Beadle's Dime Library No. 152 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

Ss = > mg ae == = ae ee ae ee ee = ——— = Captain Ironnerve, the Counterfeiter Chief. that in reality, in that weird light, he looked a | had changed to a cold, intense, and frigid ici- veritable living skeleton. Upon his head was a crown, representing an enormous copperhead snake, coiled and ready to strike, and in his right hand he held a long polished rod of steel. Immediately at his elbow was a black dwarf, who looked as though he might be one of Sa- tan’s imps, and he was dressed merely in a tight-fitting suit of black. In front of the desk, on the floor, was something covered by a white cloth, but what it was Roebuck could not imagine. To say that he was not startled when the bandage was removed from his eyes would be telling an untruth, but being a man without nerves, almost, he quickly recovered himself, and looked as calmly upon the seene as though it was of every-day occurrence. True, he felt a chill creep up and down his back—and who wouldn't?—but it lasted only an instant, and then he felt his courage come back to him, and he was ready to face anything. Besides, the thought struck him that this was only their form of initiation tempered to try the nerves of the recruit, Slowly the master rose from his chair. ‘Philip Roebuck,” he said, in a deep bass voice, ‘“‘you wish to become a member of the Independent League?” “IT do.” The answer was firm and clear, witbout the shadow of a quiver in the detec- tive’s voice as he spoke. ‘‘ Are you prepared to take-the oath of al- legiance?” “ I am.” “You know the penalty of breaking that oath?’ “T can surmise it,” and Roebuck smiled mly. . “Tell him what it is, friends,” said the mas- ter to those assembled. ‘*‘Death—horrible death !” came unanimously from the twenty-six voices. “ As I thought,” assented Roebuck. ‘Once more; are you prepared to take the oath?” ac I am,” ‘‘ Let the oath be administered in due form, then,” The twenty-six men rose: silently and with one acvord from their seats, and advanced to the center of the room, until they formed a complete circle around the detective, then, at the word ‘‘Draw!” each man drew a long, gleaming rapier from their sheaths, and placed the points, sharp as needles, against his body. Not a word was spoken. The master came from bebind his desk, and attaching a small wire to the rod in his hand, handed it to Roebuck. *“Hold tbat in your hand,” he said, ‘To the other end of the wire you perceive con- nected to it is attached an electric battery. The current will be turned on gradually, but will slowly become stronger and more power- ful. If you can bear the full force I shall give you without flinching, it will be known that you possess sufficient nerve to become one of us; but if you flinch—and you have gone too far to draw back now—if you allow the shock to move you in any way, the twenty-six ewords which you perceive about you will simultaneously pierce your heart. Do you un- derstand me?’ **1 do.” “Then turn on the current!” Roebuck felt a slight shock rush through his body, aud he smiled to think how faint was its beginning, but he did not know what he would have to endure before it was over. Gradually it grew stronger, and he began to feel a twitch- ing in his museles, but he braced his nerves and resisted it. Stronger and stronger! His teeth were shut tightly together, and his brow wrinkled in the great exertion of bis will. Stronger, and still stronger! One arm was bent over bebind the shoulder, and each wrist looked as though broken, so cramped and out of place were they, and still he moved not. Stronger yet! The agony seemed more than he could bear, and yet he knew, to move, meant certain deatb. The cords of his limbs felt as though they were ready to snap beneath the tremendous strain placed upon them, and the veins in his forehead stood out like great purple whip-cords. Still stronger! ‘‘Oh, God! will they never desist?’ he thought, for human endurance could not bear much more. From the warm glow v. hich pervaded him when he first began to feel the flow of the current, his temperature ness, Still he stood bis ground. A murmur of approval went the rounds, ‘‘Four points stronger than any one has ever taken in this room,” said one, in a low tone to his neighbor, but so low that Roebuck could not hear bim, Stronger—stronger — still stronger! Roe- buck’s eyes were staring straight before him, but they looked sightless. He seemed to be raised nearly from his feet as the last shock was applied, and with one accord the rapiers were lowered, and the men drew back. Then the current was suddenly turned off. For a moment the detective’s body shivered as though freezing, then witha hollow groan he sunk in an inanimate heap to the floor. Several rushed forward and raised him, while restoratives were applied, while one and all looked upon him with mingled respect and admiration, for never had a member borne such a strain before. Slowly Philip came to himself, but weak and helpless from the great strain he had undergone, but when asked if he was ready to proceed, he smiled and nodded bis head. ‘Very well, repeat after me,’’ and this is the oath sworn to, every word rearticulated, though in a weak tone by Philip. “‘7] swear, by all the powers of good and evil; by all the things I hold most dear in Heaven or Hell; to forever uphold the Independent League —obeying their rules as now laid down; giving them all the assistance in my power, even to the forfeiture of my life in case of need, I will never prove false to my oath, and will forever obey the commands of the captain. ‘This oath is good for my natural lifetime, and should I break it, may the curse of God light upon me, forever and ever.” Will he keep it? We will see. After signing the roll in blood, drawn from bis owm urm, he was led away and put to bed. And the League returned to their work, sat- isfied that they had secured a valuable colleague, and a man of indomitable will. CHAPTER XXIII, RALPH IN DANGER, Wuen Dick Prince left the presence of Lil- lian