Old Sleuth

“ We do not desire to rest under a false imputation of being gamblers. Now then you have one chance. Tell us just who you are and your purpose and we may spare you; otherwise—" The man stopped.
"What will you do otherwise?"
"Kill you."
"See here; you men cannot double-bank me. I am not here to be robbed. I see through this farce. You rascals cannot scare me."
"Hear!" exclaimed one of the men. "He is insulting."
"Yes, he has insulted every one of us. He must fight."
Oscar laughed and asked:
"Do you wish me to fight the whole gang?"
"Hear him! he denominates us 'the gang'!" ”

“ You may find them mingling in the best society in New York; you may find them in the slums under cover. One thing is certain: they are the shrewdest rascals that ever defied the whole detective force of the United States, and I have great hopes that you can succeed where we have all failed. ”

“ No, there is no need to ask forgiveness, but let me tell you something: this little game they are playing is one of the shrewdest tricks ever attempted. I would have been deceived; you are deceived, for a more reasonable and probable tale has never been told; and yet, Oscar, that woman is the right bower of the criminals. ”

“ Well, the arrangement was indeed a good one, and he mentally concluded:
"That fellow Credo is a genius; it's a pity he is not an honest man."
Oscar could see into the room and could overhear every word—almost hear a whisper, so cunningly had the eavesdropping trap been contrived. Oscar peeped in, and there was his siren, and there also was his whilom friend Girard. He and the siren were alone. Both wore a pleased look upon their faces; they were in a merry mood, and the man Girard said as our hero got fixed to take in their sayings:
"He thinks himself a very smart fellow." ”

“ I attempted to force a duel on the man I had inveigled into my house. I had a disguised swordsman in the garb of a lackey to do the murder act. Oh, yes, I am a thief, and I planned well—so well that I have you gentlemen all at my mercy. Just witness how well I planned."
Again Oscar stamped his foot on the floor and three men entered the room, and they were fully equal to the part they were called upon to play. The rascals thus overmatched realized the neat manner in which they had been beaten. Terror filled their hearts, for they did not at the moment know how well they had been trailed down. ”

“ He will report you for keeping a gambling house. He is a sort of detective pimp, does all their dirty work. That is the man you are entertaining. Let him deny it if he will."
This was a bold accusation, and all the men glared at our hero, and finally Girard said:
"Dunne, what have you got to say for yourself? If this is false call that man a liar. It is your right, for he makes very grave charges against you."
"With your permission," said Oscar, "I will withdraw. That man's charges are not entitled to a reply from me." ”

“ Oscar stared and wondered what could be the nature of this thrilling disclosure. He said nothing, but kept upon a line of intense thought, and the woman proceeding said:
"Some very prominent people will be involved—men who stand high, who will be torn from their high estate. I am willing that you should perform your full professional duty, save as concerns one individual, and I want you to promise that you will save that one individual, though he may be the most guilty of the whole gang of criminals." ”

“ Oscar fixed his keen eyes on his man, and a cold chill ran around our hero's heart. He knew in some things he could trust the man, and he also knew that his own death would relieve Credo of many terrors. He knew that away down in his heart Credo hated him, and there was something suspicious in the revelation the man was making. It struck our hero that the fellow was acting with too much readiness. ”

“ There were men there who bet and lost. There were men there who had no money to risk, and they all thought themselves possessed of brains, and here was a silly fool loaded with money, and here also was a silly girl reaping a rich harvest in greenbacks from her enamored dude, as it appeared, and so the game went on until a man with a keen eye got them under his glance. ”

“ He was not a gambler—he abhorred gambling. He had seen so many men drop down to poverty who had taken their first step back in a gambling den, and during the course of his career he had warned, and in some instances saved young clerks who were just beginning to slide downward. Gambling is a fatal amusement and sooner or later leads to disaster. Oscar, however, knew how to gamble. He had learned the various games merely as aids in his profession, for most criminals are inveterate gamblers, and it is in gambling dens where detectives find their richest fields for "dead shadows." ”

“ The game is all in our own hands. We have nothing to fear. Our organization is too large, too far-reaching; and when once we have made the sweep we will make good our agreements and free every member of the gang that has been arrested. Yes, we will free them all, and as to the officers we will say good-by to them after the sweep and sail away to enjoy a heaven such as Mahomet has described. Yes, it's all right; let Libbie play her game. In another ten days the cyclone will have passed and we will all be rich men—rich as Monte Cristos, dead sure."
Oscar could hardly believe his own ears. ”

“ He desired to let the men draw him, believing that while they were playing their little trick he might work a little on his own hook.
"Hang it!" said our hero, "I am not in the habit of staying away from my home all night, but since I've started in I don't care what I do for the rest of the night."
"Where can we go?" asked Thatford.
"To some hotel. We will take a room," suggested Oscar. His suggestion was only a "flyer." He knew the men did not wish to go to a hotel. It was a part of their game to draw him to some place where they could open up the scheme they had in their minds. ”

“ Our hero had detected that he was dealing with a very smart man—a man of nerve and coolness—a man who went slow but sure. He also discerned that it was to be a play of skill and experience in roguery against experience and skill in detective work.
"Let's take a little of their whisky," said the man. "It's about all we can get out of this game."
Oscar, having set out to be led, rose from the table, cashed in his checks, as his whilom friend did, and followed to the sideboard where they were joined by the second man, and number one said:
"My friend Thatford. I don't know your name, sir." ”

