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Copyrighted. 15:0. by BIcAnu: AND ADAIS. EN'I‘mmu AB swan» (31.43: MATH“: AT Tm: Nncw YmcK. N. Y.. Pom Omrlmc. Apr“ 10, Hun,

 

 

 

 

 PEG. 59' Published Every QBeadle 93' flcla‘lns,“ Ion Cont-scou- r  
. 5L 1

Wed“°“d‘" m WILIJAH STREET, NEW YORK. “‘00 " h“

 

 

 

 

 

 

,_.

    
 

0R. '1‘ HE

,  flROOK-HYPNOTIST’
 ' nurnjnnv.

BY CAPT. HOWARD HOLMES.

AUTHOR OF “uuum HAWK, TUE HARLEM
DETECTIVE," “ MAJOR BULLION," ETC.’ .

 

CHAPTER I.
THE OWNER or THE max DOOR.»
“ I’VE been waiting for you, Royal,” \
“For me. Bastien?”
"Yes. You see I have been in bed, 1)
' there’s no sleep for me. Somethiu is wron
“1 mum) THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED. MY GOD! m: 18 DEAD!" with Raymond. I feel it here,”and t apeakgj

 

I I :1 'A ' ‘ ‘ \
tim’_i1,fi> ‘ ’r.’ ' ' ' ' 'y r ' | .I ‘ t

2

laid his hand upon his heart. “You‘ve
been to the ‘gym,’ and l‘ve been waitingr
for you an hour. We will go and see."

" To the house?"

“\Vhere else, man? You saw him this
morning, but many things can happen in
an hour." ._

A great many people knew that Bastien
Blue was halt-ln'other to, one of the
«strangest men in New York.

Bastien was a young man, not past
twenty-eight, handsome and athletic. The
place be occupied had been given to him
by this half-brother, and he lchd in ex-
cellent style there, with ltoyai Flush. a
than two lel'S his senior, to keep him
company and obey his every wish.

Bastien Blue was somewhat of a sport;

 

river to the estate called “Green Lodge,"
also the property of his half-brother, and
there he remained for weeks, while Royal
Flush, his factotum, occupied the fine
house in town and had things pretty much
his own way.

Nobody interfered with those {tr-ange-
ments, and Bastien Blue never asked
Royal what he did during his absences.

The half-brothers were not very often
together, owing, it was said, to t to va-
garies of Raymond, the elder of the two.
He lived quite alone in a three-story
house, very narrow and very old. ' .

Raymond Rolfe was a chemist and a-
man 'who kept himself secluded from the
world, though that had not prevented the
police from looking after him a little,
as we'shall see. ‘ ,

He was rich, had made money Some
where; and somehow, and this is what
once‘gothim into trouble with the Met-
ropolitan police, for there was a time
' when a. lot of bogus Brazilianbondswere
floated, and. as Raymond Rolfe hadtrav.
eled «through South America. and had
come home very rich and the possessor

, of many'secrets. the authorities thought
-. he knew something about the bonds.
‘ hence a-chapter in his life which few peo-
'* ,ple know. I I. ’
Bastien Blue and his factotum, Royal
‘ Flush, seemed to care, but very little for.
this man of mystery,’ who remaian be-
hind his doors experimenting with his.
chemicals, or shut up. in his laboratory,
which had a door destined to play. no
unimportant part ,in our story. 
"Bastien seldom called on Rolfe, though
he had the entree to the strange house at
all -times—r—.cvencarr'iecl a key which he
seldom used-rheing content. as it were,
"do let, Raymond live as he pleased so long
as his eccentriciti'es did not interfere with
,u‘oodcock‘shooting up the river or other
,isportsi“ '
11th
.Octob'erLrwhen Bastien Blue, who had
, Witcduuntll near midnight for _oyal
«Maugham from the gymnasium, told
.himéhIS‘Tfegn-s.   r V i p _
fink-little rain 'hadi'fall'en, the stones were
damp,",a.nd the high wind, sweeping down
, vthe‘sh'eet, rattled-the loose shutters on the
guesthouse-g ‘ ,. g .
‘1",1 can’t sleep'nntil ‘I know that he is
, Cafe” “continued Bastien-r who had mixed-
lhi " “elf, for a jaunt through the shower."
 .:needn't wait. to" put on anything
/ h'et 8.151113% you arerwearin ; A minute-
,- muy’m'ean much. 'I feel it al the timefint
'my heart. ' ’You are'wearing your ,‘gyin"

 

 
    
  
   
  
 
 
 
    
      
   
 
   
   
  
  
   
   
  
    
 
  
   
    
  
  
  
  
    
   
    
 

 

 

 

 

'Ihult‘fnnd that seems comfortable}! ' f.

: -"'~‘lt is," smiled Royal Flush. \"Only it
isn't- a street garb." .

"“"Pish,} man! ..Who is goinglto criticise
Tami to—nlght': Come! I say there’sno time
o be lost. andvl'm anxious to get back
,2 catch some sleep it I can?

  

v

   
  
   

  

   

flea in advance. his wellbuilt' figure shorW-
at; up in the. lamplight, and Watched by
_ ya! like a man in a maze. . .
“I never heard of anything like this
" 'sma the. fa'ctotum. as the first
Eustgof windst‘ruek him. ,f‘He. never has
shown much "concern foyhis halfzbrother,
the  giftpeahflps filings have
the a n. e, l  p ,
m m ' lkeg‘lélaridly;

tor ten minutes the two
dilute latte,” said-howled

 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 

_ ’v .._t' - 'on w
men their dos inatl .

 

that is, he frequently took trips up they

‘a' somewhat blustery night .in ,

' timed it to hem”.

,. gypairvleft the house together, Bus?

 

up a flight. of stone steps in front of a
narrow ,threestory dwelling. now wholly
darkened. “Everything is as quiet as the
g‘ave, and if he's living he must be
abed."

The young man took a. key from his
pocket and was inserting it in the door
when the portal, not entirely closed,
swung open. ’

“Heavens! Do you see this?" he cried,
turning .to his companion. “It wasn‘t
locked, and at this time of night!"

They entered the hall, a long corridor,
and Bastien pointed toward a door from
which seemed to proceed a streak of light
that lay on the carpet of the hall.

“ He's up," said Flush; “we will find
him all 0. K."

“ I don‘t know," answered Bastien, with
a shake of the head. “I am almost afraid
to open that door. Up, and in the room
yonder at this time of the night? If he
were. in the laboratory upstairs on the
third floor. I wouldn‘t think so much of
it, but in there—open the door, Royal."

The factotum did so and stepped back
to let his master enter the chamber first.

They were confronted by a sight which
was startling, enough to unnerve them.

The room was not large, but was well
furnished, boasting of a high ceiling. and
well carpeted. At one side stood a table.
upon which was a large lamp. whose light

,sh'ed a cheerful glow over the apartment.

, “I told you so," cried Bastien, stopping
short the moment he crossed the thresh-y
01d,/ and then he grave Royal a. quick
glance. “I feared that something' had
happened. My God! ‘ He, is dead!"

He stood over a man who was lying on
the floor, his body half drawn up and his
hands.h_alf open.

The face was sallow and foreign in
looks. the results of a residence in warm
climates, and the eyes had thestare of the
dead. . , . '

It was a strangely handsome "face as
the. light revealed it; the chin was well
formed. the cheeks none.‘ too fleshy, and
the Whole: contour bespoke intelligence of
a superior order and a correct life.

,But there was a look of death lathe
eyes: not'only this, but a look of violent
death.  ' .

The contortionsiof the' mouth, the head
drawn to one side seemedto tell the. two

'men that they stood in the presence of a

deep mystery of murder. ._ V i _

Bastien, who had (iropped his .hat upon
entering, half bentover the bodyand
stared‘at  with a white face, while
Royal Flu . habited in, his odd-looking
'gymnasium suit, remained slightly in the

speak again: I . ‘.
p“ You know the house as well as I do."

the laboratory door is open." * ‘
_, ‘,‘ The keyles's one?" I ,
' “Certainly; the iron portal!) . -
Royal withdrew. ‘ leaving Bast ien‘ lalone
withthe dead man. but in a moment the
factotum‘camedmck. t g , , ’
“ Iti‘s shut." he anno need. " x - I
“ uftried'it, did you.". ‘
« ..“, ’ s; I‘twisted the knob as best I knew»
‘hdw. butsit'wasas solid ash stone ‘wall."
I “We cannot open that amt-3"le the
reply. .“No one knew the‘secretof “the
keyless portal but Raymond, unless he eon-
. l r‘

‘ l

T’TlOYOI'lel?” . , ' , - v

“Yes, to Oriel. V’It is not likely thus he
dill 'so..1'o'rl,'he zealously guarded the se-‘
'créts offtho laboratory. Look here.‘ Royal,
isn't; thisblood in be hand?" , ‘

The  bent low overiflte form on the.»
floor. ;' ‘ " .' 

the rightjhnn’d and Royal‘lifted theilantp
from thelt‘able’g’nndheld it‘close. ‘7 z " 1‘

“It Emblem}: but , there “is non .
where,'.‘. he-' said, looking , 1.2an
“There isno stab that chan“ ‘ ‘
is a shit 'ofvnlass; and; h, _
There are particles of glassen he c

K." | My l‘,‘ i‘ I: I ‘ ‘i V
faced in - the? la

  

 

background and waited for his master. to -

said Bastien. “Run upstairs and‘see‘ if' .

, which turned s

There was a dark stain in '«tlilerpahn [of p. ,

 

it, I mean. It is as if a little sphere of
glass was broken by the closing of the
hand; but this is to be sifted by the de-
teetives."

“It is a dark case for thonléd case
between murder and suicide."

“ Suicide?" and Bastien turned upon
Royal and transfixed him with a sudden‘»
gaze. “Why should he take. his life? He
had everything he needed to make a man
happy, and, though eccentric, as you
know, he had unlimited wealth at his
command and very few heirs." '

There. was no reply and the two rose
and for the first time scanned the room.

“ That looks like a. mark, a stain, on
the tall yonder," and Royal pointed to a.
spot on the wall to the right of the table,
and not far from where the body lay.

Bastien picked up the lamp and moved
forward. .

“ You‘are right. There is a stain hero——7
the marks of two fingers and then a
splotch like the print of a palm! Could
he have staggered against the wall with
the wounded hand and in the throes of
death ‘3" ‘

It was too deep for Royal Flush and the
l‘actotnm shook his head. - , .1

Bastien began to search the chamber,
openingr what drawers he could and rum-
mwzing the dead man's pockets.

"‘ There ought to be a cch somewhere,"
said he, pausing for a moment and looking
up at Royal. “Maybe these detectives
will mine and pick up one the first
thing!" ‘

“I don't see how they can. There’s
nothing here» but the little particles of
glass and the wound in the hand. That
wouldn’t produce death."

"‘ We don’t know..:1laymond had at.
his command all the secrets of toxicology.
He knew what would kill" With the best
of them, and, though he never bruited his
learning abroad, he could~ tell what would
take life instantly. or what would give
one an hour to settle up his affairs.” '

' “But the open front door?”

"There’s something in. that. There
must be. He, always locked the house ‘at.
night. The person who was with him
last didn’t look the door upon going off.
The. police will have something to start on
at least. You sec’ what a presentment
will do now, don’t you, boy? I felt that
something was wrong in this house.”

. “'What shall we do?" i

“This must be known.to the authori~

ties at once. The ‘news must go post

intendent shall have, a chance to put/his

fastest ferret upon a warm trail.”  '
Bastien locked the door of the (loath

chamber-as he retired and in the hall he .

stopped and looked upstairs.‘ ‘ ,
doe/t,

“ You are sure you tried the iron:
'Royal?"yheusked. =  ' ; -  . .

'“ With ~all‘my might; :I found it locked
and a dear Without a keyhole is too much
for me.” 4 I ’
g“ He protected the secrets I
‘oratory with that iron door," he re-v
marked. “I have never walked acrosis
'its,.thre'shold, andallgmiy H I
'into-its mysteriespv‘gire c everly baffled by'
him; We, will look beyond it now. The
laboratory may

 
     
         
        
   
     
     
 

  

,must' open tot,» the luw.'_The police will,
{forcoitlloyalfli > ' ' ‘ it ~ " ' '

~ Bastien. glanced nf'hisj'wafich..and; saw,

that, it Was a quartenpnfictvvelve. _ .
I They were abont'tqtg av ,‘thessteps

.‘wlmn mo, persons stepped; mm. a cab,

  
   
 

halted .‘ in: the, j gutter. ,
' ‘Bflstl‘enandrltoynl x1 ,

Mist—met»
* m1 "W

 

 

 

‘ “tIt‘Iook’s V
mill” I

haste to Mulberry street, and the super- _

desires 'to pry ”

[hold the’ Secret of. this‘ I, ‘
dark place of baldness and the 'i-ron‘door, 4‘

uddenly from   

 

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.y it

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’2 2:14;... - :

‘otxthé' d315- ' »

 
  
   
   
     
  
    
   
  
    
   

 

I
a
'u

Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

 

3

 

 

Royal Flash that the murder had ah'eady
been discovered.

" Mr. Blue, I believe,” said the officer,
.as be mounted the step. “1 am Sergeant
Slipper, and this gentleman is Mr. Keene,
of the deteetive force. You have discov-
ered the existing state of affairs, I pre-
silllli'?"

“We have discovered that. lhlymond
llolt’e lies dead in this house. My com-
ing thither at this time grew out of a
presentiment which preVented me from
sleeping, and. in order to verify my sus-
picions, I induced Royal, here. to aceom-
pany me. We will go back with you,
gentlemen."

Bastion re-opeued the door and all en—
'lered.

Sergeant Slipper was a man of perhaps
fifty, a well informed member of the force,
«cautious but zealous, and one who had the
entire confidence of the chief.

Of his companion, Kimball Keene. or
CleW Hawk Keene. but little in the. way
of introduction .need be sad. His age. was
thirty-five, and he had won his stars in
more than one apparently Cl(‘\Vlt‘SS case.
so the nickname of the Clew Hawk of
Gotham was one of which he was justly
proud.

Fearless, cunning. good natured. able. to
find olews where the best. of his rivals
had given up the game. he had gone from
triumph to triumph. winning new laurels
whenever he was given a mystery to
solvo or a victim to eateh.

“You have been over the. house, I pre—
sume?" said Slipper, in the hall.

“Wehave looked in but few places.
“T0. were in the act of notifying the de—
partment, but your coming does away
with that."

“ I ought to tell you that the crime, for
crime it seems to be," continued Slipper,
looking at Bastien. who leaned against
the wall, with his arms folded on his
breast “was discovered by Roundsman
Clipper, who has gone home for the time
laboring under an attack of his old trou-
ble. heart paipitation, which came on
while telling his story at. the office. He
was on his heat when, about ten o'clock,
he saw a light in the third story window
and noticed the opening and closing of the.
iron shutter that secures the windows of
the. laboratory. .

“Clipper might not have. thought any-
thing of this, for he was acquainted with

t the vagaries of the. deceased. but a mo-
ment later he heard a cry which sounded,

in part. like. a. moan, and died away in a
horrid—horrid is the word he used—gur-

ggle. '

“ Even then he did not think of murder.
enduturned back on his beat. He had
gone perhaps twenty yards when. hap-
rpening to look down the sidewalk. he

’saw some. one standing on the steps out

there. ’The light was not very good. but
he made out, as he thought, the figure of
a woman." - ‘ ‘

“On the steps of this house?” asked ‘
“Bastien. '

“Right out yonder. Mr. Blue. Clipper

"says he is aware that the deceased had a

F.....

pain

i,“ I

1. .

  
 
 
 

prote’gee. a young lady whom he has pro-
vided for'and ‘who lives in Fourteenth
street. with a maid and in luxury—"

‘ “ Oriel!" ‘ - . ‘ l

“ I believe her name is Oriel, and a right
pretty name. it‘ls.‘ I am not saying that

Oriel'was the'person seenaby Clipper on;
the steps at ten minutes past ten, but it;
"was a woman. She stood there In while,

perhaps five minutes,' when she came
down and walked briskly away. 4

‘f’l‘he roundsman ‘did not follow her;
but by and by came back in the natural

 course of duty and tried the doom ll’t» was

unlocked. andhe informs us that hehap-
pens to know that Mr. Rolfe was very

careful, to lock the. doors from“ a, desire,

to amply proteot'the' preoious-‘things in
the labomtory. 3 ‘ I

,“Clipper then entered the. house. to la-
yestigate. He found“ the lamp burning
in. the roomiyonder, and. upon entering.
discovery VWhich

‘ for

 

turn to his heat he was taken ill and had
to be conveyed home. Ile‘ll he all right
before morning. as he always is. and
then you can hear his story from his
own lips. Now, Mr. Keene."

The portly sergeant, who had stood
with his back to the door all this time,
turned and opened it.

Kimball Keene was the first person of
the four to walk in.

The lamp, which had been left as found
by the roundsmnn and by Bastien, shed
its light upon the ghastly object lying on
the 'arpet, with the half-clenched hands,
and upon the dark. hand—like stain on the
wall.

The. Clew Hawk of New York did not
seem to make more than a. superiiuial ex-
amination. He bent oVer the body and
looked at it, opening the hands and tak-
ing a survey of position and so forth;
then he rose and faced Bastien Blue.

“ You have not been all over the house,
I believe?" he said.

“I have not. Royal here. went up to
the laboratory door at my request, and
found it closed."

“ The iron door the. roundsman tells
fibtlllll, which is seethineg without a key-

0 e." '

“ Strange to say, it has none. at all.”

“ Then how did your half-brother open
it?"

“ That is a secret which, like others, he
kept to himself."

“ One he never imparted to you?"

“Quite true. He never gave- even to
310 the secret of the opening of that iron

om‘." ’

“ Let: us go up and look at,it."-

Bastien Blue led'the way and in a few
moments they stood before what the
light which Bastien had turned on. showed
was a door of iron—the door to the dead
man's labm-atory. and when the police-
man took hold of the. knob he. found it

immovable. unyielding; and a closer scrur

tiny showed that. from top to bottom,
there was no break or‘dent in the iron
surface. ‘

“\Vhon was this door put up?" asked
the detective.

“During my absence from the city five
years ago, or when he built the labora-
torv."

"'You must have heard the door opened

frequently?" . ,

“ Now and then, but I had become. so
accustomed to his vagaries that I never
bothered myself about them. Of course,
I never asked him: how he managed to
open the door—I did not consider that any
of my affairs; but I do know that he
came. up here. and entered:tliis room :hy
the door before you, despite the fact that
it has no key-hole.”

“Do you think hoover told Miss Oriel
about it ‘3”

“Really, I cannot say, but I Tdon't
think she knows any more than I do
about the. door."

“Have you sent Miss Oriel word of
the—the tragedy?” asked Royal Flush,
putting in for the first time. .

"I believe she. still, remains in ignor-
mice of it," replied the sergeant. "She
will. hear of it soon enough.,for we may
need her in the course of the investiga-
tion.” . / , '  ,r
' There was now inauguratml a thorough
search for means of ingress to the labora-
tory, scaled,‘n,s it Were, from' all mortal
eyes; but-the searchers Were compelled
to stop, baffled as much at the end as at
the. beglmting. i,

‘f'l‘hnt room may hold the key to the
solution of this crime," said the officer,
pointing at the door. “We have au-
thority to open it. in the. usual manner it
possible, forcibly. if necessary.”

The sergeant stepped back a pace and
a moment eyed
portal. .

“» Wewill proceed at once, Mr. Keene.”

who said at last. “A hot‘ trail is always the

best, eh ‘I You have. been here often, Mr.
Blue? Can you find us a battering ram—o
sledge or a-bur of iron?”
. is a’a'orge int-
iié‘lnanme

  

  
  

  
 

the ,‘ refractory

'1 cellar and, I A

,Blue was white and ghastly. His eyes

‘mueh depended on the. opening of that

. to whom he bowod politely.

‘ different manner.”

 

     
  
    
   
   
   
   
  
  
  
    
  
  
   
     
    
   
      
  
  
   
   
    
   
 
 
  
   
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
    
   
        
     
    
    
   
   
 
    
  
   
   
   
      
    
 
      
    
   
    
  
  
   
    
   
 

Blue?" and the. officer started downstairs
directed by Bastien. ’

In a few moments the sergeant rev
turned and unloaded at the door a rusty
sledge and a stout iron bar.

Royal Flush, wno was a veritable a'th—
lete, picked up the former and lifted it
above his head.

“ He. looks like a young lion," said the.
Imlleeman. "lie Won‘t let that door trou-
ble him long. Now, stand back, men, and ‘
let Samson have a chance."

As Royal. with a glance at Bastien.
stepped back so as to get firmly planted
before the door, he saw that the face, of

seemed to start from his head. and his
swollen veins showed plainly on his tem-
ples. He seemed to hold his breath, as if

stubborn door. and when the first blow ,  l
was given he appeared lifted off his feet. ‘

Blow after blow Royal rained on the
iron barrier, bringing off seales of rust,
and shaking it, but. not breaking the 11in-
terious look.

The. young man stopped at last and
looked at his companions. He was al-
most- exhausted. ’ .

“ A few more blows will bring it!" cric'd' .
the sergeant. “We must look beyond that _ 1
door before we quit: this house. The clow. 
may be there." .‘ ,-

Royal lifted the hammer once more, 
after a breathing spell, and, this time the l *
(floor trembled as it had not. trembled bu {
orev . _

“There it is!" exclaimed Keene: “we :
will now take a look lnto‘the forbidden 1'
room.”

The door, knocked loose at last by the
tremendous blows which the young Thor '
had rained upon it, seemed about to fall
inward, when the sergeant sprang for- " '
ward and caught. it in both hands.

Avstrange smell as of spilled chemicals
came from. the apartment, and Slow - x
Hawk Ixeene was at the threshold when N .
a voice rang clearly through the corridor
that startled every one. ‘ r ..

“Stand back! Who are you that you .. ‘
break down avdoor without authority 
from any one? Since the death of the _
master, this house and its contents 
long to me!" ’

‘In the middle of the sealed chamber,
with her beautiful face as white as
snow, and her figure drawn uplike that y
of atragedy queen, stood a young girl.
whose gleaming eyes seemed ate" emit}
flashes of flame. , ‘ ' ‘ j ..

“My God!” crle‘d‘ Bastien. *J‘Oriel t

Ome.” . 
 CHAPTER III. ‘ :1“
- A YOUNG GIRL‘S, ORDEAL. ‘ ‘  g,
The ,t'air prlsonzr of the~' laboratory ~ *
made :no reply, but looked at the little.
gi'oup who had forced their way intojthe
p ace. ‘ _ ' > .1 ;
' She was a girl of twenty. with a grace”
ful, willowy figure and a pretty..face,-noW‘
pale as if she were laboring under 1 .
excitement. , ‘ « 1' . j » . a" I; ‘v
She stood in the middle of t1)0‘1'()01D,‘.'.I , ‘
surrounded by shelves well ladened with.
phials of 'all sizes, and here and there.
chemical apparatus, crucibles, retorts and“
the. like. , V I ~ '
It‘ was a well-equipped laborato
though small, and from ceiling to 0
there was Something connected with e
periments or the results of science. _ .
The door might have fallen against her ‘
if Sergeant Slipper had not caught it- in
time, but it was (widcnt that she had not
tried to avoid the collision. ‘ , ,Ir « 
“ You are Miss Orne, I believe,“ said it)
sergeant, stepping toward the young git-I,

 

 

 

“I am Oriel‘Orne.” with a swift glance
at. Bastion Blue. who had spoken the
namea moment before. _ _ I 1‘

“ We did not expect to find youihom',

Miss, else we might have proceeded: tom.

