Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

MANFRED’S QUEST. €¢ Ah??? ** You can take me into that house?’ ** Easy enough.” ‘If you will I will pay you fifty dollars, and you can ome to me and I will get you another place.” **T’m no fool, Mister Detective.’ ** Of course you’re not a fool!’ °° It’s bribing me you are.”’ ° Well, yes.”’ ** And you will give me fifty dollars?” °° T will.’? ** Do you mind one thing. I’ll watch you; if I take ‘you into the house and if you are thieves, I will give the alarm !’? °* We are not thieves. ”’ | ‘* All right, I will take you into the house, come along.” Stevens, followed’ by the man who was with him, was Jed into the house; the pretended servant led him up toa room on the second floor and said: °° Here you are!” °* Now you go away,’ °° T will watch you.’’ °* Hold on,’’ said Stevens; ‘‘ there is another man in the house. ” ** There is; he came in with my mistress. ’’ ** Do you know what room they are in?”’ °° I do not. ”’ ** Can you find out?”’ onl Catse ‘*Do so, and come back here and let me know, and I ‘will pay you one hundred dollars instead of fifty!” ** Well, sit down there, and I will go and see if I can find out where my mistress and the other man are at this mo- ment. ” The two men took seats, and turning to his companion, Stevens said in a low tone: ** This is an odd adventure. ”” Pay is ** We must look out.” ** You’re right. ” ** An idea has entered my head.” ** Ah, what is it??? ** We got into this house too easy altogether. ” ** You think it is a game?’’ 66 T do. a3 ** T have enought, so all along; that servant was acting under instructions.’ ve panpeote it myself, still I was willing to be led into the house. ’ ** We may have got in easier than we can get out.” ** What makes you think so?” ** There is a nice game going on.”’ As the man spoke he attempted to rise from his seat, Hut uttered a suppressed cry of alarm and surprise. °* What is the matter?’ inquired Stevens. ** Come here!” Stevens attempted to rise, but he too uttered an ex- ¢lamation of surprise and alarm. ** What is the matter?’’ queried his companion. °° The devil!’ ejaculated Stevens. °** What is the matter?’’ ** Come here!” **T can’t!”’ ** You can’t?” Rank 6 No. ”? ** Why not?’’ “Tm fast.” ** Fast!’’ ejaculated. Stevens. ? said Stevens. ze Yes. I? °* How fastr’’ ‘“*T’m glued to my seat. I’m paralyzed.” ** So am I,”’ came the response. ‘* We’re caught in a trap!’’ said the man. Both men were cool despite their dilemma and their sur- prise. Both men were indeed paralyzed, and at that moment there came a mysterious voice, saying: , °* Ts that you, Stevens?’’ The man uttered an ejaculation of surprise but did sad answer. Again the voice called: ‘* Are you there, Stevens?’’ °° ‘Who speaks??? ** Saunders. ”’ ** T do not recognize your voice.”’ ‘* Do you recognize it now??? é¢ Yes. 33 ** And you are there?” 66 Yes. bP | ** What are you doing?’’ ** Waiting. ”’ °° For what?” ‘* To find out where you are.” ** Come to me.”’ ** Where are you?” “* Here. ”’ ** Where?”’ ‘* You will have to be guided by my voice. know where I am.”’ ‘** T am in the same box.’’ ‘* Follow my voice. ”’ **T can’t; you come to me.”’ “I can‘t.” *S Why not?” ** T’ve been trapped. I can not move.” ** You can not move?’’ ¢é No. 33 ‘* I am in the same box.’’ °° You are in the same box?’’ 6é Yes.’? °° Are you alone?” 66 No. 33 °* Who is with you?”’ °* Baily.”? °* Let him come.’’ °° He is fast; he can’t move.’? ** We’ve been nicely fooled.”’ °° T should say so. ”’ ** What are we to dor’’ ‘* What are your orders?” ‘* To wait.’? ‘* Those are mine also, and that is all we can do at pres ent.” I do not CHAPTER XXXIV. ‘* WHERE Will this end?’’? demanded Stevens. There came no answer, and he called out again: °° Saunders!’ There came no answer. ‘¢ Saunders!?? Still there came no answer, but another voice called: ** Does any one speak?” ‘* Who are you, and what do you want?”? ‘* I want some one to come here.”’ A third time he called: 7 Cc oO > - > a 2 ae . , — .