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Old Broadbrim Into the Heart of Australia;
Old Broadbrim Into the Heart of Australia;
OR, A STRANGE BARGAIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. By the author of "OLD BROADBRIM." CHAPTER I. OLD BROADBRIM'S STRANGE BARGAIN. CHAPTER II. THE MIDNIGHT MURDER. CHAPTER III. THE CLEW AND THE TALISMAN. CHAPTER IV. THE LONDON TRAIL. CHAPTER V. IN THE WAKE OF A MYSTERY. CHAPTER VI. SPOTTED IN AUSTRALIA. CHAPTER VII. THE TERRIBLE DEATH-TRAP. CHAPTER VIII. DEMONA, THE RANCH QUEEN. CHAPTER IX. OLD BROADBRIM ONCE MORE. CHAPTER X. A TERRIBLE MOMENT. CHAPTER XI. THE FACE IN THE HAY. CHAPTER XII. OLD BROADBRIM
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
OLD BROADBRIM'S STRANGE BARGAIN. The 12th of April, 189—, as Old Broadbrim, the famous Quaker detective, will ever remember, fell on a Thursday. Just after the noon hour on that day he received a letter asking him to come to one of the most elegant private residences on Fifth Avenue. He was sure no crime had been committed, and he was puzzled to guess just what the invitation meant. The owner of the mansion was Custer Kipp, one of the richest and best-known dwellers on the avenue, a man who coun
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
THE MIDNIGHT MURDER. "Come!" said Clippers, when he got second wind, "maybe you can get the other one to release you." "He won't do that. The bargain's been sealed." "You're not going to retire?" "Well, hardly." "That's good, anyhow. If the other fellows, Hargraves or Irwin, get at fault you won't refuse to join in the hunt for the murderer of poor Marrow?" "I will be free at the end of a year under certain contingencies—perhaps a good deal sooner." "Well, I wish it was to-morrow," cried Clipper
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
THE CLEW AND THE TALISMAN. The death of Custer Kipp, the nabob, startled the whole city. For some time New York had been in the midst of a carnival of crime, but this murder capped the climax. No one thought of the other case, that got into the newspapers at the same time. The death of Jason Marrow in his little den near the mouth of the alley did not take up half the space, and the reporters did not care to discuss it. But the life of the millionaire was published; his past was ventilated so fa
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
THE LONDON TRAIL. Before stepping upon the deck of the Oceanic Old Broadbrim did two things that have not been recorded. In the first place, he went back to the office of the Cunard Line and obtained a fair description of the man who had taken passage in the Campania under the name of Rufus Redmond. This man he had every reason for believing was Merle Macray, the person he wanted. Having done this, the detective cabled to his friend, Tom Owens, the well-known Scotland Yarder, in London, the desc
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
IN THE WAKE OF A MYSTERY. Old Broadbrim did not let the woman's warning deprive him of the society of his friend, and some hours later he emerged from the house with the thousand-and-one lights of London before him. Drawing his collar up, for the night was cool and a brisk wind was coming in over the waters of the Thames, he started back, intending to walk to a cab station in the immediate neighborhood and from there take a cab. London was well filled, from what the detective could see, and some
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
SPOTTED IN AUSTRALIA. If Merle Macray had landed from the Intrepid on the quays of Melbourne he had done so under a disguise that had deceived the detective of two continents. Old Broadbrim for once seemingly had used his eyes in vain, and after a while he went back, walking up the quay, and turned into Collins Street in a deep study. If he had watched a certain little old man who walked from the vessel he might have changed his mind. This person, who carried a valise, had been among the first t
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
THE TERRIBLE DEATH-TRAP. The detective found himself in a dark place with the ghostly steps under his feet. A step in advance was the little ogreish figure of Old Danny, his shoulders humped like an imp's and his face twisted awry as if at some time the flames had licked it. "I'm glad you've come to warn Merle," said the little man, looking over his shoulder. "You're very good." "Something had to be done," said Old Broadbrim. "Merle's in danger and he must know." "Yes, yes." A chuckle followed t
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
DEMONA, THE RANCH QUEEN. Three weeks after the events we have just chronicled there might have been seen in the town of Perth, the largest place in West Australia, a young girl who stood on the principal street, with a pair of coal-black eyes riveted upon a man who had just emerged from one of the rich gaming resorts of the colonial capital. Her figure was perfect and her face was white and handsome. She may have passed her teens, for she showed a few marks of having reached and passed the twent
