Beadle's Dime Library No. 386 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

— ———————— ee = ee So — = ss = ~ > rds > — cs - oe = _ - | the detective. i : ole - -_—— —_—_——_ mw = —- =< ore ———— _— so 18 -_—— —_-— —_ _— Hawk Fferon, the Falcon Detective. He had hardly recognized Hawk, with a cry of delighted astonishment, before he exclaimed: ‘* Be on your guard! Iampursued! A house- full of foreign desperadoes are at my heels! They have recognized me—they are doubtless Kotzka’s minions!” CHAPTER XVIII. IN MID-AIR. *‘QuicK!” said Hawk; ‘‘have you a spare weapon? I am unarmed.” Setting down the box, Seagrave thrust a re- volver into his grasp. ‘What are those bottles?” asked Hawk. ‘‘ Hand-grenades, for putting out fires. I found them in a staircase-niche on my way up.” ‘*'Your purpose with them?” ‘““T hardly know; but being filled with some sort of suffocating chemicals, they may assist in our defense. Ha! here they come.” The inmates not only of that one house, but of the entire block, seemed to have taken the alarm. As Seagrave spoke, one or more wild-looking heads popped up out_of almost every scuttle, to be speedily followed by bodies of both men and women, All were armed, mostly with knives, and, with wild, threatening cries in foreign dialects, they made toward the three friends through the driving rain, with the lightning lending its weird flashes to the exciting scene. ‘* Upon them!” cried one, in Spanish; ‘“‘ they are our master’s foes!” ‘*Diavolo, yes!” cried another, in Italian; ** cut them in pieces!” ‘‘ Two or three can play at that game!” growl- ed Seagrave, while his companions fired their istols over the assailants’ heads; ‘*‘ take some Satanic snuff for a change!” With that, one of the glass grenades from his hand struck.and broke on the first ruffian’s brow, filling the air momentarily with over- powering and suffocating fumes. ~ * Por Dios! las fantasmas, las fantasmas !” (‘‘ Heavens! the ghosts, the ghosts!”) spluttered the sufferer, tumbling back, head over heels, into the scuttle from which he had just emerged. Then both Hawk and Nixey lent a hand at the novel bombardment, which was continued with dire effects. ** Whenever you see a head hit it!” was their Donnybrookian motto for the time being. The female assailants were spared, but their companions were treated without mercy. Flask after flask broke in rapid succession on as many dusky foreheads, The fumes of the released chemicals at length became almost intolerable, and the assailants _ correspondingly frightened and _ bewil- e ‘* These are fiends! these are sorcerers!” they clamored, in their various lingos, ‘‘ Run, run! They will burn us alive!” As they turned tail, and began to disappear, helter-skelter, down the different trap-doors, the victors could hardly refrain from laughter. However, one thick-set ruffian lingered a little behind, as though still undaunted. Hawk and Seagrave recognized him at the same instant. : They sprung upon him, dashed the knife from his hand, and had him at their mercy in a mo- ment. “Quick, Nixey!” cried Hawk; ‘‘a gag and some cords, if you can find such things.” ** All right, boss!” Nixey explored his capacious pockets, and pro- duced a long cord and a ragged, but voluminous ‘handkerchief. These were ouper'¢ pa to use, and the cap- tive lay gagged and helpless in the driving rain. ‘‘ A hostage is a good thing to have now and then,” said Hawk, examining the prisoner’s face by the aid of Nixey’s lantern. ‘‘ Ha! I was not deceived,” It was a round and ruddy face, but sullen and determined-looking, with short-cropped mutton- chop whiskers. ‘“Neither was I deceived,” said Seagrave. ‘Tt is the shorter ruffian who attacked me in Melton place, and cursed so loudly in Russian.” ‘Tt is also the mysterious coupe driver,” said ‘** Let us question him a bit.” But noamount of questioning proved of any avail. Whether the fellow could understand what was said to him or not, he remained as dumb as a fish, merely regarding his inquisitors with a stony, disdainful stare. ais t is our next move?” asked Seagrave. *¢ Those rascals will soon get the better of their superstitious terrors, and be upon us again.” ‘ Yes,” said Nixey, looking into the empty box, ‘‘ an’ there ain’t no more stink-bottles left to pepper ’em with.” awk pointed to ‘the tower on the lofty ad- joining roof. “*’Yonder’s our next task,” said he. ‘‘ Olga is up there—it won’t do to back out now, with final triumph