Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 505 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

+ hee Phil Fox, the Genteel Spotter. —— ——_ + -— talk, even if it ruins your business,” thought Phil to himself. The next moment he heard a quick cat-like tread behind him. In a flash he turned and saw a figure dart upon him with a dark object like a sand-bag lifted in mid-air. The detective threw up his hands at once, but the weapon came down with resistless force and without noise, and he went backward like a man with his skull crushed in, All this was the work of an instant, and as Phil Fox fell against the building near at hand, he was in the grip of two masked men, CHAPTER XVIII. LEON’S THUNDERBOLT. TuE clocks in the vicinity of Broadway and Wall were indicating ten the next day when Leon Larimore, the young private secretary, entered the ten-by-twelve office occupied by Baldimore Bryce, Independent Detective, etc. That individual was at home and evidently awaiting Leon’s arrival, but he was not alone, In an arm-chair near the office table, with a fragrant cigar between his teeth, and with a triumph of some kind snapping in his eyes, sat Tully Trenck, whom the secretary had not seen | ps often since the day of the funeral. r. Trenck bowed condescendingly to Leon, bm returned the favor with a sharp, suspicious ‘You are on time to a dot, Mr, Larimore,” remarked the detective. ‘‘Mr. Trenck and my- self have not been here long. You are aware, perbaps, that he is the gentleman who kept me on the trail when there was every reason for giving it up.” Leon bowed, and replied that he believed he had heard of something of the kind. ‘*T will now submit my find to your inspec- tion,” continued Bryce, moving toward a safe which stood in one corner of the room, “I brought the package over from the Trust Com- pany myself this morning. Mr. Trenck here, with yourself, can identify Musgrave’s writing, so we will be safe on that score.” Leon glanced at Tully Trenck at that mo- ment, and saw a sinister, smiling face through a cloud of light smoke, A moment afterward the detective opened the safe, and took from it a packet, a glimpse of which made Leon start, He would have recognized it fifty feet off, for there could be no other packet like it in all New ‘¢ This is the prize which the shrewd rascals wrested from you on the corner of Broadway and Pine,” exclaimed the private sleuth, holding the package up to Leon’s gaze as he came to- ward the table. ‘‘Ah! Isee you recognize the outside, at any rate!” He drew his chair forward and deposited the large envelope in front of Leon. ** You see the villains disturbed the seals, asa matter of course,” he went on, glancing from Leon to Tully Trenck, ‘They expected to find money instead of what appears, to be the last will and testument of some one.” He took the envelope up as he finished, and began to relieve it of its contents. ‘Leon looked on with his curiosity at the high- ‘est pitch, ‘* They did not cut the cp that surrounds the legal-looking document,” he showed the will to Leon as he proceeded. ‘‘They could tell by outside inspection that there was no money here for them. Common snatch-thieves don’t want to be incumbered with dead people’s wills, They want the ready cash; eh, Mr. Trenck?” **Generally,” answered that individual, be- tween whiffs, ‘‘ At least, that is my under- standing of such matters.” “T would like to have you make sure that I bave found the right document,” the detective had turned to Leon again, ‘ This tape, I find, can be untied, and as neatly restored to its proper condition, Shall I, gentlemen?’ ‘“T see no wrong-doin in it,” answered Trenck, his curiosity seeming to rise a little. ‘“* Asa matter of course I have the best interests of my old friend’s estate at heart. I have em- ployed Mr, Bryce, as an experienced detective —one of the very best in New York,” he seemed to take inward pleasure ib saying this, ‘‘ to ex- ert himself to the utmost. wish I could say that be has captured the rascals as well as their spoil; but he bas done very well under the cir- cumstances, I congratulate bim.” _Baldimore Bryce inclined bis head in recogni- me of the praise, and looked across the table at eon. The young secretary was much excited, though he tried to remain calm. _ He was anxious to look beyond the tape that incircled the somewhat ponderous looking paper in the detective’s hands, He wanted to see if his name wasstill there as witness to Monckton Mnsgrave’s signature on the will which gave away a million. ‘*T have come here