Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 288 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

——s - Electro Pete, THE MAN OF FIRE: OR, The Wharf Rats of Locust Point. A Baltimore Detective Tale, BY ANTHONY P. MORRIS, AUTHOR OF ‘‘THE MASKED MYSTERY,” ‘* HANK HOUND,” “ THE MAN SPIDER,” ETC. CHAPTER L A STRANGE ROBPERY. ‘6 Am dis yere de detective aguncy?” ** It is.” “ An’ is you de boss man?” **T am one of them.” ‘*T hes a note fo’ you,” | It was in the month of November, with weather unusually balmy for the season. Late in the afternoon of a certain day, there was presented at the well-known agency of the Baltimore detective bureau on Lexington street in the City of Monuments, the face of a negro, black as a coal. From him came the inquiries which open this narrative. As he uttered the last words, he advanced, extending a missive to Mark Daniels, the junior member of the private firm, West & Co, The famous sleuth opened and read the fol- lowing lines: ‘‘ GenTLEMEN:—Please send a representative to the Mansion House at once. Important.” ‘* All right, Pomp,” he said to the negro, who therewith departed after a profound bow that indicated an immense reverence for the mys- terious profession. Shortly after this, Daniels was at the Mansion House, in the clerk’s room, just back of the office, engaged ina low-toned conversation with the proprietor. ‘“*T have a case for you,” remarked the gentle- ane Psa he had carefully closed the door. ‘ ! ’ ‘Something very mysterious is happening here. We have tried to fathom it ourselves, without drawing too much attention to our ef- forts. But it seems at last necessary to call in the services of such a person as yourself.” ‘What is the matter?” ; ‘‘ Just this: There have been several very singular robberies committed in this hotel of late. At first they were of a trifling character. Now the matter has assumed a serious phase.” ‘Please state exactly what has transpired.” Mark Daniels was an old hand at bis business —a man of about forty-five years, with hair of mingled black and y, keen, gray.eyes, and possessed of a fine physique. He leaned back in bis seat and waited to hear the other’s explanation of what was to appear, indeed, a singular feature of hotel robbery, ‘“The last theft I mention was one of an article or articles valued at several thousand dollars—the property of a drummer for a large ewelry house in New York, who was here ex- ‘* Have you any suspicions?” . ‘*There is where we are puzzled. The cir- cone of the loss is such oy it seems im- possible any one, yet they are gon and th banid aot walk off of thieusealv om ° Dani ve hischaira nearer hitch. “Tl tell you how it is,” the propriety re- sumed immediately. ‘‘ Mr. Dimble—that isthe drummer Is of—informs me that his case of most precious diamonds was under his pillow when he retired. There is no communication between his and any other room. When he awoke in the morning, the gems were gone. His door was just as it had been when he went to bed, bolted and locked securely on the inside. It would seem almost out of the question that any ons could have entered the room. He. was inclined to raise Ned-and-Cain about it; but we persuaded him that if he hoped to recover his valuables the surest way would be to remain very quiet and summon a detective.” . correct on your part, Where is this Mr. Dimble?’ ‘‘T believe he is at this moment in his room.” “Let us gouptohim. Besides, I would like to make a little examination of the room.” ai tes ee a : ey ascen t e apartment occupied b: Mr. Dimble. Fi : The drummer was there. He was a man well on in years; at the min- ute of their entrance he was pacing to and fro in a half suppressed excitement, and turned quickly upon them. ‘*This gentleman is the detective,” the hotel bres introduced. “ Mr. Daniels, Mr, Dim- Aye Dimble advanced nervously to the detective and grasped him by gne arm, . : See eae ——EE_eee a i o_ ees eee ee ee ~- ‘Tell me,” he began, at once; ‘‘ do you think I shall ever get back the beautiful stones? Is there any hope? [If they are lost then [ am ruined; for I can never pay to the firm their value, and I will be held to a strict accouat for them. Tell me—” ‘‘ Wait a moment, please,” Daniels interrupt- ed. ‘The first thing to be done is for you to calm yourself, Be seated.” ~+ Dimble obeyed; but