Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 423 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

» whole as yours. ) clew, Mr. Sharp. It is easy to be mistaken in a 10 But the woman? Have you found her? What have you done?” . **That kind are not easily found,” answered Sharp, with a knowing smile. ‘‘I have visited the house. They know nothing of her. She has not been seen since that night.” ‘*She was the woman who lost her finger!” cried Harry, with great interest. ‘‘ She must be traced! “Have you any clew?” “One only. Her note of invitation to Will Davis.” ** But how can that help you?” ‘“‘A handwriting is sometimes the best of guides,” said Sharp significantly. **Ah! Isee. You recognize it?” it looks familiar. Perhaps you may know 1t,”" He handed a sheet of daintily perfumed paper over to Harry, and settled back easily in his chair, his eyes seemingly fixed on the ceiling. Harry took it, and cast his eyes on it rather in- differently. A sudden exclamation came from his lips. ‘*Good Heavens! that writing! be, Estelle?” ‘You recognize it, then? I fancied you would.” “Is this a trap you have laid for me?” de- manded Harry, indignantly. ‘Oh, no! Only a detective dodge. I have some other words in the lady’s handwriting, ou know. Do you think this isthe woman who ost her finger? ‘* This is folly!” cried Harry, in a fit of anger. ‘**T would as soon accuse myself of burglary as Estelle Laurent. What is more, she was not in the city. I saw her myself aboard the Boston Express at four o’clock that afternoon.” ‘She could easily have been back at eight o'clock that night,” answered the detective, qui- etly. ‘‘ Even Express trains have their stop- pages.” ‘*“ You have taken a most ridiculous idea, I tell you!” exclaimed Harry, impulsively. ‘ She is in the city now. I saw her last night. I held both her hands in mine. They are as sound and ‘You will have to seek another Is it—can it handwriting.” ‘* ‘You are sure of this?” There was a shadow of disappointment in the detective’s tone. ‘‘ Her hands are whole? Then the mystery is deeper than I supposed.” ‘*I will bring her to see you. This matter must be settled. Her reputation shall rest under no such stigma.” ‘* Where does she live? ‘*That is not necessary. course,” answered Harry. He had his reasons for not introducing an agent of the police into Estelle’s house. He did not care to make public the disreputable busi- ness of the woman he loved. That her associates had some connection with the burglary he now felt suve. But he was equally sure that she had been their dupe, He was dgtermined to bring them to justice, and to relieve Will Davis from the trouble into which he had unwittingly thrown him. But first, he must take measures to screen Estelle. He would have told his suspicions to the detective but for fear of involving her in some unknown trcuble. He secretly determined to continue the investigation by himself. In pursuance of this resolution he made his way up-town, after parting with the detective. He was aware of the residence of his foes, and was determined to beard them to their faces, A half-hour brought him to the street and house where, on a former occasion, Paul Clif- ford had called on Juan Vernel. The servant showed him up-stairs to the same room.. The thin-lipped occupant of the room was there alone. He rose with a rather startled air on seeing his visitor, but immediately recovered his equanim- ity, and advanced with outstretched hand, “This is an unexpected pleasure,” he said, ‘*T am gied to see you, Mr. Foster. You have strangely vanished for the last month.” Harry walked sternly forward, ignoring the gre hand. He turned and faccd his suave ost. ‘‘T had good reason,” he remarked, briefly. “Our last game warned me that I was playing with unsafe antagonists.” ‘“* What do you mean, sir?” exclaimed Juan. “* Are you here to insult me?” ‘* You are at liberty to take my words in any shape you please. But I might safely ask you where you got those marked notes which you so gencrously suffered me to win.” ‘* Marked notes?” cried Juan, with a look of utter surprise, ** Just so.” I will call on her.” I prefer the other The Lost Finger. a ‘* You are rambling, sir, or you have lost your wits.” ‘*T have found them, perhaps. I am wide- awake enough now to recognize you and your companions as sharpers-and blacklegs. You played a neat game on me, but the game is not ended yet. You have had your deal. It is mine now.” The sallow face of the gambler had grown whiter during these words. A tigerish glare burned in his eyes. Ee thrust his hand behind him as if in search of a weapon. ‘** You lie! you scoundrel!” he hissed. ‘‘I will have your life’s blood for this insult!” | ‘** Drop that weapon, Juan Vernel. Two can play et that game. I bave not come here un prepared.” In an instant the muzzle of a revolver covered the head of the detected gamester. There was an eye behind it that meant business. With a fierce curse Juan withdrew his hand from his pistol pocket. ‘** Leave my room!” he fiercely exclaimed. ‘* If you stay a minute longer I shall send for force to have you expelied.” ‘‘For the police, I presume,” sneered the visitor. ‘‘ You are welcome todoso. I should like the opportunity of telling them that story of the marked money, and of where it came from.” His eyes were closely fixed on the face of the gambler, but nota trace of emotion appeared there, The thin lips were curled in disdain. ‘¢ Suppose [ tell them of the burglary at Dit- son & Co.'s bank, and of the marked notes that were among the booty? Suppose I give them the names of the burglars? An innocent man is in prison now, on the charge of having these notes in his possession. Do you imagine T will let him suffer to screen scoundrels like ycu?” ‘‘I fancy you are slightly beside yourself, Harry Foster,” was the quiet reply. ‘‘As for SGPeROIDE scoundrels, you seem:to have kept quiet so far to screen yourself. Acknowledge, if ou will, that you gave that money tc Davis. o you think the police will swallow your cock- and bull story of winningit at cards?) They are hardly such fools as that. "You had best recon- sider your determination.” His tone was insolently polite. There was a sueering disdain in his eyes at which Harry