Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 485 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Rowlock, the Harbor Detective. ‘‘Took me iu the face, Ensco! Ob, why will you not look up—why will you not answer me?” He did look up, and she was startled at the change that had grown into his face—the face that she had come to love, whose image was daily deepening in her heart—it was grown s0 sad, so pained. ‘+ Ask me no more,” he said, in slow, measured tones. ‘** I cannot, lnez, I must not answer you!” She made a despairing gesture, that seemed to increase his pain, while it did not shake his reso- luteness. She could not but see this. ‘*Oh!” murmured Inez; ‘‘howunhappy am [} However ’’—her eyes flashed, her hands clinched anew—‘' she knows, I am sure of that. And she shall dissipate my aching suspense, terrible and implacable as she is, or she shall die!” ‘‘ Poor child! poor Inez!” ‘‘ Why do you say that? Tell me this instant, sir! How dare you pity and yet be so unkind to me?” “ T unkind?” ‘‘Yes, in this, unkind, wise would you satisfy me.’ ‘Inez, you d> not, you cannot guess!” ‘* Indeed, | cannot; that is my misfortune.” ‘* Rather, your privilege. My kindness is in my silence.” ‘*Oh, you torture, you exasperate me beyond words! At least tell me this: does she know?’ ‘*The White Sibyl?” 7: Yes,” The answer came slowly, unwillingly, but it came. ‘*There is nothing concerning you, Inez De- lorme, that the Senora Zarapatta Martez does not know.” ungenerous! Other- CHAPTER XI. THE PHANTOM STEAM-LAUNCH, THEY were at this moment interrupted by the sudden appearance of a small, swiftly-movin steam-launch that bad unexpectedly round the light-house point on her up-stream course, and was making directly across her bow, Glad enough to have the current of her thoughts changed, Inez looked up in surprise. Though proceeding rapidly, silently, there was not a glimmer of light displayed by the launch, and only a soft, creamy wake followed the almost noiseless revolutions of her propeller. No more was there any indication of lite or intelligence on board, save a single dark-robed figure, sitting like a statue of lonely meditation at the stern. ‘Why, how strange, how phantom-like!” murmured Inez. ‘*Did you mark how mys- teriously it came slipping and shooting round the point, Ensco?” ‘*Hush! let us wait.” And his voice was oddly measured and expectant. ‘*Wait for what? But do you mark the solemnity and the strangeness of the thing, I say? Are there phantom steam-launches, no less than phantom ships, I wonder? And that ominous figure at the stern! It looks like a woman’s— Ha! Heaven protect me!” And she was cowering. suddenly at her com- panion’s side. The figure had turned its face toward them, in the full glare of the light-house lamp. A woman’s face, the face as of one cae dead, so absolute its marble whiteness! Beautiful, too, but terrible and haunting, with its stead- fast, serpent eyes, and every lineament expres- sive of calm, self-sufficient, baleful power. It smiled upon them—a glassy, an inscrutable, a deadly smile—and then it was gone. ‘Compose yourself, Inez,” muttered the de- tective, and she did her best to obey. ‘* Yes; theory crystallizes into fact, and most unex- pectedly.” ‘** No doubt of it!” “None. It was Zarapatta Martez herself, the White Sibyl of Morona,” Inez courageously controlled one cf her shud- ** Those eyes! that smile! You marked them, Ensco?” Bs not? Ay; and knew them of old, as well. ‘Oh! what can it mean?” ‘* Time and fate must determine.” ‘‘ But she must be powerful, able, self-confi- dent, to flit about in this way,” ‘¢ An enchantress, or very like one.” ‘‘ And our difficulties, our dangers, are vastly increased,” ‘No; rather lessened by the actual revelation of this woman’s proximity. She has overreach- ed herself—deviltry always does that, sooner or later. The true deadliness of her power was in keeping us in the dark as to her proximity,” ‘* True; I see that. But whatis to be done?” ‘‘Nothing more than we are trying to do, other than additional caution and cunning on our part. The diamond is cut and polished solely withits own dust. There is a new danger; but say no more of it now.” Inez accordingly relapsed into silence, which was not broken till they were threading the qponnce of the Marston House, after leaving Minzo and Little Starlight in charge of the boat, with a parting injunction toewatchfulness and caution. a4 ll L—LLL LLL LLL LLL EE, . = — . —. . 