Leonard, he wended his way straight to the depot, and purchased a ticket for Rich- mond, determined to return and doall he could toward the recapture of the supposed Captain Ironnerve. : With this object in view, be was not long in traversing the distance between the Richmond depot, and police head-quarters. Arrived there, he reported to the ‘‘ chief ” that he had been employed jointly, by several banking firms, to do all that he could toward the recapture of the noted counterfeiter, and in the event of his being dead, which, he said, was not believed, it was his duty to become able to certify to that fact. He wished to make a note of all the points the. chief could give him, and to that end, had come straight to him, , Now Prince was well known throughout all the force, as one of the sharpest, shrewdest detectives in the profession, and the man to whom he applied, did not for a moment doubt the veracity of the applicant. Accordingly, the book was taken from its shelf and ‘‘ Section 1344 ” handed him. It contained a minute description of Ralph Gordon, omitting no particular which might prove useful in the search for him. Hight, complexion, color of eyes and hair, voice, carriage, gait, and attitudesiv which he was accustomed to place himself; all were giyen with such a degree of correctness, that Ralpb’s astonishment would have been very great, could he have seen it. Prince’s eyes snapped, as he read. He knew then, what his game would be, Although he knew that Ralph Gordon was not Captain Jronnerve, he argued, that if he could put his hands upon him and deliver him into the clutches of the law, he would have no chance to come between himself and Lillian— at least untilthey were man and wife. ‘‘ It’s rather tough to send him to prison for acrime he never committed,” thought Prince, who, at heart was really a good fellow, but so inordinately selfish, that all the better impul- ses of his nature were eaten up by the mad desire, and unconscionable pleasure in pushing | eee ee eee ___..__.__ 1 of others, so long as they interfered in any way, with the carrying out of his own ideas and aims. ‘But Isee no other way in which I can possibly fix it,” he mused on, after once more reading the description through. ‘‘ That is, unless he conveniently turns up his toes, or that bullet of Skroogs did send bim to his Just account. Yes—yes! 1’ll have to do it, l'm afraid,’ and he sighed as you or I would sigh over a bitter dose of medicine, forgotten teu minutes after it is swallowed. How much more wicked is he, who does a wrong or sinful action deliberately; knowing that the right is as easy «f accomplishment, aud having the requisite ability to define the true difference of the terms, than he, who upon the impulse of a moment, commits a deed for which, even though undiscovered, he does pen- ance the remainder of his life. The person who deliberates calmly between the two paths —the straight, and the crooked—and finally inconsistently selects the latter, should be punished ten times more, than the one, who perhaps commits the very same offense against the laws,of God and man, upon the sudden im- pulse of a thoughtless monent. The one isa sinner against all the laws that apply to humanity, or in any way govern the actions of mankind, serving to carry out tle desires and aims of the Almighty according’ to the best conception we can put upon them, The other is a sinner, chiefly against himself, op- pressing others with the force of his wrong- doing, only in the abstract. Even the law— arbitrary as it is—recognizes this distinction, but not sufficiently for the safety of mankind in general, Thus it was with Dick Prince; at heart a good fellow enough, but, filled with a sudden desire for gain, given him by the embarrass- ments that were crowding in upon him, he could stifle all the better thoughts of bis soul, and calmly deliberate npon the most hor- rible kind of murder with which humanity was ever scourged. At last, having noted down with all care such facts as would be useful to him in his search, he left the head-quarters of police and betook himself in the direction of the prison. In a short time he had found Bernard Skroogs, and, leading him off to one side, said: “I suppose you recollect the night on which the counterfeiter captain escaped, do you not?” ‘*T reckon I d es; what of it?’ ‘‘T want you to give me the particulars of that event as correctly as you can.” ‘‘Say, mister, who be you, anyway?’ Prince showed his badge. “Ob!” said Skroogs upon seeing that, right. What do you want to know?’ “ Everything that you can tell me.” ‘“‘ Well, that’s precious little, unless you want his description, and I reckon I can give that as good as the. next one.” ‘-Pve got all. that,” said Prince a little im- patiently. ‘Commence at the night of the es- cape.” ‘“‘T reckon there ain’t much to tell, then. As soon as the alarm was given we all rushed to that side of the prison, and, when I saw he would get away scot free, I jest drew a bead on ’im, that’s all.” ‘‘ Are you sure you struck him?’ ‘Am I sure? Jumpin’ catamount! Of course ’m sure. I never missed a mark inymy life |” “Where do you think your bullet struck him?” ‘‘ Now look here, my covey!” said Skroogs clinchingly. “I don’t think anything about it: I know where it struck him,” ‘Where?’ * ‘* Exactly on the spot I aimed at,” ‘Where was that?” “In the heart, and I'll bet four to one you’d see a right smart hole through that article, if you had it in your hand.” ** Yow’re sure of this?” “Damn it, man! didn’t I see him chuck his arms over his head, and conflumix in the bot- “All | tom of the boat?” ‘To be sure—to be sure! I had forgotten. that,” and Prince smiled at the inordinate con- ceit in the keeper, forgetting that his own was fully as great. After questioning the man considerably more, he finally took his leave, and hastening across the city, reached bis own apartments, and seating himself, proceeded to study out the matter, as was always his habit, when un- himself to the front, irrespective of the rigats dertaking a difficult task. i fir Gomicbooks (E(0)