The Safe Breakers' Gang — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

~io a A ht ge ~ i Segre SP ee “>, = ad s » a 4 TT. % — oe, Y 8, . . . - 4 € ‘ va é . . ¢ e ~ . . a et eae - 4 ot - a " —$—$<— —_——— 30 Pee THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. nee hl el alah 1 can to save a beautiful flower from the taintof| Ina few words he directed her to stand guard over his = life amid the slums! There !—don’t blush up, nor try to | prisoner 1n a sheltered spot near the office, while he found wn away from me, for I am done talking that nonsense | out what was going on within the latter. ey the present, and will say no more of it till the con-| His weapons had not all been taken from him, and he ditions are more fitting. Then Jules Jepworth, the safe-| gave her a revolver with instructions to use it, if their ireaker, is your brother ?” prisoner attempted to escape, or if any one interfered. He is my brother,” she replied. ; Then he crept up to the rear of the office, and peered in “And you have known all along what he is?” through a window. What he saw held him riveted to the “J bave been sure only for a short time. And during |spot with an intensity of interest which nothing else could 4hat time I have done all in my power to deter him from|have so quickly aroused. garsuing the criminal course in which he seems to have} Ham and Jimmy, the safe-breakers, were before the safe Seem so successful. And yet he is my brother, and I would |and the door of the latter was open. They were hastily Sefend him against his enemies.” rummaging the contents which appeared to consist only of “Thatis natural. But you will find that a career like) books, papers, and a small quantity of silver money. . dis can end in only one way, and that his will be no} Both appeared to be greatly surprised and puzzled, and exception. But we will not spend more time now. I want} they were so absorbed in their search that they did not see So escape from this place. Will you lead the way ?” a third figure, which had approached to within two paces Without a word she started ahead. Beyond the door)of them, and stood, motionless as a sphinx, with a cocked was another apartment to the cellar-like abode. There, ‘revolver, in each hand. wpon a settee, a man was sitting with his face buried in| A weapon covered the heart of each of the safe-breakers, tes. bands. ‘and it was the relentless finger. of Rexford Hunt of the “nother prisoner of the safe-breakers ?” Quimby asked. | “three H’s” that touched the trigger. “No, he is a guest!” Quimby drew his remaining weapon, and breathlessly “A guest?” waited for his leader to act, ready to render him aid, if it Without waiting for her to explain this singular state- should be needed. ment, the young detective went up to the young man and| The robbers turned, and simultaneously found them- #4 one hand fall upon his shoulder. ‘gelves looking into the muzzles of the threatening weapons. The other lifted his face with a start of fear. His face) ‘Hands up, and down on your knees !” was pale and eyes sunken, as with prolonged anxiety. Me trembled from head to feet, as he met the gaze of the Hetective. OHAPTER XA. “Who—who are you?” he gasped. es ESE “T am the sand with of ihe thres H’s—ever hear of him ? CONG EU BION: @®therwise, Quimby Hall of Hunt, Hall & Hyde, detec-| Ham and Jimmy, the two safe-breakers, were an 4as- tives. Now, what is your name ?” tounded pair. The stranger buried his face in his hands again, with For a single instant they hesitated ; then Ham dropped the muttered ejaculation : upon his knees, and held up his hands in token of sur- “Then I am lost!” render. | “Not lost, my man, but found, and we’ll gamble heavy | But the other, while apparently on the point of imitat- om it,” smiled Quimby. And he linked his arm in that of ing his companion, suddenly leaped upward and by an {me other. ‘adroit dodge flung himseJf betwixt the knees of the detec- Rut the latter turned upon him with sudden fierceness. tive, causing the latter to stagger, while one of his weap- Por 2 moment he fought for his liberty ; but be soon found |ons was discharged in the alr. jas wrists confined by the same manacles which Lena; Seeing that his companion had no intention of giving Bepworth had just stricken from the hands of Quimby. up the fight, Ham started to his feet again and attempted “Now, you will tell me your name, and come along)|to pull outa pistol. At the same time Jimmy had drawn without a whimper,” said the “sand wich.” a revolver, and was cocking it, although he was crouch- “Need you ask my name?” he exclaimed. “When itis|ing at the feet of the detective, in a rather poor posture teralded from one end of the country to the other? But|for using it. 1 will not deny it now. It was once honorable, andI may| Crack—crash—crack |! | ux well own it. Yes, I am the latest defaulter—Edgar| Two reports and the sounds of breaking glass were Winthrop, of the M—— National Bank. I would have fled | mingled. ks: Canada as the others do, but unlike the others, I had; Jimmy sank upon the floor, his pistol dropping from lttJe money to show for my stealing, and by a mishap I) nerveless fingers; while Ham reeled against the safe, also et the little I had. I-fell in with Jules Jepworth, the- relinquishing his weapon, and his right arm falling at his anfe-breaker, who somehow knew who I was and all|side. siervat me, and he sent me here, saying that l would be as| One of the shots came from the unerring weapon of ange here as his men who sometimes used this fora ren-|Rex Hunt; the other from outside the office, where Iezvrous. I came—and am caught—and that is the whole|Quimby Hall, with gleaming eyes and smoking pistol tory.” waited for an instant to note the effect. anyhow,” said Quimby. It was aquick turning of the tables; and while the “Phe ending-up of it is true, , 4n@ without another word, he followed Lena out with |‘‘sandwich” and the “head-light” of the “three H’s” dis- eovered each other and exchanged quick, warm glances tas prisoner. ; Trey reached the open air by a somewhat devious route, |of pleased surprise, there was no time then for the ex- us it appeared that the retreat was a large cellar secretly change of words. Syst under an old mill building adjoining the stock-shed| Although the safe-brexkers were both wounded, they where Quimby had been attacked. still made a desperate attempt to recover their weapons That the latter structure was used as a gate-way to the|and renew the fight. teroat was explained by the fact that there was asecret| But they were too late. Quimby Hall did not stop for member of the gang in the employ of the mill company, |intervening glass, but dashed out the window as though apd who worked in the capacity of a clerk in the office. it were paper, and with that precision of movement that Tbe hour was a little after midnight. characterized all his actions, he soon had Jimmy, the R% the mill office Quimby was surprised to see a light safe-breaker, in a corner, disarmed, helpless, and begging af shining from the windows, and several forms moving | for mercy. sient within. “ We don’t shoot for fun, so you needn’t beg that way,” Tens cught his arm as he would have approached. said Quimby. At the same time he beckoned to his part- ner who had already made Ham secure. ©“Wo, no!” she breathlessly exclaimed. “Why not?” he demanded. “T’m short of iron jewelry, Rex, soif you’ll loan mea “They are there—Ham aud Jimmy, of Jepworth’s|pair of bracelets for a while, I’ll return ’em after my ganz.” friend here is through with them. We’ll both of us be “Phe more reason why I’m needed there,” said Quimby. ever so much obliged—won't we, my hearty !” ' 2. ere P ™Comicbooks.com 5 J : ‘ bi > a » 7