The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1870-11-29
SIGNED WITH MY BLOOD.
by CAPTAIN HOWARD.

the why's and wherefores for so doing.
but leave the reader to conjecture. II
is said that when man becomes de.
tective-a man hunter-he is desper-
ate. The saying was applicable to my
step. But why did you do it, Captaini
asks an inquisitive reader. Perhaps,
my dear friend, had been Tilted per-
baps a great commercial crash had left
me penniless, or doubtless found the
years of bachelorhood gathering
around me, and /, with "no visible
means of support" The last conjec-
sure is most probable; don't you think
so
But to the story-to the leaf I pluck
from the story of detectives life.
l was seated one morning on the
steps of the W House, awaiting
for breakfast, when little Dick, the er-
rand boy of headquarters, ran up and
whispered in my ear:
captain, the chief wants you,"
"Is his business urgent, Dick ?" l
asked, for l did not relish walk with
an empty stomach.
"No; you can eat your breakfast" "
and the boy bounded away.
After partaking of my mornings
meal, consisting of coffee, ham and
eggs-a dish 1 relish-I sauntered
away toward headquarters. AS | enter
ed Eighth street, saw several groups
of men talking excitedly, and l knew
that something important had taken
place, with which my summons to
headquarters was connected. Iquick-
ed my steps, and not long afterwards
stepped into the Office.
"Take chair, Howard" said Mat
sell.
seated myself, and he continued ;
ga murder was committed last night.
Some person or persons assassinated
Mr., D. Il -
"1hey did," l exclaimed.
eyes, you will have to work out the
case, as the rest of the ferce are en-
gagged. A reward of five thousand
dollars is offered for the arrest of the
murderer"
81 will do what l can to bring him
to Justice" l answered, "and will pro-
ceed at once to the scene of the mid
night murder"
l went direct to the bankers man
sion, and was shown to the room where
the body still lay as it had been found
An examination of it an the chamber
gave me a clue by which l hoped t.
secure the villains, for knew that two
persons were concerned in the tragedy
I went to work with success in the dis
tance, and in a month felt the rogue
almost within my grasp. But on tn
threshold of accomplishment l wa
thwarted
One night, as 1 was standing by
lamp post-my head bowed upon m
breast, meditatipgly, a hand touche
my arm, and looking up, ! confronte
a richly clad female. Her face wa
covered by a veil, through which
! caught CLEAN of her eyes-fery eye
like the flashes of lightning from a
inky sky.
"Ah! have found you at last, hay
II" she said.
at seems So" l repeated. "Wht
do you want with me?"
"Do you ever listen to death-bed col
fessions p
"Very often"
81 have a friend who is nearing Il
portals of that undiscovered countr
He has a secret-one that he has ca
ried in his heart these many years
= which he wishes to confide to you"
"Why to me?" 1 asked. "There a
h ministers who will hear it and sootl
2 his dying moments with comfortab
$ thoughts"
n "He will confess to you alone, as h
: confession is about case you work
9 in once. Will you go?"
i I hesitated. The woman might
;, sicere, or she might be decoy to le
1t me into a net set by thieves and mi
q deres, who wished to rid the world
I me. But what case l had worked o
| l started. Perhaps he knew about t
great Martin mystery, upon which
r was engaged for tive years.
g Without apsTering the wOmal
question, asked her one.
a "Where is your fried ?"