he uttered a: despairing groan as he sunk into the chair which the pro- prietor shoved forward. ‘* Now, then, be kind enough to state just what you have lost and give me any other in- formation you can.” Dimble started up. with a sachel in hand. “In here,” he said, evidently controlling his tones to calmness with a great effort, while his hands shook—‘‘ here I always carry my pre- cious samples. But among them was a small belt of velvet, in which I hada string of pocket- ed diamonds worth, without the mounting, over ten thousand dollars. This I was in the habit of keeping under my pillow at night— even at times sleeping with my hand under tbe pillow and grasping the fortune of gems. Last night ber. were placed as usual; but I had not my hand on them, This morning they were gone, sir—gone!” and as he uttered the last, he groaned again. ‘First, can you give mea description of the stones?” inquired Daniels, in a business way. ‘* Ah, more than that! I can show you one ot the stones.”’ He drew forth his pocket-book. From this he extracted a small but magnificent specimen, admirably cut, and handed it to the detective for examination. ‘* Is this one?” “That is one of the stones that belonged in the little belt I have lost. I had it out to show at Canfield’s yesterday.” . ‘You say it is one like thdse lost, You mean in size?” ‘* More than that!” exclaimed Dimble, bright- ening a little. ‘It is precisely like the rest in He crossed and returned . cutting; for the stones were orgies intended for a coronet ordered by an actress who insisted that they be cut in a precisely similar fashion— a little unusual. At the very date of their completion the actress died. She had in her possession, at the time of her death, one of the stones for approval, and had deposited its value upon receipt of it, expressing the wish that the others be hurried. As I say, at their comple- tion she died suddenly and without having paid any more on them. The gems were left on the hands of my employers, and were given to me to dispose of in parts or in whole.” “The cutting of all is alike?” Daniels observed, thoughtfully. ‘** Precisely.” ** Your room was locked and bolted when you retired? It was locked and bolted when you arose and found the gems to be missing?” ‘< Yes. ” The detective took a scrutinizing turn around the room. - The apartment was one of those that Me ‘over the great area-way of the hotel, whic ibitin to jewelry houses in this city.” * West nas be been ieee? . tt like an immense flue of considerable width. Glancing out, he realized that no one could have ascended by a ladder or other means—for it was in the fourth story, this room of Dimble’s —and there was nothing in the shape of a water- spout or lightning-rod to have facilitated the ascent of so much as a goer ee Truly a puzzling case that the detective found himself in at the moment; for he was at a loss for the slightest theory. While he made the unsatisfactory examina- tions Dimble watched him anxiously. Watched him too did the proprietor, for he felt the reputation of his establishment at stake, As both saw the disappointed look gatherin in Daniels’s face they felt discouraged. An Dimble uttered again that dismal groan of a man who feels that he is in a predicament which is to result in his ruin. ‘Ten thousand dollars!” he moaned, wringing his hands. ‘‘Ah, I shall be sent to jail. They may .even accuse me of knowing something about the disappearance of the diamonds, when they hear the seeming impossible facts,” ‘*You should have deposited your valuables in the safe of the offce,” suggested the propri- etor. What further might have passed was inter- rupted by the hurried appearance, just then, of one of the chambermaids. ‘“‘T have been looking for you everywhere, sir,” she said to her employer pantingly. **What’s the matter?” “That’s something I'l] never tell you. there’s something ails the lady in room No, —.’ ** Wifat like?’ “She jerked the bella few minutes ago, and when the waiter went up, he found her looking as if she’d seen a ghost, and she demanded that you be brought to ber room immediately. Why, she isa sight, with her hair all hanging But ’ | ‘and— He strode away to investigate this new mys- tery in rcom No. —. The girl followed curiously. Electro Pete, the Man of Fire. nn erent a a LSS ap In a few minutes, and while Dimble and the detective were talking further about the rob- bery, the proprietor came back and said, ad- dressing Daniels: ‘“‘T wish you would step this way,sir. I think there is something else going on that calls for your attention.” : me: followed him out, first saying to Dim- e@: ‘“‘For the present, if you wish me to do any- thing, with any hopes of success, remain per- fectly quiet in regard to your loss,” ‘Quiet! quiet!” chattered the dismayed drummer, like one with a chill. “I am to re- main quiet when I have lost my employers’ property—ten thousand dollars! How can I re- main quiet?” And when alone, he began a repetition of the restless striding backward and forward, in which state of excitement he had been found by the others. yhile Dimble was bewailing his loss, a singu- lar scene was transpiring with the occupant of the room No. —, The proprietor led the detective forward and introduced him to a beautiful woman—a girl, rather, for she was unmarried, and it was doubtful whether she had passed her twentieth birthday. Her eyes were as black as coals, and unlike the usual cold glance of black eyes, her large orbs sparkled like precious gems upon the men before Ler. Her face was indeed of an arresting loveli- ness, without a mar in its delicate contours; and her figure, of good hight, was perceptibly faultless in the loose robes which she wore at the moment. Streaming down over her shoulders was an opulence of hair black as midnight and glossy as silk waves, But in face and eyes there was an expression at the time of intense startlement, CHAPTER IL. ANOTHER MYSTERY AT THE MANSION HOUSE, InTRopUCcING Mark Daniels, the hotel pro- prietor said: ‘** Miss St. Dyer, this gentleman is a detective. I would like you to state to him what you have told me.” Daniels was gazing steadily at the beautiful girl. He saw in ber one of remarkable force of character. ‘*T have been very much frightened, sir.” “ Ah?” inquiringly. ‘*Be seated and let me tell you all about it. Excuse my appearance; I had not thought to have any visitors inmy room, But that which has transpired had at last so worked me that, in a sudden impulse, I sent for this gentle- man to tell him of something extraordinary that has happened within this room during the last bP our hours. Of all the e ences of my life, nothing can compare with what I en- dured here, in the darkness of midnight, last nigh : ote oe Proceed please, I would like to hear what ff a you believe in the sunernatural?’ she “Well. no.” : , ‘Neither did I until last night. But some- thing has to make me believe that occurred either I have seen some horrible t of another world—else I must have had one of the most mar- velous dreams that have ever come to human slumber.” Her listeners remained quiet. ‘“‘T have already astonished the gentleman here,” Oriele St. Dyer continued, indicating the roprietor, “by ivforming bim that there has na prowler in my room for several nights past, after I have retired. Upon the first occa- sion, I lay overcome by a transient fiight, lest the intruder might tebe a notion to stab or otherwise injure me, Upon the second occasion, when satisfied that I had. been left alone once . more, I arose and lighted the La An examin- ation showed me that the r was locked; there was no other door out of my but that one, as you will rve. * The chithney is, as you see, so narrow above the grate, that not even a monkey d have come down and de- parted that way. Yet some one or something was assuredly in my room !”” ‘“‘Have you missed anything?” the detective saber thinking at ‘y was about to hear an- other announcement of a mysterious at vee as a parallel to the lost diamonds of Dimble’s case. ' “ Nothing,” she answered, somewhat to his surprise. And she pursued: “Whoever, or whatever it was, the object does not seem to have been robbery. And there were inducements iy ote for, look here”— arising and stepping to the bureau. She came back toa position before him, ex- erncing to his gaze several rich rings, a watch enameled and set with tiny diamonds and a narrow band of gold, worn as a tiara above the forehead, whose onlv gem was a single, large and lustrous diamond of striking brilliancy. * These have lain on the bureau at night, on each occasion of the mysterious visit of which I Gor Gomicbooks (E : |