbrim. You have not heard me out,
doctor.’

“What! Have you other dis sagreeable surprises?”

“T have a little more news.’

“Then tell me it, in the fiend’s name.”

“When morning comes, unless I turn up in a certain place,

li you.
12?
4

397

Aan er omens arash cae

   
14 OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY,

the chief of the New York police will pay you a visit with the
gentleman who was here with me yesterday.”

- Silence ensued. — >

“Do you comprehend that?”

“Ves, but believe it is false.”

“You are a doubter.” oN

“T have some six hours, at any rate. During that time you can
be effectually disposed of, and when the chief comes, if he does,
I fancy he will not find anything wrong.”

“You are a shrewd one, doctor.”.. :

“You will no doubt have reason to-believe so before you are
done with me.” :

“Vhen go on and do your worst. If you have heard of Old
Broadbrim, you probably know that difficulties never stand in
his way.
your way, Dr. Mudd, but the time is near at hand when retri-
bution will come upon you for all that this building hides.”

Old Broadbrim had not indulged in this talk for nothing.

He was simply gaining time. All the while he was busily en-
raged, :

The closed cell was full of such stores as would be needed in.

a large establishment. Apparently, there was no means of escape
from it, and to an ordinary man such might have been the case.

But Old Broadbrim was no-ordinary man.

He had been through almost every variety of adventure, and
when a time came for a display of shrewdness he was, as a gen-
eral thing, found equal to the occasion. He had said that he
would save Gertrude Alexander from the horrors of the mad-
house, and come what might, he would surely. keep his word.

CHAPTER x,
THE SECRET. STAIRCASE.

About the time Broadbrim began this talk with the madhouse.

doctor he had made a discovery. ;

‘This was little in itself, but gave promise of success if carefully
worked. One side of the cell was of brick. Between the bricks
the cement, having been of such a poor quality, would crumble
beneath the touch.

All the time he was holding this interesting conversation with
Dr. Mudd he had been picking this away with a small steel in-
strument. :

When he had thus removed a couple of bricks drew out of his
pocket a little cartridge-like substance, fastened a tail to it, and
opening the slide of his masked lantern ignited this. It began to
splutter.. It was a fuse.

The little ball which the detective had inserted into the wall
and let drop down into a cavity was a bomb similar to those he
had placed in the keyhole, but which must be fired by a fuse, and
not concussion. It was also on a larger scale.

“Come,” he said to Gertrude, “conceal yourself behind those
barrels of pork. J think we will be safe here.”

A minute passed by.

“T smell powder smoke,” they heard some one say who had his
head. near the door.

Immediately following came a dull report. The bricks flew
around lively. One struck the door a heavy thud.

But for the fact of its opening inwardly, it must have been
burst open by the cuncussion of air. are ee

Luckily, cur friends were not injured, being well protected by
the barrels of pork.

Remarkably well had the little bomb done its work. There was
a yawning aperture in the wall. Pushing a few bricks this way
and that, Broadbrim found that he could now pass through.

Before doing so he stopped the keyhole of the door in such a
manner that a key could not be mserted. If the men were de-
termined to enter, they must accomplish their ends by battering
down the door.

He now crawled through the aperture in the brick wall.

‘The whole fabric had been rendered shaky by the severe shock,
and yet there was no danger of its coming down upon him.
fe held in his hand the little masked lantern.

As he looked into space beyond the wall he saw that it seemed
to be a secret passage.
and down,

Realizing that any place was better than the cell where they
had held the enemy at bay, Broadbrim pulled himself through.

Then he assisted the young girl. She appeared to possess a

“ courage beyond her sex,

I am well armed, and will shoot to the death. Have.

There was a flight of stairs leading up’

Perhaps desperation gave it to her. or, possibly, the wild hope
that had sprung up when all seemed black. At atiy rate. the de-
tective was satisfied she would not fail him. fs

To encourage her he whispered her lover's name in her ear,
and promised that she should see him soon if she remained brave.
Two routes now opened before him.

Was he to go up or down? The latter would lead them to the
dungeons in the basement, and as they had just come from there
it was not likely that they could improve their situation by return-
ing.

0 Broadbrim turned upward. — ;

The staircase was exceedingly narrow, so much so that only one
person could move-along it at a time, though here and there
two might ‘1ave passed had they chanced: to meet.

When he reached the top of the staircase, the old detective came
tora Halt. se

He could not well do otherwise.

The dead wall confronted him, barring further progress in
any direction.

Broadbrim was no novice.

He knew there must be some way of leaving this placc® else
it would never have been built.

With his hands he began feeling about him.

Soon there came a sharp click.
Ah! he had struck the spring!
panel swung open, revealing a passage.

crawled through it.

He was just turning to assist his young companion, when some-
thing pounced upon him like a tiger in the jungles. Not having
expected an assault of -this nature, the detective was not pre-
pared for it.

He had just placed his little lantern upon the shelf of rock
where the passage began, when this assault was made upon him.
His hands were both free.

To twist around in the grasp of his enemy was a task requiring
considerable tact, but he managed to accomplish it. Then the
person opposed to him exerted his full strength and bore him
backward. -

Broadbrim was amazed.

Never had he believed there lived a man with power like this.
He seemed like a child in the unknown’s grasp, and only saved
himself from immediate collapse by the exercise of certain tricks.

Who was this powerful foeman? Had some of the doctor’s
keepers been lying in wait for him at the top of the secret stair-
case, and was this one of them?

While these thoughts were flashing through his mind, Broad-
brim chanced to get a glimpse of the man’s face with whom he
struggled.

The sight startled him. His first thought was that it must
be Satan. So fiendish was that countenance and so much like
that which is given to the king of evil, that for a moment the
brave detective’s heart ceased to beat although he still fought
with all his might.

This spasm was of brief duration. ‘Then he recovered himself.

He remembered where he was—in the madhouse of Dr. Mudd.
This was but one of its horrors.

The being in whose embrace he was struggling for life was
simply one of the crazy inmates of the retreat, who doubtless
believed himself to be Satan.

Possibly believing the party intruding upon his privacy was
one of the, keepers who had at various times aroused his fury,
he pounced upon him like a tiger.

Broadbrim was glad to know the truth,

Although he hardly relished the idea of hurting a poor insane
wretch, still his own life hung in the balance. Besides, he was
relieved to learn that he had only one antagonist.

The madman had danced him about so easily that Broadbrim
had been half inclined to believe he was beset by half a dozen
foes while others stood by ready to pound him over the head
whenever the opportunity occurred a

He set to work. His object was to conquer the crazy being
without proceeding to extremes. Xx
« Phis he certainly could not do by main strength alone, for the

devil was possessed of wonderful power, and must surely con-
quer unless some other agency was brought into the fight.

Broadbrim intended it should.

He suddenly clapped his hand upon the face of the maniac in
such a manner as tO cover his nose,

There,” gasped the old detective with a ring of triumph in

Another moment and a secret
Quickly the old detective

 

 
  
   

 

  
     
   
   
   
  
  
   
  
    
    
    
   
 
 
   
   
   
   
    
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
   
 
 
   
   
  
   
   
  
    

hy Broadbrim Knew. better.

~ doctor had sent men below to secure the battering-ram.

. the asylum, what chance would there be of ¢

a glimpse of the water of the beautiful

-him, and impelled to do his very best in: order

     

Re Ngee

f

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. rs

wakes

his voice as he accomplished this feat, “let us see how that. will
fetch thee, Satan.”” In moments of excitement Old Broadbrim
showed that he had been brought up a Oe aker, for he used “thee”
and “thou” instead of you, in the fashion of the old-time Quakers,
who made this peculiarity of speech a part of their. religion.
Old: Broadbrim had certainly cause to be excited, although it

took a great.deal to disturb his equanjmity.

“Thee will find that this will soothe thee,” he said, as he
pressed a vial he held in his hand to the nose of the maniac. -

Whatever it was Broadbrim thus held to the nose of the
maniac, crushing the small phial that had contained it, the effect
was immiediate-and startling.

The madman uttered a, wild cry. Releasing his terrible grip

_ upon the detective, he reeled back as though he had received a

shock.

Then he sank in a heap to the. floor. Again science and
shrewdness had triumphed over brute strength.

Broadbrim was panting from his exertions, but ready for fur-
ther work, if necessary.

He helped Gertrude through the secret panel and then closed

“it again.

There were dull sounds heard. now ‘that seemed to make the
building quiver a trifle. Were they. explosions of some sort?
The doctor. and his men had assaulted
the door of the cell below, hearing not a sound since the explo-
sion had taken place, the purpose ‘and result of which were such

a mystery to them.

Determined to learn what had become of the detective, the
It was
its thunder-that was heard by the brave old detective in the cell
above.

Casting the light of his lantern around, the detective Saw that

this cell was like the others he had’ been in with one exception.

It had no small grated window like the rest.

Instead there was a skylight of heavy glass above.

This gave hima thought. Supposing he reached the roof of

gaining the ground?
Quick to action, he commenced throwing his rope upward with

the clamp at the end, Fortune favored him. With a few trials

he succeeded in gaining a firm hold, and hand over hand as-

cended. ~The glass skylight could be taised.

“Another moment and he was on the roof. it was about half-

“past twelve, and’ the stars dotted the heavens like myriads of

lanterns hung on space. I the east a sorry remnant offthe bat-
tered oid moon was just waking into life.
By the combined thet of these heavenly luminaries, Broad dbrim

“was able to see avout him.

The insane asylum was two stories in height and its grounds,
comprising an acre or so, were surrounded by a very high wall,

of which mention. has- Wee ‘made betore.

A train rushing by toward New York attracted the detective’s
attention, and jooking bévond it, toward where the old’ moon
was coming into view above the hills of Long Tsland, he caught
Sond.

He had no time just then to admire the scenery. as disclosed
by the moonlight in such a vague, mys sterious way. His own
case demanded: attention.”

’ Passing quickly from one point to another, he examined the
root. He found no oats of reaching the ground.

True; had he been alone he would have mé ide a virtue of néces-
sity, and lowered himself by means of the water pipe or light-
ning rod. He had another to think of.

By this time Old Broadbrim began. to realize that he had struck

“the toughest .case of. his’ life.

‘The men he was dealing with were ‘unscrupulous devils who
would fight to the last.

Their game was growing plainer all the while. and he. was
rapidly comprehending its full import.

Needless to say he was impressed by the horror Ga rcoua dine
to escape from
this den of iniquity. When he realized that there was not much
of a chance for them to escape from the roof into the grounds,
he turned his attention elsewhere.

There. were other’ skylights. The majority of these were ‘small
and undoubtedly led into rooms such as mag Aeld the maniac
who believed himself to be Satan.

One was larger. This he made for.

As he. suspected, it lighted the upper corridor at a pont tmid-
way between the two. ends,

to entering the cell,

lunatics.

Trying it he found it could be raised. Like a flash he'was
back at the opening. Inside of a minute he had drawn Gertrude
up to the roof.

If they could be given another minute or so of time all would
be well: Even as they reached the aoa skylight, there. came a

rash from below. :

Faken knew. what it meant.

The door had given way.

Dr. Mudd and his men had now. no barrier to bar their way
The truth must speedily be known.

When the worthy doctor saw that hole in the wall he would
immediately leap at conclusion, and send his men flying up-
stairs. : %

Down Broadbrim went upon. the ladder.

The upper corridor was deserted. A light burned at one end
and another near the head of the stairs, but not a soul.was in
sight. The men were all needed at the scene of action. Haying
learned this. much, the detective popped up again, and then. had
Gertrude descend. '

This he did in order that he might shut the skylight after Aue,
and not let.the enemy realize by “what. route they had gone. It
was.always.a part of Broadbrim’s policy to cover his trail as
much as. possible.

‘This. he generally did with the cunning of'an Indian, se that
his enemies - were baffled in endeavoring to hunt him down, They
were now in the upper corridor, :

From the basement Broadbrim had forced his way to the very
roof. This in the face of difficulties that would have. daunted
most men.

He was now on his way down again. It was not his intention
to go further than the next door, where he determined to make
some sort of break.for the open air: Holding to Gertrude’s arm
he moved toward the stairs, intending to slip down. In the other
hand he held his revolver.

It was his-intention to use the deadly weapon if the madhouse
kéepers discovered him. They had.just gained the top of the
stairs, when a chorus of shouts. came up fre om below.

“We are discovered,” gasped the young girl, i

“Not-so, but the dogs are coming,” said Broadbrim, as he held
his revolver in readiness.

‘Let us hide,”

oe here is no place.”

SY eS See, here is an empty cell.
it is. toa late,’

Broadbrim had about made up his mind to face th e music, and
have the business over. He was fast nearing such a‘ state that
his blood would demand action other than ‘flight.

Still he could not resist the young girl’s: appeal and he slipped
into: the cell just in time to avoid being discovered oe the doctor
and his men, who were rv ishing madly. up the stairs. [he doc-
tor had sent several men into the secret passage, and it was
evident that the cell to which it led was to’ be assaul lted front
and «rear.

Broadbrim waited his. opportunity.

When the door was unlocked and: the men rushed in with a
shout, his time for action had.come.’ With Gertrude at his side
he slipped into the corridor and ‘turned the angle to the stairs.
As he didsso there was a cry near-by and he saw one of the
keepers rushing toward him.

Up went the detective Ss. revolver.

Bang! it sounded.

Down went the man.

‘That was business.

Oh, come in- quickly before

CHAPTER XL
A MASTERLY RETREAT,

Gilead Retreat--as Dr. Mudd. called his place on the. Sound—
vas by this time in an uproar.

The sound of the battering. ‘ram, the crashing of do oors, and
the shouts of the excited doctor and his men had stirred up the -

Any one w to has heen in an asylum when something—the
suicide of a maniac perhaps—occurred to excite the inmates, can
ealize how. the poor wretches were aroused on this. occasion.

Jas could see nothing, but the clamor caused them. to -fear the

Their weird cries rang out continuously, and it would

worst. L 1
e tact of his mind

have been deafening to Broadbrim, but for th

  

   

eee,

  
  

 

.

"Bee so taken up with other affairs that he could not Pay at-
tention. -
When he fired the shot that “downed” the keeper whe had

discovered him, the detective hastined down -the stairs after ‘his -

companion.
“Turn to the left,” he cried.
The young girl obeyed.

By this time it was evident fhees ae commotion above that

the enéiny were on his track.

The keeper had dodged just as Broadbrim fired, and as a con-
sequence was wounded, not killed:

He gave the alarm.
leariféd whither those they hunted ‘had Boe, and like a pack
of hounds t..ey came down the stairs.

Inside: the ecll they had found the maniac senseless or er
they knew not which as yet, and before an investigation could
be brought about the alarm had gone forth in the corridor.

“Show ‘him- no mercy!”

It was’ the voice of the doctor that Aloud this out, but SO
hoarse with furicus rage that it was hardly distinguishable.

Broadbrim, following the young en along the lower corridor,
smiled grimly. x

In one hand he held his revolver. -

The other hand seemed to grasp some object which he meant
to bring into use when the occasion came.

They reachéd the main door... Beside. them was the doctor’s
office where he had received them on their arrival.

The deor was locked... Broadbrith saw this at a glance. He
pulled back the heavy bolt, and still the great door - refused to
yield, Lhe, key was not in the lock. At that mome nit it was
probably in the possession of the doctor.

Their escape here was cut off. Ha! the furious men had now
leaped down the stairs, and, catching sight of him, broke out into
a series of shouts... At this moment the detective succeeded in
forcing the door open.

“into yon door. Quick!” cried the detente: ‘

He breathed easier when he saw Gerirude pass into the doe
tor’s Office, for she weuld now be out of danger in case the bul-
lets flew. More than one of the men had weapons in their
hands, and from their sava ge demeanor it was evident, they
would them.

The. doctor led the ae crowd. Prudence may have been a
cardinal virtue in his composition, “but just then his condition
was such that he was ready to cast all prudence to the four
winds of heaven. He was wrought up to such a pitch that he
had no moré caution than a wild beast.

