Beadle's New York Dime Library, Vol. XVIII, No. 232 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

4 excollent fam He | | Orson Oxx, THE MAN OF IRON; R THE RIVER MYSTERY, A Tale of the Metropolis. BY ISAAC HAWKS, EX-DETEOTIVE. CHAPTER I. A STARTLING OCCURRENCE. Amona the many passengers who embarked on board the ferry-boat New Brunswick, one August night, at the foot of Courtlandt street, was a young man who was one of the most magnificent specimens of physical manhood it is possible to conceive. He was over six feet tall, with massive shoul- ders, enormous chest, long limbs, whose knotted _ muscles were as hard as ivory, and a grace of ‘more than balf suspecty1, was at accidental! y?” movement which no lady could excel. His round, full eye was as clear as crystal, his eg beroulean; his activity panther-like, and his self-command perfect, He had never smoked pipe or cigar, bad never used tobacco and had never learned the taste of alcohol. Gifted by nature with an exceptional amount of strength and activity, be had cultivated it to the highest point, 90 that, physically, he was as — & wan as painter or sculptor could epict, master of the art of self-defense. Could he have beea induced to enter the prize ring no) living professional could have ‘‘ knocked him | out” in four or forty rounds. More likely the rule would be reversed, This man, who is to bear a prominent part in the incidents which follow, was fashionably | dressed in a low Derby hat, fine blue cheviot | suit, which fitted his splendid figure per- fectly. A large diamond sparkled in bis sbirt-front like a point of fire. He was Orson Oxx, the wonderful detective, sometimes known as the Man of Iron. He was highly educated and belonged to an ily. had aridented from college, and, while cesting about a brief while, before taking up the study of law, be became interested in a series of extraordinary crimes which baffled the skill of the most skillful detectives. Orson Oxx dipped into the singularly fas- cinating problem with much the same interest that be explored the realms of science, when a student in college, and he unraveled the mystery from be ing to end, S me months later he repeated the achieve- ment invan equally difficult case. These exploits estabiished the fact that he what may be called the trus detec- ve instinct, and he could have procured lucra- tive eng ents at Scotland Yard or in the Metropolis. On this mild summer evening, Orson Oxx was lo ng at the bow of the boat, with a number of others, who were looking idly off over the water with no special object in view, Orson was in a dreamy speculative mood —perhaps because of the coquettish look be- stowed upon him by a young lady just as they were stepping on the boat. It was a beautiful face—alwost an angel’s face, he told himself— which had impressed him deeply. He would never forget it—no, never! She was dressed in mourning, and he won- dered # she had lost a father, a brother, or—a busband? Not the latter, he thought; she must be too young to have been a wife, It was a dark night without any moon. Countless stars twinkled overhead, and the ts from the shipping, from the great city ey were leaving bebind, from that in front from Hudson City beyond, where they rose tier upon tier, made one think of sailing among the constellations and atars, Orson Oxx was on his way to Jersey City to call uponan old college acquaintance, who, he Long Brancb; but the ride across the North River was cool and ing, and hecared little whether he found him at bome or not. The New Brunswick moved out from the slip and had reached a point nearly half-way across, when a sudden commotion was heard at the stern, followed by the startling cry: ‘* 4 woman overboard !” The multitude swarmed toward the spot, and the swaying boat for a minute or so seemed in danger of swamping. But these craft are powerful and are made to carry a grest many people. OW ho is she?” “ Did she fall over?” ** Fool! bow can a person fall off a ferry-boat * Then she omer course. —— He was a trained athlete, who was absolute | | nated ‘* Why did she do it?” ‘* Nobody knows.” ‘* Who is she?” A score ef similar exclamations and ques- tions were beard on every hand, and as usual there were no clear answers to any of the former. Orson Oxx was among the first to push his way tothe rear o* t e boat. The captain bad signaled the engineer to stop. The bell tinkled, the engine paused, the bell sounded again, and the immense wheels began lowing backward, churning the salt water | into billows of foam. The enormous craft slowed, came to a stand- s'ill, moved backward a short distance, and then the engine stopped again. Every one who could reach the gunwales, was | peering out upon the water in the gloom. Orson Oxx, the Man of Iron. words he uttered to the newspaper man showed too great an anxiety to have the dreadful oc- currence published to the world. Asa rule it is our wish to conceal such ter- rible misfortunes from the public eye. Meanwhile every effort was made by the cap- tain and crew of the New Brurswick to rescue the young lady who had leaped into the river. The huge ferry-boat moved cautiously back- ward, her whistle blowing at intervals, while the deck-hands stood ready to assist the girl the moment she should be discovered, But the most careful search failed to reveal the dark figure floating on the surface, and there was a general sigh on the part of the pas- mt ‘*T think I’ll take a look at that old gentleman by gaslight,” muttered Orson Oxx, walking for- All were louking anxiously for a sigot of the | ward with thuse who had re-entered the cabin, figure which bad plunged over tbe stern. ‘‘Sbhe walked rapidly out of the cabin, stepped on the guard, and betore any one could guess what sbe meant, slie leaped over.” Such was the truthful description of an occur- rence, which, alas! is not very rare in thts strange tustling world of ours, ‘* Who was she?” ** Was she alone?” ** Who was her father? Who was ber mother? Had she a sister? Had she a brother? Or was there a dearer one Still, and a nearer one Yet, than all other?” From the jangling, confused accounts of the dreadful occurrence, the truth gradually came out. She was sitting beside an old gentleman in the ladies’ cabin, and they were talking earnest- ly together; they seemed to be quarreling; all at once she sprung up and walked toward the stern; he followed, but not fast enough to ever- take her; before he could prevent, she had leaped overboard. his grapbic account was given by an elderly lady to several listeners, among whom was son Ox. ‘* Where is the old gentleman?’ The informant pointed to a man who stood with his handkerchief to his face, as if to hide his emotion, Orsoo Oxx recognized him as the coinpanion of the girl dressed in mourning, As the group looked at him he lowered handkerchief for a momentand gazed out on the dark river, as if yearning for a glimpse of the a who was by his side only a few mioutes be- ore, Beside the old gentleman stood a dapper voung person, d ashionably and rather l udly. He bad a note book in his left band, and was busily writing with a lead-pencil in bis right. ‘‘What was the unfortunate lady’s name, please?” ‘* Miss Eva Hildreth.” ** Where from?” ** Poiladelphia.” ** Any relative of yours?” ‘‘Sne is my niece, sir; she and her father visited me some months ago in England; while there, he. that is Caleb Hildreth—my name is Ward Hildreth—took sick and died. Eva was the only child, and the loss of ber parent—ber mother being dead—has nearly driven her wild.” ‘*She was then a little off?” ‘* She was, most ur qnes‘ionably; her deep re- ligious feelings would never permit ber to oon- template such a deed were it otherwise.” * What were the immediate circumstances attending this melancholy affair?” ‘‘She had been acting strange all day; butshe seemed to become more quiet towardevening. I Or- | j i the | | where most of the passengers had gone, despite the warmth of the night. He instantly made an astounding discovery. The old man was talking in a low voice to two persons, and all three were standirg close , together. ; he detective instantly recognized these men oe . couple of the worst criminals in the coun- ry Their names were Hank Wagsnaff and Luff Swank. They had been engaged in burglary, highway robbery, and there was good reason to believe their hands had been stained more than once with blood, The fact that Ward Hildreth was in close | communion with two such wretches threw sus- | pieion on him at once. | ‘* More than likely this pocr young lady was ‘driven to suicide by that old sceundrel,” was the conclusion of Orson Oxx, who lhegan a maneuver with the pur pose of getting closer to the precious trio. The detective was not in disguise, and he therefore was backward about placiug himself under the glare of the gaslight, Withdrawing into the gloom, he watched them for a minute or two, during which the boat was moving toward the slip on the Jersey side, Suddenly they waiked forward and passed through the doors opening from the ladies’ cabin, Orson Oxx did not follow immediately in their footsteps, but he picked his wey carefully among the teams and horses in the middle of the hoat, until he reached the bow. One quick glance in the dim light revealed the figures of the three persors seated close to the door in the darkest portion of the bout. Confident they were men who hed awakened bis anepecton, Orson Oxx approached the rail quite close and leaned idly upon it, as though he were looking thoughtfully out upon the dari waters, But never was his acute sense of hearing strained to a higher point than then when Le heard the three speaking toget ber. And the detective, very properly was re- warded by overhearing several exceedingly sig- nificant expressions: * It was infernally risky.” ** She's the girl that’s got the nerve.” ‘* She’s a splendid swimmer and could keep ajloat an hour!” ‘*Tom Tit and Bilkens will be on hand.” “Dm afraid—” ; Orson Oxx could not catch anything more. The speaker suddenly lowered bis voice and the words were inaudible. ’ The others became silent and smoked their cigars, . But the listening detective had heard enough to set bis brain to work. Nothing was clearer was talking with ber very quietly about our | to his mind than that the suicide was a pre- journey bome, my object being to draw her | tended one. mind off her grief, when, without a word of | three men showed that they warning, she sprung up, and you know the rest.” | in some atrocious pict, in whi Tbe ubiquitous reporter seemed to have se- | | cured all the points he was in quest of, and moved cff. He had gone only a few ste ing past Orson Oxx. when » who called bimself Mr. Ward Hildreth caught hold of bis arm. ** Are you a reporter?” This was asked in a burried, eager voice, not unnstural, perhaps, under the circumstances. ‘Yes, sir.” ‘* Then it’i] be in the papers to-morrow ?” ‘* Most certainly; it will make a good item,” “Of course; such asad occurrence ought to be published, with all the particulars,” ‘Have no fears about that.” said the repre- sentative of the Associated Press, as he lit a cigarette, and mingled with the crowd. and was brusb- CHAPTER II. A MYSTERY. THERE was sometbing »bout this whole busi- ness which struck Orson Oxx as singular. He was a detective who, it may be said, al- | ways had his eyes and ears open, so that he was prepared for the development of crime at any moment, end under any circumstances. It seemed to him that the old gentleman who had lost his niece did not act naturally. The he old gentleman | The all-important words of these were conspirators ch also the woman No had leaped overboard was a leadivg 2ac- ress, As to the nature of this a be of course it wrs beyond the power of the detective with all his skill and finesse to make any conjecture, unti! be should receive more light. | s* ‘*] will not call on Hinzell ne muttered the officer, referring to his friend in Jersey City, “ but will see what I can see elsewhere.” A few minutes later the New Brunswick bumped into the ferry slip. As usual the bow struck sideways, the shock caused the ngers to stagger in the same direction and then, after a reversal of the engine, she swung sgainst the heavy planking. The men in blue shirts, with the name of the corporation owning them worked in white let- ters on their breasts, stood waiting; the big iron hooks were caught in the massive rings, tho wheels rattled rapidly, the men tugged at the spokes, the immense steed yielded to the bit in its mouth, settled slowly torest; the lattice-like ates closed together, as the plank was banged nto place, and the passengers bastered up the walk, soon followed by the tugging horses and eh wagons. mong the multitude, as a matter of course, were the old gentleman, Swank and Wogsneff, who, instead of returning, on the same beat, stepped into the adjoining slip, where another ‘icomicbooks.com er