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that would have’ ransomed.the Queen. of Sheba! Never saw
gnything like it in all my life, and for a time I didn’t’know where
was.” oO : — : me
“Belle Demona probably got the stones in London.?: =”
“I don’t know;
room,” —
“Well?” :
“On the dresser lay a New York newspaper printed within the
Jast month. There was a marked column, and with pardonable
curiosity. I leaned forward and read the article. It was startling,
-and sent my memory back to the recent murders in Whitechapel,
though it was nothing like them.” 1
““What was it, Waters?” :
“It was an account ofa murder in New York; some rich'man
strangled in his own house by an unknown assassin.” .
“Was that marked paper in Belle Demona’s room?” :
“There’s where I saw it, sir. It went through me like a dagger,
for you can imagine what I thought. There may be a reward for
the arrest of that red-handed murderer, and if I could only take
him I wouldn’t have to play guard here.” ~ . ‘
Young Waters arose and walked the floor with some ex-
‘citement. ’
Old Broadbrim scrutinized him carefully, and his brain seemed
~on. fire. ‘ St :
* >Here was just the ally he needed. :
But perhaps Waters was acting under instructions for the pur-
pose:of setting another death trap for him. as
He knew that Waters was brave and feared nothing.
Moreover, he was active and fertile in imagination, and, if he
was true, he was just the man he wanted.
“Hang it all!” suddenly cried Waters, coming back to the de-
tective and knocking the ashes from his pipe. “Why éan’t I pick
.up this man who is wanted in New York? - Look here, Riggs,
why was that paper in that room? And why was it marked?”
The eyes of the two men met. ;
“Waters,” said Old Broadbrim, slowly, “what would you do
you had a chance to'take that man?’- : : "
_“T'd take him or die in'the attempt !”
. “He might be among friends.”
~ “That wouldn’t stop me for a moment.” 1
“Waters, there is a reward for that assassin.”
The youth started and almost betrayed his eagerness. ,
But he checked himself.and bent over the old detective’s face.’
“Don’t fool me,” he said. / :
“T am not fooling you. The man is still unhung.”
’ “Where is he?” Stays : "
“Listen to me, Waters.”
- “Go on, for God’s sake!”
“First, see that we are alone.”
‘
if
Waters stepped to the door and, opening it carefully, looked
out and came back. :
“It’s all right out there. No-one in sight,” said he. “Now
goon” y os - oe
“I say,” resumed Old Broadbrim, “the man who killed Custer
Kipp—that’s the name, isn’t it?—that man, I say, is still un-
caught.”
“Good! And we'll catch him.”
“Don’t be so fast. Cool down.” .
“T will control my.nerves. Only don’t keep me in suspense,”
“Not for long, Waters.’ We can get twenty thousand dollars
for the delivery of that man in New York.” :
It nearty took away Waters’ breath, but he remained cool.
“We'll: go together,” he said. “We will play our hand against
the accomplished rascal, and’ we'll go back to Perth as.soon as
possible, and begin the hunt for him.” .
“Why not begin it here?” said Old Broadbrim. -
“Tere—on the ranch?”
“Ve 2 . -
“You don’t suspect——” Ss
Waters stopped, for footsteps came toward the door, and his’
sentence was not finished... -. : .
In another. moment one of the men belonging to the guard
came in and- looked’ upon a_ shelf for his pipe. . bom et
“It’s Natty Burke, the one-armed ticket-of-leave man,” whis-
pered Waters. “He is always sneaking around when there's any-
thing to overhear. Wait till he goes. out.” / Soe
Natty filled his pipe and leaned against the wall, smoking in
Jong draughts for ten minutes. }
but another little thing struck me. in that.’
‘go on with your story.
‘New York?
a step and looked at Riggs; -
* have suspicions—we must
_ their plans against
: giver, é
_ wild life in the bush.
- on the murderer,
et See eee
Be OLD BROADBRIM' WEEKLY.
| He did not appear to see Old Broadbrim and Waters, but his
keen eyes had singled them out from the first.
By and by,
hind him.
“A spy!” said Waters. “That man came in here to see who
was in the house, and he is a cool one. But, never mind, Riggs;
wi Where is this suspected man?”
“Within reach of our hands.” .
“Then let’s take him. Twenty thousand for his safe arrival in
é ; We won't let him out of our sight a minute, Riggs.
It’s starting you and I in‘ business. It'll be the making of us,
and some day, perhaps, we'll be detectives,” .
,. Old Broadbrim stood up and clutched the hand. of Waters,
drawing him forward. :
“It’s a bargain, Waters,” said he.
we will land him-in New York, eh?”
“That we will.” : : ‘y ,
“Then we'll put our heads together ard play out'the hand right
however, Natty moved away and shut the door be
“We will catch this man;
‘here on the ranch.”
“Against whom?”
“Can’t you guess, Waters?” .
“My God! there is only one man I would suspect, and that {s
Merle Macray.” , we?
“That is the man.” : / a
Waters’ eyes seemed to bulge from his head, and he fell back
oT am Rowand Rnguisaven $ name who are you ” he cried.
ut you’re more
mans trail.” da i vs
ever mid that. Are w i i i ir PP ty
Waters held out his hand. uated in this aair? ot : woeskt
“To the death, Riggs! But if they suspect us—if she or Merle
have suspic fight for our lives.” SE an ye!
Ameriare’ Waters. It is death in Australia or finalizes in .
And the hands of the two men met ina hearty grasp.
. CHAPTER XVI
-THE DOOM OF WATERS,
than just a pick-up. You’ve been on this ~~
The compact between Old Broadbrim and Dick. Waters was an
‘secret one, and if they were not suspected they might carry out
cir plan t Macray and his beautiful friend, 9
. -y were in a wild land, and also j : 5 “
cistovery and ae , O in the very shadow of
ele Demona was suspicious; asthe detective knew, for she
was a keen, coql-headed creature, vengeful to a degree, and, with’
Merle to stand by fer, the iuture did not look very promising oe
roadbrim recalled the pledge he )
and Foster Kipp in America. pietae he had made to Nora Poon
He did not forget the young girl’s last’ present, the. four-leaved i
clover, which he carried in his bosom,
ow and then when on guard h ake it its hidi
rece Sat meee et g i he would take it from its hiding
More than once, under the stars of Australia, hi in
ore th , r th tralia, h d
the little keepsake to smile in secret over the itt and aa recall the :
For several days after the
house on the ranch, nothing
Blacklocks and his raiders kept al be sori: = :
eyes was not apprehended, pt aloof for some cause, and’ Star-
Merle recovered ra idly from his woun ;
} m his wound, which de
one, and at the end Of the week he was as well as ever not a ba :
and Waters matured their plans. - «
Melbourne, in which city they woul
They got together and talked i ters.
. 4 . . . ov’ i
fertile In Imagination, and’ shrewd ‘and coo Pans, Waters bene :
The night tor the attempt was selected, © |S
: The day destined, 1
ranch came and found the two men d
Broadbrim stood in the ri S j
who was showing him her jeweler hich che tgs, Demons.
her boudoir.
as they thought, to be their last one on the
ye ON
.
Is, which she had brought from’: >.
¥
3
oe per et ed
making of the compact in the little.
occurred to break:the monotony of +> “+