Beadle's Dime Library No. 386 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 to the other beneath the glass panels, without, to Hawk’s great relief, suspecting the substitu- tion in the one case. Still, the detective wanted to feek perfectly assured on this point. ‘*'You won’t allow the caskets to be opened again, my friend?’ said he. ‘‘ Public curiosity should be satisfied with a view of the poor dead faces through the glass, and a word of caution to the undertaker—” ‘‘ Oh, Mynheer Heron, never fear for that!” blurted out’ the old man, taking a couple of clean white handkerchiefs from his pocket and covering the glass panels with them. ‘‘ The vile public curiosity shall not be gratified at all. See! the spotless kerchiefs shall thus conceal the poor faces till I shall have sent for yet more spotless flowers to take their place. After that, covered from mortal gaze ever more they shall remain, for I myself shall see the bodies lowered into the grave!’ “ Quite at ease now as to the preservation of the secret, for he had yo apprehension that Olga’s abductor would dare to divulge it, Hawk offered a few more suggestions to the old man and then hurried away. Nixey was at his post at the lower door, along with a policeman, who was surly enough at not having yet been relieved, and Hawk beckoned to him as he passed out. ‘‘ Anything else happened since the mystery of Clarisse’s entrance?” he asked, when they had drawn out of the policeman’s op gion ‘‘Nary a thing, boss,” replied the boy, giving him a keen look. “But something’s happen- ed to you, boss, if you'll excuse me for say- in’ it.” ‘What do you mean?” “Your eyes is set an’ your face drawed, boss, like as if you had been through a quartz-crusher an’ come out game but shaky.” ‘“That is neither here nor there at present,” said Hawk, half-angrily. ‘‘1 merely need sleep and rest. In the mean time, I have eertain in- structions to give you.” ‘¢T’'m your Ariel, boss.” ‘‘In the first place, what have you discov- ered concerning the other houses in this Gotham block?” ‘‘ There are eight in all, boss. The one at the end yonder, what we’ve been guarding, is re- spectable. So is the next.cne toit. The third one, what we're just standin’ in front of, isn’t, All the rest are.” Hawk, threw his gaze over the front of the house in question. It only differed from its neighbors in presenting less neatly-dressed win- dows and an uninviting hallway, whose street- door had a look of being seldom closed. ‘* Tt’s a bad ’un, boss!” commented the boy, ‘In what way?” ‘Door open all night; two shoplifters nipped in second-floor flat last week; rows frequent; Health Board notified; complaints lively; own- er’s a Jew, what was once lugged for arson.” ‘That will do,” said Hawk, taking out his note-book and writing a few words in cil. ‘‘Now get your breakfast, and then take this note to its address. You will wait at the hospi- tal for an answer. Then seek Mr. Blithers at the Brunswick, and say that I can’t call on him till late in the day. Don’t on any account tell Blithers where I lodge. After attending to these things, return to your post until after the funeral, tt you don’t see me there, seek me at my lodging, and report.” if Nothin’ more, boss?” “Yes, one thing. Just before and during the funeral services be in the room with Mr. Schmidt as much as possible, and, should the young woman Clarisse put in an appearance, watch her every movement attentively. Keep up your spying upon her, if possible, to the last moment. That is all.” Nixey touched his cap, ducked his head and scraped his foot, after his wont, and me away, while Hawk delayed no longer in seeking some much-needed nourishment at a neighbor- ing eating-saloon, after which he hastened to his room, and went to bed. Our hero occupied a furnished room in a quiet private residence not a t way from Montauk lace. He had for la dy a discreet, mother- y old lady, who thought all the world of him, was thoroughly used to his habits, and would have deliberated long before admitting a visitor to his presence without first obtaining his per- mission, while, as for doing such a thing unan- nounced, she would not have dreamed of it, Judge, then, of Hawk’s astonishment, on awaking late in the afternoon out of the — found slumber into which his exhaustion had plunged him, to find a man standing by his bed, apparently lost in a searching study of his face, an that person ‘‘ Mr. Jack Blithers, of Scotland Yard, London.” However, Hawk did not always manifest his astonishment, so he merely opened his eyes widely, and riveted his visitor with a rather stern look. “Hallo! peep-o’-day at last, eh?” cried ‘** Blithers,” with his fat, hearty laugh, which somehow was not very agreeable to Hawk just then. ‘‘Tll bet my head, you know, that you’re wondering how I found you out, and came to be here!” e Hawk vouchsafed no answer, but, leisurely rising, began dressing with the utmost indiffer- ence. ‘*Ha, ha, ha! You see it ae ae in this way, my boy,” continued ‘ Blithers,’ seating himself and affecting not to notice his ungracious reception. ‘‘I was in bed myself till late this morning—you see how my neck’s plastered and oulticed; Gad, it’s a wonder that rascal didn’t ill me!