Beadle's Dime Library No. 465: The Actor Detective — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

ee nT , a vy 4. cas, Wy ser <2 * Se * 4 - Ae “ - . ee oT “we é <3 —- > 4 - - ‘ a i tt ee , 2 , ©; wae bap ¢ pet; ws ie Se _ your pistol?” the counselor continued. really a stroke of genius—the getting the wea- _ wool over my eyes, though I , -on’tothe motives that actuated you in trying his mind that he was a bi soe manager exclaimed, assuming to be excessively indignant. ‘‘ For the sake of Miss Estelle here, judge, you ought to stretch a point and keep the fellow under lock and key for awhile, any- how.” “Oh, no, nol” the actress hastened to ex- claim. ‘*‘I donot bear any malice. I did not suffer any particular injury, and though I feel sorry to think that any one should wish to do me harm, yetI am Christian enough to forgive the Sor ' G ‘* Then, foo; I do nof think that the young man is quite right in his mind; there isa strange glitter in his eyes at times. ‘*} watched him narrowly all through the ex- amination, and every once in a while an expres- sion came into his eyes which reminded me more of an animal than a human.” ‘“‘The assistant districé attorney has got some such idea in his head,” the judge re- marked. ‘His theory is that the man did the shooting in a sort of crazy freak, brought on by excessive drink, and 1 m self rather in- c to the belief that that is the true explana- tion.” ‘*T€ seems reasonable,” the manager observed, thoughtfully. ‘* Yes, men in their senses don’t generally run the risk of the State Prison or the gallows with- out some weighty reason, and in this case the fellow certainly had no good cause for wishing to take your life. It looks to me like the reck- less freak of a drunken man, and I guess that is all there is to it.” The manager said thaf 1a his opinion there wusn’t the least doubt the theory was the true one, and the actress remarked, simply, that it was m4 true. She co not tell these strangers that: she feared this man was the mysterious foe of whom her dead mother had so constantly stood in dread. He answered the description to the letter, and his attempt upon her life seemed to be confirma- tion strong as proofs of Holy Writ. The judge did his best to produce a favorable impression upon the yo girl, and at the close of the interview, assured her that he would do his best to have her assailanf punished, if proofs of his guilt could be obtained. Then the manager and the actress withdrew. “*T tell you, you’ce solid with the judge!” Freehigh exclaimed, in a tone of conviction. CHAPTER XIV. OUT ON BAIL, Arter the prisoner had been conveyed to his cell, the lawyer seized an early opportunity to call upon him. The criminal advocate felt rather jubilant over the successful manner in which he had conduc the case, and intimated as much to his client. The young man seemed to take the matter very coolly, merely remarking: ‘““T knew they couldn’t make out a case agninst me.” ‘You managed the thing pretty well,” the lawyer observed, rubbing his hands together and gazing wlth an admiring eye upon his client, for whose abilities he was beginning to have considerable t. **But I say, what on earth did you do with ** It was “en out of the way, so that it could not he pro- | uced against you. It was a very pretty bit of business—very well worked indeed.’ ‘*'You talk asif you thought I fired the shot at the girl!” exclaimed the prisoner, a peculiar expression upon his dark face. **Of course you did!” the other asserted. *‘What is the use of your ing to pull the on’t éxactly ‘ get te kill the girl. I suppose you were on a bit of a spree and didn’t know exactly what you were Sark. * Baht I never got so much liquor on board et as not to know exactly what I was about!” he other replied, Swemapri tmp f “But if I did do the deed, do you tbink I would be idiot enough to admit it to any one? If I was fool- ish enough to do that, Il should deserve to be hung.” The lawyer settled back in his chair and sur- veyed the prisoner with an expression of con- siderable curiosity, and the thought ran through gger rascal than be had taken him to be. ‘““ What’s the next move on the programme?” the prisoner asked; “‘to procure , I sup- “Yes, that is it.” ** And then?” ‘¢ That will be the end of the case, unless some new and strong evidence is discovered.” ‘‘The matter is ended, then, for nothing of that kind can be discovered,” the prisoner re- marked, decidedly. “Tf thatisso, the case will never be called for trial, for the prosecution know very well that the odds are a thousand to one they could not secure a