The Cairo bulletin., 1907-06-30
NICK CARRIERS LAIR
Brief Visit to Homo Of Colo
bratod Author

| hHiit ItHuy W Stdb Hlhi III tnc Uach'
AS he saw that the great detective
was in trap a smile curled the face
OF the head bad man.
"'You will die like dog he ex.
claimed through his teeth. When
give the signal you viii have my knife
buried in your back and dozen bull
! let's viii rest in your carcass.
"One magic word from Nick Carter
and the men fell back, tumbling over
one another in their fright. What was
the word?"
Having read so far in The Blood
| less Blood-Money; or the Adventures
OF a Human Cat" by Nicholas Carter.
| I lifted my eyes from the page and
| gasped In ama2ement. Sherlock
Holmes should go way back and sit
down--Ratlles into retirement; Nick
Carter puts them to shame.
A sudden resolve filled my mind.
would visit the King of Detectives!
AT my side in the, stationery store
was directory. | went to 1t and
turned to the letter C Then to Car
ter-the name which had amazed the
boy readers of continent To my as
| constituent | discovered that there
were a number of Carriers, but Mich
olas stood out In bold relief.
arose and started for Nick Car.
ter's residence.
rs Mr. Carter in?"
The pert youth who answered my
ring slowly put book mark in adime
dreadful written by his employer II
was "Headless Hammer; or, what
Happened to smith" s
"On the job" he said. who Is It
wants ter see the great detective2'
| was about to hand the boy a card
| when | remembered that | must live
up to the traditions of detective litera-
| ture.
Tell Nick Carter" | exclaimed,
that a stranger wishes to see him
on important business"
Hush, he said. in melodramatic
tone. Silence, foller me. See?'
The room in which I found myself
was large and lofty. On all sides were
| IAo0GlS, SbthC patty bPVhf ihoANN
could see a curious conglomeration of
wigs, coats, false whiskers and bottles
marked poison, likewise great num-
bers of knives and revolvers. Looking
toward the end of the room | expe-
rienced one of the greatest surprises
Of my life. In Nick Carter | beheld,
instead of giant Of marvellous ply
sique a small understood person.
weighing, I should Judge, about 90
pounds,
At that moment he turned in his
chair and gazed at me for some time.
You come to me with a mystery"
turned to see ii one had followed
me into the room.
NO" | replied. II am but one of
your humble admirers, and desire to
have acquaintance with your meth
DDS"
His face lit up with pleasure.
Indeed" he exclaimed, in piping
voice. We'll, | am on an important
work this afternoon and you may
come along Mrs discomfort Smlthe
has murdered her favorite cat. and,
to soothe her conscience, wishes me
to prove that 1t committed suicide"
Il will be glad to accompany YOU"
| replied ioyfully.
Yes, but before start must
change my disguise"
Nick Carter arose, and before my
astonished gaze, in the twinkling of
an eye, practically transformed his
appearance He now looked like a
Russian Jew.
A trap door opened at our feet Nick
Carter calmly jumped In. and after a
moments hesitation. | followed. A
few moments of pitch darkness and
we found ourselves in the street. Fp
Now, he exclaimed before | could
recover my breath, Il am the only
man In the world who could follow
this clew. First | will"
Six men sprang out Of the alley
way.
A moment later, armed TO the teeth,
and they were on us.
In a trice Nick Carter drew two
or was It three-reyolvers. and start
ed to blaze away -Four williams" fell
dead at my feet Another staggered
away with a couple OF bullets in his
side; but the last one, a ferocious-look-
ing individual, before being stretched
on the ground, stabbed Nick Carter in
the arm.
The great detective smiled scorn-
fully.
My wound Is but a scratch. Now.
with your permission. We will start on
the case Of the Cat Who Died in Ills
Sleep: or, The Clew That Led to the
Victory. Comet"
made muttered excuse and step
ped aside. Nick Carter disappeared
in the distance, and I saw two viii
lains closely follow him. Sull made
no sign.
The author OF 200 dime dreadfuls
could take care Of himself.
fed to home and safety W