4 * e - —— - . iL » -_ . - * - ‘ i; > = r » ° - + = ‘ ©) jw It was past midnight. After accosting and passing the coachman- patrol, who was still going his faithful rounds, they stood at a side-loor of the old house of which [nez always carried a key. Then it was Ensco bimself who first resumed the discussion of the all-engrossing subject in hand. ‘‘ Pve been thinking everything over,” said he. ‘¢ And less and less do I[ like the thought of your remaining here.” Why?” ‘* lt isn’t sufficiently guarded.” ‘*'The house is almost like a fort.” ‘‘Nomatter. Since what has last occurred— the apparition of that woman—” ‘7 understand. But where could I be more safe than here, unless it might be on the Sea- mew?” ‘* Well, on the yacht, then. It is your own property now, and you are its commander.” ‘*So is this estate mine.” ‘Still, [ can’t think you as safe here as afloat.” ‘* [ shall remain, though, comrade.” And she gave her short little laugh. He sighed. ‘‘T know what that means,” she said. ‘* What, then?” ‘* That it would be all right if you could only he always at hand as my defender—be perma- nently one of the household here, in fact—but that would not be right and proper, in a worldly sense.” Rowlock flushed slightly. ‘* You have divined aright, Inez,” he admit- wt a Such was the exact significance of my sigh. “You admit it?” ‘* Freely.” ‘‘Then apart from the bolts, bars and armed servants. constituting my environment, you do not deem me cunning or able enough to guard myself against the enemy here, without your close attendance?” ‘* Frankly, I do not.” She laughed again. ‘*Tam to prove the contrary to you.” She ran up the steps and noiselessly unlocked the door. ‘* Follow me, comrade,” said she, softly. ‘* Ac- cording to Coachman John, both Mrs. Twiggs and Sarab, my maid, have long since retired, after being assured of my safety by your con- siderate message, The other servants are doubtless in bed. We shall have the house to ourselves for my experiments,” He followed her into a dimly-lighted corridor, Inez carefully refastening the door. Thence he was conducted into a large apart- ment, which, upon the gas being turned up, proved to be the library—a cosey, substantially- furnished room, Sbe pointed to the foot of a narrow private staircase in a short adjoining passage-way, and then to a communicating bedroom door. ‘* That was poor grandpapa’s sleeping-room,” she exclaimed, ‘‘and the library here was his favorite resort, The staircase leads to my own rooms directly above, for nothing would do but I should be within call. Wait now.” She disappeared up the stair. The detective threw himself into one of the great, morocco-covered arm-chairs, and, while wondering what could be her intention, fell to observing the heavy iron bars of the windows, plainly visible between the partings of the long curtains of crimson rep. ** Inez did not ay mae he thought. ‘‘ The old gentleman made the old house pretty secure against intruders while he was about. Still, what can't an expert, determined criminal work his way through when once thoroughly pro- vided and alert? But I wonder what the young lady can be up to.” A. light footfall caused him to turn to the stairway. Then a sort of sudden, chilling heart-anguish ossessed him, A Mexican youth stood before him, in all the jacketed, silver-buttoned cavalier bravery for which the nationality is distinguished, sombrero in hand, a supercilious curl on the short, deli- cately-mustached upper lip, a look of challeng- ing askance in the bold, impudent black eyes looking out at him from under a shock of glossy, curling black hair. ** W hat; senor!” exclaimed the youth; “ then you didn’t expect the new Mexican cousin—new to you—that the pretty Inez was to send down to you from her rooms?” And then he rattled “a at greater length, though in the Spanish ngue. | Ensco had grown very pale. ‘No, sir, I anticipated nothing of the sort,” he replied, huskily, springing to his feet, and reaching for bis hat, ‘Pray, give the young lady my compliments upon her newly-revealed relative, and say that I wish her joy of him.” A silvery laugh—a familiar one—broke from the young ranchero CHAPTER XII. A TALENTED YOUNG LADY. THE detective was astounded. But he had to believe his eyes, if not his ears. For, simultaneously with the