“That is all right. I‘suppose you "bad x
a right. to see what.-was‘beyondi,lheiip

 

   

. l
v

./

 

l

4

 

She turned to him her white face and
for half a. SPCUIld her deep, searching
eyes seemed to transtix him.

“You know what has happened,“ he
went on. "You must. know that Ray-
mond is dead below. Ah, you intimated
that when you greeted us, commanding
us to beware what We did in this room."

“ I know."

The asheu lips met firmly and she.
'turned from Bastien Blue and addressed
Sergeant Slipper-J ,

“I do not doubt. that you have. a right
to know What is in this room. You be-

. long to the police, and the authorities
have a right to all the clews that are to
be found to the crime committed under-
neath this roof.”

“But, Oriel, how came you in the lab-
oratory, when it was supposed that none

‘but him know the secret of the solid
door?” demanded Bastien.

“ You did not know it, did you?"

“No, no; I thought he. was the sole.
possessor, but your presence here tells
us—What else can it tell us?—that he
shared it with you.”

. “ You may know in the future. Now.
in“. Officer, the laboratory is at your ser-
vice, but I fear it will not reward you

t for your trouble.“

Oriel wawd her hand toward the
shelves and drawers, and stepped to the
door.

,, “One minute, Miss,” said Slipper. at a

; glance from Keene. “If you would be
kind enough to remain we will make

 the search, ,and, ,since you know the

, secret of the iron door, you may forWard
the cause of justice by assisting us now."

i “ Just as you say,” was the reply, and

» Oriel came back and took the only
chair, at revolving one, in the chamber.

. “You, have been here before to-

, might?" queried Keene, addressing the

‘ girl for the first time.

“ Perhaps.”

.'“Youlmay know something about the
contents of this apartment. That is,
you may be able to tell us if anything is
missing.”

At this Oriel Orne started a little and her
gaze for a moment fell, while a flush suf-
fused her checks.

if {‘He was the secret keeper; you must
‘ understand that," she answered. "The
true contents of this room were known
1to him alone, unless his friend, the doc-
.tor, shared with him some of his se-
crets." , , '

“ The doctor, Miss '3"

Oriel looked again at Bastien.

“Doctor Doom. Mr. Blue has some ae-
qunintance with him, but not enough,
perhaps, to say whether he ever became

diamond Rolfe’s confidant.”

Thus appealed to, Bastien explained
that Doctor Doom was a friend of his as
well as a visitor to Raymond Rolfe’s
house; but beyond this he averred that
he, knew nothing.

Detective Keene, who had a little
knowledge of chemistry, went over the
phials on the shelves and then looked at‘
the apparatus without going into de-

tails.

.. All the time he was followed by the
eye‘ of Oriel, who turned the chair as he
proceeded, and who seemed to take great

I - int rest in the investigation.

“ hat is in those drawers yonder,
,Miss?" asked Sergeant Slipper. pointing

’ '," .to a set of drawers in a. cupbmrd.

 

y. to enjoy the ofllcer‘s quandary. I

iiioould speak," was the reply.

“’The dead man might tell you if he

“I never
‘ looked into the ." ‘ '

, .“ Do you know anything about the
will?" . ,

“Th-at, I believe, can be found at the
Security Deposit Company, where he had
several boxes.”

The search soon ended and Sergeant
Slipper announced to Oriel that they

‘: were ready to go below.

“One thing I would. like to know.
334155.” remarked the ,rotund policeman.
. “And it is important, seeing what
' has occurred to-night. How did you get
zinto this room?” ' ,

’ A smile illumine'd Oriel's face and she

’ and—~—

    
 

 

CleW—Hawk Keene’s Right Bower.

 

“There was no keyhole to the iron
door, Miss. We had to break it down
to get to you. is there a secret stairway
to this house?"

"I know of none.”

“ You don‘t mean to tell 11s that you
came up by the main stairs and got into
this room by the door yonder?" v

" Why not, Mr. Officer?"

"I can‘t. see how it could be done.
What say you. Mr. Blue?"

Bastien shook his head, but, as he
caught. ()riel's glance, he Seemed to shiver.

“ Yell want to keep the manner of your
entrance here a secret, Miss, I see that.
But you must know it cannot remain a
secret very long. It is the duty of my
friend, Mr. Keene. here, to make all
things clear, and he will reach the end
of this mystery in spite of all attempts
to keep it dark. That is his business. He
is to take charge of this case, and you
will see him at the end of the trail, no
matter what be your cherished secrets
now."

Oriel made no reply. but. looked at the
detective for a moment, and then glanced
toward the hall. '

“ We. will go down. now,” added the

blficcr. and he led the way downstairs
and opened the door of the death room.

Keene, at tho policeman’s side as the
latter turned the knob, had this order
whispered in his ear: ,

“Watch her, Keene. She is keeping
something back. See that she betrays no
emotion without being seen. I’ll spring
the other trap on her before we quit the
room.”

The Clew. Hawk stepped aside to let
Oriel precede him, and Bastien and Royal
Flush followed in after her. i

A dead silence followed the entrance
of the little group, and Sergeant: Slipper
took a position from which he wuld
watch Oriel’s every expression and move-
ment. *

The young girl stopped near the table
and her gaze fell at once to the stiffening
figure on the carpet.

Her form seemed to straighten, and her
face, pale at all times, appeared .to quiver
slightly. ‘

Her hands,were shut along her sides ’

and partially concealed by the folds of
her black\ gown, and altogether she
looked calm, but terribly interested.

“Did you find him dead‘wheu you came
here?” suddenly asked Sergeant Slipper.

Oriel raised her eyes to him and looked
him fairly in the face.

Her lips did not part, and in another
moment her eyes wandered back to the
ghastly object on the floor.

“You will perceive that there is blood
on one of the “palms,” continued Slip-
per, with all the heartlessness of an
old. time. inquisitor. "Measure your
words, Miss, for there are witnesses here
who may repeat them. There is blood
in the right; palm, and upon the floor
near the same hand were found minute
pieces of glass like the fragments of a
glass sphere." r

o(gt-lei went forward and bent over the
b y.

, She was watched by every one in the
chamber, and the silence that came'down
upon this scene was almost palpable.

She lifted the stained hand and bent
still closer. ' ‘

She turned so as to let the light fall
upon it and for half a second her gaze
became riveted upon it.

The stain was still there, but not so
plain as it. had been.

“That is not blood,” said she, looking
up, and then her lips met firmly.

“Not blood?" cried Sergeant Slipper;
“Whennwe saw it first it was running,

/ , I ‘ ‘

“ You must have been mistaken. This
is'not blood." . ‘ _

"But, look at the wall yonder. Don't
you see a mark there as if he staggered
thither after being struck and tried to
support himself from falling?”

Oriel rose and looked searchineg atrthe

Sergeant Slipper.

I “what, doyou call their; .' ;

 

spot designated by the fat forefinger of“ '

“Blood, perhaps. I am not prepared
to say what it is, but I am sure that the
stain in the hand yonder was not
blood." ‘

Slipper and Keene exchanged looks and
the policeman winked.

“Secrecy, if you know :lvllyillillg', can
do you no good.” now added Bastien.
“Murder has been done and the mur-
derer must be brought to light. You
seem to be able to furnish a clew, but you.
will not. Don‘t you know, Oriel, that
your silence will subject you to harsh
criticism, and that it may retard the

right?"

“I know all this," was the quick an-
swer, and Oriel Orne was facing Bastien,
who had fallen back alongside of Royal
Flush. “I have a right to keep back
what I know about this crime, even say-
ing that I know anything at all about it.
There are others who know more than I
do. There are those who expect to profit
by this tragedy, but we shall see whether;
they profit or not.”

“She‘s a mystery,” thought the ser-
geant. “She deserves a ;..)0d deal of at-
tention by Keene, and if she didn’t. kill
him herself, She evidently has an idea.
who did.” ‘

The policeman looked at the detec-
tive and continued. but aloud:

“We can do nothing more here, just
now. This matter has passed into the
hands of the police. But I would like to
see Miss Orne alone for a moment."

Bastien and Royal Flush exchanged
looks, but did not object, and stepped
out into the hall, followed by Kimball
Keene.

The sergeant shut the door and turned:
upon Oriel, who stood at the table, one
of her white hands resting upon the-

edze. , -
“ What do you, know aboutthis bit of

ping up to her and taking from his waist-
coat a piece of crumpled paper, which he
opened.

Oriel started as she seemed to recog—
nize it, but reached out and took it from
his hand. .

She read silently:

“ Men die suddenly nowadays. You are
in the shadow. Beware!

“ORIEL.”

Slipper watched her and said, abrupt-

1y.

“Roundsman Clipper found it in the
dead man’s pocket. Did you write it,
Miss?"

“I wrote it,” answered Oriel, handing
the paper back. . ,

“ Threat or warning?"

The girl appeared to gasp for air; her
body reeled, and the next moment Ser-‘
geant Slipper had caught her in his arms.
and was calling for Kimball Keene. '

f‘Here, Keene," said he, as the Metro-
politan ferret appeared. “You will take
the young lady home in our cab. This is
an easy case.” \ ‘ ‘

CHAPTER IV.

. ORIEL'S STORY.
The dead man‘s protegee offered no re-
monstrance, and Keene escorted her to the
cab in which he and Sergeant Slipper had.

little while they were on their way to
Fourteenth s

Oriel seemed usy with her thoughts,
while the detective waited for her to speak
and wondered if she would let a ray of
light in upon the murder. ‘
, Every now and then he caught a glimpse
of Oriel’s face, and saw that it was still
white and tenser drawn.

Her hands he could not see; she kept

whenever he looked at her it seemed that.
she shuddered and turned h r eyes away.
Was this young girl ‘2 Was she
the murderess—the woman whom Rounds-
man Clipper had seen come out Of the re-

'covery? ‘
There was the

 
  

 

hich had causedoriel to reel.

the ,one W

 

 

cause. of justice to the final failure of‘ '-

paper, Miss?” asked the policeman. step- V

come to the scene of the tragedy, and in a. 

them buried in the folds of her dress,- and '

cluse’s house a short time-before his dis-_

hit of paper which;
had taken from the dead man’s pocket-r:

 

if

4.}:

m

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"offictf'nsw -. A _~

 

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 :teu into the hands 0: as cunning a man as

Claw-Hawk Keene’s rRighthower.

 

5

 

 

from Sergeant Slipper with a gasp of hor-
ror, but not until after she had confessed
to its authorship.

The young girl was lighting a mental
battle; she was at war with herself, as the
detective guessed from what he could see
of her, and at. last he gave up all hopes of
drawing her out.

Suddenly Oriel leaned toward Keene and
.said, her voice sounding strangely, min-
gled as it. was with the rattling of the
Vehicle:

"Do you think me guilty?”

The question came so suddenly that
Kimball started.

“The other one does—I am sure of that,”
she \vent on. "Your friend thinks that
the blood of Raymond Rolfe is on these
hands,“ and she thrust them forward till
they almost touched the man. "Do you?"

“I never express an opinion of that im-
portance until I have positive proof.”

" Or circumstantial,” she smiled. “You
know, as you certainly must, for you are
.a runner down of crimes, that circumstan-
tial proof is often as good as direct."

" Sometimes better, Miss Orne," an-
,swered Keene. “It has oftentimes proved
fatal to the defendant."

" So it has. I was in the room with the
iron door when you broke it in. That is
.bad for me, isn't it?”

“ You may be able to clear all that up
by your story."

“‘ But it would be hard to convince your
friend of the police. He thinks I killed
Raymond Rolfe.” '

“ I never asked Mr. Slipper for his opin-
io-n," evasively replied the detective.

“ No? Well, I am sure it would not be
‘very complimentary toward me. He
showed me the paper which the rounds-
man found in the pocket of the deceased,
.and l was overcome." V

" But. you told him, Miss Orne, that you
wrote it."

" That is true. I wrote that note—I sent
it to him yesterday, for it is past one now
.and consequently another day. I don’t
blame Mr. Slipper for what he thinks,
.for circmnstances are against me. ‘ You
;.arc listening to me, Mr. Keene."

“ I am listening, Miss Orne.”

Once more she leanedtback in the cab
:and for half a second shut her eyes. Her
hands came out from under her gown and
she crossed them in her lap.

“Please tell the driver. to drive a little
:slower. We are near home, and I want
.to talk a little.”

Keene acceded to the request with much .

-~eagorness, and, settling back in his corner
once more, waited for Oriel to proceed.

“ You must know that I am, or was,
Raymond Rolfe’s protegee, and that I now
live in a house furnished by him, with one

:;servant-—a maid named Floraiia.

“ I believe I um the child of a friend of
’his, a gentleman who, at great personal
:si‘lCl‘lfiCQ, did him afavor which he never
forgot. At that time Raymund Rolfe was
not the wealthy man he was at the hour
of his death. Subsequently. and from
what he learned from my father, he laid
the foundation of his enormous fortune,
which must encroach close on to a million
.at the present time.

“In Fourteenth street I have lived for
ten years, for I ,was twelve when I be-
came his ward, or protegee, which is, per-
haps. the better name. I went to see him
Whenever I cared to. He gave me the
'keys to the house. and I had the entree at
all hours. I took good care, however, not
to inquire into his work in the laboratory.
knowing that he had secrets, and among
them some which he would not have ur-
rendercd to save his life.

“ ’I‘here'ought to be in his private boxes
.at the Safe Deposit Company in Wall
street a will giving me the bulk of his

.‘property. with a living for his half-brother,

Bastien Blue." -
Oriel seemed to speak the name with

, diversion. “

“ Raymond Rolfe has“been the victim
rat a conspiracy, but after what I said

'and did under, the eyes of your police.

friend, I would not be‘ believed in this
statement. But it is true. A year ago he

 

ever lived, and 10-day he rejoices over the
tragedy !"

" He may not have heard of it, miss."

“ My word for it that Doctor Doom
knows that Raymond Rolfe inhabits his
house ready for the coroner and the grave!
You have never met the doctor and his
daughter, Della?

"’l‘hey inhabit a splendid mansion on
I[———— street, a house which is lined up
with all the style of a ducal palace, yet
where did this man—1 should call him de-
mon~—get his wealth? , Ask his dupes.
Ask the victims he has had on his list. and
ask them where they would be io-day but,
for the greed of this pair—this demon doc-
tor and his equally demon daughter.

" Doctor Doom came often to Raymond
ltolfe‘s house, but never, to my knowl~
edge. was he admitted to the laboratory,
though he professed to be interested in
science, and threw out broad hints that he
would like to look beyond the iron door.
The man is a t'ascinator—I mean a fasci-
nator as the serpent fascinates its victim.
Whenever he left Ra 'inond Itolfe's house
my guardian would have to take a rest,
and he invariably fell into a. long, deep
slumber, out of which he would come with—
out the slightest recollection of the doc
tor’s visit.

“Such a man is Doctor Doom, with
whom Bastien Blue is on familiar terms,
and Bastien Blue is as potter’s clay in the
hands of the demon doctor and his daugh-
ter. '

' “ Now, as to to—night, Mr. Keene."

Oriel took a long breath and seemed to
hesitate.

“It was eleven o’clock when I reached
the house for the purpose of seeing if he
had acted upon my note which, as you
know, was found in his pocket. The door
was unlocked. I must have missed the
policeman whose beat runs past the house,
for I did not see him. I entered the house
and saw the door leading into the room
where he was found ajar.

“I found him in the same position in
which he was seen by you when you

came. Death had taken place some time '

before. I raised no alarm, but for some
time I stood unnerved in the presence of
death, and wasmot capable of making a
noise. , ‘

“ When my thoughts came back, and
strength returned, I searched the room for
what I could find tending to throw light
upon the deed, but I was not rewarded.
That is,” she added, “not Very well.”

“ You found something, Miss Out-e?"

One of Orlel's hands lost itself in the
pocket of her dress. v

“ For some time, as I happened to know,
having made the discovery by a secret
visit to the laboratory three weeks ago, he
had been experimenting on a certain poi-
son, which he blew into little glass spheres,
scaling them over the spirit lamp. You
saw the bits of glass on the floor about
his dead hand to-night.”

The detective nodded.

“I found on the floor, not broken, and
under the table where it had roiled, one of
these spheres, charged with a deadly poi-
son which will take human life almost in
the twinkling of an eye.”

Oriel drew from her pocket as she con-
cluded, a handkerchief, which she opened,
displaying something that glittercd in the‘
liqht of a street lump.

‘If you hold it up between you and the
[next light you will see that it contains a
‘iluid as red as blood, and thii‘t is what de-
celvod all of you tonight," she went on.
“But, as I have aid, the. mark onthe
wall is real blood. This little sphere, un-
broken, must have fallen from the hands
on the pocket of his slayer.” ‘ '

“Why not from his. own. miss?"

“To believe that would be to confess
that Raymond Rolfe committed suicide.
But he was murdered i" '

, The young detective did not reply, but
vaited for Oriel to proceed.

“ When I had searched the‘ room I went

 

 

fun to the laboratory. I never became his

confidant so far as to be given the secret of
the iron door by him. 1discovered that 110-,
cldentaily. I went up to the chamber of
science, I say, and by‘) the door which
Royal Flush’s hammer demolished.  .

 

 

 

“Ifound nearly everything as I had
seen them during my last visit. He had
been there in the earlier hours of the night,

for i could see that the retorts had been ‘

used, and the phial which held the glass
globes stood in the little cupboard with
the green glass. 1, opened that cupboard
and took out the phial. I held it up to
the light, and counted them as I had done
on my last visit. Two were missing, or,
at least. the phial did not. contain as many
by that number. There is nothing in this
you might say. for he was apt to remove
them himself; but, let me prove that he
had not done so.

" l‘asted on the bottom of the bottle was
a paper dated that very day—yesterday,
you rciuember—stating that just so many
glass spheres containing the secret poison
were in the phial. Not only this, but the
phial was sealed with green wax, showing
that it did contain so many spheres at the
time of the making of the memoranda.
When I looked at it, after my discovery
of his body in the room below and in the
light of the laboratory's electric lamp, two
were missing ”

“And the green seal, miss?"

“Apparently it was not disturbed.”

‘ For a moment a strange silence fell be,-
tween the detective and Oriel Orne. They
looked at (3110 another, Kimball Kcene's
face full of interest and mystery, and the
young girl‘s almost triumphant.

“ What does all this prove to you, Miss
Orne?" Kimball asked.

" Perhaps i should have asked this
question of you," she responded, with a.
smile. “I am the narrator. you the lis-
tener. You reverse the. order of things a.
little; but, never mind. What do I think‘i
Simply thiszl The secret of the opening of
the iron door was known to some one else.
That person knew where the phial was,
but did not know about the memorandu.
on the bottom. That person knew about
the deadly spheres—knew that one placed
in a human palm could be broken by the
clfosing of that hand, and thus destroy a
11 e. i
i‘ The glass would cut through the skin
and the deadly agent get at once into the
blood, stilling the heart almost as quickly
as the dropping of an eyelash. I say the
person who killed Raymond Rolfe knew '

 

this."
“But you warned him. He got the
warning: It was found on his person.

Against whom did you warn him, miss?;_

Who was the ‘shadow"” -

The girl looked away, and the detective l" 2

saw her flesh jerk.

“ You would not warn him unless you,
knew something that threatened him?"j.
urged Keene. ; ‘

“ Why should I?"

She spoke without looking toward him. ,

“ Roundsman Clipper saw a woman a‘
come out of the house last night.”

“ Does he say so?" cried Oriel. turning.
upon Keene. “Did he see no man come;
out? Is he sure it was a woman? Did her
tell you?" . ‘

“ No; but—" _ '

“ We are at my home, i '. Keene. You -.
have heard all I have to say—at this time.” I

That was all, and the next moment thei
cab stopped in front of the girl’s home.

I

 

CHAPTER V.
DEVILISH MAGIC.

About an hour after quitting the house:
of the tragedy, Bastien Blue mounted a:
flight of stone steps in front of an elegant
mansion in another part of the city and’
rather nervously jerked the bell.

It was the morning of a new day, a day. i

which was to give New York another mys-I
tery of crime and to open a series of thrill-

ing events, to be chronicled in these pages.’ , '

On the street no one seemed to be ustir,
and the policeman, half asleep in a con-
venient doorway not far off, was not dis-
turbed by" the young man’s ring. .

The house, a three-story one, looked dark -‘ ‘

enough, but the bell had not ceased its
alarm in the hull, when a light was seen.
Footsteps came toward the door, and, in
Bastien Blue, with a gasp, came back to
the material world. and
quickly to see if Della was near.

looked around ‘

 
     

 

 

6

Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower. .

 

another second, it opened, and Bastien
Blue stepped inside, to be confronted by a
man in a dark dressing gown, with the
odor of tobacco smoke clinging to it.

He was older than the visitor; he might
have been fifty, with Whiskers on his face,
with deep-set, keen eyes, and a high fore—
head, not unlike in contour the man who
lay mysteriously dead in another street.

He greeted Bastien with close familiar-
ity, and led the way to a large parlor
alongside the hall.

The room was elegantly appointed, and
the costly paintings, the scattered brie-a-
brac, and the beautiful papering told that
it was the abode of wealth.

“ You are an early bird,” said Bastien‘s
friend, drawing off to a chair in which he
seated himself, at the same time taking up
a cigar from a lot on the table near at

 hand. “I have been up experimenting a
little, but if you had remained away an-
other ten minutes you would have found
me abed."

Bastien was full of .what he had just seen,
and he felt that he was listening to a man
who had heard nothing of the murder.

“ I have been detained, and but for that
detention,” said he, “I might not have
called at all.” .

“ Oh, you’ve been up to the Lodge, eh?
I understand you’ve been there shooting
for a few days. What luck ‘t”

“I came down yesterday. Luck was
bad enough. But you haven’t heard, of

I course?” '

“ I haven’t been out of the house for a
day,” was the reply. “ Consequently, all
the news I get is what I have been able

' it) glean between hours, in the newspapers.
You look like a person who has news of
note.” .

.1 “I have. I have just come from Ray-

‘ I, 'mo’ud’a. He is dead.” ' , '

 . Th’ere came to the face 'of the listener

., a. look, puzzling in its intensity, as he took

1the cigar from his mouth and leaned to-

ward Bastien. , r

v " Dead? You don’t tell me this '3”

NJ. " It lsvtrue. I have just come from the

place, which is aheady in the hands of the
lice.’

‘ “What! in their hands? The house of

my old friend, Rolfe? What caused them

' to come upon the scene?”

“The dark and. mysterious circum-
stances that surround the death,” an-

, swercd Bastien. “Raymond was found in

.thelittle room on the first floor, dead, with

«sustain in his palm, and a splotch of blood

on the wall.”

4 “ Who found him thus?"

“The policeman on the beat—Rounds-

: ‘ $811, Clipper, the little man. You recall

in. ’ I

I "‘ So I do,” and the host looked over the

,y gold-rimmed glasses which been-ode his

.; nose and took along breath. _

“, This is pretty hard to believe," said

_ he. ,“Raymognd Rolfe dead? Killed, they

.fthink.eh?” Q , . . ¢

' “They think so.”

"What do you think?” ,.

