Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 774 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

ed * fom J . te fe? P {0 P ’ . a fo : f 2 ous jaid out some new plans. His first move was to have another brief talk with Captain Scudd, during the course of which he asked: ‘* Did you always allow Charley Thornton all the money he wanted?” ‘No, sir—no!” was the instant reply. ‘‘ Not always.” ‘‘“Are you aware that up to a short time ago he has ever been supplied with plenty of mouey ?” ‘‘It was always my intention to keep him supplied with all the morey he needed, sir,” re- torted the captain, and Cal fancied he sought to avoid the question. ‘‘But he bad more than he needed. He “blew in’ large sums. He bet on the races,” Captain Scudd said nothing. ‘“This money came from somewhere,” con- tinued Cal. ‘* He was never very fortunate at the gaming-table.” ‘‘ At the gaming-tabJe? Sir, do you mean to insinuate my nephew was a gambler?” ‘* No, he was not a gambler—he was a pigeon for the gamblers to pluck.” ‘‘ Perhaps he occasionally indulged in a social game with some particular friends, Cards, sir, are very fascinating, sir. I sometimes take a band in a friendly game of draw.” ‘*You are a manof mature judgment; your nephew was a youth withehot blood in his veins, You can do things that would not be advisable for a young man,” ‘*T fatter myself, sir, I have a very good con- trol over myself. I know the limit,” ‘‘ Well, that is more than most young men know. But we have drifted from the question. How did he obtain so much money?” The captain hesitated, looked around the room, then drew his chair nearer the detective, ‘“‘T have a confession to make,” he said, in a low tone, ‘‘I suppose 1 must have given him whatever he had, though I did so during my spells of absent-mindedness, for I am sometimes troubled with such spells. I havea little safe where I keep a certain amount of ready cash on hand, and I drew on that sum severaltimes, I suppose be bothered me, and I did it to get rid of him, Yes, sir, yes—that must be the explana- tion, It was folly on my part—I[ know it, sir. Don’t speak of that. I hardly knew when I gave him the money, but I afterward found it one, ‘And you never suspected him of appropriat- ing anything without your know ledge?’ Captain Scudd’s face grew crimson, and he lifted his somewhat unwieldy body from the chair. ‘*Sir,” be gurgled, as he stood before the de- tective, ‘‘do you mean to insult the memory of my dead nephew? He was the scul of honor, sir! Egad! I tell you I gave him the money! That settles it, sir! And it did. Cal pacified the indignant captain and depart- ed from the house, more than ever realizing how wonderful was the mysterious power with which the beautiful Mrs, Scudd ruled the man who was utterly unconscious of her control over his thoughts and actions. CHAPTER XV. THE SUSPENDED SWORD. Tue funeral of Charley Thornton took place and three days went by. Then came the arrest of Captain Scudd! He was charged with the murder! Although be knew such a thing was impend- ing, the arrest occurred at a moment when it was least expected by Detective Carter, The captain was committed, and Cal visited him in bis cell. He found the old salt in a state of utter despondency and despair, ‘‘T am very sorry, captain, that anything so regrettible—” The unfortunate man checked him with.a ges- ture, ‘It had to come,” he said, huskily. ‘‘I knew it must come, I wondered wby they did not ar- rest me before. It looks mighty black for an old man like me!” ‘* But you are innocent—” ‘+ Am 1? The question startled Cal, He looked sharply at the captain to see if he really intended it for a preter or an exclamation, The old sailor saw that look, and be slowly said: ‘‘ Perhaps you may think me innocent, but J am not so sure of that,” Cal made sure no one was listening, The mat- ter bad not come to such a stage that the guard was obliged to remain in the cell with visitors, and the detective decided they could converse guardedly with no danger of being overheard. — a rn ce ee ee ees . ee —_—_—_—_—_—_—_e www SS a... sc. .sS\=.—.°.°.=F - - c=... ee sn sn ee ee Clear-Grit Cal. ‘‘ Look here, captain,” he said, ‘‘ just what do you mean by that?” ; But the old salt only shook his head, “Are you allowing me to work in the dark when you might aid me by a few words?” asked Cal, reproachfully. ‘*‘ What do you mean by saying you are not sure of your own innocence? e are alone and will not be overheard, so you can speak out, Is there anything you have concealed from me?” ‘*Intentionally I have concealed nothing, sir; but you know I have been unable to give an account of what occurred between the time l started to leave the reom after my nephew de- clared he thought himself drugged and the mo- ment when my wife rapped at the door. What did I do during that time?” Captain Scudd looked helplessly at the detec- tive. ‘* Captain,” said Cal, gravely, ‘‘I bave a bope of discovering exactly what you did while you were in that room with your nephew,” ‘Tf you only can— But how?” ‘*T believe there isa way.” ‘* You do not think I am deceiving you—you do not think I am lying about this?” ‘*T believe you are telling the truth.” ‘¢ Thank God for that!” ‘‘ The case certainly is a strange one; but there must be some way to solve the mystery.” ‘*T have a terrible fear.” The captain lowered bis voice still more and gazed at Cal with eyes in the depths of which there was something like a haunting dread. ** What do you fear?” ‘‘The very thing | long to know—the truth !” ‘é Why 4” ‘* Because it seems so black against me now, If I was alone with poor Charley all that tims and he lay in a drugged and unconscions condi- tion on that couch, who but I could have taken his life?” ‘* Why should you do such a thing?” ** God only knows!” ‘Do you still deny that the revolver found on the floor is yours?” ‘Certainly Ido, I never saw the weapon be- fore my wife pointed to it.” ** But your own weapon is missing from your desk,” “*T know,” ‘* What can bave become of it?” ‘*T cannot tell, It is a mystery to me—as much as to you, You