Sleuth

“ Again and again he pointed to frozen blood-drippings upon the grass, and, at Sleuth’s heels, Roy felt his pulse throbbing with a touch of the fierce excitement that invariably seizes upon one who hunts fleeing men. For the first time in his life he was beginning to believe that Piper had been underestimated by those who had scoffed at his ambition to become a great detective. ”

“ The man proceeded and told how another of their crew had met the island mystery, and had been half drowned by him.
"I tell you," said the man, "it's going to stand us in hand to get that fellow on; the game is all dead against us, and we'll whistle for our share of prize-money."
"Come along with us and we may find our man ”

“ Selton was a good oarsman, and was out of sight when the men reached the beach.
The detective crept down and listened to what the men said.
The fellows had lanterns with them, and discerning the tracks of two men on the beach, they argued that both had gone off in the boat.
"They have got away," said one of the men.
"That's dead sure; and we've lost a good chance."
"What's your idea?"
"The man who beat us was that fellow Ballard. We had him sure, but now it's all day. He's gone off, and he has no further call to the coast."
"What brought him here to-night?"
"He came to find the girl Renie." ”

“ I want to enjoy the laugh when you catch these fellows. You are sure you are on to the trick?"
"I am."
"You must keep your eyes well open."
"You bet I will."
The sharp left the car, and after a moment one of the confederates came over and took a seat alongside of Desmond, and in a jolly, familiar tone, he said:
"You bucked the senator's son down, didn't you?"
"Well, yes."
"It takes a good man to buck him down; He's got lots of stuff and sand too, but you bucked him."
"Yes, I did."
"We're having a little game here to pass the time—it's awful dreary these long rides. ”

“ After a time Piper reappeared with an armful of boughs, dripping perspiration from every pore and looking weary and disgusted. He would have flung the boughs down carelessly in the tent, but Grant compelled him to put them in the proper place and arrange them for his bed.
“I never dreamed camping out was such hard work,” grumbled Sleuth.
“Work!” returned Rod. “Why, we haven’t worked, any of us; it’s nothing but play. ”

“ Garcia."
"The time has come for you to unmask?"
"Yes."
"I do not understand."
"You shall."
"I must."
"Murderer, I have been playing you that I might in the end entrap you into the hands of justice."
A change had come over the demeanor of the girl; but a still more remarkable change came over the face of Garcia. He glanced at the girl with blazing eyes, and his hands worked nervously and there was a tremulousness in his voice as he asked:
"Are you mad, girl?" ”

“ He may reach shore, he may not. [72] If he does you are clear of the dead men; if he don’t it ain’t your fault. But I’ve one thing to say.”
“All right, speak right out.”
“I’d chance the dead men, I would.”
The words had hardly left the mate’s lips when right at his ear there sounded a yell that almost froze the blood in his veins. He stood and trembled like a Macbeth gazing upon the apparition of a Banquo.
“Ah!” ejaculated the captain, “you don’t mind being haunted by dead men, eh?”
“Hush!” pleaded the mate.
“This boat is haunted, that’s sure. ”

“ I am a gentleman, I am, and you can buy me off."
At this moment the rogue's pals approached, and the fellow turning toward them said:
"See here, this 'ere rat is pretending he don't know us. Eh! ain't that cool of him? And we have been a-follerin' of him this last two months and now we've caught him a-spendin' of the swag, and he's a-puttin' on airs. I say, miss, mebbe you don't know the character of the chappie who's a-spendin' his money on you so free. Mebbe you don't know he's a thief, and it's a part of his swag that you are having a fine time on ”

“ I never can take an obligation that would compel me to be friendly with that man!"
"Who is the man?"
"The villain who has accused me of being a Government spy!"
"How do you know which is the man?"
"I know."
"I am sorry, Ballard, I know I am to blame. I should have mentioned before what I am telling you, but there is no alternative now; you must join our crew in regular form."
"Never as long as one particular man is one of them."
"Mine is an unpleasant duty, Ballard, you have got all the points down on us, you must become one of us."
"What do you mean?" demanded the detective. ”

