Beadle's Dime Library No. 386 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

¢ } ; oe ed ~ > eee —_— = * et tee eee —— ‘tial meal h _- =. se a 16 a know of the fate of my late companions—Sea- grave and the boy Nixey?” ‘‘T do not.” ‘*T overheard one of the conspirators say that they were dead—-buried beneath the ruins of the tunnel,” ‘‘ { think it must be true then.” A deep groan was Hawk’s tribute to the memory of his friends. emotions. ‘There is cne friend,” said he, ‘fone whom you also know, on whose assistance I might rely, if you could bring him in communication with me,” ** Name him.” ‘‘ Blithers, the English detective.” * Ah!” This was said with a sigh, which came through the iron wall with such equivocal suggestiveness that Hawk started. “What a strange alteration in your tone!” said he. ‘* Why is it?” **T cannot explain. carry your message.” ve vou know his address?” ‘‘Yes. Never fear; he will not fail to respond. Hush—no more!” *¢ Are you going ‘‘- Yes: there is danger. warning. Farewell.” The voice died away. Then the cell was suddenly jarred by a shock so violent that Hawk was thrown pros- trate, He was scarcely a minute in recovering him- self, but by that time the cell had glided back to its former position, and the grated window was once more in view, Night had now fallen, however, and only the solemn starlight stole into the coffin-shaped cell. It was presently illuminated by the same mys- terious light that had once before served the in- mate. By this he But be content. ‘if will hh) Do not forget my received that another substan- been placed on the floor of the cell, Hawk made way with the viands without questioning the mystery of their appearance. Then he sat in a corner, with his back to the embrasure, to patiently await further develop- ments, and duly mindful of Clarisse’s injunction azainst falling asleep. He had sat thus for a long time when there suddenly came a puff of vapor into the cell, which blinded him for an instant and induced a violent fit of sneezing and coughing. When he recovered, the atmosphere was again uncontaminated, and he was no longer alone in the cell. A powerful figure, gagged, blindfolded and with the arms pinioned behind the back, stood before him, attempting to communicate by ludi- crous bodily contortions. Companionship in his solitude was an un- looked-for boon, Hawk sprung forward, with the new-comer’s name on his lips: ** Blithers—Jack Blithers!” CHAPTER XVI. THE IRON SHROUD. “ Brrrvers,” for he it was, continued his elo- uent contortions until Hawk hastened to re- lieve him of his gag, the blindfolding bandage and the pinioning cords. ‘‘Gad!” exclaimed ‘ Blithers,” snapping bis eyes and taking in his odd surroundings with a great sigh of relief; ‘¢in what sort of the devil’s own pickle do I find ycu, my boy?” , ‘“Tn such a one that you can’t imagine how glad [ am to see you!” cried Hawk. He seized ‘‘ Blithers’s” hand and wrung it for about the twentieth time. Seeing no seat other than the improvised one Hawk had occupied, ‘*‘ Blithers” sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the wall. ‘‘ Well, it is a rummy sort of crib, you know,” said he, still apparently all amazement. ‘ And let me tell you, my boy, to oblige no one but yourself would I have submitted to the condi- tions imposed upon my seeking you out.” ‘Clarisse brought you my message at your hotel, then?” “Yes; but it was only after I got in the car- riacve she had in waiting that I submitted to be tied and gagged as you saw, after first taking a frightful oath to secrecy. Two villainous-look- ing rascals in the coach attended to the myste- rics my boy. But here I am, at last.” Without more ado, Hawk eagerly explained his situation and the adventures which had led to it. ¥ ‘* Blithers” drew a long face. “Wonderful!” he commented. ‘Romantic, too! Why, it beats anything I ever heard of even in London, where we have these foreign fanatics in shoals! What do you want me to ? ‘In the first place, tell me if you have seen nothing of Nixey?’ “Why, no! And from what you have told me, the boy must have been killed, together with the other chap who was with you in that infer- y.1) tunnel.” But his own situation | was so critical as to speedily absorb all other | Hawk Heron, the Falcon Detective. Hawk groaned, He had hoped, almost against hope, to receive some sort of contradiction of that fatal presump- tion, but now he could hope no longer. ‘«* Blithers,’ I believe you to be my friend,” said | he, at last. ‘My boy, put it right there!” said Blithers, holding out his hand, with his heartiest smile of sympathy. Hawk placed his hand in the broad palm, which at once closed on 1t with a fervent pres- sure, ‘“ What do you advise?” asked Hawk, ‘** Blithers” reflected for a moment. ‘‘ In your present predicament,” said he, ‘ or let me say our predicament, for what with their oaths of secrecy and all that sort of thing, these desperate rascals have mixed_me up with it, there is only one of two things I can advise.” ‘* What are they?” ‘ Blithers” sunk his voice to the lowest whis- per. ‘Hirst and foremost, let me go to Head- quarters as soon as I am at liberty, and give away the whole situation to your chief.” ‘* But your oath to secrecy?” “‘To the winds with all oaths, my boy, where a friend’s life is at stake!” ‘‘Thanks, But there are other objections to such a course,” ‘* What are they?” ‘Tn the first place, I have sworn in my own heart to run my man to earth without the assist- ance of my brother detectives.” ‘‘Pshaw! professional pride!” ‘In the next place, such a course would merely accelerate my murder at the hands of Kotzka and his fellow-fanatics, or his dupes. Oath-bound and enthusiastic as they are, they take no account of legal consequences.” ‘* Ah! there is something in that.” ‘Thirdly and lastly, this Kotzka is likewise your man, without a doubt—the Sree forger you are on here from Scotland Yard for the special purpose of running down.” ‘“-Yes: I no longer have any doubt of that,” ‘“Well, such a course as you propose would undoubtedly lose you your prey, while depriving me of mine.” ‘‘ But I really don’t care for that, my boy, so long as I get you out of this infernal scrape,” said Blithers, after a pause. ‘‘It will hurt me professionally, but let it go.” The apparent magnanimity with “which these words were spoken touched Hawk nearly, and again he wrung “‘ Blithers’s” hand. ‘‘Say no more of notifying the police,” said he. ‘* That course is out ef the question.” “All right,” said Blithers. * e’ll drop it.” ‘What is your remaining piece of advice?” Blithers fastened his eyes upon him with a peculiar look. ‘‘T shall offer it boldly, but you will be more loth to take it than the other.” ‘** Speak out.” “« Accept the conditions which you say Kotzka has repeatedly offered you. Give over your pursuit, ery truce to vengeance, and cease to molest him!” Hawk Heron sprung to his feet in a towering passion. ‘‘Spare that monster!” he exclaimed, indig- nantly. ‘‘ Cheat the law of the expiation that is itsdue! Outrage society by leaving that fiend unchecked, untrammeled in its midst!” ‘“T have said it,” was the cold reply. ‘¢ But, in one or another of his diabolical im- personations, this villain has repeatedly attempt- ed my destruction!” ‘* So I understand,” ‘‘ He dashed me from a speeding elevated train —his bullet grazed my ear in a Houston _strect hallway—be hurled me down the Hotel Bruns- wick elevator shaft—he throttled me at my first entrance of the underground passage—it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t roast me to death in the (Gotham Flats—he set Manchester Tibbs, armed with a revolver, knife and dynamite bombs, on the quest that destroyed my companions, and ai- most cost me my life—lastly, he is the author of my present appalling predicament!” ‘ad Rene. every word you say!” ‘*He was the ruthless murderer of the widow Ashcombe!” » “Granted, if you like, though that remains to be proven.” ‘* He is Olga’s abductor!” ‘6 Who says he isn’t?” Hawk’s fury, which had kept pace with the other’s cynical coolness, now reached the cul- minating point. ‘And you would advise me,” he cried, hoarsely, “to pardon all these injuries and crimes, in order to save ay own wretched life?” _ Beside himself, Hawk seized ‘‘ Blithers” by the throat, and shook him fiercely where he sat. ‘‘ Villain!” heexclaimed; ‘‘ your friendship for me is a sham—a foul pretense—none but a scoun- drel could offer such cowardly advice!” “ Blithers” Jumbered up to a standing atti- tude, and