Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 513 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

mee vee ee te ae A tt aati ee ee eee 6 ~ - _——,. The Demon Doctor. leaped down to the table from the hole in the wall while Curly Bob, who had also dropped to the floor, Pare Mike Carroll with a murderous-looking six- shooter. CHAPTER VI. DEADHOLD’S LUCKY SHOT. WHEN Barney the Blacksheep dashed through the window of the Demon Doctor’s parlor, the three oc- cupants of the room—the Doctor, Lucette and Frank Trenton—all moved involuntarily forward. Then Frank Trenton said, hg “Never mind, professor, Let him go. We can easily catch him when we want him,”’ ‘You seem to know his haunts,” said the Demon Doctor. we **Are you known as Deadhold, or was that only a fancy name invented by him?” The boy laughed. ‘The New York thieves who know me prettv well have given me that sobriquet. I think I can say, without egotism, that they have reason to know whether I deserve it or not. They have a tradition that when I once get a clew on a man he has to go where I want him,”’ ‘And yet you are not very—”’ ** Strong?’ ‘*Yes, that is what I was going to remark,” said the Demon Doctor, rather hesitatingly. ‘Exactly. I am _ not very strong—physically, But we don’t catch thieves by main strength nowa- days.”’ “T beg your pardon. My remark was foolish, and I, who have always contended that the intellect is the only true standard of human greatness, should ° have known better than to utter it,’ said the Demon Doctor. ** Barney Driver has made a bad mistake for him- self in making that $12,000 proposition,” said Frank Trenton, changing the subject. 7) Why 9”? ‘* Because he has revealed something to me that I never knew before, though I suspected it.”’ ‘* What is it?” **Only that he did a jobin New York that I have been trying to trace for over a year.” * What sort of a job?” ‘“*Burglary. That is Barney Driver’s regular branch of the professicn. He says he has a certain paper. I believe he has. The paper was stolen, with others from a certain house in New York City.”’ + Ah!”’ ‘‘ As well as a large sum of money.” ay fe ‘So of course putting the two things popether, and considering Mr. Driver’s character, if he has that paper he must have stolen it,” ‘*Of course—of course,” said the Demon Doctor, excitedly. ‘It’s as plain as daylight.”’ “It is—quite.”’ ‘* Well, why in the name of all that’s unexplain- able, did you not let me stop him just now? [ could have done it, with a simple pressure of ay foot on the carpet. I have protected my house thoroughly with electric burzlar pi by and if the appliances had not all been out of order that night the jewels were stolen, the thieves would have had one of the greatest surprises of their lives, instead of getting awa Peccpnasulty with the diamonds,”’ *T didn’t stop him because I didn’t want him to slip away from us when once we have him. I want to catch him—red-handed; or, in other,words, I mean to take him in the secret cave whereI am convinced that he has hidden his plunder.”’ - ‘You talk as if you were sure of catching him, How do you know that he won’t slip away now al- together? He would be foolish to go to a place where he has reason to suppose you can coolly fol- low him.” ‘*T ieves, as a rule, ere foolish, or rather they think that they are smarter than their pursuers. If it were not for that peculiar trait, we should have more trouble in hunting them down than we do,” “What is your plan?” ‘Well, Doctor, my plan is—”’ “One minute,” interrupted the Demon Doctor. **Lucette, my dear, you had better go to bed. Mr. Trenton and I may have to talk for some time, and it is already past your regular hour for retiring,” The girl obediently walked to the door, after kiss- ing her father and bowing to Frank Trenton, and disappeared. She stood in the hall that ran through the house from front to back, and then, actuated by a sudden impulse, stepped to the door that opened on the space outside the window to which we have already referred, and allowed the cool breezs to sweep across her forehead, Hardly had she time to note the intense blackness of the night, relieved only by the glare that broke from the shattered window of her father’s room, when a hand was pliced over her mouth and a hoarse voice whispered" * Silence, for your life!” Lucette struggled wildly and would have shrieked for help but the cold muzzle of a pistol was placed against her cheek, and she suffered herself to be dragged unresistingly away. As her captor pulled her across the yard, the light from the window fell full upon his features, and she saw that he was, as she had suspected, none other than Barney the Blacksheep. “What do you want with me?” she asked,in a low tone, for the threatening pistol was pvuinted directly at her bead ‘Never mind,” said Barney Driver, savagely. ‘I want you, and that’s enough,” **But this is monstrous, to be taken prisoner on ny father’s very doorstep. I will not go!” ucette made a desperate effort to free herself, as she saw her father standing just inside the broken window looking earnestly down at Frank Trenton, who was talking rapidly. * You won't go?’ said Barney, with brutal irony, “We'll see!”’ * Fath—”’ Ere the syllable was formed the coarse hand of Barney the Blacksheep was over her mouth again, «8 he muttered: " Keep quiet, will you? or, by Heavens, I'l) kil/ you!” * Kill me, then,’”’ returned Lucette, inarticulately, a her captor’s palm was pressed tighter over her ips, Barney held the pistol close to her forehead, and for a second or two seemed disposed to carry his threat into execution. At this moment Frank Trenton, in the room, arose and walked to the window. “Deadhold! Curse him!’’ muttered Barney Dri- ver, under his breath. The boy stood at the side of the Demon Doctor, and the two were in full view of Barney and Lucette, while the two last named, having moved out of the shaft of light, were hidden entirely from the occu- pants of the room. ‘**Now, see here!” hissed Barney Driver in Lu- cette’s ear. “‘I’m going to make you come along with me, and you may as well come quietly. If you don’t make any fuss,I give you my word that I won’t hurt you,” Pe word!”’ exclaimed Lucette, contemptu- ously. ‘Yes, my word! It isall present, sO you may as wel ney, with a sarcastic grin. ** Coward!” ‘Save words of that sort until you are out of my power, unless you want me to make you suffer for them.’’ *Wretch, I defy you! Fath—” Again Barney Driver’s heavy hand stopped the word by pressing so hard upon the young girl’s lips as nearly to cut them through with her teeth, A sudden thought seemed to strike Barney, and he scowled outages as he nodded his head with satis- faction over the idea. “Listen to me,” he growled, **T must listen. You have me in your power,” * Yes, I have, and I mean to keep you there for a short time.”’ ‘*A very brave performance for a man, to take a helpless girl prisoner!’’ said Lucette, scornfully. Barney winced, “Speak again,’’ he said, “or refuse to come quietly with me, and I swear 1'll shoot—not you, but—your father.”’ Lucette recoiled in horror. “Hal Youdon’t like that? [thought you wouldn’t. But I'll do it, as sure as my name is Barney Driver, if | have any more trouble with you.”’ ‘**'You dare not!” ‘“*Daren’t 1? You don’t know me!” These last words were gritted out between his cinched teeth, and Lucette saw deadly resolution in 8 eye. “TI—D1l go!” she gasped; “Of course you will,” chuckled Barney, “I knew you would,” ; Lucette cast a last despairing glance at her father, standing in the lighted room, behind the broken sash, and though one shriek would have caused him to light up the whole yard by a simple touch of an electric button, and probably accomplish her rescue, she durst not utter a sound, Too well she knew that the maddened wretch drag- ging her away would send a bullet crashing throu sh is brain at the first outcry from her lips, and she therefore suffered herself to be borne into the dark entry to the deserted mine, without another word of rotest, rather than expose her beloved father to a eadly risk. The next instant she was being led rapidly through the winding passages of the mine, feeling at every step as if she were leaving all hope further and fur- ther behind. How she was brought to the secret rendezvous of Barney Driver's gang, atid what befell her there, we already know, * So you think the best way will be for you and I to go through the mine to-night, eh? You can find the place, you say?” the Demon Doctor was saying, at the very minute that Barney Driver was telling Lucette he would shoot her father if she did not obey his orders. “Yes; that is my idea ”’ ‘**But are you armed?” For answer Frank Trenton drew forth from a leather pocketbook his credentials as a detective in connection with the New York Police Department, together with an official recognition from the Pitts- burg Chief of Police. I never carry deadly weapons,” he remarked, quietly, ‘And yet you have made many important cap- tures?’’ ‘*'Yes.”” “Of determined, unscrupulous criminals?”’ ‘'Yes.”’ you have to rely upon at take it,”’ retorted Bar- ‘ ‘Of men who would not hesitate to cut your throat, or shoot you through the head if it would enable them to escape?” + we r ‘Frank Trenton, you are a mystery,” said th Demon Doctor, drawn a long breath, . * So they tell me in New York.”’ “Well, I will take weapons with me, and I think ay Fed rr hal hs i. > * you had better put this six-shooter in your pocket, n case of accidents,”’ The boy objected strenuously to thus departing from his rule, but finally, to satisfy his friend, the Demon Doctor, took the revolver and placed it in his coat-pocket, ready to his hand. “Where is your own pistol?” asked the boy, ‘“‘Tam well armed, never fear,’’ was the reply. ‘*Let us start!” The Demon Doctor placed a heavy shutter against the inside of his broken window. Then he went to a small cabinet in a corner, unlocked it, and moved certain shining brass knobs within, Frank Trenton was following the movements of his companion curiously. ‘lam setting my watch-dog,” explained the De- mon Doctor. “He is always vigilant, and cannot be poisoned or shot, Some people call these devices electric burglar-traps, I prefer simply to think of them as something intelligent, so I call them my watch-dog.”’ What's his name?” ‘* Old Electricity, of course.” The Demon Doctor smiled grimly at the conceit, and Frank Trenton gave utterance to a careless, boyish laugh, more in keeping with his youthful ap- pearance than with the weighty business that he was in the habit of transacting in his daily life, The two soon stood in the yard outside the house, where the tremendous stature of the Demon Doctor towered high in the gloom above the slight figure of the boy, making the latter look by comparison well worthy of his nickname, **The Kid Detective,” But small and weak as the boy appeared to be, he took the lead in the expedition, the Demon Doctor following his guidance unquestioningly, +. Youfave never been very farinto the mine this way. have you?”’ asked Frank, “To the end of it,’’ was the reply. back a hundred yards or so.” Frank Trenton smiled, ““T see you don’t know as much about itas I do,” he said, ‘*thouzh I havent’t lived here for years, as you have. See?’’ The two had walked a short distance into the black hole, which, however, was brilliantly lighted by an electric lamp carried by the Demon Doctor on his bosom—the same light, by the way, that had so terrified Barney Driver the night before. ‘* Now, Pll show you something.”’ continued the boy, as, kicking aside some slate and dust in a cor- ner, he exposed a small trap-door, with a sunken iron ring. The trap was easily lifted, and the boy rapidly de- scended by means of a rude ladder, closely followed by the Demon Doctor. Hardly had they time to see that they stood in a long passage, some eight feet in hight, when a burly negro suddenly sprung from behind a wooden sup- port and made a lunge at Frank Trenton witha murderous-looking knife, Quick as a flash the boy drew his revolver and fired, the bullet striking the kn fe and sending it spinning from his assailant’s hand. ‘“* Doctor, [am glad I carried a pistol for once in my life,” said the boy, coolly, as the negro slipped around a corner and disappeared among the tortu- ous windings of the mine “It only runs CHAPTER VII. IN AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT, “WELL, be jabers, we are caught loike rats in a, thrap, sure,’’ was Mike Carroll’s exclamation, as he put his hands In his pockets and looked in comical dismay from one to the other. “Take this rope off me!”’ growled Barney Driver: to Oscar. “All right, boss, But who’s gwine to watch my man while I’m doing it?’ responded Oscar, nodding toward Lawrence Sinclair, who was evidently ready to take advantage of the first unwary movement on the part of his enemies. “Haven't you got a knife, and can’t you cut this. rope without taking your eyes off him?” asked Barney, impatiently. “Thrue for yez.’’ broke in Mike Carroll. “Cut his ropes! Bedad! he must be as stuff as a dead goose. I'll lend yez a knoife if yez haven't wan. Just take that gun away from the head av me, young man, an’ I'll take his ropes aff av him ina brace of shakes,” ‘Shut your mouth!” commanded eke b “There's ingratitood for yez,”’ responded the irre- pressible Irishman, “ Sure, I—” The colored man gave Mike a push that threw him over upon the heap of slate and rubbish, where he contentedly remained, with Curly Bob standing over him, pistol in hand. Two or three rapid movements of the negro’s knife, and Barney the Blacksheep was on his feet, with his bonds lying by his side, His first act was to step over to Mike Carroll and bestow upon him a hearty kick. dl ‘Ow! Ow! Phwat did yez do that for, Barnet: the Sure you're always shpitting yer shpaite on bones av me, widout any r’ason,” grumbled Mike. Barney did not condescend to answer, He pushed the table from the center of the room,, and, removing a piece of dilapidated rag-carpet, revealed a square, wooden trap-door, with a sunken ring, almost a counterpart of that found by the Demon Doctor and Frank Trenton in another part of the mine Barney was about to raise the trap, but paused as he glanced upward at the hole in the wall which had afforded ingress to most of the occupants of the “egy and to which repeated reference has been,