Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 363 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

ee - ° <TC —— a 26 Crowningshield, the Sleuth. CHAPTER XXXV. THE COMPACT. AND now we must follow the fortunes of the fugitives who had made so bold a dash for lib- erty. he the two sprung over the railing, Curly Kid cried hurriedly in the gambler’s ear; ‘‘ Make for a spile under the bridge, and cling to it!” nd this was the method of proceeding that both employed; the moment they rose to the sur- face of the water, after taking the leap, they swam under the projecting pier near which they had entered the water, and resting their hands upon one of the cross-pieces, which at this stage of the tide was just about level with the wate:, were completely concealed from view. The conversation of the two friends as they leaned over the railing and gazed down upon the tide, came distinctly to their ears, but neither of the confederates spoke a word until the sound of the footsteps died away on the bridge. ‘* They are gone,” Randolph observed. ““Yes, and there isn’t any danger of their troubling us for the present at any rate, but that Crowningshield is an ugly man to have af- ter you. **He’s got a great deal of the bull-dog in him, and though to-night happy in having recovered his child he is not thinking of pursuing us, yet he is just the kind of man to get up to-morrow morning and put half a dozen bloodhounds up- on our track. ‘“©One of the sticklers for justice you know like the old Roman who sacrificed his son, not because he loved his son less buti Rome more.” ‘** Are you hungry for a chance to get even with him?” ee I am.” **T can put you in the way of doing that job and getting well paid for doing it too. “That is what I want. I am never so happy as when I can combine business and pleasure.” ‘* Tsn’t it safe to make the shors now?” ‘Ves, and we had better go direct to the house after so doing, for no one will be likely to trouble us for an hour or two, and inside of that time we can have these cursed steel brace- lets filed off.” ** So-long then!” Away the two went, gained the shore without trouble and made their tae their best speed the old mansion where Moll gladly received them, The file was brought and in short order they were relieved of the unpleasant ornaments which had decorated their wrists. The house contained a complete collection of disguises; these were hunted over and when a half an hour later the two men quitted the old house their most intimate friends would never have recognized them. Curly Kid was got up as an Irishman, and the disguise was perfect, while the gambler ap- peared as a low-down cockney Englishman, one of the ’Arry stamp. They made their way to the city along the railroad track, and as they walked they discuss- ed plans for the future, Randolph explaining matters to his companion. ‘This Mrs. Judge Jones fairly hates the sight of Crowningshield and I’ve got an idea from what she said the other day that she would be willing to give a good round sum to cripple him in such a way that he will never be able to an- noy her again.” ‘Po you think she is the mother of the child?” ae I do.” “SedolI, I don’t take any stock in the yarn about the twin sisters. This woman is Roxanna Merivale, the forme: wife of Crowningshield and the mother of the child. ‘“Crowningshield knows it too, I guess; he'll be apt to make it hot for her and that is why she is anxious to silence him in some way. ‘‘T feel sure from the conversation that I had with her that if I could go and say I know a man who hates this Crowningshield and will be glad to do anything to injure him and for a cer- tain sum of money will undertake to put him in your power, I am certain she will jump at the offer.” ‘* Make it then as soon as possible.” ‘How can I get at her without exciting sus- picion? Crowningshield probably has a watch set upon her. ‘*Tt was his spies that brought us to grief.” Curly Kid thought the matter over for a mo- ment and then his ready wit struck out a plan. ““Tve got a coupe and a horse at one of the up-town stables. Ill get them. “Then you must write a carefully-guarded letter to her saying that if she wishes to talk with you upon the subject that was mentioned when you came to see her in reference to the child, if she will go to the corner of Beacon street and Charles this evening at eight o’clock, a coupe will be there. She can enter, I'll drive he out over the mill-dam and up into the Rox- ury district and I will double and turn upon my tracks so as to make sure that nospy has follow- ed us, and then when I am satisfied that we can converse with safety I will halt the carriage in some quiet spot and we can discuss the matter without fear of interruption from interlopers,” “The scheme is a capital one ard I can’t see any reason why it will not work.” d this was the programme that the two agreed upon. The first part of it was carried out to perfec- tion, Curly Kid not knowing the intimate relations | which existed between the gambler and the Com- monwealth avenue lady, had a slight fear that the lady might be afraid to trust herself with a stranger. Randolph did not think it wise to explain to him that there wasn’t the least doubt about her ne in response to any message that he might send. So on the evening which succeeded the one on which occurred the stirring events detailed in our last chapter, Curly Kid drove his coupe to the corner of Charles and Beacon streets. Prompt to the appointed time, Roxanna made noe appearance, coming across the public gar- en. The gambler was within the cowpe, but the front curtains were drawn to so as to evade im- pertinent scrutiny. It had now grown quite dark though, so there rae much chance for any one to spy success- ully. Curly Kid held the door open for her in true coachman style, and as she entered he took an opportunity to whisper: ‘Were you followed, madam?” ‘¢ No, I do not think I was. I tried to keep as careful a watch around me as possible, but not detect anything to cause aiarm” Then she entered the coupe, Curly Kid mount- ed to the box again, and started the horse. Down Beacon street to the mill-lam, they went, crossed the causeway and then took the road at right-angles, leading to Roxbury, the highland district. The master scoundrel kept a wary eye about him as he drove on. The moon was out bright and full, and the cross-road affording a clear view for a couple of miles, it would have been an easy matter to de- tect if any spy was on the track, but there was not a single object in sight in any direction. Curly Kid at last drew