Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 774 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

casually, one would not have suspected he was one of the most famous ‘‘ rogue-catchers” un- connected with the regular detective force of Gotham. Yet such was the case, Calvin Caréer—known to friends an: foes as ** Clear-Grit Cal”—had made an enviable repu- tation for himselfas an ‘‘independent detec- tive.’ In him were combined skill, courage, sbrewdness, perseverance and honesty, This lat- ter quality is confessedly something out of the common order of things in private detectives, although there are certainly a fsw—a very few —honest men who are privates, But it is really a wonderful thing to find one who is both honest and wel! up in bis busi- ness, Cal did not have to ring at the door of the mansion, although he had put out his bana to do 80. The door was opened, as if bis appearance was expected. Such was really the case, ** Are you the detective?” sé I am,” Then he was ushered into a room where a ray-bearded, dark-clothed man seemed waiting or bim, This man arose, ‘You are Calvin Carter?” ‘* That is my name, sir.” ‘*T am the family pbysician of the Scudds; my name is Andros.” The detective bowed. “Tt isa terrible affair, sir,” contiaued the hysician, after acknowledging the bow by one in return, ‘* You may have heard of Captain Scudd?” ‘**T have,” ‘* At his request, I have made no more inves- tigations than were absolutely necessary, for he wished you to see everything exactly as they were at the time of young Thornton’s death, The police bave not yet been notified,” ‘*] beg your pardon, sir, but I really know nothing of what bas occurred. The messenger requested me to come here without a moment’s delay, which I was able todo. No reasons why I should come were given. Will you be kind enough to tell me what has happened?” At this the doctor seemed very much disturb- ed. He walked nervously about, rubbing his bauvds together excitedly, before replying. Sud- denly be paused before the detective, saying, with forced deliberation: ‘‘Tam not ready to say what has happened, sir, but there isa dead man in Captain Jobn Scudd’s room which he uses as a private office.” ** Captain Scudd—” ‘Ts all right,” ‘* Who is the corpse?” ** His nephew.” 46 Ab 9 Dr. Andros went on swiftly, as if that exclam- ation bad been something like an accusation: ‘*T do not know what happened in that room, but I wish to say right here that Charley Thorn- ton was highly respected and beloved by bis un- cle, and Captain Scudd is quite prostrated by the terrible shock.” ** How did he die?” “* He has a bullet in his brain !” Calvin Carter did not betray any surprise at this statement, for he was half-expecting some- thing of the sort, ‘““ Where is Captan Scudd?” “In bis private room, He has a little organic trouble, and I almost fear this affair will prove too much for bim, He is quite broken up at present, and he was forced toask meto meet you and show you everything.” ‘* Then take me to the corpse.” ** Come,” The physician led the way from the parlor, and they passed toaroom that was something like a combined library and office, It was finely furnished, showing the owner of the mansion had a taste for luxury evenin a ‘‘den” for bis own especial use. There were shelves for books, a table, a desk, chairg, etc, Three or four costly paintings hung on the walls. These were all marine views, .In one corner hung a cutlass and a brace of old-fashioned pistols, bove the desk was a miniature full-rigged ship, a skillful and dainty piece of work that must have cost mapy weeks of patient, painstaking labor. The detective’s eyes seemed to take in every- ap bo a glance, and he saw a couch on which lay the figure of a young man in a posture that could not be termed one of repose, for it seemed ready to slip to the floor, Clear-Grit Cal went directly to the couch and looked into the face of the dead, for the young man had passed into the ‘* Great Unknown,” LL f, Me I‘, | - ’ . - +A P «> iy ’ . - aed ws ‘ ee ; ath Be +, s Va sé! 4 . Ph aoe |, *) Oa, it i. DO. rere * a 7” Ma HOS te eS 7 eee. Clear-Grit Cal. Despite the position of the body, the face of | the young man was in perfect repose and the eyes were almost closed, But for the tiny round hole near the right temple, he night have seemed asleep. On the floor, about three feet from the couch, lay a bandsome revolver. Carter again looked searchingly about the room before be touched a thing, Dr, Andros stood in the door. ‘* Has anything been disturbed since the corpse was discovered?” asked the ferret, ‘* Not to my knowledge,” was the reply. Cal observed the position of the revolver and noted it lay with the muzzle toward the couch, It might have fallen from the hand of the dead and— No! The right hand of the corpse was par- tially beneath the body! The detective scowled a bit as he noted this, ‘* Conie here, doctor,” The pbysician came to his side, ‘* You say you did not disturb anything more than was necessary in making your investiga- tions?” ‘That is what I said, sir.” ** Did vou move the body at all?” ‘* Not in the least.” ‘This right hand—was it in that position when you first came?” ‘* Tt was,” ** The bullet seems to have entered at a spot that must bave brought death instantly?” ‘* You are right—it did.” ‘*The young man would not have stirred after the shot was fired?” “No,” ‘** Not in the least?” ‘No more than a tremor,” ‘* He would not have started up and then fal- len back in his present position?” *' No, sir.” Cal again looked at the