conviction as matters stand now.” ‘“Tiow about the bail?’ the young man in- quired, ‘‘ Can you procure me a bondsman?” - ‘The Actor Detective. —— —»———— ‘Oh, I don’t know about that; I suppose I could put you on the track so the matter might be arranged.” ‘‘ Straw bail, I suppose, and you, while will- ing to take the money to be made by the opera- tion, are careful not to get mixed up in the matter,” the prisoner remarked, with a slight sneer. ‘Straw bail?” the lawyer questioned. ‘* Yes, a worthless bondsman, some rascal who will swear he is worth ten or twelve thousand dollars when he isn’t worth as many cents. ‘Tt is all a matter of form, of course. As the case is never likely to be called for trial, what does it matter whether the bail is good for any- thing or not? “The judge will wink at any man that you get ge of course, so long as he looks anything ike the real article.” ‘‘Upon my word, young man, you disclose a familiarity with the undercurrent of life in a police court that is really ores scape! unless you are some distinguished member of the swell mob from across the herring pond,” the criminal lawyer remarked, “Tm a gentleman, but I've seen a little of life in my time, I believe,” the other retorted, and an evil expression came into his eyes as he fixed them upon the lawyer. ‘‘Some pretty bad life, I should think,” the other remarked. ‘* Well, my friend, I don’t do anything in the straw bail line, and it wouldn’t do you any good if I did, for I have beard that Judge Andy —he is the man who presided at your examina- tion and before whom your bail question will come—is a little sweet on this pretty actress, and he’ll be apt to give you all the trouble he can, so your bail will have to be first-class or he will not accept it.” ‘‘The judge is after her, eh?” and a peculiar expression shot rapidly over the dark face of the young man, ‘** So I have heard,” the ere replied, study- ing the face of the prisoner intently, anxious to get a clew to the mystery which seemed to involve the relatioushbip of th» actress and her would-be assassin, for despite the assertion under oath of both the parties that they had never seen each other before, somehow, in his heart of hearts, he felt that this was not the exact truth. Long experience had caused the lawyer to have very little faith in the statements of his fellow-beings, even when given under oath, and though he believed the actress was speak- ing the truth when she said she knew absolutely nothing whatever about the young man, yet he did not pose equal credence in his assurance that the lady was a perfect stranger to him. The prisoner was quick to perceive that the lawyer had his eyes upon him, and so he as- sumed the mask of indifference. ** The judge isa man of taste,” he remarked, carelessly. ‘‘ She is a pretty girl and he could not be blamed for admiring a woman far less beautiful. “ +b return to our mutton, about this bail business. If a straw man won’t work, anda substantial bond must be given, how can it be arranged?” ‘*T can get plenty of men to go on your bond, if they are paid for their trouble add made safe against loss.” ‘You mean I will have to put up money to the amount of the bond?” | ++ Ss. ‘*T can do that easily enough. Have youa pen-knife?” The lawyer produced one and handed it to the prisoner. Taking up the skirt of his coat he ripped open the lining ata se ecteam place and took out a small parcel about as big as a good-sized bean carefully wrapped in tissue paper the lawyer watching him meanwhile with curious eyes. Removing the paper he displayed to the as- tonisbed gaze of Counselor Have a diamond of the first water. ‘** How is that for a sparkler?” he queried. ‘‘ Beautiful! but is it the real thing?” the law- yer inquired, a little doubtfully. ‘‘You wear diamonds enough to be a good judge,” the other replied, with a glance at the rkling array displayed upon the spotless shirt-front of the advocate, and as he spoke he plaved the jewel in Have’s hand. The lawyer was no mean judge of this sort of thing and after a careful examination he said he thought there wasn’t any doubt it was the genuine article. ‘¢ And worth how much?” the prisoner asked, ‘* A couple of thousand, maybe.” ‘Take it to any leading jeweler and you can get three for it, and then the man will stand a chance to make five hundred on his bargain!” the young man exclaimed. ‘ e lawyer admitted that this might be rue, ** Dispose of it, find a bondsman and get me out of here as soon as possible.” Promising to do the best he could the coun- selor withdrew. And he was as good as his word. He had no