Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 419 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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26 he had invented, and in order to get rid of the fellow I took a sett, although | didn’t take any stock in his claims that they were going to knock the ola style out of the market.” “Yes, | have heard of such a thing, although I never happened to see any of them,” the chief remarked. ‘* 7 understand that there are a half a dozen different kinds; some of ’em may be good for something, but this kind I have got isn’t. ** Tt’s too soft, never’ll stand the wear and tear in the world, but for your purpose they are just splen id, for they deaden the sound of the hoof- strokes so that on an ordinary country road a horse going at a good rate of speed will not make any more noise than a man.” “That is exactly what I want,” Joe Phenix remarked, ‘“*} am on the track of a shy bird, one who is easily alarmed, and if be should discover that he is being followed the game would be up immedi- ately.” **Old Hickory with the patent shoes will fill the bill, and nc mistake!” the aged sportsman as- serted. ** And now, if you gentlemen will take a turn with me to the siables, vou can see the horse and the shoes. “Tt will only take a few minutes to get the beast ready for the road, for the horse has onan old pair of shoes which by right ought to have been pulled off a week ago.” Piloted by the veteran the superintendent and the detective were conducted to the box stall where the race-l:orse was quartered. Old Hickory was a powerfully buiit bay who looked to be every inch a racer. And upon the visitors remarking to this effect the veteran sportsman heaved a sigh. * Ah!” he exclaimed, *‘ if the brute could only be depended upon; if he weuld only do on the race-track what he can do on our track here, so that the men whic know him would be safe in backing their judgment, I would make a big stake out of him in a single vear. * But as it is, he is such a regne that when wo put our money on bim he will not try to win, and then when we let him go without risking a cent on him, he pulls the race off in a canter.” ** He’s just what you want, eh, Joe?” said the superintendent, ‘Yes, he’ll suit, all right,” the detective an- swered. Then General Mack called cne of his stable- men and the horse’s ircn shoes were removed, and the patent rubber ones substitu ed, When this was done the horse was saddled and bridled and then the detective mounted him. Phenix, to his other accomplishments, added that of being a good rider, so he felt completely at home in the saddle, “You'll find him as aisy a basto as yo iver rode,” the groom observed, knowingly. Ten minutes after, the superintendent, in his buggy, and Joe Phenix, riding Old Hickory, were on the road, The pair parted when they came to the cross- ee — iia goad whict. led to Little Silver. “T wili telegraph to New York the moment I back to the Branch so as to have everything smooth for you there,” the eS tec tart said; and then he shook bands with Phenix, wishirg him al! sorts of luck, and the two went on in op- posite directions, CHAPTER XLI. A NEAT TRICK. Jox PHENIX began to meditate as he rode along the quiet country road after leaving the superintendent of police. t was his custom to carefully form his plans as far in advance as possible, and no matter what kind of work it was, he always endeavored to all the details. nd like meny men of powerful minds who are debarred hy circumstances from holding coun- cil with their fellow mortals, he generally put his thoughts into words, communing with him- self when he was so situated as to render it cer- that there were no eavesdroppers in the neigh- — borhood. on this ovcasion his thoughts found vent in So “words as he rode along. First be looked at bis watch to ascertain the hour. _ By this time the moon was high in the heavens and as it was nearly at its full all surrounding objects were plainly visible. | _ Nine o'clock to the minute,” observed tho detective as he glanced at the time-piece. ** Well, we have not allowed the grass to grow under our feet, that is certain: and as I shall be in the neighborhood of the Brandon place inside of half an heur, I shall be in ample time, for it is not likely thet my gentleman will attempt to do any business before ten or eleven, ‘‘Miss Brandon keeps city hours even though she is in the country, and it will be fully ten be- fore the household begin to retire, and it will take at lenst an hour for sleep to seal the eyes of the inmates of the mension. “My man will calculate in regard to this matter fully as closely and accurately as my- The Bat of the Battery. sess KL — — self, and therefore I must not expect a move on his part until somewhere around midnight. ‘* Hold on, tnough!” exclaimed the detective as a sudden thought occurred to him. ‘*T forgot that it was on the programme for him to start to drive to New York to-night. ‘*That will necessitate his leaving at a reason- able hour, not later than half-past nine, I should think, ‘* Of course the fellow’s game is only to pre- tend to go—that is to ward off suspicion if any evil comes to tke girl during the night. ‘* He will not go far though—that is, if he has any design upon the girl, as [I suspect—but after getting away will drive to some convenient hiding-place and there wait with the carriege until the favorable opportunity comes to carry out his scheme. ‘* Clearly then, I must hurry up and get on the ground so as to be in readiness to play the spy upon him.” pon coming to this conclusion, the detective quickened his horse’s pace and soon reached the neighborhood of the Brandon mansion. Being perfectly famihar with the iocality, thanks to his having played the spy in the vicin- ity of the estate, he knew where en old shed was situated near by, which offered a convenient hiding-place for his horse. Old Hickory being put in the shed, Phenix stolo cautiously toward the house, tel:ing edvan- tage of all the trees and bushes which were in the way to conceal his approach, As it happened, there was plenty of shrubbery in the neighborhood, and so the bloodhound was enabled to get within a hundred yarcs of the stable, where there was an unusual bustle for the hour. The colored men were hard at work harness- ing the ‘‘ trotters,” and overseeing the job, ‘*bossing it,’ to use the common expression, was a tall, thick-set, muscular-looking fellow, dressed neatly in a dark suit, but with the face of a pirate. Possibly his ferocious expression was mainly due to the short, black beard which completely covered the lower part of his face, The moment that Joe Phenix sct cyes upon he man, the impression came to him that he was no stranger to bim, The detective had a wonderful memory for faces, and it was but seldom thet he ever forgot a man efter he had once made his acquaintance, no matter how long a time elapsed. But on this oceasion, although perfectly satis- fied that the fellow was a man with whom he was acquainted, yet Phenix was unable to iden- tify him. But he.soon came to the conclusion that this was cue to the fact that the man was dis- guised, The short, black beard was false, as was also the crispy, curling black hair which covered his head. And while Pheuix was puzzling his brain in trving to imaginé what the man would look like without the wig and beard, the fellow took it upon himself to reprove the negroes for not making more haste, speaking quite roughly, a fact which both the coachman and the hostler resented, and there was a tively war of words between the three. This incident gave the detective a clew, The man’s voice was not disguised, if his per- son was, and by the means of the voice Joe Pheriix was able to identify the man. Tt was Black Dan Gillispy, one of the best known crooks in the country, and as daring a scoundrel as ever “ cracked a crib.” ‘“‘T was not mistaken in my surmise, then,” Joe Phenix muttered, when he made this discov- ery, communing with himself. ‘Doc Almayne is up to some crooked busi- ness, and the chances are big that I shall beable to spoil his little game.” The herses were at last harnessed to the satis- faction of the pretended coachman, and then he mounted the box and drove to the house, where Almayne made his appearance on the piazza, ce a of Miss Brandon, and got into the coach. , ‘This is a blind to throw dust in the eyes of the old lady,” Phenix murmured, as he wit- nessed this movement, ‘* He hasn’t any intention of leaving this neigh- borhood, but I must contrive to follow him in some way and see where ke does fo. ‘‘He will be apt to take the road toward Eatontown, for it fs his game, of course, to make them think he is bound for New York, and I must get round in that direction so as to keep up with the procession.” The acute detective came to this decision the moment he saw Almayne make his eppearance on the piazza, and so by the time that the New Yorker got int’ the vehicle, Phenix had made a detour and hidden himself in a little bit of woodland through which ran the road which he was sure his game would tabe. The man-hunter had resolved to adept a bold course, When the carriage passed him it was bis in- ntion to steal forth and getin the rear of it ae the fashion of a schoolboy “ hooking a ride, He hadn’t the least doubt that he would be } ‘ | able to keep up with the vehicle, for it was not likely that the horses would be pushed to any extra speed, Of course there was the risk of being discov- ered, either by the driver on the box or the master in the carriage, but when one plays a great game great hazards are to be expected, , and the indomitable detective did not Coubt | that he would be able to acccmplish the feat, difficult as it might appear to be. As he had anticipated, the horses were onl going at a slow trot, and Phenix, stealing forth with the stealthy tread of a panther advancing on his prey, had no @ifficulty in securing a place behind the carriage without the knowledge of tem Almayne or the disguised felon on the ox The carriage only proceeded along the main road for about half a mile, and then turned into a lane which led through a small grove. In the center of the grove the vehicle halted, and the moment that Joe Phenix perceived that the driver was pulling up the trotters with won- derful quickness, he abandoned his position and sought shelter behind a friendly bush, only a couple of yards from the carriage. After bringing tuhe horses to a standstill, the driver descended from the box, and at the same time Almayne quitted the carriage. ‘Now, then, Dan, you are sure you remember your instructions?” said Almayne, and as he put the question the concealed detective felt a fierce thrill of joy, for he recognized the voice. There wasn’t the least doubt that he bad at last run his game to eerth. The speaker was the man with whom he had had such a desperate struggle, and who had so nearly compassed his death, ‘*Oh, yes; I’ve got everything down fine, and you kin bet on it,” the ruffian replied, con- fidently. “Tam to wait here until twelve o’clock, and then I am to drive slowly to the swell house which we have just left, taking care not to let the horses make any noise, ard when I get to the trees, just this side of the house, I am to wait until you come.” ‘That is it; and be rarticular to start at twelve exactly; it will take you about eight or ten minutes to reach the spot, driving slowly, and by that time I think I can do my trick. ‘*I have left a dose for the girl, and the chances are a hundred to one that she will take it without suspicion, and if she does my plan cannot fail.” And then Almavyne departed. Black Den reclined leisurely upon the ground, took out a pipe and lit it, enjoyed the smoke fer about ten minutes, and then his meditations were rudely disturbed. With the spring of a tiger Joe Phenix leaped upon him. CHAPTER XLII. IN THE TOILS. THE drug which had been instilled into the lemonade was so potent that it overpowered the girl’s senses alm ost immediately; she was help- — less almost before she was aware that anything was wrong, How long she remained in such a state she knew not, but when she began to revive and dis- tinguish objects around her, she found she was in a narrow apartment, obscured by gloom, and the sound of working machinery witb the splash of dashing waves came distinctly to her ears. She was apparently moving, yet the apart- ment in which she sat was stationary. But just as her mi: d had recovered sufficient- ly to reason in regard to where she was, and she had come to the conclusion that she was ina close coach, a voice sounded in ber ears, She had moved and so betrayed to the care- — ful watchfulness of the person who sat besid her that consciousness was returning. . ‘**Not yet—not yet,” said the voice, in tones that she remembered only tco well. ‘ It is too soon; we are not yet at our journey’s end.” And then a strong arm encircled her, anda damp sponge, with the peres filled with some po- tent, purgent-smelling liquid, was pressed to car nostrils. . The full extent of the horrible situation in which she was placed flashed upon ker. She hed been drugged end abducted! And she was not ignorant, either, in regard to the suther of the cutrage, for she had recog- nized him by the tones of his voice. She tried to struggle—to cry out, but the strong arm fettered her as though she was in a vise, and the powerful drug applied to her nos- trils quickly stcle ber senses away. Again she relapsed into helplessness—com- pletely in the power of her abductor, When consciousness returned the scene had changed. She was in a brilliantly-lighted, luxuriantly- furnished apartment, reclining in an easy-chair, as comfortable as a couch, Where was she? She looked around her, conscious that she had been the victim of a terrible outrage, and yet unable fo guess why she was attacked. for she had not a foe in the world to her knowledge, Her eyes fell upon a man seated in a great "EOMIEHOOKS ie .— e ~ com So Fe eR ee Ee ee ee eh —————