Porat : a

As he uttered the one word, Broadbrim’s left hand was thrown
suddenly forward. |

There was a blinding flash i in, front of the men anda deafening
_ detonation.

They came to an abrupt halt.

Indeed, it seemed as though each man had ‘been made the re-
cipient of a blow in the face, so sudden was their onward rush
checked.

Still, none of them fell—none were apparently hurt.
The revolver of the detective now swung. into line.

“Advance another step, and I'll send some of thy souls’ before —

the judgment bar of heaven to answer for thy crimes here. . I
am Old Broadbrim; and whe en | shoot, I generally kal, Stand
back!” es

With a sudden, agile spring,, he vanished from | the sight of
those in the corridor.. There was no magic in this leap.

He had Simply followed Gertrude, and sheltered himself in the
doctor’s office. To slam the door shut and fasten it was but the
work of a. monient. :

Broadbrim beearhed easier.

He believed a great step had been taken toward gaining the
end he had in view.

There was a window here.

It was guarded by several slight iron bars.

‘These would not prove. much of a protection against a ma-
ene and had probably been placed there more for looks than
utrlity.:

Broadbrim opened the ade The bars he wrenched away
by an. exertion of his tremendous strength.

He then looked out. ©

“Good,” he muttered, “we may yet foil this modern Satan and

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

Under his directions the others quickly

this sort, as his adventures

_ fighting was hardly worth knowing.

The ground was only a few feet Below?

his ae chanacls. Are thee ready to follow. me, Gertrude “Alex-
ander r’

“Anywhere, for a area brave man and have. risked much for
me,” replied the girl.

“Then come quickly, take the leap.”

He sprang to the ground.

Gertrude was not far behind him.

On this side of the house the moonlight aa not come, as the
shadow of the building lay heavily upon the ground. At any
moment the great door might swing open to give egress to the
yelling crowd, and he was compelled to be in readiness to receive
them. Still this was a thousand times better than being on the
housetop or even in one of the gloomy cells.

No sooner had Gertrude reached his side than the two began
to move toward the wall. « 2

Broadbrim, in making this movement, was guided by two
things. ‘The first was to keep in the shadow of fhe building as
much as possible, and when at the end of it turn so as to be out
of the sight of any one who might emerge from it. - The second
was to head for a certain quarter of which he had taken par-
ticular note when upon the roof of the asylum, for here he knew
what to expect in the way of assistance. The fugitives had
hardly turned the corner of the house when the doctor and his
men emerged.

It was their voices sounding on the open air that betrayed this
tact:

‘Faster, if. thee can, my dear young lady. A second gained
now may be our salvation. Do not worry, though. Those dogs
shall. not drag thee back: to a living death.”

‘TTeaven bless you,” murmured the girl.

They were now near the wally A few rods more and all would
be well. e

At that moment, swever their enemies broke around the side
of the asylum, and came on madly.

‘They were cornered again.

Old Broadbrim took out a whistle and blew a piercing note
upon it.

There was a vibration in the sound that told as plainly as
words could have done that it must be a signal of some sort.

No answer came.

“Can he have mistaken the hour or been Aciouae.
is indeed desperate then,’ said the detective.

He brought his teeth ‘together rigidly, and whirled upon the
approaching enemy. At his back was the wall, fully ten feet

Our case

high.

With time he could have scaled it and couid Have brought his
fair companion over without. aid from beyond, for .Broadbrim
was never to be found without the best appliances for deeds of
.in the madhouse. bear witness.

He could not even make use of that cunning arrangement
which had already served them well on two peRetere occasions—
the rope with the queer clamp at the end.

‘Lhe: doctor, as before, led ‘his men.

There was something in his looks and
Broadbrim the idea that -h
one of his own cells,

_ His hair was streaming in the breeze,.and his arms flying, like
those of a windmill of olden. times when. struck by a cyclone.-

Old Broadbrim was no novice. What he did not know about
He had figured in so many
scenes “that it needed but one quick glancé to tell him which of
these madhouse keepers would be apt to use hts weapon first: if
lett ialoriey

That man was his game. He would drop him before he had
the chance to use ‘the revolver he carried half raised.

Broadbrimi was at bay.

His eyes flashed, his nostrils were distended, aed his: frame

manner that gave
e would make a splendid subject for

trembled a little—not with fear, for that was an unknown quan-

tity in his make-up—but rather with the tense eagerness shown
by the hound when straining at its leash, or the race horse as

‘he hears the plaudits of the vast crowd ‘that greet his _appear-

ance on the track. Purposely, the detective had. placed Gertrude .
behind him, so that she might not be struck by the bullets as
they flew.

When he saw the man he had marked suddenly raise his
weapon as he ran, the detective knew the crisis was at hand.

He sent a “snap shot’ at the fellow with his usual luck.

‘The man did not even fire. Receiving the detective’s- bullet

in his bosom, he came to a sudden halt, his knees gave way be-.

  

 
 

       

  

neath his weight, and: throwing “up his arms he sank back trying
to ery Outi).
_. “Holy mother! I’m shot! Help! some one, for the love of

Heaven, save me! save——’ That was his last word

It was at this instant the gallant old detective felt something
strike his shoulder,

He looked up. The rope-ladder at last, thank God. The
comrade he had looked for had come.

“Mount, girl. Climb up the ladder.

these wretches.” :

9

Up, while i [domoratiee

She needed no urging. Seizing the rope-ladder she went up -

it like a- sprite, and almost immediately had reached the top of
the wall.

Here she was joined by a man who had come up on the other
side. He placed one arm around her, and, lifting her light
ee over the wall, placed her upon the rope-ladder on the out-
side s

Then, turning, ‘he crouched upon the wall, and drawing a re-
volver prepared to do his share of the work. %

Thefe was little need of his assistance.

Old Broadbrim was a whole regiment in himself. ,

 

CHAPTER XII.
THE DOCTOR'S SHOT.

- Charlie Carroll,
sistance, was the person who had first engaged him to discover
the missing Gertrude Alexander. He was engaged to marry
the young woman and he told Old Broadbrim to spare no ex-
pense in. finding her. Broadbrim had told him: of his discovery
of the whereabouts of the girl and Carroll had agreed to be on
hand with a rope- ladder when the time came for getting her
out.”

When the young girl had about reached the top of the wall,
the men of the madhouse recovered from. their momentary
stupefaction: Their prey was escaping.

No doubt, if they allowed it, the old detective would also run
up that rope-ladder and vanish. Such a possibility alarmed the
doctor. His secret was in danger.

Once let people know of what was going on inside of the old.

stone “retreat”
ears.
Broadbrim ktiew what. was coming,

He was accustomed to reading the faces of persons, and upon

and a mob would ry “the “walls down about his

those of the men before him he now saw that action was im-_

minent.

As the advantage usually lies with the assailant he determined
to begin matters himself.

One hand ° grasped the revolver.
utilized it.

While sending in shot Bee shot, intended more to frighten
and perhaps maim than to kill, the old detective manipulated this
hand to such advantage that he kept a constant shower of those
wonderful little bombs falling about the enemy.

‘They banged to the right of them and to the left of them,
throwing up the dust and flashing in. front with baleful fury.

The bombs were not altogether harmless.

‘They contained something “that seemed to pierce the skin ‘ike

Leaving one hand frée he

~fine glass and produce a sensation that made one dance with. .

sudden: agony

Besides, Broadbrim was manipulating his revolver with con-
siderable energy.

Perhaps the leaden pills it rolled out had something to do with
the sudden agony brought upon the assailants. Seeing that the
doctor was the most determined of his enemies, the old detective
showered the bombs about him. When he had set the owner of
the mad-house to dancing an impromptu breakdown, uttering a
strange mixture of yells and curses the while, he believed the
battle about won.

One of the flying bullets from the pistols of the Recoers hap-_

pened to strike the revolver the detective held. Although it
glanced off at 4 tangent without doing any harm beyond a slight
abrasion of the skin on his hand, yet the shock sent the weapon
hurtling from his hand. Thus he was left apparently unarmed
in the presence of his foes. .

Broadbrim was a man of wonderful resources.

The very moment that this disaster occurred, instead of show-
‘ing his weaknéss to the enemy, he made an impetuous assault.
Because of the faint moonlight and the powder smoke from

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

the man who had come to Broadbrim’s as-

-you have picked up?

 

17

revolvers and exploding bombs that surrounded them like a fala,
it was hardly probable that they had as yet discovered his con-
dition.

He did not mean to give them the chance.

The bombs flew thicker than ever.

Both hands were at liberty now to work.

- Strange how such minute affairs,
could burst with such a detonation.
Possibly dynamite had something to do with it.
Uttering a shout, Broadbrim sprang forward, as if he intended
rushing into the midst of his foes without a weapon.
The action completed their demoralization. It was each man
for himself, and the devil take the hindmost. if
The doctor was left alone. He saw Old Broadbrim advancing
toward him, and knew that his only safety Jay in flight.
Before he whirled away he sent a shot at the daring detective,
Then wheeling, he too ran off in the direction of the great gate.
Charlie Carroll, on the wall, uttered a cry of alarm as he saw
Broadbrim stagger back.
The doctor’s last shot had not been wasted.
“Good heavens! Broadbrim’s shot!” said thé young man, as he
scrainbled down the rope-ladder into the garden of the asylum.
The doctor, not knowing the success of his shot, had now
vanished from sight.
“Are you badly hurt, Mr. Brosh asked Charlie, as he
came up with the detective, who had sat down and had his head
in his hands.
“Not at all; only confused.
and staggered me:

hardly larger han a pea,

That ball atineed from my head

Jt am all right now. Is that my revolver
‘Thanks.

Hark! Great heaven!”

A piercing cry rang out upon the night air.

It came from the other side of the wall.

There could be no mistaking that cry. Gertrude was in peril.

What source this peril came irom they could only, surmise, put
it may be set down for certain that they wasted no time in
solving the riddle.

A minute betore Broadbrim had-been oe under the effects
of a shock,

He made straight for the rope-ladder.

This he seized upon with the clasp of a giant, and went up to
the top like a shot.

T he scene was now before him, spread out in the moonlight.

Two men were hurrying Gertrude along, half pulling, half car- -
rying her. They headed toward the gate. This disclosed the
truth of Old Broadbrim.

Turning his head he hoarsely whispered :

“Run along the wall to the gate. I'll attend ‘to the -outside of
the wall.”

Then he vanished from view.

Charlie Carroll, being a sensible fellow, caught the meaning
of these words. He sped away, keeping close to the wall, and
running like a sleuthhound.

Thus it was only a score of seconds ere he came in sight of the
a it was open.

is proved that the men who had seized upon Gertrude had
oe out here, no doubt with the intention of assaulting the
enemy in the rear. —

Several dark figures were in view. The doctor and two of

~his keepers had made for this point when they fled, and hence

it was to be supposed they were the men.

Meantime Old Broadbrim had not been idle.

He had gone over the wall like a tornado, only stopping long
enough upon the top te give those words of instruction to his
friend below. The two rascals ahead were making all possible
haste to reach the gate. Their scheme would have been only too
successful had it not been for that one unfortunate mistake. The
ery of Gertrude ruined them.

It brought upon their track one who was not accustomed to
fail in anything : ‘he undertook, and whom nothing would daunt
in his work of | mercy and justice.

Broadbrim rapidly overtook the men.

They heard him coming now. This could fo seen in the way |
they cast hasty glances behind them while they tried to increase
their speed.

A.plan seemed to have been arranged between them whereby
it was hoped that the old detective might be brought to a stand.
One of them was seen to fall behind. The: other bore the young
girl on alone

Where have you left Gertrude? rs
 

   

Bo. OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

“This worthy, who had taken it “pon himself to stop the on-
ward rush ‘of the detective, might as well have tried to stay
the mad torrent. He believed himself a hero because of the
duty he had assumed.

In reality he was a victim. At first he only slackened his pace,
but finding that this would not do he suddenly changed his tactics.
Wheeling around he presented his revolver at the oncoming ‘de-
tective.

There was a shot and a rush.

A man went down in a heap, but it was not eaitint Old
Broadbrim.

_* He was leaping onward.

/ Through some little trick he had managed to avoid the shot
of the keeper, and ere he could fire a second, the detective had
laid him out by a tremendous blow. straight from the shoulder.
The race was now narrowed down.

‘Having a burden in his arms the man ahead very natunally
could not accomplish as good work as his pursuer. One thing
he had in his favor. The gate was near.

Once at that point and he might reasonably expect assistance,
for already he could hear the voice of the doctor encouraging
him, He realized the game.

TIf-he could dash through ahead of his pursuer the heavy gate
would be closed in Broadbrim’s face.and thus. effectually cet
him of his prey. ‘The man strained every nerve.

He had done credit to himself thus far, and his efforts were
warthy of a nobler cause.

Rese than once Broadbrim a isn his revo as ‘though
to. fire. .
But he dared not risk it.
‘The fellow’s back was toward hia: ie he held ie 4 young girl
in his arms, and there could be no telling where a bullet would
go when fired under such exciting circumstances.

By this timg the daring keeper had ee gained the Hage gate.

It was only partially open.

The gate fastened with a heavy Spring lock, and oné quick
‘shove from the doctor after his man had gotten through would
‘suffice to close it in the face of the detective.

The keeper dashed through it, still bearing his burden.

‘Broadbrim came to a halt-and: threw up his pistol, but it weuld
have been: too late, only for -the. admirable ‘precaution he had
taken some time back.

Charlie Carroll! He it was who had come tearing along inside
the wall, and who had reached the Ae just in time to be - ave to
‘have a share in the crisis.

The. situation was plain.

If the doctor shut the gate the detective would be barred out.

Covering. the owner of the madhouse, Charlie pulled. the trig-

ect

" With the ‘report. the doctor reeled back and fell:
When the. man-who carried Gertrude saw this catastrophe, he
lostthe courage that-had enabled him to do so much.

yDropping his burden, he sprang away like a deer, dodging

this way and that to avoid’ the leaden missiles he expected to
follow in his wake. :

Gertrude was found unharmed, and- Charlie soon had her in
his: arms.

Old Broadbrim bent over the doctor. ’

He had a bullet in his leg, but the wound. was likely to. prove
only a- Pane otie.

+ “Curse you,” he growled, “you have triumphed, and , eriece
Il am fuined.”
_ “Not yet,” replied the detective,

“How! you give me. hope?”

On one: condition.”

“Name. it, man.’

“I promise to say nothing for one week if you make the man
who placed this young girl in your chargé believe she is. still
here.”
> Hal you have a game to play.”
~ “And it is essential to the success of that game that he should
not know of this visit.”

“Just so. . That can be easily managed.”
: "Remember, you deceive me at your peril.”
“L_will not do so,’

ot. shall, make sure of that by having one of my ‘men watch
‘you. At the same time I can tell from the actions of Allan
Prentice whether you have warned him or not.

   

®

i party who had written it.
‘writer’ chose to ‘call at a certain address after nine o’clock the

Ii you do you

yall regret it to your dying day. 1. am Old. Broadbrim, the De-
tective, “and I will hunt you down to your doom.”

“Have no fear about my keeping faith with you; deeeseny.
compels me to do so. Iacknowledge. that I would prefer to

keep faith with the man who engaged | me, but there is no oppor-

tunity for that, and self- preservation is the first law of nature.”

Mihai 1s, doctor. For a week, then, I consent to say noth-
ing of the horrors I have seen inside your Gilead Retreat.” .

And when the week is over?” fearfully.

“YT shall pay you. a visit.”

“With the officers of the law?”

“Not quite. I shall come to submit a _ proposition to you.”

Concerning what?”

“Certain abuses in your asylum.
be quiet.”

“You are disposed to. be lenient, -Broadbrim,”

“But [shall keep an eye upon you in the future; doctor, _and
if I find you tripping up, beware! I’m going to have this can-
cér*cut out at all events. It’s a disgrace to the country that such
deviltry can go unpunished.”

