THE POLICE RAID.
Felipe Jalisco made good his escape that night, thanks to the assistance
of his friend, Carlos Mendoza.
The following morning Frank swore out a warrant for the arrest of
Jalisco, and this he took with him in order to have it ready when the
proper time came.
He was determined to get back at the fellow without delay.
Believing Jalisco was stopping in New York, Frank gave a description of
him to the police, and set them on the lookout for the fellow. He
likewise told them that Jalisco might be found in company with Bantry
Hagan sooner or later.
Two days passed without the apprehension of the Mexican lad being made
or any trace of him discovered. On the forenoon of the third day Frank
suddenly came face to face with Bantry Hagan in front of the Vendome
Hotel, on Broadway.
The moment he saw Merry, the Irishman stopped, planting himself fairly
in Frank's path.
"Sure it's a word I'd like to have with you, young man," he growled,
frowning blackly.
"Well, I have little time to waste on you," retorted Merry.
"I want to know what you mean by it!" said the Irishman.
"By what?"
"By giving me the devil's own annoyance with the police. For two days
I've had some of them following me round in plain clothes, and I'm tired
of it. Call them off, me boy--I warn ye to call them off!"
"When they find Felipe Jalisco I think they'll not bother you further."
"So you're going to have the boy arrested? It's a bad mistake you're
making by putting the coppers after him, for he has a nasty temper, and
next time he gets you under his knife he's certain to cut your throat.
I've warned him against it, but when you get through talking to one of
those Mexicans they're worse than when you began. If it's sensible you
are, you'll listen a bit to the boy's just demand. It may save your life
if you listen."
"If there was a particle of justice in his demand, I would not refuse to
listen. If anything happens to me it's pretty certain you'll find
yourself arrested as the accomplice of Jalisco."
Then Frank passed on.
That night, after leaving a theatre which he had attended, Merry
encountered, at Herald Square, a plain-clothes man, whom he knew, an
officer by the name of Bronson. He had paused to speak with this man
when he noticed on the opposite side of the street several youngsters
who seemed to be having something of a hilarious time.
"They're pretty well started," observed Bronson, noting Merry's glance;
"but they're still able to keep out of trouble. One chap is pretty
full."
"I know him," said Frank. "I know the fellow who has him by the arm."
He had recognized Arthur Hatch and Carlos Mendoza. Arthur was unsteady
on his feet and rather boisterous.
Frank's first inclination was to cross the street immediately and to get
Arthur away from his companion; but something caused him to decide on a
different course.
"See here, Bronson," he said, "have you any particular duty on hand just
now?"
"No, sir; not just at present. I'm on the lookout for crooks and sharks
along here. You know we have orders to keep this part of Broadway clean
of them."
"Can you come with me? I wish to follow those chaps. The one who appears
to be in the worst condition is the son of Warren Hatch, the banker, and
his associates are helping him go to the dogs as fast as possible. I'd
like to find a way to break up his friendship with that crowd."
Bronson was willing to accompany Merry, and they followed the boisterous
young men down Sixth Avenue some distance. Finally the boys disappeared
into a cigar store.
"Hanged if they haven't gone into Spice Worden's!" said Bronson.
"Who is Spice Worden?"
"The proprietor of a gambling house. I know him, but I've been tipped to
let him alone. There's graft in it for somebody, and I fancy I know who
gets the rake-off, though I wouldn't like to say."
When they looked into the cigar store Hatch and his companions had
disappeared.
"The entrance to the gambling house is through the store," explained
Bronson. "Do you wish to go in?"
"Yes."
"Come on."
They entered the store. A young man behind the counter looked startled
when he saw Bronson, and made a motion that the plain-clothes man
checked.
"Don't bother with the buzzer, Tommy," said the officer. "There's
nothing doing to my knowledge. This friend of mine wants to reach a chap
who's inside. Call Worden, will you?"
A moment later Spice Worden himself appeared, and Bronson quickly
convinced him that it was "all right." Worden seemed fearful that they
were getting evidence, but the officer assured him to the contrary, upon
which they were conducted behind the rear partition, through a dark
passage, up a flight of stairs, and finally admitted to Worden's
gambling joint.
The place was not luxurious, although it was comfortably fitted and
furnished. The air was heavy with tobacco smoke, and a great crowd of
men were playing roulette, faro, and other games.
Frank quickly discovered Arthur Hatch, who was "bucking the tiger," his
recent companions around him.
But what was more interesting was the discovery of both Felipe Jalisco
and Bantry Hagan in the group.
In a moment Merry had pointed Jalisco out to Bronson, and placed the
warrant in the hands of the officer. Then he strode forward, pushed into
the group, placed his hand on the shoulder of young Hatch, and said:
"Come, Arthur; you're going to come out of this place with me."
Bantry Hagan gave a cry of surprise and anger.
"It's Merriwell!" he shouted. "Jump him, boys! Do him up!"
