Cad Metti, The Female Detective Strategist | Page 2

you give me a hint where to look for them? That is, can you give
me any starter at all?"
"I cannot. You may find them mingling in the best society in New York;
you may find them in the slums under cover. One thing is certain: they
are the shrewdest rascals that ever defied the whole detective force of
the United States, and I have great hopes that you can succeed where
we have all failed. You can command me for all the money you need;
and now get in and run down these rogues."
"You have no photographs?"
"No."
"You say there are women in with the gang?"
"Yes."
"Here in New York?"

"Yes."
"Are the women shoving the queer?"
"If they do they do it so well we cannot trace them; but there are
women in the gang."
"Have they a workshop here?"
"I do not think they have. I believe the workshop is in some remote
place, possibly in Mexican territory; but the leaders are here, and it is
necessary to trail down the leaders and get the evidence against them. If
we get the leaders we can knock out the whole gang. My men have
located members of the gang, and we can close in on them any time,
but none of them will squeal as long as the leaders go free. But once let
us secure the leaders and there will follow a wholesale squeal, and we
can break up the gang."
"All right, I am in with you. I will see Cad Metti and talk the matter
over with you later on."
"I should like to meet your female pal."
During the time Wise, the great special, had been talking to Dunne a
district messenger lad had been standing near munching on a cracker
which he had taken from the free lunch table, and at the proper moment
he stepped forward and handed our hero a note.
The latter glanced at the missive and said:
"All right, lad; there is no answer."
The boy stood around and finally Dunne handed him a nickel. The boy
laughed, said "thank you," and walked away, and Dunne said:
"You have never seen Cad Metti?"
"No."

"Are you sure?"
"Why, certainly, I'd know if I had ever seen her."
"You would?"
"Yes."
"Wise, your memory fails you."
"I've never been accused of loss of memory."
"You never have?"
"No."
"And yet you've seen Cad Metti."
"Never."
"You are sure."
"Certainly."
"You saw her once talking to me."
"Never."
"Come, come, I'll bet you a cigar."
"No use to bet; I tell you I've never seen the girl."
"Then bet."
"All right, I'll bet."
"And you've never seen her?"
"Never."

"But you did see her once, and as an old detective with his eyes always
peeping I supposed you recognized her."
"I reckon I would have recognized her if I had ever seen her. You have
some other officer in your mind whom you confound with me."
"No, you once saw her with me. She was under cover, but of course
you would fall to that."
"But I've never seen her."
"Then it's a bet?"
"Yes."
"You saw Cad Metti within the last five minutes."
"I did?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"That you should know. I tell you that you have seen her."
"I say I never have."
"You think you would have recognized her?"
"Yes."
"Under any cover?"
"Yes."
"You have seen her all the same."
Wise was thoughtful a moment and then exclaimed:

"Great Scott! it is impossible."
"No, sir."
"Do you mean to tell me that----"
"Yes, I mean to tell you that the messenger lad was Cad Metti."
"Great Cæsar! Oscar Dunne, that girl is a marvel."
"Well, she is."
"I've heard how you first met her."
"Yes, and I've been her instructor. She is, I will admit, the most
wonderful girl I ever met. Did I say met? I will add I never read or
heard of such a girl. She could make her living on the stage as a marvel.
She is a great musical genius. She can sing or dance, she can fence or
wrestle like a man. Her strength is extraordinary, and as a pistol shot
she is the champion woman of the world; and when it comes to
quickness, nerve, cunning, and courage she cannot be excelled."
"I reckon you are dead in love with your pal."
"You needn't do any guessing on that score. She is my detective aid and
together we will perform wonders for you. I will talk the matter over
with Cad. We will lay out a plan and I will report to you."
"Good enough; I feel hopeful. It will be a great thing to run down this
gang, for, as I said, they are the most dangerous lot of