Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 574 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

at ~ - - - Zé -- _ P bet ae ae) 8 : ae Pe ‘ one eee ee 2 ~ or PS ep eee ED . ’ , * > ‘Ola Falcon’s Double. ' Opera,” you must know, she went on, *‘ when | suddenly that ruffian started from a doorway yonder—I was a little in the advance at the mo- | ment, by reason of the narrowness of the walk, | and he was doubtiess unaware of my being ac- | | the household of Madame d’Espigneau. companied—there was the flash of a blade, and he made a lunge at me, while muttering some- thing terrible between his teeth. ‘¢! swerved to one side, with a scream, just in time to save myself, Look at my lovely mantle, | ma’m’selle—hopelessly ruined, and newly pre- sented to me by monsieur, at that! sieur was upon him likearaging lion. Citel/ never before did I see the terrible, annihilating courage as displayed by monsieur at that fright- | _ o’'clock—disguised as the Abbe d’Hauteville, ful moment of contact when—” ** Nonsense!” interrupted Tidewell, coming under the light from bis search, with a laugh. ‘* T merely knocked the rascal down, and, as he fell, he let fly at me with the knife by some sort of trick that sent it straight out of his hand, like a bolt from a bow-gun. Then he was up and away. Here is the knife, I have just found it sticking in yonder dvor, and so deeply imbedded that it was with some difficulty I extracted it from the wood.” ¢ He held up the weapon as he spoke—a stiletto of the clasp or bowie-knife variety, particularly murderous-looking, and of rather unique pat- ern. * Pll take that, if you have no objection, my friend.” And, Tidewell being perfectly willing to sur- render it, the detective took the knife, and put it in his pocket, after a cursory examination. ** You say, my dear,” addressing. Florine, ** the fellow said something to you at the first moment of his attempt? What were his words?” **Ob, ma’m’selle! of course, you must have gues: his identity, which I recognized in a flash? It was that wicked Juan Borleo!” ‘*Ah! humph! of course! But what were the words?” ‘** These "—and Florine shuddered: ‘' ‘ This to your heart, Florine, on the old account! Juan Borleo never forgets!” . ‘Quite an adventure for you, to be sure. Good-night for the present now, and take care of yourselves,” he detective waited until the couple had fairly gained the brilliantly-lighted boulevard at the end of the little street, and then strode away, CHAPTER XLITI. THE TRAIL GROWING HOT. FALCONBRIDGE was at the Howland apart- ments, with his account of the adventure, at quite an early bour on the following morning. In fact, Eleanor bad not quite finished her coffee in the pretty little breakfast-room of the suite, and Charles and Hugh were just begin- ning to look into the newsless French newspa- pers which had been laid before them, ‘* Here is the knife,” said the detective, after creating his first sensation by a terse recital of the incident, and he held up the stiletto un- clasped. ‘* Does any one of you chance to re- cognize the pattern?’ Eleanor nodded, after pushing back her cup, while ker husband and Cousin Hugh eyed the weapon more curiously, ; ** John Burley, otherwise Juan Borleo, must have a good supply of this pattern of cutlery,” observed the detective, for their especial enlight- enment, ‘‘ It is the companion to the knife that was found buried in Joseph Razzio’s breast, I had the privilege of inspecting that one at the Prefecture the other day.” * But favaip 5 to be encouraging, after all, major,” cried Hugh. ‘‘ You say you saw the villain disappear in Madame d’Espigneau’s court-yard?” «sé Yes,” ‘‘ Why, then we’ve got sure track of him at jast—are already bot on his heels!” ‘‘ And here is another witness that will help send him to the guillotine!” After saying which, the detective once more put the knife out of sight; and then, by way of an agreeable diversion, he related how he, the detective, had passed current as merely the de- tective’s Double, with both Florine and her betrotbed. ‘**T don’t wonder at it,” cried Eleanor, laugh- ing, ‘‘for she still imagines me to be in the counterfeiting business on occasion, and all of us here have discreetly kept our own counsel thus far as to the real state of the case.” - *Nobharm will be done by leaving things as they are for the present,” said conbridge ; **though naturally,” with a half-smile, ‘‘ it might place me in a delicate situation with Miss Florine.” eee ‘‘- You will doubtless see little more of her be- fore there is no longer any need of the decep- tion,” observed Howland. ‘‘But now do you think Burley to be cornered in Madame d’Epig- neau's hotel?” | | ‘‘- Yes: but Iam waiting for a chance to hear what my little friend, Tommy Dodd, may have to report. You see—” Here he was interrupted by a light, swift step on the main staircase without, and, holding up a finger, bent his ear to