id ~
7
IN of
VE
ng
d-
or
RS
Il
No
at
ill
IALY
AND
mane
[
Crewe did not know about the man—
proething that he had intended to re-
or lack of opportunity.
in fact, and while he was still using
the dope—had overheard a conversa-
tion between Boheat
FTIR, SE TS
HE DOUBLE
DEALER
By VARICK VANARDY,
uthor of “Missing—$81,500.”
pyright by the Frank A. Mun-
sey Co.
CHAPTER IX.
Some Wheels Within Wheels.
he man who left the saloon in the
ake of Bobcat Rickett, in obedience
th the signal from Crewe, was Crack-
an old habitue of the place, and
he who was devoted to its owner.
Nor was that devotion the conse-
hence of fear, as in the cases of
any others. Cracker had formerly
pen a dope-fiend, but for a year past,
ith the aid and encouragement of
hat many-sided man, he had gradual-
grown away from his weakness
til he felt that he was rapidly be-
loming a man again.
Nevertheless he was a denizen of
the underworld, and he knew every
y-way it contained, and nearly all
f the characters that comprised’ it
ocally.
He knew Bobcat Rickett, too, and
bis devious ways and methods; and
he knew, moreover, something that
eal and had neglected to do so only
Cracker, long ago—months before,
and two plain:
lothes men when he was himself
gupposed to be dead to the world un-
fer the influence of the drug he had
sed.
The plain-clothes men were Lieu-
enant Holderness, now no longer on
he force, and Marline, of whom men-
jon has been made recently.
The talk between them and Bobcat
Rickett was, in effect, that if the Bob-
at could ever get anything “on”
rewe so that he might be delivered
to their hands so that they could
get the goods” on him, so that they
bould catch him in' a felonious act,
Bobcat was to reccive an adequate
eward, and would be, forever after-
ard, immune from police interfer-
nce. J
Of course they lied to him when
hey made the promises, but Bobcat
plieved. Holderness had been dis-
issed from the department, but Mar-
e remained; and Baxter, who had
pen hand in
pw trained with
¥ Cracker was
jbarp, and keen.
"Had he been wi
f that ¥stool pigeon” agreement, he
picht have been less wory and watch-
11 than he was when he obeyed the
ignal from Cre?
But Cracker, li
uenters of the pl
rewe was the m
hem all; none doub
ve them cards and spad
its of crookdoom.
And he had watched the interview,
Btween Crewe and Bobcat, although
} had heard no word of it; still, he
d not a doubt that something was
foot for which Crewe needed the
rvices of the yezgg—and he was cer-
jin that in such an event the yesgg
fould betray Crewe.
# While he followed Bobcat, the lat-
ter stopped once in front of a saloon,
but evidently decided against the risk
pf entering it.
glove with both of them,
"re
11 ine.
ually
shrewd,
t the knowledge
> all the other fre-
ce, believed that
ster | eriminal of
ted that he could
bs in the pur-
here then.
Christy nodded understandingly.
“Watch out for Baxter and Mar-
line. I practically fired them out of
the place this afternoon, but you are
to act as if you know nothing about
that.”
“I'm on, boss,” Christy replied with
a wink.
“I am going a burgling tomorrow
nizht, Christy; housebreaking.”
“\7ith Bobcat Rickett?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t. He's a “stool,” I tell you,
and Marline is his long suit.” )
“I know that already, and so I am
going to male this 1&tle expedition of |
wine cut two ways. I shall probably
ret what 1 go after—and likewise I
think I will ‘get’ those two crooked
bulls.”
“Then those three keys are—"
“Latch-keys to the doors of three
separate houses, Ch-isty, and in one
of the three I confiflently expect to
“nd the lavalier, the bandeau, the
tema, and the bracelet that were
n‘nched at the wedding reception last
nizht.”
Christy could only look his aston-
izhment, for, according to all preced-
cnt, the stolen property should be al-
ready in the possession of some
“ience.” Crewe continued: |
“I have put Piucher on the trail of |
Dexter and Marline. He will telephone |
in after seven tonight. Whatever he
way have to say pass it on to Feltner. |
I am particularly anxious to know if
either of those bulls should go to see
Dobeat Rickett.”
