The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-12
The Case Of the
Trap Gun


boys is yourn. I'll blow ev'ry blasted
shot in my locker to land the dodgast
ed, lantern awed son of a galley cook
That's what I'll do, sir I'd get him
myself. so I would, If the bung-eyed
toad fish hadn't peppered me so my
ribs are as out and bare as those of a
stranded wreck rotting on a lee shore.
Moneys no Object-nO. stree, sir. You
get him, l say, and the darby's
yourn"
The speakers voice was strained and
rasping. He sat propped up in bed,
swatfed in surgeons bandages from
his hips to his armpits. Most men as
terly prOStra ted, If not already dead
and laid out. But this old man had
lived hard, and the indications were
that he would die hard.
He was we'll over 90, wrinkled. wea-
ther-beaten. and grim, with profu-
sion of grizzled hair and unkempt
whiskers. From under pair of thick,
brfstling brows his glittering, gray
eyes cleaned forth as bright as those
of rat peering out of a bunch of
oakum. They had lost none of their
vengeful fire, his voice none of its rasp-
ing harshness, his spirit none of its
vicious determination, despite the
grievous wound that had laid him low,
a hole in his side through which his
as GIBBS the flooded tide.
Gazing at the speakers haggard
face, Mr. Felix Boyd heard him with
out interrupting, yet his attentive eyes
wore an expression of grave concern.
Obviously. too, his misgivings were
shared by the two detectives, Alderman
and Jimmie Coleman. both OF the CEN
trail office, who We're mutely viewing
the scene from an open doorway OF the
humble bedroom.
Even more marked was the anxiety
Of the one other observer, a robust girl
of Is. standing mOtiOnless and silent in
the glare of light through the single
window Her face was more striking
than attractive, with a low forehead,
heavy brows, a pair of intensely dark
eyes, and a firm chin and mouth. She
was but plainly clad, her loose blouse
waist showing most of her robust neck,
then throbbing under emotions gov
erned by vigorous will, while she
stared with sinister coldness at the
several intruders under her fathers
roof.
Not one among them doubted that
the old maa could not live out the day,
yet Felix BOYD. who had just arrived
upon the scene under circumstances
presently to appear, replied in a way to
offer a word OF cheer.
Ease off a little. cap'n' said he, in
chances in speaking so vehemently."
"Damme, sir, so 1 allus did,
Better not exert yourself too much.
/ shall hear you if you speak easily
Easy be haDgedP' was the reply,
with an irate snarl and growl. '1
speak as 1 feel, as 1 allus did and alIus
will. as long as 1 speak at ALL
But that may not be overlong, Cap
tain Cook, unless you husband your
strength said Boyd gently. ''You
are badly Knocked OUT
The old mans fiery stare Wavered
slightly at this hint at his desperate
condition, and for a moment his eyes
dwelt sharply on an opposite wall of
the room. Then they sought those of
Felix Boyd again, who had caught
their curious CLINT. and the doughty
seaman broke forth with undated as
perity, shaking his grlzzled head from
side to side like rocking stone.
"AVast. you, sirl I'm not Scuttled TO
the sinlzing-p'int, not by a jugful.
Death can't foot fast enough to over
haul me on this ere reach. No. stree,
sir. I'm net down Ger planting. Nuth-
er could I be easy while the cursed
skate that gave me this dose O. lead is
cut of irons. You set him. sir, and the
aarby's yoCrn. Damn him for a foul
faced sculpini l couldn't croak if I
tried afOre he's triced uD in a hemp
necktie. No. stree. sir, don't you think
it"
Boyd smiled family, and sroso from
his seat on the edge of the bed.
Il will talk with you presently, skip
per, and see what 1 can make of the
case" said he. Look out this way,
Jimmie"
With toss of his head he intimated
that he wished to see the two detec-
tives alone, and he led them through
an adjoining entry and out of doors.
the bedroom being on the ground floor
of the dwelling.
1t was a small wooden house, stand
ing alone on the edge of a narrow belt
of woods, and within a cables length
of the open sea. No other habitation
was in sight, yet a rough shore road. a
few rods in front of the house, bore
signs of considerable travel. indicating
that the isolated dwelling was by no
means in a wilderness. 1t occupied, in
fact. one of the unsettled shore dis
tricts well out of New York City, vet
not so far removed but that Detective
Alderman had been sent down there
post-haste from the central office TO
investigate the crime reported by wire
that morning.
1t was some after noon. however.
when Felix Boyd arrived upon the
scene. He had come down In response
TO a telegram from Coleman. and, after
a brief talk with the wounded man, a
part of which has been recorded, he
now halted on a patch of greensward
fronting the house, and turned TO his
companions,
who is this seaman. COok?' he
asked curiously. And what about him
and this case, Jimmie, that you wired
me down nere2"
"I'll answer the last question first.
Felix" smiled Coleman. After sizing
up the case this morning, Alderman
found there were features of it he
could not fathom. and he thought there
might DE obscure bits of evidence
which better man than himself might
discern. So he wired up, asking me to
bring you down here, if you would
come. I thought / had better slip down
here first, however, and have a look for
myself. Having had It. Felix, 1 came
to the same conclusion as Akerman.''
THAT a better man was needed"
ri