The Bradys' Race for Life; or, Rounding Up a Tough Trio: A Detective Story of Life

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 fine birds,” 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 one of the side streets of New York City.

The few pedestrians in the bleak, storm-swept vicinity paused and instinctively looked for the cause of this blood-curdling appeal.

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 men who were on their way home from business, however crossed the street with long strides and plunged into a dingy area.

It was illy lighted by a gaslight over the door of a wretched 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 with blood. All the ghostly evidences of a crime save the body of 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 about to enter the dwelling. But Smith said:

“We had better call the police.”

“Yes.”

“Undoubtedly they have taken the body of the victim into that house.”

“That is true.”

“Let us give the alarm.”

These two well-meaning and worthy citizens started for an officer. They reached the nearest corner and found a patrolman just pulling in an electric call.

Upon their statement of the case the officer made it a hurry 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 entering the place alone and in the dark.

It was a rough quarter where crimes were of common occurrence.

But just at this moment the hurry wagon arrived with more officers.

A quick consultation was held.

The police captain at once surrounded the house. That is, men went to the alley in its rear while the place was entered from the front.

The two citizens, Smith and Hanks, were held as witnesses.

But just as the officers with dark-lanterns entered the tenement they were met by a sudden wall of smoke.