The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-15

yet be avenged! or words 10 UnaG eneCI'
Dupee, however, failed to grasp the
dramatic opportunities of the situation;
but he said, as he moved towards the
door "You have been known as pick
pocket, Percy Nolen, and it'll stick to
your With that he opened the door,
and would have gone out of it, had he
not been confronted there by broad
shouldered, athletic gentleman, with a
brown mustache and piercing eyes, who
was accompanied by detected person
age wearing the familiar aspect of MIR.
John Crush, the only true and genuine
proprietor of that name.
The broad shouldered man, after hand
ing Crush into the room, followed him
and closed the door. Good morning,
Mrs. Ketelle and gentlemen, he said,
oheerfully. well, Horace, you see l
have friend of yours here. Jack has
been complaining to me of you He
says you not only stole his name, but in
fringed his patent blackmail scheme.
And so, by way of retaliation, he has
been telling very bad tales of you. I'm
afraid you are in for good deal of
trouble, Horace"
There's no need Of making fuss
about this affair, inspector" said Dupee,
assuming a nonchalant air. "There's
been no blackmail that know Of 1t is
true that Judge Ketelle paid me worth
less check the other day; but there has
been no pecuniary transaction, properly
speaking, and l don't know what this
man." indicating Crush, sis grumbhng
about. know very little Of him."
"He has the advantage Of you, them"
returned the inspector, "for he knows a
great deal about YOU. have been wait.
ing for you for year. knew you'd be
back here. so didn't bother to disturb
you in San Francisco; but I've got that
thousand dollar note up at the office; and
Crush has filed up any little gaps in the
chain, though we could have done very
well without him. Hold out your
handsl"
The last words were spoken in voice
so different from the good natured BAN
ter of the foregoing sentences that Dupee
gave start and mechanically extended
his wrists, and the next moment the
handouts were round them The mo-
ment after that, however, he seemed to
take in the significance of what the in
spector had said. He turned and cast a
very malignant glance at Crush.
"You will find evidence against me,
will you'll" he cried, in grating tone.
"You did that job on the lady in the
jewelry store, and put it off on him." re-
turned Crush, nodding toward Percy,
and speaking with swagger. "You
know it, and I'll take my oath to it any
day. You played low down game on
me, and that's what you get for it'll"
you'll give evidence that I'm pick
pocket, will your" repeated Dupee, star
ing at the man with a strange express
sion, half leer and half scowl. "Well,
you may do it or you needn't, just as
you please: for did rob the woman, and
don't care who knows it, nowl But
you gave it away too quick, Jack Crush;
this is the worst days work you ever did;
it would have been worth something to
you to have found out, first, whether l
had any little stories to tell about you"
The inspector, who had been on the
point of putting an abrupt end to their
dialogue, seemed to change his purpose
at the last sentence; and the others pres
ent involuntarily listened to what might
follow.
"You can't tell anything to hurt me"
retorted Crush. "I've got my medicine,
and I'm going to take it. You can't
change it."
"We'n see if can't. I know some
thing; I've known it for years-for years,
do you hear, Jack Crush! l haven't
said anything about it; it was too good a
thing to give away-until the time came!
1t was a whip l could drive you with
any time, and l kept it till should want
1t. Little you imagined that have had
the whole thing, pat by heart, ever since
the first month 1 was out of the prisoners
dookl | knew better than to let you
suspect it. But I've waited long enough,
and you might as well have it now as
later"
blessed if know what he's chatter
ing about" said Crush, addressing the
company in general with an air of per-
picked innocence. 81 suspect he's gone
off his head little.
"When | left the prisoners dock, &C
quilted of numbering Jerrold Nolen, "
Dupee went on, with intense emphasis,
"you were one of the first to make up to
me and say that, since society had kicked
me out, was justified in kicking again%
society and living by my wits But, az:
the time, if l had been convicted, you
would have let me hang, you hound,
sooner than say word to save mel and
yet you were the scoundrel who crept up
to a drunken man Hold him, in
spector"
Crush, in fact, had suddenly made a
leap at Dupee like wild beast. But the
inspectors hand was stretched out like a
flash and grasped him by the back of the
collar with an iron hold. The fellow
made one tremendous but vain effort to
break loose, and then stood still, shaking
all over, but dangerous no longer. The
inspector gave a sharp whistle; a ser.
geant entered the room. and at a nod
from his superior had Crush manacled in
a jiffy and stood up against the wall. The
inspector Strengthened his shirt cuff ind
said, Come, Horace. make an end OF