Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 419 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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20 the other, Phenix began to seriously reflect upon | ! the situation. | ‘‘This fellow is evidently a little cracked in | the upper story, and | begin to believe that I have made a donkey of myself by being drawn into this quarrel,” he murmured. the fellow was an impudent and an arrogant puppy, and was just inthe right state of mind to vent my spleen upon him. I have had such deuced ill luck in this chase that my temper bas really become soured, and I thought | might work off a little of my ill-bumor on him, but the affair is getting serious. The fellow may be a better swordsman than Iam, although I doubt it, and it would be the toughest kind of a joke if he should succeed in spitting me. | ‘* And I don’t want to kill the lunatic either, for by so doing I would get myself in a regular hole, but, hang me! if I don’t see the affair through now that 1 have become mixed up in s+ 92 The return of the dark-browed stranger with a pair ot oars on bis shoulderand a padiock-key in his hand put a stop to Phenix’s cogitations. Without a word he led the way across the street to the dock. The moon afforded ample light. By the side of the pier, which extended into the river, a flight of rude steps led to a landing raft to which a half-dozen small boats were fastened, The stranger unlocked one and placing the oars in it, motioned Phenix to embark. ‘* The tide is making in, a strong flood, and it will be an easy task to reach our destination,” he remarked. ‘I will take the oars, if you haven’t any objection, for I presume I am bet- ter acquainted with the spot to which we are going than you.” “Oh, yes, no doubt about that, sah, for I don’t know anything about it at all, but still it seems to me that itis hardly fair to allow you to exhaust yourself by rowing, while I remain perfectly fresh for the encounter.” ‘Do not trouble yourself in regard to that; my muscles are like iron and my sinews strong as steel; besides, if I did not tame the fire that burns within my veins by this slight exercise, I would be i to kill you so quickly that there would not be any pleasure in the encounter.” And this opinion was delivered in such a matter-of-fact way that it caused even the old and experienced detective to draw a long breath, indicative of great amazement. ‘*Well, upon my life, young man, I really think you have more impudence than any fel- low I ever encountered!” Phenix exclaimed. ‘But, somehow, you know, I’ve got an idea - that this little affair may not turn out exactly as * expect. You may be Satan himself, but before you get through with me I reckon I will be able to convince you that 1 am a match for Lucifer and all his imps.” By this time the two were in the boat; the young man applied himself to the oars and a few strokes carried them out clear of the pier to the bosom of the stream. As the rower had said, the tide was making in strong, and as the stranger was evidently a practiced oarsman, rowing a long and powerful stroke with seeming ease, to reach the Wee- bhawken shore was not a difficult task. ** Now we shall soon seo what we shall see,” remarked the young man, sententiously, ‘‘ But that reminds me: we have not yet made each other’s acquaintance. Suppose we go through with the ceremony of an introduction? You eh some worldly ee of course, to settle. ll men have, particularly when they are of your age; your time on earth being limited, sup- ose you confide any important matters to me? will faithfully attend to the trust when you are no more.” ‘*Confound it, young man!” the detective ex- claimed, really nettled by the assurance of the other, yet careful not to betray himself by de- aga in a single iota from the character that . had assumed, ‘‘ you baveun’t got me dead and buried already, you know! n’t you think that you are rather previous in your remarks? You'll find out before we get through, I reckon, that you haven’t got balf so sure a thing os you think. And as for being any bett r acquainted than we are at this present moment, I will tell you, frankly that I don’t care two cents whr you are, and it isn’t any of your business who ] am, but don’t fool yourself with the idea that my grave is ready, and all you have to do is to put me into it!” ‘‘But it is ready; after I have slain you I shall cast your body into the river,” the other replied, c~Imly. ‘ This smooth tide, over whose lassy surface we arc now gliding, will cover al! aces, and when the waters in time give you up, you will go n record as another stran- er, found dead, killed by hands and means un- nown.” , A glance of fire shot from Phenix’s eyes, and it was only by a strong effort that he retained is composure. He suspected that the stranger was the mys- terious assassin, “T thought The Bat of the Battery. CHAFTER XXXII. THE ENCOUNTER. WHEN Phenix had first noticed the face of the | young man, the impression had come to him that it was not unfamiliar, but he could not re- member when or where he had seen it, but now, like a flash, the mystery was revealed. The features bore a decided resemblance to the face of the woman who had so neatly entrapped him in the hotel, and who had declared that she was the mysterious murderer, a statement that Phenix did not believe, despite the circumstances | under which it was made; that, tempted by the fact of his supposed helplessness, she would on that occasion ee slain him, he nothing doubted, but that she had been the master-mind who had planned the horrid deeds and managed to baffle the keen-eyed bloodhounds of the law, was to his mind altogether incredible. But now that he had discovered who it was the stranger resembled, he fancied he had a key to the mystery. The woman who had entrapped him was a sister to this quarrelsome young man, and now too he understood why his antagonist had been so determined to force him int» a personal en- counter. His device had succeeded; he had hoped when he assumed his disguise that he would be able to attract the attention of the secret slayer, and he was satisfied he bad done sv. The stranger was the mysterious murderer— the vampire-iike assassin—who seemed to kill as much for the pleasure of shedding blood as for the purpose of plunde: ing bis victims. This time though he had apparently changed his tactics.’ Possibly he had come to the con- clusion that the supposed Southerner was not the kind of aman who could be easily entrapped, and so had bit upon the devico of a quarrel to make sure of his prey. ‘‘ He has the eyes of a fiend,” Phenix mur- mured, communing with himself, as he narrowly watched the face of the oarsman. ‘* But unless he is a far better swordsman than ho is likely to turn out to be, Pil cook his goose for him,” Although it was years since Phenix had han- dled the foils inthe Turn Halle, he wasnot at all rusty, for as fencing had always been a passion with him, during his trip to foreign lands he had engaged in triendly bouts with some of the best swordsmen of both Europe and Brazil, and so had at his fingers’-ends the latest and most cunning tricks of the masters of ‘ carte and tierce.” When they arrived within a couple of hun- dred yards of the Weehawken shore, the rower rested on his oars for a moment and allowed the hoat to drift along with tho tide, while he cast a glance around. ‘* Aha!” he ejaculated, in a satisfied tone, ‘I thought [ could hit the spot without any trouble. It is famous ground that I seek, a spot just suited for such an affair as the one in which we are engaged. We will settle onr quarrel in the exact place where Alexander Hamilton fell by the hand of Aaron Burr.” And Phenix, glancing at the shore, saw that his companion had conducted him to the locality where it was commonly believed the fatal duel between the rival statesmen had taken place. ‘* It doesn’t make a picayune’s difference to me, sah,” the disguised detective replied. “I don’t care a button who fought and who fell; all I want is about six squar’ feet of lovel ground, and if I don’t give you a dose that will last one while, then you are welcome to take my head for a football.” ‘*If you have prayers to say, speak them be- fore we cross swords, for you will not havea chance afterward,” the other rejoined. Then, with a few oar-strokes, ho drove the boat to the shore. Lea ing out, he drew the bow up on tho little stretch of beach, tucked the swords under his arm, and, clambering over the rocks, proceeded to where a narrow shelf of level land jutted out from the steep side of the Palisades, as the rocky formation that frowns upon the western bank of the placid Hudson is calied. Phenix followed, and as he cast his eyes around the thought came to him that never had he stood in a more lonesome place. There were no signs of human habitation; nothing but the beetling rocks, the stunted veg- etation and the restless current of the ever-mov- ing river. ‘It’s a fair field, no favor, and may the best man win,” Phenix muttered, as he clambered over therocks. ‘‘ He’sa plucky imp of Satan to try this game, single-handed, but then he reckons that [am old, and as men in America go, it’s about a thcusand to one that I am not an expert with the sword, WhenlI get the arti- cle in my fist, though, Pll bet a trifle he’ll open his eyes.” When the level space was reached, the young man faced about, drew the swords from their covering, and in the ceremonious manner of the fencing-room, tendered them to Phenix. A single glance revealed to the experienced eyes of the detective that there wasn’t the least difference between the two weapons; a better pair of ** slogger” blades, as the cut and thrust edge and pomt dueling tools of the German stu- dents are termed, Phenix bad never seen, the manner in Se Selecting one, the detective stepped back a ' couple of paces, and whirled the keen blade through the air, cutting a figure eight with as much ease as though it were but a toy. His antagonist looked on with a scowl; being an expert swordsman himself, he detected from which Phenix handled the weapon that he had no mean antagonist to en- counter, ‘** It was not a boast then: you do know some- thing of the weapon,” he observed. ‘*Do you suppose I would have been fool enough to have allowed myself to ba bulhed into coming with you if I didn’t?” the detective retorted. ** But I will kill you for all that!” the other cried fiercely, advancing as be spoke and lun- | ging straight at Phenix’s breast, but the detec- tive was on his guard, for like a wary swords- man, he had kept watch of his opponent’s eyes, and from them received ample warning of the attack. With the firmness of a rock, Phenix received the onset; there was a flash of steet in the air as he parried the thrust, and then, as the rashness of tne attack had thrown his antagonist out of ‘* distance,” there wasa quick straightening of the detective’s supple arm, followed by a cry of rage from the stranger, The point of the detective’s steel had pierced his antagonist’s shoulder. ‘*Not so very rusty after all, you perceive, my friend,” Phanix remarked, as tho cther re- coiled, gasping with rage. ‘*‘ Bah! you are nothing but a bungler—you uncovered vourseif at the first thrust! I might just as easily have sent my blade through your lungs and finished the affair at a single stroke as to prick you in the shoulder, You know enough of the sword to understand that, I presume?” ‘** Well, why did you not do so?” ‘* Because 1 don’t want to kill you; that isn’t my game.” ‘*No? What is it, then?” ‘To make you a prisoner; carry you back to the city and introduce you to some gentlemen who are extremely anxious to make your ac- quaintance.” ** Anxious to make my acquaintance? I am at a loss to comprehend your meaning.” ‘* Why, itisas plain as the moon shining in the sky yonder. You laid a trap, and, as often happens in this uncertain life, was the first to get caught. It is the old story of the engineer hoist by his own petard.” Then, with a quick movement, Phenix re- moved his wig and beard and stood revealed in his own proper person, An expression of the most intense amazement appeared upon the face of the stranger. Drop- ping the point of his sword to the ground, he stared like one transfixed with wonder. Phenix was disappointed. This was not the expression that he had expected to produce. “You are not an old man, then?” his antago- nist remarked, wonderingly. ** No¢ much, and there is where your calcula- tion was out of joint. You picked me up for a victim, but the supposed pigeon has turned into a hawk.” “I do not understand your meaning. Why should I select you for a victim—who are you, and ye is the meaning of this singular dis- guise _The detective took a good look at his ques- tioner before he made reply, and the thought came to him that if the other was the man he took him to be, then most certainly be was a complete master of the art of dissimulation. ‘i es My name is Phenix—Joe Phenix; the detec- ve. ** Ah! I can understand your being disguised, and I regret that I interfered with you; possibly I have disarraaged your plans.” ‘** Not at all; you are the man for whose ex- press benefit I assumed my disguise.” ‘You are clearly laboring under some mis- take,” replied the other, incredulously. ‘*Oh, no, you are my mutton! So throw down your toasting-fork. and I will snap the bracelets on you,” and Phenix drew from his pocket a pair of handcuffs, which he dangled ia the air. “You are crazy! What charge do you bring against me?” ‘* Murder!” replied Phenix, sternly. CHAPTER XXXIII. A DESPERATE STRUGGLE. “fal ha! ba!” laughed the young man, and the rocks gave back the sbrill and rather dis- cordant sound. ‘‘ Murder! how absurd end how extremely like this situation to the climax of a soul-harrowing romance. I am the criminal hunted down, and you the expert detective—the bloodhound who has shadowed me to my doom. Ha! ha! ha!” and again be laughed. | Now Phenix felt sure that he was on the right track, for his quick ears detected that there was something false and unnatural about the merri- ment of the other. ‘* And you are going to put those pretty little ornaments upon my wrists, eh?’ the unknown continued, this time in a bantering tone. ‘* Go- ing to carry me back in triumph to New York, and exhibit me as a specimen of your skill in <eom gS) (E P| JOO — ® . Cc ‘ ‘ij i oer. \ - “¢ 7 - - - Y