Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 196 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

’ ee ar ey apnea ‘system of this horrible place to dress the un- ‘ word—the name, Morel!” i A ? _And then, to his surprise, the boat suddenly began to rock as though some one was Moving within it; then the flutter of a woman’s dress, anda young and beautiful girl, exquisitely ar- rayed in a neat charming boating costume, sat upright in the bottom of the craft and look- ed around her! At the same moment the prisoner had risen to his feet and being now able to look down into the boat, saw that the girl had been reclin- ing upon some cushions comfortably arranged in the bottom, so that she could enjoy a day- dream as she floated down the stream. ‘‘Oh! Tam nearly ashors!” she exclaimed, in | English. Again the heart of the prisoner gave a great leap. ** Ah, do you speak English?” he cried, in the same language. ‘Oh, yes, it is my native tongue,” ske replied, looking curiously at the questioner, and really in the rough, galley-slave-like dress which he wore, together with his bald head and unshaven face, he presented a strange and anything but an agreeable picture. ‘‘ Are you English then?” he asked. | ‘¢No, [am from Florida—an American,” ‘And so am I, and, at present, [ am in a most distressing situation. I have been the victim of a terrible plot, and am now impris- oned here in a private lunatic asylum.” The girl opened her peas magnificent eyes wide in wonder, and then looking up, caught sight of the sign which described the character of” Monsieur Peloton’s establishment, ‘¢ And you are not crazy?” she asked, a slight doubt perceptible in her tone, ‘‘Notin the least. Lam aware that my ap- pearance is against me, butit is a part of the fortunate souls who are confined here in this outlandish garb. Then, too, 1 attempted to es- cape when I was first brought here, and was shot down with as little ceremony as though I had been a rabbit instead of a human being. My head was shaved and my mustache and imperial cut off, my beard allowed to grow, and now I have no doubt that I look like any- thing but myself, but Lam not mad. Look at me carefully, young lady, and judge for your- self, Do you detect any traces of insanity about me?” ‘‘T do not, but then I am not certain that I am capable of judging about such a thing.” ‘‘Oh, believe me, miss, it is the truth!” the atient exclaimed earnestly, ‘‘and you would be doing a most charitable act if you would only aid me to escape.” ‘ But, all this is so strange,” the girl replied, evidently perplexed. ‘‘Why should any one wish to bring such a false accusation against you? What is the motive?” ‘¢T am as much in the dark in regard to that as youare. I cannot imagine except that the mission which brings me to this land concerns some people who might he willing to silence me if such a thing could be done without their agency in the matter being suspected.” ‘‘Tt is a strange land, and the French are strange people,” the girl responded, ‘I too have some romance in my life and even now I am concealing myself from the world by the advice of my lawnar, Monsieur Rinot—” ‘‘ What?’ cried the other, greatly excited, ‘‘is it Jacques Rinot of whom you speak —the cele- brated criminal advocate?” ‘“That is his name, I believe, and he is a re- nowned lawyer.” . ‘‘He is my friend—the only friend I bave in this country; and, miss, if you cannot aid me to escape—if you are not content to believe me when I say that I am not crazy, then in Heav- en’s name inform Monsieur Rinot that I am detained here, a helpless prisoner. He_ will come to my aid if you will speak but a single ‘‘ Morel!” exclaimed the girl amazed; ‘‘ why, that is my name!” ‘* Your name?” and the patient trembled with excitement. ** Yes, Tampa Morel!” “The Canghier of John Morel, of Tampa Bay, Florida, and his wife Palmetto, formerly Pal- metto Calhoun?” ‘‘ Yes, 1 am that child.” ‘“The heiress of fifty millions of francs?’ “ Yes, so-Monsieur Rinot says, although he fears that it will be a difficult matter for me to prove that I am myself, for all the facts con- cerning my birth are shrouded in the most dense obscurity.” . ‘Tecan render you valuable assistance; but, do not believe what I say; go to Monsieur Rinot and tell him what has happened to you to-.aay— relate how you found me here and leave him to act.” ‘ : ‘““Tndeed I will not, for I believe your words, and [ will aid you to escape from this horrid place if I can,” declared the girl, “And by so doing, miss, you will not only serve me but yourself also, as you will find. The moment is propitious; Iam unwatched, and by the aid of your boat can easily escape.” “Come then in Heaven’s name without delay!” ; She assisted the prisoner to enter the frail 25 La Marmoset, the Detective Queen. craft; then taking the oars, plied them with both skill and strength, while the fugitive stretched himself out in the bottom of the boat so as to evade discovery. Half an hour afterward he was safe in Mon- sieur Rinot’s country-house. CHAPTER XLL A TERRIBLE TABLEAU. Tuer plotters had provided for all possible contingencies, and so it happened that the bold attempt of the entrapped girl to escape from the snare into which she had been so easily de- coyed came to naught. The fumes of the powerful narcotic contain- ed in the vial soon overcame all resistance, and she reclined, helpless, in the arms of the cap- tain, The two conveyed her to a lounge and then hastened to the window, opened it and looked out upon the silence of the night, fearing lest her one cry of alarm might have excited the at- tention of some chance passer-by. Eagerly they listened, the r faces white, their brows compressed and their hearts beating rap- idly. Detection now signified the galleys and a long sojourn at Toulon, The risk they ran was a great one but the prize they hoped to gain was in their opinion worthy of it. Not a sound seemed to be stirring on the night air. ‘‘Hey, comrade, what think you? Is it all safe?” asked the captain. ‘‘Oh, yes; do you not think so? This isa retired spot, not two people an hour pass along the road after eight o’clock.” ‘She screamed like a madwoman, though.” ‘¢- Yes, but only onceand unless the alarm was repeated would any one be apt to pay any par- ticular attention to it? Would you, under like circumstances?” ‘“No, Ido not think I would,” the other ad- mitted. “'Tranquilize yourself, then; there is not the slightest danger; but, let us get off as soon as possible. Is the carriage in readiness?” ‘Yes; all ready.” “« Assist me then with the girl.” ‘ ‘‘Itis a bold game!” the captain remarked, as the two bent over the senseless form of the countess, ‘* And like all bold canes it is a very simple one, and therefore likely to succeed, I shall fee the railway eae and secure a compartment to myself, explaining that the lady, my wife, is very ill; then on the journey I shall keep her under the influence of the narcotic all the time until we reach our destination where all ar- rangements have been made for us. You see, I compromise the girl so fearfully that there is no future for her apart from me, “It is a magnificent plan and success seems certain,” the captain confessed, as he assisted to lift the girl from the couch, Straight toward the carriage, which was standing in front ef the garden gate, the help- less countess was conveyed, but, as the two came through ‘the gate, the sentinel who had been posted on the outside came up hurriedly. ‘‘Ware hawk! There is danger!” he ex- claimed. ‘‘ What is the matter?” questioned the prince. ‘“‘T caught sight of a dark figure skulking along on the opposite side of the road a moment ago. “The coachman jumped nimbly from the box of the carriage and came up to the group. ‘We must take to our heels!” he whispered, “for I fancy the game is up, I can see men gliding about in the darkness on all sides.” The captain grew more nervous, It was the first time he bad ever taken pers in any such big game as the abduction of a countess, and now Toulon loomed up before him with terrible distinctness. ‘(Can we not escape through the garden?” ‘Ves, yes, drop the girl and run!” the coach- man urged. ‘Oh, no! I have her, and by all the devils in the shades below I will hold on to her as long as I can!” the master-spirit of the enterprise re- lied. _ “Tr you are taken it will be your own fault then,” the coachman growled, ‘‘ But, let us be off, tor there is no time to lose,” And he was quite right, in fact there had been too much time wasted already as all of them soon discovered to their dismay. They had not taken three steps when they discovered a cluster of dark figures in front of the house. ‘Mon Dieu! gendarmes!” muttered the coachman, who was in the advance. ‘ Back! and take tothe open road; it is our only chance !”’ But, nv sooner had the party retraced their steps and passed through the gate than, as if by magic, a score of dark figures seeined to spring up out of the very earch. They were com letely surrounded. | ‘*Halt!” cried a stern voice. Two of the party, the prince and the coach- man, knew it only too well. It was the voice of Nicholas Morcel, Monsieur Preval’s best man, chief of the secret service! The game indeed was up! al a ee ‘The conspirators glared around them; not an avenue of escape seemed open. ‘*Surrender! You are surrounded,” continued the thief-taker. “To go back to the galleys!” cried the ‘*prince,” with sudden and ferocious rage. ** No, not while life remains!” And dropping his fair and insensible burden ruthlessly to the ground he drew a revolve from his breast and discharged it at the head of the police spy leader. Never in all his wild and desperate career had. . Morcel come nearer to death, for the bullet whizzed past within an inch of his head, cutting the tip of his right ear. The gendarmes were unprepared for this bold movement, for the pistol-shot was followed by a desperate dash of the insnared man throug the line that encompassed him, and for the mo- ment it epenren as though the movement, des- erate as if was, would be crowned with success >. ut Morcel, recovering from the amazement produced by the unexpected resistance, roared out to his men to fire upon the fugitive, and in obedience to the command a volley followed, The darkness prevented any accurate aim from being taken, for the gendarmes had only bo sound of the fleeing man’s footsteps to guide em. ‘Every bullet has it’s billet ” is an old saying, and seeming] M a true one, for, despite the dark- ness, one of the shots took effect; with a groan of despair the fugitive tumbled forward upon his knees and then rolled over on his side. When the gendarmes reached him and flashed the light of a lantern upon his face he was dead! A cry of amazement came from the lips of two of the bystanders as they looked upon the face of the stricken man. They were the Amer- icans, Dunbar and Gordon. ‘Is it possible’? Dunbar cried; ‘‘ why, it is. the Prince Peteroski!” ‘* Oh, yes, Viadimir Lavine, Prince Petercski, a Russian nobleman, with a rent-roll of a bun- dred thousand francs a year,” the chief of the gendarmes remarked. ‘‘The game was a bold one and he played it for all it was worth. I have been on bis track for a couple of years, but I was not able to discover who he was until recently.” ‘* He was an impostor then?” ‘Yes, no more a Russian than I am, but one of the most accomplished Chevaliers d’Industrie that ever existed; a Frenchman by birth, of low extraction and born on the estates of this lady whom he tried to make his victim. His right name is Alexander Castiglione, and his first ap- pearance in public life was when he was con- demned to the galleys for ten years, when noth- ing more than a boy, for an outrageous assault on the Count of Morel. Curse the scoundrel!” continued Morcel, ruefully, feeling of the tip of | his ear, ‘* barked ” by the bullet of the adven- gg ‘I believe the villain has marked me for ife,”’ | The presence of the two friends at this tragic: scene is soon explained. Upon their arrival at Paris their first call was upon the countess, and it so bappened they ar- rived at the Palace Morel about bulf an bour after Mademoiselle Morel bad left it upon her false quest, : At tue hotel they encountered the old lawyer, Chopine, who had called to see the young lady upon important business, and who was terrib’ annoyed to find she was absent, and his suspi- cions were at once excited when he discovered. that no one in the hotel knew anything about: the countess’s whereabouts, While he was. cross-examining the maid, who, he felt sure, knew more than she was will- ing to admit in regard to her mistress’s absence,. the Americans arrived, Terrified by their appearance, (for to her guilty mind it seemed a sure indication that the lot had been discovered ) she broke down, and hough inreality knowing but little of the effair, yet she revealed enough to give the police a clew —the more so as the secret service force bad been keeping a stringent watch upon the sup- osed Russian for some time. Little by little ‘ hey had torn away the network of lies by which he had surrounded himself, and now this bold performance gave them a chance to close in upon him, and quickly they improved the ss aah me “a n the person of the coachman, foo, the police im recognized an old acquaintance—Black Jean, ‘the Stabber,” otherwise, Jean Facade, host of the Red Goat. The spy disguised as a work- man, who had noticed the conversation between the disguised adventurer and Facede, had been | the agent who had tracked the prince to his. | doom, q | | CHAPTER XLII. | STRONG EVIDENCE, - | | As soon as be had his chain of evidence com- : plete, so that be felt sure he could prove the identity of the girl, Tampa Morel, the rightful heiress of the fifty millions of francs, Monsieur Rinot boldly threw down the gage of battle, In fact, so sure did he feel his case was a good one, that he took the trouble to call upon Cho- pine in person and tell him so: sinew ww * Elie! FE Gs Ww EE ]