listen. - -* Ah, I was sure of it,” he said. +3 il Then mon- | a J a : : : ;* ‘ F : «f ra / ni ‘ “yf ._ Ls i aves - * : ia ; - o E Ls “Tr? mae e 2S —_* ' Then, after a light, preliminary knock, the door opened, and Tommy Dodd himself was before them. He had received intimation of the Howlands’ change of residence before taking up his part in Tommy was looking flustered and out of breatb, but his general appearance was a success, He was in his London tiger’s costume, and looked like a toy man just out of a bandbox, ‘**Our man’s iu the hotel!” he burst out, irre- spective of the company present, as soon as he could get his breath. ‘* But he will quit it for the Belgian frontier one hour hence—at ten madame’s confessor, But beware of some hood- winking trick of madame’s. Thatisall. Must hurry back, or I sball be missed. Boss, ’m your daisy!” With that, he was gone as abruptly as he had entered, ‘‘It was enough,” said Falconbridge, rising. ‘** No time is to be lost. Mrs. Howland?’ with a look of hesitating inquiry. Eleanor had also risen, ‘*] hate to ask it, knowing your dislike for the dodge, but—” ‘“*] know what you would say,” with a sub- missive gesture. ‘‘I must again be vour Double?” He bowed, ‘*But for once more—the very last time, I trust, Ifa duplication should be attempted on their part, | really see no other way.” ‘* Say no more, my friend.” She disappeared, nervously swishing back the train of her exquisite white morning wrapper, snowily lace-trimmed and delicately striped with lace insertions, as she did so; and, in a surpris- ingly short space of time, with everything con- sidered, she reappeared in her counterfeit pre- sentment, complete, The real Falconbridge nodded his approval, while both Howland and Spender gave a sur- prising start at the fidelity of the imitation on being subjected before their eyes to this most difficult and practical test of comparison, Even the prior slight differences of costume had been amended, and though the real detective was somewhat the browner and more careworn of the pein by reason of his recant sun-baking in the Syrian deserts, this variation only made itself apparent upon the closest critical com- parison. ‘* Listen, my friends,” said Falconbridge. “We will take it for granted that the Belgium frontier is our fugitive’s hoped-for destination, as ie feb because it is the easiest attainable. ‘*T know the Abbe d@’Hauteville, madame’s confessor, by sight. He is an old and courtly gallant of the old regime, whose babit and facial characteristics could be readily duplicated by an expert, such as Burley may have proved himself to be by this time, and he is, moreover, a creature of the countess’s money and influ- ence. “TI apprehended that our, or rather my, watchfulness is feared, and that an attempt will be made to embarrass this by two departures from the hotel, closely following each other; the one being that of the bona fide abbe him- self, the other his counterfeit, who will be our fugitive; though there is no telling which will take the lead. ‘** Now, there are two railways, with stations adjoining each other, by which the Belgian fron- tier may be reached with about equal facility, or but little difference in that regard, These are the North Railway, and the Strasbourg Railway, which, with the former by a branch at Artois, five miles beyond the fortifications. Thereafter the main lines run parallel with each other, at about three miles apart, as far as M——, ten miles further out, in the vicinity of which point each has its M——station. After that they diverge, the Strasbourg line making a grand sweeping curve fcr the southeast, while en North keeps on direct for the Belgian fron- er. ; ‘* Now, in order to complete the game of con- fusion, one abbe will take one route, the other Smad the real one, or his counterfeit) the other. ‘* But the fact of there being two Falcon- bridges, no less than two Abbe d’Hautvilles, in the fleld is notamong the otherwise shrewd cal- culations of our Creole rascal, I am certain. ‘*{ shall first take my watch at the entrance of the hotel, with a carriage in readiness; while you, my dear Monsieur Double, must conceal yourself in the deep door of an old-fashioned house directly opposite—which I bave noticed to be vacant—also with a carriage at call. ‘*] wish you to take up after the real abbe, if possible. Therefore, if you should receive my sigual to that effect, you will follow the first of the pair that appears; while if J shadow him, you of course will attend to the duplicate who may follow.” CHAPTER XLIV. DOUBLES AGAINST DOUBLES, As the Falcon Detective came to a slight pause in this extraordinary map -out of ac- tion in the presumptive dsation, » two gen- —_a oe — 7 ‘ ~ ’ evpf rsh, . > =. ’ s PS a 1 RAR ect. a a% 4 Al Ti = & * + e * & > - - * 4 25 tlemen looked at him in simple amazement, while Eleanor, her enthusiasm once more warm- ing to the exciting work but so