Beadle's Dime Library No. 366 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

- 2 ee eer Eee ~-- = . = — i :* ee 20 He retreated a step or two before the men ace of her determined manner and the leveled weapon. “Tf you have any business here state it,” she continued, emphatically, ‘‘ but do not in- trude where you have no right to do so.” **T have a right.’ As he spoke Dorsett turned back the cor- ner of his vest and revealed the edge of an oficial badge, and said simply: ‘Tam a detective.”’ Arminie Royale’s face grew pale as she lowered the weapon. A mystified perplexity came into her eyes and she offered no inter- ference as Dorsett advanced and pushed open the door communicating with the next apart- ment and glanced in, A low cry of amazement broke from his lips at the sight which greeted his vision— the fierce-eyed Torrance chained and mana- cled, an unusual spectacle in an unusual place. Ife turned to Arminie Royale. ‘“Who is this man?’ he demanded, im- peratively. A derisive laugh amazed him as it broke from the woman’s lips. ** What!” she cried; ‘‘in search of a. man and don’t know him? That man is Sidney Torrance!” , A satisfied gleam came into the detective’s ace. “And you?” he asked, quickly. *‘She is Arminie Royale. Come, don’t give us any nonsense. If you're a detective, take us in—anything to get out of this ac- cursed place!” growled Torrance, viciously. Arminie Royale! Dorsett turned to the woman. ‘Thea you were not drowned?—then the League did not succeed in killing you?” The shrewd Frenchwoman saw that the stranger, whoever he was, had some know- ledge of the occurrences of the past night. She touched his arm and beckoned to him to follow her out of the hearing of the pris- oner. On the outside of the house she paused fae turned het searching glance full upon iim. ‘“Who are you?” she asked, abruptly. ‘“‘T have told you once—a detective.” ‘From New York?” ee Yes.” ‘‘Tlow much do you know of this affair?” ‘*Of what affair!” ‘Of Sidney Torrance—of this mystery. If you are from New York, answer me one question truly, and I will explain what seems a mystery to both of us: Did you come here with another detective?” era Os,” ‘His name?” ‘* Willis Marvin.” The woman’s somber face grew clear and her eyes bright. ‘‘Then I can trust you,” she said. ‘‘ I was rescued last night by the man who captured this Torrance. I am here now, his jailer, un- der the direction of that man, Robert Mar- vin.’ ‘* Robert Marvin! Impossible!” cried Dor- sett, in the profoundest amazement. ‘* What I say is true.” _“ And he—Marvin—where has he gone?” ‘**] cannot tell you his secrets.” The detective looked annoyed. ‘But I am his friend,” he began— ‘*T cannot help it,” returned the woman, resolutely. ‘‘ There are complications in this affair I have no right to disturb. Robert Mar- vin will return here soon. If you would see him and learn his plans, do so from his own lips. I you doubt me, arrest both Torrance and myself,” The detective’s face was a study in its puz- zled expression. ‘* Are you telling me the truth?” he asked, earnestly. ‘Do not appearances carry out my state- ments?” was the questioning reply. They certainly did. The dleveotive was silent for a few moments. Finally he spoke: ‘‘ Why should you bea friend to Robert Marvin, when you were an accomplice of his enemies only a day since?” The Frenchwoman’s eyes flashed darkly. - ** Because those accomplices have dealt me treachery for sincerity, attempted death for fidelity to their interests,” she replied, for- cibly. i —_- —-— —-- The Telegraph Detectiv Neen eee EOE ‘* Will you wait here, and not fly, alarmed at my appearance, until I return?” inquired Dorsett. ‘Why should I fly?” demanded Arminie, calmly. ‘‘ I have nothing to fear. Iam in Robert Marvin’s hands, and he has promised me my revenge. It is all I ask.” Apparently satisfied, the detective turned to the road and hastened toward Morris. His intention was to notify Willis Marvin by telegraph of the Giscovery he had made. The woman watched his figure disappear; then, turning, re-entered the hut. She glanced carelessly at the prisoner, at his anxious face and restless hands, and then broke into a light laugh. He glared at her savagely. **You seem amused!” ° **T am,” she replied, sinking into a chair; ‘‘T am amused to see how perfectly fate is avenging me, and I comparatively inactive to assist its movements.” “You talk in riddles.”’ “They seem clear enough to me. You and that demon, Revere, -in rewarding a trusting woman’s fidelity with treachery, have simply brought ruin on all your plans. I would not lift a finger to save either of you, and it begins to look as if even that action on my part, willingly bestowed, would prove unavailing to aid you.” The prisoner seemed tortured by her sting- ing words and reckless manner, ‘‘What do you mean?” he demanded, hoarsely. ‘‘T mean that not only are you in the power of a personal foe, but also in that of the law itself. The man who just left here will relieve my watch, and, as a detective, take you in charge.” The muttered curses of Torrance told how galling was the restraint imposed upon him. Both were silent for a few moments, a silence broken suddenly by a harsh laugh from Torrance. ‘*Arminie Royale,” said the prisoner, ‘you believe yourself a very shrewd wo- man. I have just decided that you are quite the contrary.” ‘* Indeed!” scornfully. ‘Yes. Has it occurred to you that all men are alike, and look only at their own personal interests? Have you meditated on the fact that this man, Marvin, is simply using you to further his own ends—has led you into this trap, and that