trouble in disposing of the dia- : tr . Se ener ee ee re a rere Ce aa ee a eee ee ae eee a a ~~ mond through a broker friend for three thou- sand dollars, and easily procured a man of ae y who, for a consideration of a hun- red dollars, agreed to go bail for the young man, sufficient money being put up to secure him from harm in case there was any trouble. Just one week, then, from the day of his ex- amination, Richard Roe walked out of the Tombs a free man, and from the way matters were it certainly looked as if be would never be ed upon to stand trial for the offense which it was alleged be had committed. The young actor, Keene, had watched the pro of the affair with curious eyes. In his mind there wasn't the least doubt that the man was the one who had fired the shot, al- though as far as he could discover there wasn’t the least reason in the world why he should de- sire the death of the girl. Estelle herself was troubled by the miscar- riage of justice. ‘**T greatly fear that I shall bear from bim in the future,” she admitted to Keene, *‘ though I know of no reason why he or any one else should desire to trouble me.” Ten say 3 after the discharge of the young a = il the young actress’s suspicion was ver ‘ It was in the afternoon, and word was sent to Estelle, busy in her room at the boarding-house, that a gentleman desired to see her in fhe par- lor. When she entered the apartment Richard Roe greeted her. CHAPTER XV. THE STRANGER EXPLAINS. ESTELLE was amazed, for, of all persons, he was the last one whom she expected to see, and, instinctively, she recoiled, as, with a smiling face, the young man arose to receive her. Roe was quick to notice the impression which his appearance produced, and immendiately set to work to dispel the alarm which it was only too evident the girl felt. ‘‘ Do not be under any apprehension I beg!” he exclaimed. ‘I assure you there is not the least cause for you to feel alarmed. I trust that, notwithstanding the unfortunate circum- stances which attended our first meeting, you will look u me in the light of a true friend.” During this speech Estelle had, in a mea recovered her com re, and she exa the young man with a careful eye. e impression took possession of her that, although she could not remember ever having met the person before, ber visitor was no stran- ger to ber. It was very odd. She could not recall his face at all, though she earnestly searched the tablets of her mem- ory over and over, yet his features seemed fa- miliar to her, and the tones of his voice were not at all strange to her ears. Although she was not so sure about the face ee the voice she was positive she had heard fore, but the remembrance was so vague and indistinct that it seemed more like a dream than anything else. And she was so busy in trying to account for this strange remembrance that the only reply she made to the young man’s speech was a sim- le ‘* Yes, sir.” ‘Permit me to offer you a chair,” he said, hastening to bring one and tendering it to Es- telle with courtly politeness. Almost mechanically the girl accepted the proffered seat. | Then, with the air of a man who felt at peace with himself and all the rest of the world, he took sion of the stuffed rocking-chair, and lay back in it as if he owned the house and all its contents. **Now, to begin at the beginning, to use the old saying,” he said, ‘‘I presume that, owing to the unfortunate chain of circumstances in this mysterious affair, you feel almost morally cer- tuin I was the miscreant who fired the pistol- shot which came so near to doing you a fearful injury.” ‘‘ T—_ves, I hate to be obliged to say it, but I am not able to form any other reine Estelle replied, somewhat confused by the abrupt ques- tion. ‘Let us argue the matter,” ke remark coolly, not at all disturbed by the frankness o the maiden’s reply. ‘“What reason had I to wish to injure you?” Estelle shook her head. ‘* You do not know?” ‘+ io. or. “Neither do I, and I think I am perfectly safe in saying that, as far as we know, no rea- son exists. I am a perfect stranger to you. You never saw me before?” ‘‘No, sir, not to my knowledge, and yet—” The girl hesitated, for on the impulse of the mo- ment sbe had said more than she intended. ‘“ Yet what?” the Steg oes asked, immedi- ately, his keen dark eyes fixed suspiciously upon the face of the girl. Estelle was truthful by nature, and as there wasn’t really any urgent reason why she should keep concealed the thoughts that were in her mind in regard to the young maa, she deter- mined to speak freely. (ECO) micboo (E Sp . , J | - 25 eos hb i ae Tae