Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 413 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

te | wt i ” te core % J Pe, 1 ‘4s no chi games, 2 up the person known as Duke Dado, or, Dado, the Dwarf. An impish creature, not more than four feet in hight, with limbs well formed, was tne millionaire’s pet. He looked as old as his mas- ter, whose age was about sixty-five; but he had the agility of a cat, and the keen perceptive powers of the fox. Duke Dado spoke good English, but his nationality remained a puzzle to all who saw him—a puzzle which neither he nor Fowler un- dertook to explain. If Dado was asleepin the banker’s house on the night in question, he heard the bell which rung at precisely twenty minutes after ten. The millionaire gave a quick start when the bell sounded, and Duke Dado vanished from the room. ‘“My visitor is here at last!” said Fowler, somewhat nervous. ‘‘ I will soon ascertain what he knows about my prize, ifanything. Ithink I am equal to cope with him whoever he is. By the stars! he shal] not drive me to anything. am master here, and the League, if there is one, as the anonymous letters have hinted—the ‘League, I say, will find me hard todeal with!” By this time the dwarf had reached the front door and was admitting the man who stood on the step. Just beyond the curbing stood a closed car- riage with two black horses. man somewhat muffled, for the night was a cold one, in November, sat statue-like on the box, Duke Dado looked closely at the man he ad- mitted, saw a well-built person somewhat above the medium hirzht. He was well dressed, vore tight-fitting dark gloves, and looked, in all re- spects, save one, like a gentleman. The one drawback, in the dwarf’s estimation, ~wwas the dark mask that covered one-half of the man’s face. It did not fit very closcly, but close enough to prevent Dado from getting a glimpse of the features beneath. «Vou will admit whoever comes, with no suspicions and no questions,” Towler had said to his strange servant. ‘* Having admitted him, you will go to bed. I will let him out.” The man thus admitted seemed to know where to find Fowler, for he walked straight to the door of the library, and then in without the formality of an announcement. Duke Dado looked at him with a great deal of curiosity, if not suspicion, and then went up the broad stairs whose velvet carpet gave out mo sound, Ferguson Fowler heard his visitor enter the sibrary and turned to greet him. As he did so the caller removed the mask, and showed the banker a strikingly handsome face, whose ornaments were a pair of deep black eyes and a large and Glossy mustache, The millionaire-banker looked closely at his -visitor, who came forward with a quick, pan- therish tread, He was much younger than Fowler—indeed, the banker was old enough to have been his father. “T am your caller—the one expected, I pre- sume?’ remarked the stranger, taking a seat near the table with his face in the light. a am the person referred to in the note of engage- ment—Mortimer Nogg.” ‘* Yes,” returned Fowler, ‘‘I suppose you are the man, and being such, we will get down to work at once, What is it you want?’ Mortimer Nogg threw a quick glance toward the door, **What doI want? Ah! yes; we will get to it right away, Mr. Fowler,” he said, leaning for- ward, a new glitter in the depths of his eyes, ‘“We want the papers and the little iron box!” Verguson Fowler could not suppress a cry. He almest left his chair. 46 You will oblige me by making no outcry,” sided Nogg in low and very stern tones. ‘ This Ts play, and I never enter any fool We want just what [ve mentioned— he papers and the box! I am acting for the League.” “The League! then—” | Yes, it has an actual existence,” was the in- terruption. ‘We have tracked the iron box from its last possessor to you, Ferguson Fowler. Tt isin the steel safe behind you. Don’t look me in the eye and say itis not there, Don’t jum from your chair and dash from the room, e have made no false trail; the League never makes one. Come, sir! Produce the objects named, and [ will leave you to your con- science.” During this speech the millionaire-banker sat like a hepecks spellbound in his chair. His face had a deathly pallor, and his eyes were riveted upon the cool fellow who looked him squarely in the face. ‘“‘- You got here by a lie,” he said, with a show of defiance. ‘*T could get bere by no other means,’ was the reply accompanied by a malicious grin. ‘You are not Mortimer Nogg.” “You