Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 396 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

ed “a ~, - ing for the si ness, not mine. somebody lay down the programme.” Was he speaking the truth? It was hard to tell At all events it seemed so likely that there was a momentary hesitation. He knew well enough that the men there were more afraid of having a clearly defined suspicion cast upon them than a thousand ordinary burglars, It was Madam Velvet that answered him, ‘‘ What do we intend to do? Why, my dear fellow, I'll tell you. We may not do it to-night, or even to-morrow; but sooner or later we mean to hand you over to the law and let justice take its course. You can harm no oue here with any story that you may tell; and there are a thousand ways by which you can be brought under the noose without our agency coming to the surface, That is what we mean todo. How do you like the picture?” ‘Thanks; but the course of the law is very uncertain, and you seem to forget that you have to-night revealed to me the true criminal, who can and will be made to stand in my place. It was worth all the risks 1 have run for me to have learned that much, and [ suspect that one day you will furnish me the proofs. My visit here han not been altogether a failure, you will admit that.” “We admit nothing,” snarled the madam, an to the teeth at the cool, masterful way in which he attempted to face the situation. ‘¢ Tf a bullet has not ended your bravado itis because we prefer to save youfor the rope. Hold up your hands now. I heve been keeping you covered; it is time that we put you where you can do us no harm,” The barrel of her revolver did indeed point straight at him, and a single pressure of the finger would finish the argument in a very practical way; but she had to do with a man of wonderful nerve, who answered her order with a mocking laugh. ‘‘ Ha, ha, my dear. I have no desire to de- art this life, and I have no doubt about your boting in dead earnest; but all the same, I won’t obey. Try your band first; and if you miss, the rest of you can stand from under. I won’t fight till I have to; but when I do it will bea fight to kill.” is hands were in the side pocket of his sack- coat; and there was no trouble in understand- ing his warning. He meant just what he said. The fact that rangement, Madam Velvet’s voice lowered. ‘* One word in confidence with you before we | proceed to the last extremity,” said the meee are | Remove one doubt | ' enough, and be recognized. If they pull him, he coldly. ‘It may be that I am mistaken. you speak with me alone? and it is possible that we may not be so wide apart. It is a personal matter between you and me, that I must know.” ‘** Fire ahead. You can’t make the box worse and it may be bettered. It’s She lowered the revolver, while with the free hand she waved the others back. ‘¢ As you will,” said the former spokesman, in a deep tone; and the circle fell away, leaving the daring man puzzled to know what would be the next move. ‘‘You know my hatred of Raven—do you know the reason for it; and knowing it are you for him or me?” : The words barely reached his ears; the tones were low and confidential. ‘“‘T know your secret,” responded the detec- tive, speaking as guardedly, and in his earnest- — advancing a step or two, his handsstill held own. _ Then keep it!” exclaimed Madam Velvet, in a tone of triumph, at the same time suddenly dropping to the floor as the short, dull report of a derringer echoed through the place; and Wardlaw firing as he went d'sappeared from sight; the trap through which he had fallen closing again after him with a sudden snap. U loom the floor sprung the woman. ‘‘That settles him,” she said, coldly. ‘It takes a long head and a strong hand to play against us.” re She was silent after that, standing in a listen- ing attitude; and the rest held their peace won- derfully well. Nothing could be heard but the faint sound of suppressed breathing. ‘Our thanks to you,” said the spokesman at length, in relieved tones. ‘‘ He was no fool to “Hiandle, and used his tools like a border ruffian. If you had not dodged that shot there would shave been a vacancy in the ranks, He has changed in his checks now, though; and the first thing to do is to try and find out if there has nase treachery here, and who is the guilty party. ‘* How—why—what do you mean?” Half a dozen voices spoke at once; some in- dignant, some curious, some frightened. ‘[ mean that the madam and I hit upon a dis- covery that none of the rest appear to have dreamed of. That man was an impostor. The real man we wanted has not been here at all. ‘ able to protect myself. eo 4 4 aa . . a *« A es » ; , ‘ I saw them scattered around as | came in, but I thought that was your busi- Don’t all speak at once, but e had Madam Velvet lined and , yet refrained from shooting was an evidence | that he did not want to force the war, and that | he must have some plan for an amicable ar- oney I’m after.” | _%! ret - “4 ® The my time. Since the moment I recognized that we were being played with I decided that the | less you know about it the better. Iam willing to tell you that Alvah Wharton’s _ money is nowhere. man should never leave this place alive. Yet I had my doubts how to get rid of him without somebody standing the chance of a last sickness. The madam fortunately was equal to the emer- | gency, and drew him over the trap as no one ; What has become of the | original is a question that I leave you two to | It is time now that the conclave broke else could have done. settle. ” He pointed to two of the nearest men, and | then gave a wave of his hand. Amazed by their late experience, the members of the band were in no mood to hesitate. There was a sharp clap given by each pair of hands present; then, one at a time, they began to fall away and retire into the darkness, until only the leader and Madam Velvet were left. ‘* Remain with me, Conynghaim,” said the wo- man, in a low ‘tone. You and I must have some further conversation over this matter. You have the most of all to lose, and there is no disguising the fact that we are in some dan- ger. ‘*Be quick then. If there was any truth in what he said about the place ip watched, the sooner we get to the other side of the block, the better.” ‘Yes. But first it would be better to satis- fy ourselves that he is really gone. A tumble through a trap-door does not always kill.” ‘What can you see? If he’s not dead, he’s out in the bay by this time. The tide was just right to carry him along. You can see nothing there if you looked for a week.” He spoke impatiently, for Madam Velvet bad opened the side of a dark lantern, and was peer- ing downward through the again opened trap. The drop was not deep, but below she could see only a narrow shute, and the sluggish water of the tide. ‘* Ah, I believe I am safes” she said, with a sigh of relief. ‘* I was horribly afraid, I can tell you, for, however much he was in the dark about the rest, that man knew me.” Conyngham gave a short laugh. ‘*How careful we are of our own precious blood and bones, And yet, if that fool spoke the truth, we are in some danger yet. If the police don’t break in, as he threaten@d, it is pretty certain that they saw him come in, If they don’t see him go out there may be unpleas- ant questions asked.” , “That is provided for. They cannot find their way here in a week—they will find a path that leads right through to—nowhere, in the next street. I only hope they have a clear idea of what he looks like.” ‘“Why so? You seem mighty anxious that they should have us down fine.” ‘Not atall. The real man will be about soon dare say nothing on his own account; and if he did speak, it is precious little that he could say. It may, indeed, be necessary to find him and temporarily give him away if he, for any rea- sons of his own, is in hiding.” ‘You have a long head, and there is a heap of consolation in the plan. But, meantime, this Jaue pas unhinges the scheme in regard to our chestnuts. What is best to be done? There is no disguising the fact, that the efforts to unravel the mystery of our little stock operations are as tremendous as they are quiet. e have of late made a failure or two that has somewhat shaken my nerve; if ee keep on, who knows what may happen? e must close out; but do it without a chance for a breath of suspicion. I tell you, a single word might fire the mine.” ‘Perhaps it would have been as well to have thought of all that when the league was formed,” responded Madam Velvet, coolly. ‘‘I have been our blind instrument—a very trenchant tool, I te proved. I have asked no questions, and if I was disposed to do so this minute, I could tell nothing that would really identify you and your gang. If you have been as successful with the rest, you are safe from internal treachery, un- less by a pitfall into which those betrayed are meses dag y led; but, meantime, who is to trust you ‘“‘Ha, ha! I wonder if you have not been making some inquiries about a certain Captain Conyngham. It is certain that others have done so, if you have not. And the captain re- mains as much a myth as ever. I intend it shall so to the end of the chapter. You heard a man say that he intended to take a trip across the ocean. He will not go. Noone will go at present. Together the Gilt Edge Gang sinks or swims. Among a million people a single indi- vidual is not so easy to find,” ». Unless you know