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
OLD BROADBRIM ONCE MORE. Two days later a little party consisting of ten men came to the gate of the ranch home, and were received by Merle Macray and the Ranch Queen herself. They were, for the most part, desperate, sunbrowned-looking fellows who sat their horses like Centaurs, and were received with demonstrations of delight at the ranch. They were led by a youthful-looking man named Jot, who introduced them severally to both Merle and Belle Demona, saying that they had accepted her terms, and
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
A TERRIBLE MOMENT. "Remember, you are to come back with the truth," said Belle Demona the next day, when she bade Jem good-by on the edge of the ranch, prior to his departure for Melbourne. Jem was serving two masters, or, to be a little more correct, one master and one mistress. He was expected by the ranch queen to proceed to Melbourne and there look into the trap-pit underneath Old Danny's house, while Merle Macray had his promise that he would go no further than Perth, where he would sojourn
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
THE FACE IN THE HAY. Five minutes later the detective walked from the house with Belle Demona's words of thanks and her good-night ringing in his ears, and sought the little corner where his bunk was. This was in a small house not far from the main dwelling, but separate from it. The other guards were his companions, but when he entered the place he found them all sound asleep, and their snores told him that he would have plenty of music through the night. But it was not to sleep that the menace
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
OLD BROADBRIM AND THE FAIR AVENGER. Old Broadbrim looked again at the face in the hay, and caught a gleam of friendship in the eyes, despite the words Stareyes had just spoken. She knew his secret. In some manner the girl whom he had promised to remove for Merle Macray had penetrated his disguise, and the secret he had guarded so well, carrying it across the ocean, was in the hands of a creature whose whole thought was revenge. "We can be friends, Roland Riggs," continued Stareyes. "You have jus
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
BLACK GEORGE'S WARNING. The Yankee spotter was in the treasure house of Ranch Robin. There were shelves in the little room, the walls of which seemed to be made of iron, and the detective leaned forward and looked with all his vision. He saw wealth everywhere. There were sacks of coin and bars of gold. Belle Demona stood by his side and held the light so as to let him take in all this scene. For some time not a word was spoken. Old Broadbrim looked around the chamber and saw that it was well gua
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE TEST UNDER THE STARS. The shades of evening deepened. Merle Macray and Belle Demona made preparations to meet the threatened attack, and watches were placed under their own supervision. Old Broadbrim, as Roland Riggs, the trusted man of the new recruits, was stationed in the vicinity of the sheep sheds, and this just suited him. He could see if Merle would carry out his threat to fire them, and thus deprive Stareyes of a hiding place, and, at the same time, prevent the robbers of the ranches
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
OLD BROADBRIM MAKES A BARGAIN AGAIN. The night passed away without the expected attack on the ranch. The secret of the attempt on Merle's life belonged to Old Broadbrim, Belle Demona and the girl who had wielded the dagger. Stareyes had vanished, perhaps under the belief that she had finished her work and she might be well on the way to Perth ere this. When day came the ranch looked as beautiful as ever, and the men joked with each other about the attack which did not materialize. Old Broadbrim'
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE DOOM OF WATERS. The compact between Old Broadbrim and Dick Waters was a secret one, and if they were not suspected they might carry out their plans against Macray and his beautiful friend. But they were in a wild land, and also in the very shadow of discovery and death. Belle Demona was suspicious, as the detective knew, for she was a keen, cool-headed creature, vengeful to a degree, and, with Merle to stand by her, the future did not look very promising. Old Broadbrim recalled the pledge he
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
