Beadle's Dime Library No. 366 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

Le ee The Telegraph Detective “t <—<_ <= ; r stentively. and finally walked toward the li- brary with the murmured words: ‘*] understand.” Marvin could feel the man at his side trem- bling in his grasp, evidently deeply impressed by the mysterious whispering and actions of his captors. But he was too shrewd a criminal, too fully an adept in police methods, to be lured into committing himself; so he preserved a sul- len silence when his captor said: ‘‘Barnes, you understand brought you here?” Marvin waited for a moment or two for a re- ply. None being vouchsafed, however, he con- tinued: ‘“You are in our power, with evidence of a crime against you, but we do not seek to have you pay the penalty of another’s crime. You did not fire the fatal shot, we know, but you were the rag of the real assassin, which is nearly as bad. That man we intend to find.” Barnes broke into a coarse, derisive laugh: ‘*And you expect me to tell you who he is, I suppose?” he demanded. ** Exactly.” ‘Then plainly, I won’t.” ** You will!” The outlaw stared at the quiet, determined voice of the detective. ‘* We'll see,” he muttered, sullenly. **T’m going to give you a chance for your life,” continued Marvin, impressively. ‘The fortunes of the Dynamite League have turned and you had better save yourself while it is yet time. We know your companions, all except ‘the captain,’ and him we shall find, if not through you, then by some other means. Sup- pose { should tell you that the banker is not dead—”’ The outlaw started. ‘‘Then it’sno hanging affair,” he cried, defi- antly, ‘‘and Pll stand the penalty.” You'll think better of it, Barnes, when I tell you that if this affair concentrates on you, the penalty for attempted murder, robbery and conspiracy means a life sentence.” He waited to note the effect of his persistent WTe could attacks upon the mind of the other. tell that he was weakening. ‘* Now listen to me,” the Telegraph Detective resumed, “‘and make your decision. I agree, if you will confess the truth, to shield you from the men you fear to betray—to have you sent safely out of the country. I shall take you in- to this place, where you may be startled to see the man you believed Pg accomplice mur- dered sitting up, even if dying, ready to iden- tify his assailants. If before he 7 borg Si con- fess the name of the man who fired the shot, well and good; if not, I will send you to jail and show no mercy in prosecuting you to the extreme end of the law.’ He led him along the hall to where the open door of the library allowed a broad path of light to fall across the corridor carpet. e paused as they gained it, and extending one hand said im- pressively : ee Look \? A cry like that of a man confronted with the wraith of his murdered victim broke from the outlaw’s lips as he fell back, startled and white. ‘“‘ Listen,” murmured Marvin, as he held his prisoner in a firm grasp. The manacled hands trembled like an aspen; the lips of the prisoner were set in an expres- sion of horrified interest. ** And you could identify the men who atiack- ed you?” spoke the voice of Dorsett. he fascinated eyes of the prisoner saw the man writing at the table—saw the ghastly form why we have of the banker—saw, too, that the hands were moving and the muscles of his face apparently expressing the motions of spcech. ‘ Yes,” was the reply, apparently from the colorless ape. Marvin drew his prisoner across the threshold. The horrible mockery of death had accomplished his work, for the outlaw leaned heavily on his arm, trembling Vo get “ Speak!” cried the Telegraph Detective, ‘* to Save yourself:—who is ‘the captain,’ who fired the shot at yonder man?” ‘ The white lips of Barnes opened, his trembling hands clasped the steel chain, his eyes distend with a horrible desperation, as he replied, ina terrified tone: ‘* I did not do the deed, it was—” The sentence never ended. A flash at the window, & deafening report, a long shriek of aud agony from the manacled outlaw, and e fel) back to the floor, writhing in mortal agony a moment, and then lay still and rigid in the embrace of death, Startled, stunned, the occupants of the apart- ment moved not at the terrible culmination of the exciting scene before them. Only Marvin, recovering his Perna of mind, traced in the sudden death of Barnes a new venture of the dreaded League which followed friend and foe so persistently, and carb to the window. * Quick!” he cried to the other detectives, as he caught sight of a flying form ¢ g through the shrubbery and sprung after it, * and do not let the murderer escape. Upon his capture de- pends the good name of my