Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 880 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

“‘Lagree with youinthat. We'll go right there.” Their decision made, they turned their steps in the direction of the prefecture. The man who had drawn the red ball, by the way, was Emile Henry, the young man who bad been in the company of M. Breton. And Harry Freeman’s prophecy that an- other outrage would follow was destined to come true, in spite of the best vigilance the police could exercise over the Known Anar- chists. Before Bil'y and Harry reached their des- tination they were accosted by a young wo- man. At first they mistook her character, and tried to pass. “Listen to me,” she urged, holding to Billy’s sleeve. ‘* You two are true friends of Anarchy, are you not?” “*Ha! now you have our attention,” an- swered Harry, promptly, fearing that Billy would not understand, or that he would un- thinkingly deny that such was the case. ** We are such, mademoiselle.” “Then come with me,” she urged, eager- ly. ' “ Where to?” demanded Billy. “Toa place where I will take you. It is the command of the chief that you shall come.” Billy and Harry exchanged a glaace. This was quick work, for they had barely left the last rendezvous, and how had this girl found them?’ *“ Who are you?” asked Harry. ‘They call me the Queen of the Anar- chists.” ‘** And how did you findus? We left your chief only a moment ago.” ** Not our chief; you are mistaken in that.° ‘The man you just left was Paul Bernard.” ** Then who is your chief?” ** He is nameless.” “Well, we will go with you,” Billy de- cided, now thoroughly alive to the excite- ment of the game, ‘‘ You can tell us more as we go along.” “Yes, yes, 1 will tell you all about it, only hasten, for there is important work to be done, and seeing that you are strangers, the chief desires you to undertake it. Come with me.” CHAPTER V. THE QUEEN OF THE ANARCHISTS. THis young woman was good-looking, ‘with raven hair gnd flashing black eyes, and with lips which seemed to invite kisses, She was rather fancifully attired, as if she had taken part in the carnival demonstrations of the previous evening, and there was a warm flush of excitement upon her face. Broadway Billy and Harry set out with her ‘with no further delay. She tripped along rapidly, in another ai- rection entirely, and they had to do quick walking to keep up to her. ** What is yourname, Mademoiselle Beauti- ful?” asked Harry. “If I had none I would certainly come to you to be christened,” was the playful re- sponse. ** And why?” ‘ “think you would give me something romantic.” ‘* Because I caller you beautifcl? There is said to be nothing romantic about the truth.” The girl flushed a deeper red, but said no more, as if feeling herself unequal to the oc- . From Harry she looked to Billy. “You have not answered the question,” e had mastered the language well enough to understand and make himself understood. ‘* Well, my name is Fanchette Gillichon.” “And your father is Jacques Gallichon?’ a o © ~ ~-.--—e = * Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. og (Png “We know him,” said Billy. ** And I hope you will both know him bet ter, for he is a man who is true to his friends.” ‘Thank you; and we also hope to know more of his charming daughter.” She gave her head a toss, and said no | | Billy demanded. more. Harry and Billy talked together in low tones, useless, When they reached their destination they were no more enlightened than when they had set out, but both felt that they were pre- pared for any thing that might turn up. They were in a dismal street not a great | distance from the rendezvous from which the Anarchists had so recently taken flight. The girl mounted the steps of an old-fash- ioned house and opened the door. ‘“‘Come right in, gentlemen,” she invited, “and do not be alarmed. The hunted lions have to take shelter where they can find it, so do not judge of us altogether by our sur- roundings.” ‘You bave only to lead the way,” said Billy, boldly. All the same, he had his revolvers where hecould finger them quickly if he had to use them. ‘““You are brave,’ closed the door. ‘* Anarchists have to be brave, Mademoi- selle Fanchette, and we have been rocked in that cradle.” ‘“* Come.” She led the way along the dusky hall, and up a flight of quaint old stairs to the floor above. There it was even darker than below, for the queer old windows were so heavily curtained that daylight was almost ex- cluded. Near the top of the landing the girl threw open a door, entering a room that was well lighted, and in which some men were seated in easy and careless attitudes, The room appeared to be well furnished. “Come right in, gentlemen,” the girl in- vited, half turning. ‘‘ Monsieur the Chief, I have brought the strangers as you ordered, and