Oscar the Detective | Page 5

man."
The hours passed. The dude lay upon the floor and actually slept a natural sleep, but after some hours he awoke, glanced at his watch and muttered:
"Now it is time to operate."
He rose from his coat pillow and put his coat on, fixed himself to go to the street, then deftly opened the door of the room, peeped out and listened. All was still. Indeed it was two o'clock in the morning. The dude passed down the stairs, and through the hall to the street door. He unlocked it as deftly as he had unlocked the room door. He put it just in the swing, then he ascended the stairs and passed to the top floor of the house. He knew just where to go for the purpose he had in hand, for he had overheard a little while he was being robbed at the game of cards. He stopped at the rear room door and listened, then he deftly opened the door and drew from his pocket the tiny mask lantern. He flashed the slenderest of lines of light toward the bed and thereon lay a man. Could one have pierced the darkness at that moment and have seen the face of the dude it would have been a most startling revelation, especially to one who had seen him some hours previously.
The dude on tiptoe advanced toward the bed. Quickly he clapped a silken handkerchief to the mouth and nostrils of the sleeping man, and then from the big dude coat he drew a gag and some cords; quickly he proceeded and soon had the man gagged and bound. A moment only he rested, and then the dude, the delicate-looking dude, after having slipped on a few outside garments, raised the bound and gagged man in his arms, handled him as though he had been an unresisting lad of ten or twelve years, and carried him down two pair of stairs to the street door. He stepped forth and walked off with his burden. He met no one until he had traversed several squares, when a policeman accosted him:
"Hold on! what have you there--a dead body?"
"No, a man pretty thoroughly alive, and I want your aid--he is getting heavy."
The dude made an explanation and the policeman aided in carrying the man. He was taken to the station house, where the gag was removed, also the cords, and the man was free.
"Who is he, Dunne?" asked the sergeant in charge.
The dude whispered a name and the sergeant started back aghast.
"How did you pick him up?"
"Oh, it's a long tale, but I've got him."
Handcuffs were put on the prisoner and, accompanied by two detectives, Detective Dunne started with his man for headquarters. The fellow Alling meantime said, speaking to the supposed dude:
"You played it well, but your play will cost your life in the end."
"Hush, Jimmy, don't threaten while the darbies are on you; but it will be a long time before you will again enjoy your favorite game."
"One word, Dunne."
"Go it."
"Was I betrayed?"
"No."
"Those fellows didn't give you the pointers to get a whack at the reward offered on me?"
"No."
"That is square between a square man and a thief?"
"It is the truth."
"You swear it?"
"I do."
"All right, I am to hold you alone responsible for this?"
"Yes."
"You worked it out yourself?"
"I did. Your pals don't know yet you are gone."
"Oh, I wish I had suspected."
"Do you?"
"I do."
"Say, Tommy, you make a mistake."
"I do?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"You appear to think that all those whom you dislike have to do is to stand up and be shot like deserters. Let me tell you something. Had you recognized me you would have been a dead man, that's all, and it is possible several of your pals might have gone the journey with you. It's better for you and them that you did not recognize me."
"The walls won't hold me long."
The detective laughed.
"When I am out I'll make it my business to settle you before I go back."
"Tommy, you surprise me."
"Do I?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I thought you were a gamer man. Game men don't bark; you are barking."
"I'll bite; you did me up well; you've had your turn, I'll have mine."
"Yes, you'll get your turn. As far as I am concerned I don't care if you get out the day after you are sent up. I may have a chance then to do the state better service."
"You're barking now."
"No, I am only cautioning you, that's all. Tommy, I don't fear you."
A little later the party arrived at headquarters and the prisoner was turned over--one of the most dangerous rogues New York had known for a long time. The fellow had led a gang into a bank, had almost killed the watchman, had stolen over a hundred thousand dollars in money, and at least two hundred thousand more in negotiable securities, and he was