do not seem to be making much progress on this matter. Are you baffled? If so, say so, like a man.” To this the detective calmly replied: ‘‘ Everything cannot be accomplishel in such a very brief space of time, Rome was not built in a day, you now, I will tell you nowl am making progress, If you knew ail I have dis- covered your astonishment would be boundless, — Captain, though I do not know who fired the shot, I know exactly who the real murderer is !” Captain Secudd caught his b eat and stared at Detective Carter in a state of absolutely speechless wonderment, To him the statement he had just heard was utterly paradoxical. How could any one know who the reul murderer was and not know who fired the shot? Although bedid not betray it, the detective was not a little amused by the astonishment of the oldsailor. He fully appreciated the captain’s wonder. ‘‘Itis true,” he affirmed, nodding his head, ** But although it is true, 1 am not ready to con- vince the world of its truth. First I must be ‘certain who fired the shot.” ‘* But wh-wh-what cap you mean?’ faltered the dunffounded captain, ‘* Just what I said, captain—no more, no less,” ‘* But such a thing is utterly impossible!” ‘*It may seem so, but if is not.” It was some little time before the captain re- covered sufficiently to carry on the conversa- tion. Suddenly, Cal turned on him with: ‘* Captain Scudd, this has been a severe blow for your wife.” ‘*That is true, sir—that is true. Poor Milly! She really thougbt a great deal of Charley. They always got along very well together, Thev used to sing together and talk of books and horses and dogs and all that infernal nonsense.” ‘“There was never any trouble between them?” ' rrouble? No, sir—not to my knowledge, sir, ‘‘ Have they been as good friends of late as they were a while ago?” “Well, 1 guess so, I don’t know,” speaking slowly, ‘They have not been so much together pean but I think they have remained just as r good iends,” ** You are certain your wife did not dislike the a 1 ry «| * Ee eee eee _ _____...._ A ————————————— — So >» rt ° 7 - a 9 } * Fy ‘ Ss! p . * * re) ® ¥ = * * > “ 8 J ; *, - sg i ‘ d = Ss young man? He had given her no reasons hate bim?” ‘*Ob, no, no! Charley was not a boy to offend ‘q alady! Iam sure there was notrouble between them. But what makes you ask such questions? Surely, sir, you—” He stopped, gazing sharply into Cal’s face; then he suddenly cried: “If that is the line you are working on, sir, you may as well drop the whole matter! You are simply wasting your time and robbing me of the money I am forced to pay you!” ‘* You are inclined to jump ata conclusion too quickly, captain.” ‘Then lam mistaken—you are not working from that standpoint, sir?” ‘*T am working to get at the truth, and 1 have not lied in telling you I know the real murderer. You must trust me, captain.” Cal decided it could be of no advantage to talk longer with the captain, so, after cautioning him aguinst talking in a way that would give anyfone the belief that be thought himself guilty, he left him, passing the old sailor’s lawyer in going out, From thence he went directly .to Captain ae home, He wished to have a talk with lie, There was a flush of excitement on the girl’s face as she appeared before him, ** Oh, I am so glad you have come!” she softly cried, ‘* Look at this!” And from a place of concealment she produced and held up a large revolver. ** Hallo!” exclaimed the detective, ‘‘ Where did you get that?” ‘“In Mrs, Scudd’s room,” ‘*Ab! Let me see it,” Carter examined the weapon. | ‘*Rather heavy for a lady,” he commented, speaking more to himself than his companion, ‘*T do not find any marks uponit, Where was it kept?” ‘* It was hidden beneath her dressing-case.” ‘*So-so! How did you discover where it was?” ‘Mrs, Scudd talked in her sleep, She has a nap every afternoon, especially if she happens to rise uncommonly early, To-iay sbe muttered something about the revolver under the dressing- case, I found a chance to investigate, and this is what I discovered.” As he looked the weapon over, Carter decided it was the une that was missing from Captain Scudd’s desk, Why was the weapon in Mrs, Scudd’s room? His mind ran over a possible so- lution. Charley Thornton had been murdered with anotber weapon, but the one who did the deed wished it thought be was killed with the cap- tuin’s own revolver. It would not do to fire a second shot and so empty a chamber in the load- ed revolver, for there was a possibility of arous- ing the house. Besides that, the bullet must lodge somewhere, and a keen-eyed ferret might discover where, That would show two shots had been fired, but the revoiver would only have one empty chamber. If the revolver with which the murder was actually committed was left and the captain’s weapon removed, it might be that the captain’s assertion concerning his not owning the fatal weapon would bé disbelieved, It might seem like a sballow trick to get out of the trap into which he had fallen, This seemed fairly reasonable. Cal examined the weapon till he was certain he could describe it accurately, and then he bad Ollie do the same, ‘Now I want you to‘return it to the spot from whence you took it,” he said. ‘“*I think it suight prove of some importance, but rather thav alarm my lady by its removal, I will run the risk of her finding a way to get rid of it. She must not be alarmed now,” So the revolver was restored, and the beauti- ful sorceress remained unconscious of the sword suspended over her by a Single hair. CHAPTER XVI. PICKING UP NEW POINTS. CLEAR-GRitT CAL did not leave the house without baving a talk with Lizette, the French maid, and that talk was of immense import in the solution of the vag ‘ “ Lizette,” he said, ‘‘does Mrs, Scudd ever have visitors whose presence in the house is not known to her husband?” ** Oui, monsieur—one,” “Ha! Who?” ‘* Her brozare.” ‘* Her brother?” Lizette nodded. * * . . Pols “3 ' "x man y elt Biles 5 al rs > a oe i. AN hy eid b Lan, Coil peal ald “N LJ od ay + ae de .* i Ld 4 ty — — —~ =e = J f ‘ ‘ F Ps s » - ° < ~ Nes 4 — P ts oks.com