Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 532 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

Be AY oh, {ha Tee 26 ** How do you know?” : WA ye he room gave me all the evidence I wan Xerxes did not seem to relish the information. ‘*[ know how valuable the girl has become to the captain,” continued Monte, ‘I tried to find the trail, but Javert is a fox who covers his tracks. I found my old enemy, however,” ‘* What! the man you tussled with on the stair?” ** Yes,” ‘Was he on the trail like yourself?” ‘‘ He was prowling around the station-house that holds Captain Pygmy; but he can’t get the captain out, The trap operated by the police seldom releases any one—especially one Jike the dwarf. I wanted to lay hands on the spy, but I let him get away, seeing that I could not afford to give him anotber bout for the mastery,” The two men waited a long time for Captain Cinnabar, but he did not come. At length they left a message in an empty wine-bottle in the sideboard, and left the house together. he afternoon was drawing to a close, and where the sunlight had lately fallen the length- ening shadows of twilight were lying once more, Xerxes and Monte did not know that almost from the very moment of their departure from the house, a pair of eyes had observed their movements, nor did they dream that the nimble feet of their tireless pursuer were keeping pace with theirs, They crossed Broadway, and halted in front of a pawn-shop, above whose door floated the three goiden balls of barter and trade. Xerxes went inside and left Monte on the watch. His figure, tall and agile like a cat’s, was at once pounced upon by the Jew-faced proprietor of the shop, Xerxes went straight to the counter and Jeaned over it. Then diving his hand beneath his shirt, he jerked at something there, and drew forth a buckskin bag, from which he took a magnificent watch, whose outer case was set with diamonds, The eyes of the pawnbroker glittered; they looked first at the watch and then at the man, Xerxes smiled. ‘* Pll take a couple hundred on tbat, Levi,” said he, ‘‘ ‘You have never had it in your hands before because I have never entered your shop till now. Shall it be two hundred?” The Jew—like all his class—was disposed to cavil for a better bargain when the great brown hand of Xerxes swooped down upon the pro- perty. This brought the old fellow to terms, the two hundred dollars were paid over, the article pro- perly ticketed, and Xerxes, with money and re- ceipt, went back to Monte, ** It’s left my hands at last, and I’ve got rid of a bothersome secret and a troublesome piece of property,” laughed he, and then he counted the money as they walked along. ‘* Here is one-half, Monte,” he resumed hand- ing bis companicn a number of bills, ‘ This is our share of Colonel Nero’s millions. Captain Cinnabar can bave the rest and welcome.” ‘Then you are in earnest?” asked Monte. ‘“*T am! The woman is too much forus, I know who she is, There isn’t the slightest doubt of it now.” “* Well, who is she, Xerxes?” ‘““The woman whom [ followed through the cactus country with a noose years ago. I was one of Colonel Nero’s executioners then, and so were you, Monte, But I was given a special mission that time. We had barely gotten rid of Queen Leo, the colonel’s wife, when the other woman came to play smash with his plans. Well, I thought I had left her to perish in the land of wolf and vulture, and on a dead horse at that. Heaven knows who befriended her, but now her hand, armed as never a hand was armed before, comes between us and the Ray- mont bonanza. I quit the game, The watch which I left with Levi was bers, I’ve kept it till the hour of need. It will never be redeemed of course for here goes the ticket,” The next moment Xerxes held the pawn-ticket between finger and thumb, and then he tore it to pieces before Monte’s eyes. “They'll trip the captain.” he went. on. “Lady Panther isagainst him, Javert the sleuth has sworn to break his web, and between these parties*-with the police to help one and magic and vengeance to arm the otuer, be cannot suc- ceed.” | ‘*T see the odds, Xerxes,” answered Monte. ‘* But he is the old captain, and our oath—” ‘‘ Better break it and live than keep it and erish!” was the interruption. _ Monte, still clutching the bills, gave his com- ‘panion a look of hesitation. He halted between loyalty and desertion. ‘** Tf the captain should win we'd! be princes,” he rejoined. h ‘Yes. If he Joses we’ll be worse than flies in a