“ You will do the country a service such as no detective ever before performed, but the price of my disclosure is the salvation of my brother."
"Why do you not cause your brother to withdraw from these criminals?"
"I cannot. I have exhausted my persuasion with him. He is mad, mad, believes he is on the eve of the acquirement of great wealth. To be rich is his mania. He is really insane. I wish to save him. I can do so only by a betrayal of his confederates, and a disclosure of all their plans and devices as revealed to me by my brother."
Oscar was amazed in spite of his inurement to surprises. ”

“ Like a cat creeping toward an unsuspecting bird on a twig, the detective crept toward the smuggler, knowing that when he sprung upon his prey there must be no mistake.
The critical moment was reached, the officer made his leap forward, and seized his man, seized him by the throat, and when once Vance got his grip on a man's throat silence followed; no man was ever known to make an outcry with those powerful fingers grasped around his neck. ”

“ The detective advanced close to the girl, fixed his eyes upon her, and, while a bright flush reddened his cheek, he said, in an earnest tone:
"And so I will, Renie!"
"No, no; you have only come to raise a false hope."
"You are a strange girl, Renie."
"Yes, I am a strange girl in your eyes; but there is nothing strange about me. Mv surroundings make me appear so. Listen: I long for other scenes and associations; there is nothing that holds me to my present life. I know there is someone somewhere who longs for me as I yearn for her." ”

“ Three days following the maneuvers of the schooner off the coast, the detective appeared at a fishing village, and at once he set to locating his shore men.
It was not the poor sailors, who were mere instruments in the robbery scheme, whom the detective was seeking to "pipe" down. His game was to follow certain clews until he trailed up to the capitalists, the really guilty parties, the rich men who flaunted in New York in elegance and luxury on their ill-gotten gains. ”

“ We will not attempt to analyze the feelings of our hero, Jack, the detective. He was young, well educated, well-to-do, and talented, besides he possessed one of the grandest physical structures that every held a human heart, and again, strangely enough, under all the circumstances, he was not only an honorable man but a young man animated with the kindliest feelings. ”

“ The detective led the way to a little cove where a boat rocked in the tide.
"Can you row?"
"Yes."
"There is a boat; get over to the mainland as quick as you can."
"Will you not go?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It is not necessary for me to explain to you."
"But I have need of your services."
"We may meet again."
"We must meet again."
"I can be of no service to you."
"You can."
"Never, until you tell me the whole story about Renie.
Meantime, you haven't a moment to spare."
"But it is equally dangerous for you to remain here."
"No. I can take care of myself; but I would not be answerable for you." ”

“ 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. ”

“ You fear that Alphonse Donetti will be one of the burglars. You do not desire him to be captured. See what a mind-reader I am."
"Why do you assume that Alphonse will be one of the robbers?"
"Merely because you do, that's all."
"How do you know that I do?"
"You would not make the extraordinary request unless that was your fear."
"You are a strange man."
The detective laughed and answered:
"And you are a very strangely acting lady. It is indeed a strange thing for a lady who expects robbers to visit her house to ask that they be permitted to escape. ”

“ The crew of the "Nancy" gazed at the new-comer in astonishment, and a wicked gleam shone in the single eye of Jake.
"You're cheeky, stranger, to walk in here after what's just happened!"
The disguised detective laughed in a pleasant manner, and answered:
"That's just why I'm here; you fellows ought to be glad to see me knocking around alive, when you think how bad you would have felt had you swung me over the spar."
"We've no fancy for strangers around here!"
"We'll a man who's been following the sea all his life should not be a stranger among you fellows." ”

“ Why, sir; we do not know what moment someone may spring upon us! All their spies are out and on guard to-night; everything is watched as a cat watches a mouse-hole!"
"If you leave me, how am I to get over to the mainland?"
Taylor did not make an immediate reply, and the detective repeated his question. ”

