Beadle's Dime Library No. 386 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 Hawk Heron, the Falcon Detective. $s ss ssssSsSssSssssSsssssssSsoSsSsSso tt of this secret passage, you can guess for your- selves. You can explore it now, if you choose.” ‘‘ That we do choose!” cried Blithers heartily, and he linked his arm in Hawk’s, ‘* Come, my boy; I’m with you in this, if you say so.” “With all my heart,” said Hawk, and they followed Clarisse, who tripped before them down the basement stairs for the purpose of obtaining lights. “‘But look that you be on your guard!” And he lowered his voice. “What! of the girl?” ‘‘ Yes; I know her to be the friend, perhaps an accomplice, of tho villain I seek.” ‘The deuce! Why, she is actually soft upon you, you dog!” And Blithers pressed the arm e clasped, with a knowing chuckle, ‘‘ Pshaw! she’s a deep one. However, be that as as it may, the truth isas I say.” ‘*T can hardly believe it; but here we are.” Clarisse, who had disappeared into the front basement room, now reappeared with three lighted candles. She gave one toeach man, re- serving the third for herself, and then guided them down into the sub-cellar. At last they stood at the edge of the coal-hole, n Ceeraniied space directly under the front area and, save for the glimmering rays of the can- dies, as dark as a cat’s mouth. ‘‘ Yonder’s the entrance,” said she. She held her candle high over her head, and indicated a dismal-looking arched opening in the opposite wall. “Shall I go first?” ask-d Blithers, advancing a step. “No,” said Hawk, interposing, candle in one hand, pistol in the other. ‘‘ It’s my game that’s afoot, and I must lead. Come on!” He was stooping to enter the tunnel, when he heard a deep, hollow groan, accompanied by what seemed the rattling of a chain, and appa- rently issuing from the heart of the sotid mason- ry to the left. Blithers also heard the sounds, and, as they both started back, they observed a broken beam of light struggling through a narrow fissure in the wall. Just then, however, Clarisse darted past them, throwing herself against the wall with all her force. There was heard a sharp click, as of the catch- ing of a spring lock, and the fissure disappeared. ‘‘ A plague on those water pipes!” she ejacu- lated. ‘*Sometim -s they keep ine from sleeping with their groaning and rattling.” The two men abstained from comment, and at once entered the tunnel, Hawk leading the way, and Clarisse peering after them from the en- trauce, candle in hand. The secret passageway was miserably con- structed, and the footing was made slippery and insecure by many inequalities. Blithers soon began to grumble while stumb- ling along after his companion. ‘Cheer up!” Hawk called back, encouraging- ly. ‘*We must be approaching the man-hole Clarisse spoke of.” ‘¢ What of that?” growled the other. ‘‘ How- ever, keep your eyes peeled, for this is a danger- ous place, and— Ha!” The startled exclamation was followed by an oath and a groan, accompanied by the sudden ex- tinction of his candle and a dull thud, as of a heavy blow being struck and received. Then came a shot, and, before Hawk could turn, his candle was snuffed out by a bullet whistling past his ear. “Save yoursell, Hawk!” called out Blithers’s voice faintly, while the heavy thuds and a sound of scuffling continued in the darkness, ‘‘ Oh, to be thus pounded to death without even seeing your assailant’s face! Ah!” There was a final groan, the blows ceased, and all was silent. Alert and listening, with every nerve strung to the highest tension, Hawk fired a shot from his revolver into the air, for the sake of the brief illumination the flash might afford him. The report rung and re-echoed through the tunnel, but the flash only seemed to dance against a solid wall of blackness. Then, just as the flash expired, he suddenly felt himself seized in a grasp of steel, and bhur- ried forward helplessly, while a well-known hideous voice was in his ear. ‘Oh, you enemy, you enemy! and now mine at last, mine at last!” it hissed and chuckled, while he could feel the arch villain’s breath, like the fiery blast of a moral siroces, on his cheek. «You fear, you are unnerved at Jest! Thehun- ted vulture turns upon his faleon fer, and holds him, awe-struck and quivering, in his avenging clutch!” ‘*Yon’re a liar!” the detective found breath to gasp out defiantly. ‘‘ No, fiend—monster in many shapes that you are—the Providence that hath protected and guided me thus far will not abandon me now! Though helpless and in your power, Hawk Heron, the falcon of detectives, is not destined to succumb to that vulture of crime, Count Kotzka, the