Ten minutes later Crewe went out.
He turned northward, walking with
his customary swiitness, but when
half-way across Washington Square
he wheeled abruptly and started even
uiore swiftly upon thie back track.
Another man who had also been
moving rapidly, half halted, then con-
tinued on his way; but Crewe stopped
him by stepping directly in front ‘of
him.
“You are a new man at the bureau,
aren’t you?” he asked. “I don’t seem
y 1cmer you. But, anyhow, fit
1 your while to try to follow
2. YY .u would lore. Eesides, it isn’t
.y. You might catch the malaria
~ something.”
The “shadow”
atively.
“You me along |
vou,” he said. “It would save us both |
a lot of trouble—and I'm willing to be
i
i
‘her
Two
grinned appreci-
might take with
You are another one
of that bunch, are you? You are play-
ing with fire, young man, and you’ll
burn your fingers if you don’t look
out.”
“Oh, I guess I know how to avoid
{he flames, Crewe. . You see 1I—”
Fe stopped, for Crewe had wheeled
and left him, and the would-be sleuth
saw him enter a waiting taxi which
drove rapidly away upon the instant
when the door was banged shut; and
he could not follow because there Was
no other taxi in sight.
The taxi, ‘as it happened, was
Crewe’s personal property; and the
chauffeur who wove it—well, he also
belonged to Crewe. That strange man
had many possessions of the sort In
and around New York, and he was
constantly adding to them.
The taxicab was driven as rapidly
as the city ordinances permitted to
n far up-town station of the subway,
and the attention of the chauffeur
seemed: to be attracted to the oppo-
gite side of street when his
“fare” stepped down and slammed
the door.
At all events the passenger dis-
pores in the subway before the man
nrned his head again, and even then
had already started his car for-
the
ward.
Less than one hour later, or, to be
exact, at seven goles Birge Mo-
reaux, port tict, in full evening
dress, paust the on of his studio
before g t, to give some last di
rections to his man Feltner,
“Keep your ears open for the tele-
| “hone, Feltner,” he s “and be
| cepecially foi lar in re d to the
| erorts ive. If should
ant met lowill be f
Ir e
uh af 3
hall rat 1
He walked on after that until he
ame to a small combination cigar
and stationery store, whic h he en-
tered.
Cracker, watching from the op-
posite side of the et; w him pur-
chase a supply of cigarettes—and
then a she a] and an envelope
after Which he spent nearly an hour
in laboriously writing a letter
‘When he can ide he d e
the letter into tk post-box he
passed, and the on his way
whistling and si n for he was
still p hi lothes, not-
withst g y had re-
ceived a
Thus,
is use agai
he hurried bac
ot only what he
not
for
ewe an
to Crew dt 1
bad seen, but that other story
ion he had over- :
work, - Cracker,”
Crewe told him approvingly. “Put
this ten-doliar bill in your pocket and
get back on the job. You will have
to stay on it until one o'clock tomor-
row night, téo. I shall go there then,
and I will look for you near his door.
You can stand. it without much sleep
till then, can’t you?”
“Betcher life, Crewe. More'n that,
it you want me to,” was the reply.
Christy returned at five o’clock and
delivered the keys he had had mdde
in the meantime.
«I shall not be here tonight, Chris
ty,” Crewe said to him at the upper
end of the bar, near the window.
“Sindahr will be in about midnight.
You ‘tell him to deliver those stick-
Pins and other things to 'you, and that
ft ‘will ‘be ‘bad for him if he does not.
Tell him also that I'want him here be-
fore twelve tomorrow night. I will be
tt nets 1 om.
reaux ed
Good
said in
don’t thir
ev
was spying on you,
or the building, either, for that mat-
ter. Muchmore is around the corner
on an errand for the chief, and I was
waiting for him. But I would have
gone in too see.you for a moment if it
had not been for the engagement with
you at ten-thirty tonight.”
“Oh, 1 hadn’t a thought of your
spying upon me, Bunting!” the artist
returned smiling. “Who is that
other chap?”
“He is a new man at the bureau,
although several years on the force.
