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__ same as Foster.
_ tred.
with Custer Kipp.
2 | OLD BROADBRIM WEEKLY.
“a confederate, a person whose beauty years ago ‘neatly proved my
ruin.”
Old Broadbrim did not speak. |
Already the traditional woman had entered the case.
“For one year, Mr. Broadbrim,” continued: Custer inp, coming
back to the original proposition. “Is it a bargain?”
The detective sat silent and rigid for.a few seconds,
Never before had a proposition of that sort been made to him.
‘It would take him from cases that might spring up to demand
his attention.
After all, the man before him might have no enemy at all, and
the time spent in watching him might prove lost time, though
. twenty-five thousand dollars would be his at the end of the year.
- “If you accept, remember that for one year you belong to me,
will be subject to my commands, will have to go whither I send
you, and’ you will not be permittéd to follow your calling be-
yond them.”
“Tt binds one rather close,” said Old Broadbrim.
“T want a man who will belong to me. He must devote his
whole time to keeping the hand of death away from me, and—”
_ Custer Kipp leaned forward and opened the desk.
Running his hand into it, he pulled out a package and untied it
before the detective’s eyes.
- “This is a picture of the man as he looked twenty years ago,”
he said, throwing a photograph on the desk. “He has changed
some, of course, but he is the same cool- headed demon he was
then :
And the other—the woman?”.
The nabob started. me
“T have no‘picture of her save the one I carry in my memory.
I haven’t seen her since a fatal night at Monaco.” --
He laid the picture down and looked squarely at the: detective.
“No more now. Will you accept?”
It was a novel and romantic engagement ‘and appealed strongly
to the detective’s curiosity. « ~
He thought rapidly for ten a seconds, after which, he looked into
Custer Kipp’s eyes and sai
“T accept.’
OA thousand thanks!- I- “feel younger already—I feel that I
will yet escape this vendetta, that I have years of useful life ahead
and that I will die in my house when. my time ;comes. _ But one
word, Not a whisper of this bargain beyond the. walls of my
house. Not a word to my children,.for I call Nora my child the
It must be our secret, Mr. Broadbrim.” ”
“It shall be ours.’
.“That’s right, “Now, sir, if: you.will. come back to-morrow I
will give -you the commission in. detail. | I. will. study up all the
points you should know, and then you will sce into your task and
will know just what you will be expected to do.’
Old Broadbrim, a man of brevity, picked up his hat. :
“I will be here,” he said. ‘Thee can. trust me,” using, as-he did
at times, the Quaker formula.
In another moment he had turned his back on the: millionaire
and was walking toward the hall.
At the door he glanced over his shoulder.and. saw the figure of
Custer Kipp | bent, over the desk, and the face was buried in. the
rOld Broadbrim closed the door and went away...
~ Down in his“office, in the’room in’ which he had’ thought, out
more than‘one¢ tangle. of crime, he threw, himself into. his” arm-
chair and took up a cigar. ~
“What -have I done?” . he_asked himself. “Is the man mad?
What is this invisible fear which almost paralyzes him? Why
does he send for me to watch him for a year when he could-fly
‘to the ends of the world, for he has: money to take him any-
where, and thus escape the enemy? But I’ll do my part.” ”
“The day deepened, and the shadows of:night fell over the city.
“Old Broadbrim came’ forth, and walked a: few. squares ‘after
which he‘ turnéd suddenly ‘and rapped at a ‘door belonging: toa
small house in-a quiet district. - .
The portal was opened by. a man not’ very young, but wiry and
keen- eyed.
“Come in. I've. been waiting for you,” said this person. “T
have'a case for you—che. which the police, have not yet! discoy-
Tt will produce rich results.”
- The detective’s countenanée seemed to drop. .
Tere it was already. oO
- He began to sce ‘how “foolish he had’ ‘been, to sake a 2 bargain
<"
ee ETT a
—perhaps a good deal sooner.”
“ment, a'deep pizzle to the best’
Cerberus for Custer Kipp?” he. mused,
ae
?
“What.is it, Clippers?” he asked.
