San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-21
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policeman sweetheart, Michael Curtis
That night Sallie goes into the yard
to take down a washing for Ma Bren
nan. with whom she lives. A crash
shakes the earth and something strikes
Sallie a blow on the head.
When she regains consciousness the
girl finds herself in strange surround
ings. A French maid calls her Alva
Copeland and Madame Copeland. n tall
richly gowned woman. claims her as
her step-daughtcr. Sallie discovers that
she has fallen into the hands of crooks
and is being substituted for the real
Alva Copeland.
A man-servant thinks he recognizes
in Sallie member OF gang of dia-
mond thieves and helps her escape
from the house at night. Michael Cur
It's and his friend. Captain Trevor. are
trailing Sallie and Alva. Now go on
with the story.
p, Through the old driver she spoke
of" who brought the young woman
there when she asked him about a quiet
boarding place; he remembered her
very WELL" replied the other. ats
my opinion that the fellow who ap-
preached her in Oldham honestly
thought she was Bess Hilker--possi-
bly, a MEMBER of the gang who had
never seen her but recognized the bag
from a description given him-and
trailcd her from there TO Mrs. Jennet's.
then tclephoned to the headquarters of
the gang and it was arranged to get
the girl first and then the bag. When
Mrs. Jennct told their chauffeur the
police had taken it, and then no men,
ton was made in the papers of the
return Of the missing jewels. they must
have realized that Bess died in the
wreck, and the diamonds were lost with
her. IL Miss Copeland has told who
she is-and she is probably has. as the
lesser of two cvils-you may be sure
they'll give her the best of care as
possible future gold mine. Society
heircsses don't fall into the hands of
abductors and blackmailers every day
and the Ferret could have brought
them all the inside dope from the Cope
land home. Let's get q bite to eat
now, for we won't hear from Head
quarters for at least an hour"
The telephone was ringing madly
when they rc-entered the apartment
scarcely n half hour later, however,
and within another few minutes they
were headed for Center Street in Ire
vors gray car.
Several high officials were awaiting
them in the Detective Bureau and TO
them Mike told as much OF his story
as he cared to, stubbornly refusing to
divulge bis sources of information. |
while Trevor was again shown the
photographs Of the Ferret and positive !
ly identified him.
"Your chief has insisted that we give |
you your head in this, Sergeant :" The
captain of detectives addressed Mike. |
"You want TO sweat the Ferret out |
down here yourself after We get mmf"
"No. I'll be with you myself and |
SO will Lieutenant Trevor here, and !
the Ferret or whoever else in that
house knows anything, about the gang
will talk right there. sir. Then / wantj
TO go right out and raid their head
quarters. too. It's a matter of life |
and death but I don't want to hit the |
Copeland house too early, not until |
one o'clock in the morning, anyway
"Have it your own way" 1t was !
the highest official who talked in. "If |
you can find the leader of the gang |
for us, and help us to break it UP
there's nothing down here too good
for you.,
The final arrangements were made /
and they took their leave only to find
that all four tires of the gray road |
ster had been slashed It
"At the door Of Headquarters, too, :"
Mike commented grimly. I'VE won't |
20 near your rooms again. Trevor. till
this affair is all over. I'll step inside |
and tell them what's happened. It'll
just put the edge on them for tonight. |
or I'm mistaken! They'll see that |
fresh tires are put ON and the car |
guarded for you and mcanwh lille think !
we'd be safest to keep moving. It's |
good you have your gun still with |
YOU"
They made their way further up
town TO a foreign restaurant where |
they drank coffee from tall glasses |
and played desultory game of domi-
noes, but when ,hc last order of cof- |
fee was placed before them Mike
SMILED his clumsily and whispered hur
riedly to his companions:
Don't touch that, Como. well be |
getting on" He summoned the wait
or. paid the check and they moved
lcisurcly out. but once on the side
walk Trevor demanded:
What was the matter with it?
DopeE'
"Or worse, A strange waiter
brought it. but he wasn't strange to
me; | saw him lettering around the
entrance to -FOUR apartment house
yesterday. If Miss Copeland has talk
ed or they found the letter she may
have ATTEMPTED to mail it to you. it's
safe bet you've been watched every
minute since unless you gave them the
slip for that wild ride of yours to
Shaftstown."
"Then let's go TO my club?" Trevor
suggested on sudden Inspiration.
I'VE can be quiet and talk there. and
got decent dinner. for none of the
stewards has been in service less than
ten or fifteen years. We'll wait there
till the time for the raid
TIL club was an old and exclusive
one and only few of the old veteran
members was there. To a few Of
them Mike was presented as an old
army friend and then the two found
quiet corner where they compared
notes and went over the case in every
detail.
Come on. Trevor. Times up. We're
going over the ton now!'
The Copeland house was shrouded
in darkness as the several motor cars
filled with silent, grim men drew up
in its vicinity and the raiders dis
perscd 10 surround it. The captain
with Mike and Trevor at his heels and
two more men bringing up the rear
went TO the great entrance doors and
rang fhe hcl1