William, in turn, conducted the party to a mausoleum of stolen treas "Here is but one," remarked the agent. "I must have the other also.". Hurrying through the meal, he repaired to his own room, to study an apparently insignificant scrap of manuscript... "O, what an infamous villain you are! Caught at last in your own trap!" 71 Smythe took advantage of the heavy slumbers of his companion to steal from his pocket the manipulated receipt. . 75 81 85 "Just so," replied the agent; "but in our business we never leave any outlets open, and I will go through it as a matter of form." At the same instant a woman stepped out upon the veranda, with a milkpail in each hand. "Great God! that I should live to come to this." She stepped quickly toward an open window, and placing her hands on the sill, gave a convulsive spring. He now staggered into the room, and, appalled at a scene he could not comprehend, fell heavily to the floor. 91 Stop! We are officers of the United States government. We come hither to perform a painful but imperative duty." 95 94 "Old girl, we have lived together forty years, and I believe you." The poor, broken-hearted wife threw herself at the feet of her husband, and ejaculated piteously, "John, O John, forgive me!" . . With a long, dirk-shaped needle she was trying to pierce her heart.. Rising from her seat, she snatched the hat from her head, and tore it into shreds. The husband, so tender, and true, and faithful, that he would willingly have bared his own heart to the shaft to spare that of the wife, stood at her side to support her trembling form. . The broken-hearted wife was left, day after day, to the solitary companionship of sad thoughts and gloomy forebodings. Mounting the ox-wagon with half a dozen bright-faced children, they rode for an hour through the woods. . . 105 107 108 Quarrel, stranger! Why, I whipped that woman every day, reg'lar.” The Desperado. The clerk, maddened with liquor and frenzied with passion, crept stealthily on to the piazza, armed with a double-barreled gun. She had seen the clerk open letters, and had often heard the contents discussed. "Look again," urged the lynx-eyed messenger. "You are a dealer in counterfeit money." "I will tell you where you got it. You stole it from a letter." The passengers were compelled to pry out the wheels with fence-rails. The raindrops, driven by a strong north-easterly wind, penetrated like Her small black eye seemed to emit venom like the eye of an enraged rat- “Thank God that you still live," whispered the dreaded visitant. The special agent listened with apparent interest to the doleful doggerel. With a sly twinkle of the eye, he congratulated the bridegroom upon his The officer mailed a number of letters that to an ordinary thief would have proved as irresistibly attractive as fat chickens to a hungry But the gentleman declined to lend the slightest assistance. The broad collar of an overcoat concealed his cheeks, while his forehead and eyes were buried under the ample brim of a slouched hat. The door was then cautiously opened, and the figure disappeared.. "By the way, Mr. S., how are you getting on with that mail contractor? Don't you fellows from Washington drive rather slow coaches?" . 173 The youth lowered something by a string, closed the sash, and shortly The asthmatic old gentleman of the previous night, now transformed into a somewhat dilapidated inebriate, followed closely.. The new arrival staggered into the billiard-parlor, and tumbled into a seat in close proximity to the table upon which Paul was playing. . 176 Not to be outdone, the ragamuffin ordered a "bot'l best wine." "I have reformed - have dropped 'cus words'-am going to walk as straight as a bee-line." . 204 205 Taking a seat on the back of a chair, and eying the poor fellow with a cold, fixed stare. "Well, Billy, you are a little queer in spots. Now sit down here and be easy. I am not a fool, and at all events I am not a coward.” . . 212 Stranger, it is no use. My guilt has found me out. I took the gold. O, my God, why did I do it?" "All right,” thundered the officer. feel.". "If you will not listen, I'll make you "Officer, here is your man; do your duty." "You are the man that robbed that registered letter." Removing the picture, he found secreted behind it, one five and two one hundred dollar notes... 216 227 229 232 Merchants, bankers, and others, do not hesitate to commit the custody of their mails to mere boys. 235 The Youthful Protégé... 239 Plunging his hand into the well-filled pouch, the "scion of a wealthy family" drew out a large number of letters. Entirely unsuspicious of the object of the expedition, he pointed out vari The conductor kindly stopped to let the special agent off.. . As the fellow emerged from behind the counter, he was stopped in the middle of the floor, where there was no chance for further tricks. That gentleman, raising his eyes from the note, scanned him cautiously. On the pretense of buying a machine, Dudley called at the salesroom in company with his brother-in-law. . . 261 263 265 269 272 275 Expecting to discover a huge roll of bills, he found nothing more valuable than a bundle of obsolete railroad time-tables. . . That evening, the insurance agent lingered at the office much beyond the usual hour, waiting for the return of the customer.. At this point, a new character appeared on the scene, in the person of a fresh, fair, blooming young woman.. . . 290 Watching intently the transports of reconciliation, the fragile support underneath gave way, and the detectives tumbled promiscuously to the "There is some mistake here. You have got the wrong man. What have Excellent fare, moistened not unfrequently with choice wines, won his entire confidence, and talk he must. . She visited the store, and made numerous purchases, always dealing with ... 17 "O, John! - big robbery! - Tilsit! - quick!" "Please copy this list in your own hand on one of the regular blanks." Preparing for the "grand bounce." “I am certainly sorry to have disturbed you, but I must have that bill.” As if in alarm, she thrust it back, and soon disappeared.” Taking it down, and thrusting his hand into the pocket, he drew forth girl averted her face in silent, sullen submission.. Rushing forward, she clasped the broken reed in her arms, exclaiming, Mr. Myers, equipped with the proper authority, thoroughly searches the The complete breakdown of the doctor took every one by surprise. In the parlor of the proprietor his position soon became established as a familiar and favorite visitor. Quickening his steps, he came up in time to see the familiar figure of his friend disappear through the entrance to one of the rooms. "Dat be not necessary," answered the captain, gyrating around the The surprise of the gentleman thus rudely awakened grew into wonder, if not into dread. . . . Devoted ostensibly to the manufacture of " Boonekamp Bitters," the premises were really used for making articles that belong to the equipment of the vilest order of quacks. Sold. Rev. Zachariah Sapp. 410 413 417 423 425 “I have heard of you before. You are the villain, are you, who has been turning my office into a den of thieves? I have caught you at last!" 429 The Aspirant. . . 432 435 "Look a-here," replied Seth, holding forth the missive in his shriveled and bony fingers. "Bless yeour soul,” replied she, "it's all right. I'tend to all the biznis." 441 "But where is the arsenal? I understood it was situated here." — "Your information is correct,” replied the young man. "That is it, across the road." Rebecca Starr.. - 447 "Sharretts, what on earth do you mean? I thought you were a detective - a first-class detective. Have I been humbugged in my good opinion?" At his request, a female clerk ripped open the ends, when he wrote his own name on the inside in indelible ink. 451 456 The Deacon's Mansion. . . 459 Dropping the commission from her trembling hands, she burst into tears, and exclaimed, "O, sir! did you do that to catch me?" ... "My child, my child! if the whole world unites in calling you a sinner, the heart of your poor old father will be a safe home for you always - only it does ache a little now, Rebecca.". . Apparently satisfied that no one was near to interrupt the colloquy, she said, Are you the human crittur that wants to see my old man?" 472 The squire emerged from the door, and in elaborate legal verbiage commanded him to stop. Not to be outdone, the Amazon of the clockface added a defiant crow.. Midnight conclaves were held, notable for wisdom and gush. Before the sash was exhausted he could in every instance, from the appearance of the fracture, tell from which direction the blow came. Before removing her bonnet, or taking a seat, she "let her tongue loose," and hardly paused for breath till her stock of discoveries was exhausted.. 482 |