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Full Title
The Bradys and towerman "10"; or, The fate of the Comet Flyer and other stories / by a New York Detective, [copy 2].
Author
New York Detective.
Contributor
Doughty, Francis W. (Francis Worcester), d. 1917. Fox, Tom. Armstrong, Alexander.
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1920-04-23
Publisher
New York : Frank Tousey
Series
Secret Service Old and Young King Brady, Detectives > no. 1109
Source
Dime Novels and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Secret Service Old and Young King Brady Detectives, no. 1109, April 23, 1920. Fate of the Comet Flyer. "That boy Ben;" or, Fighting for his father's business / by Tom Fox Fighting for his father's business The Trevlyn heir / by Alexander Armstrong.
Topic
Dime novels > Specimens. Detective and mystery stories, American > Periodicals.
About
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
“12
. “Wait till I get out my glass.
“miles.”
THE BRADYS AND TOWERMAN. 10.
{
~ “Yes, an-old.ruins since Mexican times. Do you see?”
Yes, I see. ‘About five
“Not over four. You had better look
Coyote Bill is as tough as they make ’em. 2
“Oh, we know our business, friend. Thanks again.
shall get right on the move.”
out for yourself.
”
We
“. Rejoining Harry, Old King Brady told him what he had
learned as they rode down the tracks.
“We can never do anything alone?” said Harry. “For my
part; I don’t see how we can hope to do much anyway un-
less we can get help.”
, “We have got to do something for the girl, and we don’t
‘want to lose sight of our own affairs either,” was the reply.
“Give me a moment to think.”
Then, after a silent ride of some minutes, Old King Brady
said:
“We can’t fight a gang single-handed, that’s certain. We
must have help for that, but perhaps we don’t need it.”
“What do you mean?” /
“Just this. Coyote Bill went off with the girl alone, while
the gang went south. It may be that they have hidden the
gold at this Davis ranch and propose to jump out with. it
later.. The few men we saw can’t be all of Coyote Bill’s
gang. My theory is that they have gone ahead to bring
up the others, Possibly Bill is alone. with a. companion
or two at the ranch. If we could get just one or two men
we might be able to do something.”
“But where to get them?”
“There are a few houses beyond tower nine this man
Harmon tells. me”—we have not. recorded. all Old King
Brady’s conversation with the towerman—“let us separate,
one go to the Davis ranch to spy out the land, the other to
this. little town, San Luis, they call it, and see if we can’t
pick up a few men or at least some information about the
gang.”
“And meet where?”
“Well, say at tower 10.” .
. “As*you say. Which shall be which?” |
“Vl go to the ranch. You-may run up against the gang,
“and if so you would stand a better show of vetting in with
them and learning their plans than I.”
Harry rode on, down the line of the railroad, while Old
‘King Brady struck west, following the Penasco River in-the
direction of the Davis ranch.
It was about six miles to tower No. 9.
‘Instead of being at the little town of St. Luis, as Old
_ King Brady had understood Towerman Harmon to say, this
town was about a mile northwest, the railroad not coming
within half a mile of the town.
As'the‘ country was all a dead level, Harry could see the
houses in. the distance, and without attempting to hold any
conversation with the towerman, he headed his horse that
way.
Before this Young King Brady had made certain altera-
_ tions inthis dress, which gave him a rougher appearance.
He might have been mistaken for one of the many young
adventurers who are constantly wandering about this end of
Texas, looking for work, or in fact for anything they can
beg, borrow or steal.
‘And in this character Young King Brady rode liesurely
into San Luis.
About fifty cheap frame buildings comprised the town,
mostly strung. along one straggling street.
Five of these were saloons and three general stores.
There: was a dirty-looking hotel, on the piazza of which a
number of men were lounging. -
Taken altogether, San Luis was a miserable, depressing-
looking. hole. no .
The: prospect of getting any reliable help here looked
pretty slim. 5. .