can bet all your millions that I am ” “ You belong to this League, of which I have been warned,” We “T am its chief! Come, Mr. Fowler, don’t stand on ceremony. The safe is behind you; beyond its doors are the papers and the diamond dragon. You are the only possessor of the combination. Wheel your chair and open the doors!” But Fowler did not move. ‘*Can’t I hold this man here a little while?” he asked himself. ‘‘I have been duped into ad- mitting a double-dyed villain into my house, The Dragon League actually exists, for this man confesses that he is its chief. Dado has gone to bed and is already asleep. It must be getting toward eleven o'clock, and Nydia will be here sooun—Nydia and Mr. Carlos. Can’t I hold this night-hawk at bay till they come?” ** Ain’t you going to open the safe, Mr. Fow- ler?” ejaculated the man, showing his impatience by his tone, ‘‘ If you think to hold me here till Nydia and her escort come, you will discover your mistake,” The banker started. ‘Great God! they have timed everything!” he murmured, ‘*Must [ surrender the articles which are life itself to me? Why didn’t my anonymous correspondent tell me that this city Satan was coming to-night?” Mortimer Nogg leaned toward the rich man with startling suddenness, and clapped his hand on his knee, ** Quick sir !—the safe!—open it!” he commanJ- ed. ‘It will be worse for you if you do not, Mr. Yowler. The League wants only the papers and the dragon to-night; but if you hesitate I will take something else.” ** You mean my life?” ‘* By the eternal heavens, I do!” Fowler turned toward the safe, a heavy, though not large, steel one, and looked aé it with eyes that fairly glared. Something of almost priceless value to him was beyond ite burglar-proof doors; but here was a man—a cool, calculating devil—who was trying to make him open it. **Go to work!” again commanded the visitor, clutching the banker’s wrist and pushing him forward. ‘* Your clock, I see, is about to strike eleven. I know who is due then. So open the safe, Mr. Fowler, and give us what we want.” At that moment a little clock on an elegant mantle began to strike eleven; the tones thrilled the millionaire, ‘*Must I doit?—must I give up that which will ruin me?” he mentally exclaimed. ‘* Wait! ITcan hunt this League down. I can give the best detective in New York a description of this nocturnal thief—I can set the famous Captam Coldgrip on his trail—I can send him to prison, if not to the gallows! But I don’t like to give up anything. It isa foul conspiracy!” He was almost dragged to the steel safe by the man who had the strength of a giant and whose dark eyes fairly blazed. His fingers seemed to burn their way into the banker’s wrist, ** You are here now—at the door of the treas- ure-house!” he said to Fowler. ‘‘ You need not waste another minute. Use the combination and produce the document,” Ferguson Fowler mechanically laid his hand on the polished knob before him. His teeth were pressed together, his face was whiter than ever, and his eyes seemed t@blaze. ** Pd give fifty thousand if Carlos would come,” he said between his teeth. ‘‘By heaven! I'd give a million!” All at once he looked up at the handsome robber bending over him, “What is it worth to the League?” he asked. **'W hat?” ‘“‘ The secret—the papers and the iron box.” Mortimer Nogg lau Thed. ‘*‘Is it worth a hundred thousand?” ‘* More than that!” ‘* Five hundred thousand?” The desperate millionaire was taking enormous strides through his wealth. Mortimer Nogg laughed again over the last proposition, ** We don’t want your money,” he said, “TI am here for the articles several times mentioned. Open the safe—now !” he baffled millionaire was forced to the steel bye again; he began to work the combin- ation. Mortimer Nogg, who was watching closely, saw a spasm of pain pass over his face. ‘*The safe is unlocked!” said the robber to himself, ‘* We are at the door of Ferg Fowler’s millions.” The banker hesitated to open the door he had unlocked—hesitated despite the merciless men- ace at his side. * Quick! Why don’t you go on, Fowler? Shall Ihave the pleasure of exploring the mine? Nydia bs not come. We have arranged for every- ing. Fowler pushed aside the hand that moved to- ward the safe, and the next moment he swung the heavy steel doors open. On the inside was another door which he un- locked, and took from a small compartment an iron box about six inches square, and a packet of * nani tied with red tape. e was removing these articles