rein. The spot which he had chosen was completely desolate; a better place for such a conference as was about to take place it would have been hard to find. The desperado got down from the box and opened the door of the coupe. Randolph had explained to Roxanna during the journey that the driver was the man who desir- | ed to undertake the task of getting Crowning- shield in such an extremely tight place that he would be glad to come to terms. ‘* You needen’t be afraid to speak out freely, madam, there isn’t a soul within sight for two miles,” was Curly Kid’s salutation. ‘*T presume you understand the nature of the business upon which I come,” she said. ‘* That saves time, then.” -** This Crowningshield is in your way; he is danger to you, and you wish him silenced.” ** Yes, that is it.” ‘* Tt is a difficult and dangerous job and will cost money.” ‘* How much?” asked Roxanna in a tone de- void of any trace of excitement, One would have imagined it was a house she was bargaining for, not a human life, ‘*Two thousand dollars.” ‘Pll give you five if you succeed and arrange it so that the man can be brought somewhere so that I myself can deal the blow.” CHAPTER XXXVI. ARRANGING DETAILS, Curty Ki reflected upon the matter for ful- ly five minutes before he undertook to give an answer. The offer was a tempting one. Five thousand dollars does not grow on every bush, nor is it usually to be had for the asking. The desperado had been in hard luck lately, too, and such a sum of money would be a god- send to kim, indeed. ‘* Tt will be difficult but not impossible,” he said at last. ‘¢-You will undertake the job?” “6 Yes. b>) ‘‘Here’s a thousand dollars earnest money,” and she placed a roll of bills in his hand. There was no mistaking the fact that she was terribly in earnest. ‘*T will leave all the details to you,” she said. ‘‘ Tt does not matter a pin to me how the mat- ter is arranged, except that the man must be trapped, placed in some secure spot.so that I will have an opportunity to speak a few words to him before the death-stroke is given.” ‘“‘T understand, and it shall performed exactly as you say. Is there anything more?” ** No, nothing,” she answered. “Tt may take me some little time to arrange a scheme, but when I am ready I will warn ou. : There was silence for a few moments. The lady wena to be in a brown study and the others judged it wise not to disturb her, | © did | ee EEE At last she raised her eyes, which had been bent thoughtfully upon the ground, and spoke: ‘‘ Tf I am watched in the future as I have been in the past it may bea difficult matter for you to give me notification without leading to danger of betrayal,” she observed. ‘*T think the spies are removed, now that Crowningshield has recovered his childand if it is so I can easily send you word.” “T will be on the watch for it,” she re- Wee ‘‘Have you any idea how soon it will ef ‘*No, it is almost impossible for me to decide in regard to that,” Curly Kid replied, slowly, deliberating upon the matter in his mind, ‘You see there are so many circumstances to be taken into consideration.” ‘Yes, I presume £0.” ‘““Of course the task is one of the most diffi- cult that could be selected,” the gambler re- marked, ‘* but from what I know of my partner here I am satisfied that he can do the job if any one can,” ** Although he is a stranger to me yet I feel sure of that too,” the lady remarked after a careful scrutiny of Curly Kid. ‘‘I’m no greenhorn at this sort of thing,” the other observed, ‘‘and I wouldn’t take the job if I did not feel sure that I could make a success f it. ‘*But at the first blush it is impossible to fix upon any certain date.” ‘Yes, understand that. If you were to fix upon a particular day so far in advance, a hun- dred little circumstances might occur to upset your plans,” ‘Yes, it would be a far easier matter for me to kill the man outright.” “No, no. That wouldn’t answer,” ‘The lady has a grudge which she desires to settle in person,” the gambler observed. ‘* Yes, that is true,” **T can understand that.” ‘*T wish to see him die!” ‘*And have him comprehend that it is your hand that has stricken him down,” observed Curly Kid. ‘Ves, that is the idea exactly.” ‘Tt can be arranged as I said; but before I ean tell much of anything about the matter, there are certain things that it is important for me to know.” ‘*T comprehend.” ‘* Like the skillful doctor who will not attempt to give an opinion in regard to a patient until he has had a chance to examine him, I must be- come acquainted with the habits of the man against whom I am to act.” i Certainly, there isn’t the least doubt about that. ‘*Some men are much more difficult to attack than others.” ‘The careless, imprudent fellow is of course an easy prey, compared to the cool, cautious man who is always on his guard,” the woman observed, her keen mind grasping the difficul- ties of the scheme immediately. ‘““ A week will be time enough for me to ascer- tain all I want to know, I think,” Curly Kid observed. ‘Within a week, then, I may expect to hear from you?” cc es ” “That is all, then.” teenie CHAPTER XXXVII. THE DECISION. ALL the particulars of the compact being arranged, Curly Kid ascended to the box again, took up the reins, and drove the coupe back to the ar At the lower end of the public garden he halted his steed, and Roxanna alighted, first taking care to assure herself that there wasn’t any suspicious-looking personage in the neigh- borhood, who might be apt to follow her. Not that there was much danger that any evil would result from any spy discovering who she was, for even if ber identity was found out, it would be an utter impossibility for any one to ar out the meaning of this mysterious coach ride. It was a capital idea that Curly Kid had sug- gested, and by means of the coupe the three had been able to hold their conference in perfect safety, and without attracting attention from any one. There had been only a few words exchanged between Randolph and the woman during the homeward ride. ‘Have you confidenee that he will be able to carry out his plan?” she asked. the gambler answered, confi- dently. ‘‘ He has a marvelous head for all such things, and he will be sure to hatch up some scheme that will work successfully. Don’t you worry about that.” ‘** Tt seems almost too to be true, to think that I shall be able to hold this miserable man in my power, and force him to do my will!” the woman exclaimed, exultantly. ‘“ Well, after you get him, do you really pro- pose to—” He paused at the last word. / The woman hesitated for a moment before she __ nicboo (elo)