—and was on my way to the hotel desk when the accident occurred that brought me here.” Still no answer. ‘‘Sad news I’ve brought you, too, my boy Blithers went on, with sudden gravity. ‘* That odd little chap in the district messenger’s dress, ou know—in your employ, I believe, and was it Nixey you called him?—well, I felt bound to hunt you up, after the shocking accident that caused his death, so I at once—” ‘* Heavens and earth!” exclaimed Hawk, find- ing his tongue at last; ‘‘ what are you saying?” * Painful, but true, my boy!” “Dead, you say?” **Tumbled down the hotel elevator—smashed to a jelly, with hardly a doubt.” Hawk had loved the boy. He grasped the dressing-case at which he was standing, pale as: death. ‘‘Tt was about eleven this morning,” Blithers went on. ‘Perhaps the lad was on an errand to me from you?” Hawk nodded, and signed him to proceed. ‘““T was crossing in front of the shaft,” the other continued, ‘‘on my way to the desk, the elevator car itself being doubtless at the top of the building, when, whiz, plunge! down rushed the lad’s falling body!” Hawk groaned. ‘* Swift as it passed me, I recognized it as that of your little Nixey.” ‘* Was there no outcry?” ** Not from him—nothing but a dull, sickening thud down at the bottom of the shaft.” ** Horrible!”, ‘“‘T should say so! ‘Is the boy dead? I asked of one of the clerks that came rushing up from below a few moments later. ‘ Dead as a door- nail!’ was the reply. I waited to learn no more, but made tracks for Police Head-quarters to learn your address. Wasa long time unearth- ing it, to be sure, but here I am at last, and—” or the first time Blithers’s emotions seemed too much for him, and Hawk extended his hand him. “‘T—I really didn’t mean to incur your dis- pleasure, my boy!” blurted out the big man, ap- alg A not seeing the proffered hand, ‘* but— ut I thought you might want to know without delay, and—and, finding the door below unlocked, I just ventured—” ‘*Say no more of it, my good friend,” said Hawk, seizing the hand with a grateful pressure, ‘* and forgive me for having treated you so cav- alierly. But the fact was—” He was interrupted in his turn by a peculiar ring—or, rather, series of light rings—at the door-bell, and he gave a surprised start. ‘* Bh? What?” said Blithers, looking up. ‘‘ Why do you eye me so singularly, my boy?” ‘‘T ‘hardly know,” said Hawk. ‘ But, hark! The door has been opened—there is now a bound- ing step on the stair—and now— Why, how now, Mr. Blithers! what am Ito think of your statements?” . The last words were almost shouted out, as there came a light, familiar rat-tat-tat on the door—a counterpart of the peculiar rings at the door-bell. ** Come in!” cried Hawk. And then, as Nixey—Nixey, poe and hag- gard, ’tis true, but Nixey himself, surprisingly alive and active, for all that—hopped into the room, Hawk caught him in his arms and fairly hugged him. ut ‘ Blithers’ had started _to his feet with an amazement as unaffected as Hawk’s. ‘‘ Jerusalem!” he stammered; ‘‘ the lad—the very boy himself!” ** You can bet your life on that, an’ live it out, too, Mr. Britisher!” said Nixey, with his charac- teristic spirit. ‘‘ Who else should it be?” ‘““Tm beat out!” said Blithers. ‘‘ With my own eyes I saw you plunging down the elevator shaft, and a moment later the clerk said to me, ‘The boy is as dead as a door-nail!’” ‘* So he was, sir, but he meant the bell-boy I fell on, and not yourn truly, whose life was sav- ed at the expense of another’s,” said Nixey, wip- ing away atear. ‘Poor littlechap! His name was Tommy Kelly, and he’s left a poor mother and sister to mourn him, But ’m good for many a tumble yet, boss, though sort of rattled up just at present, boss,” and he responded gratefully to Hawk’s continued caress. ‘* Where are you from last?” asked Hawk. **The hospital—St. Luke’s—boss. They'd have kept me there longer, but I knowed you’d be worried, and wouldn’t have it.” ** How did it all happen?” **T was fired down the shaft—yes, boss, fairly fred’ down—it was a reg’lar attempt to murder me! ‘‘To murder you!” exclaimed both men in a breath. ‘* By