The Somerset reporter., 1902-07-17
|, A-A.AA.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A
| 0'GRADY, THE
; " NIGHTHAWK
By J. w. CARY =.
Copyright, 1901, bu J. ". CdTu
By ]. w. CARY
Copyright, 1901. bv J. ". Cary

eVVVvvvvvVvyvv'v'v'v'v'vs
O'Grady, the nighthawk, reused with
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
viciously, then turned to O'Grady.
Can that bag of bones travel five
miles tonight"
"Yis, sor," exclaimed the nighthawk,
springing down and throwing open the
rickety door of the cab. Hes betther
thin he looks; there's hape av foight
in him git"
The cabman sized up the party. Big
BOLTON, 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
OGrady, IAN a 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 go 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 go home I'll take you
to a quiet little place where we can
have game of draw; no percentage to
the bank or loaded dice against you"
Gall 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 a low
voice gave O'Grady 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 a street but re-
Gently thrown open. Fumblng in his
pocket, the gambler drew forth q roll
of bills, from which he extracted V,
remarking carelessly as he did so:
"Theres your fare. That's all"
Hold on" said the boy impulsively
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 his fares disappeared Pat lit
match and 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 a
sudden impulse, he pulled Billy almost
to his launches.
"Phwhat wull that black haired diyil
be afther doin to the lad?' he muir
INJURED. "He give me tin dollars, an
Oi'll 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 a 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
point within a few feet of the ground
to the caves of the shanty, and near
the ridgepole was square, dark spot
With a prayer to the Virgin and every
saint he could recall, Pat drew himself
up to this dark square, a window
frame guiltless of glass. a minute
later he was crawling snakelike, over
the rafters of the attic toward a CLEAN
of light.
Reaching the light he drew back
suddenly, for he found himself looking
squarely down on Big BOLTON. 1t took
but few seconds for the experienced
nighthawk to grasp the situation. The
room was newly furnished, even to the
lamp brackets on the wall. Big BOLTON
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 check
for large amount lay on the table.
Pat saw the gambler, as he dealt,
drop two cards from the pack into hSs
lap; then, as if feeling in his pocket
for match, turn them over with his
sleeve. Next they were skilfully hand
ed to the fellow on the right, but at
that point the carefully arranged plan
failed The gamblers tool fumbled
the cards awkwardly, and one dropped
to the floor, striking Van Elston's shoe.
The young fellow glanced down just in
time to see the trickster pick it up and
place it in his hand.
Trembling like leaf, he rose slowly
from his seat and laid his hand-four
kings-face up upon the table.
"The pots miner he burst out in
voice choked with anger and excite