Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 532 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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T Jeft her with a laugh of victory on her | lips,” he growled, ‘* Ha! did she beat you, captain?” ‘Yes, and not for the first time, the reply. Monte did not speak again, but looked at Cin- nabar end waited in silence for his explanation and narrative. ‘*T gota confession from the witch,” he con- tinued. ‘'She killed General Raymont because of the oath which she took years ago on a dead horse.” The spy uttered a strange cry. **Then you found Lady Panther alive!” he exclaimed. ‘*I found the woman who gave us trouble once when we were at the hight of our reign in the Sierras. She is the trouble now, as then, and Lady Panther, or Ximena, is capable of breaking our web by another stroke of the mys- terious power which finished Raymont’s career and dragged Juliette, against her will, to su- icide. Monte, wait till I get through, Xerxes did his best once but he failed. He believes to- day that he left Ximena doomed in a valley whose location he calls bis own great secret. Let him think so, Tell him different now and you unsteady his hand and throw him from the trail he is on. He is after the child whom Ju- liette partly adopted—the girl, Lucy, in whom Captain Pygmy took such a lively interest. Xerxes always finds, and he will find the child though she has baffled the police ever since Ju- liette’s death. Let him keep to his trail. will take the other, and play our hand out to the blocking of this woman’s game.” ‘*T am with you, Captain Cinnabar. If Lady Panther is here, she has raised her hand against every one of us,”’ “So shehas. The Spider League took charge either,” was We | | of her when she came into its domain, and when | she broke away as shedid, you know, Colonel Nero detailed Xerxes to run her down and then to report. Xerxes did this to Colones Nero’s satisfaction. When he saw Ximena before him, under his roof here in Gotham, he realized that Xerxes failed. Now ”—Captain Cinnabar came forward aud laid one of his sleek brown hands on his lieutenant’s arm, while eye encountered eye—*‘ now, Monte, old pard and faithful friend, we have a duty to perform.” “Pm with you, captain.” ‘**The woman must die!” Cinnabar’s lips met firmly behind his declara- tion, to which there was no audible response, though the eyes that looked into his spoke a mute language not hard to understand, ** Lot the secret and the compact be between us,” the Californian went on. ‘' Xerxes need not know how he failed in the Sierras, nor how we finished his task here in Gotham. The girl, Nora, and her detective are dangerous enough, but with Ximena out of the way the millions of Colonel Nero fall into our laps. I’m not afraid of the girl. She threatened to unearth the work of the League in California, but her affection for General Raymont will hold her back, be- cause an expose of our deeds there brings the general before the world as Colonel Nero. Her detective can be met and balked when we have finished Ximena, Captain Pygmy can be found atalmost any time, Xerxes will find the cbild, Lucy. In her lies our success, The girlis worth afortune. Juliette knew it, and if Zubiano had not struck, she would have beggared Nora by producing her own offspring! For: a_ secret right here, Monte—Lucy, the waif, is General Raymont’s child by Juliette-—the wife he reject- ed in Camp Satan. Now let Xerxes run her down, and we will have the hand that will rake the golden chestnuts from the fire, for us. Nora will compromise on what we ask, or, if she refuses, we'll make her a beggar and ex- ose her origin. Hurrah for the old League, Monte! We step between Lady Panther and her next blow, and, with her band rendered use- less, We move on to the millions of our old lead- er} Come, let us drink to our success, Down with the witch of two shores! Found in the Sierras, killed in Gotham!” Captain Cinnabar turned away and unlocked a sideboard in the wall, Taking therefrom a bottle and two glasses, he placed them on the table and the twain poured out a quantity of liquor, The next minute glass touched glass with musical clink, and Captain Cinnabar and _ his pard drank to mutual success for the last time, CHAPTER XXIII. THE RIVER TRAIL, Monte in telling the story of his visit to Nora’s home and his encounter with the per:on believed to be her new detective had omitted a very important part of the narrative, If he had used his eyes cleverly after quitting the bouse he might have discovered that the gentleman who had eyes like Javert’s had left it also, and he might have had an