father, perhaps bis very life!” SE Snes te I pe arassed Marvin. ed Marvin dy CHAPTER X. A DEEPENING MYSTERY. NEVER was a scene of more startling interest revealed to the detectives of New York than that in which Willis Marvin and his companion now took part. The four men in hot pursuit of the flying murderer of Barnes, the air echoin with shots, the streets rapidly filling with alarmed people, the vicinity of the double trag- edy became a veritable Babel for the time be- ing. A chagrined, disappointed quartette, one by one they returned to the library where the two victims of the night’s fateful crimes lay. Mar- vin’s face was a picture of dismay, for he real- ized that for a second time the infamous League in awarding death to a traitor had complicated and imperiled his most cherished interests and those of the father who had suffered so much for his fidelity to the cause of his client, Gerald Thorndyke, He glanced curiously at the officer who had knelt by the side of Barnes. ** He is dead, quite dead,” replied the man, in response to Marvin’s inquiring look. ‘*Then our mission here is ended,” said the Telegraph Detective. ‘‘ Will you see that the galvanic battery is put up and sent home?” He gave the officer the address of the pawn- broker from whom he had obtained it and turned to leave the place. The former stopped him with a question. ‘* There will be Inquiries made for the reasons as to the change in position of the body by the coroner,” he insinuated. ‘I will give a satisfactory explanation to the chief,” answered Marvin, and he left the place, followed by Dorsett. The intelligent eyes of the latter gleamed with a latent curiosity as they gained the street. ‘Tt has been an eventful night,” he began. ‘Tt is the beginning of others equally fateful,” was the response. ‘** What do you mean?” ‘*That death lurks at every by-street and corner for the man who seeks to trace down this League of criminals,” Dorsett did not seem to be startled by his companion’s statement; instead, he met his troubled glance wistfully. Marvin read his emotions aright. A warm friend, a partner in many a daring adventure, he trusted and valued Dorsett, and acting on a sudden impulse said: “Tread your thoughts, Dorsett. Your ven- turesome spirit craves the excitement and glor of the capture. Be it so! Let us together fol- low out his deep game.” ‘* But you forget that Tam in the dark as to the motives or operations of the organization,” sn Dorsett. ** That is true, but to-night my mind is too fully h and confused to give you a suc- cinct account of the case, Let the matter rest until to-morrow night. Say you meet me at nine o’clock.” ** Where?” asked Dorsett, eagerly. ** At the Galaxy restaurant.’ ‘* Very well; I will be there. Meantime there is nothing I can do in this case?” ‘* Nothing except to watch out for the men whose names and description I endeavored to telegraph to head-quarters and to privately in- form the chief of Seopa. but no one else, of the true statement of the case.” ** And you?” ‘‘T have some side issues to follow which I must trace down, alone and unaided. I will have something of importance to tell you when I see you again.” They ede going in different directions, at the words. Marvin’s step was rapid, his man- ner excited, impatient, as he hastened toward the sire | where the mysterious stranger had disappeared. The officer at the door when he passed in the carriage was still there. An exhibition of his badge prompted him to confidence and atten- tion, and he answered his questions readily. ‘You were sent here by the chief?’ inquired se" ca,” ‘To find a man on description?” ‘* Exactly.” ** And your success?” ‘None. My er and I are on guard—he in the rear, in the hope of bagging our game if he is still in the vicinity, but it looks a hopeless case, He proceeded to detail his — in the case to ’s attentive ears. He had been sent there hurriedly from head-quarters and directed to find a man imperfectly described. A talk 11 They had gone on their mission of arrest cau- tiously, but when they had broken in the door of the apartment described by the landlady, they had found it empty, in disorder, and a rope hanging from the rear window told them that their arrival having been suspected or observed by the man they sought, he had quietly dropped to the ground below and escaped. The aes pti of suspense and doubt was in the mind of the detective as he heard of this act, in itself a constructive acknowledgmcnt of guilt seeking escape from conviction. If this man was his father, why had he not boldly faced the officers? Why had he assumed the part of a fugitive criminal? He knew bis father was innocent of any crime. There could be no motive on his