Beadle's Dime Library No. 386 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

| | Hawk Heron, the Falcon Detective. rich jewel of her glorious love was to be his cor- onal forevermore?! . Yes; the hours for modest evasion, for maid- enly coyness were of no longer avail at the dis- solving stroke of the arch-enchanter’s wand, in the presence of Love the omnipotent, Love the divine! F The next instant they were in each other's arms. A breathless embrace—‘‘a kiss, a long, long kiss of youth and love”—and then for a few blissful moments they were wrapped in the de- lirious heart-to-heart hush, in which ** Love took up the glass of time, and turned it in his glowing hands, Every a am lightly shaken, ran itself in golden sands; Love took up the harp of life, and smote on all the chords with might, Smote the chord of Self which, trembling, passed in music out of sight.’’ But, their first transports over, the lovers were not long in recalling the more critical, if less ro- mantic, cxigencies of their situation. ‘My beloved, my angel!” murmured Hawk. ‘*‘ Now God be praised, for I deemed youin your grave!” 4 ms ‘‘In my grave!” repeated Clarisse, with genu- ine wonder, ‘‘ Speak, my darling! I was, per- haps, prepared for—for your astonishment and joy at this revelation of my heart’s secret springs —she blushed beautifully—‘‘ but why should you have deemed me dead, rather than merely gone 9”? ~ ee told her of his discoveries at the house in Melton place, the sanguinary indications in the basement rooms, the seeming grave, or rather double-grave, in the sub-cellar, ‘‘Cheap, melodramatic shams, devised by Ivan Kotaka for your special benefit!” exclaimed Clarisse. ‘‘ Ah! Kotzka was ever nothing if not sensational, as well as bloody. Some red paint and the shreds of a couple of his own disguising wigs would have answered his purpose in effect- ing his hideous shams, while of course the new- made grave was a part ofhisscheme. ButI knew nothing of his subsequent designs when I consented to hurriedly quit the place, even at the cost of breakin my appointment with you, solely for Olga’s sake.’ ‘‘ Need you tell me that?” said Hawk, takin her again in his arms, and kissing her, ** Woul you willingly have caused me the anguish I have suffered?” : ‘‘ Never, my own!” and she responded to his endearment. ’ ‘‘ Tell me about your departure with the old risoner of the secret cell—with the unfortunate aron von Tauchnitz. ’ Clarisse started. SP “What! you know the poor old man’s iden- ity?” ; Umhat, and more; far more than you can con- ceive, Clarisse!’ She gave him a startled look. ‘Can he be other than the poor Baron von Tauchnitz, who has incurred the life-long resent- ment of our Order?” she asked. ‘Not other, but more than he,” replied the sca suede. Liang ae ** Ask me no more at resent, 1 beseech you ; we But when magi IT am all in a whirl—half- wildered!” mer Soon—perhaps in a few hours, all shall be brought to light. Be content to know that it will be a startling iumination, but not an un- pleasant one.” The troubled look in her eyes gave way to a ight. BaP not your beloved now?” said she, gen- tly. ‘* Wherefore should I not remain con- ownest own i And once more he folded her to his breast. ‘Now let us exchange explanations, my dar- ling,” said Hawk. ‘‘I have told you of my ad- ventures since last we met. What are yours? ‘*‘ Kotzka had no difficulty in persuading me to uit the Melton place house to make ready for dlea’s reception at the retreat near here, where she arrived an hour after daybreak, as you know. I tock the r old baron in a close carriage with me, otzka must have prepared his ghastly mummery for your mpecial horrifica- tion soon after our departure. He has treated Olga indifferently well since taking her from the tower prison of the old brewery, at least, not with brutality. I have looked out for that. But Kotzka is terribly depres 1. He seems to have a great shadow on his mind,” — “ He may well seem SO. It is the shadow of his approaching doom! be at! are you so sure? , “The proofs of his treachery to his fellow-an- archists—his heretofore dupes—are in m session, You will see him unmasked in the midst of his confederates this very night. Be- hold, Clarisse! read and judge for yourself.” _ With some other explanatory words he exhib- ited to her the pieced fragments of Kotzka’s cor- respondence with the Czar’s representative. ‘God of Vengeance!” exclaimed