.. But what, struck Harry as he rode up to the. hotel was
the number of horses tied to the hitching bars in front of
the saloon. . :
There were asmany as a dozen, and it made him think
that. although the towerman in No. 9 had not so reported,
the gang might-have come to this place. :
“Investigation is next in order,” thought Young King
Brady. “But first it is breakfast. I may be able to pick
up_a few points while 1 refresh the inner man.”
We rode around into the hotel yard and gave his horse to
«x darky who came out of the barn. - + : poo
“Look out for him, Sam,” he said,-slipping the fellow a
quarter. “See that he ‘gets a‘sood: rubbing
give him’ any water until he has cooled off.”
“Dat’s all right,.boss.. I’ll take care of dat.”
down and don't
“There seems to be a good many people in town this,”
morning.” : 7 : . .
“Waal, so dar be, boss; so dar be quite.a few. Dere came
a gang of cowboys in hyar early dis morning. Deyse loung-
ing round the saloon now. Dem’s de ones what own dos¢
horses what you see.” os Cor os
“Just so. Business lively here?” Ses Troyes
“Lively nothin’,, Dere hain’t nebber nothing doin’ hyar no .1 °
more, ° .
Harry went to the hotel office and asked about breakfast.
“We can feed you,” said the man behind the desk.: “Do you .
want a room?”
“T can’t tell you yet,” replied: Harry, writing “H, Hilton, as
El Paso,” on the register.
The clerk rang a bell and ordered a special breakfast pre-
pared, as it was now long past: the usual hour.
“How are things down at El Paso?” he asked.
“Quiet enough when I left.) No chance for a job any-”
where.” _
“Are you looking for work?” .
“Ves.”
“What at?”
“Oh, anything I can get to do.”
“You'll find it a poor show here then.” °
“T don’t intend to stop here.. ’m going
Mexico.”
“You’re in New Mexico now.”
on up into New
“Tam, eh? Well, I didn’t know it. That’s as much as.I 7
Imow about the country, you see.”
a
Further talk followed, and Harry went in to breakfast, |
which was bad enough to have sickened a jackall.
After it was over he wandered down the street and looked
into the different saloons. . ‘ : a .
The principal occupation of the San Luisians seemed to be
playing poker. \ .
_ There was a game going in each of the five saloons, and
in one, the “Silver Palace,” there were two. * :
Harry stood around watching the play in this place for
some little time. . ee)
He was taking in the talk of. the players. .
They were to all appearances a gang of tough cowboys
and as they all seemed-to be acquainted with each other it
came to him very forcibly that they might be the men of
Coyote Bill’s gang. : Ps
But the only thing he could. gather from their talk was
that they were waiting for something or somebody. —
It was all very unsatisfactory. oo
Not wishing to keep himself too much in evidence, Harr
finally went out on the strect again. . .
The men were drinking heavily and showed signs of: be-
coming quarrelsome. : we
“What: on earth can I do?” Harry asked himself. “I don’t
believe there is a man in this town who will help me, and I
have promised the Governor to be on hand at tower 10° by
three o’clock, with men or without,”
But it had been understood between them that he was not
to be hampered in his movements in any way.
Old King Brady’s last words at parting had been: '
Do just whatever seems. best under the circumstances,
and that is all any man can do.”
“I must make the attempt any way,” thought Harry. “I'll
tackle the doctor, I guess.” : tous
The doctor at San Luis was also the druggist, and. his
store was four doors below the Silver Palace Saloon.
The name on the sign was Kellerman, and Young King
Brady found him a cranky old fellow.
He did not even introduce the subject of getting a man
to help. him, for he saw that it would be useless, so he en-
quired for the Mayor of the town.
But the Mayor was at Santa Fe,
Harry found himself headed off. :
As he came out on the street he heard loud voices and
foul language in the Silver Palace. ane :
Such people as were passing cast anxious glances at the
swing door and hurried by as if afraid. ~
Harry ‘halted, . tos : oe ‘
“There is going to be a row-in there in a minute,” he said
to himself. ” .
And the thought had no more than crossed his mind when
the popping of revolvers was heard behind the swing doors
Harry crossed the street and ‘waited Ss we
it seemed, and again
6 We
oop aye
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