SECRET SERVICE.
OLD AND YOUNG KING BRADY, DETECTIVES.
Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office, March 1, 1899. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1900, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C., by Frank Tousey, 24 Union Square, New York.
No. 84. NEW YORK, August 31, 1900. Price 5 Cents.
The Bradys’ Race for Life;
OR,
ROUNDING UP A TOUGH TRIO.
A Detective Story of Life.
BY A NEW YORK DETECTIVE.
Van and Burke fought like tigers, but were finally overpowered. “You are trapped, my finebirds,” cried Old King Brady jubilantly. But at this moment Ah Ling appeared on the scene.The uproar had attracted him. With white, scared face he stared at the detectives.
CHAPTER I.
A MYSTERIOUS CRIME.
“Help! Help!”
This thrilling cry rang out upon the night air in oneof the side streets of New York City.
The few pedestrians in the bleak, storm-swept vicinitypaused and instinctively looked for the cause of this blood-curdlingappeal.
Someone was in trouble.
That was certain.
But who was it and what was the nature of the trouble?
As usual, no officer chanced to be within call. Two menwho were on their way home from business, howevercrossed the street with long strides and plunged into a dingyarea.
It was illy lighted by a gaslight over the door of awretched tenement.
No person could be seen in the area, but one of the men,whose name was Mortimer Smith, bent over and cried:
“My soul! This looks as if murder had been done!”
His companion, a merchant named Benjamin Hanks,echoed:
“Murder beyond a doubt!”
The snow in the area was trodden and saturated withblood. All the ghostly evidences of a crime save the bodyof the victim were there.
The trail of blood led to the door of the wretched dwelling.
The two men noted this, and for a moment seemed aboutto enter the dwelling. But Smith said:
“We had better call the police.”
“Yes.”
“Undoubtedly they have taken the body of the victiminto that house.”
“That is true.”
“Let us give the alarm.”
These two well-meaning and worthy citizens started foran officer. They reached the nearest corner and found apatrolman just pulling in an electric call.
Upon their statement of the case the officer made it ahurry call, and then hastily returned to the area with them.
He tried the door of the tenement.
It was locked.
He pressed his weight upon the door and forced it in.
A dark hallway was seen. All was silence of the tomb.
Naturally the guardian of the peace hesitated ere enteringthe place alone and in the dark.
It was a rough quarter where crimes were of commonoccurrence.
But just at this moment the hurry wagon arrived withmore officers.
A quick consultation was held.
The police captain at once surrounded the house. Thatis, men went to the alley in its rear while the place wasentered from the front.
The two citizens, Smith and Hanks, were held as witnesses.
But just as the off