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Updated: May 10, 2025
The bottom sashes were covered with half-curtains of imitation lace, but so flimsy that the boys saw through them without difficulty. Bradner had just entered this rear room, and was gazing around inquiringly. Now he stalked over to a table near one of the windows, and dropped heavily into a chair. "I'm afraid the jig is up," he said, addressing somebody on the opposite side of the table.
The burly man looked dark and disappointed. "It's a good hotel, when once you get used to it," he said. But Dick shook his head and said he would go elsewhere, and motioning to Tom and Sam he led the way to the sidewalk once more. Henry Bradner followed them. "If I see Wumble shall I get him to wait for you?" he said. "If you wish. We will be around to-night and also to-morrow morning to see him."
But it was not the same by any means. While the Western Palace was a first-class hotel in every respect, the Palace of the West was a weak imitation, run by a man who had once been a notorious San Francisco blackleg. The hotel was soon reached and Bradner led the way into the office, which was filled with rather rough-looking sports, all smoking and talking loudly.
They waited around for the best part of an hour, but Henry Bradner failed to return, and at last they gave up looking for him, and the boys went back to where they had hired a room for the night, promising to rejoin Jack Wumble early in the morning, when the whole party would take a train for Denver, where Wumble wished to transact a little business before starting out for Larkspur Creek.
"He's a bold one, Tom, and we must look out that we don't get bit by him." Henry Bradner covered half a dozen blocks of the street upon which the hotel was located, and then turned into a narrow thoroughfare running toward the Chicago river. Here were a number of low drinking places, and in front of one of these he stopped.
While Jack Wumble was off attending to his private business the three Rover boys took a stroll through Denver. The city was different from any they had visited, and their walk was full of interest. Coming to a store in the window of which were exhibited a number of Indian curiosities, the boys halted to examine the objects, when Tom uttered a sudden cry. "Look, Dick! There is Bradner inside!"
But policemen were not numerous, and it took quite some time to locate one and explain what was wanted. In the meantime Dan Baxter had caught sight of Tom and told Bradner of his discovery. Boy and man came out of the store in a great hurry. They were about to run off when Dick caught Bradner by the arm, while his brother halted the former bully of Putnam Hall.
And he related the particulars of the meeting with Henry Bradner, and what the stranger had said and done concerning Wumble. "The snake!" ejaculated the old miner passionately. "He's a sharp, true as you are born! Why, I never put up at the Palace of the West in my life." "I wish I knew what his game was," went on Dick. "You will know Dick if I can get my hands on him.
At this juncture a waiter came forward, and closed down the window, and the balance of the conversation was lost to the two Rover boys. "What do you think of that?" whispered Dick, as he led the way back to the sidewalk. "It's all as plain as day," replied his brother. "This Bradner was set to watch the house immediately after the robbery occurred.
"He don't half trust me any more. He says I'm only good to sponge on him," and the former bully of Putnam Hall gave a bitter laugh. "Well, I haven't followed these Rovers all the way from Valley Brook farm to here for nothing," went on Henry Bradner. "Your father wanted 'em watched, and I've watched 'em ever since they came home from that boarding academy. It was a big job, too."
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