Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

MANFRED’S QUEST. ** T have not. ”’ *¢ You are honestly seeking the proper owner: <6 I am.”? “* And you will show it to me?” ** T’ve said I would.’’ ** And you also say you do not believe I am the wee? : ** You do not claim to be the owner.’ «© But I claim to represent the true owner.’’ «© That is the mystery I wish to solve.’’ es 4 have one more word to say: this morning you warned me.’ Tt 3 Yes. 33 ** Now I shall warn you.” éé Good. 33 “* If you attempt any treachery, it will be bad for you.” The disguised detective laughed and said: ‘“T do not fear, itis you who must look out. I think ‘you intend treachery, but it will be at your peril.”’ ‘¢ Why should I attempt treachery?”’ ‘You know best yourself. ’’ ** And you still propose to show me the trunk?’’ 46 Yes. 33 **T am ready to see it.”’ ** Come. ” The woman started away, and the man Saunders followed. Singularly enough, our hero led the man to his own house, and as our narrative progresses, our readers will Jearn why Manfred did so. As the two walked along Saunders said: ‘¢T wish I knew just who you are.”’ ** You shall know.’’ ** When?” — ** To- night. ”” **T wish I knew now.’’ a6 Why?’’ ** Tt might change my plans.”’ ** Change your planst’’ ** Yes. ”” ‘* What are your plans?’’ ‘‘T can not tell you, but I will if you reveal your real identity. ’’ ‘“*T can not do it now.”’ | ‘¢ There is something remarkable about you.’’ *© So I told you.’’ | ** You played a wonderful trick on me to-day.’’ *¢ Yes, I did.’’ The detective laughed. ‘* Will you explain to me how you did it?” €¢ No.7’ ** Why not?” ‘*T can not explain.”’ ‘* And you will not tell me who you aref”’ ** No, not now.”’ ‘¢ Listen, if you will reveal to me who you are, I may aid you.’’ ** Aid me?”’ 6 Yes. 33 £¢ How?’ 33 «* To find the real owner of the trunk.”’ ** Aha! you are making a strange admission. ‘¢ Yes,’ said Saunders, ‘‘ and I am prepared to make even stranger admissions. ”’ 299 oo CHAPTER XXXII THE detective inwardly smiled. He was no gudgeon, and did not propose to nibble at false bait. He saw that the man Saunders was leading for an exchange of confi- dence, or rather a pretended exchange. ‘‘T can not tell you who I am, under any circumstances. ”” ‘¢The time may come when you will be sorry you did 1 not.’ ‘¢ When that time arrives I will have to stand my regrets, that’s all; at present I am saying nothing about myself.” The parties reached our hero’s home, and when Saunders recognized what a handsome house it was he recoiled and exclaimed: ‘* Do you live here?’’ ** Temporarily. ”’ ‘¢ This is not your home?’’ ‘* Tt is the home of a friend.” We will here state that Manfred’s neighbors knew noth- ing about him positively; all that they knew was that a mysterious sort of person lived in the house. Once one of the neighbors had spoken to the police and all the informa- tion he got was: ‘“‘Tt’s all right; we know all about the party living there. ’’ ‘¢ Who is he? and what is he?” demanded the inquirer. ** He is all right.”’ ‘* But who is he?’’ ‘Tt is not fair to tell one neighbor the affairs of the other. We tell you it is all right. We know what we are talking about. ”’ The detective’s home occupied part of a square and was surrounded by a garden filled with a dense growth of trees and shrubbery. ‘The house was not visible from the street. Manfred led the way to the grand entrance to his house and rang the bell; a moment passed, when the door was opened by a. servant dressed in the most fantastic manner; indeed he was a huge black man, dressed in pure white, after the manner of the ancient Romans. Saunders recoiled in amazement. ‘f What is the matter?’’ ** 1] do not understand. ”’ ‘* Understand what?’’ ‘¢ Well, this is all so unconventional in the nineteenth century, and in a house in New York.’’ ‘You have not entered the house yet; you are to en- counter greater mysteries.’ ‘¢ Will you excuse me a@ moment, miss?”’ _ The man stepped down the stoop. ‘* Do you intend to go away?’’ é¢ No. 33 Saunders stepped to the a and a man stole up to him. It was Stevens. **T don’t know what ~ iw of it,’’ said Saunders. ‘What is the matter?” ‘* Here is an elegant house right at hand.” ** Well?” ‘¢The woman intends for me to enter.’’ ‘* All right, do so, and you never fear that I will get in and stand ready to answer any signal.”’ ‘* But how will you get in?’’ ‘* Never mind, leave that to me.’’ Saunders returned.to the stoop where Manfred awaited him. ** Ah, you have returned?’’ ** Certainly.’’ ‘*T did not expect you to come back.”’ *¢ ‘Why not?’ ‘* Well, it struck me you were terrorized.’’ ‘TI am never terrorized.’ ’ ‘* So much the better. ’’ The detective led the way into the house, and ushered =, t . . wr a . » ‘ y +f é \ - ON | A - on 3 mn “.% , > s es ‘¥ . ‘*..* vee. " <> __ we . = | _ ‘a - . a. mn a F 4 = a . nw 8 <g- “; a ¥ en 4 a d a An ee . a iP pes “ > j