Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 485 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

I Gt ce ae a i - a “The Senora Zarapatta Martez,” said he, ** for that is the name of the dangerous woman I expected to find in the coach, is a tropical woman, and her fondness for such pets used to be well known.” ‘* Pets!” ‘Just so. You’ve had a lucky escape, Smith. Tt was the yellow adder of Honduras that flew at; you—one of the deadliest snakes known.” ‘But the woman herself?’ demanded the roundsman. ‘* Did you see her in the coach, ttowlock?”’ ‘‘ Distinctly. In fact, she aimed a blow at me with a dagger just as I was tearing this young lady out of her grasp—at the moment the horses started up the hill.” ‘‘ But how could she have escaped?” ‘Save your conundrums for your prisoner there—they knock me out. Excuse me now. Mingo here will tell you further purticulars while [ convey this young lady to her home.” He then hurried away, with his wholly or half-conscious burden still in his arms. Tc his astonishment, however, he had no sooner entered the seclusion of the grounds than she quietly released herself from his embrace, “What!” he exclaimed, joyfully; ‘* you are yourself again,” She was standing half-guiltily before him, her “sat bowed that her blushes might not betray er. ‘* Yes,” she replied, in a low: voice. ** And have been for how long?” ‘‘for some minutes—I hated to have those men see me come to in—in such a ridiculous position.” ‘‘Then you saw the snake incident?” ‘* Perfectly.” ‘* And without crying out?” é ‘Yes. Why should [ have cried out. It was horrible, to be sure; but then I—I felt so safe, so secure, so protected, that—” she could not go on. But Rowlock went on, and to greater purpose than he had dreamed of an instant before. She had nestled of her own will in his pro- tecting arms; their fond pressure of her lovely form had been neither offensive nor distasteful. ‘*Inez, I love you!” he burst forth. ‘* Your image isin my thoughts by day, my dreams by night! Oh, give me the bestof all rights to pro- tect and guard you henceforth! I love you!” Her head was still bent, her figure—the em- bodiment of perfect grace and rounded symme- try in its white dressing-robe of delicate, cling- ing material trimmed ana festooned with ric lace—-strangely agitated in a way he had never marked before, A great fear came over him—a fear lest he might have losé all in risking so much. “Have I offended you by my rashness?”’ he faltered. ‘‘ Does it shock you to have me say that [ love you?” ‘* N-n-no, not exactly that,” was her scarcely audible reply. ‘‘ In fact, I—d don’t particu- larly dislike it.” Then she raised her face, whose garden of roses was so much more eloquent than words, Ensco caught her to his heart. ** What! you love me—you love me in re- turn?” he gasped. She only nestled closer, |. ‘‘ But say it! My life, my fate, my beautiful! let me hear you say it.” Her response was like the far murmurings of a harp of gold, swept by the fingers of fate at the portals of the inmost citadel of love. “Love you? Oh, my darling! I have done so from the very first.” After the drought the shower, after the shower the rain, after the rain the downpour, the del- uge! Their lips met, and then there were ** kisses sweeter, sweeter than anything on earth,” as Tennyson sings. ‘* How did it all happen?’ he asked, when they had recovered from their transports, “What happen—this? I hardly know, It was all your doing, darling.” Another embrace and more kisses. ‘** No, no; I mean the abduction.” ‘* You can’t have forgotten that.” ‘‘T partly did for a few moments,” ry What was the first you knew of it?” “T was just sitting down, after partly un- dressing, intending to quiet my nerves witha French novel before getting to my rest.” 46 Yeas.” ‘Sarah hadn’t awakened. I could hear her oe ec saenmted in the adjoining small room.” * Well, ‘Suddenly my room door opened, and two men entered. Before I could call out they seized me, one of them pressing a damp hand- kerchief over my mouth and nos is ‘* Ha! chloroform.” ** Doubtless, or something similar. events, I lost my senses.” * Altogether?’ ‘‘All was in confusion at first. At one time I seemed to hear you shout, and I tried to cry out, to wave my hand to you.” ‘Yes; you did both.” _ After that all was blank, until—you know when.” At all * « iq. ‘*The men—did you get a fair view of their faces before being overpowered?’ ss Yes. ? ** Any recognition?” Yes; I dimly recognized them both,” ** You recognized them?” ‘Yes, as two Spaniards, named Jago and Pedro, who used to visit the twins occasionally when they lived with my grandfather,” ‘‘Ha! Creatures of the senorina, no doubt,” ‘* Most likely.” ‘‘ But how could they have entered the house, secured as it is?” ‘* | haven’t the least idea.” ‘* Let us make an examination.” As it was now near daybreak, they aroused the household upon re-entering the mansion, as being most fit and proper. An examination proved that access had first been obtained to the roof by means of the light- ning-rod, whence the descent into the house had been made by forcing a trap-door. After that, the side-door on the ground floor near the library had been opened, when the task of thew ould-be kidnappers had been greatly sim- plified. As for the previous mysteries experienced by the detective—the false signals, which had so deluded him, and the incident of the bowie- knife—they were left to conjecture, and nothing that either the gardener or the coachman coul supeest threw any light upon the business, here was an early breakfast, at which Ensco was forced to remain, Mrs. Twiggs no less urgent than Inez in urging it. Before his departure, he was ceremoniously introduced by the young lady to both the house- aii tl and Sarah, the maid, as ber prospective husband. ‘*?'m not astonished one bit,’ was the good old lady’s comment. ‘*‘My dear Nessie, Mr. Ensco will make you an excellent husband, I am sure. And may the Lord safely see you out of it, say I!” . : ‘*See us out of what, Aunt Twiggs?” asked nez. ‘Out of the robbin’ an’ murderin’ an’ kid- nappin’, an’ everything! Bless me, my dears! do you really expect to live through it?” ‘‘Well try to,” said Ensco, Jaughing, as he took Nessie’s hand ‘* Well, yow’re not going to get married ina ak’ f I hope.” ‘* Not till my grandfather is avenged and the jewel-chest recovered,” said Inez, quickly. ‘‘ On that [ am determined.” The detective sighed a little disappointedly, but the justice and apporpriatness of her decision were too apparent to be disputed. ‘* As you will, Nessie; you know best,” was all he said. ‘‘ T thought it best to make the matter public,” she whispered, when bidding him good-by a few moments later. ‘‘ Now there can be no spite- ful or underhanded talk, you know,” , He pressed her in his arms. ‘** That was right,” hesaid. ‘* But—” ‘But what?” ‘* Mightn’t we workup our case a little better if married right away.” ‘*No; but quite the contrary. Your own cooler judgment will tell you so, darling.” ‘* True,” he admitted. “*Good-by now. Oh, Rowlock! it tears m heart to part with you now, but it must be. We ae both in need of rest and recuperation. Good- y! He held out his hands, **God keep you in the interval!” he exclaimed. ‘“T shall not be far from you. And you will have that trap-door secured without delay?” ‘* Trust me for that. When shall I have word from you? ‘* Probably this evening. But either Mingo or I will be on the watch constantly hereabouts,” As the detective was hurrying toward the boat-landing, where he expected to find Mingo awaiting him, he was overtaken by Nessie’s English waiting-maid, Sarah Gubbins, who came runuing after him with a large well- filled paper-bag. Sarah was an unadulterated Cockney of mid- dle-age, tall, gaunt and angular, with plain features and a red nose, whose fidelity to her young mistress was only equaled by her good opinion of herself. ‘‘ Hre, sir, ’ere you are!” said she, breathless. ‘Something good to heat, what Mrs. Lfwiges thought your hassistants might be ’ungry for, you know.” ‘‘Thank you,” said the detective, gratefully, accepting the package. ‘I should have thought of asking you fer something for them. Take ood care of your young lady, Sarah. She is earer than ever to me now.” He was about to go, but she detained him again. ‘Tl remember w’at you say, Mr. Hensco, but ‘old hon a minute, please.” ‘* What is it, my good woman?” ‘Well, you see, sir, hafter the ’orrifyin’ hevents of last night—them ’orrid men as would kidnap beautiful, unpertected young things, ugh!