Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 306 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

The Roughs of Richmond. 5 before the tribunal. your presence.” ‘** Arban—what does all this mean? Of what am I suspected?” ‘* You shall soon know. Come, madame!” He advanced and laid a firm but gentle grasp on her arm. The touch, with that hideous face so close to hers, filled her with a horror sointense that ber face seemed to lose its loveliness in the drawn, | pinched look of abhorrence that was forced in- to it. “Take your hand off, Arban. Where am I to go? This is all very mysterious to me.” ‘*The Order of tbe Golden Beetle is a myste- rious order, madame, Iam intrusted with the task of leading you to them. For your own good, I warn you not to disregard its summons,” and he added, significantly: ** You are not afraid to be in the presence of an order to which your husband was deeply attached?” ** Afraid?) Why should I beafraid? No; lead the way. ButI beg of you not to touch me agaio.” ‘*Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the man, ‘Come, then.” He stalked to a side where there were heavy curtains, Raising these, he revealed a flight of steps set in the wall and lighted by oil lamps at intervals. It was stilly and suggestive of the entrancs to an underground tomb, though, instead of odors as if from the dead, there ascended, upon the raising of the curtains, a most delicious per- fume that seemed to enter the woman’s brain cas hg like the insinuating intoxication of a rug. ‘*Come!” and be pointed downward, his eyes at the same time fixed peculiarly upon her from the eyelets of the mask. She obeyed with timorous steps, Behind her followed the masked and myste- rious master of that mysterious babitation. Suddenly, upon reaching the bottom of the flight, every light that bad served asa guide was extinguished, and the woman stood in absolute darkness. A dread chill struck into her every fiber. She reached outward gropingly ; but her lips seemed as if paralyzed, for she could not utter a sound. Again the touch of Arban fell upon her arm. ‘Be not alarmed—not yet, at least. I will guide you. It is necessary that we should enter the temple through this darkness.” She offered no resistance to his grasping hand, this time. He led ber forward along what she knew must be a very narrow corridor between solid Come, it is now awaiting She could not reaiize in what manner exactly it transpired; but ere she knew it, she found herself thrust into a light so intensely brilliant that she was nearly blinded. When she recovered her vision, she was awed what she saw. ‘She stood in the very center of an apartment ; ene was the most wonderful she bad ever be- eld. No fairy and scenic display of the theater- stage had equaled this sight in novelty nor sur- passed it in grandeur. Like ‘the very _— of Aladdin or the pal- aces of ee oY s did it appear to be, in tinsel, painting, reflective light that brought out the gleam of apparent gens and streaks of golden beauties amid colorings that the eye could not attempt to trace without being completely daz- zled ed, Directly in front of her was a rock in minia- ture, on the peak of which was a monstrous golden beetle, fully the size of a human in life, its surface of gold seeming to fairly burn in the rays that dwelt uponit, and its eyes—like the eyes of the one we have seen in the library of the Fenwick mansion—red as rubies, with all the grandeur of the royal gems and larger than hens’ eggs. In lines extended forward from the mystic rock, on each side, were figures of human beings attired in white gowns, the same as that “rhe by Arban—six on one side, five on the other. While she stood and gazed on the wonderful sight, on the colors, the beetle, the glistening gems and profusion of nameless richness on every side, Arban passed her and advanced with solemn tread to the rear of the beetle rock. atest a step here, he removed his ghastly ™m . Those assembled around, as if in obedience to a signal, instead of removing masks similarly - hastly, which they wore, bowed their heads in ken of respect to the unmasking of the Master of the Order of the Golden Beetle. And the face revealed was the face of the man who had called himself Alvaro Mandez, when he delivered the mysterious summons to Mrs. Fenwick at her home on the previous even- Age “yr Simultaneously with the removal of the chief's mask, the monstrous beetle swung round, as On a pivot, and seemed to fasten its jeweled “Mathilde