“It looks dark, that’s a fact. I went to

,the house with Royal because of supre-

. .rsenti-ment which I could not shake off;

’ ,but'the policeman had been there 'before

.me. and in axlittle whilea sergeant and a

 

 

 
   
  
  
   
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
     
   
  
  
   
  
 
    
   
    
  
  
   
   
  
   
   
 
  
    

' detective came.” '
m“ What, already? Seems to me they
a A [caught onto the tragedy in a Mary."
 “The hurry seems purely accidental.
But for the policeman seeing a woman
came out of the house the murder might
g have remained undiscovered."
‘ - “He saw that, did he? Clipper?”
 ‘f Yes. He next went to the door and
. ‘ found it unlocked: then he proceeded to
 investigate. and discovered Raymond on
', the floor, alone and dead.” ' '
‘ “The «only personln the house; too, I
supposewv V v .
" “Igness Clipper thought so, at any
rate; but subsequent investigation brought
. about a thrilling discovery which tingles
any n‘ervesyet.”, . i. y‘ ‘
" What Was thaw"- , I . _
“I’ll have to begin at the. beginning.”

  

     
 

  

, bye. to tellthe story of  adventures

I answered Bastien, who saw that he would, »

 

and the finding of Oriel in the room of the
iron door.

He began at once, and narrated the
whole story, listened to most attentively
by the man in the dressing gown.

He was winhng up, when the door lead-
ing into the hall opened, and a young
woman (*llii‘lt‘ll.

l’ler ligure and carriage were magnifi-
cent.

llcr age might have been two and twen-
ty. and her face, rounded out. and volup-
tuously fair, was lighted by a pair of pierc-
ing eyes which from the first transfixed
Bastien in a fascinating manner.

This woman was Della. Doom, the doc.-
tor's daughter. She caine forward with a
smile, saying that she had been disturbed
by voices in the parlor, and had come
down to see what they meant.

“ Our friend has just told a terrible
story," explained Doctor, Doom, looking
from Bastien to Della. “He is the bearer
of bad tidings, which must affect his fut-
ure in an unknown manner. Raymond
Rolfe is dead. He has been found mur-,
dered in his house on H— street, the
three-story one, dear, which I pointed out ,
to you the other day."

“Murdered?” and Della‘s face seemed
to losé color as she came toward the table,
where she stopped, resting upon the edge
of the cloth a Jeweled hand. “You don't
mean to tell us, Bastien, that a tragedy
has occurred in that house?"

Bastien said that one had taken place;
and looking again at the doctor, who
nodded, he finished his narrative.

“You did not hear the whole of the
story, child,” said Doctor Doom. "Oriel
was found in the laboratory after the iron
door had been broken down.”

“ Oriel, his protegee ‘3"

“ Yes,” replied Bastien. “We found her
standing in the middle of the chamber."

f‘ Frightened ?”

“ She was white, but ,she ordered us to,

. proceed cautiously, saying that since Bay-

mond’s death, the house and all it own
tained belonged to her.”

“ Was she right, Bastien?”

. “ I donot know.”

“There was a; will.”

“ Oh, yes; but I know nothing of its con-
tents.”

“She must have known,” assumed Doe-
tor Doom, relighting his cigar. "He told
me once that he intended to provide for
her, but I did not get to read the will
which I witnessed.”

“ Oh, you witnessed a will, then?”

“Yes; it was three months ago. I was
at the house, and he called my attention
to a document which he‘said was his will.
it looked regular, and I witnessed his sig-
nature then and there.”

“There should have been another wit-
ness." t

“ There was one handy. He-was having
a little work done in the hall at the time,
and the carpenter was called in to addhis
name to mine.” '

, “Well,” said Bastien, “I trust he has
provided for Oriel. The girl has been
under his care a long time.”

“More than ten years.” .

“ But how come she in the house-in the
laboratory '2" queried Della Doom.

“She did not give us any reason. She
aid that she was not there when the mar-g
dei- took place; but beyond that, she would
not go." ,. .

, “ Did,they arrest her?"

“ Bless you, no! The policeman said he

had no right to do, that, for there was, as

‘  yet, no proof at all thatshe was concerned
‘in the killing.

She fainted in the room be-i
low, after we had gone down from the
laboratbry, and the detective took her
home in the cab which had brought him
and the sergeant to. the house.” .

“The detective?” echoed Della Doom,
looking at her, father, a quick, eager look.

"‘What is this man’s name?”

“Kimball Keene.” , ‘
“ills. he a good one?" ' i ~ ‘ ,
“ Said tome one ofthe best'ferrets in

= J marked for a victim; butat last he put”

 

t
..
it
i
é

him, believing that. the matter has been
placed in the right, hands, and I am satis-
lied.

Basticn's voice seemed to falter as he
neared the end of the last sentence. and.
in another minute, his head fell forward
on his bosom and he was asleep!

He had struggled against the strange
look which Doctor Doom had riveted upon ,
him; he had shivered underneath the cold “ |
glitter-of the steel-gray eyes; and, as Dal— l
las Doom gave his daughter a triumphant: = i
glance”, the stately girl came round the- 1 
table and bent over the young man. :

She passed her hand before his face, but ‘ 
did not touch it. She next lifted one of
his hands, but immediately let it fall again
into his lap. ' g

“It is a perfect condition," said she.
looking at the doctor. “You never did it
better.”

Doctor Doom laid his cigar away, leaned ‘, g-
toward the man in the chair, opened his ‘
coat, and thrust one hand into his pocket;. . p
but nothing seemed to reward him. - L

“ Try the other pockets." 1 ;

The long white hand of Doctor Doom 3 ;
did so; but he was forced to admit that { i‘
the young man was not a good subject I I
when it came to being a human storehouse.  '

“Now for the writing!" cried Della, ,
crossing ,the room. "It must not be put i
off any longer. The game might escape- "é
us.”

She opened a little cabinet in the wall
and took out some paper, which she car--
ried back to the table.

"Draw him up closer,” she ordered. ' g 9:
“You know what to make him write. f _,
New!" ! ;

Bastien Blue’s chair had been pulled ; ,
closer to the table, and the paper spread
before him. ‘ ,

His eyes, half open, did not seem to see. ,.
anything, and his head had to be held up-
by .the white hands of Della Doom. '

“ Make it binding!" she exclaimed, as a.
pen was placed in the young man’s hand-
“Make no mistake, for much depends on,
what we do to-night. This is our harvest
time. The seed time is past.” ‘ ‘

Doctor Doom had brought his “chair”
alongside the one occupied by the hypno»
tist’s victim.

He seemed to take a long breath.

“ You are ready to write, are you?" he
asked. . '
A tremor passed over Bastien’s frame.

He tried to raise his head so as toned
affirmatively, and the hand gripped the-
pen tenaciously.

' For the next three ,minutes the superior"
mind of the demondoctor controlled the-’
movements of the hand on the table.
Della looked over Bastien’s shoulder and
held her breath, while her dark eyes glis--
toned. v, “ ‘

«“ That is it!” she suddenly cried, snatch-
ing from the ,table the paper, upon which.
the ink was still Wet. “This arms us!
This is the triumph for which I hav 
waited. This paper seals his soultto  i
and henceforth Bastien Blue belongs to-
Della Doom. I - '

The listener looked up and smiled. His: .
was a facedevlilsh in its outlines and de- '
monish in every iinemnent and expres-
sion. It seemed to grow dark ifor a mo: ,
ment, then it assumed a deathly pallor . f
while he glanced from his handsome
daughter to the helpless man in the chair. . .r
“Take possession of that paper," he or» , ‘ i; . ~
dered. r ‘  ’ >

“ Won’t I? I need no command of that
kind. All the powers that he could, not
wrest it from me, for it is worth its weight
in diamonds, and I will show them how V
it fixes us when the time cemes. You can: ‘ ‘
bring himout of the trance at your leis» 1.
ure.r Good-night, or, rather, good-moths
lug!" And with that-she vanished. and
Doctor Doom and his victim were alone. _. .‘

Thedoetor fell. back in his chairand for" N
a little while Studied the man before him. "
It was like ,a'tiger watching a lamb. .,

 

 

/

 

      
       
     
        
      
         
       
        

    
       
 
  
 

 
  
  

out his hand and drew-the soft fingers."
gently over 'Bhstien's face, 3 if '

  
 

 

New York,_. and we have some good ones
here: He is young, but seems to
Just what he ants. II,» ook kindly to.

    
 
 

know ’

~ There was aiquiverl "'of'thenerves: 4
the head lifted of its 'oWn‘acQOrdLandthe
13  owned} , 

     
    
 
 

   

i

  

-‘a

s
l
t
, .
y

 
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
  
    
  
  
  
   
  

Clew-Hawk.Keene’s Right Bower. ' ' '  '7 ”

 

CIIAP‘ER \‘I.

I THE FEMAle DETEU’DIVE.

Long before the news of the tragedy on
11—— street could reach the newspapers
and furnish food for thought and specula—
tion, it was in the hands of the police.

Sergeant Slipper had made his report,
and the home of Raymond Rolfe \vas
locked to the public, and was open to no
one but the men of the law and the friends
of justice.

These included several detectives, who
Cme to the house as soon as news of the
murder got abroad, but the matter had
been confided to Kimball Keene by the;
superintendent, and the young detective
was already at work.

The coroner was stumped at the inquest,
for nothing but the stain in Raymond

Rolfe's hand and a few slight cuts through ,

the skin rewarded him for his pains.

At tirst this astute oflicial was inclined
to laugh at the theory of murder, and was
ready to affirm that heart disease or
some kindred malady had helped the
strange man over the border line of life;
but the testimony of both ltoundsman
Clipper and, Sergeant Slipper came be-
ttVeen him and that idea, and he was com-
pelled to oflicially state that the recluse
came to his death at the hands of parties
unknown, and by some singular but ter-
rible power which seemed to lie in the
stain in the hand. ,

While the coroner was holding his in-
quest in the room where the body lay,
Kimball Keene, having seen Oriel Orne
home, had turned back from the house on
Fourteenth street and was in a distant
part of the city.

The morning was well advanced, and the

‘sun was gliding with autumnal beauty

the spires of several churches in the im-
mediate vicinity.

On a very quiet street, so quiet that if
the ferret had stopped at the corner which
he turned, he would not have seen a vehi-
cle nor heard the rattle of a wheel.

The houses were well-to-do dwellings,
now and then fronted by shade trees. All
were tw0<story buildings, showing that
their occupants were people in moderate
circumstances.

At the door ’of one of these houses, in
the midde of a row, Kimball Keene
stopped and rang. He was immediately
admitted, and a little girl led him into a
room, where she told. him to wait till
“Sarah” came down.

The detective seated himself in an arm-
chair and waited. He had been there be-
fore, for he smiled at, the pictures on the
walls, and reached forward and, took up
several cards from a little basket on the
table. .

He did not have to wait long, for the
door opened to admit a remarkable look'
ing woman.

She was not Over thirty, but her face
was sharp and hawk-like, her cheek bones
prominent, and her eyes restless and pierc—
in . , / .

filer jet-black hair was. combed back
from her face, and seemed glued to her
skin; her hands Were dark and unusually
long, and from her glance came penetra-
tion and much searching power.

She stopped the moment she saw the de-
tective, and then came on smiling.

“ I was thinking of you this very morn-
ing,” said she, in.,a deep voice. “You
haven't been here since we played with
the little Frenchman.” .

“ Not since then. Sarah. You caged him
brilliantly, but you should have shown a
little mercy.”

“ Why? I
the poor old Jew whom he ground into the
dust and then fleeced. with all the heart-
lessness tor. a lion. I like to trap such
villains. You haven't such a matter for
me this time, have you?"

“1 have something'better and some;
thing deepen”. ‘ V

'“ There was nothing. very deep in the
case of the Jew, and the Fr nehman,”
smiled the woman, who hadp ed a chair
up to the table and‘taken it, facing Klm~

 hangout; that large all. It the,

  
    

 

He didn’t show any toward

ball Keene. “In that'ease, it. was a matter :

 
 

Frenchman had not broken down i don't
know what we would have done."

“()h,“ laughed Kimball, "you had him
where he had to break down. i never saw
anything like it.”

“Perhaps not.
affair?"

Kimball Keene looked at her again and
seemed to collect. his thoughts.

" It is a murder," he said at last.

“ Well, that‘s a little out of the way. it
promises something lively. at. least. And
it is a mysterious murder, or you would
not have come here to tell me about it."

" It is somewhat out of the ordinary."

“ Like the Powell case was?"

“ It is better than that. You got to the
end of that clew in short metei'~——"

“That was largely guesswork, but we
happened to guess right,” she Went on.
"This time 1 hope we won't have to guess.
but will have to reason the matter out, and
pick up link by link.
get at a mystery. Link by link! You re-
member that cas‘ ot‘ the Silver Mouth-
piece? Well—but iere I am getting you
away from the morsel you have brought
me. Not another~ word from me until
you're through with the story. Now, pro-
ceed, Kimball.” ,

The detective crossed his legs and leaned
back in the chair.

She was waiting with a good deal of im-
patience, and her eyes seemed to have lost
some of their tire, and were tilled with a
softer light.

Kimball Keene told the story of the
tragedy of Raymond ltolfe’s retreat as he
knew it. He began at the beginning,
which was ltoundsman Clippcr's experi-
ence; told how he and Sergeant Slipper
had visited the premises to find Bastien
Blue and Royal Flush on thevfront steps;
how they had searched the house, to find
the strange mark in the dead man’s palm,
the splotch of crimson on- the wall, the
breaking down of the iron door, the dis-
covery of Oriel Orne, her fainting spell,
and his talk with her in the cab on the
way home.

True to her promise, the woman who
Eistened to this narrative did not interrupt
" n1. '

She was 5:1 “ah Sharp. Detective Keene‘s'
right bOWer.

Not very many knew what she was;
fewer still know that the little child who
had let Keene into the house was the cus-

But, what is this new

-.tled thousands if her little tongue could
have been induced to disclose them.

Sarah Sharp was a female ferret.

Kimball ‘Keene knew; the Superintend-
ent of Police knew, and one or two others
shared the secret of the woman's calling.

Beyond this little circle, Sarah Sharp,
living quietly in the quiet. street, was not
taken for what she. was; no one suspected
that the plain-faced woman who came and-
went. at odd intervals, and had no visitors,
was one of the keenest claw-hawks in the
city, and was to be dreaded by the evil-
docr more than the famous Javarts and
the shrewdcst of Vidocqs. . .

“ It‘s a pity for the girl. And so Young,"
were the ’first words that fell from the
woman's lips after the detective'snarra-
tive.

“I pitted her from the depths of my
soul. She will be drawn into. this dark
affair. There is no help for it. The news-
papers will take up the story of the iron
door and her discovery in the laboratory
while Raymond Rolfe lay dead-murdered
—on the lower floor. They will want to
know how she came to discover the secret
of that door, and what she was doing in
the chamber at the time.”

“It looks black for her, you must admit
that, Kimball." . ’

, “Of course. Sergeant Slipper calls it
‘an easy case.’ ” '

“It is a deep, .1 dark one. It is a case
'that will call forth all our powers. The
hand that, killed Raymond Rolfe knew
what it was doing. A mauwho thinks no
deeper than Slipper—I knewthe man be-
fore he ‘got upon the force—would natu-
rally can it an easy case. especiallyarter
thetadinission Oriel made to  * :Yo'u

’didijnot enter  housel'if’rfl  z '

 

 

 

That is the way to'

todian of secrets which might harvest-urn

   

 

" i went no further than the door."

“ Therefore, you did not see what sort
of servant she has—«li‘loralia, i believe you
called her."

“ li‘lomlia.”

" Well. that will be something for me.
llouudsman Clipper ought to be able to
describe the woman who came out of th“
house just before he went in.“

“ i will see him this morning.” E,

“ Let me do that,“ urged Sarah Sharp,
looking at the detective. "There will be
other work for you to (lo—for instance.
the looking up of the will. it' you can, find
out what it contains. The girl is conti—
dent. isn‘t she?"

" She told me so this morning. Ray-
mond ltolt‘e had no near heir, if you cite
cept the half-brother. Bastien Blue. He
told Oriel, so she asserts, that the bulk of
his wealth was hers. He got it through
her father."

“ Find out more about her father. Dis- -
eover~perhaps certain papers to be found a “i
in the house will tell about him—«who be ‘
was, and why Rolfe was so deeply indebt~
ed to him. And those bogus Brazilian
bonds which gave the police so much
trouble, you recollect? it was suspected r
at the time that Rolfe had to do With 
them, but I believe we had to exonerate . 2
him. We got pretty close to one Dr. ’3‘
Doom that time, you remember. We had '
the suave doctor on the gridiron of un' 
easiness." ‘ » 3.‘

“ So we had. I haven‘t seen him since." i

“I saw the girl in the Park last week. 
She has grown taller, it seems, and her it
face is really magnificent. She was pretty; i "
then, and the night of the denouement—q . M u
the night she turned upon you in the lobby . We
of the theater and gave you that l k—she  "
was imperious. Della Doom! won’t:
forget you, either." ’ ‘

A smile for a moment seemed to chase
from Sarah Sharp‘s face its coldness, and ‘
her hand made a note of something with, '
a pencil on a tablet on the table. . .

“ Go back in your story a little ways,” I *
she said. “I want to hear again how Bas-
tien acted through it all. And his shadow,
this man called Royal Flush? His right.
bower in all things, and ready to do his .
master’s bidding at all times, day or night.
He was with him, of course. They were
at the scene when you came. Of course!
He told you, did he, that a presentimentx'
had goaded him to the house of crime'il.
Do you believe in such things?”

“ I have had something akin to presen~} "
titnents.” ‘ '  =

" In a way. That is, we feel that some“.
thing is going to happen or has happened? .
That‘s it, isn’t it, Kimball?" " ‘ >

The young man nodded and smiled.

“I wonder if Bastien ever had any pre-'
sentiments before?" SarahSharp went on, A
a little szu'castically. "This one Oilllie‘llt ' ~
the right. time; couldn’t have been more
opportune. Perhaps both men got they 
same presentiment at the same momentl‘ ‘4
Why shouldn’t they?" . ’ : : i

The detective made no reply. but: .
watched the fingers that moved nervously f.
across the tablet, and when. they stopped 7:
he expected the Woman to speak. ' p I,

“ Bastien took things coolly, didn‘t be?

“He was calm until we‘found Oriel in
the laboratory. ,Then he showed some
emotion.” \\ . . V _

“And looked at Royal Flush ?" ?

“I saw a look pass between the [two
imam.” _. H , r’

“ Was Mr. Flush surprised?” l

“ Asmucll as his master.” V

“. Wonderful nerves that young Ajax:
has,” remarked Sarah Sharp. “They say
he is the wonder of the gymnasium; no
wonder he broke down that door. You, V
don’t know Mr. Flush. Born. in Cuba;
drifted from the island: entered the Engs _j
iish navy: fought a battle with the Boers, ‘
got a spear wound in the left wrist, andt
finally came to'Amcrica‘ to seek his. fort,»
une. and to find it by serving Bastien
Blue." , i, H ‘

Kimball Keene looked astonished. ; ~

“ I did not know that youth read ther .
biography of this young man,” he 91-4

claimed. » , .
I 4.“,N0‘more- than I have read that of

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
  
 
 
 
  
  
   
   
 
 
    
  
   
  
    
 
  

 

  

 

V after I live for Sparrow.

8 Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

 

others," was the reply. “ l happen to
know a little something about Mr. Flush.
Nice young man, with the strength of a
giant in his limbs and the faithfulness of
a dog in his nature. We‘ll get better ac-
quainted within the next few days, per-
haps. But now, let me'call in Sparrow.
You want to kiss Sparrow, of course."

Sarah Sharp called aloud the name she
had just spoken, and the child who had
admitted the detective ran into the room.

“ That is Kimball—Uncle Kimball,“ said
Sarah. “ltun and kiss him, child."

With a cry of delight the little one ran
up to the detective, and mounting into his
lap, stood on his knees and threw her arms
around his neck. ,

“ She‘s growing, don‘t you think?" asked
the female ferret, looking at the child with
an admiring glance. “ Looks more every
day like Lucy. There, that will do, little
one. You can go now."

Sparrow climbed down, and running to
the door, halted there to throw the ferret
a kiss, after which she vanished.

“Not for the world would I have Spar—
row know that I am going into this crim-
son case." Sarah spoke. "She knows
enough now. She has more secrets than a
child of her age is entitled to know. But
they will be secrets with her as long as
she lives. Now, Kimball. We are in for
the fight, aren‘t We?"

“ Yes.” .

“I enter this battle with my old-time
vigor. I am going to see the end of the
trail. Who killed Raymond Rolfe? I will
answer that before long, or I will help you
answer it. it shall be my last case. There-
1 will begin at
once. I will look into Several little matters
and some one will soon know that Sarah
Sharp. the silent ferret, is on the trail once
more!"

 

CHAPTER VII.
, THE BEATEN CLEW-HAWK. p
, Kimball Keene was not the only ferret
who was drawn to the scenegof the
strange and mysterious murder. '
Others came to the place and looked

. the house over, saw the broken door and

the splotch on the wall; but the body of
the victim had been removed and Oriel
was not there to niystit'y them.

The detective, after leaving Sarah
Sharp’s house, went back to his own—
not far off the great thoroughfare. Broad-

way.
die let the day wane without venturing
out on the trail, remaining indoors with
his thoughts and theories. _ '
What Sarah Sharp was doing he did
not know, nor did he concern himself
much about her. ..
v That she had left little Sparrow alone
he did not doubt, but the child was used
to having the whole. house to herself,
and was able to perform its duties like a
little lady., I
vWith the approach of another night
Keene prepared for his visit to the Rolfe
house, which was to be a secret one—so
secret, in fact, that Roundsman Clipper
was not to be told to watch the house

‘ while the man of many trails wasin-

aide. * ,

There was one thing about Oriel’s nar-
rative which doubly interested Kimball—
the story of~ the sealed phlal. the one

' which contained the glass globules with

the deadly poison inside, one of which
she said she had found on the floor near

‘- ‘ the dead man's ‘hand.

Was the phial still in the cupboard in

I the laboratory? Had it remained on the

shelf. sealed still, with the green seal
which Oriel had asserted did not seem
to have been tampered with?

Kimball Keene proceeded to the house
with a key which would admit him. It

; (was not hard for him to avoid the rounds-

”: 'thr

‘

 

man. and in a little while he passed the
old. and once more he stood in the
too 'of the tragedy. t

 It was silent and full of shadows.

The detective did not turn on the ms
to: a little while. but took a- chair and} let
the silence deepen. as i were.

He heard the Wheel that went up and

down, the street. and now and then ’he.
’mught the sounds of feet as they hung

 

 

ried past, the crime seeming to have lent
speed to the pedestrians who were com-
pelled to pass the house.

By and by Kimball Went out into the
hall and mounted the steps. but when
halfway 11p something stopped him and
he looked down.

it sounded to him like the opening of a
door; yet, though he listened intently,
he heard no more.

The broken door had been lifted from
its fastenings and some one had placed
it against the, wall, leaving the way to the
laboratory unobstructed.

The detective made his way into the
chamber and struck a match.

He was strong enough to lift the iron
door back to its place and shut it, keep-
ing it shut by placing some furniture
against it. ,

Then he went to“ work.

There was the cupboard, with the door
of dark green glass. and, as some one
had left it unlocked. he opened it noise-
lessly. The light falling into the little
cabinet showed him. the narrow shelves
with their contents-«1min phials of all
colors. some half full of liquids and
others nearly empty.

The keen eyes of the detective wan—
dered round in search of a particular
phial intelligently described by Oriel, and
at last he found it stuck away in one cor—
nor, as it‘ trying to hide itself.

