Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 470 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

‘‘ Now,” she said in low tones to Harris. The next moment the door opened and the New York crook crossed the threshold; a slight noise behind him told that the door had shut again. Harris Hodge wasina room which was almost | dark, but in one corner was a gas jet that burned dimly. The carpet was soft under his feet; if | he had inspected the walls he would have found | them apparently yield to his touch. Before he had time to move, the light flashed up, and the crook found himself face to face with a fine-looking man, who came toward him, This person looked, in the gaslight, like a man nearly, if not quite, fifty years of age. His figure was a little above medium hight, well rounded, and elastic. Thera was a certain | springiness in his step which was observable as | he came forward, and when he halted, Harris | Hodge saw the dark eyes and finely-chiseled | ! | face of one of the best known men in New York, ‘‘TIs this never to end?’ asked the prisoner. ‘You are one of the men who can answer that | question. What do you say?” | ‘Tt depends on your action,” was the response. ‘“We will listen to no terms but those alread | proposed—an oath of eternal secrecy, and a let- ter to Estelle that will make her Rogers Marxe’s wife.” The prisoner drew back with his eyes fixed upon the cool crook. If Harris Hodge had glanced downward, he would have seen two | hands suddenly clinched. | ‘¢ The same infamous terms!” he said, ‘‘ May I rot here before I will consent!” is a goud likelihood of your rotting here, Mark Morey,” said Hodge. “The police have ceased | to look for you; the detectives are all thrown off | the scent, and the girl doesn’t take much inter- est in the missing Nabob.” ‘‘ Wstelle?” cried the broker, Hodge nodded, but looked through his long black lashes to note the effect. — ‘Tt is an infamous lie!” exclaimed the Nabob, | advancing so threateningly that Hodge invol- untarily stepped back, and raised one hand. ‘Don’t repeat the hell-coined_ falsehood in my presence! Estelle forgetful? No! she loves me as she always did, and yet [am not her father. Since I came here I have fathomed this daring game. Iam to sell Estelle to Rogers Marxe for my liberty, and am expected to Swear eternal secrecy besides. My disappearance is to be ac- counted for by a lie which I suppose has been coinedfor the purpose, and I am to continue to do business with this man Marxe! What does he pay you for this infamy?” : ‘‘T get my share,” said Hodge, with the cool- ness of a born desperado, ‘‘ You can bet your bottom dollar, Mr. Morey, that we don’t work for nothing on a job of this kind.” ‘‘T would suppose not, with the shadow of Sing Sing about your feet. Go and tell Rogers Marxe that the oath will never be taken by the Nabob of Broad street, and tell Estelle, if you dare, that she must never become ;that man’s wife. I can remain here. I know that no sound can leave this room. It was prepared for me when Icame. You see lam in good health. [ can hold out with the best of my enemies.” ‘*-You can have that consoling thought if you want it,” the crook said. ‘* You won’t write the letter? you won't take the oath?” 6s No!” Harris Hodge seemed to bite his lip. **T thought you showed signs of weakening a few hours ago,” he growled. ‘‘T did that to see what effect it would have in certain quarters,” said the Nahob, with a smile. ‘‘I amas firmasever. No compromise with Rogers Marxe and his tools!” ‘That settles it,” hissed Hodge, withdrawing toward the door and cocking a revolver. ‘* We- 1] play the game out without the oath and the letter. New York has already forgotten you, Mark Morey, and you may suddenly and soon forget New York!” The next moment Hodge's foot touched the bottom of the door, and when it opened he re- joined the Jewess on the outside, ‘When can you take him away?” asked Mrs. Meek. ‘He must stay here till we bring him to terms. TI’d sooner undertake to transport a tiger than that man as he is now. He must stay.” _ “He cannot,” said the Jewess as firmly. ‘¢Shrewd Simpson wil] search the building,” Hodge seemed to think that the amazon was about to fly at him; he stepped back and drew his revolver. ‘““Keep that man where he is till I order his release, or I'll send you and your husband to | Sing Sing!” cried the desperate crook, eS 'soon be found and that the people connected The Boy Shadow. it ——_—___—__. CHAPTER XIII. CLOSE QUARTERS. ROGERS MARXE occupied the private office of Morey & Marxe on Broad street, and was the sole occupant of the place when the clock struck three that same afternoon. The man was not at his ease; despite his de- termination to keep cool he had exhibited a good deal of nervousness in the business transactions of the day, but not enough to excite any sus- picion. He had failed to find Larry in time to tell him that he should not visit Estelle as the great Per- sian astrologer, Nezzur-Adden, and he was now wondering whether the crook had actually prac- ticed this audacity. He had been asked fifty times during the da about the missing Nabob, and to each questioner he had replied that no clew had yet been discov- ered. He was hopeful, however, that one would with Morey’s disappearance, if it should turn ou that he had been abducted, would be caught and punished, ‘**] hope I won’t be troubled any more to-day,” said Marxe, as his last business visitor took his departure. ‘TI have more important business than stocks and loans on my hands just now. I want time to attend to it.” He was cut short in his remarks by the en- trance of aman at sight of whom the broker started and flushed more than half-angrily. ‘‘ Harris says you want me,” said the visitor, dropping intu a chair near the desk. It was Larry Lolan, the crook and self-styled Astrologer to the Shah of Persia. He was now attired in good but not elegant clothes, the broadcloth suit and shiny plug hat had disappeared, and his mustache showed signs of having been lately waxed. “Yes, I wanted you very badly last night,” said Marxe. ‘“‘I am afraid you come too late ow.” now. ‘¢ What has happened ”” ‘That is for you to answer. Have you