Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-08-07
1901. Street and Smith. New York,
CHAPTER XT.
Hot Shot,

Hot Shot.
One look told Charlie that his
friend had good news.
Artemus was fairly bubbling over
with the intelligence he had picked
up.
Such a smile upon the face OF Bar
naby looked bad for Capt. Brand and
his great game; the foundations OF
his Spanish castle were getting shaky
and possibly the whole tremendous
structure must come crashing down,
engulfing him in the ruins.
Whats the word?" asked Artemus.
"All goes on serenely, so far as
know"
Artemus shut one eye.
There's some high old fun in pros.
pect."
well, yes, suppose SO; st. Pat
rick's day is always booming with
good cheer in New York"
"Ah! mean for us; for our friend
the captain"
"That strikes closer home. Now,
knew you were the bearer of good
news when | saw you enter"
81 always said / was born under a
lucky star, and this settles it beyond
peradventure."
well, tell me your adventures, and
how good fortune attended you. All
of which shall be to the glory of our
cause, the vindication of truth and
right, and the utter decentralization OF
Capt. Brand"
Come over here, where comfort
and velvet chairs await us, and pre-
pare yourself for surprise that will
guess, surpass anything you ever
heard"
So they settled down.
Charlie endeavored to retain his
composure and possess his soul in
patience.
He knew Artemus of old and that q
ceremony had to be gone through with
ere he would disgorge the secrets he
possessed, such as would not disgrace
the cross-questioning in one of the
higher courts.
well, now, you know what hopes
had with regard to the fellows on
the Rialto; how | built up air-castles
concerning the finding of one or more
among them who knew Macauley by
heart, and would, for proper consid.
Grafton, take pleasure in denouncing
him to his face.
Il only ran across one man who had
played upon the boards with the
great Macauley; he declared he would
know him under any disguise; that
his mannerisms must always betray
his individuality even though he rep
resented an Arab or heaInen
Chinee."
"Ah; that's the man we want" said
Charlie.
And that's the man we won't get.
You see, he had one experience win
Macauley, and TO this day he declares
the mention Of the man always sends
a chill up and down his spinal column.
In word, he fears him worse than
the devil fears holy water, and mel,
Their brides nor pleading could in.
duce him to say he would open his
batteries on Brand. The most | could
get him to promise was to see the
other from a safe hiding-place and
then secretly give us his opinion, with
the iron-bound proviso that his name
would never appear in the matter"
Charlie elevated his eyebrows.
Il should say that man was a little
bashful."
"He admitted the soft impeachment
and confessed to a CHASTITY fear. No
Macauley for him, thank you. A
burnt child breads the fire, you know
ut might be some satisfaction to
us If he added the weight of his secret
testimony to our own strong convic
tions in the matter; that is, it would
perhaps influence Lady Airline"
mo doubt, no doubt"
Twill it pay to summon him. them
This direct method of questioning
was the best way of assisting Arte
mus along.
necessitated the unmasking of his
strong batteries.
81 hardly think So"
you know best, but | should like Ia
hear your reasons for refusing what
small favors the gods throw in our
way"
"And you shall, Charlie, my boy
In the first place, it would hardly pay
us to depend at all upon such secret
testimony. II we could inject some
alcoholic fluid into this low comedian
TO give him backbone, so that he
would face Brand and finish the game
in blaze of gloiy, it would do very
WELL but ! fear the only thing that
would give the poor devil artificial
courage, would at the same time stea
away his senses, so that our cause
would hardly make much progress
Don't you agree with me?"
Charlie nodded in the Affirmative.
THAT is one reason, you see. II
wouldn't pay to bother with such 9
witness; time and labor and good
point / wish to make. His evidence
isn't needed"
"Ah!"
"Since have found another way
Of ensnaring the wonderful Capt
Brand in a net which must render hin
utterly helpless. When the RialtC
prospects grew dim, had in my MIND
another alternative, by which | mean
to make one last. desperate move, vol
know 1t was suggested by something
you said long time back, in case
business took us to London.
First of all, began to make dill
gent inquiries among the various ship
ping houses down in the region abou
Fulton market. and soon struck oil.
"One man remembered the Hespa
STA and her sad fate perfectly. He hat
sailed voyage on her, and was later
on connected in some clerical way
with tho American branch of the