Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 580 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

. J 4 way to-night, 4 - . * ? - maintained the banker. **T have some disclosures to make to you, and require your help in awork I have taken in hand,” ‘* Very well, sir, lam at your service. We will go right into the rear room here,” The doctor led the way, and they were soon closeted in the rear room with the two skeletons and the several skulls. ‘*Now you may talk freely, sir,” the doctor observed, as both took seats, “That is what [ want to do,” declared Mr. Blackwall, ‘‘and thatis what I must do. Pay attention to me.” ‘*T am all attention, sir.” “Very good. From my clerk Griffié I bave been able to learn about everything, that has taken place during my absence, so far As he has any knowledge of events,” ** Of course, sir.” ‘* Let your mind go back to the day after Mr. Parmilye’s death. His daughter went to the bank to get money. You followed her with the intention of rendering her some financial assist- ance, if she would accept it. She bad just got money from Griffit, and so you were too late,” ‘‘ Yes, sir, that is all straight and true,” the doctor owned, ‘Well, do you remember a man who was in the office at that time?’ ‘*T remember him perfectly well, sir. Miss Parmilye® gave us a passing introduction, It seems he had rendered her some sort of service omthe previous night. He said his name was Kinworth.” ne see nl so, That is all you know about him, e “* That is all, sir.” ‘Then I can tell you something more. His full name is Prentiss Kinworth, and he is a member of the Kinworth Detective Agency of San Francisco.” The dark-visaged doctor’s face took on a dirty- pale hue for a moment, and he gasped: ‘‘ A detective!” ‘* Yes, sir, a detective,” the banker assured; “and I am free to tell youaslI said to Griffit, that I would rather have the Pinkertons after me, were I guilty of any crime, than that Pacific Slope lynx.” = ‘** Ha, ha, ha!” the doctor laughed, ‘‘ that isa good one, I must declare, If you ‘ were guilty of any crime.’ Ha, ha, ha!” ‘Would you insinuate that I am guilty of anything?” ** Ob, no, sir; not for the world! Our little scheme, with Parmilye to help us, to swindle in- surance companies out of close on to a hundred thousand dollars is 2 mere nothing.” ‘**Sh! Do not breathe those words again! If they were overheard, ruin wouid be hurled upon us in no time.” ~ * Right you.are; but, they will not be over- heard, No fear to speak here, sir, in the tones we are employing now. But, what about the case? What does the detective want?” “Tf he gets what be wants, Gonsalvo, it will force us to the wall with nothing to defend our- selves witb. He is hot on the trail of Parmilye.” ** The deuce h» is!” ** Yes, he is. You remember I told you some- thing of Par-.ailye’s past, do you not, doctor?” ** Perfectly well, sir.” ‘* Well, the ghosts of twenty-seven years ago are coming up. This de ve had been em- ployed by some one to learn all about Henry Abington and his wife, and to find out what be- came of their children.” ‘*Is he likely to learn anything? Parmilye is now dead, and it is not very probable that any oné else will tell him anything.” ‘“*[ fear that he has already learned too much,” the banker responded. ‘‘ He got hold of riffit, and, as he expresses it, wormed him: that is to say, he drew out of him about every- thing of importance that he was able to tell, _ Once let him get on the track of Parmilye, and it will be warm work for us,” The doctor smiled, ** Do not Jet such a trifle worry you,” he said. ** | am not into this game on the losing side, you can set that down asa fact, We will keep our — eyes on Mr. Detective, and if he goes to smelling around too near, we— Well, it won’t be healthy for him, that is all.” ‘“*Tt is unsafe to have him around at all,” ** Let him get an ink- ling of this insurance scheme, and it will be all up with us,” — ‘* Don’t let him get the inkling, that is the _best advice that I can give you.” ‘* But badn’t we better take —e to get him out of the city as soon as we can ** How would you go to work to do that?” ** Put him on a false scent, for instance.” . “Tt might be done, but I don’t see how just y the way, where is be stopping? It might be well for me to have a chance meeting 4 pee finn, and follow up the introduction I have ‘ et Hotel.” I think I will drop around that Be assured of one thing, Mr, Blackwall, and that is this: While I bave in a measure made light of this, I am in deadly earnest, and if I find that