“It’s: just the sort o’ case” you’ve ‘been looking for,” was. ‘the
reply. “On the next street is a: dead man—a ‘man whose. life must
have gone out violently yesterday-or last. night: You don’t: know
him, but I do, -
me for three years. We have met occasionally, but never, got on
familiar terms. ’Now he’s dead and is there yet, in his: little
room, with marks of violence-on his throat and: the agony.in-his
glassy eyes. Won't: you come. with me? I shave. been holding
thé matter for you.’ ,
Old Broadbrim said he would at once take. a look at the: mys-
tery, and Clippers, his friend, offered: to conduct : him to the scene
of the tragedy.
The two entered a little house near the mouth of an: alley, and
Clippers led the way to a:'room to the left of ‘the hall,
“He’s a_mystery—got papers: of- importance- -hid: inthe house,
but we'll find them in course of time,” he chattered. .“It’s going
to be a deep case, just to your liking, Mr. Broadbrim, but you ‘ll
untangle it, for you never fail.”
At this moment the pair entered the room and the hand of Clip-
pers pointed to a couch against the wall...
Old Broadbrim stepped nimbly forw ard and bent over the bed.
A rigid figure lay upon it, and the first. glance told him that
death had been busy there.
“Who is he?” asked the detective. -
“It’s Jason.:Marrow.* You didn’t. know him! Precious few
people did. The papers. which: he has hidden wvill tell us more
and we'll find them. It’s your, case,’ Mr. “Broadbrim.” .
“T can’t take it, Clippers.’ .
The other fell back with a cry of amazement.
“You can’t, take it?” he gasped.. “In the name of Heaven,.are
you mad,.Mr. Broadbrim?”
AT. hope not.”
“But it’s just the ‘sort 0” case you like.
Killed by. some one as yet unknown, -
and dead in his little den.” .
“Yes, I know, CHippers, b but it’s not for ‘me.”,
: “Why: not?’
‘T m engaged.”
“On something better?) Ona deeper mystery. than. the death of
Strangled by a ha: Ni nsecn
“Jason Marrow?”
“T don’t know.
my hands.”
"Well, I’m stumped !” cried Clippers. - : :
‘And I’m sorry,” answered the great detective. “ry, tell: the
police. I'll see that Hargraves or Irwin get the job.: That’s all
Ican do. : For one year I belong to—to anothér master," |"
There was‘ no reply to this; Clippers showed that. he was
“stumped.”
I ‘only know that I can't take this matter into
-. CHAPTER Il.
THE: “MIDNIGHT MURDER, '
“Come!” said Clippers when he u
, got second
can get-the-other one to release you.” wind, “maybe vou
“He y won't do that. The bargain’s “been sealed. ”
“Youre not going to. retire?”
“Well, hardly.” : Ant * Pe
That's : good, anyhow. If the. other. fellows: Hargraves ‘or
Irwin, get at fault you won't tefuse to join in the hunt. for the +
murderer of poor Marrow?” :
I will be free at the end of a year under certain contingencies
“Well, I avish it was to-morrow,”
to take this case; but we'll have to $
Pappy reap new fame.”
Half'an hour later the
Irwin knew. all there: w
Jagon Marrow.
_. It was. not much, for the slayer had
secrecy and had left no clews behind. done.
The matter was’ destined to. become A mystery to the depart-
men on the force fo th
“Old. Broadbrim. went back to ‘hi or months,
us.
house neat the mouth of the alley. "om after the find i the
“Confound it all! why did L bind
cried Clippers. “ey want you
e ‘Kis, work with ‘great
ayself for’ a’ year-to. play
of case I’ve been looking for,
but
get out ‘of the matter unless it my hands are tied, and I can't
I 50, to his house ' ‘and absolutely
¢ two dttectives ves named Hargtaves and
as to know at the time of the, death ¢ ‘of.
“Here’s. the very sort |
Jason’ Marrow. has been:a study anda puzzle-to .
~
ee the others: and ‘let Tom or
ae
There’s inpatecy: i pe)
fosa et
‘