Cad Metti, The Female Detective Strategist | Page 4

is that?"
"Chum for them."
This criminal "chumming" has yielded good returns, as a rule. It is the
best card in the detective profession.
"Where shall we chum?"
"Everywhere."
"I'll put it straight. Where shall we start in?"
Again the beautiful Cad Metti pondered, and after an interval said:
"Criminals as a rule are fond of race betting."
"That's so."
"We've picked up many a clue down at the race track."
"We have."

"Let's try a little chumming down there. Good races are on, and if ever
our bluefish show up at the track they will do so this present week."
"And we'll lure them as they swim, eh?"
"That's it."
"How will we make up?"
"You are to became Dudie Dunne. I will become Silly Sal."
"And we'll bet on the races?"
"We will."
"It's a go, Cad. To-morrow we will take in the races and chum for our
game."
On the following day the two detectives, well gotten up for their
"chumming" scheme, started down for the Sheepshead Bay track.
They went on the course and played the rôle they had determined to
play to perfection. They attracted considerable attention and that was
what they most desired, for it was their "chumming" game to bring
around the fish.
CHAPTER II.
CAD METTI AND OSCAR DUNNE DO SOME FINE
"CHUMMING" AND SUCCEED IN BRINGING A BIG FISH TO
NIBBLE AT THEIR BAIT.
Oscar Dunne and Cad Metti were indeed great experts in enacting a
rôle. They took a seat in the grand stand and through a messenger boy
bet on the races. They won, and they laughed and tittered in delight
over their success, and, as intimated, attracted a great deal of attention,
and they exhibited considerable money. Oscar was playing the rôle of a
dude with plenty of "stuff," as the vulgar phrase puts it, and Cad was

playing the rôle of a fast young girl who was leading the exquisite fool
to squander his roll. Well, it was a great chumming game well
played--played before a lot of men who were as avaricious as
impecunious gamblers always are. There were men there who bet and
lost. There were men there who had no money to risk, and they all
thought themselves possessed of brains, and here was a silly fool
loaded with money, and here also was a silly girl reaping a rich harvest
in greenbacks from her enamored dude, as it appeared, and so the
game went on until a man with a keen eye got them under his glance.
He stood awhile and watched them, and various expressions passed
over his face. After a little the man strolled away. He joined two other
men, and going close to them he said in a low tone:
"I've struck a chance to make a raise."
"Good enough," was the response.
"Yes, and it's dead easy."
"What is it?"
"I'll go over opposite the grand stand; you fellows follow me. Come up
offhand and I'll show where a big haul lies right in sight."
The rogues had struck a lead and so had the two sharp-eyed detectives
who were playing such a neat game.
"Cad," said Oscar, "we've got a bite."
"Yes, I felt the nibble."
"It's a good thing, sis, to locate a rogue."
"Indeed it is."
"We have not chummed in vain."
"So it would appear."

This little bit of side talk was carried on while the two detectives
maintained the role they were enacting, and a little while later they saw
the three join each other and beheld them as furtively they watched
their anticipated prey.
"We've got three bites, Cad."
"I see them."
"What shall we do?"
"Don't ask me to suggest, Oscar. No one can beat you in laying out
plans."
"We'll leave here."
"And learn if they follow?"
"Yes."
"That would be my idea."
"Where shall we go?"
"We will give them a chance to follow us. We will go to the beach."
Oscar and Cad did not start right off--they were too smart for that. They
were playing a great game. They did not see the three men; they did not
know they were being watched. Oh, no, they were too absorbed in each
other and the fun they were having and the winnings they were raking
in. It was a strange incident, but one that often occurs. Oscar was not
betting to win. He was merely betting as a "guy," and, as intimated, it
often happens that the careless win where the careful and posted lose. A
race had just been run and a messenger boy returned with the tickets he
had cashed, and the girl pulled out a big wad of bills and added the
winnings to her roll. The three observers noticed that she carried the
bulk of the money, and