play- ed the Persian astrologer before Estelle?” The crook started slightly and found the eyes of the broker fastened upon him, ‘*T want you to be ‘“‘square” with me,” con- tinued Marxe. ‘*This business is connected with the main game, You have been to see the irl—Estelle?” ‘¢ Confound it, I have,” confessed Larry. ‘* What put that notion in your head? ‘Mutual benefit, colonel,” was the answer ac- companied by a slight twinkling of the villain’s eyes. ‘ You sold me, you know, that the girl had already consulted several astrologers and what they to d her, and I forthwith made up my mind to playa little hand [’ve played before with flatte"ing success, ” “J didn’t want that play made. It wasn’t policy. It didn’t succeed, did it?” ‘Not to any great extent,” smiled Larry. ‘I did my best, colonel; the failure can’t be proper- ly laid at my door,” ‘Didn't the girl suspect you?” asked Marxe eagerly. “ Suspect? she called me by name.” Rogers Marxe seemed ready to bound from his chair. ‘* Her shrewdness has puzzled me ever since,” continued Larry. ‘She listened to all my flub- dubbery and did not unmask her battery till [ was leavin’ the house: then she said ‘ good mornin’, Mr. Lolan.? Jehu! if it hadn’t been for my collar, ’'d have jumped out 0° my hide. I was Larry Lolan to‘her all the time I was try- in’ to play the astrologer, “ As fortune-teller you told her what?” ‘‘f informed her in proper language that the stars would restore the Nabob as soon as she be- came Mrs. Marxe providin’ the ceremony took place within five days,” “Vou told her that?” exclaimed the broker suddenly losing color, ‘Nothin’ else,” said Larry. ‘If she was credulous enough to consult several fortune-tel- lers I thought she’d listen to one who used to dish up star news for his High Mightiness the Shah. I did it all for you, colonel; I had your interests at heart all the time.” Rogers Marxe bit his lip. you beforehand that the scheme would fail,” he said. ‘* I would have told you that last night if J hadn’t encountered a certain disagreeable man on Mulberry street, ‘© Who was he?” ‘*A man called Shrewd Simpson.” ** He recognized you where!” * At Pana Picklock’s.” ‘*‘The man is alive then! I told Hodge that had seen him since the Jewess of Baxter ‘‘T could have told | street introduced him to the depths of her well. How did youescape from him?” | nae force. I threw him against a build- ing and got away.” ‘We'll fix him, colonel. The man is a little too hot-headed to play a cool band. He will show up soon and fall into our hands.” ‘**He must! I don’t like the situation of affairs. I wish you had not played that astrologer ame to-day. I have an engagement with istelle to-night and if she should suspect that we were in collusion there might be an un- pleasant scene,” ‘You've got to put on a bold front and lie it through, colonel,” said Larry. ‘The Na- bob is safe enough yet, but his keepers are weakenin’ a little. The escape of Shrewd Simpson does it, you see.” ~ lf the boy should escape also, Larry—” ‘*He can’t do that!” interrupted the crook. “You saw my eyes when | led him out o” this office colonel?” 6 Yes.” “They told you enough, I guess. We have only the hot-headed detective to deal with an’ he is nobody. Go an’ see Estelle; swear, if necessary, that you never heard of the Per- sian astrologer, and seeif you can’t bring mat- ters to a crisis.” Larry glanced at the safe as he finished. ‘Colonel Ud like to bave a little cash to day,” he said. ‘* You cen take it out 0’ my pay when ab ae settlement is made. I want five hun- dred.”. Marxe frowned but dared not resist the de- mand. He had lately had a similar experience with Harris Hodge, and he knew Larry Lolan too well not to hand over the amount desired. When the five hundred had been paid the crook seemed to regret that he had not asked. for a thousand. As he stuffed the money into his waistcoat ocket he glanced out of the window near which lesatand gave a sudden start, ‘¢'There’s the man now!” he exclaimed. Marxe sprung forward as Larry’s finger pointed across the street. ‘‘ Does that look like him?” asked the crook. ‘¢ Tike whom?” ‘“Shrowd Simpson. I refer to the mar standing near the curbing with a cigar in his mouth.” Marxe leaned forward and eyed the man close- ly for some time. ‘‘ He doesn’t look like he did last night,” he said, slowly. ‘‘ But it is Simpson all the same.” ‘‘ He is on the watch?’ ‘“That is just what he is doin’. Keep an eye on him for a while, an’ watch me throw him off the scent. It isn’t very hard to fool that man,” Larry glanced once more at the person whom he called Shrewd Simpson, the independent de- tective, and left the office. Marxe heard him on the stairs for a moment, and then lost the sound of his going, For a few moments the man on the opposite side of the street retained his position, but all at once he gave it up and started off. It was evi- dent to the broker that he had caught sight of Larry and was following him, Marxe watched Shrewd Simpson from the window until his figure was lost to view, and then he picked up his hat. ‘* Now is my time to leave,” he said. ‘* The dog is decoyed away, end I can vacate the office without being watched. I am going to force the crisis to-night. If Estelle does not promise to become my wife I will play the darkest and the coolest hand ever played in this or any other city. He went out, down upon the street, confident that Larry was able to take care of the man he called Shrewd Simpson. The best part of the afternoon had vanished, and the shades of evening were descending upon the city. Rogers Marxe stepped into a ciger store and purchased several choice Havanas. This was his daily custom. Having transferred two from the counter to bis pocket he stepped to the lighter near the door with the third one in his hand. Just as the cigar touched the flame he glanced out of the open door. A pair of eyes were upon him; he saw them instantly, and then he noticed their owner, & well-built boy with a bootblack’s kit swung over” his shoulder. Marxe lit his cigar and went out. ‘Shine ’em up!” exclaimed the boy, springing toward him. A thrill passed like an arrow to the broker's heart. ‘Come up into the office,” he said, comicboo