there is danger of ex- posure, this detective shall die!” 5 “He is at the “ Very ¥ \ Shadowing a Shadow. As he said this the doctor leaned over toward ! | his companion, and his face took on an expres- sion that was truly demoniacal. CHAPTER XV. KINWORTH FORMS ACQUAINTANCES, It was about half-past nine, and Detective Kinworth was seated in the smoking-room of the hotel. The case, so far, for him, had been one of the mildest sort. But he had not looked for anything else. What was there in it to give it the element of excitement? Surely nothing, so far as he could see. . Tbat he had had no thought of danger has been plainly shown in the fact that on coming to the hotel he had registered his true name and address. Had the case been looked upon asa dangerous one, he would never have done that, He had looked upon it asa plain affair, though it might prove to be rather difficult. But now, with the success he had already met with, he looked forward to plain sailing as soon as Mrs, Milburn should arrive, He had not been idle. He had looked up per- sons who had kaown Mr, Whitford and his daughter, and his conclusions in regard to the matter had been confirmed, He had proven the truth of what he had learned from Griffit. From some parties he had learned where Mr. and Mrs, Abington had lived during their time in New York. He had been to the place, and was anx- ious now to take Mrs, Milburn there when she should arrive. He had learned something of their married life, It was true that they had had twe children, one a boy and the other a girl. About a year after the death of Mr. Whitford the family went away, and no one could tell anything further about them, There had been living with thema middle-aged woman, Her name could not be ascertained, nor anything about her. Two persons he could not get out of his mind, and those were Griffit, the head clerk in the Blackwell, Parmilye & Co, establishment, and the head partner in the firm, Mr. Blackwall. He felt that Griffit knew more than he had told, and the fact that Mr. Biackwall’s name was Man- cred made bim interested in him. He was seated in the smoking-room, as stated, payinoz but idle attention to those around him, when the entrance of a certain person caused him to brighten up and be more observant. The person who had come in was Dr, Gon- salvo. He walked idly and leisurely down the room spoke to one or two men as he d them, an ea ag on to the adjoining room and to the ar, He paused there, ordered a fancy drink, and as be sipped it he looked around in a leisurely manner at those present. Kinworth could see him from where he sat, He was seated in a direct line with the bar through the arcade. Presently the doctor looked in his direction, their eyes met, and the doctor gave a smile and nod of recognition. Kinworth responded, and the doctor dashed off the little that remained in his glass and passed out to where the detective sat. ** We meet again, it seems,” he observed. ‘* Yes, so we do,” the detective responded, and he moved his chair a little to offer an invita- tion to the doctor to occupy one that was vear m. The doctor sat down. ‘“f fancy there is no reason why we should not become better acquainted,” the doctor re- marked, ‘‘ since we are introduced by so fair a lady. Will you allow me to thank you for the oerred you rendered to Miss Parmilye the other night?’ m It does not deserve any ial thanks that I know of,” avswered the detective, “‘ but if there is any reason why you feel called upon to thank me, why go ahead.” ‘There is such a reason. I hold Miss Par- milye as good as affianced to me, I learned from her the nature of the service you rendered her, and you bave my hearty and well-meant thanks,” ‘* Say no more about it,” said the detective. ‘* By the way, will you not step up and take something at my expense?” the doctor invited. “‘T thank you, but I never drink,” Kinworth excused himself, ‘“ Well, here, then,’ take a cigar; I see you smoke, and you can throwaway that stump and try a fresh one.” ‘*T cannot find any excuse against that,” re- joined the detective, ‘‘so I will take one and smoke with you;” and he took one from the proffered case, threw his own away and lighted anew, ‘‘ You remember my name, do you not?” the doctor asked, casually. ‘Oh, yes; you are Doctor Gonda Gonsalvo. Have you foérgotten mine, the reason you ask that? Mine is—” “ Kinworth,.” “* Right, sir; Prentiss Kinworth.” ‘“You are stopping here during your stay in town, Mr. Kinworth?” “ Yes,” ** Will it be out of place if Linquire where you are from?’ ‘* Not in the least, sir, that I am aware of; I am from California,” ‘* Indeed! That being the case, you are quite a distance from home. Ever been here betore, if I may ask?” ‘* Ob, yes, | have been here before,” Kinworth answered, ‘‘ but not very recently. Iam not un- acquainted with Gotham,” ‘“*[ thought perhaps you might show you around a little. elephant here of no mean size, you know.” ‘*T.am well aware of that,” Kinworth laugh- ingly acknowledged. “1 bave seen something of him.” ‘* How, would you like to dropin at some o! the clubs? Or at some of the many palaces where Queen Fortune holds sway?” ‘‘T have no objections, if you desire,” ‘‘ Well, come along then. Iam known at most of them, that is those of any reputation; and can see you through.” ** Thank you. a pleasant hour.” 7 ‘We will goup to the Danaé, the queen of gaming-houses, if you have no objections.” ‘‘T have none whatever; lead onand I will follow thee.” They left the hotel, and set out together for another quarter of the city. In saying that the ‘‘ Danaé” was the queen of gaming-houses, the doctor was right. It held second place to none in the mighty city, ‘‘ Danaé’s Donjon” it was named in full, but it had come to be called simply ‘‘ the Danaé,.” When the doctor and the detective arrived there they had no trouble in getting in, for the doctor was known, and he vouched for his ccm- panion, Outside, there was nothing about the house to betray the ckaracter of its interior. It wasa brown-stone front, was situated on one of the fashionable thoroughfares in an aristocratic part of the city, and looked like any of the many hand- We may be able to while away some palaces of which Gotbam can boast of as residences. were, and that [ . We havean ’ / > The outer doors were open, a light was in the hall, and lights were to be seen in the parlors, which were splendidly furnished, A colored man-servant in livery came to the door, the doctor inquired for a certain fictitious personage, said a few words in a low tone, and no further trouble was met with. Up the grand stairway the doctor went, Kin- worth following, and at the top he turned along the hall to a door near the front, There he rapped, and after.a wicket had been pushed aside to learn who was at hand, the door was thrown open and they were admitted into the great salon. A more richly and handsomely furnished room itis hard to imagine. It is almost useless to try to describe it. The floor was covered with acarpet of the thickest and softest sort, into which the feet sunk without a sound; the walls were hung with the heaviest of gold-embossed paper; handsome paintings and massive mirrors were on every hand, and the furniture proper coule not be surpassed. The room was long and wide, and was fitted up altogether regard- less of cost. About half-way down the room, on the right. side, was a bar of the costliest wood and make, and it was fitted up with extravagant splendor. Then there were buffets, sideboards, etc., all on the same gorgeous scale, and the contents of all were free to the patrons of the hall. There were is laree and beautiful chandeliers, all ablaze with light, and it was hard to finda place where shadows could linger, for the light rivaled the splendor of mid-day sun. The gaming-tables, of which there were sev- eral, were simply superb, Dr. Gonsalvo and the detective sauntered down through the room, the doctor seeming to ~ right at home there, and Kinworth none the @SS SO. ‘‘ What do you think of it?’ the doctor quietly asked, P ; “Tt iscertainly a glittering den,” the detective admitted. ‘* Have can equal we - T think we could give it a close rub for the honor of—first place,” was the response. They stop presently at a table where the game of faro was in progress, and where several young ‘‘ bloods” were “‘ bucking the tiger.” While they were looking on a young man came up behind them and touched the doctor on the arm. He was rather good-looking, solidly built, and about twenty-four or five years old. The doctor turned, and seeing who it was, of- fered his hand, saying: ee Why, Waldemar, how d’e do? Glad to see ou. a It was Waldemar Blackwall, and with him was his friend Dugald Cambetb. Young Blackwall and the doctor shook hands, and then Waldemar introduced bis friend. ‘Glad to meet you,” greeted the doctor, giv- ing his hand, ‘ And now, gentlemen,” he said in turn, “let me introduce an acquaintance of mine;” and he touched Kinworth on the arm to draw his attention. ULE you anything in San Francisco that t?” (E(@) JOO ait 3 S con 4 pe ‘on id = «