the detective will return and arrest us both?” ‘| believe his visit here to be purely acci- dental,” she replied. ‘Then disabuse your mind of that thought. Robert Marvin sent him here, and your fancied revenge on Adrian Revere will never come, It was his game to play inno- cent, and he has taken you in. Ha, ha!” He had worked successfully on the wom- an’s feelings at last; he had set her thinking over the situation—of herself a prisoner, and Adrian Revere clear of the law. ‘‘ Shall I tell you a secret?” he continued, in the same taunting tone. She eyed him angrily. ‘“You have none worth the imparting,” she replied, indignant at his power to annoy her. ‘« Haven't 1? Bend close a moment, and let me whisper, that Adrian Revere—”’ She drew close to him and bent her ear eagerly, believing he was about to tell her some secret of importance, but only to have his hands, manacled as they were, seize her throat in a close embrace. Drawing her head down and closing his knees over her arms and body, he held her completely at his mercy. ‘*Fool!” he hissed, as he tightened his grasp; “‘ whether I escape or not, the satis- faction of choking the life out of you is worth the gallows. You were shrewd, my friend Arminie, but you cannot cope with your su- perior in finesse and strength.” He relaxed his hold as the startled eyes closed and the purple lips became motion- less. Handicapped as he was, he drew the revolver from her pocket, and laughed wild- ly as he noted the deep impress of his brutal grasp on the fair white throat. But he grew furious as he searched in vain for the key to the handcuffs and the padlock fastening the chain. His frequent endeavors io estape told him that he could not force the chain before Dorsett would return, as there were no tools to effect his purpose eee SS ————_— ———— ~ - — es e. within reach. Marvin had not trusted Ar- minie Royale too far, and had taken the key to the padlock with him. He glanced down at the revolver in his hands and observed that the seven chambers were loaded. <A hopeful light came into his eyes. Approaching the post where the chain was secured, he placed the barrel of the weapon against the padlock and fired, to have the satisfaction of seeing the outer plate of the padlock completely shattered, A second bullet and the chain fell to the floor, and drawing it through the loop in the handcuffs, he was free to leave the place! He paused, his fingers on the revolver as he started with a wild dash for the door, and glanced down at the insensible Arminie. ‘‘Shall I end her once for all?” he mut- tered. ‘‘ No; she is dangerous, but this is a case where the crime would be traced directly to me, and I won't halter my neck, I'll hurry to Revere, get him to leave the city and divide the plunder, but first some smithy to relieve me of these handcuffs.” He glided from tbe place and sought the shelter of the forest to the north, away from Morris. Half an hour later Arminie Royale recov- ered her consciousness. Slowly the truth dawned upon her mind; slowly she recalled the revenge of Torrance and realized that he had escaped. Why should she remain here in doubt as to Dorsett while Torrance might reach New York and warn Revere ere she had an oppor- tunity for revenge? ‘‘7] will not lose that chance!” she hissed through her swollen lips. ‘‘ Let Robert Mar- vin pursue his own course, 1 mine; but Adrian Revere shall not escape a wronged wife’s vengeance.” Silence brooded over the little cabin vacated by its former tenants, and darkness had settled down over the solemn landscape when, about nine o’clock, Dorsett returned from Morris. He was startled as he found the outer room deserted, and hastened to the inner apartment with an anxious face. ‘‘The man escaped, the woman gone!” he cried. ‘‘ What does it mean? Is she false or true? What are these new complica- tions?” CHAPTER XIX. A MADMAN’S ACT. A MAN chained to a pillar, and seeing the home containing his loved ones in peril of destruction which he is unable to avert, would experience the same emotions which tortured Willis Marvin, the Telegraph Detective, as he gazed from the windows of his place of covert, watching the scene in rect apartment occupied by Constance Thorn- rke. Bro the moment he had seen his father in the room below, he had at once recognized the fact that Robert Marvin was playing a game as deep as hisown. As he saw him glide from the apartment, he knew that he was bent on some errand, having for its pur- pose the outwitting of Revere and the rescue of Constance Thorndyke. His attention was therefore centered on the upper room, and through the shutters he could discern, from the shadows and occasional proximity of one of the two occupants of the place to the win- dow, that an exciting drama was in progress of operation. In terrible suspense he tried to judge what was going on within the room. It was only when he plainly distinguished Adrian Revere’s voice calling loudly for help that he realized that the tragic culmination to the exciting scene had come. He was unable to endure the suspense longer. A mystery, perhaps a murder, vital to all the issues of the case before him, was hidden by the walls of the Thorndyke man- sion, and he must learn what fateful part his father and Constance had enacted in a scene, evidently one of violence, judging from the cries of Adrian Revere. Leaving the window he groped about the darkened stable-loft and reached the loose rail stairway leading below, his heart beat- ing anxiously, his brain in a whirl. He scarcely knew how to act, but he had deter- mined to be passive no longer, to move Gomicboo (C cS G (0)