Chapter I: Front Matter

AGAINST ODDS

A Detective Story

BY

LAWRENCE L. LYNCH
(E. MURDOCH VAN DEVENTER),

AUTHOR OF

'SHADOWED BY THREE,' 'A SLENDER CLUE,' 'A DEAD MAN'S STEP,'
'MOINA,' ETC.

_COPYRIGHT._

LONDON:

WARD, LOCK & BOWDEN, LIMITED,

WARWICK HOUSE, SALISBURY SQUARE, E.C.

NEW YORK AND MELBOURNE.

1894.

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. 'CHICARGO GITS MY MONEY' 1

II. 'I TOLD MY TALE OF WOE' 12

III. A CONUNDRUM 25

IV. 'I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF LIKE HIM' 35

V. 'IT'S ALL A MIRACLE' 44

VI. 'A CRIMINAL HUNT' 54

VII. 'IT WAS GREENBACK BOB' 63

VIII. 'STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER' 75

IX. IN DISGUISE 82

X. CARL MASTERS 92

XI. 'I DISLIKE A MYSTERY' 101

XII. 'MORE DANGEROUS THAN HATE' 111

XIII. FACE TO FACE WITH DELBRAS 122

XIV. MISSING--CARTE BLANCHE 131

XV. THE KING OF CONFIDENCE MEN 142

XVI. THAT LITTLE DECOY 150

XVII. 'THOSE TWO WOMEN' 155

XVIII. 'IF YOU'LL FIND ONE, I'LL FIND THE OTHER' 166

XIX. 'STRANGE! MISTAKEN! HEARTLESS!' 172

XX. 'WE MUST UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER' 178

XXI. 'LET ME LAUGH!' 191

XXII. 'THERE IS DANGER--NEAR!' 202

XXIII. 'YOU ARE SUFFERING IN MY STEAD' 215

XXIV. 'IT IS OUR FIRST CLUE' 222

XXV. 'IT'S A SNARE' 228

XXVI. A COLUMBIAN GUARD 234

XXVII. 'I'D SWEAR TO THEM HANDS ANYWHERE' 238

XXVIII. 'NOW DOWN!' 249

XXIX. 'FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!' 257

XXX. 'IT SHALL NOT BE ALL SUSPENSE' 263

XXXI. SIR CARROLL RAE 267

XXXII. FOUND DEAD 272

XXXIII. 'A MERCYFUL DISPENSAYSHUN' 281

XXXIV. 'EUREKA!' 293

XXXV. AFTER ALL 302

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AGAINST ODDS:

_A DETECTIVE STORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR_