Beadle's Dime Library No. 391 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Sal Steen, ———_——— A eT ae, sabia - = . oo tS = i) : i. 4 _ “tectives I emp Kate Scott, the Decoy Detective. came from the town of Tannersville in the Catskills — you had a sister there named Louise—” : The girl started as though thrilled by an elec- tric shock. Imploringly she extended her hands toward the disguised man. ‘Oh, sir, can you tell me aught of my sister?” she cried. ‘* Yes, yes; you are at the right shop for in- formation bere,” he replied, and then he laugh- ed—laughed in a manner that sent a chill to the heart of the girl, for there was more menace than merriment in the sound. ‘‘ There isn’t a person in the world who can tell you more about Louise Scott than a gentile- man about my size, for I was nearer and dearer to her than all the rest of the world. In fact, I am the man for whom you have been searching so diligently—I am Henry Tappan.” Kate gazed at the speaker with straining eyes. She had not expected this disclosure although when her sister’s name was mentioned she suspected that the man might be an ac- complice of the villain who had lured her idol away. But the announcement that she stood face to face with the villain for whom she had searched sso long und earnestly took her completely by ‘surprise. appan, to give him the name which he had claimed, noticed the surprise which his words had produced and again indulged in the low, jeering chuckle of which he seemed so fond. ‘‘You are a little astonished,” he remarked. “*T suppose I am about the last man in the ‘world whom you expected to see, Here you have been in search of me for about a year now, wasting your money on detective-officers, who are oumg nothing but a lot of beats, and ou hav’n’t been able to get the shghtest clew to my whereabouts. You see, I have been well informed in regard to your movements. ‘*T didn’t trouble myself much about the mat- ter, for I reckoned that in time you would get tired of the thing and give it up.” ‘‘Never, while life remains!” the girl cried, impulsivel . “TT had made up my mind to find you, and in the search I should never have tired” ‘*That is exactly the conclusion I formed,” he replied. ‘* And that is the reason why I went to the trouble of bringing you here. I thought your desire might as well be gratified since you were so earnest in the matter. ‘*‘ Now, then, we are face to face; I am Henry ‘Tappan; what do you want with me?” “What have you done with my sister—my ‘beautiful Louise?” Kate exclaimed. ‘‘ Of course it will be useless and only a waste «f time for me to pretend that I don’t know anything about her; for I am aware you have *%succeeded in getting at the facts in the matter,” he observed, slowly. ‘‘ Consequently I will tell you the truth about the matter. Your sis- ter and I fell in love; there were certain reasons why it was not advisable to allow the matter to become public, so, owing to my solicitativn, our sister did not even take you into her con- dence. : ‘“We were married, taking care to keep the marriage as secret as possible, and then eame to New York, intending to sail for Eu- rope, by the Inman Line steamship, City of Berlin. ‘‘The steamer was to sail at six in the after- noon. We went on board about twelve, and then I was compelled to leave my bride to at- tend to a little urgent business which I had somehow neglected, and owing to my watch be- ing out of order I missed the steamer, and she sailed without me, ““T immediately sent a cable message to the agent of the line in England, detailing the cir- cumstances, and requesting that all possible at- tention should be given to my wife until I could join her, crossing by the next steamer. * And this programme I carried out, but upon my arrival in England, judge of my consterna- tion when I was informed that my bride of a day had been lost overboard from the steamer on the first night out. ‘ ‘‘Whether it was an accident or because a ‘sudden fear had taken possession of her on ac- count of my absence and she had yielded to the belief that she was betrayed and deserted it is impossible to say.” “ And was it not the truth?” Kate demanded, **Ts not this story of your missing the steamer all a lie from beginning to end?” : ‘Tt is only natural that you should jump to that conclusion, but it is not the truth,” he re- plied. ‘‘ The passenger lists of the steamer will prove that Mr. and Mrs. H. Tappan were book- ed to sail by the mf of Berlin on a certain date, and that Mr. H. Tappan, alone, did sail by the steamer which was dispatched after that one. ‘*Then, too, an account of the death was pub- lished in the daily journals at the time, although, -as I had good reason for wishing to keep the fact of my marriage