recently relin- arg smiled and nodded her sympathetic ap- oroval. ee Major,” she cried, ‘‘I don’t see how I ever found the temerity to merely attempt your re- production, with nothing but my poor brain to support it, The giant’s robe again, as a matter of course. But how long are we to follow our respective abbes, real or counterfeit as the case may be, and what is to ensue?” ‘1 was just coming to that,” continued Fal- conbridge, who then continued: ‘‘We must discover the value of our respective charges— enuineness, you understand—before reaching ——, and either make the arrest, or so excite their apprehensions, as the case may be, as to compel a desertion of the trains, on their part, at that point. The two stations are a mile apart, and separated by a broken and wooded country, but they are in telegraphic communi- cation. ‘* Now, upon your arriving at M—--, should you find that my judgment is at fault, and that your abbe is the false one, but the real criminal, you will, after first inducing him to flee from the train, at once communicate the fact to me at the other station, after which you can keep your man in sight, or follow him into the forest, which wil] naturally be his first seeking for con- cealment. But l would not have you attempt to cope with him single-handed.” ** Eleanor must not think of such a thing!” in- terposed Charles Howland, excitedly. ‘‘ Can we forget the Corsican’s fate? And only to think of her being confronted by John Burley when fairly brought to bay!” ‘* That has been provided for,” replied Falcon- bridge. 4‘‘ I was about to suggest that both you entlemen be on the lookout, so as to take Mrs. owland’s train, whichever one it may prove to be, as far asM——. That is all, I believe,” He looked at his watch, ‘* We have but half an hour in which to dispose ourselves.” ‘* Wait, please,” said Eleanor. ‘‘Suppos quarry should prove to be the real abbe?” *“ You will then pay no further attention to him, but merely await a dispatch from me at your M@—— Station.” ‘* And in case your quarry should prove the disguised criminal himself?” ‘*Oh!” indifferently, and abruptly rising; “that is to be hoped, of course, and would re- duce the entire complication to simplicity. I shall have him braceleted before he can make up his mind whether he isin France or Belgium. oe come; no more time is to be consumed in talk. Twenty minutes or so later on, Eleanor found herself installed in the doorway of the empty house alluded to. Her bired coach was just around a street corner, in full view, however, from the windows of the countess’s residence, directly opposite, though she was satisfied that she had effected her concealment without at- tracting attention therefrom. A little further along the boulevard was an- other coach in waiting, and near it stood Fal- conbridge, interestedly watching the entrance, and without the least attempt at concealment, The hotel, or city residence, of Madame (’Espigneau, was a lofty, narrow-windowed and rather gloomy four-storied brick bnilding, with a sort of courtyard at the rear—to which access was obtainable by the narrow side street, at whose corner the edifice stood (and the same in which Florine had so narrowly escaped the murderous ‘attempt of the preceding night)— and wbose ground floor was entirely taken up by the wide arched entrance, or porte cochere, with its prison-like grating, and the concierge’s little windowed den to one side of it, Though secretly excited as she bad tage; ever been before in her assumption of her diffi- cult masquerade (for she felt that she was now for the’ first time in action under the somber, critical gaze of ber falcon-eyed original bimself,) e my Eleanor preserved ber outward calm and non- | chalance, and kept constantly on the alert, the facade of the opposite hotel and Falconbridge’s person dividing her attention. At last it was within a minute or two of ten o'clock, Prompt to the moment the gate of the porte cochere swung back, the concierge, followed by Louis, the secretary, and Felix, the old valet, made his appearance, standing back with ob- sequious expectancy, and, as a close coach, drawn by spirited horses, came rolling out from under the deep, tunnel-like arch, a venerable and priestly figure slowly ste into view. Ata sign from the concierg to a pause at the foot of stone steps under the arch, and, as the door was reverently opened for him, the priest moved slowly forward to enter. : As be did so, however, his glance, apparently _ upon the seemingly for the first time, alighted indifferent Falconbridge He gtarted slightly, fumbled in his vestment, _ as if with the pretext of thing, and, with a having f esture of which was also probably accompanied by some — words to the attendants, withdrew. = | Almost instantly, however, he reappeared—or __ bs | | ‘ha Is | nicpoo the coach came ss - ae! ) ve ry el a > \ ny - * gt balet . ine \. aa ? A+. “- a pg y belt he Pr tr Aa