The Bradys Beyond Their Depth; Or, The Great Swamp MysteryDoughty, Francis Worcester
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The Bradys Beyond Their Depth; Or, The Great Swamp Mystery
Doughty, Francis Worcester
American fiction; Detective and mystery stories; Dime novels
"Thunder!" ejaculated Old King Brady, slapping his knee with his hand.
The keen boy's discernment startled him.
What Harry said was the truth.
Mason certainly bore a startling resemblance to the man who had shipped
the box of human remains to Georgia.
Harry laughed, and asked:
"You notice the resemblance then, do you?"
"I do, indeed. It's startling."
"Do you think he's the same man?"
"The Lord knows. It's hard to say. But I suspect he is. If he and Mr.
Gloom were the same person, what possible object could he have had in
putting that man out of the way?"
"We may find out later on."
The cab brought them to the palatial residence the missing broker had
occupied, and a ring at the bell brought a negro flunky to the door.
He stared at the detectives, and they stared at him.
Then he uttered a startled cry, and retreating into the hall, he made a
movement as if he were going to close the door in their faces.
Harry was too quick for him.
The boy sprang in and caught him by the throat.
Despite the fact that the coon now wore a dress suit, the detectives
recognized him as the driver of the undertaker's wagon, whom "Mr.
Gloom" had addressed as "Sim."
A gurgling cry escaped the black man.
"Let me go!" he gasped.
"I've got you now, you villain!" cried Harry, grimly.
"Fo' de Lawd sakes, what yo' doin'?" groaned the darky.
"You are the undertaker's helper. We know you."
"No, I ain't, boss. No, I ain't!" protested the man in alarmed tones.
"Don't you lie to me! We know you, I tell you, and by Jove we are going
to make you tell who that man was you murdered!"
The negro was terribly frightened.
In fact, he was so scared he could hardly speak.
Seeing this, Harry went on in excited tones:
"It was Ronald Mason with you, disguised. We know that. You and he were
down at Swamp Angel together, on a spree. We know that, too. And now,
you black scoundrel, we want to know who that man was you murdered,
blast you! We saw the box and body stolen at the swamp near Mr.
Dalton's winter residence, and we know now that you and Mason were at
the bottom of that mysterious piece of rascality. What does it all
mean, confound you?"
Harry's excited voice brought a beautiful, stylishly-clad young girl
down the stairs, and there was a look of surprise in her big, dark
eyes.
"Sim Johnson," she cried, "what does this mean?"
"Oh, sabe me, Miss Lizzie, sabe me!" implored the frightened coon.
"Gentlemen----" she began.
"Pardon me, Miss Dalton," interrupted Old King Brady. "We are officers
of the law. This man is mixed up in a suspicious case. We want him to
confess his villainy. Don't interfere, please."
"But I protest!" cried the young lady in angry tones.
"It is useless. We must do our duty."
"Why, what has Sim done? Now I remember you. You were here a week ago."
"Been away several days with Mason, hasn't he?" asked Harry, with a
nod.
"Yes. Out West they told me----"
"And lied. They were at your father's place in Georgia."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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