Beadle's Dime Library No. 391 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4 Kate Scott, the Decoy Detective. And so the compact was made which turned Kate Scott, the avenger, into Joe Phenix’s De- coy Detective. CHAPTER IV, THE ASSAULT, The girl went on her way with light steps and a cheerful heart. The unexpected meeting with the detective, and his assurance that he would aid her in the task to which she had resolved to consecrate her life, was a most welcome piece of good fortune, and she felt tly encouraged. Sirfte she had begun her search for her sister and had mingled with the detectives, she had often heard Joe Phenix spoken of in the highest terms. In fact, there was hardly a man in the detec- tive line who did not regard the cool, quiet, massive-formed detective as per the greatest oo who had ever flourished in New ork. Some envious mortals would not admit this openly, but in their hearts they believed it all ¢ same. And now, since she had succeeded in forming an alliance with the most renowned detective of them all, she felt convinced she would suc- ceed not only in discovering what had become of her sister, but in punishing the villain who was responsible for her flight, for Kate feit sure that there was something wrong about the matter. True, her sister had been legally married to the young man who called himself Henry Tap- ei there wasn’t any doubt about that matter, or the was performed by a ly- ordained minister in the presence of witnesses, but that there was sous was ovi- dent, for if there wasn’t, why she been kept in ignorance in to it; she who had toiled that her sister might be comfortable ever since she had been big enough to work? Then, if her suspicions were unfounded and ev ing was all right—if her sister had con- a PPy marriage with the man of her choice, why should there be any mystery about the affairt Why should both husband and wife hide themselves so sedulously from all the world that a year’s search by some of the most expert detectives in the city, urged by the inducement of a large reward, did not result in a discovery of their whereabouts? No; the girl was sure her sister had been be- trayed and foully dealt with. ‘Lhe villain who passed by the name of wand § Tappan—Kate felt satisfied it was a false appel- felan—hed managed to fascinate the innocent ae git! unsuspicious of the villainy that this great orien and, _ being able to gain possession of her in any other way had married her and taken her to the city, and there probably tired of and deserted his vi ‘ But, if this was the truth, why was it t the unfortunate Louise had not sought out her sister, the unselfish heart who had watched over her since childhood with all a mother’s de- votion? It was a mystery, and the more the girl re- flected upon it the more bewildered she became. Only one explanation had occurred to her during all these long months when she had been as persistent in her search as the hound on the scent of blood, Her sister and the villain who had lured her away had not remained in New York, perhaps had not come there at all, but had fled to some distant locality—to another Serer A beyond the seas, perhaps, and the unfortunate Louise when deserted by the serpent who had lured her away, had not been able to either return to the city or to communicate with her sister. She might have died of grief and shame when she discovered that she had been so ter- ribly betrayed. Of little consolation is the empty m rite toa young girl when she makes the terrible discovery that the man to whom she has given all that a woman can give, is a scoundrel who has deceived her, a vile wretch, unwor- thy of the affection of any pure-minded woman. Kate had almost given up all hope of ever again seeing her sister; she f that she had found rest from her miseries in the cold damp grave, but even if that was true, a task of vengeance yet remained. d The villain who was responsible for all this wrong must be sought out and punished. The girl had not deceived the young men when she had said she was on her way to visit i ming truth iil Gee lanettg the b idge t was an r lea e br Kate proceeded directly toward her destina- tion. She proceeded up Washington street to Nas- = Peng beg — on rea n hrough upon whic meted. Nassau street between Washington and Ful- ton is dimly y-wmee and is not an inviting spot after nine 0’ e night. The street is. but little used by anybody, and pedestrians are few and far between. Into the street on the lower side two narrow alleys empty, populated by an extremely poor class of people. ; The alleys areas dark as a pocket at night, and afford a convenient lurking-place for any evil-disposed person. The girl went on without a thought of fear, but, just as she crossed the first alley, out from the darkness of the narrow thoroughfare bound- ed two muscular fellows, and they seized upon the girl in a twinkling. One grasped her from behind, and in the most dextrous manner his arm around her neck, put one of his knees in the small of her back and jerked her from her feet. It was the ruffianly trick known as garroting, and when it is performed by an expert, as it was in the present instance, for the moment it renders the victim entirely helpless, so much so that it is im ible for the person thus rudely assailed to utter even a single cry. And the second ruffian, too, was as prompt to lay the part which had been assigned to him in his evidently carefully planned outrage as his companion. He was provided with a sponge saturated with chloroform, and simultaneously with the garrot- ing of the girl by the first scoundrel he applied the spo to her nostrils, and then both of them dragged e@ hapless maid into the dark recesses of A. e alley. his movement occupied far less time in its execution than we have taken to describe it. All the surroundings were favorable, too. There was not a single soul near enough to the scene of the outrage to detect what had trans- pired, although Fulton street, Brooklyn’s main alia with its constant stream of pedestrians, and Washington street, the direct means of com- munication with the bridge, were only half a block away. But the tion was performed so quickly and with so little noise that not the slightest dis- turbance was raised. Within the alley stood a hack, its lamps un- hted, so as not to attract attention. nto the carriage the now senseless girl was p ° The potent drug had done its work only too well, and Kate Scott was as helpless as an infant in the hands of the villains who had so roughly and une tedly assailed her. The an who performed the garroting oper- ation was tall and thin, although extremely mus- cular; his companion was short and stout. “*Now, Stingy Bill,” said the tall, thin man, who seemed to be the leader of the two, after the girl was safely bestowed in the coach, “light the