Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 396 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ote rs : ’ ' é The Piper Detective. é , « “ pete , { ee ———— + / th is what we are after. danger?” ‘““We may be soon enough, if we are not now, For my part I would willing to close everything upif I was sure we had left behind no trail that would lead to us. I had hoped that we could get away without any trace at all. Since there must be one, I am clear for wanting to leave one that leads away from us. What Are we or are we not in as # say you all?” i ‘If itcan be done,” hesitatingly interposed one. “Tt is simplici itself. We divide the treasury and go back to the world, For a year the circle ceases operations. And for the same length of time some one, taking up our business just where we leave it goes on with the work. It will not be hard to gain an indemnity forthe ae “sorte and lay up a large stock of it for the ure “Tam willing enough to try—yes, and very glad to do it. *ve enough to pay for an excur- sion to Europe and the Holy Land, and I think Tl take it. I smell danger, in the air, and have no po seers to getting out of the draft. There’s one thing that never was settled up yet to my notion and maybe there will be a chance to hear from it to-night.” The doubter spoke in anything buta contented _, tone, and a little murmur among the brethren showed that some agreed with him, and others ‘were anxious to hear further. “What's that you mean?” sharply asked Madam Velvet.” The Wharton racket. I’ve got the first man to meet who could or would say where his _ money went.” , CHAPTER XIV. _ PADDY THE PIPER COMES ALSO. --«‘*Tr was a very bold and fearless game that Rand had played, but to every appearance it ~ had won, and leaving Paddy the Piper helpless ie he hastened away to find out what was the up- _ shot of the fracas with the police, and whether his partner in the affairs of the night was in condition to finish up the game. Long experi- ence had made him reckless, and he had but lit- tle doubt about meeting Howard at the trysting- place already agreed upon. -. When they met, as meet they did, Rand was Jaughing over his success, though his face grew Jong enough as he listened to the strange revela- tions in store. _ Yes, it’s a terrible thing, and Ill see that *: ayo is done, if it don’t come in, incidentally, in the next twenty-four hours. But that much _ time I must have for the work already mapped — out. Poor girl! she was not altogother true, but what could you expect? and certainly she _ was deserving of a better fate.” i 3 ‘‘ We've struck a bad streak, but the only _ chance is to open our eyes wider and go ahead.” €¥es, The little Irishman grows more inter- esting. Who would have thought of his recog- nizing me or bringing up the old affair so flatly. If they once get a glimpse of me after this you _ can be sure they will be on the track again, full ery. Provoking,too! Mr. Wardlaw must dis- _ appear, leaving a lot of work undone that I at d best have done from that direction. Keep oF eye out for me to-morrow afternoon. I may have to go into hiding, but if I don’t Pll meet + * in a new shape and report progress, If I _ don’t turn up within forty-eight hours you may consider I have gone up, and you will know how. - Good-by. I'm after them now, hot-footed.” Tt may win,” said Rand, hh, ‘and _ where there is a chance it is worth while to take the risk. But ifit was not for the murder of this evening I swear I'd say try some plan that was - gafer, You hardly feel like enjoying the joke of it all just now.” __ “Very little joke would they find it, though, if I know anything about the little Irishman; fore they got through with him it would only be ~- atoss-up which they would sooner deal with. He — ean play King Stork too.” They separated, and Rand looked dubiously — after his comrade. - *T should have told him what I saw while I was ing Paddy. But I was afraid to say _ anything more, and perhaps itis all right any- way. He has hel me out more than once, - and I never was slow about repaying my debts. _ When he wants me he knows where to find me. _ But it takes nerve to carry as he’s on to-night, and if the . theyll kill him sure. I think /’d sooner wait and get my points in some slightly safer way.” ae oy Renee Tvs got just a a fob. I’ve got Waite to watch, and at the proper | Irishman at all. ime turn him over to the police, if itcan be done | graduate of the London swell mob, though be- without too much risk, I suppose. If not, we'll fore that you mixed with a class of people far have to turn him loose, and catch him again.” here was a terrible truth in Rand’s solilo- - quy, in spite of the jesting shape in which he “ frovned his thoughts. Twice had he run the yisk of his own life; and twice more would it ve to be done before this section of his work | cessfully committed, you killed a ge _ would be