Clarisse, ex- amining the proofs with trembling eagerness; “and Thave at one time trusted in this man’s de- votion to the cause in which my sire laid down his life!” | himself of the papers, ** And I, too, Clarisse, in the distant past and other climes, when this fearful man was my mentor and my friend—when the Baron von Tauchnitz knew and loved me, and your noble mother— But what am I saying?” She looked at him in astonishment, ‘* My mother?” she faltered. ‘' Explain—what mean you?” ‘*No more now,” said he, with a deprecating gesture. ‘The revealing hour has not struck, though itis near at hand. No more, I beseech you! Continue, Clarisse. What of Kotzka?”’ 29 ee ee eee ee CHAPTER XXXITI. “ALL GOOD FRIENDS TOGETHER.” CLARISSE a fm to the door of the hut, and. gave a low, shrill signal. One of her uncouth followers made his ap- pearance from among the surrounding bushes: and debris. At a whispered word, he darted away, reap- peared, accompanied by the wondering Nixey, unbound and alert, and again vanished. At the appearance of Clarisse, alive and even. , smiling, the lad had emitted a cry of amazed de- ‘** Oh, the diabolism, the unparalleled iniquity | light. of the traitor!” she exclaimed, as he repossessed ‘* He has defied the ven- geance of the Order. Let the bolt fall!” She was mugnificent in her righteous wrath. ‘** It will fall, Clarisse. Fear not!” ** Oh, I see it all!” she went on. ‘‘ Why have IT suffered my enthusiasm, my exaltation to blind me for so long? He, and he alone, could have murdered Olga’s poor mother!” ** Without a shadow of a doubt; and apart from any interests of the Order, for the basest personal and mercenary ends—to secure to him- self the estates that would otherwise have fallen to his victim and her daughter upon the mere presentation of their claims thereto!” ‘** Heavens! what can you mean? The widow Ashcombe was then—” ‘*The Baroness yon Tauchnitz—the wife, but who deemed herself the widow, of the poor, im- becile old prisoner who has so long been in your care! ‘““And Olga his daughter? I am bewildered. It seems an impossibility.” ‘**T have the proofs, obtained from the Rus- sian Consul, together with the assurance that the vast Tauchnitz estates, once confiscated but soon afterward restored, are at this hour await- ing the rightful owner's claim,” And you have the proofs of Olga’s pater- nity? ‘** Of that, and of yet more!” ** Hawk, my love, tell me all!” **No, by my faith!” cried Hawk with a laugh, but by ge Se her anew. ‘This one bright morsel of revelation shall abide the supreme hour following upon Kotzka’s overthrow.’ ** Cruel! but I am submissive.” ‘* Now to the work in hand. When were Sea- grave and Nixey captured?” ‘‘An hour after their discovery of Olga’s present cage.” ** And by the same miscreant ruffians to whom the old German and I are indebted for a like service?” ‘Yes: but rather call them credulous tools, for they are honest, according to their lights.” ‘Where is Blithers—I mean Kotzka—at this moment?” ‘* Ah! you have found out that?” “At last. The body of the real Blithers— murdered by Kotzka—has been brought to light from its watery grave.” Clarisse shuddered. ‘I feared as much,” she faltered, “ but tried to dismiss the suspicion.” ‘‘Is Kotzka now at Olga’s new retreat?” ‘Yes, and likely to remain there till the hour for to-night’s conclave, Between his own fears and his jealous guard over Olga, he is likely to be sufficiently occupied.” ‘** He once moro trusts in you im licitly ?” ‘* Absolutely, though verfeice ere it other- wise, I would not now be here.” ‘* Surely.” “I have the outer guards solely under my pip a while Kotzka is within doors,” con- tinued Clarisse. ‘‘I personally instigated the capture of Seagrave and Nixey, or they would have penetrated too far—to their own death, perchance.” ‘‘ And Mr, Schmidt and I are equally indebted to your efforts?” ‘Can you doubt it? Oh, my love, I wanted you especially and so dearly!” Time tin but space was yet snatched for another kiss and embrace. “True,” explained Clarisse, ‘‘I ordered your capture, but not the attack that preceded it. Heavens! you might have been killed.” And again she shuddered, ‘Faith, and the big flanking bowlder came precious near to wiping out both the professor and me in short order!” said Hawk, with a laugh. “ But petnois it is for the best that Kotzka should kept out of our way for the present.” ““Out of mine, as well!” said Clarisse, her shapely hands instinctively clinching, ‘ Know- ing what I now do, I would mistrust my self- control in his presence.” ‘“* Still, we should not be debarred improvin our acquaintance with Olga and her father, said Hawk, ‘‘ We deserve that much, and poor Ralph Seagrave is almost as much in love as I.” * Roteke tiuet then be got id of for th . 