Felipe Jalisco drew a knife, but suddenly found his wrist seized, the
knife taken from him, and a pair of handcuffs snapped on his wrists,
while Bronson said:
"I'll have to take you with me, young fellow. Better not make a row
unless----"
"Don't let him arrest Felipe!" cried Carlos Mendoza. "Take him away from
the cop! Come on!"
At this moment, however, there came to the ears of all a sudden
hammering and crashing, together with the whirring sound of a buzzer.
Instantly the entire place was in confusion.
"A raid!" was the cry, and the men started on a rush to get out.
There came further crashing at the door of that room, which fell before
the blows, and a squad of officers with drawn clubs poured in.
"Oh, goodness!" gasped Arthur Hatch, horrified and sobered. "We'll all
be pinched and locked up. The governor will hear of it! If my mother
finds out---- What shall I do?"
He was on the verge of collapsing.
"I'll try to get you out," said Merry. "But you must swear to cut your
bad companions and to forever quit drinking and smoking."
"I swear it!" panted the boy. "Anything to get out of here. I'll keep
the oath, too!"
In the meantime, the gamblers had rushed, and shouted, and struggled,
and fought to escape; but all their efforts were useless. They were
captured to the last man of them.
Spice Worden was arrested in his own gambling den. In the grasp of an
officer he came face to face with Bronson, who had Jalisco.
"I didn't think it of you, Bronson!" he said, his face pale. "I thought
you a square man."
"I swear I knew nothing of this raid," said Bronson. "I have my game
here. I never lied to any man yet."
Frank and Arthur were close at hand, and Merry appealed to Bronson.
"How are we going to get clear of this trap?" he asked. "I don't fancy
going to jail with a lot of gamblers."
"I'll take care of you," promised Bronson.
"And my friend here, too?"
"Your friend, too."
He turned Jalisco over to another policeman, and told Frank and Art to
follow him. There was a back door that was guarded. When this door was
reached, Bronson held a short, low-spoken conversation with the officer
in charge there, after which he motioned to his companions, and the
three descended the stairs and finally came out upon a street that ran
from Sixth Avenue to Broadway.
"Here you are, Mr. Merriwell," said Bronson. "Sorry that raid happened
just then, but I reckon there's no harm done. I suppose you'll be on
hand to appear against Jalisco in the morning?"
"Without fail," said Merry. "Good night, Bronson. This has been a
fortunate night for me."
"And for me!" exclaimed Arthur Hatch, as Bronson departed. "Good Lord!
but I was frightened when those officers came! I saw myself scorned by
my father! I saw my mother broken-hearted! In one moment I realized what
my bad habits had brought me to. I broke my first pledge to you, Frank
Merriwell; but, with the help of God, I'll keep my second one!"
* * * * *
Frank Merriwell had just taken his cold plunge the next morning, when
the telephone in his apartments rang.
Immediately Merry answered the summons.
"Hello!" he called into the phone.
"Hello!" was the answer. "Is this Frank Merriwell?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'm Sam Bronson."
"Oh, good morning, Mr. Bronson."
"I'm afraid you'll not be so good-natured, Mr. Merriwell, when I tell
you what has happened."
"Eh? What's the matter? Anything gone wrong?"
"I should say so! You know that Mexican that I arrested on the warrant
you gave me?"
"Of course."
"Well, I turned him over to the rest of the boys who had the whole crowd
rounded up, while I helped you get your friend, Hatch, out of the place,
you know."
"Yes. I am to appear against Jalisco in court this morning."
"You don't have to appear."
"Why not?"
"He wasn't with the bunch locked up last night."
"Impossible!"
"It's true, unfortunately."
"How could that be? I don't understand it."
"Nor I. I'm doing my best to get at the bottom of it. Neither he nor
Bantry Hagan were locked up. Both got away somehow."
Frank was more than vexed over this information.
"There's something crooked about this, Bronson!" he exclaimed. "Why, you
put the irons on Jalisco."
"I know I did, and I'm shy a good pair of bracelets."
"He could not have escaped from the handcuffs unless they were removed
by an officer. I should say this thing needs investigating, Bronson! And
Hagan was not locked up either?"
"No. Neither Jalisco nor Hagan was with the bunch when it was rounded up
at the station house last night. Both got away somewhere between
Worden's and the station house. You know this man, Hagan, is pretty well
known to the police, and he has influence. I'm going to make a roar over
the business, and somebody's head will come off if I can fix the blame
anywhere. It's the best I can do. I'm sorry, but I know you can't blame
me."
"I'm sure you were not to blame, Bronson. This is bad business. I
wanted to teach Jalisco a lesson. He's a dangerous young thug, and he's
taken an oath to kill me unless I cough up a lot of cash to him. Do your
best to get at the bottom of the matter and to get track of Jalisco at
the same time. If you set eyes on him again, pinch him at once."
"Leave that to me," said Bronson. "I'm pretty sore over it. I'll call
round to see you in an hour or so. Thought I'd phone you and let you
know what had happened."
"Thank you, Bronson. Good-by."
"Good-by."
Frank hung up the receiver.