Painter—that’s his name—undertook
him. He has
rs sm asntrriiesnnt =p ue =
to trail Crewe this afternoon and lost
heard somehow e==
Muchmore aian’t teil him nor :—that
Crewe sometimes visits this building
by this entrance, and he is so mad to
think that Crewe gave him the slip
that he says he is going to stand right
there until Crewe comes, or until it is
time for him to go to his South Fifth
Avenue place again.”
“Oh, I see! Did you have some-
thing that you particularly wished to
say to me—that you thought of call-
ing upon me just now instead of
waiting until our evening engage-
ment?”
“Yes, I did. And I hope you won't
think me officious or fresh when I do
say it, Mr. Moreaux.”
“Certainly not, Bunting. What is
it”
“I don’t know what your relations
with Crewe are, Mr. Moreaux, and I
don’t care to know. I want you to
believe that. But I do know that
practically the entire detective bu-
reau has been given the tip to ‘get’
him, if he can be ‘got.’
“And so—here is where Mr. Fresh
Buttinski comes in—I felt like K pass-
ing the tip on to you. I thought per-
haps you might think it would be just
as well if you h 4 nothing more to do
with that man—for the present at
least. I speak as an officer to a citi-
zen, and, if you will r.ermit me to say
it, as one who wishes to be your
friend.”
“Shake hands, Bunting. That’s
bully of you! I appreciate it, too. But
for your own enlightenment I will tell
vou that Crewe is not at all likely to
appear at this door again—for some
time to come, anyhow. You know I
have the key that you took from him.
“You might put your friend wise
and spare him the fatigue of stand-
ing up all night. Do not think that
von presumed in giving me the warn-
ing. I am really very much obliged
to you. I will lcok for you and Much-
more at the club’ at ten-thirty to-
night.”
“We will be there.”
“Do, for 1 expect to have some-
thing of considérable importance to,
tell you.”
But as Moreaux hurried on his way :
his thought, if uttered aloud, would :
have been:
“I wonder if. Bunting was lying.
If so he played the part all right.”
CHAPTER X.
No Matter Who the Thief May Be.
“Mr. Delorme,” said Moreaux—the
{wo men faced e2ch other across the
library table in that small room which
was called the “den”—1I asked for this
short talk with you when I telephoned
two hours ago because I had an im-
portant question to ask you—one
which may prove to be of grave im-
noitance.”
“Very well, Birge. But surely you
don’t have to request interviews with
». Neobedy is rore welcome at my
nn. you The latch-string
cut i
f 7% and thank you
< .
i vpitimportant ques-
PE
¢ line it 1 will preface it
¢ statement.”
“y ? Vell? Co ahead.”
“1 have | C much ' concerned
Senet] nce of those
( IL.orna’s: more so than you
1 iimegine. At all’ events, 1
i"cd Lona that T woul do my
ave them restored to her.”
kind of you, Birge.
such things highly—and,
very
incide lly, she thinks that you are
Stor the salt of the earth.”
“In order to keep my promise to.
er I have, in one way and another,
engaged the services of several oth-
ers.”
“Detectives, I suppose? I'm sorry.
I did not wish to have the affair
noised abroad.”
“Detectives—and some others who
are not exactly detectives, and it will
not be noised abroad, Mr. Delorme.”
“I am glad of that. Please go on.”
“Inquiry, deduction, thought, care
sis, and some abst tract in-
ation in different quarters have
collectiv ely convinced me that it will
10f he a difficult matter to the
lost question is this:
Do you want those lost jewels re-
turned, without regard to the identity
’
reco
articles... The
n
ok them?
do.”
the — the thief
tainlv 1
eriainiy- 1
who
same, Birge.”
sation at
0s
>.
“n’s
you
ut with it
You are surmising —
I have got ‘three guesses, Mr,
> ing to the old style
3 game. And one of them
is sure to, win, And -whichever one
wing, or, rather, no matter which one
of the three may win, the resultant
consequence will be—Ilet us say—un-
pleasant.”
“You insinuate, Birge, that some-
btody whom I know and know well,
is the guilty person?”
“It is more than an insinuation, sir.
It is a statement.”