Seizing it, Kimball went over to the
light with it in his hand. The seal was
to all appearances intact; it had been
well sealed, and upon the green was the
impression of a seal ring like the one
he had seen on Itolt‘e's hand.

When he held the phial up to the light
he could count the little globules it con-
tained. The number coincided exactly
with what Oriel had told him.

Then he looked at the memoranda on
the bottom of the phial and noticed the
fatal discrepancy.

Was it possible that Raymond llolfc,
the poison maker, had miscounted the
globules in the phlal? That, after all,
he had made a mistake of that kind?

He counted them again and again; he
looked at the green seal and the impres-
sion of the seal ring became plainer each
time.

He was looking at the memoranda for
the fourth time when he heard a door
open and shut.

Still holding the phinl, he turned and
went over to the disconnected door.

All was still now, and, reaching out,
be lowered the gas until the laboratory
was wrapped in darkness, save the spark
which told where he would find the reg-
ulator when he wanted it.

In'vain did he listen for a sound.

The house had grown as silent as if
the dead lay in that chamber and not in
another room in another part of the city.
awaiting transition t the tomb.

Several minutes passed and Kimball
Keene still remained a statue in that.
room with his face near the door and
his every sense on the alert.

He at last turned toward the gas jet
and reached out and seized the regulator.

In another instant his band would have
turned on a little flood of light; but at
that moment he heard a repetition of the
sound—the shutting of a door below:
then. dropping the. phlnl _upon the table
near the dead man’s work-bench. the de-
tective stepped into the ,corridor' beyond
the door. .

No one could see him. The darkness
out there was dense and the walls, dark
themselves, still further screened him.

He advanced ‘to the abnnister . and
leaned over. , p

The steps were before him. and below
them was the little space which lay be-
tween them and the several doors there:

At first he saw or heard nothing.

The old house was as still as before,
and he. waited for a repetition of the,
strange Sound. , , '

At last it came, and to his astonish-
ment the, door of the dead room opened
and m the faint light which came from
it ’n person stepped into the hall. ,_

Keene shrank back. but did not relin-

 
 
 

guish almgether his pesiuon at the barrister;

‘1

 

His eyes were upon the person stand-
ing ghost-like in the hall below, and he
was watching the nocturnal prowler
with the keenest interest.

The ferret found himself looking down
upon a female figure.

Who was it‘.’

Had Sarah Sharp herself come to the
scene of the crime?

Not at. all unlikely, for she had taken
the trail with her old-time ardor, and
moil'e than once had beaten him to the
gen .

But the figure was not quite tall enough
for Sarah Sharp's. It was well knit,
but there was something strange about it
to the ferret's practiced eye, and he
waited for it to move.

Perhaps it would come upstairs!

If it were Oriel she, would be very likely
to come up the steps, and he would not;
be surprised at the girl‘s visit. for there
was much to fetch her back. ‘

All at once the person watched went
toward the front door and opened it.

It was not Oriel! i ,

It was not Sarah Sharp! -

The face was vailed, but the ferret be-
lieved that before a strong light he might
be able to make out its contour. if not
get a glimpse of the eyes hidden now by
the vail.

The. door was opened, but the person,
who still held a gloved hand on the knob,
did not go out.

She seemed to be taking a survey of
the premises outside, for her body was
pushed forward and she was looking up
and down the quiet street—-for Rounds-
man Clipper?

Kimball Keene saw that she was clad
in closefitting and plain black. The
garments had been put on for quiet.
work, for there was nothing about them
to attract attention, and the hands which
he saw were long, and were encased in
gloves of shiny blackness.

The door was shut again, for the detec-
tive heard some one on the pavement, and
while the unknown woman drew back she
threw a hasty look up the steps.

.and against the ferret's final happiness if
she had caught a, glimpe of the motion-
less inan at the top of the stairs.

It was not a long look which she sent:
up the steps, for she seemed satisfied that:
she was the only person 'in the house,
and at this the detective smiled.

“She’ll go now,” thought Kimball
‘Keene. “She will go out now and let
me, try a little tracking."

Once more the strange woman turned
to the door. for the footsteps had passed
and she Would find the coast clear.

She draw back with a little cry as she
looked out again. 3nd. shutting the door.
she turned the key which was on the in-
side, and retreated along the hall.

Some one was out there whom she did
not care to see. Perhaps she had caught
a glimpse of Roundsman Clipper on duty'a

There was another door at the other
end of the. corridor, and now the veiled;
woman moved toward it‘.

Kimball Keene leaned further over the
hamsters in order to follow his quarry:

face ‘was turned toward him, and he saw
how well the features were concealed.
'«“Heavens! the light. I forgot that!"
she exclaimed, and, in another moment,
she came down the hall and bounded into
the room where she had left burning the
jet which had revealed her to the watch-
ing Clew Hawk. ‘

It was put out in a jiffy, then all was
dark. ' ‘ . ;
The detective sprang down the can
peted steps and was midway when ha
heard a door. .

It. was the front; one this time.

after it had been closed; his hand seized
the knob. and as he wrenched it he
pulled back, but the portal did not yield.

It was locked; and. while he

 

  

outside;

It might have been well for her future '

he saw her reach the door and grip the
knob suddenly. ‘ ' ' ‘
- There she stood again. Her vailed '

He seemed to [reach' it in an instant ,

‘for’ the catch which held him- for a my 4. 
meat from his victim he heard  

 

 

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Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bwer. 9

 

“who” ., ,

 

Like everything about. the. (lead man's
house, the. catch was a. peculiar one;
but. when he had found it. he discor—
ered that. some. one—some one connected
with the nuirder—had escaped him!

 

CHAPTER VIII.
THE TRAIL 011‘ THE FINAL.

Kimball Keene stopped a 111o-111e11t on the
steps and looked for his quarry.

Clipper was not in sight, but, as Kimball
left the steps, the policeman came into
view.

The detective started forward and
stopped him, but to his inquiries. Clipper
stated that he had 1.4111111 noi‘nmg.

“You see, I am on the lookout all the
time, and especially since my terrible iind
in that house," said the policeman in an
important whisper. "By the way. 1-. by
not go back and see if we tWo can't find
out a little something new '3"

The ferret took kindly toxthe suggestion,
and they re—entered the house.

“ It was :1 woman I saw come out of the
house the night of the murder,” said Clip—
per. "I saw her on the step, where she
stopped for a second.”

“Ever seen Miss Orne come from the
house after dark?" asked Keene, not up—
pearing; to notice the remark.

’l'he. ronndsman reflected a moment.

“Not very often. She wasn’t. much of
a night owl, that girl wasn‘t. l. remember
once I caught her maid coming from the
house.“

“ l1‘loralla'3" .

“I don’t know what you call her. 1

* know that she is a singular looking creat-
-ure, who has eyes that appear to look you

through and through, but through no ap-
parent effort of her own. That was about
two weeks ago. I happened in front of
the house, when, all at once, I heard some—
thing fall in the hall out yonder, just like
a human being, and I was about to inves-
tigate, when the door opened, and out.
stepped that woman.” ,

“ How come you to know her?”

“ She came here with Miss Oriel one day

1 last summer—followed her, I believe, for

the yormg lady was displeased, and told
the maid so on the steps. That’s how I

7 came to know that the woman who came

out of the house after the noise was—
FIoralla, you called her.” -

" The woman who came out of the house
after the murder couldn’t have been Flor-

1 alia, think you ?”

“No; I would swear to that. Floralia
has a tall figure, and the person I saw
that night wasn’t near so tall, though she
was no pygmy."

“Dressed in black?” .

“She appeared to be; but all dark clothes
are black after night. you know.”

They were in thejroom of the murder

' while Clipper talked, and Kimball had

seen winery night, to“
he! t is

turned on the gas. , 1

The policeman had taken an arm-chair
and the detective leaned against the table.

“ You looked the’ heuse over that night,
didn't you, Mr. Clipper?” . _

“ Not all over. I had to send in a, report
of the death, you know, and seeing that it
was likely to become a case for you, I was
eager to make the trail as hot. as possible. ’

“ Which was right,” sanctioned Ixeeneg
“You looked in the dead man’s pockets
and found the bit of paper?” I 1 1

‘6 Yes.” ,

“You saw the red marks on the palm,

too '3"

“I couldn’t help seeing them. for the

f light fell right into the half-open hand.”

“ And that sploteh yonder?" '

The detective cast his eyes- upon the
darklsh stain, or where. it had been on the.
wall; but, the next moment he had sprung
toward it and was looking at' the spot in
blank astonishment. ‘ ' 1’

“ What’s the matter Mr. Keene?” asked
the roundsman. V .

“ By Jove! it’s not here now - .
. Clipper came over to look at a spot coy-

ered by the-détmtitre's finger. ’ 1
“ You saw it, did you,  Keene?" -

. “ Yeslig fiasbqglte plain fightlaattetr til):
ndi byte o..y,.a‘n wasp mo 5

fl ' m: ' ' was in“ thisro‘om

g" .

   

tairs to the laboratory 1’
; . \ 

1 i"

 

(The next.

“It‘s queer." said Clipper. “Do you

think the woman in the house tonight.

could have removed it '3"

“Quite probable," was the reply. “She
may have entered the house for that very
purpose."

" lim 1 don't see any signs of the re-
moval. llold! what's this. Mr. Keene?"
and the linger ot' the policeman was touch-
ing :1 certain spot.

The paper looked :1 little blurred in that
spot. but one had to stand in a certain po-
sition to see it. Exchanging places with
his companion. Keene gazed at. the blur a.
moment. and ran his soft tinger over
it to discover that the paper had been dis-
turbed on the surface. as if some one had
tried to remove the sploteh.

"You see it. eh. Mr. Keene?
done. 1 say. Look how the stain has been
removed. She knew something about
ehelnieals, seems to 1111.1."

The. detective. made no reply. but looked
at the blur. and saw that while it was to
be seen only from a. certain point. and by
daylight would be entirely invisible, the,
blood stain had been obliterated.

“You weren't in the laboratory, Mr.
Clipper?" he said, turning suddenly upon
the roundsnmn. "Of course. not. for the
iron door was shut then. I was up there
to-night: and, 11y the way, 1 left. an im-
portant factor on the table,” he said, re-
tieetively. .

"011. it‘s there yet, of course.’ replied
the policeman. “1 would like to take a
look into the room with the iron door.”

They left the room and went up the
stairs together. ' '

“ How did Bastien, the half-brother, take
it'.’“_abruptly asked the roundsman. '

" He was terribly shocked both by the
death of Rolfe. and the. finding of Miss
Orne in the laboratory." '

“ And that young giant, his shadow, the
man who hammerml the door in?"

" Nothing affects him. 1 guess. He was
cool at. all times, just‘as if a. murder like
this was an everyday occurrence with
him.” -

" Maybe it is.”

It was a singular comment, and caused
the detective to look at Clippe '.and recall

Cleverly

o

‘what Sarah Sharp had said about. Royal
'Flush. '

By this time they had reached ‘the
broken door. which still remained set aside
as when Kimball had left the. place to in-

vestigrte the strange noises in another part.
‘of the house, but the moment the ferret

crossed the threshold he stopped and 11t-

' tered 1:1 cry. -

“ It‘s not here!“ he exclaimed.

Policeman Ullpperlooked at him with a
puzzled expression. 1

“ The phial I left on the table."

> “ There‘s nothing in the shape of a bottle
on this table, that’s certain. But you inay
have left it elsewhere.” ‘

“ Notit‘ was placed right here," touching
acertain spot in the table cloth; “and the
person who stole that phial must be in the
house yet—-—-” 1 a

“ Or got Out ofii: while you were on the.

. street.”

Kimball Keene hesitated a moment;
then he had vanihed, leaving the police-
man in the laboratory. He tore down the
corridor, past the stairway, and brought
up at a window at the far end of it.

The shutteis to this window Were
thrown clear back. They opened out upon
a- roof, which sloped sharply, and.l{eene

1 knew that the descent would take him to
the eave, about twenty feet from ‘the_
1, stances have ln-yalldated.”

ground.

He threw up the lower sash, which was
notf fastened, and ,looked out upon this
r00 . ‘ ‘ ' ,

‘ By this time Clipper was ‘at the window,
and in another moment the‘ detective was
over the sill. '

“You'll fall, Mr. Keene,” he cried, in
alarm. ' g ,

In‘response, the detective. holding to
the sill with one hand. whisked on? his
shoes with the other, and began to go over
0. steeproof. ‘ , 1 ‘
-He moved to theorize of it, andirom
the1’eavelook

 
 

    
    
   
  

 

    
 
  
  
  



a

.was all. for suddenly his eyes ass , M 

{with magnetic poWer.

 

d doWn- infest-lie back yard. .
‘éa‘m' the film?"

  

  
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
    
    
    
    
  
   
    
   
   
   
 
   
     
  
   
   
  
  
  
   
    
    
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
     
  
  
  
   
   
    
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
    
  
  
    
    
  

report of a. tirearm, and Detective Keene
threw 1111 his hands. halt‘ wheeled, and fell
face downward upon the shingles.

CHAPTER 1X.

AN UNIuImnN GUEST.
“There's a. lady at the door.“
Doctor Doom, at these words.

upon the maid with a t‘rown.’

“What is she like. 'l‘ressy'!"

“I can‘t see much of her. ller face. is
vailed and she says she must see Doctor
Doom a moment." i

" Send her away. 'l‘ell
don’t. practice any more—~"

“But she won't take no. l can tell
that from her actions and it‘ 1 go back
there I shall have to parley with her."

"Bring her in, then,“ said he, and'
picking 1111 the fragrant cigar he had
laid aside he pretended to be smoking.

The doctor turning his eyes toward the
door saw enter the room a Woman, at‘
whom he looked with a great deal of in-
terest. lie at once wheeled a. «hair for-
ward for his. visitor, who took it, and at.
the same time raised- her vail.

Her Pace, not handsome, was yet a‘
striking one. Its color was dark and the
sallowness of the skin. which looked
like polished parelunent in. the soft light ,
01' Doctor Doom‘s gas jets. caused him to. ‘_
regard it studiously for a 111o111ent.

“ You will pardon this late visit," said ‘
she, "lrut I, am here on an i111portant er, '
rand—huportant to me, at least.“ ,

“- But you must be aware that I am'no
longer in regular practice; I abandoned , ‘
that: some years ago.”

" I am not: here to ask advice in any"
case demanding professional skill. 1 11111 1
Mrs. Susan Blunt, a widow, and fairly
well to do in the World.” .1 ‘

At the same time she ingeniously dis-
played a hand upon which glitter-(11.1.1)
ring of eonsidemble value. ' ‘5,

“Well, Mrs. Blunt, what (’tlill i do for
you?" , ‘ . .

The doctor's visitor leaned forward
and took from her pocket :1 little purse
ot' moleskin, which she opened quietly...

turnml 1'

her that I

v

 

1

 

“.1 would like. a situation.”
Dallas Doom smiled: ‘ , 1 I
“But, my dear Mrs. Blunt. you»hav.e f
come to the wrong house for that. ~. 11;-
have plenty of help, just now... There’s 5 I
'l‘essy. who opened the door for you,
and besides.‘ I have my own. daughter,
Miss Della.” 1 a 1
“ You will see what 1 have here before
you dismiss me. Won’t you read this?! ,
She had taken a bit of paper from the
purse and was pushing it across. the [NF
ble, when the door ‘suddenly opened and;
Della came in, but stopped short at sight
of 1the doctor’s caller, and her‘ face
seemed to lose some of its freshness. ‘; .1.
Mrs. Blunt did not seem to notice-this.
Doctor Doom, with a glance at Delhi.
took the paper from the woman’s hand,
while Della tip-teed from the room}!
left the pairalone. I 
it “was a mere sheet: ofpaperpratw
browned, as it with age, and lzt trembledr
a little in the hands of the demon, ,1 I
Susan Blunt leaned hack in‘her chair
and awaited the results of the perusal: x
" Doctor Doom' looked up and studied” 1*
visitor's face. He had verylittle
in his own. I '  ' ' 
“ It’s all right, isn’t it. doctor?“  v ,1.
“It’s a strange matter,” he answered;
“Really, I had forgotten. it, but it: i311!» 1 «1;
promise .whieh the years and ell-enm- ,'

     
 

  

    
 

  

“ You reject it, then?”‘

" I have not said so. B
another home, Mrs. Blunt? 1 have
you how We. are situated her. W ,
plenty of help and don't need any more ~ ~

Susan Blunt’s eyes fell to the pup
which had fluttered from the deeper?
hand tothe table. ’ ,  1.‘
1Dalias Doom looked ‘from‘ underpin
arching hroWs and scowled: but than

 
 

    
 
   

 
 
  
  
  

  

 
 

      
  

  

    
  
   
  
    
  
  

 
 

     
    
     
 
  

another look. - . _ , .~ . _
.Thoy were fastened moon ‘SnsanBInnB
and remained so
until/he saw'the‘ women take» in I»

l

 

‘10

 

 

wearisome breath, and seemed as if about
I to pass into a hypnotic slumber. ,
But, it was only for a moment. As if
capable of resisting the wonderful pow—
ers of this mesmerist, she struggled out
of the oncoming trance, and looked him
calmly in the eye.
“You’ll let me stay. won‘t you?" she,
persisted. “You'll respect that writing?"
“ Where did you get it. madam?"
“ My fa-tlier———"
“ Was Philip Manx your father ‘1" broke
in Doctor Doom, startingr visibly.
_ w “Do you think i would be the posses-
 sor of that paper if I were not his child?“
 A cold sweat seemed to break out on
 Doctor Doom's- face.

“I'll not go back on that paper," he
, avowed. “You shall haVe a room in this
house. W'aii! I’ll call Miss Della; you
will have to meet her some time."«' '

He put up his hand and touched an
electric button. and in a little While
Della came into the room in another dress,
which showed off her beautiful figure and
seemed to render her fare unnaturally
pale.

“Dell'a. this lady“, Mrs. Blunt, a child
of an old acquaintance, will for a time
share our house,” explained her father.

There was a stiff bow on Della’s part,
but her dark eyes appeared to flash.

Mrs. Blunt arose and bowed.

“Toucan have your baggage brought
round in the morning,” remarked the doc-
tor. ‘ ‘ ’
' “ I have none to bring,”  the reply.
. “My worldly possessions I carry onmy
back"  r v

   
     
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
  
   
   
  
  
   
   
     
   
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
   
 
 
  
  

, “Very well. Tressy will show you to
the room you will: occupy while you re-
main underneath our roof. Ah. yes;
'you twill take back the letter. Della,
you will tell Tressy that Mrs. Blunt will
take immediate possession ,of the little
octagon room next to hers on the third
r'!1 ‘
9 Susan Blunt took this for a dismissal,
and the two left the parlor togeth r.

The‘moment they had departed
, Doom sprang forward in his chair with
' distended eyes, his face white and his
t 'who& form trembling. i
' “ ~hat does this mean?" he cried:

."‘Is that woman the daughter of Philip
Manx, or. is she some infernal.spy? That
was my writing; it was the paper—sine
promise which I’ gave years and years

go, never expecting to be confronted
with it. But here it, is, staring me in the
face and just at this time, too!"  ,

He threw the cigar" into the cuspidor
Tand],l)e,°.r‘an to pace the carpet like‘a tiger.
““Wait! I can play a game she cannot
‘ .esist. ‘ .I tried it, and, though she re-
pelled the influence pretty well, I can
oyercome her!" and he Went back to the
hair,and with'half-cloaed eyes waited
or his daughter’s return. ,

Ten jminues elapsed before that oc-

  

  

 f‘ Who is that; woman?” Della, de-
manded,- as she ,re-entered.
j _“,Susan Blunt, the daughter/of anold
acquaintance.” . t
S “ What brings her to this house?”
“She seeks an asylum for a time. She,
haywslie is’in need of treatment, and
brought with here paper which I could
A 01: repudiate. I was compelled to take
her in,‘ but she will remain only a few
' days. at best.’ I can place her under the
spell alt-any time, Della, and if we 5,1131
 her of any dark Work. why, we can
lock the .game instantly. But. she may
,be Susan Blunt, Philip Manx’s child,
rafter, all." , '
: There. was no reply, but the. white
hand of Della Doom droppedupon. the
ablecloth in front‘ofherfather.  , ,
‘If she. isn’t-4f I find out that she is
.nemy—‘I’il silence her at once! No

  

  

  

  

   
 

  

 
 

 
  

 
 
  
  

ersei . ,
" Whichfshe‘had been assigned. ‘Itpvas a
hammer. octagon in shape, neatly fur-

    
  

,o e" whicirshe had not seen opened. led;
‘ e knew not whither, and n mahogany
m‘aménztyith Entreshelves 11 against

  
 

  

octdr .

 and contained two doors. r The.

 

" ClewzFHawk Keane’s Right Bower;

She sat down and took a survey of the
chamber.

There was no sign of victory in her
deep-set eyes now, and her sallow face
betrayed no emotion.

She did not know—though perhaps she
suspected—that just beyond the hall
door stood .a. motionless figure. with one.
ear to the. portal.

This was 'l‘ressy, 'the maid, who had
been told to listen there, by a look from
Della; but Mrs. Blunt did not give. the
spy any cause to suspect her.

'l‘reSsy Went away at last, and a faint
smile came. to the well chiseled mouth of
Susan Blunt.

“ I‘m here,” she said to herself. “I‘m
in the. hawk's nest. and realize that I've
got to deport myself aecm'dingly,.or feel
the sharp ialons that. kill. I must not
forget for an instant that. I am Susan
Blunt. No. no! The leopard has changed
her spots and Sarah Sharp her identity!"

 

CHAPTER X.
OLD JOZY's SECRET.

The shot which stretched Detective
Keene upon the sloping roof of Raymond
Rolfe's house seemed to have finished his
career.

Policeman Clipper saw the flash, and
caught sight of the figure that threw itself
over the low fence at the end of the lot.

The roundsman did not hesitate, but at
once crawled out (if the window, and man-
aged to reach the form lying on the roof.
It, was but the Work of a, moment to drag
his friend back into the room, by which
time the detective’s- senses had returned,
for he smiled grimly. '

“A pretty close call, eh, Clipper?" he
said; “I felt the-bullet, but, thanks to
the hat which it struck, as well as a bit
of hard skull, I'm here yet.” ‘

Kimball discovered that the bullet had
plowed a little ftn'row underneath the rim
of his hat, but, in a few minutes, he
seemed himself again.

"‘ Do you think that man carried off the
missing phial?” asked Clipper.

“ It looks very much that way. He
must have been 'in the house, for the fast2
enin s of the window were loose and the
iowe ‘ sash, always secured by Rolfe, was
raised without difficulty. Then, there Were
lxmt-marks, fresh ones, on the shingles of.
the roof. Yes, I should say that I was on
the trail of the phial stealer."

“ And he got away. It’s bad luc ' " an-
swered the roundsman. “We may pick
him up. some other time, but just now I
must go back to my beat.”

“ Keep an eye open for night prowlersl”
warned the young man, as the policeman
went down the stairs. “I‘ll remain here
a while longer." -'

.The front door shut, and the ferret went
:back to' the laboratory.

The vanishing of the 'phial gave: him,

moré’real concern than the attempt upon
his life. The other phinls were in their
places so far as he could determine.-

He went all over/ the house, and then
was luv-the death chamber once ’more, to
study still cluser the spot on the wall
‘ which now had been obliterated, and what
he found out we' shall see‘ later. "

He left the house only, when his scru-
tiny was done, and proceeded to the hum-
ble house on the quiet street occupied by
Sarah Sharp. , , .