“ See, he is all ready; he is stripped for the fun. I do not need to strip. Give him a sword, give me a sword and we'll have gore; yes, we'll have gore. I will punish him, and then, gentlemen, I will be prepared to mix the gore. Yes, we shall have lots of amusement; it will be a roaring farce."
One of the men appeared to recover his nerve and said:
"Say, mister, you call us thieves, but I reckon you are a thief. You have undoubtedly arranged a good little game of your own."
"Oh, yes, I've arranged a good little game. I invited yonder fellow to my house to engage in a game of draw. ”

“ I should be entitled to at least one-half of the reward."
"Miss, if through any information you give me I earn the reward I will share with you."
"And my brother?"
"I may be led to recognize that I can promise to spare your brother on the ground that criminals are sometimes promised immunity upon turning state's evidence."
"My brother is not a criminal," answered the beautiful young lady in an earnest tone.
"He is not a criminal?"
"No."
"But you have admitted that he is a member of this dangerous gang."
"He is, but he is not a criminal." ”

“ Oscar apparently began to sober up, and he said:
"I do not choose to make any explanations."
"What do you know about this man?" demanded Girard, addressing the accuser.
"He is a reward seeker—a man who will ingratiate himself into the company of gentlemen. If he gets into a private game of cards he reports a gambling game and has gentlemen arrested. He is a general spy and sneak—a man who will go into court and perjure himself for a bribe, and he has made trouble for many a good fellow. He has hired witnesses, perjurers, at his beck and call. He is always up to some game. ”

“ Oscar detected that the man was just playing a good game of draw—he was trying to draw our hero into a private little game of draw-poker; but it was not the poker that he wanted to inaugurate. His game was to draw our hero to some convenient place where he could play a still more significant game of draw.
"I like a game of draw myself," said Oscar, nowise loath to favor the man's game. [Pg 40]
The detective did not know where it was all leading to, or what it was leading up to as a final denouement, but he was inured to the taking of desperate chances. ”

“ One said:
"She daren't raise her veil, or she'll make you lose, sure."
The man who had bet exclaimed:
"You've lost; I've got a bottle on you."
"Not yet; come, miss, you won't see me lose."
All this time the two detectives had sat silent. They knew what would follow, and just when to come in with the sledge hammer part of the farce. Yes, they were ready in good time to play the anvil chorus on the heads of the lively gang of insulters. It was just their pie, as the slang phrase has it.
"You've lost," cried the better.
"Come, come, miss, do you hear what he says? I know you're a beaut. ”

“ There was a possibility that there were a dozen villains scattered around in the several apartments, for as the old saying has it, "Thieves flock together."
Oscar, however, was well-armed, cool, strong and agile, and he arrived in front of the door of the room and heard voices. He peeped in, as the keyhole was large and there was no key in the door. He saw the man to whom he had given the sore head, and a woman. ”

“ There is a chance for you to make a big hit."
"I am ready to make a big hit, Wise."
"You are in a position to do it. You speak Italian, but what is better, you have your lady pal. She is a real Italian, I am told, and one of the bravest and brightest women that ever entered the profession."
"Some one told you that?"
"Yes."
"Whoever did so knew what they were talking about. Cad Metti is one of the brightest women that ever entered the profession; she is a born detective. What is the job?"
"There is a gang at work—the worst ever known. ”

“ We play to win, not to lose, every time. There is no chance here. That gal is walking the dude right into our trap. We've got the wad already, and won't we have a surprise for the smart, bright-eyed little miss! Why, she is laying out her cash already, she is so sure of getting all the chap has; but we'll do the shopping on his wad, not she, you bet."
As stated, Oscar and Cad wandered down to the beach and here as before they enacted their rôle to perfection, and it was at this moment that one of the men asked:
"How shall we do it?" ”

“ The confederate detectives arrived at the Manhattan Beach Hotel, and as our hero had resolved to move very slowly and take notes as he went along he led Cad to a table and ordered a dinner, and during the meal the same amusing farce was kept up, and the thieves passed and repassed the table where their selected victims were seated.
"They are following down to a close shadow on us," said Oscar. ”

“ Remember I am not a rich man; I can't lose like some of you golden bucks."
"I never play for big stakes," said Girard.
The men entered the house and Girard said:
"My gambling box is on the top floor. There I don't annoy my neighbors."
"All right," said Oscar. Our hero was seemingly in a very complaisant mood. The men ascended to the top floor. Girard ushered his guests into a room which contained a full equipment for a game of draw. ”

“ He could stand a shadow as well as he could shadow others. He determined to give the men a fair show, a better show than he usually got when playing the same game. He went to a well-known gambling place. There was not a resort in New York City that our hero could not locate, and in every one of these resorts, under one guise or another, he had an entrée. In some places he was known under one character, and in others under a very different guise. He had laid out all this piping for as many different emergencies. Having become a detective, he made the methods of his profession an exact science. ”

“ Girard went away, and Thatford and Oscar proceeded to the Brunswick. The former became quite confidential after the first glass of wine, and his confidences were conventional and natural.
"My friend Girard is a great chap," he said, "one of the biggest-hearted fellows in the world. He is very rich and generous."
"He appears like a very generous man," said Oscar.
"He is just what he appears to be. He has but one weakness—he is excessively fond of draw." [Pg 43]
"Yes," thought Oscar, "he is playing a big game of draw with me, and he expects to draw me into some sort of a web. ”

“ The detectives filed into the room, but the siren had recovered her nerve. She saw and realized that she had not played but had been played. Quickly she drew a revolver, aimed at Oscar and fired, but our hero's quick eye detected her movement. It was not the first time he had dodged a bullet. The woman fired but the one shot. The next instant the darbies were on her tender wrists, and we will add that no resistance was offered. The men, as intimated, were well up in their trade. From the first instant they knew that in plain, vulgar language, their "jig was up." Every man quietly submitted. ”