shook him off, though without losing his temper. Hawk gradually mastered himself with a sense of shame. **T didn’t solicit the sort of advice that would involve the sacrifice of my manhood,” said he, sullenly. ‘*T had only the hopelessness of your present quandary in view.” “Ah!” ‘*To be sure, my boy; and I mean everything for the best.” ‘* Forgive me!” ‘* With all my heart!” Once more they clasped hands. ‘* Now, just throw your eyes around you, my boy,” continued ‘‘ Blithers,” “and say whether you are in a position to exact any better terms of tS! enemy than I suggested.” awk surveyed, for perhaps the hundredth time, the interior of his bidet: coffin - like prison. Then, with a deep sigh, he resumed his seat on the pallet, and folded bis arms hopelessly, ‘¢ Blithers” was about to continue his argu- ment, when Hawk sadly but firmly signed him to be silent. ‘*No more of that,” said he. meau well, but it would be useless.” ** You will not, then purchase your freedom, perhaps your life itself, by a compromise with your foe?” ‘ Te 0? . No!” ‘You will yield in nothing whatever to con- ciliate him?” ** Never!” Blithers remained silent for some moments, at the end of whlch he said: ‘“‘Poesn’t it strike you that this cell is grow- ing smaller—more contracted all round? Study it. Hawk did so, and at once becaine excitedly interested. The interior had grown more contracted. It was as though, by some diabolical, noise- lessly-working machinery, the sides bad been brought a little closer together, while the cei:- eee settled down to the same extent, awk shuddered. ° ‘*Clarisse’s warning was not without cause,” he said to himself. ‘‘ What refinement of tor- ture or lingering death is preparing for me?” *““T have read of contracting dungeons in ancient times.” said Blithers, reflectively, ‘that gradually closed in on a prisoner, alae crushing and smothering him, until what bad been his iron prison walls became at last Lis iron shroud.” | ‘*So have 1,” said Hawk. ‘‘ Who knows but that these dynamitic. secret- ly conspiring miscreants may have imported the endish device to this country, for the purpose of terrifying, or even destroying, the victims of ‘You may -their vengeance or malice?” ** Who knows?” said Hawk. ‘By Jove, my boy, but you take it coolly enough, you know!” ** Why shouldn’t I?” ‘But look! The cell has shrunk another inch since I first noticed the alteration!” ‘‘' You had better be quitting it.” “ How, since I don’t know the manner of my entering it?’ ‘‘'True, no door is visible.” A ‘‘ Besides, I was to receive some sort of notice when my time is up.” ‘* Pray Heaven you will get it soon!” ‘*Gad! Ishould hope so. See; the interior is still shrinking!” ‘**T perceive it.” Blithers had by this time apparently worked himself up to an agony of alarm and solicitude. ‘But, heavens eid earth!” he exclaimed; ‘“come what may, I cannot leave you in this death-trap.” **You must.” : ‘‘Tmpossible! Reconcile yourself—conciliate this Kotzka while there is yet time!” ‘* Never!” ‘‘ But see; the space still shrinks while we are talking! At least, crave terms of the monster.” ‘* Never!” ‘“By Jove, my boy, you are the most cold- blooded, immovable—” He was interrupted bya thundering blow on the cell, as if the iron shell had been struck with a sledge-hammer. Simultaneously, the air was impregnated with the same stifling vapor-puff that had preceved Blithers’s mysterious entrance. An instant later, when Hawk had recovered from its effects, he was ence more alone. _ Blithers had vanished as mysteriously as be had eee He had left a token of his visit, however, lying on the floor of the cell. It was the long and stout cord, a new quarter- np rope, by which his arms had been pin- ioned. Hardly knowing to what use it might be put, Hawk stooped to pick it up. ; As he straightened himself, his head struck against the ceiling! _ So much had the girth of the cell already con- “Gad! my hoy, but you are mad—as mad as | tracted, that the interior had assumed tunnel- a hatter, you know,” said he. ‘‘ What the deuce! You first beg for advice, and then want to murder a fellow for giving what you ask.” like proportions, in which he could no longer stand quite erect. And the iron sides were coming together just Gcom Cc 900 4 SS i.