chafed. ‘IT will take the consequences,” he loudly declared, ‘‘You entered a conspiracy to ruin me. You sent that anonymous informaticn to the police. Only a lucky chance kept me from falling into your trap. I am a fool to come here and bandy words with you. I should have denounced you at once.” ‘You are quite at liberty to co so,” an- swered the collected villain. ‘* Suppose I should acknowledge to you that I committed the burg- lary you speak of? Wonld you be any better off then? am hardly the man to do work of that kind and leave an open track.” Harry looked at his compose face with a dubious glance. ‘You have left more cvidence than you imagine,” he declared. ‘That tell-tale finger with its ring will expose yet. The police are already on the track of your woman confeder- ate, of her who got the key from Davis, and left her finger in the safe door.” A momentary start, instantly repressed, showed that these words had struck home. look of hard resolution came to the gambler’s ace. ‘‘ Ha!” he sneered. ‘* Who then do you imag- ine this woman to be?” ‘*T shall be able to tell yousoon! Some con- federate of yours, to whom you gave the opal ring stolen from Estelle Laurent,” ‘‘You think so, eh? Have you asked the Countess her opinion of this matter?” ‘‘ T have asked Miss Laurent,” answered Har- ry sternly.. ‘‘She believes it was stolen by a servant. I have my own theory about who stole it.” ‘*-You have asked her so much, suppose you ask her one thing more,” retorted Juan, with a look of strange meaning. ‘‘Ask her why she wears gloves to receive py at Harry started asif he had been thunder- struck. These significant words had suddenly filled him with dismay and terror. ‘‘ Villain!” he cried. ‘* Liar! knave! If you belie that woman, I will have your heart’s blood if I have,to tear ycu asunder with my two hands!” “Very well, sir. But I would rather you would not rouse the house now with your in- sane cries. I should like to have my recom to myself, if you Co not object.” Harry stood glaring at rim, a host of feelings — —I-). ? ere —EE -_—— rushing through his distracted brain. Yor ene moment he seemed about to spring upon him, and the villain braced himself for the encountcr. Then, with a pew impulse, he turned and ran from the rcom, crying fiercely: ‘*You shall answer for this! You have Lad your day, villain!” : Juan looked after him, with a sneer cf Cecp cunning on his face. ‘Not yet, I fancy,” he said to himself. ‘‘ You don’t know the man you are dealing with, Harry Foster. Estelle has lost her head through her fancy for this fellow. She must be xoused to a sense of her danger. He will find yet that tl.ere is the spirit of a ticress under that satin skin. Let him go to the Red Fall! He may not find it so easy to leave there, Foo! as he is, he has kept his suspicions to himself, He shall never have the opportunity to reveal them to the de- tective police.” CHAPTER IX, THE CHAMBER OF BLUEBEARD. Nicut had again fallen on the great city. Crime again stalked abroad under cover of the darkness. Into the building known to its fre- quenters as the Red Hall person after person en- tered, most of them in a secret manner, as if anxious to avoid recognition. Within the gambling-room several card- parties were at work, the most of them engaged in deep play. They were mainly rich i fools about town, who had been lured thither by the arts of Paul Clifford and his confederates, Estelle Laurent was present in all her stately beauty, her floating silken robes in striking con- trast to the dead black of the gentlemen’s attire, She passed from table to table, dropping a word here and there, dispensing winnirg smiles to certain soft-brained youths, using her won- drous beauty as a lure to draw the wealthy fools into the net of her dangerous trade. She was greeted with many words of welcome and congratulation on her return by those wha had nit batons seen her since her journey. Peul Clifford and Juan Vérnel stood apart in the embrasure of a window, looking on her with satisfied glances, ‘* The Countess is superb to-night,” said Paul. *“‘She is more queenly than ever. ‘‘It was a fortunate day for us, Juan, when we got such a woman in our power.” * Yes,” answered Juan, a little distractedly. ‘‘And we must keep her so. She is chafing against the traces. Why does not that blin dupe come? Can it Le that he has changed his mind?” ‘‘Heis not the kind that change easily,” an- swered Paul. ‘‘Is all ready?” ‘Yes, I have seen to every detail ” ‘‘Then— But here he comes now. There must be no weakness when the mcment arrives.” ‘There shall be none with me.” Foster had indeed entered at that moment. He walked forward with his prcud step, his eyes seeking the form of the mistress of the salocn. A quiet greetin xm between them. He had evidently schooled himself to ccmposure. ‘‘Can I have a private intervicw with you, Estelle?” he took an opportunity of asking, _ ‘‘ Not now,” she answered hurriedly. ‘ Wait till the people have gone; I cannot leave here now.” Harry walked about discontentedly, looking at the games. He kit his lips with a nervous anxiety, which he had difficulty to control. His eyes involuntarily wandered to Estelle’s taper- ing hands, They were still gloved, yet their graceful completeness made him involuntarily smile at the suspicion which had becn implanted in his fancy. He was now fully satisfied, that for some purpose of his own, Juan Vernel hed lied, Finally, he took part in a game, as some re- lief to his nervous impatience. He played with reckless carelessness, yet he won withevery turn of the cards. He harry knew bow his winnings were heaping up before him until his antagonist rose with angry haste. : ** Deuce take the luck!” he exclaimed. ‘* With what magic have you anointed your fingers, Foster, that they touch only the winning cards? [ll play no more to-night.” ‘* Pureindifference, I judge,” answered Harry, as he gathered up his winnings. ‘“‘ Luck comes to those who do not care for it, and flies from those who seek it.” He thrust the money carelessly into his pocket and rose from his seat. The breaking up of this game seemed fo give the signal to the other players, who quickly afterward stopped playing. Within kelf an Lour ! are gm a y ol > ¥ ——— ee —-~ a