Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 413 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

$ ‘ have not done with -complices. ‘but for all that he ‘was regarded eyes as keen as his own. Le ‘find dady, “tain. 28 **T cannot say. Helen Hotspur is not one of | to the still astonished captain. ‘‘I don’t leave ‘those women to turn from ten millions, as long | this house at your threatand command. Whose as she can get vengeance or money. If they have given up the house it is because the place was liable to get too hot for them. We must keep track of the pair, for awhile at least, I want to fasten the bars on Bowery Burt who js, after all, the most dangerous person of the tot.” ‘* Are you going to investigate to-night?” «e Yes.” ** What orders have you for me?” ‘*Remain here for Duke Dado’s report. dwarf is liable to turn up at any time and with important news, too. hen Ferg Fowler im- ported that misshapen piece of humanity, be did notthink that he was helping to seal his own doom.” Ten minutes later Mowbray was once more “the only occupant of the room and the detective ‘was down on the street. “Tt was by the merest chance that I saw ** The Palace,” he said to himself. ‘* The League must not get entirely beyond my reach for I elen Hotspur and her ac- I may want a confession from her a efore the courts, and I may have to put legant Ahab behind the bars at Auburn, The guilt they have done makes the gallows ‘their due.” Captain Coldgrip made his way to Canal ‘street as rapidly as possible, Night had fairly settled over the city, and he ‘was only one of a hurrying throng of people, ya pair of The house formerly occupied by the Dragon e looked deserted to the detective, There was no longer a gleam of gaslight be- -yond the shutters, and he wondered who would answer his ring When near the building, he was suddenly de- g sserted by the person who had dogged his wim ‘for some distance, i) The spy dar down t by-street nearest the bouse and was soon lost to sight near Simon Peter’s saloon where we have sseen Duke Dado encounter Bowery Burt on a -certain occasion. Captain Claude went up the steps of ‘* The Palace * and announced his presence there in the ‘usual way. He was not noticed for several moments, and then the inside bolt of the door was withdrawn and a small woman of an uncertain age made her appearance. The detective gave the woman a searching dJook and went in. ** You advertise rooms for rent?” he said. “Oh, yes—yes. Do you want rooms?” **T might take them if they suit, Don’t you rmanent renters here?” ‘*Not very permanent ones, sir,” said the ‘woman, showing her teeth, ‘** What became of your last ones?” ** Moved out.” ‘* When?” ‘* Yesterday. Their time was up, and the had found other rooms further up-town. I'll “show you their apartments; they’ll suit you, I know.” The woman appeared honest, though she spoke rapidly and with some trepidation as it after- “ward seemed to the detective. ‘* Are they on the second landing?” he asked, as the woman moved toward a flight of steps. *‘ Just at the head, sir. I want you to see “them,” Captain Coldgrip followed the woman up- irs. **T’ll pretend to inspect the rooms, and then Tl attack her about her last renters,” he said to himself. At the top of the stairs wasa hall along which ‘the detective saw a door which stood partly ajar, The gas burning in the lower hall revealed ed this. ** This is the front parlor, sir,” said the land- laying her hand on the knob. ‘ Walk in and Pll turn on the gas.” he next moment the city sleuth had crossed Ti ‘the threshold, and the next the door closed with @ snap that sent his hand without effort to the butt of his revolver! Entrapped! The thought went through him like the pain ~of a dagger! The shutting of the door was followed by the ‘sudden lighting of the room, and Captain Cold- - grip found himself covered by three six-shoot- ers, behind which were three pairs of merciless ‘and glistening eyes. ‘The third trap holds!” laughed one of the ‘trio, and the detective saw the well-known fea- tures of Bowery Burt, ‘‘I haven’t been hiding from the cops these fews days for nothing, cap- My wits were at work all the time, and ‘this is the result, My friends here are glad to wee you.” On either side of the Bowery spider stood Blegant Ahab, faultlessly attired, and the beau- wtiful Helen Hotspur. The woman could not conceal her great tri- amph. : _ This isn’t the millionaire’s palace,” she said ‘the advertisement about the abandonment