Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 306 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

+ oat \ Four motionless The Roughs of Richmond. —_— - desperate men doing what even you may not anticipate. You may find that we will even take that consequence to relieve the rest of our brotherhood of the danger which your presence here suggests, for we are bound to the protec- tion of one another even with our lives.” Jo Call realized that this was no idle menace. A band such as he judged the Order of the Golden Beetle to be would, probably, accept destruction, such of them as were then present, in order to protect the others of their member- sbip who were not there from any exposure. ‘‘ What is it you’re doing?” whispered Tuff to bis comrade, without turning his head or lower- ing his revolvers, which he had steadily aimed at the breasts of two of those on his side, ‘* Dynamite,” was the short response, ‘* Be careful, Jo; don’t do it unless there is no other way,” said Tuff, bimself not a little startled at this terrible expedient resorted to by his daring partner. But whatever might have been the thought of Call, it was abruptly terminated, It was hardly likely that he would have dashed the frightful torpedo to the stone floor, to deliberately destroy himself as long as the slightest chance remained to extricate himself alive from their thrilling predicament, His idea was, probably, merely to awe those by whom they were beset and obtain terms for their safe exit. This was not to be. Evidently the one who had assumed the leadership of the band of the Golden Beetle, was not its master, Alvaro Mandez, Alvaro Mandez, totally unaware of what was transpiring at the house of Arban, the as- trologer, was then engaged in some mysterious movements in the vicinity of the Fenwick man- sion, though supposed to be in his room at the Exchange Hotel—a fact that will be explained anon. This leader did not seem to voice the senti- ment of the band. Hardly had he made the speech when some one in the ranks of encircling enemies cried, fiercely: ‘‘Down with them. Then let us all go to Hades together!” “Down with them!” was taken up by the rest in savage accent. Then, heedless of a last warning cry from the leader, once more the tridents were lowered to a charge, and they made to dash upon the two rigid detectives. ** Back, all!” shouted Tuff, desperately. ‘‘ One more step, and these barkers commence to un- load—both self-cockers, too!” Seeing that the dynamite trick had not ac- complished its purpose—and indeed there was no dynamite in the cylindrical tube—Jo Call imitated his partner in a twinkling. Out came his revolvers, and without more ado, up went the hammers, “Let the band play, Tuff—” Bang! Before the senior had finished, Tuff began work with his barkers, It was plainly a case of life or death. The detectives were determined not to die if mney could help it, he chamber was filled with the lively reports of the revolvers; the smoke of the weapons in the confined place almost instantly hid the com- batants from one another. And there were cries, too, that told the bullets were not at random sent, but every one straight. into the breasts of the foremost of those who sought the destruction of the daring two. From beyond the circling smoke each expect- ed momentarily to see thrust forward the gleaming tridents aimed at their breasts, But the charge came not. And thicker the smoke. ‘“‘ Hold !” cried Call, suddenly. And a deathly silence fell. Slowly the smoke lifted. ; At the same instant, a mysterious glow from an unknown source in the direction of the mon- strous golden beetle on the miniature rock, which had illuminated the surrounding during the combat, suddenly vanished, and the place was enveloped in darkness. Not dark long, for with his foot Tuff threw open the slide of the bull’s-eye which he had taken time to deposit carefully on the flags be- tween his feet, The dim rays of the lantern revealed an un- hip! St condition of things. he detectives, with the crouching Indian boy, were entirely alove in the mystic chamber. There was not a vestige of their recent assail- ts. ‘**Guess they’ve had enough,” remarked Tuff, with a wary glance still on every side. Before the two lay the evidence that their shots bad not been spent in vain, ; bodies, in four pools of red blood, were lying there in