Beadle's Dime Library No. 762: The Rounder Rogue in New York — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

y +hack to admi . give pe Old Grip, the Detective. — 5 CHAPTER V. WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS. ‘‘ExpLain¢? Don’t fear but 1 shall do so!” Avice went on furiously. ‘‘ How comes it that you know of this tragedy in advance of all others?” ‘‘Thatis my concern, not yours,” ‘‘ If shall be made the concern of the Mrs. Hardy leaned back, and amusedly. ‘‘ This frightful news must have been brought to you by Richards!” , ‘> Ag between you and me, granted,” | “‘7 saw him tracking the gentleman, after consultation with you—he was your murderous instrument!” ‘* You say so.” ‘You knew that the gentleman was not real- ly Mr. Vanderbuysen—I saw that!” ‘¢ Granted again—as between us,” ‘¢ You knew him instantly as the great detec- ‘tive, Grippon, iu disguise.” | ‘* We willsay so.” ‘‘Ah, the murderous incident of the sign- board is known to me, as are other things--the dogging of my movements on the part of your minion Richards, among the rest.” ‘* My dear Avice, you are not only wise, but ublic!” also wary, in your generation.” ‘* Hyvocritical, wicked woman!” the young girl buried her face in ber hands; *‘ you have caused Mr, Grippon to be murdered, my last, my only friend! Unhappy me!” Por some moments, as long as the young girl thus shut her out from view, Mrs. Hardy gazed at her with calm yet gloating exultation and satisfaction. At last her expression changed. She sudden- ly leaned forward, and laid her firm grasp upon the young woman’s trembling wrists. “Look at me, and listen!’’she sternly com- manded. ‘* That willdo,”asshe was shuddering- ly obeyed. ‘‘ Avice, between us two, it is true. He, the sleuth-hound whom you would have put upon my track, is dead, violently dead, and at my instigation |” **God of heaven! you confess it?’ ‘““Ay, and morefworse than tbat, if you will, while glorying init! Henceforth you are 1amy power!” | A spell of terror, no less than of horror, was upon Avice Hardy. ‘* Oh, I almost believe you!” she moaned, ina ‘lost, helples< tone, ‘» You must, you shall believe me!” yet more sternly and imperiously, ‘* Look tuit how you comport yourself in thefuture. Your detective friend, through whose vaunted instrumentality -you hoped to shake off the tyammels of my power —tohumiliateand conquerme—-me, la Belle Dame Souriante Mystérieuse, the adventuress of two continents, the sorceress-beauty without a peer! —is dead, slain, and henceforth you are mime!” The delicatel -gloved grasp upon the trem- ‘bling wrists suddenly tightened as with a clutch of steel. Avice could scarcely out. But at this juncture the carriage came to its destination with an easy lurch. ‘*Come!” continued that soft but terrible -voice—the velvet scabbard of the blade of steel; *‘we have arrived. Descend with me—you are mine! Do not imagine,” with a taunting in- ‘tonation, ‘that Old Grip can arise from the ead to your continued defense.” But there was a response she little looked for. Richards was already holding the carriage- door open ; with the collected, half-mocking look that usually glimmered through his obsequious- ness, Madame was stepping out, followed by her tter, with her feet — abstain from crying step daughter, when the resting on the sidewalk, uttered an astoun joyful exclamation. . ‘Old Grip—Mr. Grippon!” she cried, in a ‘a low, thrilling voice. ‘‘Oh, he is here—risen ‘trom the dead in my defense!” Both mistress and man turned in the direction of her staring eyes. There, between them and the stately stoop, ‘with hat smilingly upraised, as if the act of a ventlemanl g stranger, politely drawing of the unimpeded passage from coach to house, and in his own os ao unobtru- ve—Old Grip : y, stood the d himself! Richards, who was very superstitious, reeled back, livid and pop-eyed, with an inarticulate imprecation, to the no small surprise of the coachman, who was glancin down at the group from bis seat on the box, and could of course see nothing startling in the situation. Gladys Hardy had paled, but after the first quick breath, had lost no jot of her outward composure, : But it was Avice and not she who wore the ey exultant smile a moment later when they ascended the stoop together, the cause of all this sensation having briskly on his with a step the reverse of phantom-like or resurrectional. , re ie