slowly from the safe, when the band of the Dragon Chief unced upon them like an eagle and snatched hem from his grasp. Captain Coldgrip in New York. es ee The millionaire uttered a sharp cry. ‘I take it for granted that the papers are all here, and that th dragon is in its lair!” laughed the cool thief. ‘‘ This is the first’ great triumph of the Dragon League, Fowler. From this hour it will enjoy others equally as great. You don’t know how we have worked for this success; you know nothing of the disappointments, the fail- ures, the lost trails, the perseverance. We've had a time finding the missing Silas Selkirk: we had to track him all around the world, but the game was worth the candle, and we did not give up. We spotted him at last in New York, the Parisof America. Wefound him by the strange pet he has.” Ferguson Fowler sprung up with a quick ex- clamation. ** By Dado?” he cried. ‘*By your dwarf, Duke!” Jaugbed the man coolly. ‘‘Now you will strangle your pet, I suppose, Mr. Fowler—Duke Dado gave you away—for we did not think that Ferguson Fow- ler, the millionaire banker was—” ‘* There! you need not go on!” interrupted Fowler, throwing up his hand. ‘* Very well: just as you like,” was the an- swer. ‘‘I suppose you will set some detective on our heels.” owler’s eyes flashed anew, and his lips met firmly, but he did not speak. ‘*The League would like a tussle with the New York sleuth-hounds,” continued the man. ‘* By heavens! you shall have your hands full!” snapped Fowler. Mortimer Nogg said nothing, but took from an inner pocket a small cone-shaped pastille which he placed on the table. The banker eyed it with much curiosity. What was the chief of the League going to do? His mental question was answered by the match which Nogg produced and struck. The robber held the little flame over the apex of the pastille and a bluish smoke began to rise. ‘‘Great God! are you going to suffocate me?’ cried Fowler, putting out his hand. ‘*Not to the death, I hope,” said Nogg, grin- ning through the smoke, which had an aromatic odor, ‘Sit still, Mr. Fowler; the League is exercis- ing a little caution—nothing more.” The banker sunk back into his chair with a gasp. In front of bim he saw the triumphant eyes and smiling face of Mortimer Nogg; he tried to fasten them on his memory as he looked. At last the smoke from the burning pastille seemed to fill the whole room. Consciousness was leaving the Gotbam million- aire; he struggled against the potent spell, but its grip increased. The handsome ‘ace of Mortimer Nogg became the grinning one of a fiend. “Captain Coldgrip shall avenge me!” passed through the banker’s mind, and then he fell back like one dead. The Dragon League’s work was well done! CHAPTER II. ELEGANT AHAB, ‘Ho! ho! ho! The elephant grows on our hands! Let’s sell him to Barnum!” ‘“What do you mean? When did you lose your head?” ‘It’s here yet, my angelic queen!” and the man who had laughed, tapped his forehead with a gloved hand. ‘‘ Don’t you see the old fellow gets no better? There vas too much brain poison in that infernal pastille. But, what do you think, Helen? Shall we throw up the sponge and emigrate?” ouch de Tyla dl then” ound do J yie en. e The last soaker was a queenly and beautiful woman, whose fi was grace itself. She turned as she spoke from a sweeping mirror, and faced the handsome man whe, with a dainty fingers, was watching her won! not a foot of cigar bet pe with spar ey And whan: pray, do you expect to see the ame won?” he smiled. ‘* Don’t you know that ever since a certain i ok in last November, Mr. Ferguson Fowler, millionaire and banker, hasn’t spoken an intelligible word?” ‘‘T know that.” ‘‘ Don’t you know, too, that Dado, the Dwarf, the mysterious piece of humanity who lived with Fowler then, ran away—vanished?” You” ‘¢ Aren't you aware that Nydia, the million- aire’s ward, will not let the steel safe be touch- ed; that she says it shall not be opened till the banker recovers his reason?” ‘““T know all this.” ‘* What can we do?” ** We can wait,” answered the woman, calm- y The man flushed. ‘*It is the same old cry,” he said, with exas- rating bitterness, ‘‘ The moment oo owler gets his reason back he will sen for one of the keenest and coolest detectives in the country.” The woman came suddenly toward the man with clinched hands and apern ee eyes, ‘Do you fear him?” she almost hissed, leaning ‘‘ Are you the man I let into this im- Gomicbooks forward. 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