Fenwick,” spoke the master, re- garding her intently, ‘compose yourself, for we are about to ask youa question that much depends upon. We shall expect a truthful an- swer,” ‘“* What is it?” she managed to respond, thongs her lips seemed to her to be gluing together de- spite her strongest effort. **Do you know who killed Dorsey Fenwick?” **I do not.” ** You will swear to that?” “*T will,” “Then, if you can satisfy us that you are in- nocent of his death, you will become mistress of our order.” ‘* Mistress of your order?” ‘Yea—yea!” arose from the throats of those around, sepulchrally. CHAPTER V. A TRAP THAT DID NOT CATCH, ‘Tr has pleased Providence to snatch from our midst the most able worker the order has ever had in the person of Dorsey Fenwick,” the master said, with utmost gravity. ‘ And we have reason to believe that in his wife we shall find another who may at least equal if not surpass him in the capability of doing what Dorsey Fenwick did to increase the wealth of the wealthiest order that bas ever been formed in the United States. Cast your eyes about you and hig will perceive that everything is of virgin gold; there is no sham within the temple of the Golden Beetle. And the pockets of those who serve the beetle well are lined in a similar manner—with the great lever that can move a world of humanity. Gold! Everything is gold. Beneath the floor on which you siund there is a mie to enrich the faithful servants of the order as rapidly as is consonant with their labors. There are reasons why it is known to us that you can serve us well.” ‘*]—serve you?” exclaimed the astonished woman, now beginning to feel less overawed by her surroundings, at what she considered a most assuring speech, | “We generally know whom to address and whom to trust. Youare a woman of remarkable shrewdness and gifted for plotting, Mathilde Fenwick.” ‘You are complimentary or ironical, I don’t know which,” ‘We shall decide that. obscure parentage, madame, and Dorsey Fenwick for his wealth. That wealth deserted him, on wings, long ago. It was then he had recourse to this order, and since has ac- cumulated more than even you imagine—withal your cleverness in appropriating to yourself, through various questionable means, so muclt of it. It was because we knew you were rob- bing your own husband that we decided you to be a woman of some nerve and ingenuity. I can show you how to gratify your desire for wealth, if you are ready to take such an oath as we shall require.” ** And if I do not so decide?” “Then you will never again see the light of day. Itis a rule that no one who has ever en- tered this chamber can go out from it alive, except as asworn member of the band. You will please make your selection,” he said, in the calmest voice possible. ‘* Between death, and life with riches?” “That is the combination of alternatives.” ‘*T prefer to live, I assure you,” and now she spoke with a calmness as even as that ob- served by this strange master of an order as strange. ; He raised his hand, with two fingers ex- tended. . Two of the white-robed beings stepped for- ward, each prasping one of the woman’s arms, A procession was formed. on . Alvaro Mandez gained a position ahead of them and touched a spring in the floor. One of the massive slabs moved aside on some mechanical contrivance, revealing a flight of stone steps that Jed to stil another and deeper underground apartment. Down this flight all filed, Mathilde Fenwick found herself introduced into a room that was like a workshop, the prin- cipal implements of which were small lathes of the most delicate and highly-finished steel and fine plating. And as Sot lance royed around, she saw what appeared to bea little heap of gold-dust on carefully adjusted oiled papers beneath each lathe asif the workmen who might have been recently working there had been sugared in turning upon bars or pieces of solid gold. ‘You behold here the great mine of the Gold- en Beetle,” said Mandez, seeming to enjoy the look of astonishment that came over her face. ‘The toilers here are, everyone, millionaires. It is the offer to share in this mysterious wealth that is now made to you.” The light in Mathilde Fenwick’s eyes was that of one who is at first dezzled and then grown feverish by the sight of so much gold—the emo- tion enhanced by the hint that she can be ad- mitted to share. You came of a very ou married —_ ee “You are ready to take the oath which shall make you our queen?’ + es **Forward to the bar of initiation,” ordered Mandez. ** Again the line of procession was taken up. bbe crossed the mysterious workshop and assed through a niche that was concealed by eavy draping curtains, And as they disappeared beyond, a man’s face was thrust over the edge of the slab at the top of the short flight of steps, gazing after them curiously—the face of the man who had entered the building in shadowing the move- ments of Mathilde Fenwick! He had had a thrilling experience in the brief interval from the time of his entering the house to the moment when we see him thus spying upon the movements of the mystic order, In prompt obedience to the order in a strange tongue delivered ve hee white-masked leader or master, the Indian boy had stepped spryly away toward a room atthe front of the ball. Here be pulled on a wire that protruded, with a button-like termination, frum a certain point in the wall of the bare room, Then be coolly waited for developments, which quickly came, _ Something like a confined and sliding crash occurred in the stairway near the upper land- ng. The medical-looking personage who was, as he of Mathilde Fenwick, suddenly found himself precipitated in a singular manner downward. sie ee igi gave entirely .way from beneath 8 leet, But it was not an ordinary trap upon which he bad stepped. Instead of falling actually downward, it had a sort of lateral motion, which hurled him from his feet at the same time he found himself sink- ing. Vito a boarded and slanting slide—like a flue or shoot—he went tumbling helplessly, gliding along and down without the slightest power to resist the it Por Then he fell inside a darkened chamber, but, like a monkey, or with the agility of a cat, he struck on his feet, and the distance of the fall was 4 topes not great, for, with the ee tion of the unusual jar,he was not injured at all. Black as cbaos itself was bis cigar a | “Trapped, by Jingo!” burst from bim in an undertone. oan the voice was that of the detective, Jo a . Instantly he began gro ng about his sudden lace of imprisonment, though he realized that e had been purposely burled there, and bis wily captors would not likely cast him intoa piace from which escape was easy— their object ae evidently to entrap him. ile he was feeling here and there against the walls, with an almost desperate hope that something might occur to give him some hope of release, be caught a ratchety sound at one side, like the scratching of a claw. | Then a faint streak of light shone into his place of captivity and a secret dcor opened. First, an inquiring face was thrust into the place—the face of the Indian boy! What he saw seemed to assure him that it was safe for him to enter, | The detective had thrown himself flat upon the floor, in such a position that it would a pear as if he was completely stunned by h recent fall. ** He has had a bad fall,” muttered the Indian lad, advancing and waving the lamp above the head of the man, ‘And now | will fix the poison incense, so that ere he can recover from this state, I can say to my master: ‘He is dead.” I know that my master wishes eM one to be dead who comes into the house as this man did. At one side was 4 shelf. eae Golta te this, Ischan placed thereon the la P he had brought and at the same time nged over the top of its chimney a contrivance like a plate that could receive the heat of the flame without destroying the draught of the burner. Immediately a small, curling line of smoke began to ascend toward the criling and spread a strange perfume througbont the rR aay Ischan turned to depart hurriedly, lest he should himself breathe some of the poisonous smoke; but he was arrested in a startling man-— ner. “ Halt, you young rascal.” Standing between himself and the door was the man he bad thought to be unconscious, And the detective bad bim covered with a re- volver, while he said, sternly: **Do you wish to die?” “Mercy !” cried the lad, with sin Sal voice, and sinking upon his knees abjectly, ‘*You mean to kill me by that poisonous smoke ascending there!” “Mercy!” | fe ey I spare your life, will you lead me out of t “Yes, yes!” and Ischan added, as he rolled his eyes fearfully toward the thickening smoke: imagined, successfully following the movements a eee eee Aster uarely upon the trembling woman who “What am I todo? Speak—tell me!” burst | “ for the love of Heaven, sir, hastenoutofhere, i | Baas ‘Stood before the altar rock. from her. : eer | and let me begone, or we shall both be killed.” <a Big io St ae : cComicbooks.com si tases Ppp : : , —