for the purpose of identi- fying the stolen property,” he said, in reply to ryce’s look. ‘‘The other papers taken from the envelope certainly are the ones I saw Mr, Musgrave place in it just before he intrusted it tomy charge. As tothe will, I can only wit- ness my Own signature and his, for that is all I saw of the document.” ‘“‘That will be enough,” said Tully Trenck. ‘‘Every bequest made by my old friend shall be carried out to the letter, I was his companion in life. I will be his friend in death,” ‘*Then I think you ought to be the person to open the paper for identification,” and the de- tective handed the document to Trenck, who seemed to take it with a good deal of reluc- tance. Leon watched Tully Trenck as his deft fingers opened the knot of tape. **! would know Musgrave’s handwriting in the dark almost,” exclaimed Trenck, when the operation was accomplished, ‘* Is this his signa- ture, Mr. Larimore, and this yours, too, by the way?” The young private secretary leaned forward to meet the paper which Tully Trenck held to- ward him. He looked searchingly at the two signatures a full minute, while silence of the deepest kind filled the office. He saw the last bold signature of the man who had been his last friend; he noticed the peculiar shape of the M’s, and the flourish whick he inva- riably made beneath his name. And then his own name, with the letters straight up and down like soldiers at inspection —a signature which he had been informed by experts would be very har. to counterfeit, The young man was amazed, but at the same time a thrill of pleasure ran tlrrough his frame, The will had been found intact, and there was a startling surprise in store for Tully Trenck, the cool-headed rascal, and expected legatee. Having studied the signatures from every standpoint, Leon looked up and caught Trenck’s eye. He thought he sawin its depth a-triumph which he could not fathom, What was Tully Trenck rejoicing over if the will he held in his hand gave the great sum to Aida Armstrong, and not to him as the friend of Musgrave? ‘‘ It looks correct,” Leon said at length. ‘““T am giad to hear that,” put in the detec- tive. “It lifts a load from ry mind, and makes me feel conscious of having done my duty. You fully identify the signature, I be- lieve?” ‘‘T think I can say that I do,” and Leon’s eyes wandered back to the two names and studied them again. ‘‘ Mrs, Nims’s name is beneath yours,” re- marked Tully Trenck, Leon started slightly at mention of the name. ‘‘That is the name of the housekeeper,” he replied, and then his mind went back to the ring he found in the secret niche behind the books but the night before. Yes, that was Irene’s autograph signed by herself, He would bave sworn to that. “This settles it,” smiled Tully Trenck, turn- ing to the detective. ‘‘I am satisfied that you have recovered the last will and testament of Monckton Musgrave. I— What is this? My name in the body of the paper here? You will pardon me, Mr. Larimore. I could not help noticing it. Great God! what did I ever do to receive such treatment at my friend’s hands?” A smile stole to Leon Larimore’s lips. He could not keep it back, ‘He has discovered that instead of the mil- lion he gets a thousand, perhaps,” thought the oung man. ‘This isa drop that cuts Tully ‘renck down without warning.” Already the face of the man who held the re- covered document was undergoing another change. Higher than before the light of vic- vay was leaping up in his eyes, hat did it mean? ‘¢Gentlemen, I would have valued Musgrave’s friendship more than I have done if I had known this!” he cried. ‘‘He has made me his heir—- me!—the man who was away from him while he wrestled with disease. Look for yourself, Mr, Larimore.” Leon’s gaze had become a stare, and the words rung in his ears like a knell of bis hopes. He felt that his face was pale, and he saw that the countenance of Tully Trenck had be- come tbat of a triumphant devil’s, , ‘‘ Where? let me see!” almost shouted Leon, bounding up and then leaning over the table. “You Monckton Musgrave’s beir?” ‘* Tt looks that way, young man,” was the an- swer, and the eyes of the ker seemed to transfix him like darts. ‘‘It is right here, in the bold hand of a man who had a heart for an old friend after all,” The breathless secretary looked over the finger that pointed at a certain lengthy para- graph on the page before him, and then he read: “I bequeath to my old friend, Tully Trenck, Esq. without reservation, my moneys, bonds,credits, real estate, in short, all my property within the