OLD BROADBRIM'S CATCH IN PERTH. Meantime Old Broadbrim was riding toward Perth. Totally oblivious to what was then taking place on Round Robin Ranch, the detective thought of his strange mission, and wondered why Belle Demona should send him to Perth with her jewels just at that time. Once beyond the ranch he gave Black Duke the spur, for he was anxious to reach Perth and deliver the packet. Besides this, he could consult the authorities and discover when he and Waters could get away with their
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
BELLE DEMONA'S MATCH. "I have caged him!" "You?" "Yes, I have trapped him, but he refused to talk." "Where is he now?" "In the second pit." Merle Macray, who listened to these words from the lips of Belle Demona of Round Robin Ranch, turned a trifle pale, and then said: "Is he dead?" "I don't know, but I trust he is." "I'll see." He darted from the parlor and went to the door leading into the first dungeon, into which Dick Waters had been thrust by the woman's command, and crossed it to the wall
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
OLD BROADBRIM TIGHTENS THE COIL. Old Broadbrim, after his interview with Danny of Melbourne, escorted the old man to the residence of the high sheriff, with whom he had a brief conversation. The sheriff promised to detain the old fellow till the detective had secured Merle, and with this promise ringing in his ears, he went back. Jem, the Sydneyite, was a man to be looked for now. The reader will remember that he left Round Robin Ranch on a mission for Belle Demona. Merle, however, had enacted f
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
BACK TO THE DEATH-TRAP. Old Broadbrim rode back to Ranch Robin. As he dismounted at the door he caught sight of Belle Demona on the porch, and the queen of the ranch greeted him with a smile. He had carried out her mission to Perth; he had delivered the jewels to the lapidary and was back with his answer. In the house the detective was served with wine, and Belle Demona stood near while he feasted and told the story of the bandits' repulse. Old Broadbrim went out at last to look for Waters. Coul
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE ESCAPE OF THE DOOMED. Stareyes was right when she told Old Broadbrim on the range that Dick Waters was doomed to perish in the lower dungeon. The young Briton, after his interview with Merle, had been shut up again in darkness, and with death staring him in the face. The place seemed strong enough to hold a dozen men like him, and he had crept around the walls again and again in a vain attempt to find an outlet. He was still on the hunt for one, when he heard a sound that thrilled him. It wa
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
OLD BROADBRIM'S DESPERATE HAND. "With me, when there is a murderer to catch, everything is fair!" Such were the words that fell upon Merle Macray's ears when he looked into the eyes of the tireless tracker in the little room to which he had led him after the fire at the ranch. The chamber had been flooded with light by the hand of the hunted man, but Old Broadbrim had arrested his hand in mid-air, and the revolver with which he hoped to clear his path had been rendered useless. Yes, the man who
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE WOMAN WITH THE REVOLVER. Let us go back a step in our story of crime and its detection, and keep track of another character—Belle Demona. We saw her at last on her way toward Perth, well mounted and eager. She was leaving Merle behind, and she knew it. Somewhere in the house almost tenantless, thanks to Stareyes' avenging hand, he was facing Riggs, the guard, now known to both as the trailer from beyond the sea; but, for all this, she was deserting him, leaving him to fight his battles alone
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE QUAKER'S TRUMPS WIN. Sharp and clear was the report of Belle Demona's revolver. The three horses in the street stopped, and one of the riders pitched forward, but did not fall to the ground. With a cry that welled from the depths of her heart, the woman in the alley stood as one transfixed with horror. "The wrong man!" she exclaimed. In another moment a horseman dashed into the alley, and the queen of the ranch, with smoking revolver in her hand, stood undecided. "You? I thought so," said a
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The Biggest Success of the Year
The Biggest Success of the Year
Was made by Street and Smith's Big Detective Library, The Old Broadbrim Weekly It is the largest library of detective stories published, as well as the best. JOSIAH BROADBRIM, the Quaker detective, is a favorite all over the country. The stories are fascinating and exciting, and contain the true solutions of many of the great mysteries of crime that have never before been explained. Here are the numbers published so far: LIST OF TITLES. 1. Old Broadbrim, The Quaker Detective; or, Solving the Mad
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