of | tille work!’ i _\sss esssseeeesssestsssssssssssssssesenesenee — - gee is it now, my tracker? Where is the real ances Percy to-night, eh?” The detective had not opened his mouth since the startling confrontation. He had recovered from the surprise and was Captain Coldgrip in New York. 4 After a while a light descended into the trap 5 egmy received the bravest detective in New ork. Leaning over the trap-door were the faces of two men, one handsome and smooth, and the other bearded and evil-eyed. The light showed them the body of a man on now looking calmly into the cocked weapons | the ground. that completely covered him. ‘* At the end of the trail—dead!” exclaimed the He had fallen into one of the subtlest snares | bearded man. ever ment he wondered who the woman was who had The | admitted him to the trap. ‘*'There is to be no escape from this web, cap- | tain.” said Bowery Burt with sternness. ‘‘ We can’t afford to let you go. The decoy to Papa Pangborn’s failed, and you escaped from Mrs, Hoy le’s ‘ cupboard,’ but here the trail must end. You are too dangerous to be let run at large. Wecan’t afford to have you loose-footed; we have too much at stake.” “ Entirely too much, captain. This is no pas- and the speaker, who was Elegant Ahab, laughed at the thought of what his dan- gerous little cones had effected. ‘*‘We weren’t certain that the advertisement would catch you. It picked fifty renters up, but we didn’t want ’em. You’re the fish for whom we baited the hook.” ‘* Very well! your dupe is here,” said the de- tective. ‘* I acknowledge that the play is yours \once more, Elegant Ahab.”’ ‘You are mistaken, Claude CoeREIR said (Jueen Helen. ‘“‘It is ours forever! You are now standing on a_ trap which has been pre- pared for you. My left band touches a cord which [ have but to jerk slightly to send you down through space which is not the widow Hoyle’s cupboard. Move a foot, or attempt to leave the spot where you stand and we will riddle you. For you the game is at an end. The woman whom you forced from Ferg Fow- ler’s mansion will go back there with a better hand than the one she held before. We never give up a game, and the Dragon League does not intend to quit this one until it has forced millions from the Gotham Croesus. He will not see his secret exposed if his money will urchase silence. He doesn’t want the world know just how Major Percy died. He would ive his life-blood to keep the dread crime back. id a League like ours ever have such a hold on a man before? I[ think not. All your work has been for nothing. You don’t know Ele- ant Ahab’s past history. You American de- ctives shrewd as youare have never unraveled it. Heis an ex-Scotland Yard detective, and, as such, he knows something about Fowler’s crime.” Captain Coldgrip gave Elegant Ahab a quick searching look. **T don’t believe it,” he said. ‘‘ Scotland Yard detectives are not blackmailers.” Elegant Ahab flushed, ‘** Enough of this!” he said through his teeth. ‘We need not parley another moment, Captain Coldgnp. The game is over—your part of it, at least. Jerk the death-cord, Helen.” ‘* In a second,” said the city Cleopatra. ‘I want that man to tell me one thing before he is ushered into eternity. Tell it solemnly, be- fore God, Claude Coldgrip. Isthe girl you have in hand really Frances Percy?” A smile came to the corners of the detective’s mouth, and his magnificent figure seemed to straighten another inch, **Pull your cord and let the future answer,” he said. ‘**Tell me now. Why go to your death with your lips sealed? The keeping of the truth now can do you no good, Is your protegee the heir of Ferg Fowler’s victim?” ‘*T have given you the only answer you shall hear from my lips!” was the determined re- joinder. ‘ Helen’s eyes seemed transformed into balls of re. ** You shall never be asked again!” she said. “New York loses her best ferret, and to-night records the only play you did not win.” The quick eye of the detective saw her white fingers close more firmly on the cord they clutched, and at the same moment Bowery Burt and Elegant Ahab looked with new ferocity over the barrels of their revolvers. “Tt is coming—the last play of the Dragon pre passed through Captain Claude’s mind. He seemed to brace bimself for the unknown ordeal which could not be averted. In another second he would know all. All at once Helen Hotspur jerked the cord, and instantly the floor gave way under the de- tective’s feet! Despite his coolness a cry of horror