Detective Bob Bridger — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 931 If this was the intention of the “King of the Ken,” as it might be, he must endeavor to break his way through the wall. With this intent he had begun his search for an available point of operation, when he suddenly heard the creaking of an opening door. Hastening into one of the interstices in the wall he per- ceived far back to the leeward in the cellar without, a faint glimmer of light. " = knew that it came froma dark lantern cautiously eld. Suddenly the rays of the dark lantern flashed broadly across the cellar, and then all was dark again. That the burglars were coming to finish their murderous work Bridger felt assured. Hastening along the wall to the corner the caged sleuth- hound climbed to his perch above, and taking good foot- holds in the lodgements he had formed, braced himself back against the wall, cocked his revolvers, and held them ready for business. Suddenly a broad glare of light penetrated the interstices beneath, and on the instant a cotton ball, saturated with spirits of turpentine and blazing brightly, was hurled through a square hole in the rear wall, of whose existence Bridger was ignorant. The fire-ball fell several feet from the ‘“‘dummy,” and lighted up the space between the rough walls of the trap as bright as day. Bridger glanced at the ‘‘dummy,” and perceived that it had the exact resemblance of a man lying upon his face. A moment afterward a long pole, like a dust-brush handle, was thrust through one of the interstices beneath, and directly above the supposed man. On the upper end of the pole was fastened a bar of lead, and beneath it was attached an ugly knife. Its blade ran in curves, and its point was like that of a bayonet. An instant it glistened in the light, and then swiftly de- scended with a dull thud upon the back of the “dummy.” Had the supposed man possessed a heart the dagger would have cleft it, for it had been aimed with that intent. Thrice the terrible weapon was raised and sent home in quick succession, making aS many punctures in Bridger’s overcoat. | Then the murderous implement was withdrawn, and the mn Eomichooks. co