“Why don’t you tell me the names
of all three of your ‘guesses’?”
“For the specific reason that such a
course would be a decided injustice to
the two who are innocent.”
*I had not thought of that. Well,
go ahead in your own way, Birge. No
‘perceptibly taller, and the expression
matter who the guilty party may be,
I have no sympathy for him, or her,
as the case may develop. The one who
is guilty should be exposed; if not
publicly, then, at least, to the few who
ought to know about it.”
“Very good, sir.” Moreaux left his
chair, helped himself to a fresh cigar
from the open box on the table, light-
ed it, shook hands with Mr. Delorme,
who had also risen, crossed to the
door, then turned ahout and said:
“Oh, by the way, are you attending
the Netherlards Society dinner to-
morrow night?”
“Yes. Arcn’t you? You're a mem-
£h~11 d-~v"tless be there—
v—'ess sorething happens in the
nncontime to prevent.”
“Bless me! You talk as if you
were a man of business, and I never
krew anybody who had more leisure
on his hands. Do you know, Birge”’—
whistfully—*“I used to wish that when
my Lorna cho e a husband it would
te you. Forgive 2n old man for say
ing it, but I have wished it many
times.”
IToreaux’s tall form seemed to grow
in his eyes was serious indeed, not-
withstanding his si.iie as he replied
quickly:
“Cood Heavers, Delorme, I am
twice as old as she is. She is nine-
teen and I am thirty-eight. That would
rever do, you know. Such a thought
never cccurred to Lorna, fond as she
was, and is, of me.”
“But it occurred to you more than
cnee, Birge. I know.”
“Nonsense, Mi. Delorme.
sense. Gracious! I must go.
night, sir.”
Promptly at half past ten o’clock
the two officers, Muchmore and Bunt-
ing, arrived at the club where Birge
Moreaux was waiting them.
He conducted them at once to a se
cluded corner, ofe.ed them refresh-
ments, which they ented, and hav
ing lighted cigar: il around, the ar
tist looked quizzic. .y at Muchmoie
and inquired:
“Well, lieutenant, wl: at’s doing?”
“We supposed that o.r errand here
was to have your reply to that que:
Non-
Good
ace
tion, Mr. Moreaux,” was the quick
reply. :
“Still, you have romething on you:
mind. 1 can sec that much. Before |
unbossom my e.’, suppose jou teil 1
what has happe:
day.”
“Very well, Nothing of any
importance. And I really am not suc
that I ought to tell you alout it.”
“I think you nr:ay trust me, lieuten-
ant.”
“] will. You
night about a Me
chap that you ha
d to inte.est you to
sir.
gave me a tip last
histoph: 'ian looking
d seen talking with
another man in the Iowery near
Houston Street. After I accompanied
». Delorme to hcodquaiters 1 went
just to look around «
re. I Fk:d doped'it
the mcantime. He
lahr, the miracle
over to Crewe’s
bit, and he was ths
out who he wa
calls himself
worker.
“Ah, yes.
“It jsn’t neces
S in
have heard of him
'y to tell ‘you all
t happened. W hen 1 firs went in
1 took a good look at him, and
of the thi: I saw was a few
s of some sort of preparation
ch he had evidently been using to
vike his hair white, or gray.
“It was under his hair, along the
back of his neck; just a trace of it,
hut enough to set me thinking. I de
cided to arrest him as & suspicious
character and hold him for investiga
tion, and so, put the cuffs on him
Later, he managed to get away; but
that doesn’t matter. I can get him
cain when 1 want him.”
“Il see.”
“The point is this:. there
yings ‘about him that jogged
mory, but I could not put my fin
one
nS
tre ce
were
my
r on them, so to speak. But the
though has been hiking around in mj
cranium the whole bles 1 day, and
I an hour ago I met m on tl!
1 yr, and ri
have the g
tome. 1'sg
nr
A10rec
tenant,”
“Do you re
ar vt the
was al Lie
I was 1
asked him f Lis
sent him on his -¥ : y e's: |
the thief, or I'm only. a , constable. But {
etting d 't mean getting
1 je He's got to be
“No. I'll let
two or three But I will ask
Qa
t m so ti ¢
wil 7 be known.’
