Beadle's Dime Library No. 386 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

24 Hawk Heron, the Falcon Detective. _“This shall be our programme, then,” said ing duty that called him from the ghastly task ! my beautiful, murdered Olga’s paternity and, Hawk. ‘‘Let us now separate, to meet at the | before him, he threw down the spade, picked up | antecedents. Alas! she will neeit them no more, Brooklyn Bridge entrance at sunrise, This will | the lamp, and passed up the stairs. | but I have treasured them.” give us time to perfect our plan.” | Entering a rear room on the second floor, he | Hawk made a gesture of astonishment. ! ‘‘Why do you leave us now, boss?” asked | extinguished the lamp, and climbed out upon | For the moment he had lost sight of Mr. a oy Nixey. the extension roof. Schmidt's delusion as to the death and burial of ‘‘ Intermediate duties call me back to Melton place,” said Hawk. He then told them briefly of the thrilling dis- coveries be had made at No, 32 Melton place, His companions were scarcely less horrified at the recital than he had been making the discoy- eries. ‘* Come, we'll think no more of this at pres- ent,” at last said the -letective; rising. ‘Only we shall henceforth have the murder of poor Sa ge as an additional incentive to our zeal. They quitted the Pig and Whistle in each | other’s company, passing around the yawning street excavation made by the steam explosion of the preceding morning, when Hawk once more separated from his friends. The weatber had long before this cleared off beautifully, the ice had disappeared, a balmier atmosphere had succeeded the cold storm, and the sky was studded with stars. Hawk had two objects, as the reader may re- collect, in returning to Melton place. He wished, first, to visit once more the aged prisoner of the tunnel-cell, and devise some means for his speedy removal thence. After that it was his intention to climb over the extension roofs at the rear, gain one of the back windows of old Mr. Schmidt’s new apart- ments, and look after the occupant’s safety, and perhaps have a secret interview with him, for the purpose of putting him on his guard. He ought to effect this latter object, in view of what he had overheard, by two o’clock at the latest, and it was now past one. Arriving at No. 32 Melton place, his former sense of horror took possession of him. It was the deadest, the darkest, the most solemn hour of the night. He thought of the scene of horror in the base- ment, the ghastly trench in the celiar, the appall- ing surroundings through which he must once more pass in order to reach the old captive. A momentary sense of faintness seized him, his knees smote each other, he could hardly place the key in the lock. He recovered himself by a great effort. ‘This is childish!” he muttered, ‘Is not the future care of this poor, forlorn old captive a day that I owe to the memory of Clarisse?” e strode into the house, lighted a lamfy which he had left convenient to his hand, an closed and fastened the door behind him. He first made a thorough examination of all the upper rooms, and assured himself that this time there was no lurking foe in that quarter. Descending to the basement, he skirted the room of horror, not without a shudder, and made his way again into the sub-cellar. He forced himself, however, to examine the trench once more, to note if its surface might have been disturbed since his first visit. It was well that he did so. Not only did the surface show that it had been dug over, at least in part, but a spade was standing in the fresh-trampled earth. Wrapped about its handle was a piece of white paper. : Full of frightful anticipations he snatched it, and read the following words, inscribed in a coarse, scrawling hand: “ There are two sleeping below here now. Dig, if you dare!” What could it mean? Hawk suddenly dropped the paper, ompned his lamp more tightly and flew to the tunnel en- trance. No nead to press a secret spring now! The door was already open. He threaded the passage, and gained the cell. It was empty! Moreover, : ere were signs of another des- perate struggie * Agin the chamber of horrors above, the walls were stained with ruddy gouts and _ blotches, and the floor was strewn with locks of hair, as if torn out by the roots, only the hair was thin and white, instead of thick and bright. For a moment the detective was once more