almost within our clutch.” He then hastily related his remarkable experi- ences while in Kotzka’s power. ‘* Now,” said he, when he had finished, ‘‘ how i: surmount that dividing wall is the next prob- em. ‘*T doubt if it can be done,” said Seagrave. ‘‘Here is the rope,” said Hawk, ‘‘that has ave served me well. If we only had a grap- nel! ‘*But here, boss,” said Nixey, holding up his lantern, ‘** here is a hook.” The lantern, though of the ‘dark’ variety, had evidently seen service in some stable. At- tached to its hand-ring was a strong, sharp iron hook, to facilitate its being hung up almost any. where at hap-hazard. ** A windfall!” exclaimed Hawk. Quickly detaching the hook, he made it fast to one end of the rope. Then two or three casts over the dividing wall were sufficient to make the hook catch firmly on its edge. “Up with you, Nixey!” said Hawk; ‘and when you get up, make the rope securer.” Nixey grasped the rope, and, notwithstanding that it was wet and slippery, went up, hand over hand, with the agility of a squirrel. After securing the rope, he peeped down over the ledge. ** Who next, boss?” he cried. Seagrave was sure he couldn’t climb the rope, so Hawk Heron went up next. ‘*Make the prisoner fast,” he called down, after he had reached the top. ** What?” cried Seagrave; ‘* will you take this rascal -up there?” ‘Of course! What good is a hostage if you let him out of your grip?” Without another word, Seagrave fastened the none around the prisoner, and he was drawn up. hen, performing a like service for himself; he presently stood beside his friends on the brewery roof, He had hardly got there before there were in- dications of another raid upon the roofs they had just deserted. ** Down with you!” ordered Hawk, in a hoarse whisper. ‘‘ Keep out of sight!” They had no sooner crouched behind the ledge than the second invasion of the rocfs below took place. The foreigners came trooping up in swarms. They were better armed than before, and more spp ge But as no enemy was any longer in sight, and they did not seem to think it possi- ble that an escape could have been effected over the dividing wall, they evidently concluded that their prey somehow slipped down into the street by one of the scuttles. At olf arent after running about in the rain and filling the air with their curses for a few minutes, they gave up their quest, and disap- ared, The storm, after a brief lull, was now more furious than ever. The rain descended in torrents, the force of the wind was terrific, the thunder crashed over- head, and the electric flashes were alinost con- tinuous. The tower was about thirty feeth high. With the exception of a narrow, railed balcony, near the top, over which a clock-dial had formerly looked out from four sides, it was an uninter- rupted column all the way up, as straight, smooth and bare as a factory chimney. The entrance up into this tower was evidently altogether from inside and below. The bare shaft of wood contained not a win- dow, not a pee not a projecting ledge; in fact, nothing that wculd afford a catch for a grapnel, or a foothold for the most enterprising clamberer. But up above the balcony, from what had — the clock-chamber, there streamed a pale ight. xr Olga is up there, in Kotzka’s power!” said the detective, solemnly. ‘‘ She must be rescued to-night! It is now or never!” Nixey surveyed the tower hopelessly, while Seagrave moodily cast down his eyes. At this juncture, they all became aware of a light, tapping sound on the roof, that was barely distinct from the pounding of the rain. Nixey drew nearer to wk, and pointed to where the gagged and bound prisoner lay, a few yards away. ‘““ Hist, boss!” he whispered. ‘ That snoozer is signalin’ to somebody down through the roof!” ‘* Hush!” said Hawk, in the same tone. ‘‘ Let us watch without appearing to notice him.” He then called his companion’s attention to the tower, and appeared to wholly ay himself with attempting to cast the improvised grapnel so that it would catch on the little balcony so far above. While thus ostensibly engaged, he noticed that the prisoner, while keeping up the tapping signals, had stealthily rolled himself down the sloping roof to a spot between the line of two chimneys. Suddenly this spot opened inwardly, like a huge trap-door, a flood of light rushed out, and then the head and shoulders of a powerful, swarthy ruffian appeared through the opening, and grasped the captive, to drag him