By this time Charlie announced himself ready to £0, and the
detective, taking one of Gertrude’s arms, assisted. her

In anticipation of such a rescue, the young man had a closed

If these are corrected I shall

carriage in readiness near by, which ne enigtad and drove to-
ward the city.

Thus the old detective had faa over his enemies in the
gaine, and in the future would have at least one aiventce over
them.

 

“CHAPTER XUI.
WAS TA AR AUR

“Ts thats genuine for artrape”

As Old Broadbrim muttered these words he tired’ over in
his hand a letter that he had found awaiting him at his. office.
It was an answer to a personal he had inserted in the Herald.
That petsonal was cautiously worded, and tead so as” not to ex

“cite: suspicion.

“Tf Arabella Southwick, widow, who recently ie a poniion
in Thirty fifth street, this city, will communicate with ‘Archi-
bald,’ this office, she. ‘will. hear something to her advantage.”

To this he had received an answer which his boy had brought
from the newspaper office. It was written on a crumpled sheet
ef paper, and bore evidences of the illiterate character of the
The note ran to the effect that if the

coming night he would hear something respecting Arabella

Southwick, and doubtless meet that person face to face, as. ‘she.

was expected to be there at about that time.

‘The place Was a neighborhood with. a ‘reputation that was un-

savory, to Say the least, though for that matter he must expect
to find the widow in some “such locality, judging from her past.
When nine o'clock struck that night a man rapped on the door
of a small house in one of oa most depraved localities of
Brooklyn. ea
This was old ee ineat
His own wife would have had dec in schon tae: him,
however, so. complete was” the disguise — assumed for the 0¢-

-casion.

ae all appearances he was a lawyer. =

That. wonderful face of his, the like of whieh Nae never ee
seen upon any stage on this side of the Atlantic, was turned into
anew aspect, and had the well kriown. SDPeRT ARES Ofva shrewd
and unscrupulous lawyer.

The house was small and ot At the same time there
was an air of mystery about it that caused Old Broadbrim to
wink very hard to himself.

Those closed shutters and peaeea! 2ir of a ‘Sunday afternoon
which seemed to. hang over. ‘the little building was suspicious.
The little garden in front was neglected, and had long since gone
to ruin.

It looked as though the inmates of. the house. ‘had too much
care on their hands to bother with such small matters, although

once upon a time, as the detective remembered, this yard had

blossomed with roses and various others flowers. - oe
His knock was. answered. Shuffling footsteps were. heard
within and then a chain fell from the door..
As it swung open, Broadbrim saw.an-ugly old. beldame holding
a wretched lamp above her head, so that she could peer at him.

 

     
   
    

--a lien on her,

 

‘1 came hate madam, in answer to a missive wh ich ay clerk
brought from the Herald office.”

_ Oh, ye re the critter wot advertised for the widdy. Step in,

The door shut, the chain rattled, and he knew that the means
of retreat was cut off.

The room Broadbrim had entered was not empty.

An old lamp with a smoky chimney stood upon the little
wooden mantel. By its light the detective saw another old
woman seated by the little kitchen stove. She had a pipe in her
mouth. Her black hair, streaked with gray, came down about

her face, half hiding it, but enough could be seen to prove that i

she must be a woman borderi ing on the virago.

“If that is the widdy I have my hands full.”

So thought the detective.

He said nothing, but quietly entered the room.

The virago lifted her head—she was knitting a sock—and gave
him cne glance. Somehow that look thrilled “the detective.

It told’ “hig ‘a terrible truth. The virago was not a woman,
after all, but a man in disguise.

Although’ his mind was fully engaged, grappling with this new
and surprising condition of affairs, he went on with his little

game, conducting it! with such wonderful power that he must
have completely: “deceived those who were working against him.

Professing to be a lawyer, he used language such as only a
member of the legal profession would be apt to use.

Latin phrases dropped from his lips as oaths might from
those of a most accomplished. swearer.

He indulged in flights of rhetoric that seemed to lift him to
the clouds, and when. at the most lofty point would tumble in a
heap for the want of a word which he pretended refused to
come to him.

He could not speak without betraying the fact that he was a

amember of the bar.

The woman who had admitted him handed him a wooden-

seated chair.

Broadbrim noticed that she placed it in a particular place, and

his eye quickly traced the outline of a trap in the wooden boards

of the floor.

.Unnoticed by either of them, he gradually edged” his chair
along until it was half off the trap.

In case of a sudden descent he could save himself.

The two women, or those representing themselves to be
women, he distinguished in his mind by calling one the beldame
and the other the virago.

Upon being questioned as to what his motive was in seeking
the “Widdy,” Broadbrim seemed to be non-committal, declaring

‘that if he could induce her to come to his office and have an
interview with him he would give her a chance to make much

money.
The beldame was the spokesman, and she pursued her investi-
gation in a manner that kept the old detective busy.
ae can tell ye whar the widdy’s to be seen.”
“Then why don’t you end this awkward pause? We are now

in statu quo. Where’s the widow?”

The old beldame winked, and a cunning look came over her
wrinkled face.

“Sure that would be telling.”

“Oh, ah, I understand. Here, my good woman, take this. I

“have always found it an invaluable remedy for opening the -

mouth of a stubborn man, nolens volens.”

“Thank ye, sir. You're sure ye don’t mean any harm to the

pore widdy.”

“Not -a harm, my gentle een Now I think we’ve had
quantum sufficit of this talk. Produce the widdy. I must have
The court, demands her presence.’
~. “That is the widdy, sir.’

The beldame pointed to the virago, who at this arose from
her chair and bowed.

Not to be outdone the detective made a salute that might have

done.a French dancing-master honor. :

“Then I am more fortunate than | oe to be. You are
Arabella Southwick, madam?’

A vigorous nod.

“Lately employed on Thirty- ath street in the family of an old

. Sea captain named Barnaby Gordon,”

Another nod.
.Arabella somehow was chary of herd voice,-.
As yet she had not spoken a word,

    

   

 

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. 19

When the detective had brought matters down to a certain
point he would force an answer from her unwilling lips,

She could not always remain mute,

“That sea-captain had a niece.’

wes,” nodded Arabella

“Her nan.: was Geviade Alexander.”

Another affirmative. ;

The seeming lawyer, who had sat down again, bent forward
in his chair at this point.

“Phat girl has disappeared, Arabella Southwick, most myste-
riously Stee, and the supposition is that you know some-
thing of her fate.”

This time there was a violent negative shake. °

“Al you are a shrewd one, I see. To an ordinary lawyer you
would appear non compos mentis, but I believe you are more
rogue than fool, my dear Arabella. Nay, frown not, but harken
to my proposition. If you can tell me where Gertrude Alex-
ander is at this moment I will make you a present of ten thou-
sand dollars!”

‘Vhere was much hidden back of it. In the first place, it was
a huge joke leveled at the plotters, for they could not know
that Gertrude was anywhere but in the asylum.

Then again, when they came to realize that this was Old
Broadbrim, the fact of his being so anxious ‘to discover the

whereabouts of the young girl who had been made the subject

of their plot, would render them easy with regard to her safety.
It would look as though he could go no further in the case
because he knew not what had been done with Gertrude, ‘This
offer was also made as a golden bait to hoodwink the man who ~
was masquerading as the widow in demand. The bait concealed
the hook. | It caught the fish.
The virago for the first time gave vent to an exclamation, and

this struck HDD the tympanum of the detective as sweetest

music.

“Do you mean that?”

It was the voice of a man.

More than that—it was a voice he knew.

Involuntarily a name fell from his lips.

“Allan Prentice!”

“Ha! you know me! Who in the fiend’s name are you? Not
a lawyer, for none of that ilk know my voice, and that is what
betrayed me. Furies! I know you now. The mask is off, de-
tective. You are Old Broadbrim!”

“And I hold the game, partner!”

 

CHAPTER. XIV.
A NECK IN THE NOOSE.

_ The consternation of Allan Prentice when he made the dis-
covery that Caleb Spark was in reality no other than his hated

‘foe, the greatest detective in Gotham, plainly indicated that he

was surprised. When this neat little trap had been set to catch
some fool who might stumble into it, they oS not. counted om
such, game.

Broadbrim had his weapon leveled.

“No you don’t, Allan Prentice. You sign the sentence for your
own death if you try. that.”

As he saw the man’s hands fall at his side, the detective cast a

glance toward the beldame.

She, too, had developed a startling character.

The mask was thrown aside and the Quaker detective recog-
nized in this apparently toothless old hag no less a personage
than Adolph Werner, the general, He was well enough, it
seemed, to be once more at his old pranks. Cy

Werner had his hand in the bosom of his dress, and in two
seconds more would have had a déadly little toy in his hands
with which he could have done terrible damage. That keen and
penetrating orb of the great detective gave him to understand
at once that he, too, was to halt in his hostile demonstration
unless he wished to invite the speedy coming of death.

From the experience the general had already passed through
in connection with Broadbrim, he must have conceived great
respect for his prowess.

This was now evidenced in the ha asty manner of his raising
his arms above his head, to indicate that he unconditiondfly sur-
rendered.

The detective saw Prentice touch something with his foot, and
realizing what this meant, sprang aside just in time to save
himself. A portion of the floor fell like a crash,
   

   

 

oe OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

Had he been standing upon it he must needs have gone down

into the cellar, and under such circumstances he could hardly .

escape severe injuries even if there was nothing more fearful.

At the same time a trap in the ceiling was cautiously raised.

Several heads appeared in view.

Broadbrim was totally unaware of this new danger, and stood |
there facing his foes and keeping them covered so that they could

attempt nothing more of the kind.

The reason he knew not of the trap in the ceiling arose from
the fact of its being behind him, and there was no sound made
to attract his attention.

Those above went quickly to work to secure their intended
game. A rope was produced with a large slip noose at one end,
and one of the men, leaning down, prepared to cast it over the
shoulders of the detective.

Seeing what was going on, without appearing to do so, and
being desirous of holding the attention of Broadbrim until he
was in the toils, the two disguised men opened negotiations.

“Broadbrim, you are too much of a devil for us. Will any
oe of money bribe you to keep your fingers out of this

“Don’t talk money to mic, Allan Prentice. You ought to know
me by this time.”

“You mean to run us down then?”

a taean to put you in limbo yet for your share in this black
job.

“Pull!” cried. a sharp voice just then.

The fellow who was leaning partially through the trap let go
his hold upon the rope.

He had poised it so exactly that there could be no mistake
made in. its fall,

The rope did its duty well. It fell full over the shoulders of
the detective, and hung upon the outstretched arm. Allan Pren-
tice had seen that all was ready for the cast, which accounted
for the words he had given utterance to.

At the same instant ‘he turned and blew out both the smoky
lamps. All this in a second of time.

Darkness, dense enough almost to be felt, reigned inside phat
room, Then came sharp. cries, followed by a straining ‘sound
that could not be mistaken.

The men were hauling upon the rope. Up went the body at
the end of it, amid a series of yells and curses most extraor-
dinary.

Prentice, going too near, got a kick that floored him.

Then he drew a match along the stone.

As it flared up he uttered a’ shout of consternation.

‘There, elevated so that he dangled between floor and ceiling,
was a man in petticoats—not the old detective, but his own com-
rade in crime, Adolph Werner.

Broadbrim had turned the tables on them, after all.

Brilliant though this deed had been, it was after all but a
simple act on the part of the veteran detective. He was not to
be caught napping.

While the manipulation of the rope was going on, the de-
tective had not been as ignorant of the business as he seemed.
Thete was a looking-glass attached to the wall at the end of the
room.

Unknown to the men, Old Broadbrim, by simply glancing past
Allan Prentice, could see the whole operation without so much
as Taising his eyes.

a he. hand that hung at his side in reality had a sharp knife, it
being Broadbfim’s first intention to cut the lasso.

When the rope fell, however, and Prentice so hastily extin-
guished the lamps, another plan darted with the rapidity of
lightning into his mind. He seized hold of the rope, and by a
dextrous movement cast the noose over the head of the old bel-
pice ag a we know, of course, as our. acquaintance the gen-
era’

This was not done a second too soon.

Indeed these things seemed to be almost sitmultaneous—the

bringing about of darkness by Allan Prentice, the casting of
the noose by the intended victim, and the pulling from the other
end by the men up in the loft. Thus it was that when light
was brought upon the scene, the discovery was made that, ‘as
if by. magic, the victim had been changed.

The general, clad in his woman’s toggery, hung there, caught
partly by the neck and one shoulder, his legs spinning around,
one arm waving wildly and clutching at empty space, and his

face white with the fear that his doom had come upon him, ed
all.

The genetal was at once lowered to the floor, aie the most
abject apologies were made, though it was evident to all that
the detective must be the cause of the serious blunder.

The detective—where was he?

Some were of the opinion that he had_ fallen into the cellar’

through the gaping hole in the floor. When this was investi-
gated, however, it was speedily learned that there was no truth
in the matter, for he was not down there. One man had imme-
diately sought the door.

He found the chain in its place, and this seemed to be con-
clusive evidence that the detective had not passed out that way.

‘A hot search was now begun.

Inside of three minutes a trail was struck. The door. of a.
little room in the rear refused to yield, which was evidence that
the detective had glided into that apartment, and secured the
door after him.

There was no window in the room. Hence Broadbrim was
apparently in a trap from which there was no escape. The men
were now in no mood for trifling, and a weight was speedily
hurled against the door.

Before this it went down with a crash. A rush was hier made.

They expected to be greeted with a storm of bullets, but in -

this those dashing fellows who led the onset were agreeably
disappointed.

Only a dead silence greeted them.

Lights had been brought by more than one of the chawnd and
these were now used to illuminate the room. There could be
no denying the fact, hard as it grated upon their nerves.

Broadbrim was not there!

He had been, however; that was evident from several thing’, oe
but with his wonderful cunning the wideawake old detective

had discovered the only means of leaving that room save by
the door—a means that was supposed to be a dead secret.

A trap lay open in the middle of the floor... Down that he had

gone. The chances were ten to one that he had not known
where it would lead him, but with his accustomed bravery, he
meant to find out.

“Ee’s gone into the sewer! After him, you sewer rats, and a
fortune to the man who shoots Old Broadbrim! After. him,
boys, we may yet send an ounce of lead through his heart.”

‘All the time Prentice’ was giving vent to these loud commands
he was engaged in tearing off the disguise that had failed to

long deceive the eyes of the detective. The wig of long hair
went in one direction, and the dress in another. In half a>

minute the transformation was complete. Allan Prentice stood
revealed. ‘

Even in this short space of time some of his men had been at
work.

to, and by the time Prentice had succeeded in freeing himself
from the toggery with which he was surrounded, all was ready

' for a move. One by one the men dropped through the trap.

Only the general was left in the little house to nurse his
wounded neck and outraged feelings.

The pursuit was hot. Ahead glimmered the dark lantern of the
man they hunted.

Now and then they caught a gleam of it as he flashed the light
about him, but as a usual thing darkness prevailed.

Suddenly this darkness was dispelled by a vivid flash ; then
came a heavy crash.

Had the sewer blown up?

No, the old aye had simply fired his reste:

 

CHAPTER XV.
NIP AND TUCK.

No one was hurt. The idea was too good to be lost, how-
ever, and Prentice ordered his men to send a volley, which they
accordingly did. ,

Broadbrim seemed to be able to see out of the back of his
head as. well as the front.

At any rate, he knew of the coming volley, and speedily got
out of range before the shots were fired. Every little while “he

came to a small section tunnel running to the sewer from the -

catch basin at the corner of the street. By stepping into one of
these he avoided. the shots.
The thought came to him that he right rash to the end of one

Lanterns were brought out and hastily lighted, weapons looked

O ct eg
*

of these and es out to the street, but the depth of the catch
basin-would have rendered this a hard task even for a man of
his many accomplishments; and, besides, his foes would be upon

shim ere he could hope to finish the work thus assumed, So he ©

continued - his flight.

He believed, nay, he was positive, that he must soon dieeowen
some means of leaving the sewer.

If it was used as thoroughfare by bands a thieves, then surely
there must be more than‘one way of leaving it.

