The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-09
AUn T-nr Krrcrrr 1AtN1 ALI ANAJI
 IT WAS DARK
From the New York Evening" Sun.
 CHAPTER l.

From the New York Evening Sun
 CHAPTER L old sleuth crept along the rafters like cat.
 The night was remarkably dark Harkl What is that? It is the clock striking the hour of midnight
 The time has come.
 Old sleuth carefully took small vial from his pocket. He unoorlzed it with precise. careful movement, and extracted something pink and something blue. First he swallowed the blue pill. Then the pink tablet.
 Ahl He feels better now. CHAPTER II. Old Sleuth proceeded along the rafters | again. Despite his utmost caution he made a slight noise.
 ''Hushi" sounded a hoarse voice below A number of fiery eyes turned up to the ceiling. Old Sleuth quickly assumed the disguise of a rafter and counted the eyes. Twenty-three. ''Hushv' sounded again from below. The fiery eyes were again upward turned. "Boysi" said a voice, q am going to take a shot up there just for luck" It was the voice of Beefy Ben the Ban dit.
 CHAPTER III. Not for one instant did Old sleuth's presence of mind desert him. ''Katy-did," he chirrupped. ''Katy-didn't," he also chirrupped in 1 flat contradiction.
 Beefy Ben laughed ashamedly. Its only a couple of Katy-dids a-scrap- pin'," he confessed, sheepishly. l Sliding hastily down a water spout, Old sleuth disappeared in the night.
 CHAPTER ". "Ah, hap cried Beefy Ben the Bandit. Anon he changed the respective positions l of the aspirants. 'rHa, ahl he then said. Old Sleuth. turning quickly around, gazed with an eagle eye up the barrels of l two seven-shooters.
 Beefy Ben scowled fiercely. Old Sleuth stood stanch.
 The night was very dark. '"They are dum-dum bullets" explained Ben, Kindly.
 Tt makes no difference" coldly re- marked Old Sleuth.
 why not2" snarled Beefy Benjamin. ''Why not, I'd like to known
 Because your guns will flash in the pan," calmly replied the famous detective with majestic attitude of derison.
 
 murderous weapons.
 With a naughty stride Old sleuth turned on his heel
 CHAPTER "
 "pi try it anyhow" muttered Beefy Ben to himself, hoarsely. He aimed both revolvers at the figure of the retreating detective
 "Dum, dum." spoke the guns "Dam, dam," spoke Old Sleuth, acute ly identifying himself as the injured party.
 The ambulance ambled along some two hours or so later and the surgeon promptly diagnosed the case as alcohol ism.
 It was not until they proceeded to lift Old Sleuths recumbent form into the waiting wagon that the doctor discov- cred from the tremendous weight of the body that the man was stuffed with lead at every pore.
 CHAPTER VI. After a decent interval the ambulance driver turned his horses Into the hos- pitaI courtyard. The doctors gathered around and examined the wounded man within.
 ''Ha, hap they cried in glee to the ann bulance surgeon. Hes a dead one. The drinks are on you"
 Walking the hospital Is verify thirsty work.
 The surgeon, with gasp of disgust, swallowed his cigarette.
 He was clearly discomfited with chagrin.
 "Foiled againP' he exclaimed bitterly. "But by whom?"
 The dead man slowly and impressively raised his read. By Old Sleuth the de- tective," he replied in sepulchral tones.