headed bétise of yours!” exclaimed Mrs. Hardy to Richards in her boudoir, a few ene later, ‘* There is no other explanation rs) J t. © aughed | ‘* Yes, there is, begging your ladyship’s par- don,” was the surlily ironica] response. ‘‘ Your penetration was at fault, and you must have put me on the track of. the wrong man.” ‘*Tmpossible! My penetration is never at fault.” és Ha \? ‘** You are insufferable! killed any man at all.” ‘*] swear I did!” ‘** How is it, then, that the accursed detective is still alive?” ‘*f know no more of it/than you. The live apparition of that man, who should be headless, struck me dumb andcold. There is but one ex- planation.” ** Whatis that?” ‘That there were two alike—the real old Knickerbocker, and his counterfeit, which Grippon was personating so successfully.” ** And that you, by afatal coincidence, tracked down the.former to his doom?” ** Exactly.” Mrs. Hardy, who had only discarded her hat and wrap, pushed back the clustering raven- black masses from her temples, while a new un- easiness passed into ber perfect face, almost to the total obliteration for the instant of her Frozen Smile. ° ‘That would seem,” she murmured, “like a stroke of Fate itself as against us—wus that are, if an thing, the mere creatures of Fate, by race and blood!’ ‘True, my lady!” in a voice so earnest as to forget its habitual pens ** And as against the Hand of Fate even the Zingari might struggle, intrigue and conspire in vain!” But La Belle Sourciére’s face had already re- covered its resoluteness and coquetry. ‘‘Send Johnson to me at once,” ordered she, bestirring. ‘‘ And lose no timein bringing me an explanation of this mystery. It behooves us more than ever that Oid Grip should be fore- stalled by the Red Hand, and “ag ot ics gael i Richards had paused with his hand on the oor. ‘* May I ask why now, more than before?’ he inquired. ‘** Because, in my false security, I have al- ready unmasked myself to Avice Hardy. Be- gone, and remember.” Richards vanished, and the comely, deft- banded lady’s maid was speedily in obsequious attendance upon her pseudo mistress, ~ But the dinner hour was yet in abeyance, and Mrs. Hardy’s toilet was more than two-thirds made for it, when, with a soft knock, the confi- dential footman avain presented himself, The lady’s coiffure was receiving the last touches at the maid's manipulation when Rich- ards laid in her lap a last extra of a sensational evening newspaper with its leading article up- permost and marked. : It was a report of the startling tragedy of the afternoon in the fashionable drygoods ma whereby the wealthy and well-known gentleman- about-town, Mr. Stuyvesant Vanderhuysen, had met am unusual and shocking fate, probably from being taken with an apoplectic fit in an unfrequented nook of the second floor at the edge of the freight elevator shaft. “ladys looked up after a perusal of the horri- fying details without visible emotion, ‘* Anything else?” she inquired, ‘Yes, my lady,” And then a.card was laidin herlap. It was her own visiting-card with a few shoes signed Eleanor Williams, penciled on the ck. ** Who gave you this, Richards?” “The young woman you condescendingly gave your card to in the drygoods restaurant two hours ago when I was assisting you with your wrap.” ** Ah! she is below, and so soon?” ** Yes, my lady.” ‘* Bring her to me.” And as he disappeared she also dismissed with a few words Johnson, who, having finished the coiffure and smuggled some jewels out of sight, retired, but remained within call, Bostow Nell, with a demure and modest look, was the next moment alone in. Gladys Hardy’s presence. , ‘*T hardly expected you to take advantage of my chance offer so soon,” said the latter, with kindly condescension. : | ; ‘** Alas, [ feared as much, noble madam!” in a low, diffident voice, no less ingratiating than the words themselves, ‘* Have you, then, vour references?” ‘‘Not yet, ma’m; there has not been time; Ott Go ‘s gingly. “B ? on,” encourag - “* But what?’ ‘* Madam’s masked ball of to-morrow night Hd already the subject of widespread and flatter- I don’t believe you anticipation among the elite of madam’s ere, ” ; ; rs Ww peaene with a faintly pleasurable flush. And I, having fortunately had experience ogg career apprentice wal T vanured t n e useful fir m refetenobe later.” tae ladys Hardy was yet more co ‘‘ Your expertness may be put to the test at nr + > Baa an et eats eS ye: Oe ee : hn. ae "ss . > 4 >; “ve , bi, ys ie ab SPS ee he Laat a7, AOL see ¢ si? f an ‘ ¢ é - i * - <s 5 once, Miss Williams. It chances that I am not altogether pleased with any of the several domi- noes I shall wear.” Johnson reappeared at a signal, and then produced four superb silk dominoes of various hues and fashionings. First, with her maid’s assistance, Gladys, who had until now beenin a rich negligee wrapper, assumed her evening dress, a superb garnet satin trimmed with black velvet, not forgetting brooch, necklace and bracelets of costly dia- monds, in addition to the magnificent solitaires that had already giistened at her ears, while her fair fingers were literally loaded with rare rings, Yet it was but an ordinary dinner dress, such as she customarily wore toenhance the spell of her proud Oriental beauty for the especial bene- fit of ber doating husband, if not for one other no less, and that other her bewildered step-son, Leslie Hardy. - At sight of the diamonds a look of fairly savage cupidity had leaped into Boston Nell’s eyes, to be replaced on the instant, however, by her demurely respectful, if naturally admiring, expression. hen Gladys envelo herself in one of the dominoes, an embroide gossam silk, and darted an inquiring look through the eyelet-holes of the accompanying mask. “* Don’t be afraid to criticise freely from your experience, Miss Williams,” said she, ‘‘ Is the domino at fault in the slightest particular?” ‘“‘In many particulars—that is,as to make, for the material is rich beyond words,” was the ° bold reply. “Tt could be made to float and hang with infinite more expression for madam’s exquisite figure.” nd the visitor, whose costumer’s experience was at least no sham, stooped about the muffled form, explaining the alterations that could be made to advantage here and there with both tact and intelligence. Mrs. Hardy was not displeased. The other dominoes were assumed one after ‘another with like result. All were mcre or less at fault, and yet might be altered to artistic ad- vantage. ‘* Miss Williams, I am satisfied you know of what you speak,” was Gladys’s judgment, as Richards came to say that Mr. y was waiting to conduct her todinner. ‘‘Could you —. e suggested alterations in time for the ball? ** With no time lost, yes, ma’m,” was the prompt response. ‘Very well. Leave me your address, and return here in one hour’s time, and you shaJi set to work at once. Time enough for references after the ball.” The unsu shoplifter did as requested, bowed her humbly-delighted acquiescence, and was gone. back-glance in the full-length pier-glass. ‘What do you mean, turned upon her, though without indignation. ‘* What I say, sister mine.” ‘But why?” ‘* You should have demanded her references first—if she has any.” ** Nonsense!” ‘*But you didn’t see her eyes fasten on the jewels. A wolfish glance, and a revelation!” **T don’t believe it. employed in no confidential moreover, be watched.” But, had our mp of the Frozen Smile dreamed of Eleanor Williams’s real vocati rea ee 8 ht have confiden say nothing of her being Old Grip’s Seirtoes temp of his enemy, she passed on her way with a less ce | of. mien, ‘* lmprudence! folly!” muttered Johnson, ina rt, | low, contemptuous tone, as her mistress was sweeping out of the boudoir, after a parting CHAPTER VI. THE MASKED BALL, THE bal’ sion was at its hight. Few New York homes, even among those of the ostentatiously rich and proud, could have been better or more sumptuously desi that —_s grand and energie. crush t of the retired merchan petoes whose young wife was thus making her, ormal début ixito the créme de la eréme of metropolitan society with somuch élan, éclat and such utter regardless- ness of expe nse. ‘ There were considerable gardens and vast conservatories, no less than magnificent draw- — ing-rooms, dining-hall of | upon suite of rarely-appointed upper rooms, for accommodation o throngs, most of them en domino few in fancy or character dress And yet, though it was now bordering on midni uipage after equipage was landing eesti os at | occupants - ie nape ee hn passage, e Se as lighted and flower-hung fa tunnel, led aan ve the Park. ’ The external wear! siders, no less than of the arriving guests. comicbooks up to the carved fronting was the wonder of ou — er of scarlet | Meg?” and Gladys . 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