Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 396 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

. y - i * > ¥ =< b4 ‘> “4 a + _ e srr ‘ 4 we | Pee * The Piper Detective. 19 Tyler had been leaning over the tabie dur- ing his confidential conversation, so that the chairs told notales. In fact everything look- ed as though Clifford Melton had but lately arisen. His imprint was still on the bed from which he had risen when Van Tyler came, ‘‘No one about, is there?’ said Uncle John, suspiciously. ‘* You're about,” answered Melton, coldly. ‘No one else that I can see.” ‘‘That is right. I thought I would catch you here alone, and I want to have a little talk with you that maybe you wouldn’t want any one else to hear. I wouldn't.” He spoke pointedly and probably for a purpose. If Melton had not had his nerves under better control than usual, he would doubtless have given an uneasy look toward the closet, after hearing such an exordium. As it was he simply answered: a AF Clee, ‘It is not well at all. You are mistaken about your note. It came due yesterday. You wanted ninety days, but you didn’t get it. I said maybe I’d give you thirty days more when the time came; but that ain’t what you put your name to and ie ought to remember it. You haven't pulled up as you said you were going to, and from what I hear you won’t last another month. How do ou suppose I can afford to risk my money? Eh? I must have it to-day and I mean to have it.’* ‘‘T think you’re an infernal old fraud,” responded Melton, hotly. ‘‘If you’ve come here to beat me, you'll find this is the wrong shop. I don’t intend to be bullied or beaten, and you can take yourself off with that knowledge just as soon as you’ve a mind to,” ‘“You’re a fool,” came the blunt answer. ‘*'The note speaks for itself, and it tells all that, and something more. If you are wise you would only be too glad to get it back now, and at twice what it seems to call for. Young man, do you think you can fool me, who have been in the business since before you were born? Pay your note now, or take the consequenes.”’ ‘The consequences? What do you mean, old man?” was the hot retort. ‘““Do you dare to say there is anything wrong about that bit of paper?” ‘* Here it is,” resyonded the other, shaking a slip of paper that he held between the thumb and forefinger of his righthand. ‘‘It speaks for itself. It says three thousand dollars due to-day.” ‘‘ It says a lie, then,” broke in Melton. **1t says several things that are lies, then,” retorted the money-lender, sternly. ‘‘It says on the back that Charles King wrote the name there. The moment | look- ed at it carefully I could see that he never did. That's what brought me here this morning, to tell you that whatever else you do you daren’t let this note go to protest. aiod tsiieds paid, to protest it will go.” Melton was too thoroughly astounded at the charge to make any immediate answer, and the other went on in a steady, venomous sort of way: ‘You see I’m one of those that always want to give a young man a chance, espe- cially when he is a party that I can make use of. Of course you don’t intend to pay, can't pay if you want to; but there’s noth- ing like leaving an opening to correct any such little error as you seem to have fallen into. It makes you more grateful; spurs you up to harder work. I have you foul any way; but of course, if we come to terms I shall hold the matterover, It’sa great pity you can’t pay.” ‘And I say that this all is a concocted scheme. Show me the note with my signa- ture to it if you dare.” ‘“‘T wouldn’t advise you to question your signature too closely, but such as it is there it is.” ‘‘And there’s your money!” exclaimed Melton. | His movements were so rapid and well timed that before the seeming old man could frustrate his intentions they were accom- plished. With one bound Clifford twitched away the note; with the other he slapped upon the hand of ‘‘Uncle Johnny” a pack- age that he had hastily drawn from his pocket. : ' SS LT CE Nt CHAPTER XXII. VAN TYLER FIRES A TRAIN. WRHILE the captain stood over his murder- ed policeman, and Preston Blaine stood be- | sile Hardy, his eyes expressing all the hor- ror that he felt, the two were startled at hearing a low moan from a point not very far distant. ‘‘Another victim,” said Blaine, pointing ‘Three thousand dollars you will find there, for I counted it not half an hour ago. Now, on your own showing, you and I are quits.” The old man was not so old after all; or rage renewed the activity of his limbs.. He thrust the package of notes into his pocket, with a keen eye for the profits; then he sprung straight at Melton’s throat, and fast- ened on it with the terrible grip of one who | in the direction whence came the sound. meant to stay. To him New York was, in spite of all his Clifford had a good opinion of himself, but | past experience, putting on a new face. At he found he was a child in those hands, that | midnight it seemed a lonely forest, through twisted him back over the table, and held | which here and there a victim stole, followed him, unable to move or make an outcry. | by ravening wolves. ‘You want your lesson right now, and “‘T hear,” answered Hardy, I’m going to give it to you,” ground out the | shortly. man between his set teeth, and he looked | ‘‘Let us look for him. It may be one of down at the blackening face below him. | the villains, though I am afraid there is no _such good luck. More likely it is your old “If Idon’t choke your life out it will be because I can make a better investment by | man detective. I'll see what is up before I rap for assistance. I want a minute or so keeping life, note and money. clean start on the rest.”’ _**You think, Captain Conyingham,’ co terposed a laughing voice behind him, and He was stepping off in search when the moan was repeated; and it evidently came nodding 9 then, before he could turn, there came the thud of a solid blow, that fell full on his un- | from a neighboring area. It was only a few protected head and beat him to the floor. steps, and then Hardy came upon a body, Melton staggered gasping to his feet and | which he carried up, and toward the street- lamp beyond. stared about him. ‘Say, Cliff, ’m a worthless cuss, you ‘* Who is it?” asked Blaine, deeply inter- ested. know; but it strikes me it was allfired lucky that I happened in here, and luckier still I “I can’t tell you yet, except that it seems happened to have a life-preserver with me. | to be an outsider. He has it bad, though. It wouldn’t have been worth while flipping | I’m afraid he’s done for. See. His pockets are inside out, He’d have got away ‘‘Wait. His face, or what I can make of it, seems familiar. It’s a young sport about town, and I believe his name is Tyler. Like as not he’s made a strike, and the villains have marked him down.” ‘‘Hush. He is saying something, Lis- ten!” The voice of the injured man was low, but his words were distinct. ‘*T told youl had him, at him bare-handed. with all both of us.” ‘* But—but what are we todo next? You heard what the scoundrel said. We can’t kill him, but I swear I feel like it.”’ “Kill him—no. Go through him for your stamps and then kick him out. Didn’t you hear what J said. Oh, it does me good all over. It’s ellegant. I’ve got the bulge on him; and ‘if I don’t keep it call me a double- barreled liar. Only you keep a close mouth about who was in here to help you through —and if I were you, Id take a little trip to Oh, he is a sly You can bring on your sluggers but you can’t drive him off the trail. Who’s King? He’s afraud. And who's General Rawle? He’s another fraud. I tell you, Captain Conyng- ham, I’m right in town, all dressed up. And the country till everything quiets down. It will be awful urhealthy for you to try the sidewalks in New York after dark.” ‘* But don’t you see the whole thing is a lie and a conspiracy? I’m not going to run away. {f he wants to push the matter I'll meet him in the courts and send him where he threat- ens to send me.” ‘Courts be hanged! He’s not that kind. He’ll mount you with a club, and stave your head in. Get your three thousand and bun- dle him out before he comes to. I don’t want him to see me, and I do want to know where he goes to.” ‘‘No, I did owe him three thousand and, if he has anticipated the day let him keep it. You are witness to the payment. As for the rest, 1 owe you one and I'll take your ad- vice. Out he goes—if you’re sure he isn’t dead.” ‘Not dead, but sleeping. All right. I’m T’ll watch him, ! same person. Why, what an infernalscoun- drel you fellows is Iknow you now, from the ground up; and you're all the same fel- low. You hear me, say? The Gilt Edge Gang is bu’sted wide open at last, and Van Tyler is the man that didit. If you don’t believe it, ask Clifford Melton. e helped me out of the hole, and I’m going to make it pleasant for him when I get the chance. Good-night, I’m going to sleep now. When I wake up I'll tell you all about the Gang. Not dead, but crazy as a bed-bug, eh? Who in blazes are you?” young man closed with a wonderful sudden- ness. It was hard to tell whether he had lost his senses entirely, or returned to complete consciousness. Whichever it was, he had no more to say, your friend clean through. and you keep quiet.” And then, without hesitation, the two dragged the insensible man out of the room and tumbled him down the steps, utterly careless of who might see the operation. Then Melton coolly went back to his room and shut the door, while Van Tyler vanished with a celerity that rather betokened prac- tice, and certainly evinced caution. The blow he had struck with his life-pre- server was a hard one, but he was not wrong in regard to the duration of its effects. The subject refused to wait for a coroner’s jury. He gasped, stretched his limbs, and arose to his feet, shaky but wide awake. Evidently he had had his lesson for the day, and wanted no more of it. Melton could hardly believe his senses when, from his window, he saw the man staggering off without paying any attention to the ques- oone that various people seemed to try to ask im. Nothing was to be seen of Van Tyler; but that he was on the track, Melton could guess. Whether he could keep it remained less. His words had fallen on listening ears, Blaine, to be sure, took them for the sense- less raving of a badly-injured man, and was only attracted because he heard the name of General Rawle mentioned; but Captain Har- dy thought he perceived a method in the man’s madness, and would have been willing to listen to more. ‘Poor fellow, I am afraid he has come to the end,” said the major, in a pitying way. ‘Strange that I never met him. He must name? ‘To be sure, after its being in all the papers he might easily enough have had it in his mind. Of course his raving had nothing in it.” ‘‘I’m not so sure. If there 7s anything in it, then he knows entirely too much for an innocent young man. He must be taken care of to-night, and perhaps by morning we may be able to get more out of him, though I have a suspicion that as soon as he can talk to be proved. If he did it would be a cold | he won’t. 1 shan’t forget the names, and I'll day for Proteus, since the spy had already | Jook a little after the lot. It’s certainly very fathomed one end of the mystery. odd.” Captain Hardy was not forgetsing his patient, but he was talking on more for his It seems very Yet Proteus was shrewd as well as des- perate; and Van Tyler might well look to his own safety. There was something more.| own benefit than for Blaine’s. to come of all this, strange that both of these men could be laid JOO Cc S He’s a victim, too. | one; but Van Tyler is around every time. ~ as for Judge Wetherington—he’s all both the The maundering ceased and the eyes of the - and lay with closed eyes, perfectly motion- r know Rawle. Did you hear him mention his ~ ED e- - > 4 i > fs gn Ae * Nee = = ta 2%