The men who wefe after him seemed to suspect that such was
his intention. They had now adopted a new system of tactics.
Gne of their number strode ahead. He kept’ his eyes on the
alert for tracks of the man they hunted:

Whenever they came to an opening, he would examine the
mud and slime with a hasty glance, ‘and seeing no ‘sign of
Broadbrim having left the main ‘sewer, would continue on.

At last a trail was struck,

“He's gone up here,” said the man, pointing to a sub- sewer,
which seemed to be almost dry.

_Exclamations arose.

Evidently these men knew this opening, and were both sur-

prised and tickled beyond expression at the idea of the old de-

tective choosing it as his means of escape from the sewer. Re--

lying upon the word of the man who had been trailing the de-
tective, they at once turned into this smaller passage. At the
end of its rise was a door that allowed them to enter the cellar
of a house. This was a den never known to the police, and
yet one of the officers of the law was now inside its precincts,
This boded ill for the lease of life of the place unless that man
could be put out of the way.

A hasty search of the cellar revealed sothing. Ther they
went upstairs. Halfa dozen men were congregatéd in the room,
engaged in a social game of cards.

They had just heard the rumpus below, and were about in-

vestigating it when the followers of Allan Prentice appeared

on the scené:s The two leaders recognized each: other:
Red Mike was a Bowery ruffian: who thought the shades of
Brooklyn’ a good oo to roost in, and he had held out with

his gang, doing incalculable damage. to the residents and eye

the power of the police to arrest “him,

Quickly Prentice made his mission’ known, and the man ut-
tered a stfine of oaths when he heard the dreaded name of Old
Broadbrim mentioned.

That worthy had been one means of ridding New, York of
Red Mike's gang. True, they only went over the fiver, but by
this “act they. were tree in a. creat’ nieasure trom observation
of the old detective, most of whose work was done in Gotham.

“Curse him, he was here not two minutes back,” growled the
rough, casting his eyes around.

“What! and you let him escape?”

“How should 1 know him?”

“True, he was disguised as a lawyer.”

“Not when I saw him. Haith, I took him for a Gentleman
crook. His face was so devilish that I made up my mind I
didn’t want to run again him in a big hurry. He looked like as
if he would stick a knife in a chap for Tun. 7

“That was Broadbrim. «His face is his fortune... No other
man could change it so quickly. How was it you let a. stranger
pass without examination?” ’

“Do you see yon door, Prentice?”

“Ves; what. of itP/

“A stranger would think that led out of this room into a hall,
but it don’t by a long. sight.’

“Where does it lead, then?”

Uinto a Toot.

_And that room leads?

“Nowhere.
use when we get in and out of this room, for the door to the
hall yonder is nailed fast.” ‘

“And he went into that room?

Red Mike nodded, chuckling o while.

The door was burst open, for it had been locked: within, and
the men went tumbling mto the darkness. A light was speedily
procured, and then the astonishing truth was’ learned. The room
was empty! At first the mystery seemed inexplicable, but one
of the men, seeing a large chest in a corner of the room, believed
he had solved it. Cauti ously the lid was opened. The men
stood réady with their revolvers to give the old detective a desé

399

of lead upon his first appearance, for it seemed as though he:

a

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

It’s a regular trap. We have a secret panel: we:

   

: 21

must be in that chest if human. But they did not fite. No
Broadbrim appeared in view when the lid was thrown ‘back.

- More astonished than ever, they leaned forward to peer into
ty chest, as though loath to believe that the detective was not
there. ‘:
At this moment, while every man in the room seemed to.
be deeply engrossed in examining the interior of the chest, as
though they suspected there might be a knot-hole in the bot-
tom through which this really wonderful old detective might
have slipped down to the cellar, something not down on the

-bills occurred to them.

In this room were stored some boards. They depended from.
the ceiling by a couple of stringers, and the space they covered
had been so small, and it seemed so impossible for a man of
Broadbrim’s build to be concealed there, that as yet the ruffans
had not thought it worth while to search for him in that quarter.

Here it was the detective was concealed. While the men weré
éxamining the interior of the chest he suddenly toppled a board
down upon them.

Several men went to the floor in a heap, and the lamp was
smashed into a thousand pieces. _

Taking advantage of this excitement, Broadbrim swung him-
self from the end of the little platform and went through the
doorway like a flash. When he gained the other room he found
it occupied by a single man. ’

That worthy attempted to stop him, but the detective came
against him with the speed of a locomotive on a down grade.
When the unfortunate fellow was pulled by the leg from under
the table where he had been shot by the force of the Concussion,
he believed he had met and tussled with an avalanche.

Broadbrim had immediately sprung up a flight of stairs his
eyes catight in a corner of the room. Quick as were his move-
ments, he had just reached the top when the leading man of his
puructs burst into the room. Catching a glimpse of the detect-
ive’s feet just as he vanished, this man led the pursuit.

By. this: time it can ‘be surmised that Broadbrim. had seen
enough of adventure for one night.

In the beginning he had entered into this business with a
legitimate purpose in view, but he had since been forced from
one scéne of deadly danger to another, until he found himself
in the predicament we have last seen him.

At the top of the stairs he found a door.

This he speedily fastened behind him, his policy being to re-
tard the progress of the enémy as much as possible.

Then his littie lantern came into use again.

The light from this revealed to him that the upper: part of
the house was a regular thieves’ fence.

It was stored with every. imaginable kind of goods, and many
rich ones might have been discovered had one taken the trouble

_to search.

Broadbrim did not.

That was far from his business just then.

He must find some means of escape, or at least a “Rides

[ace
: Just at this juncture, however, his eye fell upon what was
apparently a box with a lid, but from its position Broadbrim |
guessed ifs nature.

He lifted the lid and looked in.

The door was quaking now.

In another minute it would crash,

Coming to a sudden. determination, the old detective crawled
into the sluice, for stich the box really was,

Shoctine down the inclined plane for some twenty feet, he
suddenly brought up on a-pile of bundles, which* were pretty
sadly demoralized by his fall.

Nor was this all.

An antiquated. Jew had been standing behind his counter, in
the pawn-shop, ‘

How Old Broadbrim had shot out from the sluice, and tore
through the pile of packages into the pawn-shop, Allan Prentice:

‘and the men who followed him a moment later discovered at | a

glance.
Their eyes roamed oe
Where: was Old Broadbrim?
Ask the night wind, and it might tell.
He was gone |! ;
The door leading into the loan office was Open, and this showed :
the means of his escape. :
They rushed outside.

  

 
   

&

 

22 OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. ee

The street was apparently deserted, though it would not long
remain so with that band of howling dervishes at work within
there.

‘Allan Prentice cursed until the air seemed to smell of brim-
stone.

Once again had his bitter enemy escaped him.

 

CHAPTER XVI.
CAPTAIN BARNABY IS ASTOUNDED.

The detective rested the next day.
He had at least satisfied himself in regard to. the writer of the
letter he received.

What he had told Allan Prentice respecting the old. widow

was substantially true.

The old detective had often wondered what had been done
with the wax figure that was in the coffin when he saw it last.
Tt was his mission to-night to see how far the old sea captain,
Barnaby Gordon, was concerned in the removal of his niece to
an insane as ylum, and the mockery of a funeral that had been held
in that house.

The house on Thirty-fifth street was a large brownstone man-
sion. All seemed dark and quiet about it.

Broadbrim’s ring was answered by a servant, who showed him
ito the library.

The old sea captain was a bluff-looking fellow, whose head had
a_leonine appearance because of the great shock of yellow hair.
He was fingeri ing a card—the one Broadbrim had sent in—and
arose to meet him. :

“You are Captain Gordon, sir, I believe?”

“And you, sir, this card informs me) area lawyer, a: Bo Smart;
by. name.’

“That's it, captain, Siuact by name and smart by nature, and
I generally make people smart who are so incautious as to get
in my way.”

| Well, sir, what has this to do with me?”

“Ah! captain, T’'m coming to that point. You had a niece, sir’

‘bhady MesSmart::

“She owned much property.”

“Yes, she was a rich girl.”

“How was the property left, may I ask, sir?’

“It’s no secret. | am to get a small piece when the estate is
divided, within the year, but the bulk of the property is to go
to. a cousin. His name is Warren Kent.’ \

AC Ye '

‘That was all Mr. Broadbrim said, and yet he had made a great
discovery that seemed to throw the light of a reflector upon the
case revealing its inmost. mysteries. He knew that name.

Underneath his many aliases Allan Prentice bore it, and in all
probability it was his true one. Thus his object in this game was
now plain,

Once Gertrude Alexander was out of the way, according to
the ill-advised will of her father, all of the property would fall
to. him.

‘The old nurse of Gertrude had been concerned in it, else they
never could have succeeded, and, as has been said before, it was
with the intention of picking up some bits of information, as
well as learning how far the old sea captain was interested in the
game, that had brought the vigilant detective to that house.

“Pardon me for seeming inquisitive, but it has been whispered
that there was something irregular about the death of Gertrude
Alexander, and I haye been sent here to investigate.”

“What!” roared the old sea captain, “Do you mean to say

that there is a suspicion of foul play regarding my niece’s death?’

“But supposing there was truth in the report?”

“Then it wouldn’t be safe for the man who had a hand in the
villainy. This world wouldn’t be large enough for him and
Barnaby Gordon.”

“Captain Gordon, what would you give to have your miece back
to life again?” .

The captain eyed him as though he had begun to imagine
he had a crack-brained visitor, but doubtless inclined to humor
him in such a matter, he did not resent his words.

“Tf by so doing, sir, | could breathe life into that cold form,
I would give everything I possess, sir. Ay! even to iny lite,
fot what can it be valued at beside her precious one?”

There could be no mistaking this man. He was true blue.

Every word that he spoke “he meant just as sure as the stars
hone in the firmament above.

A

ee eee was fully satisfied with that, and he believed that
this brave and honest old sea captain would make a good ally.

“She did not die in your house, captain?” ~

“No, she was visiting her old nurse, as was her custom every °
week. Her house is No. — Hester street,” naming the identical
house where we first saw Old Broadbrim, and where he discov-
ered the wax figure intended to represent Gertrude Alexander, in
the coffin. ;

“When did you see the corpse ” \

“Only the day of the funeral. Her old nurse arranged all mat-
ters. ‘The burial was private, because she had died “ot a-conta-
gious fever.” .

“Ah!” thought the detective, “what devils these men were.
They did not leave a stone unturned. That report kept all friends
away, and no doubt his tears and a half-darkened room prevented
this’ honest old tar from learning the truth. This infamous
scheme, thank Heaven, has been nipped in the bud by me.’

Then raising his voice:

“Who was the undertaker, captain?’

“T could not say. Mrs. Southwick eae tonal that. ft
simply paid the bills as they came due, being Gerty’s guardian,
as well as uncle.”

“Another question. You have a family physician?”

Yess) Sine

“How was it he was not called in?”

“Avast heaving, my hearty. How do you know he. was not
called in?”

“T am sure he could not have been.”

“Well, what you base your supposition on I cannot see, but you
are right. At that time Dr. Carlisle, our family doctor, was called
away to Ohio to attend his mother’s deathbed.”

“And when he got there he found her milking the cows, and
learned that she had not been sick at all. A trick had been played
upon him. I may tell you some time, but not yet. You do not
know the physician who attended your niece in her last and fatal
illness : Pe

“Mrs. Southwick :

“Yes, I thought as ‘nate Mrs. Southwick ran the whole
business, but she was under the manipulation of a master hand.”

‘Sir.

“Nothing, captain, nothing. I am now about to tell you some-
thing that will surprise you.”

“You have surprised me already, sir.” :

“This wall mystify you, captain. The coffin was borne to the
cemetery from this house mK!

“T have said so.’
“And you saw Gerty lying in that coffin?” :
“I would stake my life on it, sir,’

“A very foolish proceeding, my dear captain, far let me assure
you that when that coftin was carried out of this house it did not
contain the body of any human being.”

SMe. Smarty you are playing a joke on me.’

“Not so, captain.”

“Because | wish to warn you I am a bad man to take a joke,
and especially upon such a grave subject as the death of my
niece.’

“Just so, captain; and I am the last man in the world to prac-
tice joking upon any matter. What I said to you I repeat em-
phatically. “he coffin that was carried out of this house did not
contain the body of your niece, Gertrude Alexander.”

“But, sir, could I not aes my eyes? I am not blind, and
surely I should know her fac

“Captain, confess, now, a Ww hen you bent over that coffin
your eyes were dim with tears.

“Blast it, man, I ain’t ashamed to acknowledge that. My heart
had to find a vent or bust.”

“Again, do you remember whether the shades in the parlor

were “partly pulled down ?”
“They were.’

“You see these things which I have taken for granted have
really occurred. One more question, my dear captain. The
rumor.said that your niece died of a contagious fever. Did her
face have the appearance of such in any way?”

“No; death would relieve her of that, you know. TI remarked
_to Mrs. Southwick : aiter. the funeral that poor, dear Gerty, looked
in death as I had known her in life. Her face was like wax.’

“It was. wax!”

vat

 

One co

      
  
 
  
    
 
  
  
   
    
   
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
 
    
 
   
 
  
   
 
   
   
   
  
    
  
  
  
    
   
    
 
  
  
    
  
   
  
  
   
 
 
   
 
 
  
   
   
  
  
  
   
   
   
  
   
  
 

ow

Wew
must |
“Ten
An]
eteries
to the
By ¢

  
   

 

 

“Captain, a terrible imposition has been iced upon. you in this
matter.”

“Upon me—me, sir, Captain Barnaby Gordon, once of Her
Majesty's” ship ~ Thindereré Zoynds, sir, £ would hik FeekO See

the man who could play me for a gosling”

“Nevertheless, you have been so played. ah

The captain gasped for breath,

“And that was not Gerty in the coffin?”

“No, but a‘figure in wax, made in a marvelous manner to repre-
sent her. The. shadows in the room and your awn tears pi e+
vented your discovering the ghastly fraud ne pra ee

“Tt. is the strangest thing I ever heard,”

ets have: ‘séen: few | stranger things” myself, in alt my vast €x-
perience.”

“Your. experience | as a fuer)

“My experience as a detective!”

“T began to suspect you were more than you epee. some time
ago. Barnat by Gordon. hasn’t lost his eyesight entirely, if he can
be hoodwirked by a. beastly wax figure. Now; who are you?”

‘Inmy ‘right name, Mr. Josiah Broadbrim, of Philadelphia !”

oy

“Mr. Broadbrim, I remember you well. Do you recollect meet- «

ing me at the hotise of the banker, John Cummings, where you
were looking up a safe robbery? if it were any one but you, Mr.
Broadbrim, a might still have my doubts.” DS

“We <avill visit the tomb.”

“The bodies might have been eho nee in the tomb.’

“But they were not. The one made ‘of wax entered ae hot use
and departed from it to the cemetery as Gertrude Alexander.
This audacious swindle could never have succeeded had the plot-
ter not had an agent and confederate under this roof.”

“You. mean. Arabella Southwick ?”
ot do.. She is now ready to confess nce ae in the crime,

since the man in-whose pay she was ‘tried. to drown her the other

night, but they ah her. pretty much in ignorance, and Pee tes-
timony alone would not amount to much.”

“Mr. Broadbrim, there is one thing you did not tell me. W hat
has become of my, poor. young niece?’

“Listen, captain. if ae were dead, there would have been no
use for the wax figure?

“Great God, man! do you mean to tell me that Gerty. still lives?”

“Most assuredly, since | talked with her less than eight hours
aso

“The old ‘sea captain.was ‘overcome, His stumpy figure shook

with emotion, and if Mr. Broadbrim needed aught.to convince him

that the worthy sailor loved his niece, he had it: now,

“Alive—Gerty alivel! Oh, God. this is too much, Mr, Broad-
brim, there can be no mistalce ?”

“Not the slightest, si :

“How. came it “that Le devils who could descend to such fear-
ful schemes let murder be their last resort? It would have been
about as easy to have murdered the poor girl, and then she would
never have come back to accuse them.” a

“They had tw O reasons, captain.”

