Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 423 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ee ——_ ——— SC 8 her hands were clasped with a pressure that in- dicated some sharply-repressed feeling. ‘* Let us change the subject,” she continued, with a forced laugh. ‘* We have lived long enough to Jearn wisdom. Tell me all about the severed finger and the ring. Iam dying with curiosity.” Sue seated herself, and laid her slender gloved hand on his. He Jooked at the tapering fingers, that swelled so firmly through the closely-fitting glove, and laughed at the momentary fear he | had once felt that the lost finger had been hers. ‘IT have told you the most of it now, by let- ter,” he said. ‘** Oh, but I want all the fine details. Tell me all about it. Who is suspected? What are the police doing? You don’t know how I am inter- ested.” ‘There seems to be but two persons suspected. One of these is a clerk of the firm, one Will Davis, who is now in prison on the charge of be- ing connected with the burglary.” : A slight change of expression crossed the face of the listener on hearing this name, but it was instantly banished, ‘The other suspected person is one Harry Foster, your very humble servant.” **'You suspected? You, Harry? No, no, you are deceiving me! That is impossible!” She started from her easy reclining attitude as she spoke, while her expressive face filed with dread and anxiety. ‘Was it that letter?” she continued, excited- ly. ‘* To think of you burning a letter, and not having the wit to burn it all!” ‘Tt was partly that,” roplied Harry, coolly. ** But wait, I will tell you the whole story.” Seating himself in an easier attitude he pro- ceeded to do so, relating all that had occurred, from the first discovery of the burglary to the date of his last interview with the detective. Yet he left out two particulars from the story his visit to the Red Hall, and his loan to Will Davis. Estelle heard this recital with an emotion which only her interest in the narrator could have explained. It is true that the description of the finding of the mangled finger might well have brought a shudder of horror to the strong- est frame. She turned deathly pale and cov- ered her face with her hands, ashe told the horri- ble story. And the sight of my ring, and the resem- blance of the finger to mine, sickened you? I don’t wonder. Goon: Say no more about this, however, or I shall faint. ou don’t know how terrible a story you make of it.” She looked, indeed, as if she was on the verge of fainting. Her lips trembled violently under the ghostly smile which she called to them. Harry caught in his her unresisting hand, and gave it a reassuring pressure, as he proceeded. Her next display of deep interest was called out by his vivid narrative of the search of his room by the police, and the discovery of the burnt fragment of the letter. He proceeded to relate the arrest of Will Davis, and the discoy- ery of the marked money in his possession. She sprung half-upright at this, with a look of deep astonishment, A broken exclamation came from her lips, but she repressed it, and said with a forced smile: ‘** You don’t know how your story excites me. It is better than a romance, Proceed. I am eager to hear it to the end.” e continued with his visit to the police office, and his interview with Davis in his cell. When he came to the point where the latter spoke of the woman who had deceived hima strange look came upon Estelle’s face, There was a glitter in her eyes like that of an aroused tigress. Evidently deep feelings were working beneath the enforced calm of her demeanor. Some broken words came from her lips. But they died away in marticulate murmur, ‘“ What did you say, Estelle? I did not catch it.” ‘“No matter. You have excited me so that I do not know whatIamsaying. What followed? Did the wretched coward reveal the woman’s name?” ‘“No. We were interrupted. I have tried since to learn it from him, but he will notspeak. His mood of confidence has changed. But he must and shall speak. I have taken the detec- tive into my confidence, He shall be forced to tell the woman’s name. There is no doubt that it was she who wore your ring, and lost her fin- r Estelle looked ina dangerous mood at that moment. Her eyes were fixed on the speaker with an expression of fury which he failed to perceive. A ine sound came from her lips Back t as she forced back the hot words that struggled for utterance. 5 ot ~ . a at rt a, " . ack tc Kated * ‘om ‘ % _—_ “ “a* | LLL The Lost Finger. ‘You tol] it to the detective!” she cried, with sudden enersy. ‘* What else did you tell him? Probably, in your weak frankness, you have ae i to Couble the suspicion against your- self! ‘**Don’t be so excited, Estelle,” said Harry, withasmile. ‘‘ There is nothing to call for it. I am in no special danger, though I am glad you take such interest in my welfare.” ‘*T cannot help it,” she exclaimed. ‘‘ Was there anything more?” ‘Yes. The most surprising thing of all.” His voice grew hard and cold. ‘‘Can you im- agine where Davis got that marked money, Es- telle?” ‘No. How could I guess that? I amno hand at riddles.” A feverish flush marked her face, as she said this in a tone of forced pleasantry. ‘* He received it from my hand.” ‘* From your hand!” ‘She started forward, and looked into his face with horror and amaze- ment. ‘Yes. You are astounded that I should have these notes. Can you imagine where I got a. Certainly not from the safe of Ditson & 0. ‘You are trifling with me,” she declared, though a shiver ran through all her frame. ‘“‘T am in sound earnest. L visited the Red Hall in your absence, Estelle.” ‘* What? After my positive desire?” ‘“‘ Before it. Your letter came too late. not know then the reason of your command, I know now.” ‘You do?” Her voice was very faint. ‘Yes. It was to'guard me against the villain- ous tricks of the habitues of your saloon. I was inveigled by Paul Clifford into a game. I lost at first, and then won. What did I win? The marked money which I afterward loaned to Will Davis! You look horrified and incredulous, Estelle, yet I tell you but the truth. Do you know the character of these men, your myste- rious associates? Do you know that they are criminals, that it was they who made their wa into the bank of Ditson & Co., and stole from it this lost money?” ‘Tt is false!’ she cried. ‘‘ There is some mis- take! They cannot be such fools!” Her face was terrible in its intensity of emotion. He gazed at her in wonder. He had never dream- ed that such fierce passion could dwell in a wo- man’s frame. ‘‘You must be wrong. They may have won the money atcards. Or it ma have been put in your pocket by other hands. You are accusing these men wildly and wrong- fully.” ‘““How came it then that immediately after- ward an anonymous letter was sent to the police office, accusing me of having some of the stolen money in my possession? When I went home that night I found officersin my room, waiting to search me. Only the fortunate chance of my lending money to Will Davis saved me from ruin. He is in prison in my place. But at any time he may speak out, and force me to replace him in his cell. I tell you, there was a deep-laid plot to ruin me, which only failed by the merest chance, and that these strange associates of yours, Paul Clifford, and Juan Vernel, were at the bottom of it. They are the burglars, Es- telle. Only that I wanted to speak to you first I would have denounced them before now. They are associated with the woman who stole your ring. Perhaps they stole it themselves,” and gave it to her, They may have wished to ruin you and me together.” ‘No, no,” she answered, with a strange smile. ‘There is no fear of that.” “Why not? What is the strange link that binds you tosuch men? Why are you associ- ated with them in this disreputable business? Speak, I have the right to know.” ‘You have no right to know anything about me which { do not choose to tell you,” she haugh- tily replied. ‘*As for these men, you are mis- taken, that is all.” “Tam not mistaken, I can tell you, if you wish to know, why they have sought to convict me of this robbery.” ‘‘ Why?” she ankaa: with an intense look. ‘* Because—you will let me speak the truth, Estelle?” “Yes, yes. Go on.” ‘* Because they look on us as lovers, Because they know that I love you, and fancy that you return my love. Because Paul Clifford wants you for himself, and is ready to take any measures to get a favored rival out of his way. He would dared.” Her face expressed a thousand emotions as he spoke, I did kill me as he would a dog, if he A deep indignation and resolve slowly a — - — - ----— - $= —_— re grew upon it. An earnest light shone from her glowing eyes. ‘‘He shall go no further!” she passionately exclaimed. ‘‘I do love you, Harry Foster! You are the only man I ever loved! © There ”— she waved him back—‘‘let that suffice. Our paths lie far asunder. Wecan never wed. As for these men, I hate them more than you can. I hate and fear them. Go no further in this investigation, if you love me, as you say you do, Leave it tome. Ihave means of investigation which you know not of. Believe me I would like nothing better than to hand them over to the police— If I dared,” she repeated to her- self, in a shuddering whisper. Harry looked at her with an earnest atten- tion, his eyes beaming with a happy luster at her open declaration. ‘* T will trust you, Estelle.” *Youcan. But go now. much to do, much to think of. opens before me. Leave me now, Harry. will see each other soon again,” Leave me. I have A terrible path We CHAPTER VIII. A ROCK IN THE CHANNEL, Ir was the afternoon succeeding that of nae Foster’s interview with Estelle Laurent. 8 had not: yet recovered from the effects of this in- terview. She loved him; she had admitted it. Yet she declared that she could never wed him. Some dark mystery overhung her life, She was the associate of men whom he now believed to be burglars and villains of the deepest dye. What was her link of connection with these men? He was determined to discover. The very thoucht of losing her was torture to his souk: He would confront his enemies, charge them with their crimes, and force them to tell the truth, or consign them to the hands of jus- tice, He had but fairly come to this conclusion when he found himself suddenly face to face with Sharp, the detective, whose eyes were fixed on him with a peculiar gaze. ‘Well met,” he exclaimed. very man I want to see. Come in here, I have some words for your ears.” He led the way into the hotel, in front of which they met. Entering the conversation room they took chairs in an unoccupied corner. ‘What isit?” asked Harry curiously. ‘ Any: thing new turned up?” ‘Yes. I have succeeded where you failed. I have made Davis speak.” ‘‘ Ah!” cried Harry, with sudden interest. ‘‘Then we are on the track indeed! He has told the woman’s name, and where she may be found?” ‘He has told all he knew,” answered Sharp. in the same peculiar tone. ‘The story is not a long one. Shall I relate it?” ‘Why not? I am anxious to hear.” ‘* It seems, then, that this woman took rooms at the house at which Davis boards. She was remarkably handsome, or so he thought her. A tall, stately, perfect form, a high-bred face, haughty to strangers, but winning to her friends.” Sharp’s eyes were fixed on rene face, which slightly changed color at this de- scription. ‘To make a long story short, she ad- mitted Davis into the circle of her friends. Made a dead set at him, I fancy. He seems to have been infatuated with the woman. She left the house finally, and moved to another resi- dence. But he was permitted to visit her. He even received notes of invitation,” “‘ And you think all this was a trap to catch a fool?” ‘Tt certainly was,” answered the detective ‘¢On the day of the robbery he received such an invitation. The lady was very kind to him. They had a little private supper. Just what they ate I am not aware, but some of their viands must have been of a sleepy nature, for Davis soon fell into a sound sleen, in spite of his efforts to keep awake, He slept, indeed, till after midnight. When he came to himself he was on the street in charge of a man who left him as soon as his senses began to return. He went home with a swimming head.” a And you think this was a trick to obtain the ey? ‘* There can be no doubt of it.” ‘He found it in his pocket?” Yes. It was returned when the work was done. He did not dream of what had hap- pened, until after the discovery of the burg- ary. He was still infatuated with the woman. Quite likely too he had some thoughts of his own safety. He determined to hold his tongue.” ‘*A wise resolve, under the circumstances, 7 dryly: IN ‘comicboo Cc “You are the »