Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 580 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

from Shadowing a Shadow. . Kinworth, *‘ as my business here is done. I had a few words to say to the ‘ gentlemen,’ and having said them, I am ready to relieve your place of my presence.” ‘* Very well, go.” The superintendent waved his hand and the way tothe door was cleared, and with a bow the detective walked up the room, ‘* You have not heard the last of this matter, my young bantam,” remarked the doctor, as the detective passed him, ‘* Just as you please about that,” was the quiet response, ‘** And you shall pay dearly for the blow you struck me,” put in Cambeth. ‘* Very well, sir,” said Kinworth; ‘‘ only take care that you no not make a mistake.” He went on up the room and out, and the crowd drew a breath of relief when he was gone, His wicked-looking revolvers had made the room feel as if it were chilly. ‘*'W ho is he?” the superintendent asked, turn- ing to Doctor Gonsalvo, ‘ ‘I hardly know,” was the answer, ‘‘I fellin with bim the other night, was introduced to him, and rather liked him, Took him for a gentleman. I brought him here, and showed him around quite a little. To-night he offered me and my friend here an insult that could not be passed, and we tried to floor him.” ** And he was too much for both of you,” fin- ished one of those who stood near, ‘I do not wonder, for he wasa terror with his fists and weapons. Ill bet he is from the woolly West.” ‘IT believe you are right in that,” the doctor agreed. ‘“*He is something of the stamp of that man from Texas who got away with the bunco sharp,” observed another, | ‘*He was a terror,” remarked still another, *‘and I would not want him to try any target- practice at me. If you are wise, gentlemen, you will ot be quarrel with hii drop right where itis. He has a mighty bad eye,” Gonsalvo’s face was serious, and he said noth- ing; but Cambeth growled: ‘Tt will not go well with him if I meet him again. A man does not strike me and get off without a return of the compliment.” Gonsalvo turned upon him quickly. “By the way,” he exclaimed, ‘‘you and I have a score to settle. You shall answer to me for the indignity you have heaped upona lady whose name has been mentioned. ie is my card, you cur!” As he uttered the words the doctor gave his card a twirl and it struck Cambeth squarely in the face, This was an additional surprise for every- body, and Cambeth turned deathly pale with e at the insult. ** And here is mine!” he cried; and he spit in the doctor’s face with force. The doctor’s hand flew to his pccket, and there would undoubtedly have been blood spilled but for the timely interference of the spectators. Tbe two men were held apart, and Cambeth was got out of the room as soou as possible, Young Blackwall followed him. ** We will settle it,” Cambeth cried, as he was being hustled out; ‘‘ you may expect to|hear from me ** The sooner the better,” retorted the doctor. Cambeth being a stranger, he had to go. It worked the sama with him as it had with the de- tective, except that in the latter case the **bouncers” took a more active part in the decession. : The Donjon had not seen so much excitement in a year, and it was an hour before ordinary quiet reigned Dr. Gonsalvo did not tarry long, but after ex- plaining the affair so that bis own part in it was the brightest, took his leave. In the mean time Kinworth had gone direct to his hotel, When he arrived there he found a note await- ing him, and on opening it he saw thatit was Mrs, Ekyngs, Mrs, Milburn's friend and companion. “Come here immediately,’ the note ran; ‘* Mrs, Milburn is missing.” This information startled the detective, and troubled him not a little, Had his adventure been simply a side issue, a scheme to keep him out of the way while the daring rascals made away with the lady in whose interest he was working? _ He could hardly believe it, and yet the case looked suspicious, He hastened to obey the summons without de- ie. lay. He did not even wait to adopt his dis- guise, When he reached the house where the ladies had removed to, he asked for Mrs, Ekyngs, and was soon in her presence. By this time the hour was late. Mrs, Ekyngs had paved the way for his coming, however. She had reported that Mrs. Milburn was miss- ing, and that she bad sent for a friend who would undertake to find her, a [sn CUI ll, swered, ‘*Mrs, Milburn went out at eight o’clock, and has not returned.” ‘* Where was she