adventure in which he would have had a chance to display some sbrewdness. Unwittingly Monte led Mr. Powers to the very house where we left him at the end of the foregoing chapter drinking with Captain Cin- nabar confusion to Lady Panther’s schemes. ei lt sneer itnae—eginlipeete Daip espe ements rn Jack Javert, the Independent D The observing eyes of the new detectives beamed brilliantly in a young head on old ' shoulders, ‘*An important conference, I presume _ be- tween two of the coolest rascals in the city,” ex- claimed Mr, Powers as he walked away from the building which had received the pards, ‘¢‘ Monte willretail his story to Captain Cinna- bar and then they will lay their plans for a swoop. lll go back to the trail in which Nora isso much interested just now, We've picked up several important links lately and I must getanotaer before morning. The pards won’t play no hand before themand [ have a night before me for some sleepless Vigilance.” He left Cinnabar and Monte to themselves and disappeared. Half an hour later this same Mr. Powers sat in the back corner of a well patronized tap- room watching a curious looking little man who seemed to be waiting for some one while he slowly emptied a generous glass of beer. He had been eying the small man for ten minutes and the glass was barely half empty. ‘‘ Hello! is he tired of his vigils!” ejaculated Mr. Powers. ‘‘Is he going to give me another chase just when I had made up my mind to make a night of it here? Your man did not come according to agreement, Captain Pygmy, _and I presume | could not fill his place,” When the little customer left the table it was observed that he was somewhat deformed, with unvaturally raised shoulders and a large head, His movements were quick, however, and his eyes preternaturally bright, and he seemed to to have seen everybody in the room even to Mr, Powers in the corner. Nora’s detective left his half-drained glass and started out after the dwarf, It was difficult to keep him in sight for his nimble figure dodged in and out among the crowds under the lamps like a weasel, and then he had a quick gait which puzzled one to keep up with him, ‘Take your time to it, captain, and don’t lose your head,” laughed Mr. Powers, ‘‘ You can’t shake me any more than you can cast off your shadow. I’ve followed weasels before now, and I’ve found too important a one to let you slip.” Suddenly the dwarfish figure stopped at a corner and for the first time looked back, It seemed that a suspicion of some sort had just entered his bead, Mr. Powers stopped also and stood where he could watch his prey. The little man soon grew satisfied with his observations for he started off again as rapidly as before but in another direction, ‘‘ Toward the river, is it?” smiled Mr, Powers resuming the chase. ‘* You are not going to the morgue again, though you are pushing for the territory from which it gets many tenants, Don’t think of tiring or losing me, Captain Pygmy. It can’t be done,” Mr. Powers seemed to take delight in follow- ing the dwarf, Asif Nora’s last command to him had been to follow the very person whom he now pur- sued, he appeared determined to keep bim in sight even if he led him an endless chase, Captain Pygmy after his about-face on the corner where he had looked back went almost straight to the piers. A cold wind came over the water rocking in the light of the stars, and the piles of mer- chandise on the wharf looked like ghostly pyra- mids, The dwarf did not halt till be reached the very edge of a pier, and there bis squattish lit- tle figure stood out in the mingled light of lamp and star. A few feet away were piled a lot of heavy bales, These were in two piles with a narrow lane between barely wide enough to adimita man’s body. Mr. Powers got the goods between bim and Captain Pygmy, and a few noiseless strides car- ried him to the spot and he glided into the open- ing. For several seconds the dwarf looked anx- iously upon the river which broke with its mo- notonous nigbt swish against the heavy timbers at his feet. Was he looking for the person for whom he had waited in vain in the tap-room, and was that person to come out of the mysterious depths of the region beyond the pier? Suddenly Captain Pygmy got down on his knees and looked over the edge of the pier. His shrewd eyes saw a large iron ring and staple attached to the wood, and from the former a piece of heavy rope hung downward and was lost in the water. ‘* Nobody comes!” exclaimed the dwarf, in tones that reached the man among the bales, “T told him to be here by a certain hour, I wish LI had him by the throat!” ‘‘That wouldn’t be a welcome grip to the