Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 288 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

| | OD ee es ee eee so much as-a thousand dollars’ ‘the property missing. And I have a confession Electro Pete, t pocket for just sach emergencies soon opened the drawer nearest the top. In the drawer lay a carefully-coiled rope of silken twist with a smaller silken thread of strong texture attached. On one end of the rope was a spring that operated a number of claw-like hooks much like the patent fishing apparatus in use among the fishermen of some localities. | The larger rope lowered tbis contrivance; the smaller line served to spring the grasping claws. Anything ouce witbin the clutch of the hooks was sure to remain until released by the mani- pulator. : Thus provided, and with the openings in the ceiling, it Jad beep an easy matter to draw up the plundef from the room of Dimble, ‘* But the diamonds,” suggested West, while they surveyed the Italian’s mode of robbery. ‘‘ You recollect that the drummer said he had placed them beneath his pillow—” ** And [ have my opinion regarding that.” ‘* What is it?” ‘*T have ascertained that our friend Dimble is fond of a little toddy before retiring. He may not have placed the belt of diamonds under his pillow, as he asserted, though probably firmly believing that he did.” ‘* Possibly.” And West added: ‘* Shall we close in on the rogue?” ** Not yet.” “Why?” ** Because I have another thing to find out— a matter as much for the gratification of my own curiosity as anything else.” ‘“*] think I know what you mean.” ‘* That little business of setting bimself on fire whenever he gets in a pinch,” said Daniels, with a nod “Very well. And now I have something to tell you in turn—” ‘* Better get out of here. I don’t want to startle the fellow too soon. And there is an- other matter to be settled yet. I want to knuw how he gained access to the room of Oriele St. Dyer.” ‘You think it was he who frightened her by his ghostly visits?” queried West, as they left the room, after carefully hiding any possible trace of their presence. **Tt must be.” **] am inclined to differ with you.” ““Whatis it you have to say?” They were back in their own room, and Daniels closed the door, speaking in a guarded tone. ‘*T have seen the Jew. He's jugged.” ts Ah 1”? “The man hauled into the northeastern station is that very worthy individual. A greater portion of the missing jewelry was found in his possession and recognized by the eaptain from the descriptions we sent to all the stations. I judge that there is not now worth of from the man, Jacobs, which may result in my recovering that. I have enough ground, after hearing the confession of which I speak, for asserting that the man known as Electro Pete, and this fellow who gave us bis name as Pietro Idello, and who registers under the name of Calis Alfiero, are entirely different ns. “The trail is still tangled,” said Daniels bee a ‘* But of one thing I am satisfied.” at is that?’ _ “The girl who calls herself Oriele St. Dyer ‘is in danger of death at the hands of either Electro Pete or this Calis Alfiero; and Calis Alfiero believes her to be Anice Idello.” ‘* He is mistaken. Anice Idello is dead—mur- dered.” ‘* How do you know that?” “T have it from the Jew. She was killed b Electro Pete, and I bave information which will lead me to the place where she was con- ‘cealed by her murderer—the place into which she vanished when you and I went up-stairs in ‘the Thames street den and found her gone,” ** She is positively dead?” es So declares the Jew.” I will not believe it till [see her-— Sh!” Daniels paused suddenly and placed a finger ‘to his lips. Some one was moving about in the next woreThe Italian ‘The ” he whispered. Stepping to the keyhole, he looked through. The rece pn be beckoned his partner. for- -ward, and there was the light of a discovery in by. thout a word, W ; ord, West | Jooked tbrough to the adjoining ania. pep er og att was the tall and lightly built Ital- dan. 4e was scrupulously attired, and at the moment was drawing off a pair of colored kid gloves, while his long and curled-end mus- ¢ache curled still more ina Sinister smile that geemed carved into his peculiarly white face “Do you see anything?” whispered the voice iof Daniels in the looker’s ear. « | see the Italian.” ‘¢ Nothing else?” And be pursued in that low whisper that os —_— -— _ could not have been heard at a distance of two feet from his lips; ‘Gauge every outline well. I am about to point out something strange to you—something that I have only discovered myself within the past minute.” ‘* Ha!” fell from West. His partner’s words had sharpened the vision of the senior. “Well?” **T have made the same discovery, I think.” ‘* Name it.” ‘This man is not the one who came to the Agency.” . “True. And though he and that man are so alike that the difference could hardly be discovered, let me tell you that is not the same man who left that apartment a short time ago! And true it seemed to the watching detec- tive. Whoever the party now was who acted the part of the pseudo music-teacher, he was not the Calis Alfiero registered on the book of the hotel, not the one who bad come to the Agency to put the suspicion of a murder on Oriele St. Dyer as the girl who bad murdered her father before she renounced the name of Anice Idello. “Who do you imagine he can be?” ques- = West, stepping away from the key- ole. ‘*T am satisfied that there can be but one per- son who resembles our music-teacher: Electro Pete.” ‘*They must be partners in guilt then.” “Looks decidedly that way. And I think there is but one way to solve the mystery with- out closing in prematurely.” ** What is the way?” Ate — rere Idello must be found and her story ** But the Jew says she is dead to a certainty, and Electro Pete killed ber.” ‘*As I said before, I doubt it. ing that she is alive. ‘*Then we shall soon know.” ‘““Where are you going?’ as West made to- ward the door. ‘To the house on Thames street. Don’t let that fellowin the next room get out of your sight now even for a minute.” “Trust me,” returned Daniels, who forth- with prepared another disguise, while West de- rted to investigate the truthfulness of certain ce te he had frightened out of the man acobs, I have a feel- CHAPTER XXIL THE REAL ANICE IDELLO, SLEEPLESS trsilers were these two men, Mark Daniels and his senior, West. The latter hastened toward Thames street by a White Line car, which he took at the foot of St. Paul street. At the corner of Thames and Broadway, he caught sight of a man near the curb, whom he hailed, at the same time leaving the platform of the car. “‘ Any news, Lowry?” ‘* Nothing in particular, I have just put ona fresh man,” ‘Only one man there?