“Name them.” Ne oe es

“The first was the widow. She absolutely and positively. re-
fused to reve aang to do with the matter if ae girl was to
be injured,’

“Showed she had a little heart, the old: viper. Now for, your

second reason,- Mr.. Broadbrim.”

a hey: had: a place, in which to put ue, which they: deemed as

ecure as the grave.’

‘This place?”

“An insane asylum.” . a

"Just bicaven! 1 strangle everyone. of. then Jor | Anis
job, My poor, poor child. Mr, Broadbrim, you have no more
to tell me?”

“Only that Gerty was rescued from the madhouse by her tov er
and myself, and is now safe.”

“I shall never forgive myself for frowning on Charlie Carroll.
eis a noble fellow.”

“You are tight there, sir. But go and get your coat weit hat on.

We will drive: to the etaveyard and open the coffin. These things |

must be attended to without delay. I await you here.”
Ten minutes later the two rode’away in a covered carriage.
“An hour before midnight they entered one of the loveliest cem-
eteries- around Gotham, and in company with the sexton went
to the vault that contained the remains of the Alexanders.” =
By their united efforts the eee stone flagging was raised in
one corner.

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

  

1 Then ne coffin was listed out. Bee os

The sexton had come prepared, and he set to work removing
the entire lid.

When he lifted this up Old. Broadbrim uttered a low cry of as-
tonishment.

A figure lay in that coffin, but no figure of. wax.

It was Gertrude Alexander i in the flesh, but apparently dead.

CHAPTER . XVII.
A FREAK OF FORTUNE.
The game had been skillfully. played, and Old eosdhum »
had received a shock because of the nearness his plans . had

approached to. annihilation,
As for the old sea captain, when the lid was removed from the

“a

coffin .he bent over it,.gazing in open-mouthed wonder at. ties.

beautiful form that lay inside, _
He was fearfully impressed with its wonderful likeness to his
niece.
And yet. Mr, Broadbrim had declared solemnly that that niece
had never been dead at all—that she had been confined in a mad-
house, from which den of horrors he and her lover had rescued
her, and that even them she was safe with a certain family of her
acquaintance, awaiting the time ta come forward and. confound
her (e1iemies by her presence. ;
No wonder old Captain Barnaby stared.
His eyes seemed popping out of his head, pa ak drawing
a jong breath, he muttered:
“Gs reat Heaven ! it is terribly like!’
“And good reason it should be so,” returned the old detective, .
whe had now recovered.
He had placed his hand on the forehead of the inmate of the
coffin,
The action seemed to give him satisfaction, for it sent a thrill
through his frame.
Ee is a marvelous imitation of nature,”
“Tt is nature herself.”
“Eh? p72
“IT say it is nature. herself.
young girl.”
“Haw, sir? ‘Did you not bring me here to show me a body
of Wax that had been substituted in the place of my niece?”
“T certainly did,’
“And now you deny that the famous wax body is before us?”
“I am obliged to; stress of circumstances will not permit any
other reasoning.’ 1
“Who, in Heayen’s name, is this?”
olny miece, ain ts, rd Broadbrim was excited.
“Great God! you are crazy, Mr. Broadbrim.” :
“T was never more sane in my life, and never had more reason
for being sane,'as I believe I am pitted against the most cunning
scoundrel it has been my pleasure to run down in many a day.”
: none sir, you must admit that this visit here on your part As
olly
On, the contrary, t contend that it has ‘been the most fortunate
thing “ii1- my whole ‘life... Another. hour in that tomb. and sh
probably would have been ton late. a
VN Broadbrim, my mind is in a muddle. Explain this thing, :
which, is all a fog to me. I seem to hear the fogbell sounding,
but shiver my timbers if I. can locate the sound, You ex-
pected yourself to find a wax figure here. Instead, you discover
one whom you say is my niece. ‘Then you acknowledge that you
were mistaken that the girl you rescued from the’ asylum was
not Gerty at ail, for she Tay 3 in the tomb all the while.”
“Not at all, sir. Emphatically no, sir.’
“Then clear away the cloud.” oa
*T will. 1 repeat, captain, that only a few hours ago I con-
versed with this poor girl here in’a private house in the upper
part of the city, and her lover was then with her. Since that
time she has fallen into the hands of the man who plots for her.
wealth. He had placed her under the power of a drug. and se-
eretly carried her here, taking away the wax figure that. had lain
in this coffin and substituted a living but drugged being.”
“Do you say she is yet alive?” ces
“I feel her forehead moist, Depend “pon i sit, she is slowly, com- a
ing back to life. Had this event occurred while she was down in
the” tomb there, the shock of the consciousness Of | her position :
would have effectually driven life out of her body.” ; =
“Poor child. She has endured terrible things.”

That coffin holds.the body of a

 

  
 

  

ea | OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

“Indeed ne has, and endured them like a heroine, or I do not
know what I’m talking about. . Those devils have played a march
on me, but Heaven-seems to be with me in this’ game. We must
not linger here.. Sexton, will you kindly secure a blanket from
your house?”

The bewildered sexton ane to obey, When he brought. it,
they lifted the young girl’s slight form and wrapped her in it.

. Meantime the detective was questioning the sexton with asl
to the matter.

_ You say you looked in here. at dusk, sexton?”
““All square and proper, sir.’

“From that time until we aroused. you, did 18. see ee
of.a light in this direction?”

“T did. I reckon it was along about ten, sir.’

“What did you think, of it?” »

“First I thought it must be Tim—he-is my assistant, ye see,

sir. I. went to bed, but, somehow, I got to thinkin’ of a robbery
of a graveyard I read about in ‘the day’s Sun, and it worked
on my mind. All at once, sir, like a flash of lightning in a suim-
mer storm, I, remembered ‘that. I had sent Tim to watch the other
side-o’ the. yard this night, so that the glimmer 0’ light Y had seen
could not ha’ been his lantern.

“Disturbed by the thought, I sprang out 6’ bed and: dressed.
Then I came out and wandered hither and yon. But the’night‘air
soon cooled my blood, and as I conld find nothing suspicious’ I
went back to the house. It was not long before your knock
Dea me to the door.”

“How long ago was that limmer seen?”

“I should judge about an hour.’ “

“Exactly. That would: give them time epcaee, They miust
have gone to the city.. I remember, now, of meeting a covered
wagon some distance on the road. That wagon, captain, earried
the wax figure we expected to find here.”

“You are a wonderful man, Mr. Brogibran, and must surely
win this game in.the end.” _

“That depends, captain.. The race is not always to the: awit:
you know. Will one of you kindly——  W ho was that?”

As he uttered these words, Broadbrim’s hand was suddenly
i toward the door of the ae sepulchre in which they
stoo

. Phe others, raising..their eyes, saw a white face peering ce.
the little operas where the iron oe formed a means of ventila-
tion.

At he same ‘moment the man uttered a
vanished from view.

He gave the door a push, in going, that: would have caused he
spring lock to catch, and miake them temporary prisoners of the

a2 cry as of alarm, and

tomb, and only that very luckily one of the tools they had used in

opening the coffin lay in such a pasion as to prevent the door
coming shut.

Broadbrim: whiried upon the sexton,

“Was that your assistant, Tim?”

No,” i :
*You: are “sure?”
“Tim is a lad. That was a man.’
“Then Pll have him.”
As the old detective uttered these woe he sprang inoue the
_ opening, having dashed the heavy door of the vault aside, and
vanished from view.

He had conceived an idea:

It was born upon the instant, for not three seconds had

elapsed between the disappearance of the man’ $ face and his ques-
tion to the sexton.

This man was no ordinary grave Mi aae

He was in the pay of Allan Prentice.

The old detective had played fast and loose with them thus far,
and even when this game was so successfully put on him the
schemer’ feared lest in some way Broadbrim would manage to
balk it before success was assured. In this state of mind, he had,
when departing, left one of his men behind. This man was to
keep his eye upon the tomb that now in reality held’ the body of
the heiress. If he saw anything unusual going on there he was to
creep up and ae what it was, after which he could make his
Teports. | 27

‘This is what nes suddenly understood.

_His mind was capable of prying into the plans of btiers be-
cause he generally, when dealing with a shrewd villain, put ‘him-
self mentally into the other’s place, and judged what he would do
ae like circumstances, and, as a usual thing, he struck’ it.

when the fellow, believing | the coast to be clear,

 

The night was calm, though dark. : aS he: ae the outer. ‘air,
Broadbrim paused and bent. his keen ear to catch the sounds that.
the fugitive must inevitably: give in his flight.

No man possessed more ‘wonderful hearing than the old detect-

ive, and he quickly located the fellow.

Whoever he was, he certainly made good time, and was speed-
ing alone through ‘the cemetery like a race horse.

‘Away “Broadbrim went in pursuit.

The old man had not yet felt’ ‘the encroachments of age, fe he
was in his prime, and every muscle capable of grand work, adie
soon found that he was gaining.

All at once. Broadbrim became conscious of the fact that he
could no longer. hear the footfalls of the man he sesh ~The
fellow had called a halt. ‘hat meant trickery...

Either the man meant to ambush him, and let. him bor a eal:
let as he came up, or else hoped Broadbrim would dash- past and
give him the opportunity of sliding off in the rear. —

The detective also.drew up. He listened, but not the af hine
sound came to his keen ears. As.well as the darkness would per-
mit, he took a survey of the situation.

He found that he was close beside an old tomb, that, from some
cause or other, had fallen into a sad state of decay.

~The few steps leading to it were broken, and the door hung on.

one hinge, two-thirds open.

Old Broadbrim chuckled.

His attention was not at once riveted upon this half-ruined
sepulcher. “

The moment his eyes had rested upon it he had known. that
the chase was over.
= His game. was cornered.

“He’s in that old sepulcher dead sure, and it is now my business
to bring him out.”

So thought the detective.

At the same time he did not rush through the open Bi Gay.

He knew a thing worth two of that.

Seeming to pass on, he crept back and neared the open door of
the tomb.

Stealthily as a cat creeps upon a bird, he drew closer and
closer.

At last he reached the point aimed for.

By listening intently, he could hear the. heavy breathing of

some person’ close by.

The tomb did not contain the dead alone.

His intended prey was there.

It was the’ old detéctive’s intention at first to ie” im wait, and
issued forth,
to poutice on him. :

As minute after minute sped, however, he learned that the

man was cautious by. nature, and in all probability he did not in-.

tend to come forth—at least: not for some little time.
“I suppose I’ll have to bring him out,” muttered Old Broadbrim.
He drew out his masked lantern, and flashed its rays along the
side of the sepulcher.

At,oue point he discovered quite an 1 opening, where a, Cake of
stones had been dislodged by a runaway team hurling a heavy
wagon against the tomb. i

Through this he suddenly flashed his light.

At the same time a revolver was brought to bear.

The man inside, cowering in the corner of the place like a
beaten dog, suddenly found a stream of light turned upen him.

Startled, he looked up.

d here, through the hole in the wall, he saw the Pice of the de-
tective, and hecame conscious that he was covered bya revolver.

He held a Weapon in his own hand.

‘Tis expression was that of a wolf cornered.

Tt had been his intention. should the detective attempt to en-
ter the sepulcher, to send as many bullets. at him as. ths. time
would allow’

Now he gave a groan of despair,

Old Broadbrim had him foul, and he knew engugh to under-

stand what this meant.

 

CHAPTER XVI
‘CRAWLEY ADAMS DISAPPEARS, ;

“Throw that pistol out of the door!”
a he man hesitated.
“Quick !”

 
   

 

 

pare

Bh ty esp oe oe

  
: OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. ag

This time he thought better, of it, for there was that in. the

. voice of the old detective that would not admit of trifling. -

If he refused this time it would be at his peril, for the revolver
that was bearing upon him was ready for work. So, with a mut-
tered curse, the fellow tossed the weapon he car ried BOF of thie

door.

Bre dn now: Naeaeae around to the dope of the tomb and

4 entered: To his amazement, he found it apparently devoid of a

living occupant. '
SAS Old Beoddhvitn’s face lighted up again,

His eye had ‘fallen upon a hole,

It was a cavity doubtless intended or the pecebudn of a ae
at some time, but the stone slab that had been wont to cov er it
had become broken in some way.

That cavity might explain the mystery. ite ae

Esther. through accident or design, the fellow must hace gone
down into it. a

‘A step forward revealed the truth.

_ As the-rays of the little lantern shot into the hole, Broadbrim
saw the man he sought, crouching in the bottom of. it, hoping
against hope.

When the detective ordered him “out the re obeyed | ana
sullen manner.

“Faitly caught,” said Broadbrim:

ut don’t understand this. I’m no body- sniatcher.”

“Come, now, that will do. “You know me,’

‘T-donot:??

“You lie, Crawley Adams. [I am Old Broadbrim, and the man
who pulls wool over his eyes has got to get up pretty early in the
morning,’

“Curse me if he don’t,” growled the other, with eallea mien,
as though he realized that his last hope was gone.

It was his first real encounter with Old Broadbrim,

Perhaps he would know him better after this.

“You-admit you. are Crawley Adams ?”,

“Tt would be foolish to deny it.”

“And that your mission to this cemetery was.to watch that tomb
you saw mein?”

The other made no repfy.

“You will not answer that question ?”

“T 4vill answer nothing. You have me dead to rights, detective,
but I don’t squeal worth a cent. Why I am here must remain a
Ty arty, to you.

“Not so much as you might think. In. fact, 1 could give you a
number of points about this case, Crawley ‘Adams, that would
make your eyes pop out. You stole a march on me in getting
possession of the young girl when I believed her safe, but you
little suspected I: would be down upon you in such hot chase.
Atlan Prentice had better give up his game. He can’t fight against
fate and Old Broadbrim.”

“So I thin, and I shall advise him tha at way.’
“When ?”
Pitist as soon as 1) fod bn
“Ah! that will be a dreary time, Craw ley.

been fully played ere then.”

“What do you mean, Broadbrim?”

“Simply that I have vou.”

“Don't you mean to let me gor”

“Don’t play. me for a sucker, Crawley. I know why you were
here. Prentice shall never hear your report.”

“But if I promise not to go near him?”

The man was now really alarmed, for all ‘that he had heard of
this wonderful old detective flashed into his mind like lightning.

“T would not believe you on oath. Besides, I mean to. make
sure of the fact by prey enting a meéting between you and your
chief.”

“Vou would hot dare!”

“Old Broadbrim dares anything. A short time ago a man vis-
ited me with a purpose in view, coming boldly to my office. «In

The game will have

disgttise he learned a few things, but I jumped to the racket. Ber.

haps you can tell me, Adams, where Nugent is to-day.”
the man shuddered, fe
“Then you were concerned in his disappearance, after all. Allan

Prentice has puzzled and worried more over the strange manner

in which Nugent vanished. You mean, then, hs IT shall aap:

pear the same way?” eee Rea :
dee RR ge cas
“Does that mean—murder ?”

4

“T am not in that line of business just now. When itis war |
can shoot a man down without a scruple, but no one ever kriew
Old Broadbrim to do murder.on order to get a-man out of his
way. I’ve got a safe place for you. Nugent can tell you all
about its strength, for I have no doubt but yet hes has nes
himself sick endeavoring to get out.”

The man seemed relieved.

His eyes followed Broadbrim’s hand as the latter inser ted at in

his pocket.

When he drew it out it ee Oe - jingled 1 Alle
steel.

This was-a pair of handcuffs.

Crawley Adams smiled Fae as the: detective choned the steel
bracelets over his wrists.

“That’s the first time I ever wore the darbies.”

‘The man seemed. thoughtful.

He was not wholly bad, thought Broadbrim, and he chine
his plans and Be erined that Adams. should not be confined witlr
Nugent.:

A few dye fone ciowehie ath such a hardened evininal
would effectually destroy the germinating seed that’ gave sueh
good promise.

He would take this man to. his own: house, whete he eould

“have.an eye: upon him, and where his gentle ‘wife might work

her charm toward influencing him to choose the right path while

‘there was yet time.

