The Lock and Key Library: The Most Interesting Stories of All Nations: Real Life
Science
The Lock and Key Library: The Most Interesting Stories of All Nations: Real Life
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction; Parapsychology
Within the hour the door opened and Dodge and a companion, who
subsequently proved to be E. M. Bracken, alias "Bradley," an agent
employed by Howe and Hummel, left the room, went to the elevator,
and descended to the dining-room upon the second floor. Jesse
watched until they were safely ensconced at breakfast and then
returned to the fourth floor where he tipped the chambermaid, told
her that he had left his key at the office, and induced her to
unlock the door of room Number 420, which she did under the
supposition that Jesse was the person who had left the chamber in
Dodge's company. The contents of the room convinced Jesse that he
had found Dodge, for he discovered there two grips bearing Dodge's
name as well as several letters on the table addressed to him. The
detective returned to the hall and had a little talk with the maid.
"The old gentleman with you has been quite sick," she said. "How
is he to-day?"
"He is some better," answered Jesse.
"Yes, he does look better to-day," she added, "but he sho'ly was
powerful sick yesterday. Why, he hasn't been out of his room befo'
fo' five or six days."
This statement was corroborated by Dodge's physical appearance, for
he looked haggard and worn.
Jesse was now confident that he had found Dodge, in spite of the
reports of the New Orleans police to the contrary, and he was also
reasonably sure that the fugitive was too sick to leave the hotel
immediately. He therefore telegraphed his superiors that he had
discovered Dodge and that the latter was ill at the St. Charles
Hotel.
At three o'clock in the afternoon Jesse received a wire from New
York as follows:
"New Orleans police department claims party not there. Left for
Mexico three weeks ago. Ascertain correct destination and wire at
once."
Jesse at once replied:
"No question as to identity and presence here at this time."
He now took up the task of keeping his quarry under absolute
surveillance day and night, which duty from that moment he
continued for a period of nearly ten months.
During the remainder of the afternoon and throughout the night
Dodge and Bracken remained in room Number 420, and during the
evening were visited by several strangers, including a plain-
clothes officer from the New Orleans Police Headquarters. Little
Hummel, dining in Long Acre Square in the glare of Broadway, was
pressing some invisible button that transmitted the power of his
influence even to the police government of a city two thousand
miles away.
The following day, January 26th, at about 8.40 in the morning,
Dodge and Bracken descended to the lobby. Bracken departed from
the hotel, leaving Dodge to pay the bill at the cashier's window
and Jesse heard him order a cab for the 11.30 A. M. Sunset Limited
on the Southern Pacific Railroad and direct that his baggage be
removed from his room. Jesse did the same.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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