‘Well, well. Your information ' is
sort of a squelcher upon what I
intehded to suggest, although I don’t
suppose ‘it “will really make any dif-
ference after all.”
“What was it, Mr. Moreaux?” the
lieutenant requested eagerly; and
Bunting bent forward in his chair and
‘asked at the same time: “Please tell
us what it is, sir.”
“You were both rather eager lagt
night to understand exactly whal
were the relations between that man
Crewe and myself. And this evening
Mr. Bunting was kind enough to give
Svoiy move he makes
me a warning concerning him. The
a Ar eee
ttn et i ts ro eet. in
yve his head for ;
thes
ee of our best men i
not one who forgets.
and bad,” Bunting remarked quietly.
_but he may not ke
Children ¢
ANN
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Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor ¢ ., Pare=
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It is plcasant.
It
contains neither Opiun, Morphine nor otl.cr Narcotie
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and allays Feverishness.
Its age is its guarantee.
For more than t .rty years it
It destroys Worms
has been in constant use for the relict of Constipation,
Flatulency,
Diarrhcea.
assimilates the Food, giving
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It regulates the Stomach and Bowels,
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The Children’s Panacea—The Mother’s Fricnd.
GENUINE CASTORIA aALways
In Use For Over 30 Years
The Rind You Hav
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e Allway Dought
<
|
nas been my
good or ill fortune to perform a ser-
vice for Crewe in the past, and he is
ract 1s, gentlemen, 1L
””
“Ile remembers both ways, good
“We will say, then, that recalling |
his promises of service to me, I asked |
him to assist in the recovery of the
lost jewels. The point is this—and |
we will forget the source of my in- |
formation, if you y.ease. That is part |
of the contract.” |
“Certainly.” |
“The descriptiors of the wedding |
Joseph L. Tresslor
Funeral Directo and Embalmer
Meyersdale, Penn’a.
Office:
‘enter street
Both Phones.
Residence :
309 North (reel
teonomy hone.
224
presents in the newspapers has ex- |
5
cited the cupidity of every crook in
the city. Many c¢f them suppose the
presents to be stiil contained in Mr. |
Delorme’s house, It is to be burglar-
ized tomorrow nizht.
“Wait, please, until I have finished.
Mr. Delorme will not be at home if |
be keeps an en ement he has made; |
pn it. Atall events, |
I shall be there, or if not inside of the |
gag
sa
house, near at hand.”
“Do you know the time planned
for the burglary, Mr. Moreaux?”’ |
“y I am coring to that. But
understand me, it would not do for
either of you to be in the immediate
neighborhood on the watch. The i
lookout would spot you. I was es-
pecially warned against that.”
“Well, what then?”
“] will be there, probably inside of
the house, watching, whe Dclorme
is there or not. Around the corner in
Madison Avenue, a block and a half
away, there is
an undertaker’s estab-
lishment kept by a man named. Gro-
ver.
1
|
|
|
|
|
Bunting asked.
i
|
|
ther
“If you two officers will promise to
wait there, inside of that shop, with
patience, from half past one until I
call you on the telephone, you will
Ct red-handed whoever ‘the ' bur-
gl y be—and it is possi just |
po le, that there will be de- |
Ve yments. No what do you both |
, 98 {
“Don’t you think that you run an |
any . is ; hr
“Not at all. Ti tel « 80 |
{
located that 1 won't be h ing |
it” |
ht 1 YOY
|
1 It your
3 1 , Mr. |
be { u ker's
and }
€ L, all i |
v1] until I call you |
elephe / dd |
ot |
“And ‘also that in the me
on than our |
: 7 11 |
100.” |
plied. |
yk this |
cut ours
dozen unnecess
assist.”
detatléd to | {
“Remember; I do not know ly
exact time. It may be an hour, or |
even more, before I call you on the |
phone,” Moreaux cautioned. |
till you do call, if it takes until day-
light,” Muchmore replied; and Bunt-
ing nodded his acquiescence. to that |
statement.
(To be Continued.)
TC
1
{
“We will wait at the undertaker’s |
|
|
ae ~~
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