Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 306 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

oe Ps - er Eo 4 ho =~ e - : i Ft a = - - = mn _ 7-* Ps 5 »" 7) : “’ . 10 ——e -of my suspicion—a thorough one, at all cost, if it takes all that I possess in my own right.” The Roughs of Richmond. re Finding a certain page in the book, which he held with his index finger between the re- ‘‘ Have you any suggestion to make regarding | closed covers, he glanced at the detective, say- the plan of procedure?” he asked, while his keen eyes searched her lovely face. “None at all. 1 know nothing about the mode of operation customary with detectives, lonly know that I wish to employ you to fol- low out my suspicion, and I will pay any rea- sonable amount for the trouble it may cause ou.” f ‘‘Leave it then entirely in my hands, Miss Fenwick. And let me advise you, that if you expect me to accomplish anything in the direc- tion you indicate, you must not do anything to cause your mother to suspect that you distrust her.’ ‘*T must play the hypocrite?” “Well, yes, in that particular, to some ex- tent.” And he added: “*This young lady, your mother’s maid, you say, are you quite sure that she will not betray what you suspect or that you have set a detec- tive to watch the woman who is your mother?” ** My lips are sealed if Miss Erminie so or- ders,” answered the Indian girl for herself. “Can you tell me one thing?” the detective said. “What is it?” “Do you know anything of an object, an in- sect; known as the golden beetle?’’ A hbalf-startled look came into Erminie’s face, After a momentary hesitation, she replied: *““Ido. Ispoke to you of such a thing last night, you must remember.” ‘Tell me what you can about it.” **[ know nothing, except that there is such a remarkable thing in my father’s library.” ** You call if a remarkable thing?’ ac It is,” ‘“‘Some bauble, I suppose, like young ladiés ‘wear in their hair, or upon their hats some- times, eh?’ and his keen eyes were fixed pierc- ingly upon her face. ‘No, it is nothing of the kind. It is a beetle ‘of gold, mounted on a table of black marble with gold trimmings, in an alcove inmy father’s library, and—and—” * Well?’ ’ “Tt is alive,” she said, jerkily. “A golden beetle, alive. Pshaw(” ‘‘ What I say is true, sir. I saw the strange thing for the first time last night, and I swear to you that I saw it move.” all was silent. His “ feeler” had resulted in a confirmation of the singular information given him by bis partner: that there was a thing in the shape of a golden beetle in the Fenwick mansion, and it was mysteriously endowed with life! And he had seen a hall of mystery and radiant trappings, in which was a similar object of gi- gautic proportions, in the abode of a man who was familiarly known as Arban, the astrolo- er. at Why did you ask me that?’ Erminie broke in upon his transient meditation. “ Because— But nomatter. You will please not push me with the question. Let us drop that subject. I will attend to your request in rd to Mrs. Fenwick.” : ‘You will Jose no time in pushing your in- vestigations?” ? : ‘Rely upon me for all the expedition possi- ble. By the by, when will the funeral take place, Miss Fenwick.” ‘Tt is set for two o'clock to-morrow after- noon.” “Thank you.” “We bid you good-evening,” said Erminie, starting toward the door, and followed by ura. Hardly had the two females departed from the detective agency, and while Call was yet in his private office thinking deeply upon this ad- ditional development regarding the myste- rious Fenwick family, when the clerk entered to say: = rf gentleman to see you, Mr. Call.” ** Show him in.” - A portly man, with gray hair and beard of silvery whiteness, was ushered into the apart- ment, and the clerk closed the door after him. ‘*-You are one of the firm of Call & Tuff?’ he at once interrogated, _ “¥es; my vame is Joseph Call, Whatis your business?” : ** Ah! yes, that is it. I have some business with you. I could bave obtained other detective service, but I preferred your agency because of its bigh reputation. I have n here twice nce the supposed assassination of Mr. Dorse enwick, but you and your partner were bot out, My name is Upton Girard.” * Ah, indeed!” and Call pushed forward a chair for his visitor. He recognized instantly by the name, though he had never before met the gentleman, that he with the President of the Agricul- tural Bavk. , “What can I do for you, sir?” he inquired, var heat The bank president adjusted his gold eye- ’ glasses, and drew from an inner pocket a mem- . . . . , ES 4 y x , " ; 4 mm ing:. . My business is in relation to a certain re- markable transaction by one of the most prom- inent men in the community,and for some time a beavy depositor at our bank—that is, no less, Mr. Dorsey Fenwick. We have been deliber- | ately swindled, sir, by that party, to the extent | of nearly twenty thousand dollars!” and as he | said this, Mr. Upton Girard gave an emphasis to the words that brougbt his portly body to an extreme upright position on the edge of his chair, ‘Twenty thousand dollars,” he repeated, ‘*That is a pretty big amount, sir.” “Big? It will almost cripple the bank, if it becomes known to the depositors at this time when the country is so full of trouble among bankers and brokers, for a run will immediately begin and we may be compelled to close.” ** May I ask how such a swindle was perpe- trated by deceased, especially as you say he was a heavy depositor?” “‘Pllexplain. It is easv to explain—too easy. A few days ago Dorsey Fenwick drew all bis cash deposits from the bank and deposited in another bank. I bave since ascertained that the last deposit, every dollar of it, was made in his wife’s name. Observe that this occurred be- fore the swindling operation, so that my bank cannot attach the new deposit, more especially under the wife’s possession. Now then, we beld nothing of bis but twenty thousand dollars’ worth of Richmond and Danville Railroad bonds, whieh of course were retained, as they were a collateral on that amount of money specially advanced at a time in the past,” a CHAPTER XI. A TICK FROM THE TELEGRAPH. As President Girard proceeded with his ex- planation of the swindle his bank bad sustained, he grew warm, and mopped his brow with his handkerchief nervously. ** These bonds, I say, were deposited with us, on which we had madea previousloan. They were permitted to remain in our vault by Dor- sey Fenwick, because of certain negotiations nding with the authorities of Baltimore for a oan to the Richmond and Danville, in the event of the consummation of which the bonds would be of increased value. Now, vesterday after- noon—and it was singularly, too, just before the closing of the bank—Dorsey Fenwick came to redeem the bonds. He offered in payment bags of coined gold, brought in cased bags, the amount stamped on the outside of each bag. One of the bags was examined, but in the hurr of the closing hour, the rest were taken at their stamped value. I say the bag examined was all right, that is, I mean, the count—” ‘** And the rest turned out otherwise, eh?” in- serted the detective. ‘* Wait, wait; let me tell it my own way. As far as count is concerned, wb was right enough. But tbe coin—that is what I am about to speak of. Eagles and double eagles com- prised the deposit for which we returned to Dorsey Fenwick his bonds. Here is one,” and he handed over a ten-dollar gold-piece, Call was instantly on the alert for a discovery which he half anticipated. The moment he scanned the edge of the piece, he saw that it was similar to the one shown him by Bob Boswick, the police detective, With a wonderful ingenuity, the entire circle of the coin had been lathed out and re-filled with some grosser metal and finished with such exactness that it required an extraordinary keen inspection to discover that a portion of the gold had been extracted. ‘*Do you observe anything peculiar about it?’ Girard asked. ‘Oh, yes.” “What?” ‘Tt has been lathed out and refilled.” ‘* You have keen eyes.” ‘**Not unusually so, under the circumstances, since [ have seen the same thing lately and was prepared for the disclosure.” ‘Every piece that Dorsey Fenwick deposited at the bank is like that—like it in being de- prived of a portion of its genuine nekat and being filled with a grosser compound of some deceiving sort,” declared Upton Girard. ‘*The police are already on the track of these shrewd money-turners,” said, ‘‘ and I have no doubt they will soon be caught—” ‘‘ But that is not the thing.” “What do you mean?” “‘T mean that of course this spurious mone is of no account to us; we want to get the bon back, and then if the heirs of Dorsey Fenwick choose to redeem the bonds with good money, of course they can have them and we will re- move the attachment.” ‘“‘ The attachment?” **To be sure. We of course instantly ob- tained an attachment — the bonds, wherever or with whomsoever