Ten minutes later the party were in the carriage. : re

When Gertrude Alexander reached the home of the, npinie dnd
was sufficiently recovered, she told Old Broadbrim her adventures
since he had left her with Charlie Carroll.

There were a few little things connected with her abductight
that the detective wished pole ee ‘So that he could go on- with
his eyes fully opened.

The first’ of these concerned thé mystery of the enemy’s dis-
covering her presence in the house uptown.
“I think I can explain that,” said Gerty, promptly, when she
heard him mention it.
“In what manner?”
“You were’ followed.”
The old detective gave a low whistle.
“Phat 1s. something new. Few men have been able to ‘Dipe’ Old.
Broadbrim. “What makes you think this, Gerty?’
“When you went away about two o'clock I looked put of the
W indow.”
“An incautious thing to do.” ue
“Under the circumstances, it was, but you know the best. a us
are liable to make mistakes. sometimes,” and she looked at the old
fellow. with sly maliciousness.
Mr. Broadbrim smiled grimly. _
“When you looked from the window what did you see? 2
“You were walking down the ‘street. A man who had been
distributing the fly sheets of a weekly story paper across the street

looked sharply after you. Then he cast a quick glance up at

the window where I stood, and began to walk down the street in
the same way you had gone.’
“You could not have been mistaken?”
“Tl am sure Iwas not.” £
“Why do you believe. iat this 1 man alecrbnne fly alieens: ae
any more than a casual interest in me and the house I. issued:
from | aC ss
“Because I Fecopnized him.” aes
“Oh! now. that’s getting down to business: You say you tec-
ognized this man, Miss Gerty? B58
hE did; ata elance.”
“Who was he?”
“A tool of, Allan Prentice.”
“Not. the atch villain himself, then?” vee
“No, but.one of the men he had with sph sinen T was ee |
secretly from. the house of my old nurse, Arabella Southwick,
to. the select. establishment of Dr. Mudd, * and she shivered at
the recollection called up by the mention of that name. ae
O56 on. 4 42
“IT watched him, and even called Charlie’s attention to. him, but 4
he laughed at the idea of such a'great man as bes petee Ps so
as he called it.” :
The detective shrugged his shoulders. Be RN Oa ae
“IT am not. invulnerable,” he murmured. :
“When Charlie went away, several hours tee i, on to: a
grow uneasy, especially when I learned that the sjanuly were-alk

 
  

a0 ,

going to the theatre and that I should be left alone in “my room,
‘with only the servants in the house.

-<“T grew more restless as darkness came on, and even thought
‘of sending for Charlie to come and sit’ up with me till the family
pee But, considering myself a foolish girl,-I calmed my
ears

Betty, the maid, brought my dinner up late and said that the
cattiage was at. the door for the ‘good people of the house.
“*T heard it roll away while I ate.

‘When I had done my: dinner I slowly sipped my coffee, and
gee I had finished it I was so cos that I sank back in my
chair

““The coffee was drugged,” growled Mr. Broadbric.

“So I have since concluded. Inside of five minutes I was

asleep, and yet not asleep. My eyes were closed, yet I appeared
to see. A deadly stupor held my limbs,’ yet my brain was only
partly clouded.

“I knew when the cook peeped into the room, and ten minutes
later three men entered, one of whom was Allan Prentice.

“I felt them lift me up, bufidle me in a great shawl, and carry
me down the back stairs to a vehidle that stood in the side street.

~~ “Then all was a blank, and I knew no more until I woke here
a Lee how you had saved the a second time froma living
eat * en

“All was now plain to ‘old Broadbrim.

The cook in the mansion where he had left Gertrude had ead
“bribed, perhaps itnposéd upon by Allan Prentice. |

At any tate, her hand it had been which had put the drive into
‘Gerty’s coffee, and it was through her that Allan Prentice and
his men, had been able to carry the young girl off a second time,
in defiance of the watchful care of the detective.

“That cook must suffer for her work.

_ One thing troubled the detective a little.

He had been “piped.” -

Even in disguise he had actually been followed uptown Ee one
of the men w orking for Prentice.

Such a thing had not befallen him for years.

It gave additional proof that this case called for all thes power
ae lay in® him.

These men were body and soul in the employ of Allan Pren-
“Tice, who séemed to possess a mystic influence over them. —

, This. had: been exemplified i in the case of Nugent, whom neither
heents hor promises could induce to betray the man he served,

A few more questions and he was done. Bed
4 It-was now. .dawn. —, ee ee

The. detective had only secured a few hours’ rest, and was
about to. throw himself upon: the Sofa in the front room when
the bell jingled.

-A-moment. later.a. man rushed into the room.

It was. Charlie Carroll.

He looked like .a: madman, his face white, his eyes rolling, and
his hands working nervously. at

“She's gone, Broadbrim!” he gasped. .

“Who's gone?”

“Gerty. “Kidnaped, stolen, -
sank into. a. chair with a ‘Sob

“Nonsense, man.’ Pav aa

“I say it is not, nonsense, ‘Bar’ God's own ‘truth, They, have
stolen her away from the house where we left her, and Heaven
alone knows. where she is.now, my poor darling Gerty.”

“How do-you know. this?”

“An hour.ago I was sent.for, and hurrying to this house, found
“tha there-.was the devil.to pay. The cook had disappeared,
Gerty was gone, and Betty, the maid, had been found bound and

- helpless-in one of the rooms. upstairs,

“It seems the family had. been to. the theatre and came home
about: midnight: : They retired at once, not noticing anything
unusual,

“Some hours later the gentleman, chancing to awaken, heard
unmistakable groans, and believing some one. was sick - an the
* house, “he hastily dressed and proceeded to investigate,

“The result was that he found Betty, the maid, in’a room up-
“*stairs Bound atid gagged. Shé had been groaning in agony all

2 + Kee: night, but had not been ‘heard until nearly dawn.

murdered,” and the poor. fellow

“When they. had heard her story they sent in hot haste for ~

‘me; and’as° I had’ taken «a: room only a few ‘squares away, I was
eae mighty quick, you can imagine, Mr. Broedetim. eats
_, You gabe ie ye f

 

OLD BROADBRIM Be

ee Swit esin c

“being kidnapped, Allan Pr entice felt safe: —

   

“At once; ae as cool and coterie as I could, for wel! I
knew there was need -of my being so.” -.. re eeu et

“What did you learn?”
“Betty’s story was somewhat incoherent, but plainly. it amounted

to this, After she had taken Gertrude her dinner, she went into
her own room for half an hour, ready to answer the summons
should Gerty ring the bell.
. “The time passed by and she heard no summons. _ Thinking
this odd, she at last started to go to the other room. As. she
stepped into. the hall, however, she was suddenly seized. and
choked so that she could not séream.

“The rufhans—Betty says there were three of them—then bound
and gagged her, and shut the door of her room, first turning out

the. light so that it might not attract attention.

"She heard them enter Gerty’s room. -
“Soon they came out again, and went down the stairs as ‘though
carrying a burden. Then the thought flashed upon. her that they

were abducting Gerty, and ineant more than mere porary as

had been her first impression.

“This suspicion was corroborated a short time jatar when she
heard the sound of carriage wheels Close to the house.

“She lay there for hours, heard the folks come in, -and tried
to draw their attention, but failed until the gentleman chanced
to wake up and hear her.” |.

FE fa is all, then?”

“AIT? Great Heavens,
more could you expect 2”

“Keep cool, Charlie. You miast not think I have been asleep
while all this has gone on.’

Taal Broadbrim, you. de not appear. surprised, fT. could evel
imagine that you knew all this beiore.”

“Every word of it, my boy.”

“And you do not despair?”

Har from it.”

‘Tell me, sir, on what you build your hope, tO. Iam } almost

detective, could it be worse? What

dead with. horror’ BY

"On the fact that I could finish your. story.”
Then. this move on.the part of Gerty’ S$ enemy
1s ho mystery to you?”

.'They. drove from the house to thepcemetery where the. Alex-
ander tomb lies. Entering that, they opened the: vault,.and. re-
moving the wax figure from the coffin placed the drugged form
of Gertrude. inside of it... Then, replacing things as they found
them, they drove away, taking the wax dummy. along, -and leav-

_ing the young girl entombed in the sepulcher.”

Charlie started up.
“Heaven help that fiend when t lay hands on him. me my love

“still in that awful place?”

The detective pointed to one side.

. There in the door stood Gerty; pale and ent: tuk with a ea.
enly smile on her sweet face.
.“Gerty, thank God, safe!” e
“Yes; saved by this grand old man here,” she cried, aol in a
moment both of them were hugging Mr. ‘Broadbrim il’ a man-
ner that made him blush like a schoolboy.

CHAPTER ‘XIX.
BLOOD ON HIS HANDS.

What would be the next move?

Broadbrim had determined to no tonger remain upon the de-
fensive, but to carry the war into the enemy’s country.»

He bélieved he held the trump cards:

There. was a warrant for such belief. ie

In the first place he could read what ee gameé of the plotter
was, and was thus in condition to check every move.

Then, again, he had two of Prentice’s mén, one of them his

: tight bower, dead to rights, and their mysterious disappearance
“must trouble the wily schemer not a little. :

‘Their absence sb his hand and made that of the detective
all the: stronger.

ae last: thing in:  Bibadeas favor was pethaps the Hest
OL a

Gerty was in his possession. :

Her cousin believed that the young girl. lay. under he slab
of stone in the tomb of the Alexanders, and: as that was the Jast
‘place. the detective would look for her when-he learned of her

   

EE Se ge ag eae

AS

—_

Hh

me
wi
rec

‘

  
 

>

%) y

ast

      
   

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. ae 8

be

When a man can see the hand of his oe the game is cer-
tainly in his favor.

When the detective got ready he would give Allan Prentice a
twist that would make that worthy’s eyes bulge out of his head.

In the meantime, it pleased Old Broadbrim to let the other
believe he had the upper: hand.

During the day he seemed to be bustling about in a great
stew; and as he knew he was being watched, he chuckled to
himself at the thought of how he was deceiving his enemies.

No man could excel him in acting a part.

All day long he had the appearance of a man who. was acting
apart:

Late in the afternoon he had a visitor at the office, and when
he saw that this was no other than Captain Barnaby, he smiled.

“Sit down, capatin, sit down.”

Don’t care if I do. Those stairs make me blow. So this is
where you hold out, is it? A model detective office; by Jove.
I] suppose each of these score of things upon the wall has a his-
tory attached to it?”

“No, each one of them has a label attached.”

“Come, come, you are above a joke. I come here to-day on a
very rueful business,” and the old fellow attempted to draw a
long face, while, at the same time, he gave the lie to his lugubrious
expression by poking the detective in the ribs.

“You look like it, commodore,” smiled Broadbrim.

“es; sir; I’ve got the G. BY

“Turned out?”

“Politely requested to vacate the premises, under threat of the
law if I remain longer than twenty- four hours from:said date—
tr A. M. to-day.”

“T knew it as soon as I saw you.”

“Oh, you did, eh? I suppose I show it upon my face. Very
expressive face this of mine, Mr. Broadbrim. Gives’ me away
dead certain every time. If I feel good I laugh—when I mourn
I weep,” and doubling up in his chair the old sea-captain roared
until the building trembled.

Indeed, it may be he would be roaring yet had he not choked,
and this brought his fit of laughter to a sudden stop.

Mr. Broadbrim pummeled him on the back until he had nearly
knocked the life out of the old sailor, who pleaded with him to
stop.

“I suppose your notice comes from Allan Prentice, alee
ventured the detective.

“Tt does that. The villain ends by saying that he will visit me
to-night, to go over the accounts and see that all is square. He
writes a very nice letter, and drops a hint that if he finds I have
made the proper use of my power and do not give him any more
trouble than T can help, he means to do the right thing by Cap-
tain Barnaby.”

“Soft soap.”

“Tt might have worked if I had had no suspicion of foul play,
but, thank Heaven, you opened my eyes to the truth.”

“Well, you'll receive him to-night.”

“Tt shall be as you say.”

“You mean it?”

“Every word of it. Why, man alive, you have run this whole
matter. I’m only an old battered hulk unfit for sea. Tell me
what to do and it shall be done. I can do harbor duty yet, I
reckon.”

“Then we will bring affairs to a climax to-night, and this man
shall look out from behind the bars when to-morrow dawns.”

“Good, good. Heave on, my hearty.”

“To-night you must act as natural as though you knew noth-
ing—suspected nothing.”

be will not know that I went with you last night to the
cemetery.”

“That is a sealed book to him. He believes | am searching
high and low for Gerty. I have sent several telegrams to my
agents in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, teling them to be on the
watch—that a young girl has been stolen, and, I suspect she will
be taken to their city. These telegrams are signed in such a way

’ that my men will know they are ‘simply a blind; and do nothing

in the mattgr.”
“Avast heaving! Their object?”
“To decéive | the enemy. On each occasion my man learned
that he had hardly left the telegraph office before a man entered,
and showing a detective’s badge demanded to read the dispatch
just sent. As it seemed a criminal matter, and something that
should be noised abroad, they showed it to ‘him. Thus, you ‘see,

*

é
1G.

the enemy believe | am in the dark, ae you will find Mr. Allan
Prentice fully confident that he has little or nothing to fear, since
during the night, while you and I went to the cemetery, some of
his men effectually. dosed Gerty’s old nurse.’

“Murdered: her?’
\. “Ves, murdered her. She was found this morning dead, and a
knife wound told the story. It is believed by many that she killed
herself in a drunken frenzy, for it was learned she had liquor
last night, but I have discovered evidence enough to hang the
man who cut her miserable life short.”

“You know who killed her?” ea

“Ay, and the web ts closing | about. him. Soon, even before
many hours pass, he must fall.”

‘Phat man 1s a

alice Prentice, the plotter and now murderer!”

 

 

CHAPPTIER XX,
. THE HOUR AND THE TIME,

A small French clock upon the mantel had just rung out the
hour of eight.

Captain Barnaby sat alone in the library of the fine mansion
uptown, which had been a portion of Gerty’s inherited estate,
but which, in the event of her dying a spinster, was to descend,

~ without any legal technicalities in the way, to her own cousin,
- Allan Prentice, if he could be found within two years, and pro-

viding such an extraordinary thing should not come to pass, it
was donated to a dozen different charities.

People had wondered at the strangeness of this will, and re-
marked at the time that should the Allan Prentice named therein
prove to be an unscrupulous party, the path was clear for him
to put young Gertrude out of the way in a quiet fashion, and
come into the property himself.

This was many years ago.

Gerty was hardly more than a child.

Her father had been under heavy obligations to the father of
Allan Prentice, his wite’s brother, and in this way sought. to
cancel them.

Little did the poor old gentleman think that in leaving such a
will, he was simply bequeathing a legacy of trouble to his child,
and stirring up alf that was wicked in the nature of a man who
was naturally bad and unscrupulous.

Yet so it was.

Allan Prentice had been in New York for several years be-
fore he accidentally discovered the nature of that strange will.

Its last clause in reference to himself seemed to haunt a

Day and night he thought of it.

To a man of his corrupt nature the temptation was fearful.

At first he had decided to try and win Gerty as his wife, but
thesmore he thought of this the worse his heart was filled ‘with
horror.

He was conscious of his badness. e :

When a man is that he cannot be wholly corrupt.

He swore that should he succeed in winning the young girl,
and she should turn from him with loathing after marriage, it
would drive hin to some desperate deed.

’ “Anything but that,’ he was wont to growl.

Realizing that the devil could not very well pass off as a saint
before sharp eyes, he gradually dropped all these designs, and
gave himself up to downright plotting for a million..

One rock that had stood in his way when hesitating whether

to try the other plan, had been the old sea-captain, Gerty’s

guardian.

Captain Barnaby Gordon was some relative whom Gerty always
called “ ‘uncle,’ though he did not occupy that position by right.

He had been closely studied by Allan Prentice froma little dis-
tance.

The analysis had been disappointing.

He read the captain like a book.