web, Take your choice, Monte.” Ree ee eee ence eee eee ee ee Se ee a ee ee eS ee ee ee ! | ‘“‘ Away from the shadow of that accursed woman!” he cried, ‘¢ But she will follow.” ‘Then wherever she finds me we will be equal! It will be where there are canyons and gold mines, and where one can whirl a lasso without striking a building that almost touches the sky,” ‘* Xerxes, I shall let the captain make another et He is certainly equal to Javert and Lady anther,” ‘““Stay and see!” laughed Xerxes, taking Monte’s hand. ‘‘Keep your lips sealed about me when you see Captain Cinnabar. Remem- ber, you know nothing.” ‘*T will not forget, Xerxes,” The following moment the men had parted and Monte stopping on a corner watched the figure of his old pard till it vanished. Then he turned back and stopped at the spot where Xerxes had torn up the pawn ticket. His eyes scrutinized the sidewalk all around, 4a not a single piece of the ticket could he nd, ‘* Pshaw! why didn’t I ask him to give it to me?” he cried. ‘‘I expect to get out of the game all right if I did just feel the fingers of the witch of two shores, Captain Cinnabar and [ will strike swift and hard now. He must throttle two and threaten one, And I will stand by him to the end.” Barely had Monte ceased when ke felt the touch of a band in a manner he did not relish, Ashe turned he was touched on the other wrist, and as his hands were sea et together suddenly something cold touched his skin an his ears caught a sharp click, He had been dextrously n.anacled, and when he drew back with a grated curse, he saw be- fore him the handsome figure and the keen ex- ulting eyes of Javert, the Broadway Inde- pendent!” CHAPTER XXXVI, THE WEB’S SUCCESS. ‘* ARE you closing in?” was Monte’s first ejacu- lation. ‘*T want you, anyhow,” was the answer. ‘* Well, haven’t you secured me?” grinned the prisoner, Captain Cinnabar’s man cast another look at the sidewalk, but the pieces of the pawn ticket were not to be seen, and with Javert’s hand on his arm be walked away, inwardly cursing the luck which had brought him back to the place where the detective was lying in wait for the game, But Monta did not know that Javert had fol- lowed him from the very steps of Cinnabar’s house, nor that the pawn ticket had fallen into the sleuth’s hands, Meantime, Xerxes was far away, having wit- nessed none of the misfortunes which had be- fallen his friend. Eager to get away from the vengeful magic of Zubiano, or Lady Panther, be had parted with the watch taken from his last victim in the Sierras, and with the money thus raised he hoped to escape, leaving Captain Cinnabar to play the game out, erxes, strong as he was, feared the woman who was against them, now that he bad discov- ered that she was General Raymont’s old enemy, when as the head of the famous Spider League of California, he was ruling with an iron hand and enriching himself at the same time, The account given by Captain Cinnabar and Monte of the horrors of the cone bomb, were enough to deter Xerxes from remaining longer in the play. He did not know what sort of magic Zubiano was mistress uf, and as she hated him with all the bitterness of hatred, she would keep back for him her most terrible agents of revenge. If he had known that Monte had fallen into the hands of Javert the trail hound, he would have turned back, and there might have been a dash at rescue and some hot work on the streets of Gotbam; but as he could know nothing of the occurrence he kept on fleeing from Zubiano and her bombs, ‘* Here! which way like a rocket?” demanded a voice, as a hand touched his arm. Xerxes stopped and then gave utterance to a cry of astonishment, He had been halted by the last man he want- ed to see just then— Captain Cinnabar. Five minutes more and he would bave been out of reach, Now he gnashed his teeth when he thought of it—he was to be dragged back into the web of fate! Xerxes said that he was on anerrand con- nected with the game for Raymont’s bonanza, but it did not loosen Cinnahar’s prip. ** Come back with me, and let the trail go,” answered the Californian. ** Back to the house?” z3 Yes,” Xerxes went back sullen and almost silent. To be checked on the very threshold of safe- The two men looked one another firmly in the | ty was too exasperating, ace, ‘* Where will at last. Captain Cinnabar said nothing about the you go, Xerxes?” Monte asked | game till he bad locked the door behind them. Xerxes wondered if he knew that Zubiano had Jack Javert, the