Brady

“ What do you mean by this?" shouted Ah Lung, recognizing the Doctor's voice.
"Business," was the reply. "You would not accede to my very modest request so I have to do the best I can for myself. So Young King Brady was your deaf and dumb friend in the next alcove, was he? Say, Lung, I'm going to read you a lesson. I'm going to teach you how dangerous it is to muss with me. As for little Brady he knows how I love him and what good reasons I have for my extreme affection. But you are dead wrong if you think the fair Alice is here, Harry."
"Did you kidnap her, Garshaski?" demanded Harry. ”

“ Mr. Brady may always be depended upon for brisk action and a wealth of incident. For all who enjoy adventure and gallant deeds, and the winning of hearts, this novel will be a delight.
It is a conspicuous example of beautiful book-making, bound in buff cloth with brown stamping. It has the distinction of eight illustrations from drawings by E. Plaisted Abbott, and decorations in colors by E. S. Holloway, besides head- and tail-pieces. ”

“ He was pugilist, run to fat. For a time, a very short time, Lew Brady had been welter-weight champion of Europe, a terrific fighter with just that yellow thread in his composition which makes all the difference between greatness and mediocrity in the ring. A harder man had discovered his weakness, and the glory of Lew Brady faded with remarkable rapidity. ”

“ Now you die!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots were instantly fired.
"This is murder!" cried Old King Brady, and he threw himself against the middle door from behind which the shots came.
CHAPTER IX. THE BRADYS GET TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN. BUT THE PRINCESS SLIPS THROUGH THEIR FINGERS.
Urged by Harry, Ah Lung jumped to the outer door of the smoking room as this part of the House of the Seven Delights was called.
Young King Brady hastily adjusting his clothes—he had taken off his coat and vest after the manner of opium smokers—prepared to follow him, but Ah Lung was back before he could get ready. ”

“ One old white-haired man, a splendid swimmer, particularly attracted Young King Brady's attention and he fell into conversation with him.
He learned that the old fellow suffered terribly from insomnia.
"Why I often come down here and go in alone at midnight," he said, "and sometimes in the early morning hours. I was here this morning at a quarter to one."
"Is the place deserted then?" Harry asked.
"I don't believe the North Beach baths are ever deserted," replied the old man. "There are always a few old cranks like myself paddling about; sometimes we see strange sights." ”

“ Old King Brady shook hands and invited the doctor to sit down, introducing Leggett as a Secret Service man.
"Do you mind if I take my supper at this table?" asked the doctor.
"Not at all," was the reply.
Having come up with the man, it seemed to the old detective that he might as well listen to anything he had to say.
"I thought you were going to China, doctor?" he began.
"Did go," replied the doctor. "I have been across twice since I saw you. How is Young King Brady?"
"Well."
"In San Francisco?"
"I don't know where he is just now. He is working for a man on a private matter. ”

“ As we proceeded to the post, Brady addressed me in low tones. "I don't want to frighten you, sonny," he said; "but that Lean is a bad lot, so don't let him be too close to you as you go through the needle-bush. You'll be out of sight there and he might pull you off; run just ahead of him if you can, but don't have him alongside. When you are going at the jumps let her pick her own panel. Give her her head and sit tight; she won't stop and she won't fall. ”

“ Old King Brady shot the bolt and threw back the door, which was not locked.
Ah Lung was sitting up leaning on Harry.
He certainly was a horrible looking object with his face all bathed in blood.
"Not dead!" exclaimed Old King Brady.
"Not dead, but in a mighty bad way," gasped Lung. "The princess!" he added. "I see you have Miss Montgomery all right."
"I'm sorry to say we have seen nothing of the princess," replied the old detective. "I haven't had time to ask Miss Montgomery about her yet. What has become of her, Alice?"
"Dr. Garshaski carried her off," replied Alice. ”

“ Two detectives were passing along from Seventh avenue, toward Broadway, when the wild appeal brought them to a sudden pause.
"Hark, Old King Brady!" one of them exclaimed. "Did you hear that cry?"
"Somebody in distress, Harry," replied the tall, gaunt old man, as he shot a keen glance around. "This is a dangerous neighborhood."
The stylishly-dressed youth of twenty nodded, felt to see if he had a revolver in his pocket, and pointed at an undertaker's wagon standing in front of one of a row of houses opposite. ”