secret, I furnished as few _ particulars as possible.” ‘* Tt is strange I did not see it or that the de- Joyed did not discover it,” the girl ked. ; * ¥ 4 + nd y - P ® 5" a 7 4 P ' ’ 5 ‘* Not at all; the publication was just about a | satisfy yourself by visiting the office of the steam- month before you began your operations, and in < apc of New York life a month is a great while. ‘Your detectives, blundering fools! looked forward, not backward. Here is the account,” and he handed her an old newspaper. It was only a brief item relating how a lady passenger on the City of Berlin fell overboard in the lower bay and in the darkness perished, al- though every effort was made to rescue her, and the name was given as Mrs, H. Tappan. ‘* Dead! dead!” moaned Kate, in heartfelt mt letting the newspaper fall from her listless and. ‘Yes, ‘gone to that bourne from whence no traveler returns; the body was never recovered, although on my return I tried to trace it. ‘*T loved your sister, Kate, and truly mourned her death, and until I saw you I did not believe that I could ever find it in my heart to love any other woman.” CHAPTER VI. THE CAPTIVE’S REPLY. Our heroine started in surprise, for this avow- al was entirely unexpected. ‘**T perceive you are astonished, and no doubt you hardly know what to make of my speech, ut Iam a plain, blunt man, and I believe it is always best for a man to speak out when any- thing important is at stake,” Tappan replied. ‘*T have been watching you now for nearly a year; ever since the time, in fact, when I got wind that you were here on my scent, and since that discovery I have made it my business to keep my eyes upon you. ‘*I had no idea that I was being watched,” Kate observed, hardly knowing whether to place credence in the statement or not. ‘* Of course, it was not my game to allow you to know it, You see, I play my cards much better than the blundering detectives whom you employed to hunt me down.” ‘* But I do not understand the reason for this mystery!” the girl exclaimed. “If the story you have related to me in regard to the death of my unfortunate sister is true, and it seems to bear the impress of truth, bing $ did you not come to me when you learned that I was in search of you? ‘** Why did you not come and tell me the story of the death of my poor Louise? It would have lifted a terrible load from my mind!” ‘* Well, I had good reasons for acting as I did,” the man replied, after a moment’s pause, as 3 he was debating about the matter in his mind. ‘*In the first place as you have doubtless guessed, Henry Tappan is not my real name.” ‘**T did not think it was.” '“*T give you credit for being shrewd enough for that. Now, if I came to you in my own proper person you, of course, would know me if you saw me again, and I have good reasons for wishing to remain unknown. ‘* Money, you know, will do almost anythin nowadays, and money, judiciously expended, brought you here. ‘* Two reasons actuated me: in the first place I wanted to tell you the true story of your sis- ter’s unaccountable disappearance, and in the second to make known to you that you have in- spired me with an ardent affection. ‘** As I have told you, after the loss of your sis- ter I was so deeply affected by the calamity that I did not believe I should ever meet a woman whose charms could make my pulse quicken in the least degree; but when my attention was drawn to you by the earnest attempt you were making to discover what had become of the ill- fated Louise, after a time I suddenly realized that you were beginning to rete the place in my heart which she once enjoyed. ‘I fought against this feeling for some time, but finally it grew so strong that I was obliged to give wh to it and so I planned to bring you here, that [ might not only make known to you the sad fate which had befallen your sister, but also reveal to you the passion which has grown up in my heart.” With all her shrewdness the girl was puzzled, unable to guess the motives which animated the man, and caused him to act thus strangely. The reason he had assigned, that of having be- come fascinated by her charms, she did not be- lieve was the true one. It was possible that, finding she was not dis- posed to give up the chase, and fearing in time she would hunt him down, he adopted this de- vice to make her give up the pursuit. But if the story of her sister’s death was true, and he was not to blame in the matter, why should he fear? ' She was satisfied there was something hidden; the man had not revealed all the particulars, and immediately she gave utterance to her doubts, **T do not credit this tale which you have told,” she said. ‘*The proof that I have told you the truth in to the loss of your sister is in your hand, and if you