Beadle's Dime Library No. 762: The Rounder Rogue in New York — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

Old Grip, the Detective. She was, indeed, revolving royally, the dia- | “But you have also just danced with my step- | away ina rattling of the throat, and he fell to mond tiara flashing above her brow, diamonds also betraying themselves at throat and bosom with the fluctuations of her rich domino’s folds, her magnificent figure instinct with the music, as if the expression of its dreamy, sensuous soul. Gladys, wholly unprincipled, was as suscepti- ble to masculine impressions as a Gypsy to the moonlight. She might be said to hunger for them. The eyes that were looking into hers through the unknown’s mask were fairly devouring her, and they were like living coals. Sne was in his embrace, as privileged by the waltz, if not a trifle more so, She not only seemed to surren- der herself to this unknown’s perfect dancing as never before to any other partner’s, but her eyes blazed a response, her frame thrilled, her bosom rose and fell. **Ab! but how can I take you aw serieux, count—you who have left such a name for gal- lantry behind you, before seeming to disappear from among our fashionables?” The hand at her waist trembled ‘** What! madame divines?” ‘* Yes; for we have met at other entertain- ments,” | ‘* But never at such a magnificent one as Madame la Belle Dame Souriante Mystérieuse spreads to-night for her enchanted guests.” ‘*Thank you. You really like my féte ?” ‘*It isincomparable! Never beyond the sea, in palaces of kings, bave [ seen it surpassed.” He could see the proudly pleased color deepen in her face, softly deepening down even below her mask, ‘*T must thank you again, count.” ‘*. For speaking the truth? By no means, dear lady. Still, l cannot be known to you.” ‘*Oh, lam sure of it! You are Count Mauri- tius Montalvo,” Again that seemingly teiltale tremor at her woist, ‘** You will confess that I am right?’ she went on, fayly. ‘To any other lady than madame, no i, madame herself I dare not make tbe denial. ‘*Count, you are charming.” **Ob, madame!” ‘** But why would you of necessity admit your identity to me alone?” A nervous trembling seemed to his en- tire frame. They were in the maddest phase, the delirium of the galop. She was almost upon his breast. Their eyes met again with burning and reciprocal intensity. ‘* Do not ask—do not ask,” he repeated, husk- ily, ‘* for I dare notanswer. Here in America your etiquette is so rigid, your convenances s0 prudish,’ ‘*Tmagine us elsewhere then—in France, Rus- sia, Italy—and answer me.” ‘** Ah! madame would be shocked—might wish to strike me dead.” ‘*T shall not—have no fear!” This in a low, thrilling voice, for the woman’s unscrupulous- ness could master her at times. ‘‘ Why, count, should you make a preference of me over others?” ‘*My God! can madame ask? Is she blind to the spell that is cast by her beauty, her magnet- ism? Oh, madame, have pity!” ‘*Hush! Lam not displeased, count. Am I right in deeming that your pretense of going back to Italy was prompted a prudential mo- tives, and that you wish the deception to con- tinue for the world at large?” - ‘* Madame is right.” | “Stay! and do not regard me too earnestly The waltz was in its dying throes, The hand that rested upon his shoulder was unzloved, with the glove clutched in its gem-loaded fin- gers. ith a movement that was almost sleight-of-hand, she managed to detach one of her most costly rings, and slip it into his hand. ‘‘ It isa temporary token of my—esteem,” she whispered, hurriedly, with a last glance that was sufficiently significant. ‘*‘Count Montalvo, whether you would remain incognito or not, we must meet again,” A parting pressure of the hand was his re- sponse, _ The waltz fell away to its death in a last de- lirious swoon, and the next moment she was to alone among her minions‘and admirers, the pseudo count had bowed himself off with an obsequious murmur for the graciousness ac- corded. ‘*You are venturing boldly,” commented Avice Hardy’s voice in the detective’s ear as he found himself in a distant corner of the rooms. ‘‘ Yes, Miss Hardy,” replied the detective- Mephistopheles. ‘‘It has been all or nothing with me to-night, for such an opportunity may not occur again.” ‘* How are you succeeding?” * Admirably.” **T suppose your dance with the costume-fitter was to renew your instructions to her?” “It was. Have no fear. Nell will her r6le without shaming your house, «trust her for that.” | ‘*T