The Human Vampire; Or, The Elixir of Life — page 24: what you’re looking at

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24 THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. Vol 1 No 3h. ‘(fs NOT THIS YOUR PICTURE ?’'—Ohap. xxi. Now, ma’am, I'll trouble you to look sharp. Ill come in, and, while your people bring down the trunk, I want straight answers to a few questions.” Mrs. Cummings looked prepared to fight, but the inspector did not wish to waste his time, so he said, sharply: “To simplify matters, I’ll tell you whol am.” He threw his card on the table in the hall and strode into the parlor, followed by Mr. Decker. A change came over the woman’s face. An humble, depre- cating look took the place of the scornful sveer. “Tam sure I’m willin’ enough to tell anything I know.” ce ATE right.” The brisk, business-like officer drew a note-book from his pocket, ‘‘Now, how long is it since Madge Warren came here with those twin children?” ‘*Five weeks—near six weeks ago.” She twisted the inspector's card nervously about in her fingers, and blinked uneasily. “How did she account for having the children in her pos- session ?” “She said they was her nieces; her sister had died, and left them destitute.” “Tndeed! Why, did yon not suspect something was wrong when you read about the kidnapping of Mr. Decker's twins from his house in Newport?” Mrs. Cummings gave a sort of gasp. ‘Do you mean to say them little brats was the twins I read about in the paper?” ULE WG Coys ‘-Gracious alive! And a reward was offered for them?” "Yes, a reward of ten thousand dollars.” She sat down, and the red spots faded from her cheeks. ‘ae if my Man won’t give me the laugh when he hears this.”’ “T do not blame him if he thinks this a stupid piece of work.” *‘Land of liberty! Ten thousand dollars! Why, that would mnake me rich for life.” “You will take a long time to make it renting rooms.” ‘*T should think so.” ** Now tell us how she came to go oft so suddenly.” ‘Oh, I see plain enoughnow. I let a room to a woman from Boston, and ehe was never done talking about them twins and the abduction.” “And you think Madge Warren took the alarm?” “That’s it. And me such a fool, I never tumbled.” -*Well, how much does she owe you?" «« Three dollars.”’ ‘Bring down the trunk, and asigned receipt for the money, and I will pay it.’ An ill-favored son, with a red face and a long neck, brought a small trunk down, and, assisted by the driver, placed it on the carriage. He was a loafer in appearance, and would have allowed his mother to drag the trunk down herself, but he wished to be able to brag in the saloons where he passed his time that he had had the pleasure of an interview with the famous ifispector that day. He stared at the great man with red, bleared eyes and a vacant in. “That plan is a pattérn nest for raising criminals,” said the officer, as they drove away. “Why, the old woman looked like an ignorant old drudge, but harmless enough.” “(So she is, but it is because she is too cowardly to do any- thing bad, not from principle. She is the sort of woman who brings up a lot of lazy sons who are under no control, and in- variably end in prison or on the gallows,” ‘‘Why did you carry off the trunk?” inquired Mr. Decker. ‘* Because I intended to examine it. In the trunk we may find some clew as to where the woman has taken the children.” “You are rigbt. I should never have thought of that.” When they returned to Police Headquarters, the inspector gave orders that he should not be disturbed until he rang. ‘Now for the trunk,” he said, after bolting the door of the inner office. He drew a large bundle of keys from a drawer in his writing- table, and soon had it open. It was an ordinary traveling trunk with 9 tray ontop. At one side there was a hat-box. When this wasthrown open the first thing the inspector saw was a sort of silk case for photo- graphs. He drew out the contents. Mr, Decker started. ‘‘Why, there is 1 photograph of my children,” he exclaimed. “Ts that so? Why, what object did the woman have in pro- viding evidence agninst herself in this fashion.” “She is mad!’ murmured the unhappy father, as he gazed lovingly on the faces of his lost infants. «See here!” cried the inspector, as he continued to examine the portraits, ‘Is not this your picture?” Mr. Decker took it from his hand, It was lis own photograph, taken in Eastbourne, England, twenty years before. «Tt looks like me,” he said, in some confusion. “Tt looked like you twenty years ago,” Mr. Decker gave the officer a curious glance. “‘T must haye aged very much in the last few weeks,” he said, quietly. ‘© You have, sir. I never saw n man change so in such a short time.” “<T have been so terribly anxious.” ‘Yes, I understand that. Ihave little children of my own, and I must confess that, were I in your place, I should be a madman.” «Let us see what else the trunk contains.” Nothing but ordinary wearing apparel; nothing that afforded any clew to the whereabouts of Madge and the stolen babies. “T should like to keep this photograph,” said Mr. Decker. ‘‘Tam sorry,” replied the officer, ‘‘but we can get copies of it. See, it was taken on Sixth avenue. It will be of immense value to me in my search for the children.”’ “Tyne, I did not think of that. We have no portrait of them except a large oil painting, ‘“T’ll send you some copies of this in a day or two." ‘‘ Well, inspector, I will not encroach upon your time any longer. JI thank you for your prompt action.” “Not atall, Mr. Decker. I trust that we may soon have good results to show from the important clew you have given us. Good-day, sir.” Mr. Decker had the day before him. He did not wish to in- terfere with the detective’s work, but he thought it would do no harm for him to see the artist who had taken the photograph of his children. He ordered the coachman to drive to Sixth avenue, and walked up three flights of stairs to the little gallery. CHAPTER XXI,. HARASSED BY DOUBTS AND FEARS. Sidney Van Stretten conld not rest satisfied until he cleared up the doubts which haunted him and destroyed all his happiness. “‘T shall follow Decker to New York, and meet him face to face.” With this object in view, he called at Bleak Point, to obtain from the housekeeper, Miss James, Mr. Decker’s address. He found the whole house in a state of confusion. Mr. Ham- mond had arrived from Chicago, and insisted on taking his daughter home immediately. He was a big man, with a shrewd but kindly face, He stood in the center of the hall, giving directions about the packing of some valuables, when Sidney Van Stretten rang the bell. “How do you do?” heasked, shaking hands cordially. though a comicbooks.com —-