whom?” ‘*Not havin’ optics in the back of my head, OO ness ———_—$_ Hawk Heron, the Falcon Detective. boss, I can’t say,” responded the lad, ignorin ‘ Blithers’ aitonelian. oe _ ‘* Explain,” ordered Hawk. ‘* Short an sweet’s the gait, boss. I had knock- ed at Mr. Blithers’s door on the third floor fur ten minutes, wiihout gettin’ an answer, an’ was standin’ outside the elevator gate, waitin’ fur the machine to come down. Suddenly I was grabbed by the scruff of the neck, while a bi geal was pressed over my eyes an’ mouth. ii eard the gate shot back, and, before I could squeal or kick, I was fired head-first down the shaft. You know the rest, boss.” ‘**Something like my own adventure at the Brunswick,” remarked Hawk. ‘But this is most extraordinary!” exclaimed ‘Blithers.’? ‘‘ Have you made this statement to the authorities, boy?” “*T was senseless when picked up, Mr. British- er, after killing poor Tommy Kelly, and I’m just from the hospital.” ‘*But you intend to make charges, if even against a would-be assassin who is unknown?” ‘““Nary a charge, Mr. Britisher!” ‘But this is madness! W hy not, pray?” **T never makes charges, Mr, Britisher; I gets even |” ‘Blithers’ threw up his hands in a comically despairing way, and said he believed he would be off, as he had some pressing affairs. ** Anything fresh in our case, Hawk?” he ask- ed, with his hand on the door-knob. ‘ Nothing worth mentioning,” replied Hawk, who had resumed his toilet. *“* What! nothing at all—nothing more con- cerning our fugitive colossus?’ And it struck the young man that the words were accompanied by a look of extra inquisitiveness. ‘Nothing, I tell you. If anything turns up that you ought to know, Ill bring you word.” ‘‘Thanks!” said ‘ Blithers,’ in his hearty way, and he disappeared. Night was already falling. fs Guick, Nixey!” exclaimed Hawk, as soon as he heard ‘Blithers’ pass out of the house. ‘* Shadow that man to his next destination, and report to me at the Gotham Flats.” *Go’s the motto, boss, an’ level’s your head to mistrust him!” chirruped the lad, as he disap- peared. CHAPTER X. AN INTERRUPTED CONCLAVE. Hawk HERON, on io his lodgings a few minutes later, went direct. y to Mr. Schmidt’s apartments, where he found the old man, who had not been long back from the burial at Woodlawn, engaged in cooking his supper. ‘‘Ah, my good friend!” said the latter, wel- coming his friend lugubriously; ‘‘ you were not at the funeral, but it was no matter. Besides myself, there were none but curiosity-mongers present, but my tears were copious and heartfelt enough for a hundred, the religious services were appropriate, and I saw the poor victims laid away in their last resting place.” ‘**May they rest in peace, but not unavenged!” said Hawk, fervently. | ** Ah, mynheer, it does my old heart? good to hear you say that!” cried the music-master. ‘‘Come, be seated; you shall share my evening meal with me.” Hawk assented, and then explained that he ow arranged to meet his messenger, Nixey, there. “That is well, Mr. Heron,” said the old man, ‘* for after supper I shall have to meet the under- taker by appointment, and you can have my rooms here to yourself.” Hawk listened for some time, without reply, to Mr. Schmidt’s copious but rather uninterest- ing talk about the funeral, but during the repast it occurred to him to ask if the undertaker had recovered his runaway horse and wagon, “Truly, yes, my good friend, for he told me as much,” was the reply. ‘But the oddest thing is that the undertaker has never again set eyes on the giant that disappeared with them.” ‘He is not likely te do so,” observed Hawk, ‘“‘and there may be others more disappointed than he.” ** But he had hired him as an extra hand by the merest chance, without suspecting him to be & madman, or something worse,” said Mr. Schmidt, ‘‘and the fellow did not come back, even to ask for his ii ag ‘* How very extraordinary!” said Hawk, who could not help smiling at the old man’s simplici- ty. ‘‘Now, suspecting what you do, my friend, don’t you think that giant would be something of an ass to seek notoriety, or rather conspicu- ousness, just now?” Supper being ended, Mr. Schmidt began to wee softly once more, while clearing away the ishes, *« Ah, truly I do, my young friend, but I had grown confused. ark! there are rapid ste ascending the stair. Your messenger must be coming, so I will attend to my business affair. If you 6° away before my return, lock the door, and put the key under the edge of the oilcloth outside,” Nixev entered the room, breathing hard, as the proprietor was taking his leave. s ell?” said Hawk, as soon as the two were alone. ‘ com (E SS Eco) a = ,OO -+ pi