part for the committal of such in recovering property which he had but to claim in order to possess. Had his long incarceration driven him insane, and were all his acticns based on such a. complexion of thought, or had he, foreseeing arrest and valuing his liberty to carry out some cherished plan, sought a tem- porary respite from custody? When Marvin thought of the deep operations of the Dynamite League, he did not marvel that his father had feared they would lay the crime of the murder of the banker to his charge. How- ever, satisfied that he would soon find his parent, he ascended to the room he had occu- pied and glanced hurriedly around the apart- ment, The chamber was indeed in disorder, but that disorder gave an intelligent clew to the detec- tive as to the identity of its former occupant. An old worn suit of clothes lay on the floor, and he trembled as he recognized the garments his father had worn when he last saw him. The man had gone to the banker's house cautiously, fearing that the members of the League might anticipate him—had evidently determined to prevent murder and attempted to do so, but not successful in this, had secured the casket and come hither. The casket? Yes, for’ there on the floor lay a hammer and by its sidea steel band. Evident- ly Robert Marvin was engaged in examining the casket to see if its contents were safe when the officers arrived, for the band must have been a part of it, and lying under the table as if hastily dropped was a folded paper. Such a wild light sprung into Marvin's eyes as he opened and perused the paper that they seemed to gleam with the intensity of an elec- tric spark. ** Victory!” he cried, in tones of inexpressible triumph and joy. ‘The first success in my operations against the Dynamite League!” Whatever its importance, it held sufficient value for him to bestow it carefully in an inner breast-pocket. Then, satisfied that he could ef- fect no further good here, he left the place, a new, hopeful light in his face. It was the first gleam of joy amid despair and ‘ief. His the proud duty and task to clear his ather of any imputation of crime! Though hunted down for murder, an innocent man, that guiltlessness he would certainly prove! Midnight bells were tolling as he reached the street where Constance lived. As he recalled the episode of the night, the wild ride in the carriage, he grew anxious, The hour was late, but suspense e him learn if Constance Thorn- dyke was safe—forced him to seek an elucida- tion of the mystery of the vailed woman, He entered the open doorway and rung the bell for admittance to the side of the building where Constance had found a temporary home, The son of the landlady, a sleepy-headed boy, answered the summons. ‘* Miss Thorndyke,” said Marvin. message of importance for her.” ‘*T will ascertain if she will see you, sir,” was the reply. He disappeared, and was gone so long that Marvin “eit impatient, but the lad returned at last, the landlady, hastily dressed, with him. ‘* Miss Thorndyke is gone,” she announced at once. ‘** Gone?” repeated Marvin in surprise. ‘Yes. How and when I can’t tell. A lad called early in the evening—a lady I mistoo for her at first, deeply vailed. She asked for Miss Thorndyke, and was shown to her room. I did not see her go out—I did not see Miss Thorndye go out, but about ten o’clock I re- member hearing some noise in the hall. They may’ have gone together, and—” The last words were lost on Marvin's hearing. He had turned sick at heart as he saw plainly that some deep plot had been concocted and suc- y executed to decoy the woman he loved from her home! He could not penetrate the “T havea with the landlady of the house revealed the fact | deep craftiness of his enemies, but assigned a than an hour Bena a new lodger, who had come there shortly after dark and secured a room, had aroused her icions by going out completely disguised, a few minutes later. his man’s description in his false and true peaay gave a quick thrill to Marvin’s anxious eh renee he murmured, ‘‘and I never suspected it. Later the man had returned to the house: she — complication. y motive for the abduction as he strode down the steps of the house, leaving the land- lady staring with wonder at his abrupt depar- ture. His brain was in a whirl—his mind con- Deckodae aii his turn to New York ci g wi re ew York city, his experience had been one wild, einen flight of adventures. He felt his head grow his brain wearied, as he faced this new | The exhausted physical system had heard him go up to his room, and directed refused to respond to the tireless promptings of the officers thither. his active mine, and Le turn.d his steps toward ——— _ Eomicbooks ad - oe Ht