going?” ‘*Only to the nearest drug-store, sir.” She had a nervous headache, and went to get some- thing for it. Loffered to go for her, but she pre- ferred to go herself, as she thought the air would do her good,” ‘¢ Why did you not accompany her?” ** She would not let me do so. I had my slip- pers on, and only a wrapper, and as she did not expect to be out more than five minutes she would not let me take the trouble to change.” ‘She went out at eight o’clock, you say. It is now nearly twelve. This is serious. Had she received any communication of any sort? or had any one been to see her that you know of?” ‘* Neither, sir, that 1 am aware of.” ** How was she dressed?” The woman described as nearly as she could, and the detective weat away, telling her that he would call at an early hour in the morning. CHAPTER XXXIV. AN IMPORTANT PAPER, LIGHTNING-F'LASH was puzzled. Where could the woman be? What had hap- pened to her? Two questions which, of course, he could not answer. It was a mystery, and one which gave him good reason to feel anxious. Just as he left the house he met a policeman. ‘¢ Where is the nearest drug-store?” the detec- tive inquired, The officer told him, ‘“‘Ts there any other in this neighborhood, as near—or at any rate not much further away?” Kinworth further questioned. The policeman answered that, too, and from his report there were three within a shurt dis- tance in as many directions, ‘*Why do you inquire?” the officer asked in turn, “ Anything wrong?” ‘*'Yes, a lady is missing,” the detective ex- plained. ‘‘She left this house at eight o’clock to go to a drug-store, and has not been since,” **Humph! that is peculiar.” | Kinworth hastened off to the nearest of the three drug-stores, It was open, and entering ke made inquiries as to whether a woman of the description given had been there. : The clerk in charge could not tell positively, but did not think there bad been any such per- son in the store during the evening. Going to the next of the three stores, the de- tective found it closed, and went on to the third. That was open, and tnere he had better luck. There had been such a lady there about eight o’clock, and she had made a simple purchase and had gone out again immediately. ** Did # hig notice roe peculiar in her ac- tions?” Kinworth questioned. ‘*No, sir,” was the answer; ‘‘she was nei- ther nervous nor excited that I could notice, and asked for what she wanted in a very quiet tone.” ‘*There was no one with her?” ** No, sir.” The clerk, like the policeman, asked what was wrong, and Kinworth took the pains to inform him of as much as was necessary. His next move was to go to a police station and report the matter, At the station he learned that an elderly wo- man had been knocked down by a runaway team between eight and nine o’clock, and that _ had been taken to Bellevue Hospital uncon- scious, Fearing that it was Mrs, Milburn, he set out for the hospital immediately to ascertain, There was no cab near and no street car in sight when he started, and preferring to waik on rather than wait for a car, he set out. No car overtook him before he reached _Twenty-seventh street, and having come so far Nee eee | on foot, he saw that he would have to complete the distance in the same manner. Turning into East Twenty-seventh street, he hurried on, and ere Jony was in a neighborhood where the streets were almost deserted, He had gone some distance, when, suddenly, as he came to a corner, be saw two or three men engaged in a silent struggle in the shadows ouly a little distance away up the avenue he was about to cross, Without a word he ran swiftly to the spot. He saw that an elderly gentleman was being robbed. A powerful, evil-looking fellow had hold of him from behind, and another was ‘* going through” his pockets, One of them had a hand over their victim’s mouth, “You cowards!” the detective hissed as he ran up; ‘‘ take that—and that /” With the words went out two blows, and ee footpads went to the pavement with a crash. Then, as Kinworth looked at the man be had rescued, be saw that it was Mancred Black- ‘“*T came as soon as I received your note,” the , wall! detective said, ‘it was awaiting me at the hotel. What does it mean?” ” It means just what it says,” the woman an- ‘**One good turn deserves another, Mr, Black- wall.” he observed, ‘** You?” the banker exclaimed, ‘* Nobody else!” was the smiling assurance. ‘‘ But, bave they taken anything out of your pockets, sir?” ‘‘ Yes, they have stolen