The old sailor gave evidence of great i miness, and was as bluff

and honest as the day was long.

From this Allan deduced the comfortless conviction that he
could neither be bribed nor threatened into any- wicked alliance
with him.

We have seen how, alter all these ae the plotter went about
his work. i

The plan was deep.

Every avenue seemed to have its sentry to guard against any-
 

na : OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

Hane like Ee and the plot seemed so perfect that Prentice
believed it was certain of success,

ee all his plotting and planning he had not counted upon one
thing.

The appearance of Old Broadbrim on the stage.

It is the unexpected that generally overwhelms us.

When Allan Prentice and his tool, Nugent, learned of the pres-
ence of the old detective in the house of Arabella Southwick,
where lay in a room the wax figure made to closely represent
Gertrude Alexander, their guilty souls had quaked in alarm.

It seemed as though the knell of doom had come to them with
the mention of that mame.

Being determined and cunning rascals, and having confidence

in their plans and themselves, they had gone forward with the

original scheme.

Had Broadbrim been put out of the way, as they hoped was

the case on more than one occasion, they must have inevitably

succeeded, so well laid were the schemes under progress.
Indeed, all seemed clear sailing now, ‘since the young girl was

undoubtedly dead and in the tomb, as Allan Prentice firmly be- |

lieved.

He intended stepping into the property which was now his by
reason of. his uncle’s will.

Possibly Old Broadbrim might. give him some little trouble,
» but Prentice believed he had outwitted the cunning old detective,
overlooking the fact that the man who accomplished that feat

must generally get tp earlier in the. morning than was his cus- »

tom, or-els¢ sit up all night.
Whe the. tomb came fo be examined as to the truth of the

detective’s cock-and-bull story of a wax figure, people would-

laugh at him.

There would be found a boty bas of Gerty herself, with all
the evidence of having died through fever, as a certain doctor
stood ready to swear black and blue had been the case.

Again, the old nurse was out of the way.

Her confession as to the sHare she had taken in the matter
-would proWably never be heard or read, for he was sure she
had not made any but a verbal one to the detective.

‘Possibly the plotter also believed that Old Broadbrim, like
many men, would. have his price.

If he pushed things too fiercely he might at least be bought off.

The man judged others by himself.

Finally Allen Px rentice came to. one conclusion.

Once in possession of the wealth left him by his uncle, his
position would be doubly eyanerioned, for possession: is nine-
tenths of the law, and besides he would have. plenty of money
to engage sterling legal talent that would twist Old Broadbrim
up until he was glad to swallow. his words.

Having thus determined that his course. was now ‘clear, this
desperate and daring young man had sent the letter to the old
Bea-captain of which we have heard.

-Captain Barnaby was wang for him as he sat there in the
library.

Now and then he would cast a glance up. at the clock, with a
queer twinkle in his eye, and then he would. glance sideways at
a door that led into either a closet or some other room, and
which was just a little ajar.

Possibly that door would figure Shain de in the events that
were to come.

Ever and anon the captain blew a little cloud of smoke ceiling-
ward, and meditatively watched the rings ‘curl upward in a fan-
tastic manner.

Ha! a ring at the bell.

‘That meant business.

The hour had come, and the .

Captain Barnaby turned to the desk, which was littered with
papers, and seemed to be very busy. —

When Aflan Prentice walked into the library, a. few minutes
later, he little suspected that he had come to his doom.

His step was firm and elastic, and his eye as bright as a liberal
dose of brandy could make it.

The appointments of the house, as he now saw died for the
first time, delighted him with their richness and grandeur.

All this his, 2 and much more!

A sensation flashed through his frame that thrilled him.

As he ‘stood in the doorway. of the library unannounced, he
ae his eye around it.

“Everything. spoke of wealth. :

The great bookcases laden down with bier corks the ele-

“had finished, ‘

gantly upholstered, leather chairs and ane the massive library
table, the great mahogany desk, the handsome chandelier and

drop- light—all these seemed to stir up the sluggish depths of his
-avaricious heart as he realized that they were now his own.

The captain had both hands full of papers and seemed: totally
unconscious of his presence.

Allan Prentice stepped into the room.

“Captain Barnaby Gordon, I believe.”

He advanced, holding out his hand.

The captain jumped ps

His hands were still full of papers, so that it was a moral im-
possibility for him to accept the proffered hand of the visitor, a
fact: Prentice saw without any suspicion or offense...

In reality this was a simple little dodge of the old oe to
avoid the clasp.

“I’m something like the Arabs,’ he was wont to say, “you
know, when they have eaten salt with a man they'll stand by
him even though he turns out to be the greatest rascal unhung.
When I shake hands with a man IT put my soul’ into i, ‘and to
me it cements a bond of friendship.”

Under the circumstances, Captain Barnaby felt that he would
rather be excused from taking the hand of Allan Prentice.

After what the old detective had told him he looked upon this
man’s hand with horror.

It had bloed upon it! ye .

The blocd of old Arabella Southwick. ¢

Captain Barnaby professed to be glad to see the new owner
of the mansion, aie and his manner deceived the plotter
to some extent.

Prentice could see the old sailor was forcittg the growth of
some of these expressions, but he believed it was simply through
policy to get into the good graces of the new owner.

“Wait until I get possession of her, and if I don’t make the old
hypocrite skip lively, it ain’t in my composition, that’s all!” he

: thought.

“Just going over the accounts, Mr. Prentice,’ said Captain
Barnaby, making a sweeping gesture toward the littered desk.

“Can you give me an idea as to the extent of the estate which
a kind fortune has thus thrown at my feet?” *

“Oh! in the neighborhood of a million and a quarter, I Weteve#
returned Captain “Barnaby in the most nonchalant manner. pos-
sible, as though speaking of millions was an every- day thing
with him,

How the man’s eves glittered! t

His breath seemed to come in gasps, ade he took a turn up
and down the room before trusting his voice to speal again.

“Would it be too much trouble to inform me as to the nature
of the investments ?”

“Not at all, my dear sir,” and taking up a small book that lay
on the desk, the captain commenced to read a long list of bank
stocks and mortgages for stupendous: amounts.

‘The scoundrel’s eyes fairly popped out of his head. -

Even in his most sanguine moments he had not dared dream
of such wealth.

The captain watched him slyly,

No doubt, deep down in his heart, he was enieying the affair
as a huge joke.

“Now, a said Allan Prentice, reflectively, when’ the ‘old oe
“what is the annual income from those investments ?”

“Some of them have been made with large results, while others
only reap four per cent. For the last. three years the annual in-
come above all has been over one hundred thousand eae

Prentice gave a low whistle,

a aby ie <ed for. life,” he thought.

Tt was a tremendous idea to one who had been accustomed

2)

wery often.to fighting the world for his living.

Some further conversation ensued.

Gradually the talk came around to Gertrude and the sad fate
that had overtaken her.

“A terrible thing for one so young to die; and with such bril-
liant prospects ahead,” said the villain, drawing a long face.

Captain Barnaby felt that he could choke him as he sat there,

assuming to feel sorry over the death of poor Gerty, when his
had been the hand that had sent her first to. the mad- house and
then to the tomb.
He managed fo control himself and act his part to eeeecin:
“I believe,” said Allan Prentice at length, “that you expressed
a wish to have Dr. Mather, the physician who attended Miss
ae at the last, here to take part in this interview.”
  

ne do you know that?”
“Naturally, I inquired into the death of my cousin, and learn-

\ ‘ing irom the daily papers that Dr. Mather was. the physician in
charge, 1 took the liberty of calling on him.”

,. Ah! indeed. And he mentioned the fact that I had sent for
him.”

“he did,’

“And he will be here to-night 2”

At that moment the door bell rang.

“That is no doubt the doctor,” said Prentice.

the old sea-captain’s back was turned, he indulged i in a broad
smile.

This coming of the villainous doctor, who for a consideration
had allowed his name to be used in the case, suited him exactly.

What little doubts Captain Barnaby might have in his mind
would be set at rest after he had conversed a while with the
doctor,

Prentice had been to see the physician in the afternoon, and
had posted him in regard to several little things of which he had
before been in ignorance,

Presently the doctor made his appearance.

He was a queer stick.

Gawky in manner, and a stutterer in his speech, he seemed to

have many impediments in his way, but thus far he had suc-

ceeded in surmounting them, possibly by means that would not
bear the scrutiny of daylight, and was toa rolling up a small
fortutie.

He had a smooth face, red locks that hung down to his neck
in a professional style and mounted a pair of eyeglasses that clung
to his nose with great affection.

The doctor had several peculiarities.

One was to always carry a book under his arm.

It was there now.

Another consisted in forever biting his nether lip as though he
were exceedingly nervous.

“Gentlemen, your h-h-humble s- -S-§-servant.”

The old captain broke. into a broad smile as this stuttering
voice fell on his ear. |

Here was a character that was a contrast to chat of the plot-
ter, even though Dr. Mather could not be said to have many
good elements in his make-up.

Still. Captain Barnaby welcomed his coming as a relief, for he
was growing to feel uneasy in the presence of such a man as
Allan” Prentice.

The man who held human life so cheaply that he would not
hesitate to take it in order to gain the filthy lucre, was a com-
panion to be feared.

Alone with him, the captain was actually half afraid lest he
might betray his secret to those sharp, ferret-lrke eyes of the

villain.

That might be fatal to him.

Once let Allan Prentice suspect the trae and there was no
telling what he might not do.

He dealt in death.

It had now become his trade, and who could tell but what
he might throw some poison into the face of the captain that
would “down him like a shot.

As a sea-captain on a British vessel, Captain Gone had often
been to India, and he knew that in that warm climate there
were poisons known of such a deadly nature that one whiff of
them took a man’s senses away, and reduced him to a coma which
‘must inevitably be followed by death.

Thus, for more reasons than one, he welcomed the appearance
of the queer professor doctor on the scene.

He even went so far as to shake the hand of Dr. Mather before
Prentice had a chance to do so.

ot have never met you before, doctor, but I have heard of you
often,” he said, warmly.

Both the others seemed: tickled at this.
To Allan Prentice it was a pen of victory.
One difficulty which he had expected was smoothed away, even

-before any explanations were made.

a2

“That's an extra hundred for the doctor,” muttered the plotter.
Bs t-t-trust, sir, you h-h-h-have always h-h-h-heard good of
me,” said the old rascal of a doctor, placing one hand on the
empty void where his heart should have been, and bowing so
low that he seemed in danger of standing on his head,
“Invariably, doctor, invariably.”
To himself the old sea-captain muttered:

‘native wit.

  

   

 

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. | 29

“God forgive the lie the old villain forces me to utter.”

Aloud he said:

“Have a chair, doctor, have a chair.”

“D-d-d-don’t care if T d-d-d- d—oh, hang it, you understand. s

Pes. ih understand, and 1 can sympathize with you in your
misfortune.”

“The doctor tells me that it only comes on him at times. Gen-
erally he has no trouble with his speech,” said Prentice, with a

d.

“Only when I am excited, or have just come in f-f-from the
Q-0-open air,” said the doctor.

“Let us pray that he won’t get excited, then,” thought Captain
DaaeN: “for much of that devilish lingo would be the death
of me:

“And now to business, gentlemen.”

It was. Allan Prentice who spoke, .

“Yes, now to business,” echoed the old sea- captain, wheeling
his chair so as to face the other two.

 

CHAPTER XAT.
IT WAS NOT MR. JOSIAH BROADBRIM.

Though outwardly calm, Captain Barnaby found his mind in
a little whirl.

To himself he was thinking:

“Now, what in the deuce am I expected to say to this old
sinner? Mr, Broadbrim insisted upon my inviting him to be
present at this meeting, though for what purpose I’m sure I can’t
even imagine. Dear me, I wish Broadbrim would put in an ap-
pearance. Vve got an elephant on my hands here, and it will
task me to run the show alone. However, I must depend on my
So here goes to pull the wool over the eyes of these
fellows.”

The captain coughed to clear his throat.

Then he began the assault,

Not being a awyer by profession, it no doubt required as Moe
courage for him to undertake this task as’ though he were a sol-
dier in truth and moving forward to assail a fortification fairly
bristling with guns that were ready to pour in their hot fire,

“Ahem, doctor, ‘I sent for you in order to gain a little informa-
tion respecting the manner of my ward's death.”

“Exactly, my dear sir.” a

“You must know that the shock was so great and the sur-
roundings so distressing that I made no inquiry at the time—in
fact, never requested a personal interview,’

“That was not a necessity, captain, so long as you honored my,
b-b-b-bill.”

“It was _ in rather quickly, but you. got the money, I be-
lieve.”

“Without a d-doubt, sir. Allow me to tithanle you for your
promptness. Even we doctors who practice in the first circle
seldom meet with generosity like that.”

“Never mind the thanks, doctor. It was the last thing I could
do for my poor ward, except to lay her away in the tomb,” and
the old hypocrite of a captain managed to squeeze a tear or two,
alligator fashion, from his eyes, which he wiped away with a large
‘crimson handkerchief while pretending to blow his nose

Lt was acsad thing, a sad thing, captain,’ murmured the sym-
pathetic doctor. “In spite of my profession, I am all heart, sir—

-at least that part of me which is not brain, and I must confess

I was deeply touched by the gentle resignation of your sweet
ward when she realized that she must go.’

The captain hid his face in his bandanna, but it was to smother
a grin more than his emotion.

“The damnable humbug,” he thought, “to tell such a yarn
when he never saw the girl alive or dead, Let’s see what a beau-
tiful story he'll make of it.”

“Doctor,” he said at last, “did she suffer much?”

“Her sufferings were terrible, but brief. I was ‘called in at
noon. The fever had already almost exhausted her, for, you see,
the old nurse, not believing it anything serious had tried to carry
her through. I tried my best, but it was too late. She died just
as the day went out, and the setting of the sun saw the setting of
her pure young life.”

The captain groaned and hid his face.

A smile and a quick nod passed between the two accomplices
in this gross deception.

It was noticeable that by this Hime the doctor ; no longer stut-

  
   
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
     
    
 
  
   
    
  
    
  
   
    
   
    
  
   
   
  
  
    
  
   
  
 
    
  
    
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
 

£s

  

      

30 OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

tered, as the warm air of the room had ceased to have its effect
upon his treacherous utterance.

Soon the captain raised his head.

His eyes looked suspiciously red.

“Was she conscious before she—departed ?”

“For a few minutes only.
of one whom I concluded must be her lover.”

“Charles Carroll?”
- “That was the name. She told me to tell you both that her
last thoughts were of you, and that you must not mourn for her
too long, as she died happy. Then an angelic smile swept across
her lovely face where the fever’s fitful fires gleamed. Her hand
tightened on mine convulsively. 1 bent over her, thinking that she
might have more to tell, but. ah me, the earthly tenement lay a
fore me, but the gentle spirit had fled to other worlds.”

The captain whirled his chair around and let his ed fall on his
arms, which now rested on the desk, groaned audibly, while his
short franie shook with violent emotion.

Allan Prentice leaned toward his rascally accomplice and poked
him in the ribs.

“Fifty extra for that, by Jove!”

“Make it a hundred,”

Prentice nodded.

He was in a condition to be generous, and the ingenious manner
in which his companion was hoodwinking the worthy captain
certainly elicited his admiration and commendation.

After a little the captain turned again.

“Gentlemen,” he said, in a husky voice, “I trusttyou will pardon
the emotion of an old man, but I loved that child as though she
were my own, and the thought of her dying away from me in that
manner cuts me to the heart.”

“Say no more, my dear sir,” the doctor hastily interpolated ;
“T can hardly keep from giving way myself to emotion whenever
I think of that sad scene. It was unfortunate, sir, that both your-

he whispered.
quickly replied the doctor. (

self and your regular family physician chanced to be called away ©

from the city just before this unhappy event occurred. is

“Tt. as unfortunate, sir, singularly unfortunate.”

“You do not suspect that there as anything more than a strange
fatality about it?”

“Certainly not, doctor. It as a deplorable thing, but the ways
of Providence are past finding out.”