His ring was not answered for it minute,
and he was about to quit the steps when
“Who is it, sir?" was ask-ed from the in-
side. »,’ " . . ,

" "Sarah’s friend.”

The door opened, an. inch and the detec—A '

tire looked into a face he did not know.
“‘ Sara Sharp don't live here any more,"
said the person in the hall. '

"How’s that?”-‘ ' ’ . ‘ ,
“Can't tell” you. Really, she' left no

clew towhat she intends doing nor howl ’

dong she may be gone." r

“But Sparrow, the little one?" ,
“Ohfshe Went off, too; both left just
before-(lat .” ’ ’ x ' '

  
  
  

  
 
  
 
 
 

our; bother mare

‘ heard of‘such things. Kimbali.. You/know
that the, mind ; can , be  by weather-,-

«Kimball “thoughtt‘a moments‘flt’s 'L .
right; I. guess,”gsaid,yhe,- at:.length., 4‘1
' 2’ and ,, modem:

“I see. She’s at work,” he decided.

Half an hour later Kimball sat in a lit-
tle stall in the quietest corner of a restau-
rant near Broadway, but was not alone,
for on the opposite. side of the table sat a.
man whose age might have been sixty, ap;
parently an Israelite, judging by his book.
bill nose and his sallow face, but he was
not a Jew. .

“ Jozy," remarked Keene, “you have
heard about the murder in the. house on
H street?”

“The killin’ of Raymond Rolfe, my old
friend?"

" Your old friend, eh? How you deliglu
in lying, Jozy."

A comical expression came over the
man‘s face as he threw up his hands in
mock horror.

“ 1 don’t blame you much. You have to
lie to make money nowadays, like a lot of
other people. Rolfe was not your friend,
neither was he a very bitter enemy.”

“You didn’t know just how to take
him. Ever since that affair of them bonds
he seemed to mistrust me.”

“I always thought that, Jozy. He‘s
dead now, and you can reveal the truth.
Wasn’t Raymond Rolfe concerned in the
Brazilian bond affair?” '

The old man’ took a long look at the

 

tle around his hard mouth.

“Do you think it had anything to do
with—with the mystery of his death?" he
asked.

“" It may have hastened his exit from the
world,” answered the detective. v “But,
come; you did know about thoe bonds,
J ozy. We had them traced very close to
your door, but the trail took another spurt
in time to save you—”

“But not to catch Rolfe, eh? Well,
Well, Mr. Keene. I owe you a good deal,
don’t I?" ‘ ‘

“For keeping you out of the muddle?
.Perhaps you do.” ‘

The old man leaned forward and depos-
ited upon the table a coin, which he

gold piece.

“You‘re very liberal, Jozy,” smiled
Keene, pushing the money back, “You.
know what I prefer just now“ There's
immunity for you, J ozy,‘for'the bond busi-
ness won’t be opened up again.”

a strange glitter.
“You might. have made it if you had
taken the bull by the horns and arrested
Raymond Rolfe on a certain day,” She,
averred. “Rolfe was the. right person at
a certain time.‘ The police thought that,
but they had no proof. Ha, ha, ha! But
he is dead, and I have’t anything to show,
for handling those band’s." ‘ .
r “What became 'of the last batch you
fabricated ‘t” , ‘ '

cret room behind the laboratory.”
“ Is there a room there?”

illustrated his sentence by measuring with
his hands on the table. “Kimball, I am not
to be taken‘now, am I?" . ' ‘

those bonds? The writing upon them was
marvelous.” I V I ’-
“ Ah, she could do' that! She was the

the pen, although but a young gir ."‘ '

“ Yes, yes. But she wrote‘ under a see
That was more remarkable  anything
connected with the whole thing.” ' v

aspellJozyf', r ' . .
“ Ah,.you should have seengher. You’ve

ism." . ,- -
“ Oh, that was the spell?

“ Just so,” »‘ the old man
across the tab 9. and tone
«two’s ar‘m. “He ',

 
 

s.,.

 

 

other, and a sardonic smile seemed to setv,

shoved toward the detective—a ten-dollar ‘

 

“ You swear it, Kimball?" and the little v ‘_ .-
face relaxed, and the eyes, deeply-set, got

 

   
    
 

“They mustbe' in his house—in the sef '_ :

      
   

“ Yes; hardlythat wide,” and the speaker
“Not for the world, Jozy. Who forged ‘

most wonderful creature I‘ ever. saw (with . '

“ A young girl?""’ec'hoed Keene. I 

“ 'w could this fair forge; Write under '

 

 

   

 

       
        
   

 
    
      
    
      

 

   
       
    

 

      
      
 
     
         
        
        
       
              
     
 
     
  
   
       
  
  

,0.

\
 v urn-v“ v~tm4u..~-;.__...n. -~.......;.m._-_-..... ...

-«' madame. .Jmuyzc  ..

r 411‘." m

 

 

  

' he dropped

Claw-Hawk Keenefis Right Bower.

11

 

 

Cherry street; but I shall never forget
how she wrote under her father‘s spell-—
her father, Doctor Dallas Doom. There,
you have it!“
CHAPTER XI.
I.\' THE SPIDER'S WEB.

The following day the last will and tes-
tament of Raymond Rolfe was taken
from the little box in the Security De-
posit Building in Wall street and duly
opened in presence of several people.

It was a startling surprise, almost as
great a one as the murder of the testator
himself.

Bastien Blue, one of those present, lost
color, and with a start took the paper
from the hand of the man who broke the
seal.

“Let me see that," he cried. “My
God! There must be some mistake here!”

“ It is in black and white, 311'. Blue.
You are the beneficiary of your half-
brother‘s will———~"

" But Uriel—Oriel understands that she
was to have the bulk of his estate.”

The young man took the paper and
leaned toward the light. They saw him
go over the startling bequest slowly, as
if be doubted the evidence of sight; but
at last. he, handed it back with a long,
labored breath. ‘

“ It is there.
see with my own eyes.
changed his mind."

“Men are liable to do that, especially
when they have large estates to dispose
of.”

The document was duly'placed in the
proper hands. after which the little com-
pany left the room.

Bastien Blue seemed dazed. There was
little color on his face and his eyes
seemed to stare. at everything they met.
He hardly knew where he went, and.
when he found himself upon the door-
steps of Doctor Doom’s magnificent alan-
sion he looked up with a sudden quiver.

He put out his hand and touched the
bell button, mechanically, and when. ad-
mitted, he walked into the parlor, where
into a chair and looked
strangely round the room.

He was alone five minutes, long enough
for him to recover his wits, when Dallas
‘Doom came in.

"the hypnotist looked at the young
man and smiled. _

There seemed to lurk at the doctor's
lips a cynical expression, and his eyes
‘scintillated with that mesmericlight
Which had such a terrible control over
human minds. ‘

“You don’t look well.” said be, ad-
va'ncing.

“I’m feeling a little out of tune; and
no wonder.”

“Not much sleep last night, perhaps.
Here. I’ll fix you.”

Bastien watched the doctor, who moved
.across the room to a sideboard, which he
openedhand presently he came back, car-
rying glass and decanter.

Bastien put out his hand. but the doc-

I can’t gainsay what I
He must have

' tor. poured out a glass of wine and forced

it n onhim.

“l)t’s a nerve maker." said heflin hls‘
insinuating tones. “It will banish all
shadows and you‘ll be your old self in
less than five minutes.” i

Bastien drained the glass with a fey:
erish gulp. and quickly, his eyes got a
new light: they seemed to dance. .With
passion and he laughed in an unnatural
manner. ,

“I told you so.” said Dallas Doom. set-
ting glass and bottle upon the table as
if to have them handy: “Now, what is
it?" he asked. V

Bastien thought of the Will rind his
eyes becamerlvetcd upon the magic doctor-

“l‘t gave me a shock. and strange too.
when it enriches me beyond all expecta-
tion: brother’s will. you know.”

“ Indeed“? You’re'in luck. ‘ It was bets
tern‘han you thought. eh ?’.'

“’1' should say so. ,
to ovnect more. than a comfortable share
of his wealth? I never dreamed of get-

ting all of it, nor that there was to‘be‘

but :1 poverty-stricken bequest for Oriel——

amnion thousandli _.

   
   

 

What right had I'

 

‘ once.

“That will fix her."

Bastien stared at the speaker. .

“ But I get over eight. hundred thou-
sand!"

“ You deserve it, boy,’ and, smiling like
a satyr, he patted Bastien on the shoulder.

“ \Vas my name. appended to the docu-
ment as witness?" asked Doom.

“ I believe it was."

“ Then that was the will i signed a few
months ago without knowing anything
about its contents. He did not see lit to
tell me, and I didn‘t care to show enough
curiosity to inquire about it. By jove!
This is golden luck."

“ But, what will Oriel say?"

“Whatever she says will’not invali-

date the will nor make you one dollar ,

poorer. You were his nearest of kin, you
know. Oriel, the girl, was nothing but
a ward, and not a drop of Rolfe blood
runs through her veins. She might haVo
expected. but: her expectations didn’t
pan out. that's all."

Doctor Doom fell back in his arm-chair
and looked at his visitor. who sat upright.
in the opposite chair with a look of won-
derment and surprise still in his eyes.

“ “'hat. are they doing about the death
of Raymond?“ asked the doctor.

“ It remains as much a mystery' to-day
as it was when we entered the. house
that night and found him dead on the
floor."

“And Miss Oriel has never explaian
her presence in the room of the iron door?
Do you think they suspect her?”

“ What, suspect Oriel of computing that
diabolical crime?” and Bastien almost
sprang from his chair.

“I didn‘t intend to shock you again,"
grinned the doctor. “I merely asked a
question. Come. you must acknowledge
that, from a detective’s standpoint, such
suspicions would not be unnatural. She
had access to the house at all hours~had
a key, I believe. and \knew what We.
thought no one but the (lead man knew—~
the secret of the iron door. Now, why
was she there at that hour? He was
dead in the room below. She admitted—-
admitted it to you that night—that she
knew hohad been killed.” r '

B stien seemed to. lose his breath be-
for such an evident accusation. ‘

“My God! You don't accuse her, I
hope,“ he cried.

“Not at all," with another smile. “I
only say that I think she should explain
now, it' ever.” i

What more might have been said can-
not be told. for at that juncture the door
opened and Della Doom swept into the
parlor.

Her dark eyes seemed to’catch‘ fire the
moment they alighted upon Bastien and
she came forward with an imperious
tread.

“ You must congratulate Bastien,” said
Dallas Doom. with a glance at his daugh-
ter. which she seemed to understand.
“The will has just been opened and he is
the. heir.” ' ,

“ Well? well!” cried Della, with a sud-
den glow. “This "is a pleasure, indeed!
You are very happy. Bastien?”

She was looking down upon him with
a look pot, triumph. .

“I am still thunderstruck." was the re-
ply. “I did not‘ expect it. for I believed
all along that Miss Oriel was to have
the bulk of his wealth." *

“ What entitled. her to it?“ was the. in-
stant rejoinder. “You are the next of
kin, and he owed it to you to make you
his heir. Besides this. look at the break-
ing down of the iron door and what
you )saw there with your Own eyes."

A' sudden pallor came. over Bastien’s
face. and his gaze fell beneath the pas-
sionate glances of the. beautiful girl.

“ Shall I drink your health. Bastien?"
continued Della. espying the. wine. “I'll
wager much (that papa hasn’t thought
of that?" '

Bastien watched the jeweled hand
pour out the Wine and caught the glitter
of the eyes that sparkled like the. honor.

“Don’t!” .he cried. suddenly springing

‘up. “I don’t want‘the accursed inherit- ‘
gOriel can take my share and I'll

  

take hers. It looks like blood money.
lie might have chaan the will it' he had
not. been cut do\\'n——-"

“I knew Raymond liolt’e. llis mind
once made up was as irrevm-able as the
laws of the Modes and l'ersians—vw“

"You knew him—that well?“ and Bas-
tien turned full upon Della. “i never
knew you had more than a mere speaking
acquaintance with my half-brother. When
did you ever meet. him? Will you tell .
me that, Miss Della 1’"

“ Never mind when," was the retort.
"You are his heir, now. You inherit his
fortune, and you must now carry out your
written promise."

“ My written promise?"

()ne of Della‘s hands went up to her
bosom and a folded paper came. forth,
delicately but triumphantly held between
finger and thumb.

“This is the promise you gave no.
Look! You don't repudiate it. do you?”

Bastien looked but once, and uttered a
cry, which was half a scream.

it was a written promise to marry
the girl before him!

 

CHAPTER XII.
THE Sl'Y A'l‘ HER \VORK.

Bastien sat like one in a maze before the
doctor and his daughter.

“ It is your handwriting, is it not?”
asked Dena, holding the paper before his »
face.

"Be calm," said Doctor Doom, in, his
"quiet, insinuating tones. “You don’t in.
tend to repudiate the promise, do you?"

“Heavens! When did I sign that docu-
ment?" And Bastien passed his hands
over his forehead as if to recall the mo-
ment, but he could not.

"'Let me see it again, please."

The girl, with a hasty look at her father.),, . ‘

placed it in his hand. .
“It all seems a dream," cried he. l.“I 1v
cannot recall the signing. I must have,
been under a spell, for you know, Miss
Della, that I have never offered you my
hand—never. There must l)c——"

“Enough!” interrupted Dallas DoomII 5-
rislng and facing the victim of the plot.
"Let there be an end to this! You can.
destroy the paper, if you wish, but bee
ware!" . z .

Bastien flushed angrily. and looked at , ’
the man, whose eyes seemed to look to _the .,
young man‘s soul, and the threatening 
word sounded in his cars like a knellot 
doom. He tried to overcome the spell,
tried to shake off the terrible power which
once again seemed to take full possession,
of him, but in vain. 1’ '

Near the table stood Della, her figure
drawn to its queenly height, andher eyes 9
regarding him With triumph, while she
awaited the victory of the mesmerizer. 

And this was the tableau which other

(eyes than theirs beheld, for above, leaning .

ir over the banisters, and gazing in .
over the half open transom, stood the new
guest—the dissembling Sarah Sharp—mo- ~
tioniess as a statue. .

“ Again in their power!" she murmured.
“I must see and know all!" ‘

She saw the. young girl advance toward»
the table and stop in front of Bastien.
Blue, sitting dazed-like in the chair widely."
faced the magic doctor. 3

She saw Doctor Doom pass his hands
before the young man’s face, and in an-
other instant Bastien sat upright. _ _

“ You admit it now, don’t you?" asked.
the doctor. '

u  yes." \h ’ ‘ »

“ You wrote that promise—wrote it sold
emuly?" (the paper had been placed in his _
hand, and he was gazing at it). “It is a. i
promise to marry my child. You wrote
it, you say?" ‘ a

f l‘ I did‘l’

“ And you swear to carry it out?"

Bastien seemed to hesitate.

“ We want something to bind the prom-
ise. Give my daughter your ring.”

Bastien tugged at the ring which glitv
tored on his finger. and Della. smiling tri-
nmnhantiv. held out her hand. In a mo.
ment more it was on her own finger.‘ place
.there by Bastien’s trembling :hands. . ‘ ‘

M...»

r t

 

  
  

Dena then drew haquand held her hand

 

  
   
  

~12

ClewJI-IaWkA Keene’s Right Bower.“

 

 

tip in the light so that it shone on the ring,
causing: its single diamond to flash in the
rays of the brilliant jet.
“ lie is ours now," she said. '
“Aye, you may Wt'll say that. Ours—
ours in every way! You can go now,
Delhi."
The girl started for the door. At the
saute moment, Susan Blunt, the willing:
. witness, passed noiselesst tip to her own
' room. ‘

“ Ours at last!" ejaculated Della Doom,
in audible tones, as she stopped in the hall
a. second. “Eight hundred thousand is
Worth playing for.” 9

As she came up the beautiful demoness
paused at the door of Susan Blunt‘s room
and listened.

All was silent in the chamber, and by
and by Della passed on to her own room.

As for Bastien Blue, he reii’iaiined ten
minutes longer in the parlor below, and
when he rose to go Doctor Doom offered
"no objection.

, Only he said:

“ You will find the doors of this house
open to you at all times. You are ever
(welcome here, Bastien, and we wiilltry
to make it homclike for you.” I

Homelike! It made the young man
shudder, but he seemed to regain his coni—
posure,’ and in another minute he found
himself on the pavement.

 “ My God! In What sort of net am I?”
die exclaimed, as he recalled what had

' = lItzranspired. “When did I sign that ac—
‘curscd promise? When was I fool enough

, i to throw myself into, that girl’s snare?
f”. iWhat means all this? The startling pro-
= ivisions of the Will?-——the wealth that comes
 7110 me when he had positively promised it

, toOriel? Does Oriel know it? Won’tshe
> accuse ‘me of duplicity—of forgery? or all
-nnanners of crime? Heavens! I am on
' There must be some
internal conspiracy afoot, but who is at
,iithe head of it? I shall go mad if another
might of this kind confronts me:H
. He sprang into the first cab which ‘eanie
by, and settling back in. the darkest cor-
.ner, gave'himself up to the most distress-
‘r ' ital thoughts. I -

Twenty minutes later he entered his own
u'lchly-fm'nished chamber, and, jerking the
icord suspended over the table, he soon
‘ i heard some one rushing down the stairs.
 Reyal Flush dashed into the room. :"
“You, Royal?" cried Bastien. “Thank
.‘ Heaven!“ "Something terrible has hap-
xepened. I am in a snare of some kind. I
are“ surrounded by enemies who seek my

  
  
    
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
  
     
     
    
   
    
    
    
  
    
   
  
  
   
   
    
   
  
   
  
 

  

' Look! I have lost my ring. I dare
not tell you .where‘I think it is. What do
xw‘kno‘w? What are the detectives do-
ing? Has Kimball Keene picked up any
7ch yet. Go out and tell him that I want
‘to see him. No, no! 'I promised'not to inter-
fere, and that might be doing it.‘ But,
Royal, witnws that I did not kill him.
, o'uwere with me that night—L” -:
" “ "ot allthe time, Bastien. Part‘of’th
time I-was at the gymnasium. I cannbt
 for your movements then." ‘

CHAPTER run.

a
F

  
 

  

  

 

  
  

. The secret room behind the chamber 0
tandoori . , i ,
Kimball Keene did not forget ’whnt old
ozy‘had told him. - ‘

  

   

meet , in‘ his den-like place, which he al-
ys carefully locked, whether he w s in
‘ ‘ont,'the detective made his wa ackr
to he’house of the crime, . '
i as not difficult to enter the house at
fila- hour, for he knew the way,'and' he
-: medaccess'by’ the'rear door. , -- 'y
"Onae‘moi‘e .the sole tenant of the place,
 seemed 'to possess a smgular fund:
mean 101‘ him, the dauntless detective
e his Way first to the scene of the mysm
‘ one death, thence to the laboratory. ‘
e, :In the upper corridor he stopped sud-
afienly. for he caught the swish of garments,
d fthe next instant Oriel stood'betore-
The young girl recalled a moment,an
[ or caught sightof the young-man; but,
muted. came towatdt’hiin, ‘
mi e’npon heripanor-striflken 18.09

,

  
  

  

  
  

  

  

      
 
  
  
 

     
 
 

kitten leaving.the old~man inuéherry i

,‘ velvetecoye I

“ I was wishing for you,” she said.
“Yet i dared not hope to meet you here.”

" You came hither alone?"

“I hope so. i have heard about the
will—that strange will, so unlike what he
told me the last time he talked about the
disposition of his property.”

" He virtually left you out of it.”

“I care not for that,“ exclaimed Oriel.
“That is not what causes Wonder. I am
no relative of his, only the child of a friend
to whom he was once under obligations;
but he always told me that all he had,
with the exception of perhaps twenty
thousand, which was intended for Bastien
Blue, the half-brother, should be mine.
It seems to me that there is some dark in-
fluence at work. I have come to this house
to investigate. There is a secret room
somewhere—one which I have never on-
tered. .I suspected its existence long ago
——nie1'ely suspected it, nothing more. I
may be mistaken. There must be a room
of that kind somewhere, for I have
searched the rest of the house, and some
things which must exist cannot be found."

They stood together in the laboratory,
the light of which revealed the little room
with its displaced iron door.

“ Have you sotmded the walls ?”

“All of them,” she answered. “I had
high hopes 'of finding the secret compart—
ment by a search of the death room he-
neath us. The secret of the opening and
closing' of the iron door lay in the pressing
of a button in that room. That button
is, set in the wall near where you saw the
dark splotch, which, most'singular to say,
has been rubbed out since I was last here.

I I discovered it by the met-est chance, and

from that moment I knew how to open
the iron gate. ‘

“Always before coming tip-stairs to the
laboratory he pressed the button in that
room, and some delicate but powerful ma<
chinery which operated behind the walls
unlocked the keyless door, and then he.
came up. The door locked itself when'
closed, and thus he had no need of a key."

“Now,” continued Oriel, .“ if there is a

secret compartment other than the labo-

ratory, we must find it.”

“ Where shall we begin?" '

“ Let us try this very room; It seems to
me that, as the laboratory was guarded by
the iron, door, he would naturally connect

' -lt with the missing chamber."

‘They went 'to' work, and. Detective
Keene soon saw that Oriel was familiar
with the .laboratory v and its 'mysterious
appointments. . » ' =

A,“ The way to the hidden chamber can-
not be by the green cupboard," said the
ferret, with a smile, as he opened the door
ot the poison cupboard and turned 'to the

, .

girl. .

“No, I would not think it can be; but——
What has become of the little phial '2"

She had come forward and stood beside
him with eyes staring at a certain shelf.

“ It was there when I saw it last. Don’t
you remember Itold you in the carriage

that the phial was sealed with green wax-

and had a memorandum on. the bottom

V L telling just how many red globules. he had
"A TERRIBLE SENTENCE. ‘ I ‘ . _ '

placed in it?" i
“ I recall your‘description.’f ‘. '
“an it is gone. Have you been here

since?’ i, g ‘ "
He looked other calmly. , »
“ I have been here.” '

v-“And have carried off the phial? ,I

‘don’t blame you, for you must do whatever

you think. best, being,the detective in this

case; but I Was‘startled to see that the

*phinl was “not there." ; t 4 , J

,v “ I-handled it, but did not carry it ofl."

' “ No? ’ Then, where is it‘fl’ ,1 .
Kimball Keene shook his head.

“ You don’t knongsee? ,Some one else:
'has been there—some one interested in the~

disappearance: or «that phinl; Ah; if, we

i ,hadgbut carried ’it‘ off in theffirst place!

Why didn’t we
youdid.” ‘ '

v

think of .that'i', Perhaps
* The detective inade no reply, .but turned

      
     

to the'o‘upboard ,and looked at the glass ~
tubes and. little paints, an fSGilled.-Wit’h‘
mod ido by sid entire.

 

green’Vax‘ythat

  

 

 

in which he had seen the vailed woman
in the hall, and how the phial had van—

in the garden. ‘
She listened with bated breath.
Not for a moment did her eyes i'eziiove
their light from him, and when he had.
finished she spoke: I
and vailed'?

"Dressed in black Not
very tall, you tell me, Mr. Keene? Was,

site as tall as I ain't"

“A little taller than you are, miss, I
think," answered Kimball.

“ It is all very strange, and it seems to
me that the iiiystei-y deepens, does it not ?'
But now, don‘t let us delay in our hunt.
for the hidden chamber."

She crossed the room and threw aside a.
curtain which hung from ceiling to floor.

The light penetrating the place showed a
few shelves strewn with scientific appa—
ratus, and Oriel was about to step back
when the detective advanced toward the
shelves.

