The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 43 ment, only watching his face to see if he told the truth. When Dan finished speaking, Ryan held out his hand with the single syllable, ‘“‘Good!’’ He then drew one of his revolvers, and called the detective’s attention to the number of notches cut into the stock. One of them was quite fresh, evidently hav- ing been made within a few hours. ‘“What are they?’’ questioned Sycamore Dan. ‘““Kivery one o’ them nicks stands for a_ Blood- sucker what has sucked his last suck. The one I put thar this mornin’ makes the hull number nine. Mister Sycamore, you an’ me is on the same lay. S’posing’” we form a pardnership an’ work together. How does that strike you?”’ ‘It touches me on the right spot. Let us shake hands on it.’’ The two men clasped hands, and then the flask re- appeared. ‘“‘Hyar’s to the new firm!’’ ead ie tossing: off a bumper. “Tong life and success to Posey Ryan and Syca- more Dan!’’ assented the detective, following the example set by his new ‘‘pardner.”’ The two then set off across the prairie, Vixen trot- ting at their heels. During the two or three hours thus employed they laid their plans, and agreed that nothing should be said about the way they had met. Dan learned that while his companion had met many members of the band of robbers, and had at different times joined in desperate encounters with them, still he had never knowingly seen the chief. In fact, he explained, no one on the border had seen him. ‘Dan at once described the general appearance of Gcomicbooks (ele) m