—I naturally, sir, feel more hanxious than hever.” * Naturally enough.” ie ie ‘ _ et ay Rowlock, the Harbor Detect ‘Tell me, Mr. Hensco, will there still be such hawful danger of bein’ kerried off out of bed by them hawful men, do you think?” ‘‘] think not, with the fresh precautions that will be taken, I think Miss Delorme need not fear another attempt at abduction, at least out of her own rooms,” ‘*Oh, but I didn’t hallude to her danger, at hall hevents, not to that alone, you know,” ** Ah—oh!” ‘*'You see, / sleep in them same rooms, Mr. Hensco,” ‘You must sleep more lightly hereafter, then.” ‘‘ Lord! that’s just the ’orror of it, sir. I can’t, An w’at if J should be habducted in my sleep, you know?” Rowlock with difficulty abstained from laugh- ter, and presently made his escape, after leaving the good woman some comforting assurances otf a highly complimentary nature, ; In a few minutes he was once more on his way back to the Seamew, with Mingo and little Star- light enjoying the provisions he brought them with the best of appetites. ) Mingo had reported going to the policestation with the officers and their prisoner, the hack- man, who bad been committed to a cell, though it was the opinion of the sergeant in charge that the man had not been guilty of any intentional wrong-doing, ‘‘ So!” said the detective, who had already formed the same opinion, Subsequent examination proved the innocence — of the hack-driver in the affair, and he was dis- charged, without being able to furnish any clew to the woman who had engaged his services on that occasion. ‘* Miugo,” said Rowlock, ** let me take a look at that bowie-knife that so nearly skewered the back of my neck,” The weapon was placed in his hands. CHAPTER XV. COMRADES STILL. A BRIEF examination was sufficient to satisfy the detective. © It was an admirable, though hideously sug- gestive, weapon, of Mexican workmanship, Engraved on the buckhorn handle were the initials, ‘*‘ Z. M.,” significant of the full name, Zarapatta Martez. ‘‘ Tt may come in use as a companion witness of the sapphire ring,” muttered Rowlock, as he clasped the knife and slipped it into his pocket. _ ‘** Doubtless the poniard, with which the fair Sibyl lunged so thirstily at my heart, would — have been similarly inscribed had it come into my possession.” ie, hen he gave a slight shudder at the recollec- tion of his Inez having suffered the contamina- tion of that woman’s grasp; though becouldnot help remembering, also, her anxiety toavoidin- — juring the girl, to which circumstance alone he ~ doubtless owed his own escape from her fury. The yacht was reached without further inter- ruption. | ) oi he detective was very industrious thereafter, and he permitted three days to elapse before seeking another interview with Inez. a This abstention was not maintained but atthe ive. * — —_— = if cost of much self-denying violence to his inclina- * ~ tions. % But he thought it for the best in more ways ~ than one, and was, moreover, in receipt of con- stant reports as to the young girl’s security _ from one or another of his faithful messengers, — However, on the morning of the fourth day he © found himself hurrying up theshaded lawn from the boat-landing, with a loudly beating heart, to keep an appointment with her. | -— ~~ -— J oa. As she stepped cut from a littlesummer-house __ to meet him, he sprung forward with extended arms, aa To his astonishment—for they were out of observation—she made a gesture of dissent; — though there was nothing but loveforhimin | her eyes and face, which otherwise woreaseri- | ous and firm expression, — ‘Not again, dear!” said she, quietly. ‘“‘Not — again, at least, till—you know when.” iS ‘‘ What! no more endearments?” ya ‘* Not one.” a ‘** Until when?” a ‘*Can you ask? Until our detective-questisat an end—our oath of comradeship fulfilled.” = = | He made a gesture of acquiescence, after a — painful hesitation. MS a ‘* You are always right, little comrade,” said “§ he, ‘* So be it!” bee And he merely pressed the hand that wasnow ey tendered to him. . is oe “it cost me a struggle, too,” she observed. * But I knew I was right.” ‘* Lover joy, sweet as it is, and work—the kind of work before us— cannot go together.” os ae “Of course, not. I shall have yousometime — —God speed the hour!” ae 7 ‘‘ Amen! What news do you bring me?” — ar ‘‘ We make the descent upon the Bowery Bay rendezvous to-night,” 2°45) Bee ‘So soon? But I shall be ready.” a you think you are quite equal ye “1 know I am. Look!” she held hand. <. | Pit 4 ‘* Firm as a rock!” oe COmIcpOoOoO s.com