complete. , At the same time the dangers of his friend and ey were double. _ Paddy the Piper had been only too true. was Craig Clayton, the convicted, - Yet with the gall He . ° ad ms — SS —_— | out any such game Come to ther find him out | centuries an’ all.” ut as ticklish a | First, a little as to your past. You are not an ’ ' The words of the real | : . P se ready to to circumvent the criminal world the courts—the man from whom he evidently had so much to fear; instead, he intended to strike a blow ata — circle, and run his own risks. He had been hunted too long to fear or- dinary dangers, and his escapes in the past had given him confidence for the future. When he left Rand it was only a few steps to reach the cover that he sought, where he made a few rapid, skillful changes in his dress, Then he came out upon the street a totall man. Fifteen minutes or so after Clifton Mel- ton had taken his departure, he slouched up to | the area of the same house, ‘*Whist, Bridget acushla, is it there yez are, me darlint?”’ he said, in a low, sharp whisper. Instantly a woman appeared. If any out- sider had n about, he would have sworn that it was one of the servants, and without being so far wrong. “Och, Pathrick, honey, I’ve been waitin’, Phat delayed vez?” ‘“* Jist the laste bit av a ruction that Oi’ll tell yez all about when I come in. Don’t let’s be sthandin’ here, er some av ther b’yes will want to be wid us.” ** Not a shtep does yez come in to-night ontil Oi know how soon yez conthemplates goin’ out ag’in. Sp’ake quick, or Pll run away. Oi’m nearly dead with froight alriddy for fear ther misthress will come.” ‘Fourteen minnits an’ a half, you illegant craythur. I daren’t make it fifteen, or I would!” | ‘*T kin thrust yez that long. Come on quitk, an’ none av yer foolishness,” The whole thing went on so spews and con- | sistently, that no listener could possibly have | suspected that in the words uttered, there was a regular series of questions and answers, or that | at least one of the two had never before seen the other. The answers were all correct, and the supposi- titious Patrick disappeared within the house where his identity was still further tested, an and he was finally brought into the presence of the conclave assembled, as detailed in the last chapter. adam Velvet was masked and cowled so pre ya that in that in the dimmed light no | one could have detected that she was a woman. The scene and the position might well have tried the nerves of the boldest; but they seemed to have no effect upon the nerves of the jaunty lit- tle lrishman. ** None av yer foolishness wid me,” he repeat- ed, boldly. ‘‘ Yez sint me wurrud thet ther’ wor a chance fur big money, an’ O’im here. Phat is it that yez wants wid Paddy the Piper?’ ‘Don’t attempt any of your bluff games with us, my good man. You may drop that brogue as we know you can, or, you may twist your tongue off trying to keep it up. That’s all right. First and foremost to make | good our promise. Here is five hundred down to show that we are in earnest. That for your visit here. Whether we come to terms or not you're that much ahead.” | **Tf Oi don’t git me brains stove in wid a poult | on the head afore this noight’s over. Ef yez are | ther gang Oi think, ye’d cut me throat fura tinth part ov that.” The shrewd rejoinder was in a tone that be- | tokened no fear, and it aroused no anger. He took the money nonchalantly and stowed it away. m With any one else it might be so; but we think you can keep all you get. And anyway we want to use you and your friends and give you at the same time the profits of the game.” ‘* Moighty liberal yez are.” ‘* We can afford to be. That five hundred is an earnest of the scale on which we do busi- ness, ‘ ‘Perhaps you think we have put ourselves in your power, or at least given you the chance | to find us out. Any attempt at that will be— fruitless, Not one of us has ever been seen | to enter this house. Others who have been are | either above suspicion or are men we don’t | care how soon you drop upon. They know nothing; and we are no friends of theirs,” “Phat kind of story are yez givin’ me?) ‘int er Pll be waltzin’ off, five | — — ** Don’t be in such haste. We will give you | something solid enough before we get through. ou are English born, and a above your station. You committed a forgery, for which your only punishment was being driven away by those with whom you had asso- ciated. After that you thieved and gambled, and when a score of lesser crimes had been suc- ntleman while attempting a burglary, and left the coun- career has been longer and, if anything, more “On this side of the ‘ I aaything ’ your vicious and more successful. e have the ows waiting for him, he was proofs of at least one murder that you commit- ' WY on’ oe V s oy ’ \ . - > ~ i S ~ re ee er s—- “ y to try that evidently had itseyes upon him. It was in | his power to bring to justice—or at least before | different . —_——— + — a ee si Sie ee ie 4 A. a Fs r ; . 