The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

DEALT IN THE DARK. . 147 and the girl would prove a dangerous witness. If, as Plasted suspected, he was en- aniored of Miss Fanshaw, he had a double incentive for his act. As for Amelia Hoff, she had probably taken alarm when the reporter spoke of seeing her in the company of Field- ing, and had communicated her fears to her emplover. The latter would play upon these, and easi' prevail upon her to aid and accompany him in his flight. But how had they compelled Miss lanshaw to go with them ?. That she had the utmost horror of Spurzheim, both Plasted and the judge could testify. And whither had they spirited her away ° it was impossible to conceive that she had gone with them of her own free will. Equally impossible to explain how they had abducted her from a centrally located hotel in broad daylight. The cousins did not dare give utter- ance to the suspicion which they held In common. Had the fate that was Peedalue’s, aud had so nearly been Fielding’s, over- taken the girl? Warrants were issued for the arrest of Spurzheim and Amelia Hoff, and a reward was offered large enough to put every officer in the country on the alert. It seemed incredible that a man like Spurzheim, one of whose companions was a woman of recent and almost world-wide notoriety, could disappear from San Francisco and leave no trace behind. But the fact remained that they did disappear as completely as if the earth had opened and engulfed them. In vain the telegraph clicked its mes- sages to three-quarters of the compass; in vain the passenger lists of outgoing steamers: were scanned and railroad stations haunted bv officers. Truly, it seemed that the chief fugi- tive was master of the mystic fourth dimension of space. Two days—days of feverish anxiety to the cousins—passed without news. Reports from ali quarters were nega- tive. “What next?” asked Plasted. Fielding had preserved a singularly = calm exterior in the face of the culm1i- nating shock. The iron had entered his soul. “Island Diablo,” he answered. “You are right,” exclaimed the other. “ Miss Fanshaw is in the hands of the Almighty. The worst that is to happen to her must have happened al- ready. “ We must discover the secret of this fiend in order that the law may punish him as far as he may be punished this side of hell!” “Tf a hair of her head is injured, the law will have no chance to deal with Spurzheim,” said Fielding slowly. “I wil stake him out.” Plasted made no reply. “He will make for his island,” Field- ing went on. “ When a man has suf- fered enough he knows things. And that is how I know. I shall settle with him there. I leave to-night.” “Tm going along,” said Plasted. CHAPTER XXI. THE DETECTIVE REPORTS. WHEN I advised that Mr. White be sent to interview Amelia Hoff, I did not tell my real purpose. In our profession we very seldom do. What I wanted was to alarm the woman, and the reporter managed it better than he would have done if I had taken him wholly into my confi- dence. I knew that as soon as her suspicions were aroused she would not rest before she had conferred with her accomplice. When the mind is agitated, people have got to talk. That is “human nature, which is the same among criminals as among law abiding people. So I followed Mr. White over to Oak- land and watched her house after he had gone. As I expected, she came out pretty soon. I could see that she had dressed hastily—another sign that she was rat- tled. Of course I shadowed her, and a long chase she Ied me—over the ferry, through the city, to a swell apartment house on the outskirts. She went in, and, after a time. I followed. GORMIGOOO (COL