they are ready to do your bidding.” She waved her hand toward Billy and Harry, who were just entering the door to- gether, They had their hands upon weapons, ready for treachery. Something happened, however, that was entirely unlooked for,and which took them completely by surprise. They were suddenly seized from behind by powerful hands. While a peal of merriest laughter broke from the lips of their fair deceiver, their arms were quickly pinioned. Not the slightest opportunity’ had been allowed them to defend themselves. ‘Ha, ba, ha!” the girl laughed. ‘‘ You could deceive my father, and Monsieur Bre- ton, and Paul Bernard, and all the rest be- sides, but you could not fool Fanchette, the Detective Queen. Ha, ha, ba, ha!” “Then it was you, was it,” thundered a man rising out of his place in a corner of the room, ** who brought the police agents down + a us, and laid the trap for the capture of onsieur Breton?” Billy and Harry were looking from face to face, as if utterly bewildered. ‘*We know not what you mean, sirs,” Billy said, in his broken way. ‘‘ We truly had nothing to do with the police agents.” ‘‘Of course not,” cried H , fiercely. ‘What do you take us for? hat is the meaning of all this fol-de-rol, anyhow?” ‘“‘How pretty! How pretty!” cried the girl. cla ing her hands withdelight. ‘‘In- eed, di s not know yuu so well, you would almost deceive even me.” she observed, as she wondering what could be in the’! wind now, but speculations were idle and | mm ee ee oe eee ie -~ TT Behe 4 hD Mg 42 ote, ora —. The man who had risen out of the corner was Jacques Gallichon. The two detectives were now able to re- cognize Pierre Marchaunt, Gilbert Plinquet, the hunchback Meumier, and others whom they had seen in the den where the arrest of | Breton had taken place. ‘* You doubt that we are Anarchists then?” ‘* There is no doubt about it,” laughed the girl, ‘*‘1 know you too well to be mistaken. You have forgotten the mysterious maiden of your latest case, who slipped through your fingers when you led the police to raid the counterfeiters’ crib, have you not?” Both Billy and Harry saw there was little use in trying to deny their identity further. While they had never seen this girl’s face before, they now knew who she was, as she revealed correctly something that had taken place in one of the cases they had recently handled. ‘But, mistaken you certainly are,” Harry insisted. ‘* Who do you take us to be, any- how ?” ‘Who, but Harry Freeman and the Ameri- can detective called Broadway Billy. I tell you you cannot deceive Fanchette, no use trying it on.” ‘* You are fooling yourself,” declared Billy. ** My name is William Mast.” ‘* And I am Henri Coutant, well known in London, and my name must certainly be on your list of the faithful. This is madness, young lady.” ‘* Well done, oh! so very well done,” the girl cried, laughing again. ‘‘ But it does not work with me. I know you, and that settles it. Father, they are the men I told you they were.” “Enough, my daughter,” said Jacques Gallichon. ‘‘ We will take care of them, and will give them a taste of our revenge.” ** You will repay them well for the arrest of Breton?” ‘* With double interest,my daughter. Your lover shall be avenged for whatever sentence he may receive.” ‘*] Know I can trust you to do it, my father. I only regret that I could not get the word to you sooner, so that you could have captured all the hated spies when they were in the trap.” ** You must be-a detective par excellence,” sneered Harry. ‘*The best detectives run against insur- mountable obstacles once in a while,” was the response. ‘‘ And the best fall into traps, too,” she added, spitefully. ‘*Go, my daughter, and leave us to deal with them,” said Gallichon. ‘“Yes, I go. Ta-ta, my dears,” blowing kisses to the two prisoners. ‘*I hope you may have a pleasant time of it. Ha, ha, ha!” Thus laughing, she closed the door and was gone. Her rich voice could be heard in song as she descended the stairs and made her way along the lower hall. No one spoke till she had gone from the house. ** Now, what have you to say?” demanded Gallichon, severely. ‘* What should be done with you, traitors?” ‘“* Before you do anything, just make sure that we are traitors,” said Harry. “‘ us, and see if you can find anything upon us to support the charge.” “Not likely that you would come to us with your ges on.” . *“‘And you take the word of that girl against ours?” ‘* The Detective Queen never mistakes.” ‘“* Well, she has made the mistake of her life this time,” declared Broadway Billy. *‘ No, for she never makes a positive state- ment unless she is positive. You heard — what she said. We know she is right, and bow it remains only for us to sentence you aud send you to your doom. Remember the fate of Vaillant! _ a. . oad <* * wd a all > - > A = ¢ . ¥