4Sotzka must then be got rid of for the time being,” continued Hawk. ‘* But how?” “That can doubtless be wg Nixey sent to me. He is near at han sume.” gee o: By Have d, I pre- She motioned him to silence, and conducted. him to the detective’s presence, where sufficient: explanations were vouchsafed. dawk had been writing a telegraph dispatch, which was as follows: * Return hither without an instant’s d: lay. Coun’ R—— insists on ampler details of preliminary infor. mation. Will require your constant presence here till eyening. Delay not.” This was dated as coming from the house of the Russian Consul, was addressed to Kotzka, and bore the secretary’s signature. Clarisse looked up approvingly after reading’ the message, which her lover had placed in her hands. ' ‘Tt will answer,” she said. Hawk inclosed the message in a note of ex- planation to the consul’s secretary, and dis- patched Nixey with it to 890 Madison avenue. ** Tt will be a good hour before Kotzka can receive the dispatch,” said Hawk, glancing wist- vb at a rude seat that stood at one side of the ut ‘* Yes,” said Clarisse, demurely. ‘**Tt would hardly do for us to show ourselves abroad till the enemy shall have taken himself off.’ ‘** Hardly.” ‘*] wonder if our remaining friends are com- fortable—released of their gags and bonds, I mean, yet still guarded against imprudent mani- festations on their part.” **T have seen to that, They are in another cabin but a few paces away.” ‘*Ah! and we have a whole hour to our- selves.” “e Yes.” “Shall we find it very monotonous, think you, Clarisse?”’ She raised her downcast eyes, and there was a subdued but happy light in her face. Given but a miserable hut, with but a rude bench for a lover’s seat, and security frcm in- terruption for two newly-plighted hearts, that are beating, beating, beating, throbbing, throb- bing, throbbing to but one tune, that of love, love love, and evermore just love alone, and then hint of monotony in connection with one fleeting, golden hour! Profanation of love’s melting speech, were it other than playful badinage in love’s behalf! ‘* There is one item of mystery I would have explained to me,” said Hawk, after many mo- ments of blissful communion such as rere have. ‘ And to ask it, we must think again of Kotzka,” : ** And why not, since our ended yet?” said Clarisse. do you allude?” ‘To the secret passage that must exist be- tween that upper room in the Melton place house and the one adjoining.” ‘* Of course, it is there.” ‘* But I sounded the wall thoroughly, without discovering the secret,” Clarisse smiled. ** Even the shrewdest of detectives may be at: fault occasionally,” said she. ‘**IT should say so,” admitted he; ‘ besides being hoodwinked, dumfounded, bound band and foot, body and soul—especially when in love!” a smiled again, and this time with a happy ush. ‘* The secret was not so much in the hearth,” said she. ‘It was one of Kotzka’s most ingen- ious contrivances. A pressure of the foot upon a certain spot in the hearth operated a power- ful spring, and caused: the sitio fire-place and chimney to swing noiselessly open, thus giving admittance into the adjoining house.” ‘That is well worth an examination,” said Hawk. ‘TI shall attend to it at my leisure.” Presently a messenger, whom Clarisse had sent to watch Kotzka’s whereabouts returned. A telegraph dispatch, he reported, had been brought to the house, and, a few moments later, Kotzka had hurriedly summoned bis ir- rils are not wholly ‘To what mystery evitable black and yellow cab, and been driven away in hot haste. The coast was clear. ; Clarisse and Hawk lost no time in rejoining Seagrave and the old professor. Wa yea over the astonishment of the two latter at beholding Clarisse, and the explana- tions that ensued. The lovers had resolved to keep their own counsel as to the relationship existing between the old Baron von Tauchnitz and Olga tilla later hour. i had also before this exerted her Cla authority to get rid of her foreign subordinates, so that now ere was nothing in the way of the e€omircbooks.com ee —_ i