the stiffness of death. The bull’s-eye was flashed around by Tuff, but nothing was to be seen of the band. The Indian boy spoke. ‘‘ Have you escaped them?” “That’s, a question,” replied Call, also busy glancing about in the direction of the curtain- entrances particularly. — | . | 15 os He expected to be fired upon from a econceal- ment at any moment, ** Let’s get out of this,” he suggested, sharply, and wheeling. ‘None too soon to suit me,” responded Tuff. And he added, with some dissatisfaction: ‘This seems to be the second botch we have made of our game within twenty-four hours,” ‘For the present, apparently; so, come,” ** Where are you going?” asked Ischan, as they started, with a gripe on him, toward the cur- tains that were before the way leading to the room of the astrologer. ‘‘Upto the den of Arban, the astrologer,” answered Call, ‘‘ We'll take yousafe along, my lad, never fear.” ‘* Wait,” said the boy, tugsing slightly back- ward. ** What is it?” ‘Do you suppose that the Order of the Golden Beetle means to let you escape so easily ?” “What do you moan?” You are walking straight to destruction,” i said, lowly—so low that Call had to stoop to lear. ‘*In what way?” ‘*T will show you before I get you out of here, | if you will promise not to desert me. For I do | want to live now, since you have told me that you will be my friends. I know that you must be detectives, and I want you to help me to find asister whom I lost many years ago. Yes, I will lead you out,” he continued, as Call inter- polated the required promise sincerely. ‘ Tell me when we are beyond the curtains.” ‘* Now,” said Call, when they stood at the point he signified, ‘* Have you a light? sé Yes,” ‘Then look carefully ahead.” Obeying his direction, both men recoiled a I cannot see, you know.” step. We directly before them, in the way that they would have walked unthinkingly across the narrow corridor between the masonry of the underground way leading to the joisted stairs, was a yawning chasm, ‘* Trapped!” burst from Tuff. ‘*No, you are not trapped if you will do as I say,” interposed their blind guide, speaking very lowly. ‘“‘ Make no noise, They are waiting to hear the sound of your falling bodies, or your despairing cries as you go headlong down into the bottomless pit,” **The bottomless pit?” **Tt has no bottom—though sometimes I have heard the rush of waters down there, and. per- haps it leads to the river of the James, But you must do as I say if you hope to escape alive from this trap.” A trap it surely was, It presented an obstacle to their progress to- ward the stairs that ssemed to be unsurmount- able. ‘* What are we to do?” ‘* Find a place in the masonry where there is a green patch of smooth rock; strike upon that twice and hard with your fist, but do not strike so as to make a noise that can be heard to any great distance. When you have done this and haveseen the result, be speedy, I pray you, in reaching the room above, and making your way to the street. Beware, too, the trap on the stairs.” Tuff did as he was instructed, for the green slab in the masonry was easily found with the aid of the lantern. Instantly a slab that had appeared to bea part of the wall came down with a slight crash into place over the chasm. Their way was safe in that particular. No time was lost in paeteniog Pye __ As they reached the room of the astrologer, they heard a sound behind them like the mingling of many rushing footsteps, with the outburst of voices in oaths of chagrin. “Faster!” urged Ischan, nervously. ‘‘ You are not yet eta. They have discovered that you have passed the pit insafety and are coming after you. By no means were the detectives yet out of the claws of the Golden Beetle. . CHAPTER XVIL A BUSY TIME AT THE AGENCY. **Faster! And do not desert me,” repeated the boy. ‘ Forif I should fall again into their hands, after they know that to me you owe the fact of having passed the pit in the underground corridor, they will inflict upon me worse horrors than [ have already suffered, if such a thing is possible.” It was not many seconds before Call and Tuff had gained the outer staircase and began a hasty descent. ** ‘Take care,” Ischan warned, ‘‘I told you te look out for the trap at the landing!” Just in time the words, In another step, Tuff, who was in the lead, would have trodden squarely upon the treacher- ous boards, But