“Exactly, sir, exactly. I understand that this fortunate young
man here succeeds to the estate.”

“By his uncle’s will he inherits about all there is. The con-
ditions of the will were dependent upon my ward not haviing mar-
ried up to the time of her decease.”

“And in case she did marry?” :

“The property was to go to her husband and childeen in case
she left any.’

“But of course as she died a Spinster there can be nothing in the
way. of my taking possession.’

‘There is a bare possibility, my dear young sir.”

“Flow! Do you mean to say that my claim may be disputed by
the charities that would benefit by non- appearance inside of two
years?”

“Not at all, Mr. Prentice. They would have no chance, as the
will is recorded, and you could no doubt easily prove your iden-
tity. I spoke of a slight possible hitch in the proceedings. This
might arise from the ‘bare ,possibilit ty that my ward was married
at the time of her decease.”

“Good heavens!’ ejaculated the doctor.

He actually looked dismayed, although what reason he had for
feeling thus would be hard to fathom.

As for Allan Prentice, he was a study.

His face became pale as a corpse.

The thought that perhaps he had plotted and planned, and even
dyed his hands with human blood, all for nothing, gave him a
shock that for the moment almost paralyzed his functions.

Quickly he recovered.

The blood flew to his face and he became fiery red, as this newly
awakened passion burned his brain and thrilled his frame.

He turned upon the captain.

Springing from his chair, he clutched his arm in a grasp of iron.

When he spoke his voice was husky so that he would not have
recognized it himself.

“What do you mean, you old humbug? What do you mean by

insinuating that this girl might have been married at the time of

her death? It is false, and you know it.”

She breathed your, name ae that —

“There was-.a rumor that eame to my ears at one piesa was

all.” replied the captain.

He looked the human devil squarely in ac eye, and dave er.

much he may have hated the task of braving these conspirators
and deceiving them, it was evident that fear did not enter into that
feeling.

“But you did not believe there was any euch to that rumor?”
cried Allan, eagerly.

“T did not. Gerty laughed at the idea when I spoke to her of it.

“She knew I did not wholly fancy Charlie Carroll, but she said
Ahere was no danger of her committing such a rash act until

Charlie had exhausted every honorable way of winning my con-
sent. A few more months and I believe they would have been
married.” a

“Then I am safe,” muttererd the plotter. *

He drew a breath of relief.

The scare had unnerved him, but he now felt the old exhil-
aration coming back.

“Can't you set out a bottle and glasses, captain}

Before the other could answer there came a stout ring at the
doorbell.

“Mr. Broadbrim at last, thank Heaven,”
tain, as he sighed with relief,

But it was not Josiah Broadbrim.

29)

muttered the sea-cap-

 

CHAPTER: > XXIU
AT BAY.
The library door opened. ;
A servant entered with a letter on a silver salver, which he
carried to the captain.
The latter took it up, and glancing ay the superscription, looked
toward Allan Prentice.
“This letter is for you, sir,” he said.
“For me!” exclaimed the’ young man;
here: ay
“That you can probably tell while ae ite
dryly, handing it over.
The schemer tore off the end.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, but it may be. something very im-
portant.”
Opening the letter, he began to read.
The doctor engaged the captain in conversation, but he kept

“how has it followed me

said the captain,

glancing sideways at Allan Prentice in a manner that told that he

was wonderfully interested in the contents of that strange let-
tery

The very first words he read seemed to give Allan Prentice a
galvanic shock,

He started, and a muttered oath fell from his lips unnoticed.

Evidently, what the letter contained did not give him > much
satisfaction.

Then he glanced up.

His eyes sought the doctor.

There was a world of meaning in that look he gave. the worthy
disciple of Aesculapius—suspicion, anger, hate and malice.

What could it mean?

And the doctor snickered quietly to himself, as though there
was something about the situation which he really enjoyed.

What was that he muttered ?

“He evidently suspects me.’

“Why should Allan Prentice suspect the man who was so ready
to do. his dirty work?

Had the rascally doctor made any move to betray hin to bene

other side?

That seemed hardly Cee Ie

Yet he evidently possessed some secret which he now believed
was in the possession of Allan Prentice.

As for the captain, he saw this evident emotion on he part of
the young man with surprise.

“No bad news, I hope, Mr. Prentice?” he said. ae

“No, oh, no, not at all. Charming news, in fact,’ returned the
other, forcing a ghastly smile upon his haggard face, as with an-
other flashing look in the direction of the serenely unconscious
doctor he raised the letter again on a level with his head and pro-
ceeded to finish it.

This occupied him several minutes.

Possibly the: writing was bad, his eyesight weak, or uke
he was thinking over what he had read, unconsciously. still hold-
ing the letter up.

¢)
 

* ; te

g

There was one thing he was in ignorance of.

The doctor’s head was turned away from him, and it would
seem’a pretty hard task for him-to read out of the back of his:
head, especially when the blank side of the letter was toward him.

Vet: Dr, Mather, the cunning old villain, was at that moment
engaged in devouring the contents of that letter with about’ as.
much rapidity as Allan Prentice had done in. the first place.

How was it aeconiplished! y

Very easily.

There was no design i in the oo s taking a chair at a certain
powmt. a6
He. had netinhd, however: some. little time back that they sae
between two large mirrors that were secured on opposite sides of
the room.

When Allan Prentice for the cond Gme began to read his let-
ter, the doctor’s head chanced to be turned away from him.

Then the doctor became aware of an interesting thing which, to
him, was almost a phenomenon.

The letter was doubly, reflected, first in the great mirror back”
of Allan, and again in- that one on the opposite side of the room.

In the’ first mirror no one could have read it unless used to
reading backward.

‘This was not tHe case in the second mirror. ~

eee word and letter stood out boldly and in their proper:
order.

There was nothing strange about this little fen of curious
nature, and every schoolboy can illustrate it by taking a news-
paper and a handglass and experimenting before the mirror in the
parlor or bedroom.

The handwriting was large, and keen eyes would experience
little or no difficulty i in reading. i, even when reflected across the
room.

In an almost incredibly short space of time the doctor had swal-

‘lowed the contents of the letter” that appeared to shake Allan

Prentice’s nerves so: badly.
This was what he read:

“ALLAN PRENTICE: Beware of the man who calls himself Dr.
Mather: He is a cheat, a swindle, and your arch-enemy. He it
was you conversed with in my office this P. M. I lay bound and
helpless in a closet. You are being deceived, entrapped. I have

‘succeeded in ‘effecting my escape, and mean to fly this night, but
before I go I deem it my duty to warn you. If not too late, keep -

your eyes open. He means you harm. [’m off for Canada.
Good-by. | ~ ‘Byron MatHer, M. De

No wonder the man to whom this startling missive was ad:
dressed had received a shock.

The first féw lines had stunned him.

In them he read his doom. ~

He knew now that the game had not been played’ with such suc-

cess as he had thought.

Had he been given another day or so, he believed he would have ;

asked no odds of them, for he would have: been in. possession.

Of course, in counting thus, he was quite im ignorance of the
truth, and believed Gertrude Alexander was now dead beyond
all recovery.

He could not see what the game was: auet now, fut there was
an ill-defined feeling upon alee ‘that hens oo ae his “ ahs
together.

-He-was doomed! .

_ The tracker. had hunted 1 him down even in the moment of his.
tchuiipl. es 3

Half an hour before oo had felt nis ae Sound ie eruieton
ashe. cast his. eyes around the hall, drawing-room and library,
and with each inspiration he had mentally: exclaimed : :

“All mine! at last, all mine!” oes

He did not feel that way now.

Instead, he now experienced the feeling of. intense depression

such as might come to the condemned murderer, as he lies in his
-cell and hears the thumping of the hammers that tell of the erec-

tion of the gibbet that is to cut his life short, even as he cut short
that life which he is now about to erie by being i in like manner
hurled imto eternity... ~ 4
_ But with all his wickedness Jalen Brecic was no coward,

  

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY. a

Morally, he might have been, but not when. viewed | in a
physical light.
It is a mistake some writers. fall into, aye: invariably classing

ae of crime as cowards.

True, their courage is generally on the brute ate but scores
of instances have been known where they faced death without
flinching. « :

When’ a man becomes reckless, death has little terror for him,
and it is this disregard for death that constitutes. the generally
accepted idea of bravery. e

True bravery is something different,

Of that we have nothing to do just now.

When the conviction flashed upon the mind of Atlas Prentice
that the web had now closed about him—that even in his moment
of triumph he was about to be dashed down, a feeling of des-_
peration came upon him.

All might be lost, but he had aoe. bitterly to the end, and”
they would not see him quail now.

A sudden determination came upon him.

He sprang to his feet,

The doctor was already erect, and met him ae to fee!

The eveglasses no longer adorned his nose, for he had no use
for them.

Those eyes!

Great heavens! they could belong to but one man on this earth!

The old captain saw them, and Baye a low cry of intense
astonishment.

Old Broadbrim had not arrived too late—he had been ia all
along! ef

“T know you, A en impostor, oy have deeeiad me, one dee
the last time. I ie hunted down, but you shall not live to
triumph over me.’ |

As he hissed these words; the assassin of women snatched : a re-
volver from his bosom.

Old Broadbrim simply stepped aside, so that the eyes of tl the
other might pass beyond in their.range. :

Allan. Prentice did not fire.

 

CHAPTER XXII,
HUNTED DOWN.

The doer that had all this while been slightly ajar, had opened

quietly.

When Allan Bieasce ee his revolver, his eyes fal on a een “
that literally froze the blood in his veins, and took from ws the
power to even press the trigger of his weapon.

He had every reason to believe Gertrude Alexander was dead
that her body lay in the tomb, for he had placed it there himself.

Yet he now saw before him Gertrude Alexander, looking white -
as a ghost, her accusing eyes fastened upon him, and her finger
pointing in a significant manner, as et a had come back

- from the tomb to accuse him. —

In his present condition, the shock was a terrible. one. is : :,
His metves cae already ae sa shaken by the contents of the

» letter:

It seemed to him that the whole world faa come to an a
that the mountains were crashing down upon his. head, and ane
graves opening to belch out their sheeted dead. :

“Great God!” he, cried, trying to shut out the awful. sight with
his hand.

Old oadbrim quietly took from his hand the revolver. which :
he had meant should une the Geartenell of ie sient old de-

tective.:

  
32.

There was no resistance.

The plotter was vanquished.

Even when he saw Gertie and her lover enter,, aad realized that
this horror was at least reserved him,, he remained cowed.

Broadbrim took out a pair of steel bracelets. -

He looked his man in the eye.

“Slip this on,” he said, quietly.

The other laughed coldly.

“You possess an abominable amousit of cheek, Mr. Broadbrim,
but, somehow, you generally have your way. Slip them on, cer-
tainly, sir. Anything to oblige you, sir. There, is not that a neat
fees ;

“They were made for you,” returned Broadbrim, grimly.

on seem to have been dead sure of’ nabbing n me when the time
came.’

“A man seldom slips through my fingers.
certain to fall into my hands in the end as that a moth flutters
over a lamp until its wings are singed, when it drops inside and
is consumed.”

“T suppose [am the moth and the lamp is the million | plotted
for. Well, there can be no doubt about one matter—my wings
have been singed.” .

“And possibly there is a fall in prospect.”

The man shuddered.

He knew to what the old detective referred.

Arabella Southwick’s blood called for vengeance, and the hour
of retribution was near at hand.

He cast a glance around him.

The splendor had. vanished now.

For this he had lost his soul, and now the penalty must be
paid.

He did not cringe.

Allan Prentice had too much grit for that.

Singular how the man who could perform such a cowardly deed
as to murder a poor old woman should now face his oe without
a tremor.

In his heart he was now really glad that his attempt upon the
tife of Gertrude had failed, since her death would do him no good.

Even a scoffer like Prentice, when he sees eternity opening ~

before him, would prefer to enter the unknown with as little
sin as possible upon his shoulders.

“Is there anything you would like to ask before I take you
away?” ”

“Where al you take me?” .

“To the Tombs. Murderers’ row has a cell standing ready for
you,”

“What has become of Nugent?”

“T have him safe. He came to my office in disguise, trying to
get information out of me. The only thing he learned was that
I had a secret dungeon from which no thief could break out.”

“You intend he shall suffer?”

“Tt do. He was in the business; and though not concerned in
the murder, still he was one of you. I predict for Nugent five
years in Sing Sing,”

“And Crawley Adams?”

“Ah! You know he disappeared also. I have him at my house
¥ shall make a man of him. Taken in time, he can be easily
weaned from his bad ways-and set straight.”

“Ves, Crawley always was tender-hearted as a chicken. He
wasn’t cut out for a crook. Perhaps it’s better for him in the end.
- At least; he won’t ever come to this,” and the man looked rue-
fully at his wrists, encircled with steel.

I knew you were as

wa.

OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.

“A question to you, if it’s a fair one. How did you “lea that
we had saved the girl from the horrors of. the madhouse ?? P?

Allan Prentice remained quiet a minute.

“111 tell you, Broadbrim, if it'll do you any good. Phe man that
‘piped’ you the other day saw you enter and come out” of that
house uptown, and saw the girl at the window. ,

“T would hardly believe him when he told me of it; but, know-
ing who I had to deal with, I hired a horse and ‘rode out to the
select establishment of our mutual friend, Dr. Mudd.

“At first he swore he had Gertrude Alexander safe and sound;
but I cornered him when I demanded to see her, and he acknowl-
edged the truth, telling me the whole story, and showing me every
solitary one of his keepers swathed in atone from the effects
of-your bullets.

“Then I hurried back to the city and put into operation a plan
I had conceived.

“In the cook of the establishment F recognized a woman long
wanted by the police. I was at the kitchen in the disguise of a
beggar. She denied her identity.at first, but when I said I would
go off and bring the police she broke down.. After that I did
as I pleased. You know how the work was accomplished, I am
sure. ‘Twas a pity such a scheme should end in this,” and he
clattered his handcuffs dismally.

“Kismet! it is fate!” croaked the captain; “and don’t flatter
yourself, Mr. Allan Prentice, that you deceived me as thoroughly
as you imagine. I was laughing in my sleeve the most of the
time the ‘doctor’ here was telling me his sad story.”

“Peace, you old fool,” growled the baffled villain.

“I say, Prentice,” said Broadbrim, artfully, “how about that
fifty extra?” -

The man actually laughed.

“You must look elsewhere for it. I’ve no doubt you'll get many
a fifty extra from my fair cousin yonder. I wish you joy, young
mah. This is probably as it should be. \ Virtue triumphs, vice is
punished.”

The Tombs soon swallowed Prentice up.

What he had seen and heard in that madhouse never left the
memory of Josiah Broadbrim.

He held the sword of Damocles over the he of Dr. Mudd,

_and whatever changes in the condition of the asylum and its

government were needed were cheerfully done.

There was no one whose word was more of law in that in-
stitution than Old Broadbrim.

Under his care, Crawley Adams became a respectable Sake:
of society, and as a policeman had the pleasure of ee the
heads of many an old comrade.

Charlie and Gertrude were shortly married.

Old Broadbrim once in a while visits them, and has a pleasant
time with Captain Barnaby Gordon, chatting over old times and
the great trail.

THE END.

Next week’s issue (No. 2) of the Oxp Broapprim Liprary will
contain a full account of another of the celebrated cases of the
shrewd old Quaker Detective. The story, which will be entitled,
“Old Broadbrim Fighting a Clique of Crime; or, The Detective’s
Ghost Ally,” will tell of the sleuth’s fight against a combination of
rogues led by the famous Colonel Lamonte, one of the shrewdest
villains America ever produced. If you want to hear more of
Old Broadbrim and follow his career of adventure in the capture
of criminals, do not fail to secure this and following copies of
the library. On the back cover you will find an announcement
concerning the library and a list of titles of the first Humbers. |

 
 
as re n reales ante EE
SE RRL EL ET SE SPE 2 EERIE LET BE ORE TE REE LEEPER SE AD EDIIT OSa on eeoo era 2 EEE

 

we

Lanse