“Look! These shelves are so fastened;
together that they can be moved out—
ward,” said he, at the same time taking-
hold of one of the boards and moving the
whole toward him.

“They can. And there is the hidden
room!"

A few things dropped to the floor at the
detective’s feet, and a little dust sifted
down, but he went on.

The swinging back of the shelves re-
vealed a wall which gave forth no sign of
a door, but,in another second, the searcher
had put his body between the shelves and
the wall and was feeling the latter with.
eager hands.

Oriel stood a few’ steps away, looking on,
breathlessl-y, and with eager eyes.

Suddenly a cry escaped her. r

“You have found it! What eyes you
have, Mr. Keene!” ,

“Eyes in one’s finger ends, miss,” re—
plied the yotmg man, as a door slid aside,
revealing a narrow room, the existence of
- which no one would have suspected from
outward signs.

,Oriel crowded in after Keene, and they
found themselves in a little cramped place,
hardlylarge enough for one person, and.
dark and musty. ' '

and catching up a little lamp from a bench
in the laboratory. "We can't see without.
a light, Mr. Keene.” ' t .

The detective took the lamp’ from her
and held it above his head. It almost
touched the ceiling, and as its light; fell,
round about them they scrutinized the
place. ‘ ’

them out a long time.

Oriel. “Here is .wheie he sometimes
v buried himself while living in this house.
But. what will we find I ere '2” '

At one endgof the rec

examine these he turned to the cupboard.
where Oriel already sftood. ‘ V ‘-
, “ There is something beyond those doors.
I am sure of,-it,’,’~- she asserted.
Keene took hold of the brass handle of
it open. ‘ ., W  r
Three narrow shelves were expoed, all
filled‘with d umcnts. g i
‘ t The young 11 lifted out a package. '

.tive’s eyes. flashed. ., ,

He carried the;package to' stable; be

men , and the papers fell apart. . . ,

, ,“‘ at are'theyl”: demanded Oriel. :’ _

. ,1 “ Don't you‘know?"tand.the ferret. held.

up "document.   , v,( Q ;. " H“ N
.“ eSe. are the. famous'Braziffian 

 

“ The. Limp!" cried Oriel,'springing. back. ,

Dust lay thick on everything, and the. v .
cupboard, apparently set in one of the ., “ '
walls, looked stubborn enough to keep

ished, anti how he was shot at by the man -

I“ This must be the place,” "declared . v‘

stood a510w table ,,  '-
with an, old-fashioned lamp upon it, and ’
around which the dot tive saw ‘blts of - .
burned. paper, but be ore proceeding to » ‘

one of the doors and a smart jerk pulled ’
i ’

V “ Old papersi’ said oi-iei, but the, 'detcc— ._,‘ j. i

cut ,the cord .thatlbound it‘ Vithout cere-

        
   
 

 

    

 

‘4

cm»:-

 

 

 

 

    
      
     

 

      
      
    
    
   

 

       
     
     
       
  
      
   
 

    
 
 
 

 

 "rflaw

 

 

   

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

shut,”

'13

 

‘ Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

 

“In the room where you found him
dead."

Leaving the bonds on the table, Keene
went back to the cupboard, and saw be-
hind a lot of papers something; that shone
like a bit of tin.

lie pulled forth a little polished box of
iron with a brass padlock hanging from
the steel staple, and Uriel clasped her
hands when her gaze fell upon it.

" That is where he kept the will!" cried
she. “ One day when he was very talka-
tive he told me what his will contained.
and going tip-stairs, he came back with
that box under his arm, and said that it
held the treasures of this house. Subse-
quently he intimated that the will was
with the Security Deposit Company; but
I believe that the true will is in that box."

“ Then you don’t consider the one
opened the right one?"

“ I cannot. Heaven forgive me the ter-
rible suspicion. But, open the box. Break
the lock!”

The young man hesitated, Seeing which
Oriel caught up a paper-weight from the
low table, and struck the staple a blow
which snapped it.

“ Now I shall see," cried she, clutching
the lid of the box. “If it is here it will
prove that the other is a forged document
and that it is connected with the darker
crime of this house. I will knoW~— Mer-
ciful Heavens! what is this 1’”

She had looked into the iron box; she
had seen the white paper which covered
the entire bottom, and had read the great
black sentence which stared her in the
face:

“My blood is upon the hands .of Oriel
Orne. “RAYMOND acorn."

CHAPTER XIV.
WIIA’I‘ ouIEL SAW.

No wonder Oriel reeoiled aghast and
.stared at that terrible box, not a vestige
of color in her face.

" In Heaven’s name who penned that
horrid line?” cried the young girl. “What
does it say? The blood 'of Raymond
Rolfe upon my hands? Look at them,
Mr. Keenci Are they red? Can you

 

.see a. mark of murder on them?" and she

held out the 'whitened members and
looked at them with staring eyes.

The detective reassured her as best-he

could, and turned to the iron box, lifting}

the accusing paper. ’
“ You have seen his handwriting, Miss

'Oriel ‘3" said he. '

“A thousand times." _

“What do you say to that?"

“It is like it—fataliy like it. in every
particular.” ‘

More calm, Oriel took the paper from
Detective Kecne’s hand and carried it
over to the lamp. ‘

‘ “,I never saw anything like this," said
she. “H'e must have-written it. for he
had a‘peculiar way of shading his let.
tors, and it is here. 'But that he should

have locked up that: awful line in the‘

box! It is horrible.” _‘ ' -

Together the two bentovcr the paper
and looked at it a, moment in deep st-
leuce. '

“Let us look again,” at length' urged

the girl, and she let the paper flutter to

the table, and turned with Detective
Keene to a further search of the little
place. ,

The cupboard gave them nothing more
for their trouble—a few parcels of old
papers, that was all. The rheepta'cle
had given up nothing but the Brazilian
bonds and the iron. box and its contents,
'but they were enough! ' '_

Kimball Keene hid the Bonds in his
bosom and looked at Oriel while her
eyes rested on the' accusing paper. ,

He seemed to read what was passing
through her mind. for all at once he picked
up the bit of paper and placed it in her
hand. -

5"“1‘he lamp is before you, miss," said ,

he. , . r ,
Oriel started audashudder passed over

her frame. I ~ I . . »

.“ That would almost be a confession of

\ .

she cried. .‘,“N,o‘,.noi «‘I cannot. ‘I'
keep this. and some day. the handy

 

 

that is supposed to have traced it will be
cleared of crime.”

She handed it to him, continuing:

"Guard it for me, Mr. Keene. I rely
on you to keep it for the day of ven—
geanee."

Detective Keene accepted the trust with
a bow, and the terrible writing followed
the Brazilian bonds to the inner pocket.

The iron box with the broken fastening
was restored to the hidden cupboard and
the door of the secret rootn closed. They
had disturbed the dust of the compart—
ment very little, and other papers hid the
box as the B'azilian bonds had done.

Oriel \vent down-stairs after the ferret,
outwardly calm, but she was laboring
under intense excitement.

“i want to show you,“ she ,said to
Kimball, when they reached the door of
the room of the crime. “‘Ilere is the se
eret button in the wall, here where you
saw the splotch of red, and where now
is a blurr on the paper. I press it, but
there is no iron door to open. Royal
Flush, Bastien's friend, broke it down
and destroyed the connection. Raymond
had but to press the button whenever
he wanted to enter the laboratory, and
the secret mechanism, which is behind
the wall unlocked the iron portal. As 1’
have told you, I discovered the secret
by the merest accident Others might
have done the same or have wormed the
secret from him, I can't say which."

‘f He had visitors, then'"

“ Very few. The one 0 came often-
est was Doctor Dallas Doom."

“You have seen him here?"

“ A row times.”

“ What sort of a man is he?"

“ He is handsome as men of his age go,
but I never liked him. May I be forgiven
for that dislike if it does him inJus-
tiee. He came to see Raymond Rolfe
sometimes, but always alone. They
talked about chemicals and such things,
and, as I once overheard, about the Bra-
zilian bonds which created such excite-
ment at the time.”

“Where were they then?“

“In this very room. I had come
down to the house to see him, as he was
not very well at the time, and I. had to
wait until Doctor Doom wentaway. It
was strange that those visits always
left Raymond weak and nervous. After-
ward his first move was to the labora-
tory, and there he remained closeted with
his chemicals for some time. When he
'would come down-stairs he seemed re-
cruited in nerves; but was always death~
ly white.

“You did not see anything of Doctor
Doom the night ofthe crime, miss?"

“Nothing,” answered Oriel, with an-
other light start.

. “How long have you known Bastien
Blue, Miss Oriel?” he suddenly asked.

“About ten years, or shortly after I
became a ward of Raymond Bolfe’s.”

“He is really a half-brother?”

“I know nothing to the contrary.”

“ They didn't look very much alike.”

“That is true. Raymond Rolfe, as you
may have heard, spent a good deal of
his life in ,thetropics. Bastien never saw
them, I believe."

“,You are on friendly terms?"

“Quite so.” '

“He has never tried to injure. your
interests?" ‘

“Never!” said Orioi, quickly. “While
he seemed to understand that I was to
become the main legatee of the will, he
never. intimated that he thought it
wrong.” i

“You once said—the night we rode to
your house in the carriage—that Bastien
Blue seemedunder the influence of the
Dooms." ‘ . .

“I regretted those words as soon as
uttered," was the reply. .“I even hoped

you would 'not remember them."

“But they were true?”

The young girl did not reply for ‘ a

second.

:{I must say that I heliéve {I spoke the ,
train at the time‘," she said, at last.

t‘ How

under, m9" inauepce o: ‘the
    V : Z- r ,' rm»

   
 

; ,r

 

‘ .t

' hour. The room has no window antiviifi'
But, iwhé ‘

 

    
  
  
    
  
  
   
   
    
  
   
    
  
     
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
   
   
 
    
  
   
  
   
   
  
    
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
    
    
  
  
   
  
  
   
   
  
  
    
   
   
   

"i cannot, dare not, tell you. Bastien
is, after all, a man of kind impulses. 110
is too indulgent, at times, but. at the same
time, he has a spirit which injures him."

" lie is on good terms with the Dooms‘!”

“ I believe so.”

This inquisiiion seemed to be getting
irksoule to Oriel Urne. and she resented
it. gently by ailswering slowly. \:

” One more thsttiou,” persisted the
other. “i do not want to keep you on

the rack. But. do you recall any meet-
ing with the doctor’s daughter. Miss

Della Doom?"
There was a start which the fair girl‘ t-l

could not. suppress, and it scuttled to
stagger her.

"We are not on'terms,“ she an-
swered.

9n

“ But you have met her

“Once,” was the answer. “I recall a,
meeting with Miss Doom—in this house.”

" 0h! She accompanied her father
hither, did she?" , ’

" Not that; night! She came alone.

Detective Keene did not plywood, but
suddenly Oriel’s hand dropped upon his
arm and her gaze met his. , t

“ I want to cast suspicion upon no one ,.
who might not have had a hand in this '
dark work. You will understand that.
Mr. Keene. I never saw Miss Doom but _
the one time, and that, as I have said,
was under this roof. -

“ It was just three weeks before the
murder. I had come town to call on
Mr. Rolfe, who had had another of his
strange spells, which he told me resulted
from a snake bite in Brazil. He had I
been ailing a few days, and I came down
to look after- hls welfare. I let myselfg
into the house as softly as possible..for . "
during these attacks he was very nerv-
ous. I looked into this room, where he’
was usually to be found, but he was 
here. - . ' '
' “ThenIbethought myself of the labora- 3* '
tory and went lip-stairs. I was in the hall 2
when I heard the swish of a garment at: '
the further end’ of it, and, falling back. J
into the darkest corner, which form--
nateiy offered me a place of concealment,
I looked down the corridor. Therein a
little chamber at the 0nd of the ball, as,
you may have noticed. The door of that
room had opened and a woman come
forth. I looked with stillch heart and
staret’ul eyes and toward me came ,9.»
beautiful young girl, ‘ who. I felt :was‘
Della Doom from the resemblance of her
face to the doctor's. ' 

“You may imagine my thoughts. Mru
Keene. I seemed to sink into the wall‘,"
for as I watched her, her face appeared
to glow with a sort of inhuman triumph. ,
and she vanished. doan the steps. HI:
glided to the. head of the stairs to watch,
her and saw her enter the room when
we now stand. - .

“ My first thoughts after losing he
was to fly to the little chamber at the on V
of the corridor, butthe iron (loot-opened
and Mini Rolfe emerged from the labour»
tory. He did not see me as he cam
toward the stairs, for I hastily fell back '
to the wall and saw‘ him descend tot- ‘
room below, where, in a short time,k :‘
heard voices.  . ‘

“Not, until Delia Doom had-left ggo.

n

 

house did I show myself to him, and t .n
I let myself out first and come back,‘
ing him the impression that I‘had
come in.” . 5' a

i“ What is in the little room at the end £3:
the corridor~or, rather, what was it?
used for at that time?” 5 ,
' “It contained. then. a few old '-;
on three shelves—books which told a it
poisons. Raymond Rolfe used .to 
himself in there and read, them by t

    
      

  

        
   
 
   

  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  

had to study by Inmplight. ’
Della Doom, came out of that chamber?!
was as dark as Egypt. The light emitting
up from below and‘spmdinir along. he;
corridor, showed her to me.” . . 2 .
“You could not-have been mistaken,

,Miss Oriel?" .. .
That mm was. the. living

   

      
       
 
 

   
  
 

    

  

      

j“ No. no!
image of Doctor Doom.”

  

   

 

 

   
   

   
  

.501‘161 ceased and cast her eyes 819%

-‘ [

       

“14:

Glow-Hawk Keene’s Right Bower.

 

 

the room, fixing them at last upon the

faint blur on the wall.

“It is a strange ease—very strange,”
Said Kimball Keene, half aloud; but the
sharp ears of his companion caught the
words.

“Didn’t the police sergeant call it an
easy one?” she asked.

“Mr. Slipper? Yes, miss, he designat-
ed it an easy case; but Mr. Slipper looks
at thin-gs in a light peculiarly his own.”

“I know that. When I grew white
upon seeing that bit of paper which he

, showed‘me, having found it in Raymond

Rolfe’s pocket, he took it for granted
that I was the guilty person. I. don‘t
blame Mr. Slipper. It was damaging
evidence in his mind. But here is where
the dark stain was on the wall. I thought
when I first saw it that I made out the
{impression of fingers on the paper; but I
might have been mistaken. I see nothing
of them now. Oh, Mr. Keene! I shud-
tier When I think of you going to the
end of this case. You may net the in-
accent!"

“I will net the guilty,” firme replied

' 'the detective. “I believe you innocent,

Miss Oriel, and I don’t believe that a

speck of Raymond Rolfe’s blood is on
I Bastien Blue’s hands.”

 " Thank Heaven for that!" cried Oriel,
,lwith a flush. “I am willing to answer
_ for him, too.”

, CHAPTER XV.

’ TIGER. PLAY. .
,v The middle of the afternoon of the
following day Doctor Doom was seen to
. come down the steps oi; his mansion and

’enter a cab, which at once started away.

-' ‘ Half a minute later a young man
crossed the street in front of the house
and rang.

The door was opened by Tressy, the
maid, who seemed to be dressed for a
privileged stroll, for she was habited in
a. walking dress.

Tresy looked at the young man, who
was handsome and athletic, and waited
tutor him to speak. ,

“13 Miss Doom in?” he asked, looking
down the hall toward the parlor door.

I dressy did not know what to say, but,
just then, a call from the floor above
‘ said, to admit the gentleman.

Tressy Conducted him to the parlor,
where, taking an arm-chair, he amused
himself looking over the paintings and
other things which betokened great
wealth. , -
, r In a. little while the door swung open
"to reveal. Della.

' There was a slight start on' her part as
her eyes fell upon the caller, but she

.came forward with a pleasant face and

dropped into a chair near her visitor.

, ~“ To whom am. I indebted for this

call?" she asked.

.“Yon seem to have forgitten me," was

answered. “You don’t recall the meeting
imthe Park last summer ?"

5 ' “Oh, you are Mr. Flush i"

“ Yes. Miss Doom, I am Royal Flush.”

‘ Della looked “my, and the young man,
‘ *w‘atchlng her like a hawk, saw her face
.3 chan e, color. , .

. “ pa has just gone out,” she said.

»-’ "I, have not called to see the doctor. I
a ‘ here to talk with youtmlss?

 

 

 

   
 

 

  

  
   
    
   
  

 

   

 

  

silken lashes, theglrl looked at him
11

Tnessy had gone out: Della had heard
this door close behind the maid and real-
ised that! she was alone in‘ the house with
Royal Flush, save the presence of Susan
‘B i t on the third floor. ,

’5‘, had not expected this call," she

  

   
 

.r . ,
V‘I suppose not. Ivcame without an
vitatlon. The fact is, I'm a little needy
, ‘ ‘now, and would like to see a few
Janis." , _ V

.. “Money?” cried Della. almost choking.
,“You don’t come to say that I will be ex-
 to give you money just as if I were

our banker?” , / ‘

“You may be my banker, all the same.
z'l‘he truth is. Miss Doom, I -am in real

     
  

   

   

   
  
  
  

.ith a flash of fire underneath her'

[away with him. . -

 

want, I don’t lookw so—I'll- admit thaoet’cbllr’ “You _

 

(he glanced down at his clothes, which
were fashionable). “I don’t look like a
beggar, yet all the same my purse is very
light.”

She scanned him sharply.

There seemed something dangerous
about this mam—something absolutely
threatening, and Della felt her blood run
hot to her finger tips while she surveyed
him.

“You have a master,” said she, taking
a long breath. “I believe you are in Mr.
Blue’s employ, and you must know that
he inherits largely through the uniortu—
nate death of his half-brother."

“Blood money!” laughed Royal Flush,
with a sneering toss of his head. “But,
just, now, I'm‘ not dealingyitli Bastien
Blue. I am dealing with Miss Della
Doom, the (laughter of my old friend,
Doctor Dallas Doom."

“ How your old friend?” demanded
Della. with a start. “When did you be-
come familiar with my father?”

“ Before he became so immensely rich,"
was the quick answer. “Before he un-
dertook getting money by hypnotism.”

The checks of the young girl poled.

“You insinuate, sir."

“Of course I do. I know your father
before be robbed people by opening their
purses through the accurscd gift of hyp-
notic power."

“ Beware!
father.”

Flush leaned back in his chair and for
a moment studied the beautiful, yet in-
dignant, face before him.

“ I’m aware of the relationship,” be
said, lnsultingly. “You see it’s little of a
secret—never has been."

There was no reply for a moment, but
the face of the young girl became tensely
drawn with rage. '

“Let’s come down to business. I’m a
little poverty stricken this afternoon and
you must be my banker." ’ .

“You should refer your wants to the
doctor.” . ,

“ I prefer to refer them to you. . I must
have a few hundred”;

“ Why not bankrupt me at once?"

“, I don’t care to become a Croesus all
at' once,” was the grinning response.
“You'needn’t .give me a check, as you
might not care to let the bank know that
I’ve had dealings of a financial charac-
ter with you.” ' .

He was disgustingly cool. ‘ ‘

“ You always have a few odd hundreds
about the house,” he went on.&

You are speaking of my

“ You profess to know our oiroum—_

stances very wel .” -
“Come, that is an admission.
take, say, three hundred.”
“It is robbery!“ r' ‘
“ Robbery on a genteel scale, eh ?"
" It’s downright pillage.’.’
“ That’s a polite name for it, I sup-
pose.” ' ~ .
[Delia made no reply to this. but
watched him from the corners of hereyes.
Flush took out his watch and looked at
it a second as if making a mental calcu-

I will

, lation.

. “I don’t care ‘to'take up your time,
miss; ‘I prefer to take the money.”
Della made no reply to thi,
between her visitor and herself. She
looked across the space that separated
them and appeared to swallow hard,

The very coolne s, of this accomplished.

rascal was gall. e even opened a cigar
box which was on the 'table and sighed
when he saw that it was empty. Doctor
Doom had taken the last “trinadado”

“ You don’t seem to care to know why’
I want'the'moncy?” glancing at Della.
No response. . .
N‘You don’t want ‘to know by what au-
thority Idemand—for I do demand-the
three hundred?" ‘ , , '
“You would evade the question if I
put it." . ‘ ‘
“ You might.try me, miss?" r . '
But Della did not try; she looked
across the room .an instant and . than
let her gaze wander back to’ his infra,

cold] face.

  

  
 

but ‘

 

4 Mill Pd. .1th like to denim

 

about you; but it is in the house—prom
ably in your own chamber."

She flushed to her temples and shut
her hands hard.

"It is lip-stairs in my room.
and get it."

“I beg pardon,” he retorted, rising
with her and looking toward the hall.
“I’ll go with you, miss.” '

“With me?” gasped Della, shrinking
from him.

“ Why not? You needn’t fear any
harm. I’m a gentleman, though not one
of the best, in you estimation, perhaps.
I’ll go with you, miss. Up-stairs, eh?
Which floor, please?”

She stood before him like a marble
statue, her face as white as one and her
form rigidly planted on the carpet.

“You won’t go a step with mei”. she»
almost hissed. “I will go to my room
alone or not at all.” -

“ All right! I can overstay my time, if
you are stubborn. I can break my en—
gagement, but I am here for a little ac~
commodation, and I can’t leave without
it."

Della thought her trained ears caught.
at this juncture the sound of feet over
head.

Was Susan Blunt moving about, and
was she playing eavesdropper on what
was passing between her and Royal
Flush? ‘

It was only for a moment, and then she
heard nothing more.

“The night I met you in the Park—it
was so long ago as last summer, you ree—
ollect—long before your father made so
very much money, I made a little
love——-”

“ Don’t mention that!” cried Della, with
a. sudden start. “Please don’t refer to
that affair.”

“Just as you like. I am inclined to be
accommodating and I expect to be met at. 1
least half-way, this afternoon.”

“You want three hundred dollars, you
say? Very well. I cannot oblige you if
you will not let me get the money.”

,She looked toward the door again and
now seemed to wish for Susan Blunt to-
come to her rescue. '

“I’ll go with you, I said. Come! We
will go, but I will not enter the room,
won’tgo further than the door, which
you will keep open while you get the
money.” , '

Della. did not stir. _

“Come, we’ll go—nowl"'he, went on,
taking her arm in his hand and letting it
close there. “You won’t, eh? You don’t.

I‘ll go

believe I have any sort .of hold on you? I

I halt” believe you think I am playing a.
game of bluff." .

“I don’t know what sort of game you.
are playing, but I do know that it is.
robbery.” ,’ .

Royal Flush went back to the chair, ,.
but did not sit down- . '

He stooped over the table and drew
toward him a half sheet of notepaper.
but did not attempt to write; rather, he
thrust one hand into his right waistcoat

,pocket and drew out something little,

round and red, between finger and thumb.
Della got a glimpse of it and her teeth-
set hard. ’ ‘ '

Royal Flash did not appear ,tonotice ’

this, for he was watching theflobjectt,
which was a glass sphere, filled with' a.
reddish liquid. ' a a

The .heat ,of his hands seemed to make-
the contents of the glass ball bubble,-and
be exposed the globule to Della’s gaze.