“ The moment Ronald Mason and his companion hurled Old and Young King Brady in the bed of quick-sand, they ran away.
Dodging behind the rocks, they hid themselves.
By this time the sun was rising.
Finding it impossible to extricate themselves from the deadly grip of the treacherous sand, the detectives ceased their struggles.
"It's useless, Harry," said the old sleuth, despairingly.
"If we remain passive, we'll soon sink beyond our depth, and perish."
"Yell at the top of your voice. Some one may hear us."
"Help! Help! Help!" shouted Harry. ”

“ They dragged the darky into the parlor.
The crayon picture of a man hanging on the wall met Harry's glance, and pointing excitedly at it, he cried:
"See, Old King Brady! There's a photograph of the murdered man we saw in the box this coon was handling!"
Old King Brady was startled.
He noticed that Harry had made no error about it.
Lizzie Dalton quickly glanced at the picture.
"Why," she exclaimed, "that's my father's likeness!"
The Bradys glanced at each other in amazement.
"Then Oliver Dalton was the murdered man!" Harry muttered. ”

“ He dropped a letter in a lamp-post letter-box and rapidly strode across town and entered a liquor saloon.
Young King Brady divested himself of his disguise in a hallway.
While waiting for his man to emerge from the saloon, the boy made a bundle of the disguise and wrapped it in a newspaper.
Half an hour passed by.
Getting uneasy over the prolonged absence of the man, Harry strode into the saloon, glanced around and failed to see Mason.
"He must have given me the slip!" thought the boy, ruefully.
"Looking for any one, sir?" queried a bartender who was watching him. ”

“ The broker sat down and Harry seized him and held him there.
At the same moment Old King Brady grabbed him by the left foot, gave it a tug and the struggling man gave a yell, and demanded, excitedly, as the boot slipped off and remained in the detective's hand:
"Py shiminey, vot yer mean py dot outrages alretty?"
"We think you are cheating the government," replied Old King Brady.
"Vot? Me? You vas grazy!"
"Am I?" blandly asked Old King Brady. ”

“ Now, in those days of my innocence, I believed these stories as gospel, hating the fellow all the while from the bottom of my heart, as I saw that he made a deep impression on Dosy, who sat in open-mouthed wonder, swallowing them down as a common-councilman swallows turtle. But times are changed. I have seen Paris and London since, and I believe I know both villages as well as most men, and the deuce a word of truth did Brady tell in his whole narrative. ”

“ Brady never married, but no one was more widely removed from the typical old bachelor than he. If he had no family of his own, he was the head of a family of devoted relatives, who gave him ample scope for the exercise of the domestic affections which were so strong in him. Very soon after entering upon the practice of his profession his parents died, leaving his brother and five sisters, all much younger than himself, helpless. ”

“ The students agreeing, Brady led the way upstairs, and in response to their summons Belton hastily opened the door. He was a typical book-worm—thin, pale and rather emaciated, but with a pleasant expression in his eyes and mouth, that all felt was assuring. ”

“ His wife was not visited by any lady higher in rank than the wife of the minister who preached at the barn-like little meeting-house a couple of miles or so from Maryville, but men of a better class, though of a bad way of living, did not object to be seen in Mr. Brady’s company, and were willing to drink, smoke, make small bets and play cards with him, not merely at various hotels and inns in Kingslough and the other towns, but at his own house. ”

“ Old King Brady and his partner did not know much about the woman.
Whether she was actually concerned in La Croix's smuggling games or not, they had not the faintest idea.
She was a fine-looking woman, tall and stately, with brown hair, blue eyes and handsome features. But she seldom laughed.
Hers was one of those set, inscrutable faces, hard to read, for she seldom showed the emotions preying upon her mind.
"She don't seem to fear detection," commented Harry, as they walked along. "She hasn't made the slightest effort to conceal her actions." ”

“ Stephen Brady, the philosopher, looked at him with approval.
"A prompt and obedient lad is sure to be a good and useful man," he said. "You're as big as a man now, but you haven't the years and the experience. I like you, William, and you are entitled to your share of the Land of Canaan, which, in these later days, may be interpreted variously as the treasures of the spirit and the soul. And now, good-night."
He wrapped himself in his blankets and, sound of body and conscience, he slept at once. ”