Proscribed—no, though he assume a hundred other baffling shapes to elude the fell retributive swoop!” e could feel an increase of that grateful upper air upon his face as he spoke. The shaft of the man-hole was near. But at this instant his invisible foe hurled him down upon his back. Steely, talon-like fingers were at his throat, a mighty knee upon his breast, and then he could feel the cold muzzle of a revolver pressed against his forehead. ‘‘ Yes, you speak truly!” snarled the voice. ‘*T am that Count Kotzka the Proscribed, that many in one, and youareatmy mercy! Mercy! Ha, ha, ha! Such a word coupled with such a name! | The pity-beseeching victim in the tiger’s grasp! ‘‘ Liar again!” gaspingly retorted the detec- tive. ‘‘Dog! Ito plead for pity, and from such a person as you?” is dauntlessness seemed to rouse the ruffian to the pitch of frenzy. ‘‘Ha! are you of adamant? is there no way of striking terror to your heart?’ he roared in the darkness, fairly gnashing his teeth, ‘I have quieted the Englishman, your fool of a | companion; now itis your turn!” Click, click sounded the cocking of the revolver. ‘‘ Speak! grovel for mercy, swear to give over your ruth- less pursuit, or—” ‘‘ Never!” was the defiant reply. Then, just in the nick of time, he wrenched his head to one side as the *veapon was discharg- ed and the bullet but grazed his ear. Then, as ‘he shook himself par free, an en- couraging cry, accompanied by ringing blows, as of an iron implement being pounded against a metallic plate, resounded from far overhead. ‘‘Help, help!” shouted Hawk, again almost overmastered by his invisible assailant. Here the cap of the man-hole was pried to one side, and Nixey’s characteristic voice shouted down: ‘¢ Hold your own for just a minute more, Boss Heron! Here’s the cops, with a ladder and a lantern!” With a hoarse, gnashing growl, like that of a baffled wild beast, Hawk’s antagonist suddenly dashed him to one side, and darted away amid the darkness of the passage. Breathless, but not seriously injured, Hawk lost no time in availing himself of the ladder that was let down from above. On emerging, he explained the situation in a few words to two policemen and the faithful lad, who were grouped about the man-hole. ‘*But Blithers—my poor friend Blithers— he may have been murdered outright!” ex- claimed the detective. ‘‘ Never mind the fugi- tive now. He is doubtless ere this far beyond reach. Think only of Blithers!” He was directing one policeman to descend into the tunnel with a lantern, while the others should enter it by way of the house, when the door of the latter opened, and, to the aston- ishment of all, Clarisse came out to say that Blithers had made his way back into the build- ing, where he was then engaged in bathing some wounds on the neck which he had received from some blunt instrument, Rejoicing to hear that his companion had come off so easily, Hawk sent word by Clarisse that he would keep the appointment made for the following morning. He then hurried away with Nixey, leaving the policemen to close up the man-hole. ‘¢ How did you chance to put in such a timely appearance?” asked Hawk, ‘‘ Rasy enough, boss,” was the reply. ‘‘ After seein’? you go into that house, which I knowed fur a bad ’un, I skipped back to the Gotham, an’ got a couple of cops, just on the specula- tion of your havin’ stepped into a trap.” ‘‘ Aha! And then?” ‘You see, I already knowed that ere pas- sage, boss. It opens back on the rocks, where I used to travel with the Short Tail Gang.” ** Oho!” ‘“¢ Yes, boss, an’ [ was fly also to the man- hole communication. Well, me an’ the cops chanced along in the nick of time with the lan- tern and ladder. That’s all, boss, an’ then— But gosh a’mighty! catch on to the phantom!” He started beck as he spoke, as did Hawk also, and with reason. Out of the mouth of a dark alley-way, which they were crossing, a form had suddenly risen before them in the light of a near street-lamp, so ghastly and repulsive in its criminal and vicious suggestions as to momentarily stagger them. ‘* Ah! it is Blithers’s man, Manchester Tibbs,” said Hawk, quickly recovering himself on mak- ing the recognition. The ruftian put his finger to his lips and gave a hyena-like chuckle, “Hi say, mister,” said he, ‘‘ w’ot’s it worth to ou, if hid guv you a pint or twoag’in’ that big loke wot was hin the ’allway with you a wile ago? eC om mean Blithers?’ said Hawk, in sur- prise, ‘‘ Blithers has proved himself my friend, and astanch one. There’s nothing against Blithers.” “Oho! there hain’t, eh? Isay, guv’ner, jess plank the price of a week’s grub an’ lodgin’ across my ’and, wull yer? an’ hi’ll let you hinto a pint or two ag’in’ that’ere same Blithers, as you call him, w’ot’ll raise the hair clean hoff your scalp.’ , As he held out his grimy paw half-expect- as of old, if you prefer it.” antly, his smile was like that of a fiend or ghoul. | ‘*Begonel” exclaimed Hawk, threateningly. ‘* Pah!” | A hideous change, a change from eagerness to hatred and despair, came over the ruffian’s face, Then, with a low, deadly sort of laugh, he van- ished as mysteriously as he had appeared. ‘‘Come!” said Hawk, hurrying his little com- -panion along with him, ‘The very recollection. of that fellow is like a nightmare.” CHAPTER VI. CLARISSE, CLARISSE LETOURS had not greatly exagger- ated the pseudo Jack Blithers’s injuries, though of course the reader will have divined that he had only come by them in his treacherous en- counter with Hawk Heron amid the darkness of the subterraneous passage, That chameleon-like criminal was finishing the dressing of his bruises and the readjustment of his present disguise, when Clarisse returned to the basement apartments of thé dingy little house in Melton place, ‘** So!” said he, Doan up with a sort of growl; ‘** does that infernal detective still seem unsuspi- cious of my identity with Count Kotzka, Adolphe and the rest?” ‘‘ He sent word that he would keep his ap- pointment with you to-morrow.” ‘ Ts that all?” ‘* He hurried off apparently satisfied, after ex- pressing his sympathy with your injuries.” ‘Curse him! I would not mind them if T had either succeeded in killing him or forcing bim to an oath of neutrality. However, his time will come!” Here Kotzka strode from the semi-dark kitchen, in which this colloquy had taken place, to the front room, which answered for the young woman’s bed-chamber, where a bright light was burning, and confronted Clarisse with a stern countenance, ‘* Now, Clarisse,” said he, harshly, ‘I have several explanations to demand of you.” She returned his forbidding look with a half- contemptuous gaze. ‘*So have I of you,” she retorted, quietly. ‘** But do you proceed first.” He burst into a derisive laugh, but at the same time eyed her with a certain uneasiness. ‘* Ha, ha, ha!” he chuckled. ‘‘ You to demand erp aene of me, your master! Come, that is good! The angry color leaped into her cheeks and her eyes flashed, ‘‘You are forgetful,” said she, with enforced coldness. ‘‘ I have forbidden that word ‘ master ” when we are alone.” ‘Oho! Well, then, I shall substitute ‘ uncle,’ ‘* Neither that again, i repeat to you, Count Kotzka!” she exclaimed, stamping her foot. ‘¢'You know that, since I have discovered your assumed relationship to be false, 1 have also in- terdicted that word.” ‘* Indeed!” * Ay, sir! Henceforth, our connection is sole- ly political, so far as the oath of the Nihilist Brotherhood binds us, and no more.” s Still, Clarisse—” ** Will you go on with what you were about to say, or shall I take the initiative?” ** Tut, tut! keep your temper. Yes, I will continue. In the first place, your carelessness in leaving the door ajar at the mouth of the tun- nel well-nigh compromised our secret of the im- becile old baron’s captivity.” ‘“‘T acknowledge the fault. It shall not occur again,” ‘That is well, especially as no great harm can come of the hint.” ‘“ What do you mean?” “Why, if it only serve to tempt Hawk Heron into the underground passage once more, I shall take care that it shall be to his death or his re- nunciation of his pursuit of me,” “ Ah! Well, sir, what else?” ‘You coddle and make too much of the old prisoner down yonder. I have noticed this re- yeatedly during my recent visits to his cell. Had e been more severely treated, we might have got rid of him long ago,” ‘* Pass on to something else. No change shall be made in that quarter,” “Girl! would you dare—” “Ay, any and everything in the cause of hu- manity, as you know! It is now many years since the unfortunate Baron Tauchnitz, having deservedly incurred the resentment of our Bro- therhood, was submitted to my charge, when I was yet a mere child in years, though prema- turely a woman in the harsh wisdom of the world. I have carried him from prison-house to- prison-house, from hiding-place to hiding-place, while following your roving revolutionary mis- sion throughout Europe and America, as the Brotherhood may have ordered. Speak! Have I or have I not acquitted myself of the arduous task with courage and discretion?” ‘* You have,” was the reluctant reply. ‘‘ There: is no gainsaying that.” ‘‘Then forget not that I only assumed the task on condition that I should be permitted to treat the poor, helpless old man with as much | GCOmMmIcboo &. O25] ‘S-COr mn