Detective Bob Bridger — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. | 21 Tho idiot’s features beamed in delight, and clasping Fan- _don’s hand warmly, he said : “See-ree-go! Master Fandon, see-ree-go !” The utterance was now quaint and musical, and ex- pressed heartfelt gratitude as clearly as an orator would have done in words of meaning. As the keepers led him away Silly Billy’s eyes contin- ued to rest upon his benefactor, and as he passed from sight under the arched door-way leading to the cells within, his voice rang out once more, cheerily, and as clear as a bugle call: “See-ree-go! Master Fandon, see-ree-go !” CHAPTER IV. ‘4 PLUNGER NIPPED IN THE BUD.” “Tt was an outrage on justice to whip that poor addle- pate,” said Fandon, as he and Bridger re-entered the cab and drove off. ‘The magistrate who inflicted that punish- ment on an idiot should be flogged himself.” “Tt was the most horrible sight I ever beheld,” con- curred Bridger... “So long as I live that shrill, despairing ery will conjure itself to my ears, and that tortured, idiotic face will be pictured upon my brain.” “And then, Bobe,” continued the Scotch detective, “aside from my sympathy at this wrong done Billy, I have the deepest interest in him—for he is a central figure in one of those mysterious dreams I told you of. ‘True, it is at best only a dream, but I have dreamed it a hundred times, over and over again. I see in ita beautiful girl who, hand in hand with ‘Silly’ Billy, seems to be wander- ing in a rivulet of blood, upon which float thousands of gold coins. What the portent is I cannot say, but I firmly believe that my future is encoupled with that of yonder poor idiot in some deep mystery yet to be unearthed.” An hour later the cab drew to a stand among the throng of vehicles at the Epsom Downs’ race-course. Alighting upon the grass, the Scotch detective and Bridger entered the ‘‘ Bird-cage,” or saddling paddock. Their eyes soon rested upon the foolish young man they sought. | Strutting amid the noisy “swells” who surrounded the book-makers, note-book and pencil in hand, industriously sporting afashionable eye-glass, clad in the most showy manner, and giving himself the airs of a crack-brained lord, cComicbooks Eo