revolver on the floor and surveyed the position of the corpse. Then he knelt and examined the wound. inches of his head when tke shot was fired,” he said, The doctor nodded, ‘** You think it was suicide?” ‘**] did not say so, sir,” the detective replied. ‘**T would like to examine thut weapon, but, if it bad not been disturbed, I should prefer the coroner to see everything.” ** Is there no way this affair can be kept from the newspapers and the public?” Cal looked at the physician in surprise. ‘‘Is it possible you understand the boasted enterprise of New York newspaper's?” he ex- claimed, Tbe doctor winced a little, and the ferret swiftly added: ‘*Here is a sensation; nothing can keep it from the papers. Why, sir! this may be mur- der! Dr. Andros recoiled. ‘** [mpossible!” For a moment the detective’s eyes were half- closed, and he looked searchingly at the pby- sician; then he deliberately put a question: ** Are you ready to make oath this is suicide?” The physician drew himself up rather stiffly: **T am not here to decide that,” he said, ‘I am simply Captain Scudd’s private medical at- tendant, 1 have ascertained beyond a doubt that the youth is dead, and, as I can be of no aid to a dead man, my service ends, It is for the coroner to say whether this is a case of sui- cide or not,” ‘Exactly. And do you think you will find a coroner ready to keep this matter private?” ‘* Money will do almost anything, and Captain Scudd is a wealthy mau.” Cal was silent for a moment, looking straight into the doctor’s face, and then he said: ‘*T should not advise Captain Scudd to at- tempt to keep this quiet, [ know it may hurt his pride to have it made public, but it will look very bad if he tries to cover anything up.” ‘* And he sent for you for the very purpose of investigating this matter quietly.” ‘¢] will do so as quietly as possible, but this story will have to go to the papers, I have not learned any of the particulars, but it strikes me there may be a mystery here,” The doctor was silenced, Cal drew the physician to a chair. ‘* How Jong ago was this young man found?” he asked, ‘* Not more than an hour,” ** Who discovered him?” The doctor hesitated and couched behind his hand, at the same time looking sbarply at Carter from beneath his busby eyebrows, ' ‘Tbe muzzle of the weapon was within six i ee ‘* Well, the fact is—ahem!—that the captain you see he—he was—ahem!— Confound it!” Cal was surprised at the sudden display nervousness on the part of the physician, and wondered why the man could not come to ! point at once. Why should he seem so broken over a simple question? ‘*The captain was what?” ** He was in this room when the discovery wa made,” “Then he discovered the corpse?” sé No,” ét No?” ** He did not,” ‘“*Then who—” ** Mrs, Scudd,” *The captain’s wife?” “te Gaile: ‘* Explain,” ‘* Well, she happened to want to see her hus PRS Pe ee aud she came to the room,’ ** Y es, ‘* She rapped on the door,” ** Go on.” ‘*The first time she rapped there was no re- sponse,” ** She repeated the knock?” ** She did.” ** And then?” ‘* Her husband’s voice asked who was there.” ‘* He was within the room?” ** Yes, sir.” Detective Carter scowled again, as was his babit when he struck anything a bit puzzling, ‘* What followed?” ** Mrs. Scudd asked to be admitted. The cap- tain asked her to waita moment, Pretty soon she heard the key turn in tbe lock.” Cal bent forward in bis chair, bis face sudden- ly becoming very grave, ‘She beard the key turn in the lock?’ he echoed, plainly surprised at that, ‘‘ Then the door was locked from the inside?” Dr. Andros was very pale, for he understood the detective’s thoughts, but he was forced to reply: ** Tt was,” CHAPTER II, ‘* WHAT THEN—WHAT FOLLOWED?” ‘* THIS is becoming interesting,” declared Cal- vin Carte. ‘‘I vhought I scented a mystery, Go on; what followed? The physician cleared his throat. **Captain Scudd opened the door,” he said, speaking a bit buskily, ‘‘and his wife entered, She noticed Charley Thornton on the couch, and she asked what was the matter with him, The captain seemed surprised, replying that he did not know anything was the matter. He said Charley was not feeling well and bad Jain down to rest.” The detective was drinking in every word, i seemed impatient when the doctor used, ** And then—what?” . ree Sag saw the revolver on tbe floor.” ** Ah! “She uttered a little cry and pointed toward it, The captain started forward in amazement, staring atit. ‘ Why, itisa revolver!’ he cried, But bis wife’s eyes had become fixed on Thorn- ton’s face. ‘Heis dead!’ she.gasped. The doctor’s manner was so realistic that he seemed to paint the whole scene with those few words, He went on: ‘‘I1t was a terrible discovery. Mrs, Scudd nearly fainted, and tbe captain could scarcely believe the evidence of his eyes, He was so astounded he could not speak for some time, and then horror overcame him,” ‘* But I cannot understand this,” said the fer- ret, knitting his brows. ‘* He was here in the room with the corpse, you say—locked in ?” ** Yes,” ‘‘And yet he did not know the young man was dead?” ** No.” ‘* Huab!” There was something strangely expressive about that exclamation—both amazement and doubt were mingled. The physician hastened to say: ‘“*T know such a thing seems quite impossible, but—but—” ** What?’ ye have the utmost confidence in Captain udd, Carter lifted one hand, ‘“‘That may be true, but it will bave no bear- ing. on the case,” he doctor arose to his feet, plainly touched to the guick. | ** Have you formed an opinion thus soon?’ he com iCbooks.«