unnerved. ‘*God of vengeance!” he back; ‘‘is there no limit to staggerin is fiend Kotzka’s iniquity?” en rushing back into the cellar he set down his lamp, aretheaeat to dig up the trench like a madman, He had not a doubt that continued labor would disclose the murdered form of the old captive, as well as that of Clarisse. ut he presently encountered a la hard and compact earth, and came less pause. ; _ In this pause he suddenly bethought himself of his second duty in that ap g vicinity— his watch and ward over the old music teacher. He consulted his watch. Five minutes past two! Heavens, the sleeping German might already be in the toils of foes. er of very oa breath- unsuspected Not altogether sorry, however, for the press- | seceemeeemnemregastiaccemcies, cement Tei eA Ean le Ce TT LL, S| ~_. -h i io) e A dim light shining cut of a top room of the | adjoining house indicated that as the one = which Mr. Schmidt most likely slept. The windows below it emitted no light. | Gliding noiselessly along the extension roofs, Hawk examined the waterspout fastenings. They seemed secure, A moment later, he was making his way slow- ly and laboriously up the rear wall of No, 54, but without making the least noise. | The top of one of the lower shutters presently | afforded him a stanch foothold, He drew himself up carefully, obtained a half- sitting posture on the ledge above, and peered through the panes into the interior. Yes; he had guessed aright, Mr. Schmidt’s apartments were three in num- | ber, communicating directly with each other, | and this one into which our hero was peering | was his sleeping room. The light, afforded by a lowered lamp stand- ing upon a wash-stand, was sufficient to disclose | the simple interior. The sleeping form of the old German, snugly , tucked in his bed, was the first object Hawk's oye rested on, and it gave him much satisfac- | ion. **So, I am stillin time,” he muttered. “ As I can’t maintain this position very long, I had | better slip in there and civ him warning.” » , however, with his hand on the | He paused sash, A stealthy figure had just crept into the room, by its passage-door, and was regarding the sleeping man with a steadfast and distrustful aze. It was Mr. Schmidt's landlady, and in one hand she gra a long and gleaming knife. Hawk could not see the face belonging to the figure at first. ut when it was at last partly turned toward him, the accustomed bandages had been strip- pt away, and the features were revealed to im. Pi gave a gasp of surprise as he recognized em. So great was his astonishment, that he just saved himself from losing his balance and fall- ing headlong from his perch. CHAPTER XXVI. THE MUSIC-TEACHER’S SECRET. Wry had the suddenly revealed physiognomy of Madame Dupont, the old German’s landlady, so astounded the Falcon Detective? BE 2 ag there was no landlady, no Madame upont, ere was only a fictitious landlady, a pseudo Madame Dupont, in the person of Monsieur Du- pont, the thick-bodied, side-whiskered driver of the black-and-yellow coupe. He was now observed to engage in a systematic search of the apartment, after first assuring himself of the genuineness and soundness of the old man’s one It was equally evident that he had only carried the knife as a precautionary measure. i she stealthy iain here a a enced to e sleeper’s garments, whic upon a chair by the bed, and finally to the bed itself. In the latter place it seemed to prove success- ful. He drew from under the bolster a bundle of documents, apparently yellow with age. These he inspected carefully, holding them close to the light. They were evidently what he had been looking or. . A smile of satisfaction came into his face, and he vanished with them as stealthily as he had a phage F hen Hawk gently raised the window, and use into the room. e felt sure that the thief would not return, and he had had his own reasons for not inter- rupting his p gs. y using great caution, he managed to arouse Mr. Schmidt without any noise, and explained the situation in a low tone, When the old German had sat up in bed, and recovered from his surprise, besides mastering the state of affairs, he smiled, and seemed to ac- cept his loss with much equanimity. ss ~ Vee not the papers valuable?” inquired awk. ‘““No, my friend,” was the smiling reply, ** for they were only duplicates, mere copies, which I had prepared for just such an