have the most perfect confidence in any measures you may take,” ** Thank you.” rform ou can ——— ee ee ee a tia tcenarmamemmmrnmma emma i mother.” ‘* Of course.” ‘* With what result? ‘* A graver one'than I anticipated.” ** How?” the ground a corpse. ‘*Poor wretch!” faltered Gladys, with an amazed look out of her composure; ‘*‘ what de- hrium could have d him? Why, it stands to reason that I could never have seen ‘*She really imagines me to be the bona fide | him before in my life!” Count Montalvo.” ‘* What of that?” ‘* But she also does me the honor to—to be uncommonly gracious,” Avice did not reply, and the detective divined ‘‘Of course it does,” said Mr. Hardy. ‘‘ Here, you fellows! bas the policeman come?” The man had fallen dead with his head at the detective’s feet, vi hile the bottle, falling :rom his clutch, had roll ¢@ noiselessly away underthe that there was a troubled look on the sweet | bem of Eleanor Williams’s skirt. face behind the mask. ‘* You are uneasy,” said he, ‘* and I can guess -the reason why.” “Why, then?” ‘* You dread the effects of Gladys Hardy’s fascination upon me—Old Grip.” ** T own it. ‘* Have no fear.” ‘* She is no less unscrupulous than transcend- ent in her beauty.” ‘Granted. But have no fear on my account. It is Count Montalvo, not Old Grip, who has made the impression,” ** 1 dismiss my fears.” ‘‘That is well, “But is there to be no more dancing?” ‘** Not until the unmasking, which will be sig- naled in five minutes, ‘* But, where is madame—I do not see her now?” © ‘*? saw Richards whisper to her an instant ago, and then she hurried off in the direction of the conservatories.” ‘* Ah! perhaps to arrange for signaling the unmasking after some original conceit of her own. ‘** Tt is possible.” But, a moment later, the signal was given by Mr. Hardy himself. There was a general disclosure of faces and a great rustle of excitement, mingled witb bursts of merriment and surprised exclamations, But all was suddenly hushed by a piercing scream from one of the remotest recesses of the adjoining conservatories. CHAPTER VIII. IN THE CONSERVATORY. ‘“‘Tr has come!” whispered the detective into Avice’s ear, and he was one of the first to dart into the conservatories. There were many to follow, for the sbrill cry had been generally recognized as Mrs. Hardy’s, and more or less consternation prevailed. She was found white and disheveled, her mask and rich domino clinging in rags to her gorgeous person, as if newly torn aside by a rude and disrespectful clutch. At her feet, and apparently writhing in his last agonies, wasa man, still clutching in one hand a partly emptied bottle of champagne, The place was a secluded nook, between an end-rockery and a magnolia clump, with an open glass door near at hand; and he might have slipped in there surreptitiously from the gerien. after climbing a rear wall of the latter rom an adjoining eb ps | The man was a tatterdemalion, the veriest tramp in appearance, with bloated, brutal fea- tures, that were now hideously convulsed, but his dazed, bleary eyes were fixed upon the beau- tiful woman with a fierce intensity of baffled hatred and revenge ‘* What is it?’ demanded Mr. Hardy, one of the foremost of the intruders upon this strange scene. ‘Gladys, speak! Is the fellow dying? a -y affront you first? And how came he ere Ato Gladys had by this time partly recovered her composure. ‘** Alas, Wallace, how should T know?” she re- sey eaperinaar in, © Jast question first. ‘I sup- pose he stole in here by some means,” ‘** But how did you discover him?” ‘“‘I was crossing the conservatory, when his preans brought me to thespot. I supposed he ad filched the wine from one of the cellars opening up into the garden. He ge taken the hottle from his lips, and seemed in unac- countable agony. Digi ap a, my bewil- derment, and in spite of his repulsiveness, my heart was touched. But as I approached he un- dertook to seize me, and I only eluded him at the expense of my domino and mask. Then I screamed out,” ‘* Time you did!” seid the old gentleman, ten- derly, while the crowding guests looked or mur- mured their admiration for Mrs. Hardy’s un- usual goodness, ** John!” toa wondering servant, peeping in atthe garden door; ‘‘fetch some of your mates and then summon a policeman and an ambulance.” But at this instant the writhing wretch, though mii y in extremis, struggled tottering- ly to his feet. Froth was on his lips, his glazing eyes were fixed on Gladys with a terrible look. ‘** She