doubt the truth of it and believe that PY some hocus- s the newspapers were impos- upon to publish a falsehood, you can easily ' ship company.” ve 2 tne no doubt that the account you ive of the death of my poor Louise is correct; but the reason you give for the strange conduct on your part is not at all satisfactory,” she re- ied. ‘*Tf you had come to me in your own proper person, and required me to pledge myself to —- | secret whatever you might reveal to me, I woul | gladly have — such a promise; butafter what ? sree 2 a has occu ful fears. **Who and what are you? Why do you as- sume this strange disguise, and why was this mysterious apartment constructed? In fact, all that has transpired seems more like a leaf os: out of an old-time romance than anything else.” ‘*Ha, ha, ha,” laughed the masked man in his disagreeable, jeering fashion, ‘‘ you are like all your sex, and can more questions in a minute than any ordinary man can answer in a week.” **'You cannot expect me to walk blindfold in an unknown path,” she retorted. ‘“T am afraid you will have to accomplish that feat, for I am not at liberty to reveal to you any more than I have already done. You must take me blindly, and trust to luck. ‘One thing I will tell you, and that is that I can give you a life of | such as few women in this world are able to enjoy. ‘* Your slightest wish shall be gratified, and my mind is tormented by doubt- you shall as the wife of one who stands as well in New York as almost any man in the metropolis. ‘** All T require in return is implicit trust and exact obedience.” ‘*Oh, you want me to take a leap in the dark and shut my eyes besides!” Kate exclaimed. ‘* Yes, that is about the idea; but by daring the risk you will receive a rich reward.” " a very little faith in that assurance, and I think I am bonmaning to understand what kind of a man you are, ‘Your strange disguise, the manner in which I was brought here, this mysterious apartment, your incomprehensible offer, and the fact that you say you have been able to keep a watch on me ever since I came to the city, without my having the slightest suspicion of the fact, all serve to convince me that you are not a man whose deeds can bear the sunlight, but on the contra) ry you seek the shadow to hide evil pur- ses. ‘* Not a very flattering estimate this that you have formed of my character!” he exclaimed, seemingly more amused than affronted by the girl’s remarks. ‘* What other opinion can I have under the circumstances?” she asked. ‘‘If you are an honest man, and there are good reasons why you do not wish me to know who you are for fear that in an unguarded moment I might betray your secret, the matter can be easily ar- es ‘* Your name is not Henry Tappan, of course; T understand that appellation is an assumed one but you can be known to me by that name, and I will not trouble myself to discover what your real name is. If you wish to see me you can come at night, and I will so manage that you will not meet any one; but I tell you frankly, right at the beginning, I do not think I shall ever be able to bring myself to like you. ‘You may be innocentof any guilt as regards my sister’s death, but I cannot forget that if it had not been for you, she in all probability would be alive and well to-day, safe and happy in her mountain home. ‘*'You came between my sister and myself stole her away from me, and that fact I shall never be able either to forget or forgive.” ‘‘ It is true enough; I did take your sister, but she went of her own free will.” ‘‘ Lured by your dazzling promises, no doubt!” Kate exclaimed, bitterly. ‘‘ Just as you have tried to daze me with a brilliant prospect. I may wrong else but the Fallen Angel trying to tempt the Holy One by promising a world which was not his to give.’ coat I can make good my offer,” Tappan as- ‘* Perhaps, and yet Ido not believe it. Your words are fair enough, but something whispers to me that you are not to be trusted.” ‘* Then you do not choose to accept me in the ise of a lover?” ‘“No, I do not.” ‘‘ Well, ’'m sorry for that, for you are just the woman for me—keen-witted, sharp as a steel-trap, and no dcubt not devoid of courage; and in this chase of me, too, you have displayed the d determination of a bloodhound. Oh! decidedly, Kate, I shall have to have you, and there’s no two ways about it.” ** Whether I will or not?” and an angry light shone in the girl’s eyes, although she pet the question in the most matter-of-fact manner. ‘* Yes, I suppose so,” he answered, carelessly. ‘**'You see you force me to such a course, and I must adopt it, although it certainly is most dis- tasteful to me; but, under the ou, but I can think of nothing what elsecan 1 do? You tell that t isn’t comicbooks.c <5 > a » at ~~. “