rippling merri- eae eee NNN, ere eh eee SS LLL ss. ment, the wig and false mustache had been plucked away, and there was Inez Delorme’s smiling and beautiful self revealed before him. ‘I. give in, comrade!” said Ensco, throwing up his hands. ‘‘I, who have made a _ business of penetrating disguises, even I was thoroughly deceived. Even the tone of the voice was a perfect counterfeit,” Wait!” And, witha parting langh, the real-life actress disappeared again, but not before a flush in ber cheeks had apprised him that bis sarcastic indig- nation—in other words, the betrayal of his jeal- ousy—had not been lost upon ber, owever, as it had not been a particularly displeased blush, he was induced to take leart. Inez might have shone on the stage as a light- ning-change artist with astonishing success, or next appearance was as a rollicking, fair- faced, tow-headed midshipman, in which she not only characteristically blasted her top lights and shivered her timbers to her heart’s content, no less than that of her single auditor, but also sung a song and danced a hornpipe with a breezy saltiness of savor that was near to deceiving him once more as to her identity. Personations of a poor sewing-girl looking for work, an Irish emigrant girl, with the map of Ireland in her face, air and brogue, a boy cross- ing-sweep, done to the life, and numerous others no less successful, followed in dizzy succession, the characterizations closing with that of a nut- brown Central American peon girl of the beau- tiful-eyed but vacant-minded mountain variety, that, once seen, is not easily forgotten by the observant tourist. ** Well?” The performance was at an end and the pilot’s granddaugbter, in her own proper and graceful character, was waiting for the verdict. The detective could not abstain from clasping her two hands in his, ‘* Admirable!” was all he could say. ‘You admit, then, that I might pass in a crowd, as a rather expert counterfeit?” ** You are inimitable,” ‘And could even cheat our arch-enemy at a push?” “Tf any one could do that, assuredly you could,” } | Her countenance fell a little. “Ah! those frightful eyes that looked out from that death-white face upon us to-night! I doubt if any art, any cleverness could deceive them,” ‘You may not be put to the test. How dw! you learn all these tricks of the stage?” ‘* By study and observation. [ used to half- live in one or another of the theaters, along with poor grandpapa. Then, 1 think, I may have a little natural talent for it.” } ‘* Not a doubt of it. And all those costumes?” She laughed. ‘Sarah helped me along with most of them, for I have transmitted some of my enthusiasm into her cockney spirit. But the Mexican and sailor-boy make-ups, they’re genuine, That is, they were actually worn by Juan and Vasco when they were boys of seventeen,” ** Oh!” | ‘Pah! how I hate now to mention their abhorred names! It seems to me—it seems to me—”’ She had lapsed into a dull, mechanical tone, and a terrified look was growing in her face, ‘*'W hat is the matter?” But he had only to follow the gaze of her startled eyes, which was riveted upon the near- est window, A white face was pressed against the bars, close to the outer panes—a white, sinister face, that vanished as he looked, But the glimpse was sufficient to explain Nessie’s alarm. | ‘* The key, quick!” he exclaimed. _ She mechanically tossed it to him, and he was out of the room, out of the house by the side- door, in a flash, ‘** Don’t leave me alone!”’ But she was unheard. He returned in a few minutes, however, gloomy and dispirited. ‘* Gone! nothing there!” _ : She did not seem disappointed, having scarce- ly expected anything better. — ‘* What sort of face was it? I only snatched the nearest glimpse. Not her’s ?” Sbe shook her head, ‘No, I think not—in fact, I am quite sure. It seemed as formless as it was bloodless, and yet —® man’s, not a woman’s, face, I should say.” Ensco rv flected. ; ‘‘In spite of all, Inez,” said he, *‘ it is as I first said.” é H. w?” ‘You are not safe here.” ‘‘ But the face was outside the bars,” ae ‘What are bars, bolts, double locks, to the genius of crime, the soul of diabolism? By the — way, you go armed?” ) She produced in either hand a small revolver and a delicate dagger. “Toys!” x | ‘* Excuse me, Ensco. I am not without prace ee A, could use either upon occasion, and wif \ effect. J niecbooks COMIC co