bound- aries of the City of New York—” Leon read no further. a singular feeling of uneasiness took possession of him, , What! the whole thing Tully Trenck’s, and Aida left out in the cold again? ey a 15 He had never received such a blow in all his e! Yet there it was in black and white before his eyes, and the proud finger of the man with the Satanic grin was on the spot! “‘T think we will not go through this document unless Mr, Larimore wishes to look for bis own name,” coolly said Trenck to the detective as Leon fell back, white as a cloth and with his eyes fastened upon him, ‘¢-You will carry it back to the vaults of the Trust Company for the present. Did I under- stand you to say that you approve of my sug- gestion, Leon?” Leon had not said a word, but called from his abstraction by the man’s voice he started 1p. Ei The vaults are the best depository it can have now,” said he, ‘It is safe there at any rate. God knows, sir, where that paper has been within this past few days!” He looked straight at Tully Trenck while he muttered the last words, and the rascal colored. ‘¢That is true!” ke suddenly laughed. ‘ As I said awhile ago, Mr. Bryce here deserves un- stinted praise for his cunning. I am sure his feat will go on record as a neat job—one of the best in detective annals. There 1s your charge, hand and was quickly picked up. That was all. Leon had no desire to remain another mo- ment in the place. The air seemed suffocating; his brain appear- ed on fire. He was never able to tell bow he got out of the detective’s office—whether he rushed pray like a madman, or whether he bowed himselt out with the devilish leer of Tully Trenck for a parting on the other side, At any rate, he found himself on the street below jostled by the hurrying lines of humanity. “My God! this villainy tops the pyramid, Where is Phil Fox the spotter?” he cried as he rushed away. CHAPTER XX. LEON ON THE TRAIL, WirH surging brain and wildly-beating heart Leon made his way to the gentleman detective’s office. Phil Fox had said to him on parting the night before: . ‘Come to my office directly after the business at Baldimore Bryce’s quarters, I think you will find me there.” Leon knew the genteel sleuth to he punctual with his engagements, and he fully expected to find him in his office when he reached the door. But he was disappointed. The room was not locked, he went in. The spotter of the metropolis was not there. ‘‘He may come presently,” exclaimed the young man. ‘By waiting here | can coc] and get my thoughts together. Can it be that we have been deceived all along—that Mus- deni did leave all his wealth to that man renck? No! I won’t believe any such staff; but how can we refute it? Ah! we must do so, With the aid of the detective who, as Ralph Ringgold was often in Musgrave’s house awhile before he died, 1 will unearth this foul con- spiracy against a young girl, Why does he not come? | am burning to tell bim of the piece of infamy I have just witnessed.” Leon waited an hour but the man he wanted to see did not enter the room. He grew more and more impatient, and at last, unable to curb his eagerness longer, he went away, If he bad known where to look for the Broad- way ferret he would not have gone home as he id, “The gentleman, Mr. Musgrave’s old friend, was here awhile ago,” said the housekeeper to Leon when they met. The young secretary started. ‘‘Does he want possession age a thought Leon, as his eyes got a gleam of indignation, and then he said to the woman: ‘What did he want, Mary?” ‘‘He wanted to do a little writing in the library. He said he happened to be in this part of the city, and thought he would drop in to write a moment on his old friend’s desk. ‘*‘ How long was he there?” ‘* About twenty minutes,” Leon went direct to the library. A glance at the books told him that they had been tampered with again. ‘“‘He could not believe Irene, and so he came for a look for himself,” smiled the young man. ‘““T know now that the papers that used to re- pose in the secret niche are of great value to Tully Trenck. Well, let him get them if he can"? and with a tmumphant laugh Leon went off. Three times during the day he went to the de- tective’s office, but always with the same result. At last he began to inquire for the man of people who had offices in the same building, but pone remembered having seen him since the day before. The disappearance began to be a mystery, and at last Leon became alarmed. He proceeded to Mulberry street and made Mr. Bryce,” and the will fell at the detective’s Eomilcbooks €or >