Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 532 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

Jack Javert, the Independent Detective. ee ee ee 27 like you’ve got a thunderbolt in reserve, Out with it!” ‘* Well, Zubiano has been in this house to-day.” The California spider drew back as if a viper had touched bis hand at the edge of the table. *“‘ Zuviano, the dead witch?’ he cried, ‘* Im- possible!” Xerxes did not move. **She was here witu ucr iafamous cone,” he replied, 6 Did you see her?” ‘¢ No; but Monte did.” ‘*'W here is Monte?” ‘*T don’t know.” Captain Cinnabar was seen to breathe hard, ‘*It could uot bave been some one else—the maid, for instance?” he queried, ‘*There were two, ne held Monte in his chair, while the other launched the cone.” ‘* It was the sorceress!” The Californian spoke through clinched teeth, and Xerxes saw the mad glitter of his eyes, ‘* W on’t her continued existence interfere with the ceremony to-night?” he ventured, ‘* No!” cried Captain Cinnabar. ‘‘ Nothing will interfere. My hand is on the millions of Colonel Nero, and by nine o’clock there will be no Zubiano, this time for certain, Xerxes, See that your toilet is faultless, and post Monte if you see him first. Remember! though by some means Satan helped his witch in the Y—— street house, to-night the king of Tartarua will have no black-eyed witch to beat us out of the catch of the web!’ CHAPTER XXXVII. THE DWAREF’S LAST ‘* TRICK,” WaEN Monte found himself in Javert’s grip with manacles of steel which he could not break on ais wrists, he wished for a second in his chagrin that Zubiano’s magic cone had accomplished its sy a in Captain Cinnabar’s house, @ played the role cf the sullen skulking tiger when he was turned over to the police and saw written against his name the accusation of ‘* con- spiracy.” ‘* Wall, there’s one chance,” said he when he had been left to himself in the cell. ‘* Xerxes has fled and the Broadway is apt to find Cap- tain Cinnabar more taan his match, and they don’t try Spar pelea separately in American courts, So I guess it isn’t so bad after all, though I would rather not be bere just now,” It happened that Monte had been taken to the same police station that held Captain Pygmy, and when Javert had departed the lieutenant in charge had the dwarf escorted to Monte’s cell by the turnkey. The little schemer fell back when he caught Monte’s eye, and. then with a devilish chuckle of satisfaction he turaed toward the officer, ‘* Did you get the other two?” he asked, *¢ What other two?” ‘¢ Xerxes and Captain Cinnabar.” ‘¢ What is that one’s name?” ** Monte.” ** You know him then!” ** Well, don’t [?” and the eyes of the little wit- ness seemed to snap. ‘‘ We've all been playing for the same stakes—General Raymont’s money, What does he say?—that he isn’t Monte the man from Camp Satan in tke Sierras?” ** He doesn’t talk,” replied the lieutenant, ‘* No?” said Captain Pygmy going up to the bars against which Monte leaned with bis eye- balls full of tigerish fire as they glared at the dwarf, ‘‘ Look here, Monte, do you want me to give the officer a chapter or two from your life and the captain’s? I guess I’m the man to do it, ha, ba! I know—” ‘A hand shot out through one of the square openings like a stone launched from a catapult. The dwarf recoiled, but too late, for the bronze fingers had him by the throat and he was jerked forward as an agonizing cry flew from his throat. It was a moment of excitement and confusion in the narrow corridor, The writhing captive of the clutch could of- fer but a futile resistance, and his face began to grow black. He had already passed the point of articulat- ing a single word. Phe two witnesses of the attack were paral- ized for a moment, but they soon flew to Cap- tain Pygmy’s rescue. Monte was disposed to choke the common enemy to death then and there, but he was struck so heavily on the arm, that he loosened his grasp at last and the dwarf dropped out of bis hand like one dead, ooh sigh Pygmy was taken to his cell and re- vived. _ He confessed that he had had a narrow escape and declared that he would live to get even with the spider trio of New York. But half an hour later when the wa'‘ch went back to the captain’s quarters to sse if he was comfortable, he found the little figure huddled in on2 corner and motionless, They rolled him over and saw the ghastly stare in the wide-open eyes. “His old trick!” laughed the young Jieuten- ant, but when the police surgeon came he pro- nouncad the captain dead, and dead he was be- ond the power of science to fetch nim back