New Nick Carter Weekly, No. 8 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

NEW NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 9 he went on at a moderate pace, halting occasionally to make sure that he still heard the sound of steps before him. They became very faint at last, as if the man ahead were exercising more caution. Finally they ceased altogether, and it . was about this time that Trith realized that the grade instead of descending was now rising again. It was rather steep, too, and he rea- soned that before long he-.would come to another end of the passage, and that this time there would be a door or otnes means of exit there. The fact that the sound of rétreatiow steps had stopped might mean that the © man in front*had halted. ‘‘Perhaps,’’ thought Trim, ‘‘he has heard me in spite of the pains I’ve taken to go softly, and is waiting somewhere ahead to-do me up before I know where he is. ‘Perhaps I'd better change my tactics, though I can’t see what else to do.’’ He moved slowly forward at this, waying one hand in front of him in order that he might feel anybody who should be in his way. ‘He was prepared for instant action, and if he had met anybody in that black hole there would have been a terrific struggle. Perhaps that would have been better than what did happen. Trim had scarcely begun to move for- ward, with his arm out as a guard against danger, when he heard a clicking noise and a grating as if a door were swung on rusty hinges. He halted again, Fatonian intently and watching anxiously for any sign of light. It seemed as if he did see an instant of comparative lightness i in the gloom ahead, pete } but that may have been imagination, > ste papiedes monet Trim, | The eyes strained in total darkness kne round, | often appeat to see things that are not there. | know, therefore, what was on the other side. If he was correct in his judgment about the points of the compass, this tunnel would lead him directly under that hill. Thoughts of this kind were running through his head as he cautiously retraced his ste : Suddenly he Heat a noise that must have come from within the passage itself. He halted abruptly and listened. There could be no mistake about it; what he heard was the sound of hurrying footsteps. Whoever it was was proceeding czutiously, but with all possible speed. Trim felt for his revolver, but his hand had no sooner touched the butt than he let it fall again. The sound was dying away. “The rat isn’t coming in this direc- tion,’ he thought, and he was disap- pointed. He felt that nothing would have pleased him better just then than to have an encounter with one of the Tigers in this underground passage. The instant that he realized that the footsteps were retreating instead of com- ing his way he started forward. ‘He went more rapidly than before, but he still took pains to walk lightly. -.. He had gone but a few. paces, when again the hand with which he felt the wall reached out into empty space. :; - He knew, therefore, that he had come <= again to the side passage that led up to e — louse. ae From this fact he fecmmded thatthe ootst 5 he had heard must have come a} this side passage from the then made the turning to the 2 Methine could have been more certain, % re however, than that. somebody was in the » | passage ahead of him, and it was a million =| chances to one that that somebody was one of the foes whom he was seeking. er,| If he had rushed forward at that _ only moment there might have been an end to” man |his investigations on the spot, and it. Bee ly be} might have been a successful ome but. es. st; so! Tr m did not > -gcbieecies a a pila of : - ~% es coe Pas a ? is sae { — . york . ~— <7 - ° ~ = Ae _ gs . z + - - ~ : ; rs . hb wwe? —~ ot oo nas TN Ss, a oo - Ie or 2 o : > b» = we - wi Ser ma? Ei a “ nes _ re Lor ~ . } os < - “2; a - P. se 1 ~ - —- 26 iw * +i 2 » . . ’ . * F - = ~ - bd “~. - ye : ‘ 5 ld i : om . 4 os ~ * : — Ss = _ a - f 2 *> 7 R — 2 sul es - ae | a — * ~ a aa —e ~ << A ~ el) . © _ in slh ss ? » — > | ~ *. o<€ er Poe * - e =— a a re f ie Pee +» 7 s - = + S. / sy * - ~ ' - F< -_ aw PF = > ~ =. ~ * * ae ‘s € ~~" 7 | \ 2 _ 4 ta os ~~ = ae es < ad ys. a > - — = s > re *, 7 F _ . ~ “ee -_ ae “4 * eR Fe 4 = <3 * . “ ri \ - “7 A Pas ae ” —_ ion © ® ‘a . a a 4 — ‘ aot > 4 <*% . = b ay z bas oe : . ee 2 P ee ae nw et ~y oe ok : > > - ==. Ein se = Sef ~ . * . "ae 7 * rd : ——") ~~" - —— t . 7 - - n~ a we ?