may exist, because they were, very plainly, obtained from the bank | by deliberate fraud. My business with you is to procure them for us if you think you possibly ; eT. P ce anythi ing her vail... can, and for such service, the bank can afford to pay a thousand or so.” ** Why not approach Mrs, Fenwick upon the subject. I am sure, if her busbund bas been willfully guilty of such a transaction,she would wish to screen the name of the dead and would either return them to you or refund to the amount necessary in good money. The Fen- wicks are ricb.” Girard interrupted him with a dissatisfied wave of both hands, ‘*Mrs. Fenwick does not know anything about the bonds,” ** How do you know that?’ ‘For the simple reason that there were no papers on the body of Fenwick when found by the police, excepting a few unimportant letters of correspondence. I obtained that information at the police station. No, he was robbed. Per- haps the robbers anticipated catching on him the very gold which be deposited with us. In that they were evidently disappointed; they bave bonds that they cannot use. You now know what it is I wish you to do: find the bonds if you can, Will you undertake it?” ‘* Certainly.” ‘‘ That is all I haye to say, then.” “Do you intend to keep the matter quiet un- til you hear something from my efforts?” the detective asked, ‘* Yes. I have no desire to cast disgrace upon ths family of the man because that man turned out to be a rogue; especially so as the man him- self is now beyond the reach of the law,” ‘‘T admire your decision and will exert my- self to do my best” Upton Girard took his departure. But the detective was to have another visitor. Hardly ten minutes bad elapsed, when the clerk broke in upon his profound mood of study with the announcement: ‘* A lady to see you, Mr, Call.” And be added, as bis employer looked up: ‘Tt is one of the two who were here a little while ago.” ‘* Show her in,” A vailed figure entered. Ata glance, and before she bad drawn aside the vail; which she immediately proceeded to do, he recognized her as the girl, Plura, who had been there with Erminie Fenwick. ‘* Ah,” he said, ‘‘ what has brought you to me ain!’ ‘‘ Something, sir, that I could not well reveal while I was with Miss Fenwick.” ** What is it?’ “IT have more to tell you that may cast a light upon the mysterious murder of Mr. Fen- wick.” ‘* Be seated, please—” ‘*No, I have not the time. Ido not wish to be suspected of having come here again.” ‘‘ What is it, then, you have to say?” ‘* Something in ard to my younger mis- tress, Erminie Fenwick.” ‘* What about her?” ‘‘There is a mystery attached to her also.” , He regarded the girl without saying any- thing. op know,” Plura asserted, “that in the earlier part of the evening on which her father was brought home dead, Miss Erminie secretly met with a man in the garden of her home—a man whom she herself admitted at the gate.” ** Well?” ‘*T happened in thearbor near the gate, and it was just inside the gate that they paused for a low conversation, the most of which was not audible to me. I saw her, however, in the moonlight, hand to this man a package that was plainly money, and she said to him: ‘It isall I can give you, and I bope it will be enougb. Go, now—haste! I hope the sum will prosper you, from my heart I do!’ Then the man departed, I have come to tell you this, not knowing whether it may have any bearing on the case of Mr. Fenwick, but Supposing at perhaps you may glean something from it.” ‘‘Do you know whether your mistress has been in the habit of meeting men in her garden?” “JT am quite sure she has not until last night.” ‘Have you ever noticed any suspicious characters about the premises?” ‘*No more so than usually in the neighbor- mood: of people well-to-do, where alms may be sougbt. “Has Miss Fenwick any very intimate friend that you know of?” ‘Only one that could be so considered.” ** Who is he?” : ‘““A clerk in the post-office, Albert Royal.” Ete ‘‘ And you believe that this information will serve in some way to cast light upon the mur- der of Mr. Fenwick?” ; ** Did I tbat? Well, I hardly know what Isaid, ButI thought you ought to know every- thing that was transpiring about the house.” ‘‘ Thank you for your interest.” Keenly as he regarded her, he failed to detect like a hidden purpose in the zeal she was exhibiting in the case of the murdered eT will hasten back now,” she said, readjust- mic me rey A 2 His name is : ys s * ot * oS oe a IOOKS: 0)