Detective Bob Bridger — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

- 5 ~~ 7a = - 4 ” wa 36 DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. “Quick work! Then, I suppose, you have cleared up the Scotland Yard murder case ?” “Cleared it up as clear as day.” ‘‘And why then are you disguised ?” “T am hiding, Bobe, a fugitive from justice.” ‘‘A fugitive from justice ?” ‘*Ves. 9 ‘On what charge ?” ‘*Murder.” “Murder ?” : ‘““Yes, murder. But Iam as innocent of the crime, Bobe, as you are of murdering those two men who sprang to their deaths at your touch.” ‘“How did the deed occur ?” ‘‘In as mysterious a manner as the deaths of your pas- sengers occurred. And now, Bobe, if you are my friend, I claim your aid. For never did a detective require the as- sistance of a brother sleuth-hound more than I require yours at this moment. Can I rely upon you?” “Certainly. What’s to be done?” ‘‘The first thing to be done is to get hold of ‘Silly’ Billy, the garroter.”’ “Where is he?” The two detectives had turned down Broadway on their way to the post-office. The night was dark, a heavy fog hung over the city, ren- dering the street-lamps barely visible at a little distance, and few people were upon the streets. Suddenly, and ere the Scotch detective could make an- swer, from a cross street near the St. Nicholas Hotel, sounded the ery : ‘Murder! Help! Police!” The two detectives hastened forward at all speed toward the scene of the disorder. A foot-pad was in the act of robbing an elderly gentle- man. The powerful thief had pinned the old man’s hands be- hind him in a vise-like clutch of his own left hand, and seizing his victim’s throat in his brawny right, had bent his body helplessly backward. A few moments sufficed to render the old man limp and insensible. In an instant more the highwayman had secured his vic- tim’s pocket-book, and flinging the barely breathing body “4 of the old man on the pavement turned to fly with se hg ey plunder,