“ He shuddered as he stood there listening to the gabble of the Chinamen, and wondering what his own fate might be.
"I don't know that I have any further questions to ask you now, Brady," said the Chinaman at length. "You may have a few to ask on your own account, however. If so, now is your chance, for I am in the mood to answer any reasonable question as it happens."
"Why have you captured me?" demanded Harry. "That is the main question."
"And it shall be answered. I have captured you on general principles. I know what you Bradys are. Once you put your hand to a case you never let up. ”

“ Old King Brady soon discovered that he had attempted the impossible. He could not start a single screw.
"This is a bad job," he exclaimed. "We shall have to lower the box again. I greatly fear that we are up against a murder case. If the woman was alive, she would surely have revived before this."
"She said she was dying," replied Alice. "It begins to look as if she spoke the truth."
"Get back to the boat," called Harry. "We may as well run around to the India Basin warehouse. We shall be able to open the box there." ”

“ Brady.
"Maggie's a bad lot," he was explaining for approximately the fifth time as they whirled into the drive and under their own dark windows. "She always was. Everard isn't making away with the belle of Paddy Lane. Not yet. He's not that far down. But that dope about old Neil Donovan——"
"Oh, Harry, hush," his wife said, "here we are. What do you care about Brady?"
"Nothing," he whispered, his arm tightening round her as he lifted her down. "I don't care about anything in the world but Judith." ”

“ Old King Brady chuckled.
Holding up a false beard, he glanced at the man.
"Why," exclaimed Harry, "it's Mr. Mason!"
"Bless my heart, so it is," added the old detective, feigning to be very much astonished at the discovery. "How strange! Why, Mr. Mason, what in the world are you going around masquerading this way for, at such a late hour of the night?"
The broker's nephew was furious over his exposure.
He knew it was useless to pretend he was not the man they mentioned and he swore at them, and cried, fiercely:
"That's none of your infernal business."
"How angry you are. ”

“ However, my mate had unfortunately taken a little more than was good for him, and obstinately refused to stir, and as I did not choose to leave him when in that state I had to sit down again. Brady did his best to quarrel with some one, but as he was pretty well known to us all, every one was careful not to give him a chance. However, as bad luck would have it, who should enter the store to make some purchases but the Hatter, accompanied by his dog.
“Hallo, Hatter!” shouted Brady, “what will you take for that animal of yours? I want a good kangarooer, and he seems one of the right sort.” ”

“ THE GREAT SWAMP MYSTERY.
Heavy banks of dark clouds were flying across the lowering sky. Occasionally the big silvery moon burst from the rifts and flooded the landscape with its mellow light.
During one of these intervals the two detectives gazed around.
The train had disappeared in the distance.
Not far away from where the Bradys stood they saw the big box lying beside the track, turned over on its side.
They ran back and hastily examined it.
"Empty!" ejaculated Harry, in some surprise.
"What has become of the man it contained?" asked Old King Brady. ”

“ Butler was taken sick. He sent his son to you yesterday. The foolishness of it. Ed is a good boy, but he is only a boy. Where is he? Has he been here yet?"
"No, madam, he has not been here," replied Old King Brady, who saw at once that the woman was acting on her own account, and probably without the knowledge of her husband.
"The lazy fellow has probably overslept himself," said the woman, working her fan. "Just like him. I thought it might be so. I am just as well pleased. I wanted a chance to talk to you first. Have you heard anything of Ethel—my daughter, I mean?" ”

“ The Bradys got a good look at him before he turned his back to them and Harry clutched his companion's arm and whispered:
"By jove, that's Andrew Gibson, the Custom House inspector, in disguise."
"Yes," assented Old King Brady, nodding, "I recognized him. He knew us, too, I could tell at a glance. That man hates us. I wonder what he is doing here. Can he be after La Croix, too?"
Harry was startled at the very suggestion.
"He knows La Croix is a professional smuggler," he remarked, "and I wouldn't be surprised if he got on to the man living here. He may be trying to nab him as we are doing." ”