now they took to the banisters, with the Indian boy between them, and not content with sliding asa boy would down the banisters of a hotel past a dangerous point, they continued, » by Ischan’s advice, in the same manner all the way to the bottom, A few moments later and the three stood upon the pavement outside the building, Stood for a second only, and then started away rapidly. ‘* A fizzle completely!” exclaimed Tuff, out of humor, and seeming not to be in the least thoughtful of the fact that he had so providen- tially escaped with his life from what was one of the most desperate chances that had come to him in his detective career. ‘It isn’t over with yet by a jugful,” said the dwarf detective, quietly. ‘* What isn’t all over with?” ** Our visit,’ ** \V bat do you mean?” ‘** Simply that | am going back there,” ‘*'You are?” “Tam indeed! And I shall take a posse with me and clean the ranch if for nothing else than satisfaction,” ‘**Good! I’m with you,” They procured a conveyance and had the In- dian boy placed inside with instructions to take him to the city hospital. Before the vehicle drove off with Ischan in- side, Call raised a bright hope in the boy’s heart by saying to him: “You are an Indian boy, I perceive. You are looking for your sister from whom you were separated some time ago,” * Yes—yes!” eepectaney ‘** Well, try and get well, fast. You may re- fer to Jo Call, detective, as your friend while you are in the hospital, and when you are well, tind me, and I think I can give you some news about your sister.” ‘*FWind her for me and I will be your slave!” burst from bim. Adding immediately: ‘* But there! what use can a blind slave be to anybody ?” ‘*T don’t want any slaves, my lad; that kind of thing belongs to the past, But I think I can find your sister for you all thesame. So, be of good cheer.” Call and Tuff sought the agency. Here the ticker was set in operation at once. In reply to the telegram which they sent into police head quarters, it was not long before six of the detective police of Richmond, headed by Bob Boswick bimself, were at the agency. ‘*What’s up?” Boswick asked, as he came in, ina slight flurry. ‘*We’re a little ahead of you, friend Bos- wick,” Call replied. ‘‘ We've struck the source of the inventors of the turned gold-pieces. We want assistance, and it will not be my fault if we do not bag the whole crew before the night is over.” ‘You don't mean it?” in delighted amaze- ment. vi ma and nothing more— Hello, what’s up now Call turned to a man who just then came into the back office, Tuff said: ‘ It’s the shadow I placed on our Signor Mur- uio:’ . And drawing the shadow aside he asked; ‘* Anything special?” ‘*The man’s name is Signor Murguio—” ‘‘T know that. Well?” ‘*He lives at the Exchange.” * And I know tbat.” ‘He retired ostensibl But after a short time he came forth and the Ret by the Valley entrance.” to his room to-night. eft — opi — out “ -~ ine - 7 a =" ae ‘From there be went fast in the direction of. Monroe Park. He entered a garden of house No, —. I followed. I saw him ascend to a window where a bright light burned at first—” ‘* How ascend to a window?” ‘“ By athick growth of ivy on the wal that must be fastened in a way besides its own clin in iF the tendrils,” ‘We ‘‘Some one came to the window, and he, to escape observation, swung downward below the bottom of a rail that is lowered. Then be ascended again and entered the room. To do this, I saw him, I think, cut | the pane of the window with a diamond. that he raised the window and entered. In almost the same minute be came forth and gained the ground, I was not twenty feet dis- tant from him throughout. I followed him back to the hotel. - entrance and sought his room, the Signor Murguio,.” ‘* What else have you done?” “Obtained a room adjoining his.” ‘Good. That will do. beep an eye on the Signor Murguio.” de bat is all e shadow, without anything more tosay, R Read: ,»” said Tuff, rejoining his partner. | But at the moment into the office came danc- _ ing the Chinaman, Wing-Wing. His co colored face was overspread with a an complacent grin. Call addressed him, at the same time ere and remained in | that position until the light in the room was © e entered by the voter nf of Return there and © a] ory. | nag taking him by the arm and leading him to the rear, : a ~All. com Ebooks + fy Eom “-_ y _