arty gripped, captain,” said Mr, Powers to bimselt. “Your friend, whoever he is, must have given up his part of the engagement. But ' hello! does the laggard come?” The dwarf on tbe pier had bounded from his kneeling position and his attitude told that he had heard a sound which had attracted him, ome aint a eee rr erg a etective. Bs a ——- ee For a second he watched toward the river, and then he bent forward again and growled: ‘** So you’ve come at last, have you? Did you think I meant this night next year?” There was a reply which Mr. Powers could not catch, for it was accompanied by the moor- ing of a boat of some kind to the ring and staple while the little man looked on nearly bursting with eagerness, ‘* Now, come up,” said Captain Pygmy. In response to this a dark figure appeared above the pier, and when it had finished its up- ward crawl, the dwarf bad a companion taller and more human in shape than himeelf. ‘* How’s the boat?” asked Captain Pygmy. F It’s all right or I wouldn’t have brought it. “Big enough for three, eh?” ** or four if necessary.” ** Be sure that it is secure for we want it here when we come back,” ‘**1t'll be here. Samson couldn’t tear it from the ring.” ‘* Good! Why didn’t you come to the rendez- vous?” queried the dwarf, ‘*T couldn’t get off on time; it was simply im- possible.” ‘* Were you watched, eh?” ‘Not exactly watched, but a fellow doesn’t want to take any chances,” Captain Pygmy dropped his head, “Now let me ask what bave you caught?” said bis companion. ‘*T said I wouldn’t send for you till I had some- thing worth playing for, didn’t I, Felix?” ‘You did.” ** Well, I have found that something.” ** No mistake, captain?’ ‘““Pve got too much at stake to make one, Felix, you don’t need to be living from hand to mouth all thetime. When a million liesina fellow’s way and he doesn’t pick it up, he de- serves nothing at all,” ‘*Ts the million in our way now?” ph hs Ming ‘*Then, for heaven’s sake, tell mo what’s to be done!” cried the dwarf’s companion, ‘ When I saw you on the street the other day [ said to myself: ‘There’s Captain Pygmy whom I once saw in the hands of a mobin the San Jacinto mines many years ago!’ And the more I looked at you, captain, the surer I became that our fortuves were about to be joined once more. But when you told me that the men of the old League were here all playing in another bi game and aj] against you, I knew that fate ha pn us togetber to help one another as of . old, ‘Right you are, Felix!” exclaimed Captain Pygmy, touching Felix on the shoulder, ‘Tf good fortune hasn’t sent you to me, I don’t know what to call it. You will soon learn why I asked about your boat being able to carry three, DPve got a stubborn customer on my hands—stubborn and valuable—I might say, She holds a secret which we want to get at and besides she’s a living secret herself. Look to the boat before we move off. I want no mistakes made now,” The taller man got down and leaned over the wharf till Mr. Powers feared he was about to fall headlong into the waters. He remained a moment thus, when he sprung up and reported to Pygmy that the boat was safely moored without danger of breaking loose, “Come, then,” said the dwarf. ‘It is time for the rest of the play.” The two men turned toward the city, and cats straight toward the man among the goods, Their figures passed through the shadow of the bales, leaving the foxlike watcher undis- covered, and he saw them go up the wharf together. ‘‘As precious a pair of villains as ever xlanned a scheme or slit a throat,” laughed Mr, owers, stepping from his retreat. ‘‘ Dll run the risk of losing them to render Felix’s assur- ances of no account, They might give me the slip if I left the boat where it is, so ll attend to it while I’m bere.” Mr. Powers ran to the edge of the pier and dropped on his knees above the water, The next second he was leaning down over the wet planks with something gleaming in his right hand, ore than one-balf of his body was hanging over the wharf, and he was reaching down as far as he could.” ‘ ‘*T bere!” he said, when his hand had made several sweeps from right to left. ‘‘ Maybe some early reporter will catch an item about a picked-up boat. Now, Captain Pygmy and pard, Pll go back to you.” He put up his knife as be regained his feet and having lost but half a minute in his work a the boat, he started after his game, Three minutes later two figures turned into a certain street near the river, and not far be- bind them walked Nora’s detective, Mr. Powers, CHAPTER XXIV, BALKED BY A KNIFE. CAPTAIN PyGmy led the way. He went for- ward with rapid strides out of one street into Eomicbooks com