emergency.” ““ Duplicates?” ‘Yes, my young friend.” Mr. Schmidt opened the bosom of his night- crews and displayed a d ngy buckskin belt about S ; The. real, the original documents are here, next my heart,” said he. ‘‘ I can afford to leave the shams in the vurloiner’s possession, my son. That will render the real ones more secure.” “Capital! May Lask what they refer to?” “Certainly, my son, They are the proofs of Olga. e recollected himself. Should he disturb that illusion now? No; safer to wait. ‘Where did you obtain these documents, myn- heer?” he asked. ‘* They were drawn up, and legally attested, by the poor widow Ashcombe a fortnight before her barbarous death.” el ‘Ves, my young friend. I have worn theme next to my heart ever since.” a thought you had implicit confidence im me. ‘* Why, my son, so I have.” ‘Then why did you not tell me of these impor- tant papers before?” ‘To what end, my son? Had Olga only lived—" ‘True, true; I had forgotten.” ‘* Forgotten Olga’s death!” ‘* No, no; but—let it pass! Why, then, have you foi the papers so religiously ?” ** Ah! they might be of benefit to ancther—to one other still living, for all I know to the con- trary.’ Hawk had become intensely interested. He tip-toed to the passage-door, securely fast- ened it, and returned to the bedside. ‘Will you let me examine the documents?” said he. ‘‘It is of immense importance that I should do so—of more importance than I can ex- plain just now.” Mr. Schmidt hesitated a moment. Then taking off the buckskin belt, he preauced some papers from amid its folds, and handed them to Hawk. The papers were three in number, two of which were very old, and with foreign seals affixed, while the other wes of recent construc- tion. The detective devoured their contents with eager and glistening eyes. hey were, as he had hoped, of immense im- ortance, not only to Olga, but to another, still iving. ‘‘Tell me the history of your obtaining these riceless papers,” said Hawk, returning them to r. Schmidt, who secured them as before. ‘That may be briefly told, my son,” said the old German. ‘“‘It was after the widow begun to fear that Kotzka was on her track that she thought of sce this provision for Olga’s fu- ture in the event of her own death.” ‘‘ About a fortnight prior to the—the tragedy you say?” ‘‘ Yes; or about the time she must have got an inkling of the gigantic stranger attending Olga’s performances so persistently and ominously. ‘‘ But two of the documents are foreign and of very old date.” “Yes; but you will have observed that they were newly attested by her before a notary.” ‘ec True, ” “The same notary drew up the remainin document, which chiefly relates to the history 0 the older ones, at her dictation. It is signed by her, and her signature is duly attested.” ‘“- Yes; the documents are thoroughly legal.” ‘‘-You may well say that, my son; but little good can they now do the unfortunate Olga.” ‘* How came you to think of having copies, or ac-similes, of the documents made out?” “Tt was the good widow’s precaution, not mine. Ah, she was a wise, a wonderful woman! Then she solemnly intrusted all the papers to my care. The event of this night has confirmed the wisdom of her precaution.” “ts ‘Indeed, it has; and the “eh originals are: now safer in your custody than ever before.” ‘‘ Ah! Lam now at my ease.” Hawk reflected a moment. “There is another thing, mynheer,” said he at length, ‘that still surprises me greatly.” Gomme is it? i. vide our equanimity on my first apprising you of your pseudo landlady being a man in female disguise. . ‘© Ah; I was partly prepared for it.” “ Since when?” ‘Since a short time before retiring to my bed. Wait a little.” Mr. Schmidt arose and partly dressed him- self. He then took the lamp and led the way into an adioming room. p ‘bis was a small and dark intermediate apart- ment, between the bed-chamber end the front room, which the old gentleman had devotd to the purposes of a sort of lumber room. It contained a fireplace, covered by en ircn fireboard, and in the middle of this fet oard was a hot-air register, the slats of which were now closed. Mr. Schmidt set down the lamp, and pointed to the register. og “Last night, at about midnight,” said he, ina whisper, ‘‘I chanced to be in here looking over some of this old luggage, which I abe oid here only yesterday from the place where it long. ANCE <=) comicboo ne 2: col — =