During all this time he said nothing;
in actions were doing the “talking? as.-
it were. » 1 , . ‘ ,1 i

The Magic notth child watched him'
with intense curiosity, and her breath
seemed to have been 3 opped by the sight

'of the red ball. '5

“You know something'now.’.’. said ,,.
at last. “I. guess the glass sphere , s:
done the talking}? 1 . ‘ ‘ _
.“ You dare not remain here till my;
father comes-homo." ' « ‘\ ‘ ‘ -

“I dare, not. you say? By ."Jo-rel , I
, _ I tiilhhm”,ond
3121:1001; the chair Dolls

 

 
 

 

 

         
      
 

 

 
    
    
    
      
      
        
      
         
      
     
     
     
    
     
       
      
 

 

  
       
        
       
       
          
        
      
 
        
     
      
        
    
     
        
    
       
     
          
    
     
      
  
   
  
 

 

 
    

 
   

   

yet

,o

 

 

 

     
        
        
       

 

        
         
   

  

 

Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

15

 

“ Put up that thing and follow me!"

She walked out into the hall and
Royal Flush, with a gleam of victory in
his eyes, glided at her heels.

His bold play had succeeded.

CHAPTER XVI.
THE FLIGHT OF A BIRD.

The doctor’s daughter went tip-stairs,
with Royal Flush immediately behind her.

The girl, white-faced, did not once look
back, and when they reached the door of
her boudoir she turned and said:

“ We are here. The money is yonder."

“All right. I'll remainhere till you get it.”

She opened the door and he stopped at
the threshold, looking after her with a
grimace of satisfaction on his face.

Della thought iifty things at once as she
entered her room; she thought of turning
suddenly on the .man and finishing him in
his tracks, or of bluntly refusing him the
money, daring him to do his worst.

But she did neither.

Watched by Royal, she went to a lit-
tle cabinet at one side of the room, and,
unlockng it, took out a pocketbook, which
she opened in his presence.

He waited until she had counted out
some bills; the next moment she was in
the hall again.

“Come, we will go back.” said she, and
they went down—stairs in the order of their
ascent.

In the parlor she handed him the roll
and looked’ him in the face like a. person
who intends not to forget. '

“Do you want what I’ve got?” asked
he, his hand moving toward his waistcoat
pocket.

She thought of the glass ball, but waved
his hand back.

“ Keep it. It is nothing to me,” and she
looked away as it she had at that moment
heard a noise in the hall or on the stair-
way.

“ Just as you like, miss," grinned Royal.
:1 have overstayedrmy time. Good morn-
11g."

She stepped aside to let him pass, and,
as his back was for a. moment turned to-
ward her, her right hand slld'into the
pocket of her dress, but remained there.

“Not now," she said under her breath.
“Some other time, and it will come soon.
I will show this wretch that I can play a
hand greater and deadlier than any he can
hope to hold.” . .

. Della let her visitor depart, unmolested;
then she was alone in the house, with Su-
san Blunt.

In an instant she seemed to think of.

their dangerous guest, and walking into
the main hall, she stopped at the foot of
the stairs and listened, her eyes riveted
upon the ceiling of the second landing.
, “ Did I hear her while he wa here?” she
said, inaudibly. “I certainly heard ome-
thing like footsteps up there. Ah, my sly
guest, let me catch you on the watch. and
your life won‘t be worth that!" and she
snapped her dainty fingers, while her dark
eyes flashed. ~ ‘~ I

Della Doom went back into the parlor,
and, reclining on a rich sofa, waited for
her father.

In a little while she sank into a doze,
which became- a sleep, and when she
awoke it was evening. , 1

She sprang up and ran from the parlor
with a little cry of affrlght.

 

,“ What a fool I’ve been, to sleep. on '

guard,” she exclaimed. “Here ,I have let

several hours drag by~with no one to

watch our guest. Where is papa ?"
She opened the door of the library, but

«the room was untenanted. Then she as-

cended the stairs, and with the key un-
locked another door, revealing a small

- laboratory, not unlike the fatal one'in

Raymond Rolfe's house; but'it, too, was
empty. , '
Doctor Doom had not'come back. ‘
.Once on the upper landing, Della
stopped and threw a savage glance toward

4 Susan Blunt’s room.

She longed to' see beyond the door and
note what the strange woman was doing,

’ ‘but, without gratifying her curiosity, went
back to the parlor. '

She had barely entered it, when the
., v .

 
  

 

 

  

front door opened, and a heavy footstep
announced the return of the Magic Doctor.

“At last!" cried Della, springingr toward
him as he came in. “I have been waitingr
for you these three hours.”

‘t Indeed! It‘s a pity you had no coin—
pany. You might have called our guest
down, or visited her in her quarters,"
he suggested. -

“ Not ll" flashed Della.
to meet her."

“ She is up there yet, is she '1"

“ Yes; I suppose so.”

“ I have. unmasked the woman.”

" She is a spy?“

“ She is not Philip )lanx‘s child."

“ You found that out? Did you?"

“ That's what I went abroad to dis-
cover."

“ Who gave you the information?"

“ There is one in this city who knows all
about Philip Manx. He had onezchild. a
daughter, but this day l have had satis-
factory proot‘s of her death." ‘

“Then, in the name of Heaven, who is
the won-an tip-stairs?"

“' I am not, certain of her identity," an-
swered Dallas Doom. “But she is danger-
ous; that I know.”

“ l suspected that: the moment I set eyes
on her.”

“ She may be aspy of the Cleuullawk?"

“ If she is, then—"

“ Then she is a creature known as Sarah
Sharp.”

“ A female detective, and playing a dead
hand against us!”

Dallas Doom looked at his daughter, but
made no reply.

He saw her bosom heave with illy-sup-
pressed excitement, and her hands shut‘ in
her lap.

“I might have silenced her while 'you
were gone, and if I had known what you
say you have discovered I would have
done so."

" Let her go, for the nonce. She is in
our hands—completely in the not which
spares not. Sarah Sharp, or Susan Blunt
~—I care not which name she prefers mar-

“I did not care

V tyrdom under—is as dead to the world as

it four feet of earth hid her from the
daisies.”

“ That is it!” cried Della, leaning for-
ward, with intensely eager guze. "Make
me executioner, if you will.”

“ Trust me for that,” was thexresponse.
“This creature is damned. It was a bold
play—I never saw anything like ft—and
it might have succeeded but for my visit
today.”

He took out his watch and glanced hur-
riedly at it.“ '

“Bastien has not been back?"

1‘ No."

“And you have had no visitors at all?”

Della did not hesitate.

She answored “No” in firm tones.

“ Very well. I am sorry that I kept you
waiting so long. But, I would like to sur-
prise the woman up-stairs at once."

“ That suits 'me exactly," and I Della
sprang up, flushing eagerly. “Come! We
will do it. If a spy, she will be caught at
work, perhaps. I long to hold her against
a wall and throttle. her!"

The doctor and his daughter left the
parlor and advanced up-stnirs. Their feet
gave forth no noise. and they slipped down
the corridor toward Susan Blunt’s chamber.

Everything was still beyond the door.

Della leaned forward and listened, her
face half turned toward, heriather‘s, which
was calm and merciless. ,

“ She is as quiet as a lamb,", whispered
the daughter. “She is playing ’possum to
perfection.” '

Doctor Doom knocked, his hand sending
an empty sound beyond the door, but the
raps were not answered.

Della suddenly seized the handle of the
door and gave it a turn. ‘

It opened, and the doctor and his daugh-
ter stood on the threshold looking into—-
an untenanted room! -

“She is, not here!” cried Della, the first
of the pair to‘ speak. ,“ The bird has
flown l” . '

“ She was here when I went away.”

“‘ She was here‘when—when ,I told Tres'"

psy»thatvsh_e might take a. hangholiday.“

   

'nlng has just left with met I have sent“

, with the blood of, the recluse chemist".

 

tendent the Brazilian bonds, so

  

" But look! You can see nothing of her.
She is gone. Here is the initumbled bed.
She has not disturbed anything."

The face of the girl grew ashen in its
hues. She let her gaze wander round the
littleroom, while her blood seemed to rush
in a lava current through her veins.

"I might have killed her. I had it. all
to myself a while ago. and while she was
yet here. What a fool I have been!"

" You did not hear her Quit the. house 't".

Della shook her head.

" Did you sleep any this afternmn‘!“

The girl blushed guiltily, but smiled as
she replied: .

“For a little while in the parlor. I
couldn't shake off the drowsiness; but, if
she left the house by the front door she
would have roused me, for you know the
secret ca tch~—’ ’

"Ah, she understood that—my word for
it!" interrupted Doctor Doom. “A woman
like her misses nothing. But she is gone.
Let it pass.” .

“ She will go to her employers." {L

“What can she tell': What has she
heard in this house?”

" One thing is to be done. That woman
must be made helpless, so far as being

 

our enemy is concerned. Who told you 
that she was not Susan Blunt.” ' Us;

“ Jozy."

“That old wretch?
not in the city."

“ lle came back some months ago. He.
convinced me that Susan Blunt is not
Susan Manx, but: a spy. Go down-stairs.
1‘11 be there in a few moments."

Della' turned toward the stairway, and:

Doctor Doc-m, walking down the. corridor,
opened the door of the little laboratory
and locked himself in.
, At precisely the same hour Kimball
Keene, the Blew-Hawk, entered his room
near Broadway, and was greeted by a.
woman who occupied a chair near the
round table in the middle of the plainly-
furnished ipartment. _

It was Sarah Sharp, and her siillow face ,
broke into a faint smile as he appeared.

" I've been here only a little while," said " 7
she. "I thought you would drop in soon.
If you had not come I would have left a.
note in the secret letter box. I’ve had a.
queer time of late.” I '

“ I knew you were not at home. Neither
was Sparrow." I

“No. I thought I would vanish for a. ‘
time just to play a little hand of my own."‘ ‘

Kimball had stopped at the table, and '
with folded hands was waiting for her"
story. A"

“ I had nice quarters, everything to one’s ‘
hand, and the acoustics of the mansion
were excellent—suited me to a dot." .

Detective Keene looked at her, eager,
but puzzled. » '

“Doctor Doom and his flashing daugh- ~
for live in style. ‘But it's worth one’s life '
to become their guest." '

“ You’ve been there, have you?" .

“ Yes; and I think it paid me.”

I thought he was

 

 

   
   
   
   
 
  
  
  
  
   
 
  
  
  
   
    
    
   
   

 

CHAPTER XVII.
THE CLEW-HAWK‘S TRAIL. .

Kimball Keene, the Glow-Hawk, had
just returned to his lodgings from a visit:
to Mulberry street, where he had been '
closeted with the superintendent. '1

This individual had said to him:

“ One of our best spotters has been work-
ing up a case against the girl Oriel. From
what you have already told me, I cannot
belicvohel' guilty of this murder. True,
she was found in the laboratory behind
theiiron door the night of'the crime, and"
under circumstances on their. face declda
edly against her, yet I am not ready to
credit the story and theories which Gun?

for you to say this, Kimball, ,and to add
that you will work on, no matter whom
you ferret out.” ’ v , .2 r

“ If it be the girl. Oriel, the report shall
not be delayed a.minute,’? was the answer.
“I am in this\flght to the finish, no matter-
if beauty’s hands are found to be stained

  

1 He had already laid before the superin-

 
   

. .-<

 

 

16‘

 

which he and Oriel had taken from the
secret cupboard in the hidden room, and
they had been looked over with a great
deal of interest. I

As we have said, it was fresh from this
interview tliltt Kimball Keene appeared
to Sarah Sharp in his own little room just
011' Broadway.

lie was ready to listen to his right
bower. and did so without breaking in
upon her story. '

Sarah gave. a brief account of how she
had managed to get into Doctor Doom's
house by passing herself off as Susan
lilunt, a widow, and the only child of
Philip Manx, a one-time friend oi’ the magic
doctor's; how she had lived a short time in
the house with eyes and ears open, and
‘ finally finished with an account of all she
had seen and heard.

She had witnessed the interviews be-
tween Bastien Blue and thedoctor, had

I Seen the young man put under the strange
spell of Which Dallas Doom was master,

{ had seen him while in that state hand his
his ring to Della and declare that he would
make her his wife.

She had heard a good deal which passed
between the doctor and his daughter, had

 

   
   
    
  
   
   
   
  
  
   
   
  
  
   
   
   
 
 
  
    
  
   
   
   
   
   
    
 

' Royal FluSh, had seen the cool young man
bleed the girl out of three hundred dollars
‘ by hinting at a secret which he pretended
to hold against her, and had also visited
several parts of the house, among them
~ the little laboratory, which contained a
good many oddiookmg things, the uses of
which she did not know. '
. 1"Unc thing is certain,’_’ said Sarah
‘Sharp, in her peculiar tones. " Bastien
Blue is in the hands of these people."
‘ “Held there by more than the hypnotic
 , powers of the demon doctor?" '
‘. ‘ \ :- Yes-ll
“‘ What is the other hand that secures
shim?" I '
. "A secret of some kind. re is no
‘doubt of this. Doctor Doom, an perhaps
his child as Well, is the possessor of a
/ ne'c‘ret which affects Bastien's future, and
‘ he, knows how to wield that club. The

tor‘s hand when he exercises the mes-
meric power“ He is an easy subject. I
never  anything like it. He tried it
‘on me." I ‘~ . ‘ v

.: "0n"you, Sarah?" ’ '
g “ Yes. it :wasnpon the occasion of my
first interview with him. I had to summon

 my powers to overcome‘the spell
(it diode serpent eyes. I succeeded, but it
Was. a‘ dearly-won victory. ,I thank Hea—
van that I was not compelled to race .him
again and fight that battle over."' . '
T “ You might have tailed, eh?" .
' ‘fiI might have. failed. You‘know that

can track people and foil the sharpest of
themethnt seems to be a gift of mine—+1
 was not made to cope with the ;hyp-
Enlist. Give me my-match—aye, my supe-
orvxin- cunning—and I promise you that
.~ will outwit him. , But this man is all-
x'powezt‘ul. I, never saw any one like him.
W.,d:_mghter is a chip of. the old block.
altemuld have shot Royal Flush down in
cold, blood or have throttled him against
the; an. .8119 has the soft movements or

  
  
  

  

.“ .I' knew she waited there for-line

  
  

 dagger after Royal’s departure, and
gain-miracle is that she didn’t turn On him
‘mt lt‘lnto his back." ‘

80 Mr. Flush won his’play?" smiled
detectiveu '

 
 
 
 

:Xouaaw it plainly,,Snrah?"i ,
 ' ;.you must recollect one can look

 

“,7 I fly a‘ja’r. It seemed to‘ befllled
min. reddish fluid. and to me. it bubbled
' e beheld it deftly betweenihumh, and

  
 
 
  
  
  
  
 

    

mean"

witnessed the meeting between Della and,

young man is as pottcr's clay in the doc '

and uttered an exclamation as he cough

.up with the person thus singled out and

on . I heard her at my door by acci-’
inn dagger in her hand; I saw that .

[into the parlortrom the stairs by ‘
 the transom, which. just now .
.a certain

an hour. laterfiuhder ‘the‘ lamps 'e‘t '

‘ wk Keené’

s-“Ri’ght Bowe’r.

 

 

after which she ascended a stairway and
unlocked another portal.

Tl‘ripping almost noiselesst across a
room dimly lighted, she stopped beside a
bed.

A child was sleeping there, and as Sarah
stooped and imprinted a kiss on the little
face, a smile. wreathed the roseate lips
and a pair of hands came up and two
arias encircled her neck.

The trailer was at home, and the sleep-
ing child was “Sparrow.”

Sarah Sharp disrobed and dropped to
sleep beside the little one, where we will
leave her, to go back to the man she had
left. .

Kimball Keene did not remain long in
his rooms after Sarah's departure.

Slipping from the house, he gained the
street, and started oil' at. a brisk pace. .

it was nine o'clock.

Not long afterward he entered a cosy
little gymnasium, where a number-of ath-
letic fellows were strengthening their mus-
cles in various ways, and took a seat in a
high chair against the wall to watch them.

His roving eye, always on the alert, sin-
gled out a young man who attracted a
good deal of attention, and he began to
watch his evory movement.

“ No wonder he broke down the iron
door," said Detective Keene to himself.
“That fellow has the powers of a Samson
and the agility of an acrobat. Royal
Flush must have his exercise. whether he
robs a young girl or shoots a man on ,a
roof. He will try his muscles on the hori-
zontal bar or by lifting the weights. Per-
haps he expects this experience to come
handy some day. \Vell, well; it may."

Kimball Keene turned from the object. of
his regard for a moment, for Royal Flush
had gone into he dressing—room, from
which he presenzly emerged, dressed for
the street. I;

For nearly two hours he had shown off
before the man of .clews, though without
knowing it, and was ready to go home.

Detective Keene left the gymnasium be-
fore Royal, and waited for .him in a con-
venient position oh the. street. -

In a little while the object of his quest
came out and walked briskly away. »

In an instant he had a man at his heels,
"but at the same time so‘ far behind him as
not to excite his suspicions.

But Royal Flush did not look behind
him; he did not dream that he was at that
hour more than an. ordinary individual
going home afte his usual exercise, and
so he paced alon , now and then nodding
to some acquaintance, but stopping to
chat with'none. " 7' ‘

All at once the youngrathlete stomth

sight oil a figure on the street ahead.
“What—out- at this hour?” he ex-
claimed. "I‘ll see what he is up to, but
I won‘t let him know it." 'r
He quickened his gait for half a block,
which walk enabled him to 'comenimost

"It puzzles Mr. Flush," said he. “He
cannot divine what brings Bastien Blue to
()riel‘s house at this time of night. Ho!
here he comes back!"

it was too late to turn round and run
front the man who was advancii g toward
him. even it‘ he had cared to do so, there—
fore Glow—Hawk Keene simply whisked .
his hat rim over his brow and kept 011.

They met in the shadow of a tree, and
passvd.

Royal had glanced at the detective. but
had not recognized him. and his footsteps
wore out. or sound when Keene looked
after him.

He turned back with a smile, but crossed
the street and again followed the athlete.

“That is not the way home, Mr. Flush,"
thought Kimball. as the young man turned
into a. certain street and increased his
gait. “You will never see home in a thou-
sand years it‘ you walk always in that di—
rection."

.Iloyal Flush evidently thought not of
going home.

He was approaching the house of the
crime, going back to the scene of Ray.
mond Rolt‘e‘s death.~ and with the shrewd-
est (lettmive of Gotlnun in his wake.

Where was Policeman Clipper? Was
the old man on the alert, anti would he see
the young acrobat when he entered the
house.

There was a. narrow alley alongside the
house of death and mystery. '

Royal Flush dodged into this and dis
appeared. ‘ I

“It is to be an entrance through the
rear door," ejaculated the detective. “I
can beat him inside.”

In another instant Kimball Keene was
on the steps. and in another one inside. '

He shut the door softly.- He made his
way to the staircase and ran up the soft
steps; ~

Guessing that the laboratory would be
the young man‘s objective point. he went
st night to the upper corridor, and thence
to the room from which Oriel had seen the
strange woman emerge. ~ ,

Closing the door. Kimball Keene drew up
to it the only chair in tin place, Which be
mounted at the door. > »

There. with the eagerness of the true de~
tectivo. he stood and waited. ‘ -

Presently footsteps came down the hall
and stoppt-d at the room or the iron door.

\Vas it Royal Flush? .

Clew-Hawk Keene watched on. and saw
the glimmer of a match beyond the broken,
door. and then the light revealed the form.
and face of a man. ‘ . ‘

In a moment the shape had resolved it-
self into Royal Flush, and the man of
trails saw him light a lamp which stood
on the dead man’s work-bench. ~

For a moment Royal Flush stood in the

light, asif showing off his figure to the hid. ‘ ‘

"don ferret, and then, he went' over to' the

‘little cupboard with the green door.

He stood there a little while, with his=

 

already recognized by Kimball Keene' as
Bastien Blue. . :

'Royiil now, fell behind his' master
moderately, and followed him with the
persistence of-a wolf-hound. trackmg Bas-
tien down a dark street which began at '
theoue they were'on. ‘ I ‘

Kimball Keene dr'eW‘off a. little so as
110;] to be noticed, and kept the pair: in
sig 1:. . v ‘ v

- Bastien walkéd‘ a little. faster now, 'and ,

[turned at‘last into Fourteenth streetsee-
ing which Royal Flush halted and looked
,surprised.~ ; . . . . a  I -  -
“ He may be going to call on Oriel, but
it'is a late call." remarked Claw-Hawk i
Keene to himself. .“The girl iihinks more,
0; him than the world knows, and—44' 
Bastien had looked up at the number of.
, house, and was 'alrendy'uon the '
steps.  -'  '  ’
‘ "f It "is; Oricl’s home»,
talk with her." , '
wRoyxil Elm ‘61

/

BHeghas  to -

row: of land wait [till ‘
thedoorrh'adclosednpon Eastien. w, ,j. had A
mu admitted. their he toned. forward
ndtmfilingui look at he door it he

 

 

.‘ 1';

back turned to the detective, and when he,
turned away he held a tiny phial between ,
,thumbanddinger. , - ‘r  .
.' He held it between him and the light.
and. Claw-Hawk Kepne saw an expression-
ot‘ devilish triumph lightup the depths of

his eyes. In less than. a second the phial. 

was transferredgto the night vprowler’s,
DOckct. a id'Roya‘l Mush extinguished, the:
light, hm ng gained his point. ‘ ' ' '

l

 

 ‘ CHAPTER" 
WHERE THE. PHIAL,3WENT,. ,.

" . The Claw-Hawk ot-Gotha'm saw all ,this- "

from‘his hiding place in the littlel om
at the" end of bee r,; and . on,

 

 

ilied'.’ .

,Kiinhall Keene soon lost his foofflepsoi ,K
Show;

.and iu'a‘iittlc While he heard {who

 

 
 
    
 
  

sec '9 omits theft , ,t
, Hugging to hi _ r
abstracted; ii]
and, sharia ; o
door-of 2} h :
' ‘ 'fl Rolf

  

'1 .

Royal Eltlsh ha, 'wept arrow. the labora‘.
t ry he went dewn the and yon-bin

wit ‘h toldhim that the thigf-hndjgttihfi . t

 

 

i,

7" 'LTV‘.:.‘.

“4,. 2.1.5:“? *3 “Fry‘s:

i...

 

 

M a
_ .1,

       
 
  
     
       
      
   

\

    
   
         
    
      
 
      
     
       
      
    
   

      
       
     
 
   
      
     
   
   

‘42;

 

i C “Not necessarily.” I W',

 ' claw—Hawk Kansans a...  

 

There be lit a lamp and took a seat at
a table.

He was on the second floor, and the
room shoWed that it was a bedroom,
though furnished with a desk and table.

lle took the phial from its hiding place
and again held it up between him and the
light.

By and by he placed it in a secret niche
in one of the walls, after which he re-
galed himself with a cigar, smoking like
a than who has achieved a triumph at the
expense of some personal courage. lle
smoked the cigar out and threw the stump
into a spittoon, laughing aloud as he

. looked for a moment at the smoking but.

“ It was a neat double play,” said he.
“I am just three hundred dollars ahead,
besides getting possession of a little thing
which will still further enrich me. There‘s
nothing like it. Ha, ha!” And he got up
and crossed the room With a smile on his
face.

He was turning back toward the table,
'when he happened to look at the window.

He stopped short, and then, drawing a
revolver, sprang to the window and
threw up the sash.

“ I thought so,’f cried he, firing at an
object that vanished over the eave. “l
have been watched, and by the same per"
son whom I heard on the, roof the other
night. This is carrying the joke too far.
I wonder if it could have been the detec-
tive? Tracking me," eh? It will be his
last trail if that is his game.” i

Royal Flush stood for a minute at the

open window, weapon in hand, and
seemed to be waiting for the spy to come
back; but at last, as the spy did not
oblige him, he turned away and lowered
the sash.
’ Even after this he remained at the win.
dow, with his senses on the alert, ready
to meet the spy should he creep over the
roof again to keep an eye on his move—
ments. ‘

But he listened in vain; there was no
further noise on the sloping roof, and at

length Royal lowered the light and threw ‘

himself upon the couch.