my watch anda pocket- book,” was the reply. ‘*Do not let them get away.” The men were upon their feet now, and the larger of the pair made a dash at the detective with a knife in hand, Quick as a flash one of the detective’s revol- , vers ke, and the fellow’s arm dropped. ‘* We will have none of that, if you please,” be | said; ‘‘and none of that, either,” he added, as the other started to run away. “Stop! orl will bore you.” The fellow stopped, and footsteps were heard running toward the scene, In a few moments a policeman was on hand, ‘¢ What’s up?” he demanded. ‘‘Case of highway robbery,” explained the detective. ‘‘ These fellows were robbing this gentleman when I happened along, and I took a hand in the game, _ I will turn them over to you. That one has a bullet In his arm, which | had to give him to defend myself, as you may see by that knife.’ ‘‘T will take care of them,” said the officer, and he set about doing so; but the two fellows again attempted to resist arrest, as they saw that the detective had put away bis weapon. ‘‘ You won't go, eh?” Kinworth cried; ‘* we'll see about that!” and in about two brief seconds the pair were handcuffed together, the left hand of the wounded man to the right hand of the other. The policeman was amazed, ‘* Who are you?” he asked. force?” ; ‘“‘No, I am not on the force,” the detective answered, ‘‘ but I have occasion to use the tools now and then,” ‘‘And you know how to do it, too, I should say. You will come to the station and make the charge, if you please, sir;” to Mr. Blackwall. ‘* Ts it far to the station?” Kinworth asked, ‘‘ No; the Twenty-vighth street station is only a few blocks away.” “‘1’ll go along too, then, and get my wristlets when you are done with them.” They set out, and in a little time were at the station, where the fellows were taken care of, ove being locked up and the other sent to @ ** Are you on the hos ital to have his wound dressed, ben Mr. Blackwall had made his charge and had given his name and address, as had Kinworth, the éwo left the station together. we — ‘You have done me a good service, sir,” said ; Mr, Blackwall, as they paused outside for a mo- ment before parting. ‘‘I shall not forget it, sir.” ‘*T have done no more than a common ser- vice, such as men ought to render to one an- other,” the detective made response, ‘‘I am glad that I happened there at the rigbt time.” “And so am I!” Mr. Blackwall exclaimed. ““By the way, where are you going to?” he asked, ‘*‘Are you going this way?” indicating toward Broadway. ‘‘ No, I am going over to Bellevue,” Kinworth answered, ‘‘To Bellevue! What takes you there?” ‘‘There is a person there about whose identity I want to inquire, I must burry on, too, sir.” “ Well, good-night, I won’t forget this, B the way, I want to talk with you again. Will you come to my office at ten to-morrow?” ‘* T will call if I can,” the detective promised, sé Do so,” They parted, the banker going out to Broad- way and the detective to the hospital. ‘Tf he only knew the awful, borrible truth,” the banker mused, ‘‘I wonder if be has even a suspicion? But no, he cannot have, No, for— But, what must he think of my words of this evening at the doctor’s? Curse the doctor, and the whole terrible mess! I wish I were well out of it,” The thoughts of the detective ran in a similar strain. ‘““T wonder if he knows the truth,” he reflect- ed, when they bad parted, ‘I wonder if my suspicion is the truth! 1 must {know it all, and yet, I dread the revelation, But, it is true. Something within me tells me the whole story. I do not need much now to satisfy me that it is all as I suspect.” He made his way back to the scene of the struggle. He had an object in going there. It was possible that he would find something on the ground that either the robbers or the banker had dropped. Arriving there, he looked around carefully, but found nothing, and was on the point of moving on, when his eyes fell upon a folded paper lying in the gutter near the curb, e picked it up, and going to a street-lamp, examined it. It was a page containing a family record, and had evidently been torn from a small Bible. ** Heavens!” the young man gasped, ‘Sit is as I suspected; it is as I feared. Now the mystery of the past is cleared up. Henry Abington’s son is found. No need to look further for him, I think.” Putting the paper carefully away in his pocket, he went ea te the hospital, where he made in- MiG (E(e) I00 + 2 a SS : NaN = f = or! . Pad . ' 4 7 ee |