Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-03-10

he. or I'll brain you r. go q SIS
The mans hands mechanically went
up a!oft. i ~
SHOW, Dr. Fitzgerald, said Brett,
1--WE meet again.
He never finished the sentence, for
there was stealthy step behind him
and a terrible blow Oh the head with a
life preserver, and he fell senseless and
without a cry.
"Thanks, old chap said Fitzgerald,
dropping his arms with a sigh of relief
"Whoever would have expected that
donkey turning up here?'
Course him" Kissed Gates between
his teeth. ''He and l are quits now.
But look sharp. Stow away what swag
| we have and close up. We must be off.
Others may have heard us. I'll 60 and
| listen.
Leaving Fitzgerald to collect the
booty and without bestowing a thought
Oh the inanimate body on the floor,
Gates opened the door softly and went
out in the hall.>
In an instant he saw that the house
hold had taken alarm. There was whis-
pering, the opening of doors, and he
caught the sight of figure on the stairs.
Without even giving a signal of alarm
to Fitzgerald, Gates ran to the front
door 1t was the work of an instant to
open it and in another be was flying
down the steps into the street. Here his
i'll luck followed him, for he ran straight
into the arms of a policeman who was
passing.
His wonderful fertility of resource
now stood him III good stead.
"Quick, of1icer!' be said. "Don't
lose a moment. Murder and robbery -
| and be dashed up the steps, almost
dragging the policeman after him.
$50 on Erst,' said Gates encour-
agingly, when they stood in the pas
sage II daren't.''
| The policeman drew his truncheon
and moved forward. A manservant was
hesitating at the bottom of the stairs
and higher up a group of affrighted wo-
men we're huddled together.
At that moment the door of the din
ing room opened and Fitzgerald appear
ed. He had heard noises and become
alarmed, particularly so as Gates had
not returned. In one hand he carried a
bag and in the other he held life pre-
server. The policeman turned on his
lantern straight into his face binding
him for the moment, and in the next
he leveled him on the floor with his
truncheon and then flung himself on
t'>r CT him. Fitzgerald struggled hard,
i TOR he was still game, but the officer
and the foQtman managed to hold him
! down and finally haMlcuff him.
Here said the policeman when
this had been accomplished, detaching
his whistle, "you 60 to the front and
blow this. - 80: sss;s:: 49,,
| The servant did 50, and in a few min
utes a couple more policemen were in
the house, ~''>~r~<~s;s..::.:z.>
| DIR. Fitzgerald despite his eloquent
protests. WAS now further secured, end
the officers proceeded to make jnyesti-
cations. The gas was lighted, and the
first object that met their eyes was the
apparently lifeless body of Captain
Brett. Blood was streaming profusely
from an ugly wound in his head.''
There's been murder here' cried
one OF the men, bending over him. "Go
for doctor-quick. There 5 one at the
far end Of the street. Look slippery, or
he II bleed to death, if he ism t dead al
! ready
The footman ran off for the doctor
and the others busted themselves over
Brett. They tried to stop the flow Of
blood with bandages, and loosened the
clothes round his neck. Then they could
only wait for the arrival of the doctor.
He soon made his appearance and,
after rapid examination, he shook his
head. 1t. was Il bad case, he said, if not
hopeless.
well, I'm blest!' said the man
who had first come on the scene, as a
bright idea struck him. "I'll bet the
cove | met on the doorstep who gave
me the information was the other one -
Fitzgerald pricked up his ears.
"What was he like, officer:''
The policeman paused reriectively.
He ran out of the house in the
uICASllS VI uuII anu ucdIlN huOCk6u
me over, and then he hauled me in al
| most as quick, so I hadn't time to no.
tice him particular. But he was short
! ish man, and had beard-ginger,
should say
Fitzgerald's eyes almost started from
their sockets.
And you say this man gave you the
information, otticer:''
"That he did There's murder and
robbery going on in this house., be
said. and followed him in, and then I
suppose he slipped away, as l haven't
seen him SINCE He was pretty smart
cove, that one was, if it was your pal.
Is he shortish and ginger?'
Fitzgerald did not reply. He seemed
overwhelmed by the news, but at last
he muttered between his clinched teeth:
"All right, Mr.. Keighley Gates. l
once saved your life and tonight maybe
you saved mine, so we're quits so far,
but you afterward rounded on a pal,
and, by the God above us, you shall
swing for it!''