Nick Carter Stories No. 155, August 28, 1915: The Gordon Elopement; or, Nick Carter's Three of a Kind.Carter, Nicholas (House name)
General
Nick Carter Stories No. 155, August 28, 1915: The Gordon Elopement; or, Nick Carter's Three of a Kind.
Carter, Nicholas (House name)
Detective and mystery stories, American -- Periodicals; Popular literature -- Periodicals
“Great!” exclaimed Gale, a gleam of malicious satisfaction in his eyes.
“I’ll enjoy taking an active part in the arrest, chief. I’m just as
anxious as you are to see that chesty Camera Chap laugh out of the other
side of his mouth. I’ve got several old scores to settle with him, and I
wouldn’t miss this opportunity for a mint of money.”
They waited until Hawley was half a block ahead, then they crossed to
the opposite sidewalk and followed him cautiously up Main Street, taking
care to keep far enough back to prevent his recognizing them in case he
should glance behind him.
But this precaution proved unnecessary, for the Camera Chap did not once
turn his head in their direction. Apparently blissfully unconscious of
the fact that he was being shadowed, he kept right on until he reached
the white, domed building which housed the local government of Oldham.
Here he halted and carefully surveyed the edifice, shifting his position
several times as though he had difficulty in making up his mind which
viewpoint would best serve his purpose.
Gale and the chief of police had ducked inside the doorway of a store.
From this place of concealment they watched him closely, and a grunt of
joyous anticipation came from Hodgins as they saw him remove the paper
wrapping of the package in his hand and reveal a film camera.
“What did I tell you!” Gale whispered exultantly. “I knew I was right
about the contents of that package. In another minute or so he’ll have
snapshotted himself into jail.”
“He’s taken the picture already,” growled Hodgins. “I just seen him turn
that little knob at the side of his camera; and he’s got the confounded
thing pointed straight at the city hall. That’s plenty good enough for
me.”
He was about to step out of the doorway, but Gale hastily pulled him
back.
“Hold on, chief,” he whispered, smiling at the policeman’s ignorance of
photography. “He hasn’t taken the picture yet. He’s merely focusing, and
the law doesn’t forbid that. Wait until he squeezes the bulb and exposes
the film. Then we’ll have the goods on him.
“And say, chief,” he added eagerly, “let me have a few words with him
before you place him under arrest, will you?”
“Huh! What do you want to say to him?” growled Hodgins suspiciously.
Gale smiled sardonically. “I just want to have a little fun at his
expense, that’s all. It’ll be great sport to kid him. It can’t possibly
do any harm--there’s no danger of his getting away, so please do me that
favor, will you?”
The Camera Chap seemed to be having some trouble in getting a
satisfactory focus. He fidgeted with his camera for several minutes
before he was quite content with the reflection in the view finder. But
at last he was ready to take the picture, and there was a faint clicking
sound as he squeezed the bulb.
The noises of the street, of course, prevented Gale from hearing this
click; but he saw Hawley’s fingers compress the rubber bulb, and he knew
that the psychological moment had arrived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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