The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 75 am. Spooks an’ catamounts! but ye liked to a took away my breath.” ‘Did I??? was Dan’s innocent rejoinder, although the struggle to keep his face straight was a difficult one. | — “Yas, ye did, an’ don’t ye doit agin. Wal, what I was agoin’ to say was, d’ye s’pose, ef ye was in the dark, ye could imitate the voice of Dick Hatfield -so’s to git thet Robinson chap up clost whar we could grab him?’’ “T can try, anyhow,’ responded the detective, with an air which implied some confidence in his own powers. “We will make the attempt, anyhow.’’ The subject was dropped then, and the partners separated. During the afternoon Dan found time for a little conversation with Esther. She received him graciously, and listened with interest to his - account of the manner in which he had tracked Hat- field on the previous night. The detective thought it best, however, to refrain from telling her that the attack of the Bloodsuckers was to be made for the purpose of carrying away herself and her sisters. The announcement might cause her useless anxiety, and, in any event, could be productive of no essen- tial good. He passed a very pleasant hour in her company, but was not so thoroughly absorbed as to be unable to discern that Ryan and Marian Harper were in close and eager conversation by themselves. _ The-party halted a trifie earlier than usual that afternoon, for the second day of a journey is always the most wearisome, and the horses were utterly fageed out. After supper the sentinels were posted, and an extra guard was thrown out, to remove any anxiety which might be felt by the more timid mem- “S Gomicboo com