Independent Detective. —— | at ae. a Ri) — come out of the struggle with him with her life? Had he seen the pantheress of the Sierras since his visit to the house on Y—— street? Captain Cinnabar stopped at the table, and looked down upon his man, ‘*¢ T want to tell you that the game is won,” Xerxes almost bounded from the chair {nto which he bad dropped, ready to hear a sentence of death or 1ts equivalent. ‘Won? And here he was running from the field, cowardly deserting the prize which had just fallen into their hands, He saw that Captain Cinnabar spoke with a confidence which could pot be misconstrued. The game wes won sure enough, but what card had been thrown? Xerxes fairly held his breath in his eagerness to hear more, ‘*Pve thrown all our het is but one, Xer- xes,” continued the Spider. ‘In the first place I have robbed the sleuth.” ** Javert?” ‘‘Javert. I have found the child.” ‘¢ "Which is the prize called Lucy?” ‘* Lucy, the duughter of General Raymont and Juliette, born years after their war in Califor- nia, and here in New York,” ‘‘ Then; indeed, captain, you have been very successful.” Cinnabar let a smile settle over his brown ace, ‘¢ With the gir) in my hands the play would not be won unless [ had made another ten strike. I have just come from Nora’s,” ‘* For the second time?” ‘¢'Yes. This time I did not leave her in a dead faint atthe foot of a door. She knew it was not the time for an exhibition of that sort. I was even politely received as a man always is who holds winning band, I threw my bomb —politely, Xerxes, if I may use tLe term—and I won.” ‘*¢ Does she divide?” exclaimed Xerxes, ‘* No, my boy, we get it all.” Complete surprise took possession of Xerxes, ‘¢ All, Captain Cinnabar?” he managed to say. ‘*Do you mean the two millions of Colonel Nero’s estate¢” **T do and Nora into the bargain, for without the one we might not be able to enjoy the other.” ‘Captain, you take my breath. This is the biggest game we ever played. Two millions! e can afford to retire. But the sleuth still holds tbe trail,” ‘* His hand is empty. He is no longer Nora’s detective. His dismissal is ready and as Cap- tain Pygniy bas just done us the good fortune to die—” ‘‘ What! raally die?’ cried Xerxes, ‘‘ Are you sure the dwarf lizard is not shamming?” ‘* Not this time, Xerxes. They found him dead in his cell less than two hours ago, and ie may be sure that after what the police now of his tricks they are not to be fooled hy another, The little captain who was playing for himself is dead enough for the resurrection this time. To-night at nine o’clock, Xerxes, you will appear at Nora’s house, gotten up in even- ing dress, for you are to witness a quiet little ceremony which secures the millions of our old chief. Don’t you understand ?” ° Xerxes left his chair and stared at Captain Cinnabar. ‘You don’t meap that you are going to marry Nora Raymont?” be exclaimed. Captain Cinnabar broke into a laugh. ‘‘T mean nothing else!” said he. ‘*Great Jehosaphat!” leaped from Xerxes’s throat. ‘‘I knew you had a powerful ‘band’ in reserve—that is you always said you had; but I never thought it was capable of winning the iri,” ‘““Ah! I knew it all the time,” answered the Californian, quietly, but in tones of victory. ‘Young ladies don’t like fcr certain secrets to get out into society. [had cne of that kind for Nora.’ ; ‘¢ And you threstened to give it to the world?” ‘“'That was all, Xerxes,” smiled Cinnabar. *‘ [ merely threatened to produce Nora’s mother. That was enough,” ‘¢ When did you find her?” ‘‘ Oh, let me keep that,” was the reply. ‘* Now that the game has been won let me bave one secret left. I knew my threat would fetch the girl to terms, though she indignantly rejected my proposition on the occasion of my former visit, With the prize thus secured, with Lucy out of the way, with Captein Pygmy actually dead and Javert harmless, we ought to take something, eh, Xerxes?” Captain Cinnabar moved acrors the rocm_to- ward the sideboard, but the voice of his right bower arrested hia. “You've forgotten one, captain.” said he, Cinnatar turned and Jooked at Xerxes, “ Ah! I did not mention the witch of two shores,” he laughed, ‘‘ Well, weare shut of her infernal magic at last, and Nora will not feel ber merciless hand.” ; ‘““T don’t know,” retorted Xerxes, with a shake of the head. ‘‘I think one of your trumps failed.” : His look and his words brought Captain Cin- nabar forward. “ il look GOmMmiGcvee Cc (@) ‘‘ Failed, Xerxes?” he exclaimed, KS