—there ought to be two, one at the front and one at the rear.” ‘**So there bas been all night; 1 bave been the second man myself.” + Good ”? ‘“* There’s no need of two by daylight. Come this way and I'll show you.” The man called Lowry led the way to a tall warehouse that adjoined the premises of the den. From a small window in the fourth story a man was watching the bounds of the junk-shop; and West saw that nothing could transpire at front or rear without this spy being able to see it trom his favorable concealment. ‘Several persons have been to the small door in the large door of the junk-shop at the front,” said Lowry, “but 1 suppose they were only intending customers, and they went away when they found the place locked up.” “ Perhaps they were. But you saw nothing particulary suspicious?” * Nothin ” In West's mind he was satisfied that those who had come to the shop of Jacobs were either some of the wharf rats, or part of the gang that _— the bunko game in the rear of the dwel- ng. ey am going into that house,” he said, to the shadow on watch. ‘I do not anticipate an trouble that I cannot get myself out of; but if you bear a revolver-shot, come in, if you have to batter down the door, for it will mean that I am in a tight squeeze.” * All lent, . West.” With this little precaution, West descended from the warehouse and proceeded around to the rear of the junk . A little to his surprise, be found the gate un- latched. : Boldly entering the yard, he advanced to the side door, | This was fastened. “ Ab, the cellar,” he thought. ‘‘But let me he Man of Fire. — — ow — — 17 be a little more careful than I was before. I bave no desire to undergo so narrow a shave for my life as I did here yesterday. It is no gang of novices I am dealing with.’ West was now prepared to carry on an inves- tigation with some conveniences, and in an en- tirely different manner than that which had marked his first entrance into the dwelling of the Jew. Descending into the cellar, he paused to turn on his dark lantern, and flashing this ahead, he went up the joisted stairs, stepping lightly from force of habit. In the room above, where we have seen him on a former occasion, be found the yawning trap in the floor, from which he had been so providentially rescued by Daniels. A tomb-like silence prevailed, and he turned the lantern hither and thither in the darkened room, before advancing further. Through the shop he went; and his keen eyes saw something that was momentarily arresting. There was a bareness, contrasted with the re- cent appearance of the place when he and Dan- iels had last been there. ‘* Ah, yes, it is no gang of novices. Notwith- standing I have had the place so closely watch- ed, there bas been somebody here and they bave removed something from this sly fence. But now for the secret room the Jew spoke about!” Tbrough the shop and up the stairs he went, the lantern raying brilliantly before bim; and he confessed to himself that he had some appre- bhension of another trap at every step. In the second-story room where we have seen him and Daniels nonplused by the disappear- ance of the girl, Rache!, be strode to the center of the floor, and the lantern was turned slowly along that portion of the wall which was direct- ly opposite the door. While doing this, be was muttering: ‘*The fourth panel inthe papering. A button about breast high, half-concealed by the natural shadow or shading of the stripes in the paper— Ha! there it is.” He stepped briskly toward a tiny button that was Visible plainly to one who might be looking for that very thing, and in following the in- struction that had been part of that confession of the Jew, pressed on it stoutly. So far the Jew had spoken the truth. Instantly a slide in the wall moved aside, and he saw beyond another apartment. Into this he stepped. And the first thing he saw almost brought a cry from bim. n the center stood the girl, Rachel. Sight of her produced upon bim the same ef- fect it had upon Daniels. He would have sworn that in her be saw Oriele St. Dyer. She was erect. Her face was very pale, On her brow there was a trace of a recent wound. She gazed at the detective steadily, and he perceived that she was endeavoring to control some great inward excitement. For a few seconds a mutual silence reigned. The girl was first to speak, and in a strained way! ‘* Well, sir?” Her voice broke the spell that had momenta- rily held the detective. ‘So, you are not dead, miss?” ‘‘Dead? I do not understand you, sir. Who are you? What do you want here?” There was an attempt at naturalness in the delivery of her speech, but it could not deceive him ‘*Come, miss, there is no use in you and I beating about the bush. Iam looking for you.” ‘‘ Looking for me,” in a visible trepidation. * What do you want?” ‘*T want to know who you are.” ‘“‘T am Rachel, the daughter of Simon Jacobs, the Jew—” ** Oh, no, “ip are not.” ‘* But 1 tell you [ am!” with some vehemence. ‘* My girl, lam a detective. [am unraveling a mystery. IL say I am uovraveling it—not merel ing. Come, you might as well come out plainly with me, for I shall not leave the trail I am on until everything is made clear.” Rachel clasped ber hands in a manner that West took to be an evidence of some great in- ward struggle. This she mastered in the next second, and taking a step forward said: ‘Sit down, sir. If you are a detective, I will answer anything you may question me about, if it is in my power.” She pushed forward a chair, and West was — too intent with watching her face to notice that she placed the chair on a small mat, and that the bottoms of the legs of the chair were set in glass adherent cups. He sat down. She drew another chair near. ‘+ There is a considerable mystery attached to you,” he said. ‘What like, sir?” ; ‘* You look very much like a the authorities of the Italian capital are offer- ing a reward,” ‘* What has she done?” ** Murder,” ‘*¢ And you think I am the girl?” | ‘That is just what 1 wish to find out. Be COME SiGO e¥.» JOO irl for whom | ee ” ewe <r Re Ee , - , 4 a yo > 6a ee ee