away. Unexpected as was the movement, the three rt were sufficiently on the alert to baf- e it. ee eee upon the hostage, Hawk leaped over his body, and dealt the new-comer a tremendous blow in the face with his revolver. The very bones were heard to crack, The ruffian dropped out of sight, without a groan, like a dead man, but the trap flew back with a spring, there was the click of a catch- bolt, and the aperture was as securely closed as before. Hawk cocked his revolver, and pressed the muzzle between the prisoner’s eyes. ‘* Look you!” he hissed between his clinched teeth. ‘Is there to be any more signaling—any more attempts to escape?” The prisoner turned pale, as he shook his head vigorously. ° ‘*Good enough, then!” said the detective, dragging him far up the roof. ‘*Take heed of your promise, less you be silenced much more effectually than at present!” The storm had now reached a fury that would have terrified any one else from the task that was under way, but it only seemed to inspire our hero with renewed energy. After several more attempts, he managed to cast the hook upon the railing so that it held firmly. He grasped the rope, and was about to ascend, when Seagrave interposed, respectfully but firmly. ‘‘ Heron—Hawk! you must not go up to her,” said he, in a voice hoarse with emotion. ‘‘ That is my duty!” Hawk was turning upon him angrily, when he suddenly recollected that Seagrave was in love with Olga. ‘* Don’t be unreasonable, my friend,” said he, in a low voice. ‘‘In the first place, you could not possibly climb this rope, while I can. Then again, it is not Olga, but Clarisse, that I am in love with.” : Recognizing the force of his words, Seagrave bowed his head, and drew back. Then, tossing about in the storm like a mariner in the main-top with but a rope-splice between him and the rolling waves, Hawk began the perilous ascent of the tower, CHAPTER XTX, THE TOWER. As he slowly made his way up the rope, his comrades watched his progress with intense ae A fall would cost him his life, without a saving chance. The roof below was so te amon in that event, nothing could prevent his y bounding over the giddy edge. At last, however, he succeeded in grasping the railing, he clambered over it, he was in the bal- cony, the dangerous goal was won! The clock-dials had all been boarded over except the one facing our hero. This also had been built up, but a narrow, grated window had been left in the center, through which the dim light was streaming. A anne into the interior showed a comfort- ably furnished little sitting-room. It was pe é , But a small lamp was burning on a table. The light of this revealed the door of an inner apartment, doubtless a bedchamber, It likewise revealed the head ofa stairway, that wound down through the interior of the tower. The former clock-room had been cunningly improvised into a strong-room. his, then, was the tower prison of the beauti- ful Olga! : ‘ Standing outside in the beating storm, with the thunder crashing overhead, Hawk, now that he had attained his prayed-for object, gazed into the empty room with mingled timidity and dis- appointment. . Olga was doubtless in the inner rcom, her wrongs and troubles buried for the time being in the holy oblivion of slumber, Should he dare disturb that sacred sleep, even in the interest of her deliverance? And yet might not her jailer appear at any instant, to thwart this plan for her rescue? While he was debating with himself, the divid- ing door ari and Olga herself appeared on the threshold. Hawk's heart bounded. She was fully dressed, Her face was very pale, her eyes were swollen and haggard, with a terrified, hunted look in their depths, and yet her youthful beauty seemed to have been only inten- sified by the persecution she had endured. Suddenly she perceived Hawk’s face at the grating. 5 ‘ She made an alarmed, shrinking motion. Then, doubtless reflecting that danger was not to be apprehended from that quarter, she rushed . to the window, and threw up the sash, She recognized him. | - ‘Ah, my friend, my deliverer!” she exclaimed, seizing his hand with impulsive eagerness, ‘‘ Do I dream? Can I believe my eves? “Tt isno dream, Olga,” said Hawk. here to rescue you!” ' “But cannot you come in here out of that terrible storm? How did you reach this dizzy hight? Ob, I am so happy! Did any one ac- *“*T am While Seagrave and Nixey threw themselyes | company you? How will you rescue me?” 7EO oKefo) AMC cS co