lies, lies, lies /” he gasped. ‘* Serpent from hell! now, as in the past, she lives on per- fidy and falsehood! What does she here, in fine robes and jewels? She hasno right to them. She is my—my—” ’ LL LLLBBLBLLBLLLL LLLP LLL LLL LDL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LC Ol lll lll lL LLL LLL ttt ttt ea rn None but she and Old Gripseemed to have perceived it, and the latier gave her a look whose significance was happily understood. The latter stooped to draw up her skirts, pre- liminary to a retreat, and when she had taken herself off, together with many others of the group, the bottle had disappeared. Among the last lingering group about the fatal spot, after the body had been borne away were Gladys, her husband, her step-son and some others, including the pretended count. The last-mentioned was as thorough a copy of bis prototype (whose appearance, characteris- tics and idiosyncrasies be had had occasion to studiously observe when the real count had been a prominent feature of fashionable and club life a few weeks before) as he had been in the case of unlucky Mr. Vanderhuysen. Gladys bad thoroughly recovered her baughty self-possession, and now, having cast aside the shreds of her mask and domino, wasa miracu- lously-brilliant creature of silks, laces and flash- ing rems, *‘Come!” cried her Henry VIII. husband, a little impatiently; ‘‘ why are we brooding here when our ballroom, which should now te at its best and giddiest, awaits us. Come, Gladys.” And he gallantly offered his arm toa pretty society woman who chanced to be at bis elbow, Leslie Hardy following his example with Mary St. John, a very sweet-looking girl, who, how- ever, seemed to accept the courtesy with no lit- tle coldness. ‘* With all my heart!” said Gladys, bringing up the rear of the little procession with the pre- tended count, whoma slight glance had brought to her side with well-assum erness. ‘* Let it be ‘on with the dance’ from this time forth, for our festivities should be but now fairly be- n. In an instant, however, she had shrunk back, drawing ber companion with her, and they were thus left momentarily alone. ‘* What can have become of that stolen bottle the poor suicide drank his death of?” she ex- claimed, in a low, uneasy voice, her eyes wan- dering searchingly over the fatal ground. ‘‘It must have rolled away when he fell. I cannot see it any where,” ‘*Why should the signorina trouble herself about such a triflef’and her companion even ventured to pat the shapely glov was still within his arm, ** But don’t you see, count?” with imperfectly- mastered anxiety. ‘‘The poor man must have poisoned the wine before drinking—a dash of fatal white powder would have sufficed—and now, should one of the servants have carried off the bottle for what wine might be left in it—” ‘**T understand, but believe me, dear lady, the thought is preposterous. There could scarcely bave been poison in the case.” ** You think so, count?” eagerly. ‘*Pouf! what else could any one. else imagine?” ‘* But the man’s death? He smiled. ! ‘*The effect of a crowning debauch upon a system, doubtless already ey brutal- ized and at death’s door. hy, the fellow— h!—was but a bloated wreck! Come; let me h you, dear lady, tothink no more of it. A worthless tatterdemalion, an unknown tramp, one of the veriest dregs!” And this time he even pressed the pretty eloved hand. ‘* But will all others think as you do, count?” suffering him to lead her slowly away. ‘* What else can be possibly thought? Ah! madame, that divine waltz! 1 was in heaven!” She had recovered sufficiently to turn her —" black eyes upon him with a softened ight she murmtred, though at the same time sinking into a luxurious conservatory seat not far from the communicating doors, yet somewhat shut away by bowering plants and vines, “I feela — little faint now.” He vanished, quickly returning with delicate . morsels and a bumper of cham e. ‘* How kind and good of you!” in a low voice, after disposing of the wine, with many a c- ing, underlidded glance over the goblet’s brim. ** Ah, count! the woman that y wins your undivided devotion and—and personal se oe will have occasion to congratulate her- The count seemed fairly beside himself at these encomiums, supplemented as they were by fresh glances and the coutact of her rich skirts, which almost hid away his knees in The revelation, whatever it might be, died rustling voluminousness. oX0(0) ‘Ss —. GOMNGE hand that oy ae § “You shall have another with me resently,” _ 4