where to look for him.” And are willing to run the risks attendant on looking,” he seriously. ‘‘ Don’t forget that you have certain skeletons of your own, that it would be neither safe nor pleasant to un- vail to the public eye. Youcan have no hold on me; but I have on you a dozen, Don’t force me to use them.” ‘* Thank you for the warning; but I shall be One word more, You Piper Detective. Yet this one came posted in all the signs. Has heard what was said to-night about Alvah Paddy the Piper played us false, or are we to | Wharton’s money. look for the trouble at home? I had been biding | was it? Why has no division yet been made?” | There is little danger after all. He was simply 'the moment she was peering downward Ss 13 Where is it? How much ‘* Ask no questions. That was a matter ar- ranged before you came into the conclave; the Enough that ither we made a mistake, or he was shrewd enough to put it where even we could not findit. Ihave not given up alto- gether; should it be found you will have your share.” The two had talked as though they might doubt each other: but now the stronger wish of the man seemed to prevail, and in a different tone Madam Velvet answered: ‘* Perhaps you are right. At least I will trust ou—all the more readily because I am power- ess to do anything else. Nevertheless I feel danger in the aii, and [ will not be reassured until I have an explanation of this night’s mys- tery. Will you let me know when you discov- — er it, why and how the man that went through the trap found his way into our meeting?” ‘*T will. Now let us make our way out. a lying braggart.’ Perhaps. CHAPTER XYVL THE MADAM MAKES A CONFIDANT. THE madam was very right in saying that a fall through a trap did not always kill. At © through the trap the victim was so near, that his voice, had it been raised, could have | reached her ears. oa He had nothing to say, though, for he had fallen into hands that knew how to manage him thoroughly well. When the trap slipped away from under him he had pulled his trig- gers as he dropped, and the roar of his pis- tols drowned the ‘‘chug” he made as he — struck the water, ‘ He thought it a blessing that he did not — stick in the mud which he felt as he touched bottom. Luck was in his favor so far thathe ra came to the top like a cork. In a blind sort of way he swam afew strokes; then he felt a stout gripe on his — shoulder, and without any resistance he was dragged into a boat, which, for some mys- terious reason, was right at the spot. be There « as a lighted lantern sitting in the ~ bow, but it was through hearing his voice rather than through any aid the lantern gave i that he recognized Big Mike, themanhehad last seen at Copper Sile’s. ; ee With a companion of the same stripe Mike was waiting there, and if he had any object a Se as, - - in view that object seemed to be accomplish- ed when the self-appointed detective fell into —__ their hands, for they lingered no longer. With a grunt of satisfaction Mike laid the helpless captive down in the boat, andthen the two pushed away with noiseless celerity. The distance was not far from the river— of that Wardlaw was well aware—but he could not guess within half a dozen or more __ piers of the spot where they shot out intothe __ starlight. eget ‘*T reckon you ain’t goin’ ter try ter kick up a row with us,” said Big Mike, bending over. ‘‘ Ef ther cops takes us they’ll find you in ther same boat, an’ of ther three you’d be ther wu'st off. You jest lay low till yer time comes. We ain't goin’ ter turn yer toes up — this time.” a wi Howard could make no answer, but as he lay perfectly quiet it was to be supposed that he acquiesced in these views. Very true it was that he wanted to have as little as pos- sible to do with the police; and he even re- _ membered that if Mike knew as much about him as he hinted that he did, it wouldbe easy enough for him to assume the role of captor, and lay claim to the reward offered for Craig Clayton. That might be his game . anyhow. ‘To find out it was only necessary to wait and learn. Pease = For some little distance the men rowed along in a quiet, skillful way. Then Mike, apparently vexed at himself fora temporary forgetfulness, pulled out an old handkerchieh bite ia “8 9g 8 young feller, it clean skipped my _ mind, but I was to bring yer round insuch a way that yer couldn’t see which way you were goin’! Don’t be skeered now. Ill hev ter clap ona rag as’ll shut ther lightout. Then, that orter fix ther thing up, first chop. ~ | Mebbe you'll come out when t#er circus are over; an’ mebbe you won't. | Any way, this — % won’t make no differens’. Ef it doos, come an’ see me an’ you'll find me on hand.” - a * ’ ae 00 am Me! : ee : 7 ' ” z ra