“ He thought a chance was about to present itself for him to get away.
A moment he lay quiet, and then emerged from his hiding-place.
The warehouse was artificially illuminated by a few swinging lamps, and only one was lighted at the time.
The detective cautiously glanced around. He had prepared himself for the work he had in hand. He saw a light in a distant corner and he cautiously stole toward the light, and came upon a man sorting over the contents of a sailor's ship-sack.
It was a critical moment; life depended upon success, death would follow, sure death, the failure of his plan. ”

“ The girl uttered a scream, a wild piercing wail of anguish and terror! At that terrible moment it flashed across her mind that the men had caught Spencer Vance, and had concluded that the detective was the assailant of her father.
The girl rushed from the cabin screaming:
"Hold! Hold! do not harm that man! He is innocent! Hold!
Hold, I say!"
The girl advanced to the center of the group of men that surrounded the detective, still exclaiming:
"Do not harm that man! he is innocent! He is innocent!" ”

“ Oh, isn't it dead easy? What a bully old swag you will carry to Boston! The New York detectives will bark up the wrong tree, but I won't. No, no, you rascals, I'll bark you, and I am a New York detective lying around here for Boston thieves. I reckon Boston became too hot for you, and you thought you'd try your hands here; but, my dearies, when you get out of a New York jail I'd advise you to go to Alaska. There it's dead easy for a good slide, but you can't slide back to Boston from here with your swaggy—no, no. ”

“ Mrs. Speir is beginning to believe that her daughter is not dead, that it is all a conspiracy to make it appear that her daughter is dead in order to rob her of her fortune. So you see, my dear baron, it may be that after all you may win a rich and handsome bride. I have the case in hand and am gaining ground every day. I believe I will soon be able to establish that Amalie Speir still lives."
The baron fell back in his chair like one suddenly stricken, and as the detective gazed upon the man the thought ran through his mind: "You played me nicely there for awhile, but my turn has come. ”

“ I can take care of myself, forewarned, you know, is forearmed. Good-night, Renie."
"I shall never forgive myself if you are injured!"
"Thank you for your interest; but you need have no fear. I can take care of myself; the crew of the yacht 'Nancy' will not toss me to the fishes to-night."
The girl turned and walked away under the moonlight, and a strange impulse caused the detective to follow her.
The girl moved along like an uncouth apparition over the yielding sand, and had traversed fully a quarter of a mile along the shore, when suddenly a man leaped down from the bank and confronted her. ”

“ Taylor and the detective had crossed the bay to the island and were hidden in the brush that fringed the bluff overlooking the shore, when the "Nancy" ran down as described and came to an anchor.
"There's the smuggler!" exclaimed Taylor as he first caught sight of the yacht.
"Yes, there's the 'Nancy' as sure as you are born," returned the detective.
"Ah, you know her?"
"I reckon I do."
"There's a bad lot on that boat."
"There is a bad lot; they are a crew of murderer and bandits." ”

“ Garcia was a dark-complexioned man, and the thought came to her that here was a possibility that, in a moment of excitement and bewilderment, the injured old smuggler had mistaken the detective for Garcia.
Her device to stay the maddened men was a rare example of quickness of thought at a critical moment; indeed, it was the only appeal that would have caused the men to delay their fell purpose.
Tom Pearce was still unconscious, and Renie threw herself upon the old man, pretending to caress him, so as to hide the fact of his unconsciousness and to gain time until he should revive. ”

“ Meantime the detective had reached a most extraordinary determination. He saw that the chances were against him if he sought to reach the boat in which he and Taylor had crossed from the mainland; and yet it ways absolutely necessary that he should have a boat. He reasoned that the smugglers would scatter all over the island, and concluded that the safest place for him was the starting-point of the searchers. It required a cool, level-headed man to decide under all the circumstances, and our hero was just the sort of man described. ”

“ 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. ”