to e. This is how Captain Pygmy was found dead in his cell, but as Cinnabar had not heard of the fight in the corridor, he could not tell Xerxes that Monte’s hand had helped the dwarf out of the world. ‘* Dead?” echoed Monte down in the depths of his heart when he was told the news. ‘* There’s one tongue silenced anyhow; and it was a dangerous tongue, too,” Captain Pygmy was taken from the cell to the dead ward, and the day wore on, Xerxes acted upon Captain Cinnabar’s sug- gestion and invested in a new suit with kids that threatened to rip when he drew them over his big brown hands. He thought no more now of flight and was sorry that he had destroyed the pawn ticket. While he was abroad he kept on the lookout for Javert and Zubiano, He did not expect to meet the witch but he had hopesof being able to run down the only man whom he feared. As to Javert, he had already discovered that some one had found his protegee Lucy. He knew that the little girl had not gone off on her own account, and that Captain Pygmy from whom he had once rescued her had not turn- ed the tabl.s on him, ‘* No,” said he, when he thoqght these thirgs over in the empty room, ‘' This is not the dwarf’s work. A pair of eyes just as keen as his found her out, and I must find the Spiders to find Lucey.” He went out and down the street. Since giving up the Broadway office in which he had thought out more than one maze of crime, he had taken up other quarters in a more secluded place and under another name, He went straight to the new room. ‘* [ must think a few minutes while the play moves on,” the detective said. ‘To-morrow [ was to take Lucy to Nora and make the secret plain. But Captain Cinnabar, the California sport, has come between again, and the girl is in the web, I hold the evidence of Lucy’s identity, but it is worth nothing to me now. Nora is troubled over Captain Cinnabar’s threat, and is almost willing to give up the fight, Nixon, her lawyer lover, is afraid to move on account of the secret the Spider threatens to divulge. [f have Monte, but he won’t talk, and Captain Fysmy, after playing dead a thousand times, is dead in reality. What’s to be done?’ Why, find Captain Cinna- bar and play a hand as bold as his own!” Javert sprung from his chair, and was half- way to the door when it opened, In an instant he was in the middle of the room looking at the unexpected visitor, who, with her bloodless hand on the knob as she held the door open, faced him with a smile at her mouth, ** Pardon me, Captain Javert, your quarr so seldom walks into your office that I think am entitled to some consideration,” said the woman. ‘‘ You know me, and let us say that that is introduction enough, What have you done with the papers you carried from my house while I was tied in my chair—the victim of Captain Cinnabar’s swoop? Have you taken any of them to the young lady?” ‘**She does not know I had them,” answered the detective who had recovered from his sur- ae at seeing the beautiful sorceress of Gotham efore bim. ‘*Tuke my thanks,” and Zubiano’s hand dis- appeared among the folds of her dress, ‘I have brought you the rest. You did not get all in your flight.” She held forth several packages which at once caught the detective’s eye, ‘The loosening of the cords at my neck by our hand saved my life,” she went on. ‘‘ You oreught me back to life though you krew it not —saved me for vengeance! For days or ever since the stroke which I have confessed, you have been on my trail, You have served Wars like a faithful servant. At the same time you served Juliette, but not well enough to prevent her from taking her own life. I am not goin to fly from your clutches, Captain Javert, am Zubiano, o1 Ximena, or Lady Panther or whom you will, I crossed the continent to strike those whom fate brought together in New York for my hand. The papersI have just given you tell the life history of Ximena, who, robbed first of her mine by the Spider League of California, was hunted down by order of Colonel Nero, af- terward'General Raymont of Gotham. You have already discovered that Lucy, Juliette’s child, is the heir to the Raymont millions; you know, if you have gone throuch the papers you took from my house that there isn’t a drop of Ray- mont blood in Nora’s veins. But open the top paper, Detective Javert, and read half-way down the page.” The detective turned to the package in his hands and took up the first paper, The sorceress of New York watched him close- ly while he read, Suddenly he stopped and looked at her, his eyes filled with wonder, ‘*Can this be true, woman?” he