lamps, then get on the box. Tl go inside with the gal. ive me the sponge and the bottle, so I will be able to give her another dose if she gets her senses back and is inclined to “ But that ain’t according to the peppergram, Four ,” remonstrated the other. ‘* The boss said that she was to be blindfolded so she would not be able to see where she was going, and have a put in her mouth.” “* Blamed if I didn’t forget all "bout that,” re- sponded the other. ‘‘ You’re right, you duffer, for a thousand dollars. And I’ve got the gag in my pocket, too, as well as the vail to go over her eyes, so that she won’t be able to spy out the lay of the land. : ** Durn me, if I see how I come to forget it.” “Oh, you ain’t got the head on you, for biz, like your uncle!” exclaimed the stout man, com- placently. “ Ain’t got so much jaw, anyway,” retorted the other. ‘‘But you get to your lamps, and then h’ist onto that box and git, while I attend to the gal.” Then he entered the coach, drew the gag from his pocket—it was a curious contrivance, about the shape and size of a large pear, made out of a cork wound around with cloth, and with strings attached to it so that it could be held in the mouth after being placed there. ‘No use to gag or blind her until I see she is coming to her senses,” the man muttered, as he got the “ tools” ready. But he thought it necessary to securely bind both her hands and feet, so she was rendered perfectly helpless. By the time this operation was completed the coach had started. The seizure had been so adroitly performed that the girl had hardly time to realize that she had been assaulted before her senses fled. How long she remained insensible she knew not, but when she recovered consciousness again she found herself in utter darkness, lying upon what seemed to be a lounge. She was evidently in a room, for the air seemed close and musty. Rising to a sitting posture, she endeavored to discover where she was, but the darkness was too intense, Then a soft light began to illuminate the room, and when it partially dispelled the dark- ness, she saw she was in an apartment without either windows or doors and about twelve feet uare by seven high. light came from a glass fixed in the cen- ter of the ceiling. The room was comfortably furnished with a table, two chairs, the lounge, and in one corner / an iron sleeping-couch like those used in hos- pitals, The girl the center of this strange apartment, utterly be- wildered. Then a sharp click fell upon her ears. She turned to ascertain the reason of the sound and was confronted by a tall figure robed from head to foot in a black cloak. CHAPTER V. A STRANGE DISCLOSURE. THE black-robed figure was rising through the” floor, and when the girl turned on y about half of him was visible. Kate started back in horror as her eyes fell upon the strange sight, for she guessed at once: that she was in the power of a foe, completely helpless, too, and _ she could not imagine why any one should take the trouble to injure her, as: she had never wronged any one in her life. nor ever made an enemy to her knowledge, It was little wonder that the girl was for the moment a prey toa sudden terror despite the stout heart she carried within her bosom, for the cloaked figure made its entrance into the room with almost as much celerity as the de— mon imp bounds through the stage in the panto- mime. And the machinery by means of which he made his appearance was borrowed from the theatrical world. No yawning trap-door disclosed itself, but the floor seemed to cling to him as he rose, merely yielding enough to let him pass through. Among the skillful stage artisans *his clever mechanical contrivance is known as a “ vam- pire trap.” When the figure reached the level of the floor he stepped forward, and the pointed sections of the trap shut again with a snap. It was a man evidently, althou h thorough! concealed from head to heel by the black doale which was arranged to fall in folds from his: head, thus rendering it im ible for any one to distinguish the outlines of his figure. Through two holes in the head part of the cloak shone a pair of brilliant eyes, eyes so black and piercing that the captive talent she would be able to er ssi them again, no matter where she might behold them, nor how long the: lapse of time, And now that the first moment of surprise was over, the natural coolness of the girl came to her aid, and she stood erect and faced the in- truder, a questioning look upon her features. ‘Rather took you by surprise, I suppose?” said the man, in a gruff voice, evidently assum- ed for the purpose of disguising own na tones ** You didn’t expect visitors to make their ap- —— in this unceremonious way,” he con- inued. ‘*But this is a sort of Liberty Hall here, and we don’t go much on style and cere- ony.’ ‘‘ What is the meaning of this outrage that has been ok plore upon me? Why have I been assaul and brought here?’ cried our heroine. ** Don’t get into a rage, for it will not do you the least bit of good,” the man responded, coolly. ‘‘Just help yourself to a seat, for I’ve something important to say to you, and I hate to see you standing like a servant.” ‘* Without a word the girl obeyed. ‘*There, that’s better,” the mysterious un- known remarked, a provingly. ‘Now we'll get right down to Beelisoes. our name is Kate Scott, I believe?” “~“Yeb, an* ‘* And you used to live up in the Catskills?” ‘**T did—I was born there.” ‘‘'You are the girl I want to see then. T thought you were the party, but it is always better to be certain in such matters. If I un- derstood a correctly you complained in re- ard to the way in which you were brought. ere.” “It was a foul outrage!” Kate cried, spirit- edly. * oy There is an old adage that the end justifies the means,” the unknown replied, ‘‘ and in this case it most certainly does. I wanted to see you on a little personal matter, and as J have something particularly Pa ners to say to you it was necessary that the interview should e pes in a quarter where we could not pos- sibl disturbed. ; ‘*T think 7 bt will admit that this cosey apart- ment fills the bill exactly in that respect,” and he chuckled hoarsely, as though he thought he had given utterance to a good joke. “Then, too,” he continued, ‘‘I wished to ar- range the matter so that I could control all the details of the interview. I did not intend that should have the power to either shorten or engthen the duration of the conversation. have something particular to say to you and you may not like it—you may hesddin angry and feel like kicking up a row, but, as you are situated at present, it will not do you much good.” ‘* ‘What can you possibly have to say to me?” exclaimed the girl, not knowing what to make: of this strange affair. Your name is Kate Scott and you originally GOMIEDOOKS: col sprung to her feet and advanced to ee