4 , ‘ . p Ph al em + ge ie - ted, for which an innocent man was condemned to death: and we know that for the last three months you have been the leading spirit in a band of desperate highwaymen and burglars, who would only have committed more crimes had they seen the opportunity. For everything I have said we have the proof. Does it not strike you that, to a certain extent at least, you are in our power?” The question was one given for an answer; and the answer came, quiet and cool: ‘* Sure an’ it’s a brave mon yez are to say that e know that much about Paddy the Piper. Vhen a mon knows that much, it’s about toime fur him to go live wid the worrums. Maybe it’s thrue—an’ maybe it ain’t. Phat ay it?” ‘* This: 1 too have been at the head of a gang. Where you have made a dollar, we have made our hundreds. We knew where to strike; you did not. For various reasons, it is advisable for us to retire from business for a time, and it is just as necessary that the business should go on, Copper Sile’s place will be closed on you, but we will furnish you another headquarters, will di- rect the movements as far as need be, and you will do the work as it has been done, keeping all the profits. Of course this will be a matter that you will keep to yourself. What say you?” ‘*S’posin’ Oi say no—phat sort av a racket d’ yez think Oi’d foind mesilf in?” ‘‘ A very uncomfortable one, Patrick. We hold your life in our hands, and I have no hesi- tation in saying that we will make it uncom- fortably warm for 84 in this world; and the heat won’t be apt to be lower inthe next. We've ot you, and by fair means or foul we mean to eep you.” ‘Thin O?'Il coom down. Show me the worruk, an’ Oi’ll show yez ther hands to do it. Ef Oi can’t do oz neat a job ez Captain Sandbag, call me a fool an’ be done wid it.” ‘* Done, then! We will give you work, and for a little that we want done on our own ac- count—though it will benefit you as well—we are willing to give you an extra five hundred, There is a man who, while he lives, is a danger both to you and us. He must be removed. @) have tried it twice and failed. It may be dan- gerous for us to try it again. Are you afraid to take the risk?” “Afraid av phat? No two-legged mon ever soaked Paddy ther Piper’s sand. Tell me his name,” ‘That is easier said than done. He has a dozen; but he is the man that personated you before the chief of police: he is the escaped convicted felon known as Craig Clayton; and in the garb of Septimus Wardlaw, a detective, he is on our trail. Make no mistake. He must die, or you will.” ‘*Begorra, yez needn't try ter shtir me up on him. I m’ane ter shtrike him fur all ’m worruth widout yer tellin?’ me. Wasn’t Oi afther bim ter-noight? P’int him out till me an’ ye'll see him drop; but fur ther loife av me Oi can’t a. where he hangs out. But Oi’ve heard on im. : ‘** Neither can we find him; but you must.” ‘* An’ ef yez can’t foinde him, how kin Oi? Be raysonable. Pint him out an’ he must die; but till yez does I wouldn’t swear I could do any- | thing to help yez about him, though it’s ther foive hundred extry I'd loike ter have main well. Give me toime enough an’ Oi’ll shtroike him sure enough, ef he don’t draw us inter ther nit foorst,” | ** Ha, ba, ha!” A silvery laugh was the auswer to his earnest words—a laugh that surprised him, since it was that of a woman; and surprised the others, since it seemed so out of place. ‘You fools, you,” said the clear voice of Madam Velvet, as she steppedforward. ‘‘ What would become of youifit was not for a woman’s wits? Throw a light on this man, and show him up as he is,” ‘*What does yez m’ane?” was the bold an- swer, as a glare of light suddenly streamed on the fictitious Irishman. ‘*] mean that I have a cocked revolver leveled at your head, and if you move, you die. You may be Paddy the Piper, and the greatest vil- lain unhung, but all the same you are Crai Clayton, the self-styled detective, and our m deadly foe.” And at her announcement, made with such certainty, a snarling shout went up, and a dozen other weapons glittered, as a wall of blades closed in around him. CHAPTER XV. AND GOES MOREOVER. THERE could be no doubt about the danger of his position, and little hope that he could dis- prove the charge; but the fictitious Paddy never winced at the sight of the dozen blades, ‘So you've found me out, have you? It does take a woman to see the bottom of all things. Well, supposing I am Craig Clayton—what are you going to do about it? Shoot, suppose. All right. in the racket as soon as you choose but before the ball opens I can tell you I hold the lives of a good half-dozen of you, unless the madam can, shoot straighter and quicker than I think she will. And when the noise begins the police will break in. They're just outside wait- comicbook . « — oo S