Detective Bob Bridger — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

118 DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. person, escaping on each occasion so as to bears no further clew to his identity.’ ” “Then it would be a fine feather in a sleuth-hound’s cap to capture this tnief ?” “Well, I should smile! Between us all, I offered the fel- low who brought in the necklace five hundred out of my own pocket to give away even the ‘fence’ he got it from.” “Then it was not the ‘fence’ himself who brought it.” ‘Look here, old boy, you know it was a ‘go between’ who brought it.” “Well, would it be too much to ask who the ‘ go- -between’ was?” “Yes, as matters stand, I think that would be a little too much kindness to give away. The necklace, however, was the second article brought to us by the same ‘oo-between’ in answer to reward notices inserted by our firm, and originally stolen by this skillful highwayman.” ‘Might it not be possible that this ‘go-between’ deals di- rectly ‘with the thief ?” “To our certain knowledge he does not.” “ Please explain.” “Well, in the first place this ‘go-between’ is an ex-thief, who, with others, is working a safe confidence game. He is doing nothing now that will put him in danger of look- ing through the bars, and every New York ‘fence’ knows that it is safe to trust him, for pay, to deliver stolen goods — and collect the reward. He also knows that he is safe in coming here, for it is an accommodation to us, our cus- tomers, and our business.” ‘Then suppose I was to name this ‘go-between,’ would you inform us if I have done so correctly ?” “No, gentlemen, you ask too much. We have an ex- pensive office here, and must live.” “Then if we were to say that we not only know and can name this ‘go-between,’ but the ‘fence’ and the thief— what would you say to that?” “Tf you will name the three I will inform youif you — have hit on the right ‘ go-between,’ providing you give me your word that you will use the information privately.” “That is understood—but now you ask too much. Ill tell you what we’ll a we at do even better for you than this.” * What ?” “If this thief might be taken, wil’ commit no further robberies, then your interest in him narrows down to your two customers who have been his victims “gebagat * Sea eee TT att caked A> Ty \ “> ? > ie ae. ' 4 * 3s » Nie ¥% p iP 7 ba ll ek 7 “ * v e* 7 o. ap’ 4 4 a r™ v2 C S ? Do _ = + .