exclaimed, ‘* As [ stand in the sight of the great Judge!” cried the woman, lifting ber hand. “Did you fear that I would ¢o back and strike Nora as I struck Colonei Nero?” she quickly continued, ‘* Robbed as I always will believe I was of my : Shas a + *: sss ‘ ag A oe oe child by his orders, do you think I would not come to him some day with death and vengeance in my grasp? Now, Captain Javert, throw out our hand and drag your quarry to the bar of justice. Make yourself famous by finding the woman who left General Raymont dead in his library. You have found me! You find me still the sworn enemy of the Spider League. The web woven by Captain Cinnabar to catch two millions and blight the life of Nora Ray- mont, so called, still exists. Take me, and break the web by your own sbrewdness if you can, What do you say?’ The woman’s figure seemed to increase in stature as the last sentences followed each other swiftly over her lips, She fell back, and with her hand on the knob again looked over her shoulder at the detective. ‘*Do you find yourself in a dilemma?” she asked, with a smile. ‘* What! don’t you care to see Nora shrink from the arms of her mother because there is red on her hands? Well, per- haps you reason justly, Captain Javert, I leave the secret with you. I live at No. 91 S—— ave- nue at present. There [ am Mrs, Montague, with one maid, whom you have met. Here— ah! you know who I am here!” Another look crossed the space between Javert and the sorceress, and as he neither spoke nor went forward she opened the door and passed out, ‘‘She goes to the final struggle!” cried the detective, ‘‘If she finds Captain Cinuabar I may never recover Lucy, the heir of two mil- lions, I must stop this Jezebel of magic and vengeance,” He was out of the room before he bad finished ; he went down the stairs in three leaps, and on the sidewalk he almost ran against a man who caught his eye for a moment and was gone, ‘* Was he on the watch?’ Javert asked him- self, for the man he had seen, though somewhat altered in appearance, was the weaver of the web—Captain Cinnabar himself. CHAPTER XXXVIII. NINE O'CLOCK, JAVERT followed after the man thus met un- expectedly and recognized, but Captain Cinna- bar like Zubiano had vanished. ‘There is another chance,” murmured the detective, turning back. ‘ This trail must have anend. Lady Panther will reappear some time to-day as Mrs. Montague.” He went to the vicinity of the house on S—— avenue, it wasa handsome building with good surroundings, and the last one any person would have taken for the residence of a vengeful ad- venturess, He did not have to wait long, but the person — who walked up the broad steps was not tle sor- ceress but a man well dressed and evidently dis- guised, : The sleuth on the watch drew a little nearer. ‘* Hal the wolf in new clothing!” he ex- claimed, ‘‘ Captain Cinnabar is going to play another band,” A minute elapsed before his knock was an- swered, Javert beard him ask for Mrs. Mon- tague. ‘She is not in, sir,” was the reply and the door was shut in Cinnabar’s face, Growling and disappointed, the California spider came down the steps, and Javert followed him again, He took a well-filled car and the detective clung to the outside. He had resolved not to lose sight of the man he had found, Captain Cinnabar rodea ai mab through the growing dusk, and when he left the car he entered a building and disappeared in the open hallway. ’ The detective followed still. ‘¢Ho, here! What do you want?” said a wo- man’s voice inside, . The gentleman who has just entered,” he re- plied, 4 rf He has just gone to his daughter on the next oor. A thrill shot through Javert’s brain, He knew he had found Lucy. ** Then, P’}l not disturb him,” said he. ‘* You need not tell him that any one callej,” and he walked out, Half an hour later Captain Cinnabar came out of the house alone, The man on the watch there—the motionless figure under the trees a few yards from the door —let him depart unfollowed, ** Now,” said this watcher aloud, ‘*I will see what is in the nest,” He went back into the house and ran against the portress on the second floor. ‘‘ Back again?’ she exclaimed in ill humor, ‘What do you want now?” ‘*The room of the gentleman who has just left the house.” ee But—” ‘Come, woman!” interrupted Javert, ‘“‘Ilam a detective, and the man is a rascal, want to go to the station?’ ‘Heavens, no! This way, sir,” Javert was led down a long hall, and a door was vointed out to him, ‘** The key,” be said, holding out his hand, Do you © (ECO AM ‘* He took it away.” ebooks: — ee ae « a _ Pal a A . | 3