Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-10-29
! 0'dRADY, THE
! " NIGHTHAWK|
By ]. w. CARY :.
d Copyright, 1901, bV j. ". Cary
Copyright, 1901, by j. W. Cary

O'Grady, the nighthawk, reused with
a start as the swinging doors OF the
saloon were flung outward.
"Keb. Keb, sor?" And he seized the
dangling reins.
The man looked critically at the
shaky vehicle and the bony horse and
uttered an imprecation as he turned to
the two other men issuing from the
saloon and supporting between them
third and much younger man.
"Only thing in sight" he murmured
yiciously, then turned to O'Grady.
Can that bag Of bones travel five
miles tonightT
"Yis, sor," exclaimed the nighthawk,
springing down and throwing open the
rickety door Of the cab. Hes betther
thin he looks there's a hape av foight
in him yit."
The cabman sized up the party. Big
Dolton, the gambler, he knew. The two
men with the youth he recognized as
hangers on of the gambling resorts, al
ways ready for any scheme. AS for the
boy, he was handsome young fellow,
In spite of flushed face and bloOdshot
eyes. and the cut Of his evening suit
and fur lined coat showed plainly
enough that he was a man Of wealth.
"A foine lOokin' lad" soliloquized
O'Grady, IAN pritty penny it'll cost
him to see the town with Big Dolton
as guide"
As the boy was helped into the cab
he said thickly: where are we going !
l don't want to 60 home yet-the
nights young I'm not a kid, nor
drunk either"
"Of course you're not drunk" an.
swered the gambler soothingly, "and II
you don't want to 60 home III take you
to a quiet little place where we can
have game Of draw; no percentage to
the bank or loaded dice against YOU"
"All right" answered the boy eager
ly. "Come on; the money b-burns In
my pocket"
Waiting until the three were safely
within the cab, the gambler in low
voice gave OGrady the directions.
After driving for nearly an hour the
address was reached. 1t was In thin
ly populated part Of the city, and
O'Grady turned into street but re-
Gently thrown open. Plumbing in his
pocket, the gambler drew forth roll
Of bills, from which he extracted V,
remarking carelessly as he did SO:
There's your fare. That's all"
Hold on said the boy impulslvely
as he reached the sidewalk, and Pat
noticed that his voice was clearer and
firmer Your horse must be pretty
well winded. Let me add this" And
he slipped another bill into Pats hand.
As lis fares disappeared Pat lit
match ana discovered that the young
mans tip had been a ten dollar bill.
He jumped on to the box and started
cheerily down the street; then, with
sudden impulse he pulled Billy almost
to his launches
"Phwhat wull that black haired divil
be afther dom to the ladT' he MUIR
INJURED "He give me tin dollars, an
Ofll not lave him there to be MUIR
thered most loikely."
Covering his patient horse, he stole
back to the house, which he recognized
as the one roomed shanty used by the
contractor for an office when the street
was being graded. Lights burned with
In, and Pat caught the murmur OF
voices. but something had been hung
over the windows, and twice he made
the circuit Of the house before he de-
termined on line Of action.
"Howly st. Patrick, but phwat
shpot to bring young by. The sons
av divils moight cut his throat, an
he'd not be found In the month.
Pat was studying the ridgepole. A
low shed, or lean-to, reached from q
point within q few feet of the ground
to the caves of the shanty, and near
the ridgepole was a square, dark spot.
With a prayer to the Virgin and every
saint he could recall, Pat drew himself
up to this dark square, window
frame guiltless of glass. A minute
later he was crawling, snakelike, over
the rafters Of the attic toward CLEAN
of light.
Reaching the light. he drew back
suddenly, for he found himself looking
squarely down on Big BOLTON. 1t took
but a few seconds for the experienced
nighthawk to grasp the situation. The
room was newly furnished, even to the
lamp brackets OH the wall. Big Dolton
had spotted his victim and lured him to
this promising lair.
When Pat returned to his post Of OBJ
servation. the boy was winning, and
his flushed face and quick breathing
showed how skillfully the sharks were
playing him. Gradually the stakes
were increased, and the lad began to
lose. until all his money and a chaNk