was forced from his lips, and an instant later he was fall- ing! Tn the room below he struck, but his weight seemed to part the floor beneath him, and he fell down—down—down again. It was a repetition of the descent down Mrs. Hoyle’s cupboard, but this time it was more dangerous, | He struck in a second, as it seemed, and with terrible force, Darkness and unconsciousness came, read for human game, and at that mo- | | | rrr a a ‘“Thank fortune! the last trap got the city ferret!” was the response. ‘* Whocan eucher us now, Bowery Burt?” = Nobody. The one great baffler is out of the way! The two faces disappeared, the trap was shut, and Captain Coldgrip was left to himself. CHAPTER XXXITITI. DADO, A MOUNTAIN. ‘* Now for the next cast for fortune!” said the beautiful woman into whose presence the two men stepped after they had shut the trap. ‘It is my turn again to make another play.’ Vhat is it to be, Helen?” asked Elegant sé Ahab. ‘*T shall begin anew where I left off.” ** At Ferg Fowler’s house?” ‘Why not?” The handsome chief of the Dragon League turned to bis male companion, **Do you suggest a play of this kind, Burt?” said Ahab. ‘** Let Helen go,” answered Bowery Burt with a faint smile at his lips, ‘* Who will drive me out now?” exclaimed the woman. ‘‘ Claude Coldgrip is off the trail for- ever, and Tom Keenear, the private sleuth, dare not molest me. When I go back to the million- aire’s mansion it will be to stay until the League has won the game. You need not go, Elegant Ahab. J don’t fight my way to success with pas- tilles,” she spoke sarcastically. ‘‘ You need not accompany me.” Elegant Abab gave the woman a sharp look. ‘Well, go you shall,” he said. ‘I'll order a carriage. In a little while Helen Hotspur was once more on her way to Ferg Fowler’s home, and the two men stole from the Canal street den into the street. They were satisfied that the third trap had been sprung successfully on the city detective for the light let down into the deep cellar had convinced them beyond doubt that Captain Coldgrip had reached the end of bis great trail. Elegant Ahab went to one of the glaring gam- bling dens of the city, and Bowery Burt, in an impenetrable disguise began to hunt for Floss. If he could only find the girl he would yet suc- ceed in the game he had eee even perfected, in all its details. He believed that Ferg Fowler would resist Helen’s threats and demands until he (Bowery Burt) could find Floss, when, with the real heir, he could demand and get for him- self all he wanted. There was no limit to the money he intended to force from Ferg Fowler. Bowery Burt had no scruples; he would stoop to any crime when aroused ; the murder of Foxy at Papa Pangborn’s, a crime detailed in the course of our romance, was only one of a long series of evil deeds, He did not know Floss’s value until after fate or fortune had thrown him in with Elegant Ahab and Helen. Then, with the shrewdness of the adept criminal, he saw that the girl he had ag was more than Floss the Chatham street airy. The tattooed dragon on her shoulder told him that there were millions in a certain game if layed with his accustomed coolness, and we have seen how his theft of the Fowler papers and the diamond dragon was a part of his well- laid plan. But Floss was lost, and it was his duty to find her as soon as possible, or before Helen could get through with the business she had in hand. ** I hope Saban has a giant at the door who will pitch you into the street, een Helen!” ejaculated Bowery Burt. ‘It takes a good deal of coolness for you to go back after your ejectment, but, by Jupiter! you've got all that’s needed, Iguess. Go and try it over. If you don’t succeed mebbe I will, and it'll be for Bowery Burt, too!” Meanwhile Helen had proceeded in the car- riage to Fowler’s mansion, Her eyes got the old flash of determination as she mounted the steps and raised the knocker. ‘No ejectment this time, Mr. Fowler!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ The thumb-screws are to be put on till they draw money or blood. Ah! here weare! Iam to beadmitted, if not welcomed.” The next moment the beautiful adventuress “i the door open, and a strange face greeted er. It was not Jason’s, for that man, the League’s tool, had received his papers some time previous, The butler held the door open and bowed as Helen walked in. ‘*Mr. Fowler?” she inquired. ‘Te is up-stairs, but you are requested to wait in the library.” Eom Ghooks ¢ : .* > 4 £ ay o ,. | | | |