The clock struck twelve, and while the
last stroke still sounded in the apart-
ment, Royal Flush rose and slipped over
to the lamp still burning a, little. ‘ t

“ It‘s time," said he, audibly, hastily
dressing. “1 was to meet the old fellow
at. half-past twelve. He’s a night owl,,
and will be ready for me.”

A minute later he slipped from the
house into the quiet street, going toward
the river, and keeping in the shadows
and near the buildings. _ ‘

,No one seemed to see him. ‘. His move-
fnents were stealthy and he looked cau-
tiously around while her glided on with
‘the steps of a fox. , t ' ,

He turned down the third corner and
then entered another street as silent as
the one just left: he walked half a mile
over the quiet pavements and suddenly
on down a flight of tour tone steps and
brought. up against a v,ery common-place
doorway.

There‘was instant response to his raps
and the portal opened for enough to let
him slip inside.

Royal Flush was

greeted by an old
woman, who was bent crone-like,

but

. whOse eyes burned/with the tire of youth.

' “Where is Jozy?” asked Royal. “You

are not J o ." v
“or emfryse not, and I’m glad I am

not Jozy." was the reply. in a squeak. " I

wouldn’t be Jozy for all this world——

v “ Come, come; you needn’t talk thus

while time is precious. I am‘ here to see

I .J‘ozv Jebb.”

“‘ Don’t be in a hurryfi’ ‘ ,

Royal threw a glance towards door on
the other side of the room, andtturned
again upon the old woman. _ * ‘r,

" Some one’sin there with Jozy, eh

H Yogi” , V '.

“,Then‘ don’t let me be seen. ’I

“ You need not be. seen at a! 3" i
“ Must he. come out this way?

"‘Who is he?" , .
.‘ “’I'dop’t' Know.” I

  

 

 

.i'omard and: clutchedg'the p

 The .‘youns athlete,

“ Say. Marie, couldn‘t you let me get a
look at him? Couldn't you give me a
peep—just one?"

She shook her head.

“ I’ll make it interesting for you.“

“But Jozy wouldn’t like it."

“ 'l‘o perdition for the present with scru—
plesl I must see who is in there!"

There was another shake of the head,
as resolute as before, and Royal Flush
looked at the old creature.

“ I‘ll give you a. ten." said he.

M NO'!’

“ I'll double it it‘ it bankrupts me. Yes,
I’ll make it twenty—more money than
you’ve seen in six months."

“ That‘s a fact,” grimaced the old wom-
an. “I like money, though I've never got
my share of it."

“Very well. Let me see who is in you
room with Jozy anti I'll make you rich."

She seemed on the point of yielding,
but all at once she drew back and walked
away. .

“ You don’t intend to refuse me?" cried
Royal Flush, following her up. “Come,
Marie. you can’t afford to beat me."

“I can't. eh? You forget that I serve
my brother to the death." ‘

The man stopped anti scowled heavily,
but at the same time threw a tieree. look
at the door as if he would force it as
fully as he had forced the iron portal of

‘Raymoud Rolt'e’s house.

Old Marie placed hersolt' between him
and the forbidden door, having pushed
her cane-bottomed chair thither, and
there she sat. as stolid as a carvcn image,
whilst Royal was left to curse her in-
wardly, which he evidently did.

They had waited ten minutes. when
there came a slight sound from the room
beyond the door, and the young man, who
faced the old hag, sprangup and started
toward the door again.

“ He’s Taping!“ cried he. “Jozy will lie
to me. He’s done that before. Let me
look into that room—only for a second,
Marie!” , ‘ ‘ _

“Not for ‘an instant.”

“ You won’t, eh? I’ve a mind to choke
you."

n  it." s

She seemed to lose her hump as she
uttered these words, and now she stood
before Royal Flush. as straight as an ar-
row, With her skinny hands tightly
clenched and her eyes fairly ablaze.

“Just you try it, young man, and I’ll
send you'where thetdogs won’t even get
to bark at you.”

' “ You will?”

“Can't I?” almost laughed old Marie.
“ Can't I open up that lhttle affair of the
Cape diamonds? Can't I tell about the
affair of the lost bonds—the Brazilian

' ones '2”

Royal fell back and looked at the old
thing like a baffled man, powerless to
strike, and in another moment: the door
opened nnd’Jozy come forth. _

“ Here he is,” id Marie, with a sweep
of her hand. .“ ere’s Jozy. Now you
two can talk." ‘ t ' '

She left the room as she finished, and

Royal found himself alone with the man
with the hook-billed nose whom Kimball
Keene had talked with in the restau-
ran .. t ,
For halfnsecond Royal Flush tried to
read the old man’s inmost tho'ughtstwhile
hel hustled" about the room. and when he
spoke this name he stopped and came
toward him.

“ Did your caller leave?”

Jozy’s eyes got a singular light.

“Come, you had a caller in there. I
heard him. You have late visitors, -I
see. , ‘

“‘ I am a man .who must deal with late
callers sometimes.” '

“ Of course. He’swgone, is he ?”

It Yes-1| ‘ .

“ Well, then, you'll talk to me.” '
:“I remember my agreement. You are
on'ti’me. I see." it '

“I always am." I ‘ t i

“Did’you‘fetch it?" x ' « /

.Old Jozy held out- his hand; but Royal
made no movement to produce anything.

‘4 You were to hare. it. !you remember?"
,looltedgnt» the old

\‘i

 
 

      

‘1'?

  
    
  
   
   
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
 
  
  
     
   
  
  
     
 
  
    
    
    
  
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
    
     
  
  
     
 
   
  
     
    
    
     
  
  
   
   
    
  
   
  
  
    
   
       
     
      
     
 

face before him, seamed with more than
human cunning. and suddenly broke out.
into a boisterous laugh.

"You're a cunning old dog, Jozy," he.
said. "You play with men's fortunes as
it? they Were nine-pins. i know who was
in there with you."

.iozy started.

“ li‘ii‘ty if you will whisper the name in.
my ear,” he cried, leaning toward Royal.
“l'll make it one hundred and [ can't;
well spare a copper, either."

“You’re playing double. old man."

“ Me'!” exclaimed .iozy, throwing up his
hands in a spasm of holy horror.

“1 say yes."

“ I never do that.“

" Come. you know better. The presence
of the man in that. room awhile ago is
proof that you don‘t always stick to the
truth. You are playing double, I say.
And you don’t get what I have until you
play fair with me.” ‘

A sudden change came over the old
man‘s face. r r

He became suppliant outwardly. though.
his wrinkled face belied his words, ‘

“I don‘t like to have to give my pu-
trous away," he said. “But the name of
the man who was in there just now
can’t benefit you any. It was Cyrus
Champ.”

“Honest, .Tozy?”

“As 1 live! You don’t know him? I
thought not. He is a gentleman who
don't care to be seen here: but you won’t
lifrive him. away. I trust your honor that
ar. ’ ‘ .

Royal Flush eyed the. old man withithe
glance of an eagle. 'He knew a good deal
about him—knew that he would not hosi-
tate to lie, deliberately lie, and for half
a second he regarded him with accusing
looks. . '

“Very well. I’ll take your word for
it," he replied. “Cyrus Champ, eh? All
right, Jozy. Now, there it is.” i

As he finished he drew from his pocket
a. phial and set it on the table before the
little old man.

The eyes deep set in Jozy’s head
sparkled like those of a basilisk’s; his
body suddenly bent forward and his long i
kelcton hand clutched the phial. - r

“ This is it?” he laughed. holding it be-
tween him and the light. “I- will be your
servant till death for this. I won'tttorn;
get you.” . 2

“~ See that you don't. Now pay me.”

Old Jozy slipped across the room and, .
came back with a little packet. which he '
placed on the table. It was done up in. 
chamois skin, and Royal Flash seized it. 
with delight. v r _ '

A minute later he stood outside the’ Y ‘
house. ' ‘ , t

“The old villain! He lied deliberately,"
he grated. “I know who was in that
room with him. Cyrus Champ for-sooth! '
There is no such man in New York. It "
was the ferrets—the shadow who is (mine ,
trail of the Rolfe mystery. Very well.
I know what to do now. I know exaoti
what is to he done, and from this ho‘u .,
the doom of that claw-hawk is sealed. i
live made a ten trike to-night.” . , ‘,

He passed down the street. looking back
but once ere he turned the first cornea
and saw no one. ~ '

Clu.;PIER XIX. i ‘.

SARAH SHARP ONOE' MORE.‘ , ‘t‘ ‘
The vanishing of Sarah from his
house puzzled Doctor Doom not a. little. ' ,
1f the woman had been there when {he
came. back from his trip in the closed cab.
she might not have fared well at the hand!
of the Magic Doctor and his osmium“.
Della; but Sarah was beyond their reach,
with the information she had picked. up
while masquerading as Susan Blunt, and:
she was not likely to give the pair an op-
portunity to get even with her. ; ‘~ ;r
. Della longed for a chance to pay the
shrewd woman back.- but she feared she
would not get it, and the next day she
came down-stairs dr sod for. the street. .
Her father looked ther from the parlor p
and asked her’where she was going; -' a
2! Never mind." was the. reply. "Askno:
mwsiinns till I return; [and then you‘ shall
ghove all the answers you require, ‘ ~

in:

    

   
     
 

 

 

 

beat—Mr. Clipper ?"

 

 

18 ,'

Della passed from the house, walked to
the nearest corner, and took a car.

She rode some blocks, when she alighted,
and, turning into another street, crossed
the threshold of a small private dining-
1'oom and threaded it to another room be—
yond, the do‘or of which she closed behind
her.

It was ten o'clock, and Della Doom, tak-
ing a chair, seemed to wait for seine one.

” She must come shortly," said she, with
some impatience. “She surely got my
note, for Tressy says she delivered it,
and———-‘- Here she comes now.”

The door had opened, and there entered
a woman whose face was vailed.

Della looked at her, noted her dress, and
then tried to pierce the vail, but could not.

" You are here at last. You got my
note ‘2" ‘

“I am here.”

The speaker had taken a seat at the op-

posite side of the table, and Della was

looking at her.

“You need not cover your face,” she
said. “You saw my advertisement, and
subsequently got the letter?”

,There was a nod, but not a word.

“I cannot deal with yen until I know
with whom I am dealing,” continued Doc-
tor Doom’s child. “This is an important

, matter and I have a good deal at stake.”

“ You will pardon me if I refuse to lift
my vail, but that I am the right person I

'. will'prove at once.”

The vailed woman drew a glove and laid
her hand on the table. A single ring with
aturquoise set glittered on one of the fin-
gers, and the eyes beneath the vail re-
garded Della. with much intensity.

“ You don't, want to trustme yet, I see."

“ I want to be sure,” was the reply.

, p : “Besides, there is so very much at stake
.‘that I have a right to be very cautious.”

7 “I admit that. I hope you got away

’ safely the other night.”

r There was a quick start on Della’s part,

,' ~ and she fell back in her chair and stared at

the vailed one.
“ What do you mean?”
v “He! that ought to tell you that I am

the right party. Come, you want to be-

sure of it. I don’t blame you, I say. You

" had a narrow escape."

“ I? The other night?”
‘ ‘1 Yes.”
r ‘5 How so?”

“Youvwere seen to enter and emerge A
‘from the house.” ‘ ‘

i‘No? By whom?”
“By whom think you?"
' “ Not a watch?" ' V
‘ “Do you mean the policeman on the
“ The policeman for one.” ’
: “ He didn’t see you, but another did.”
The face of Della Doom was quite color-
less, and she did not seem to breathe as

she leaned toward the watchful woman

across the table.
“ Won’t you tell me? Why keep.me in

= suspense?”

‘ ‘“ You would be frightened if I did.”
"‘ Not L See, my nerves are likesteel

ones. I am not to be frightened.”

. “ Well, what if I weré to say that you

v were seen by a detective?”

x “ Where was he?"_‘

“He might have been in the house.”

“ At that time?" , r
3 (“Why not? You must know, if you
know anything,,that that house has now a

"I" You were seen, I say.”

“By the detective?" , '
,!“You seem to refer to; a certain one.”
~’ “Perhaps I do.”
i “ Well, [he saw you.”
; “Bathe did not—4' . ,

“I can’t say as to that. ,He may not
have recognizied you. But I am, sure he
saw you at that house." '

Della appeared'to take along breath and
to collect her thoughts; she was trying to
he‘calm, but her nerves wares little un-

strung. n . ' v .
" Where were you '2" she suddenly asked.
Or, (are you in the confidence of this man-
,hunter?” ' ‘~ '

There was a Slight laugh underneath the: ‘

black veil, and Della sawitrlse and 

     

 

“Do you think I would be taken into

the confidence of this man ‘3” she asked.
, “I don't know. I know that you an-
swered my advertisement, and that I
agreed tomeet you here rather than at my
own home.”

“Perhaps you were right. This is a
nice, quiet place. Your advertisement
asked for some one who knew something
about Hobart Strong.”

“But that was not his real name, you
know.”

“ 1 am aware of that," said Della. “You
pretend to know something about him.”

“ W'ould I be here if I did not?”

“I trust not. Well, who was Hobart
Strong?” 1

“Others called him Sydney Orne. He
was the father of Miss Oriel Urne, who
became the ward of the late Raymond
Rolfe." .

There was no reply by the doctor‘s
daughter, but she seemed to be testing her
companion’s honesty with her dark eyes,
which almost penetrated the somber vail.

“Miss Orne, 1 say, is the child of that
man. He at one time was Rolfe‘s closest
friend. He taught him a good deal about
chemistry, showed him how to make the
subtlest poisons known to toxicology! He
dared not go by‘the name of Orne for
reasons best known to himself and Ray-v
mend Rolfe, so he was known as Hobart
Strong.”

“"You seem to know,” said Della.

“ I ought to know something about the
man.” .

“ Is be dead ‘2”

“That’s an odd question. Would Miss
Oriel have become Raymond Rolfe’s pro—
tegee if her father were not dead?"

“Stranger, things than that have ‘hap-
pened.” ‘

“ But Sydney Orne is dead.”

” You can prove this?” . '

“ I can, but I cannot show you his grave.
He died in Brazil. He lies entombed some-

where beside the Amazon. Coming back-

to the United States alone; Raymond Rolfe
took the little girl under his protecting

care and raised her as his own child."

‘ “But he failed to make‘ her his sole

heiress.” .
“There was his half-brother, Bastien:

Blue. He had to give him a share."

“But Oriel Orne expected the lion’s
share, I am told." “

“ She thought she had a right to expect
that. She will not make a wry face over
what she did get.” ‘

“ Now, I want you to give me some sort,

[of proof that Hobart Strong is dead,” said ,

Della, pushing her chair closer to the table
and bending over it. “I must have proof.
It is not encugh for you to :say that he. is
dead. I want proof.” -

“ that will you pay for proof?”

“I’ll pay you well.” .,

“That's not very definite,” was t e re-
ply. “Give me some guarantee that am
dealing with an honest person. Give me a
pledge, I 'say. You have a ring there.”

Dclla‘s hand shrank suddenly from the
table, but not too quick for the other.

“Let me have that ring "in pledge, and
to-mo ow I'll restore it, with the proofs
of Syd ey Orne‘s dent .” i r

Della began to take of! the ring, but all
at once she stopped and, let it alone.

“No, I can’t. do that. I am good enough
with my word“ I pledge you that I will
play fair with you and pay you [well for
the proofs. I cannot part with the ring.”

“ Then we ca ot bargain," was‘the re-
ply, and the vailed woman rose and looked
down upon Doctor Doomfs daughter. “You
will have to’ get your proofs elsewhere.”

Della rose. suddenly, but sat down again.

/“ You ask too much." " , '

“Just as you like,” was the quick on-
swer, in a careless tone. “I haven. right
to makepart of the bargain", '

' “ So you have.” I 1 ‘

Shutting her lips hard, Della teek off
the ring and handed it to the strange
woman. ' ‘ ‘

_ ‘,’ There, you have it, You will bring me
proofs of this man’s death, will you?”

“‘Iwill.’§, . . , ’ _
“ And at that time restore the. fins?”
“VY , r - _  

» house.

 

Glow-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

and in this same room. Remember that
I am not a helpless woman. You Seem to
know me. I can’t help that. You say I
was watched the other night. Well, the
human lynx saw nothing out of the way.
Give me his name.“ ‘

“ You ought to know that, miss.”

“ Was it ”

Della seemed to hesitate to speak the
name of the man of whom she was think—
ing, and the vaile one waited for her to
do so. But she did not.

The vailed one moved toward the door
and laid her hand upon the door knob.

Della, who had followed her movement,
was seen to start, and all at once every
vestige of color left her face. She sprang
rormd the table, and with a sharp little
cry threw up her hand.

" \Vhat is it, miss?” asked the unknown.

“Just one moment, please. I forgot
something. I must have some proof, of‘
fair dealing from you. You have a ring
on your hand, but you can show me your
face.”

The one who heard seemed to recoil
against the door, and her hand was
tln'own up to defeat Della’s mad intention:

Out went the white hand of the plotting
girl; it closed on the black veil; there was
a wrench and a tear, and the next instant
the hidden face was brought to view.

“My God! I thought so!" cried Della,
falling back, with a part of the vail in her
hand. "You are Sarah Sharp, alias Susan
Blunt, his right bower!" , '

She quivered for a second in the middle
of the floor, with Sarah Sharp at the door,

 

'a curious smile on her thin, sallow face,

and her eyes riveted upon Della.

“‘ You thought so, did you?" said the
female ferret. “You are very clever, girl.”;

These words were greeted with a mad'
exclamation, and something which seemed
to leap from Della’s pocket flashed in the-
sunlight that came in at the little window-

“ You shall not betray me," she cried, as.
she sprang at Sarah Sharp with the quick-
ness of a wildcat. “I will leave you here
with your game only half played out.”

But her descending arm was caught in
mid-air by the quicker hand of Sarah
Sharp, and Della’s wrist was in a grip of
steel . ‘

She wasrheld thus for a full minute.
when Sarah Sharp pushed her back and
released her, to open the door and vanish
before the dagger could termin‘ate the
scene.

 

.. CHAPTER xx. ' .
THE LIGHTING OF A LUCIFER.
Kimball Keene, the Chew-Hawk :of New

York, was old Jozy’s visitor while Royal,A I

Flush waited in» the adjoining room.

He left the den in Cherry street by an
entrance whichvdid not let Bastien Blue's
factot’um get a look at him; and while
Royal talked with the .old man he was
walking, from the place. " ‘

The detective had visited the' den for a.
purpose, and was evidently pleased with
the uccess of his call.

He did not go back to the little apart.

ment near Broadway, but turned up in
another house, where he was met by Sarah
Sharp.
,_ There was a look of victory in the deep--
set eyes of the female ferret, and she
smiled as Kimball took a ‘seat at,the table
where she had just finished a lunch. ’

“This trail is getting interesting,” said
Sarah, lifting her .. eyes to the detective-
“I have discovered one! thing that interests.
me not a little .I don’t think Raymond
Rolfe was killed in the room where the

- body was found.” ‘

‘ “ You don’t, eh?"
“ I do not. I have just come from; that
I have been. there alone for an
hour, and there are little spotson the.
stairs, dark
story not yet told to the newspapers. . I
have looked

scope." I  ' g . , 
" “That enlarges them, of course. But
are they spots‘of blood?"

  

They are'foxmd at irregular intervalsgon-
, X ._ r

‘ ‘ the carpet of the stat _.”'i

“ While there

 ’th‘ 

ones, which seem’ to, tell a. >

\

at. them under the micro; " r x

. “They are dark enough to  blood? ,

 

 

 

 

-. a. up .m-u’kmv.‘.<.. .

 

 

 

E

   

 

 

 

 

~__ ‘7.

“That is true."

Sarah Sharp toyed for a moment with
the fork, and then said:

“Would you care to go to the house
.With me?"

“Now?” I

“ Right away. I would like to show you
something else.”

“ The blur on the wall?"

“ No. I have seen that, too. But I think
I can show you something you haven’t
seen before."

“I will go," replied Kimball. “If you
have discovered a clcw I would like to see
it." '

“I don’t say that it is a elew. Your
eyes are sharp, you may have seen it, too.
But I want to show you, anyhow.”

Sarah Sharp hurriedly prepared for the
nocturnal jaunt, and in a few moments
they were on their way to the house of
the strange death.

"Let us avoid Clipper, the roundsman,”
said Sarah, in a whisper, as they turned
the corner near the house. “He is as alert
as an owl, and makes himself very promi-
nent. The first thing we know he will
arrest some innocent person who stops to
look at the place, impelled by morbid cu-
riosity." .

Detective Keene made no reply, and
watching their chance, when they wore
sure Roundsmau Clipper was not near.
they dodged into the narrow place between
the Rolfe house and its neighbor, and
passed to the rear.

“ You came in this way, did you?" asked
Keene.

:Sarah nodded, and laid her hand on the
‘handle of the door.

They entered the house, which was dark
and silent, and took care that their foot-
steps gave out no sounds on the carpet.

'“ We need not illuminate the house,”
said Sarah. “You have your fairy lantern:
that will be enough. Here we are in the
hall. Now come and look first at the spots
on the stairs.” .

She went toward the steps, and the
Clew-Hawk followed.

“Here is the first one,” she went on,
pointing at a darkish spot near the edge
of the stair-carpet. “You can see it with
the naked eye. Now follow me up-stairs.
Here is another, not quite so prominent,
but seen all the same. This is the third
none,.and—" r a ‘

“But hold. Did you ever think that
these spots may have.been made with
some chemical? You know what he was‘ii.’

Sarah Sharp turned her lean face full
upon the detective. They were close to—
gether.

“I know what he was not,” said she.
“He was not a fool chemist. He would
not carry a leaky bottle up or down these
steps. Here is my magnifier. Look close.”

With the little light in one hand and the
Woman’s glass in the other, Glow-Hawk
Kimball bent over one of the dark spots
and looked for some time.

Sarah! Sharp, as rigid as a statue,
Iwatched him keenly, and even smiled at
the thoroughness of his inspection.

“ Well ?"

“ It looks like blood; but, whatever it ‘is,
it has eaten into‘the carpet.” -

“I didn’t notice that,”'cri.ed Sarah. “I
thought I looked very closely, too.”

She took light and glass, and looked for
half a minute, when she rose and nodded.

“ I give it up. It can't be blood.”

“ Chemicals, as I thought.” v ’

“Now for the other thing. That hasn t
deceived me, I’m sure."

They passed up-stairs and reached the
sorridor leading to the room. of the iron
oor. 4, , ' '
Instead of turning toward it, Sarah
Sharp led the detective toward the room
at the other end of the hall—the one from
Which he had witnessed Royal Flush’s

{theft of the little phial.
She closed the door behind them, and

 upon Kimball :when he had en-

tered. ,
There were a few old 'books on the

shelves, ‘and dust lay in profusion every-

where. ~. . ’ »

, “You’ve been herei’,’said Sarah. ; . ; ‘

Exes; I’vese‘en this place before." ,

)

 

 

 

Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

 

She Went over to the shelves and moved
the little light along them.

“ Here is where a book was taken from
the shelf and replaced,” she went on. “You
can see it.“

“ His work, perhaps.”

“ Do you mean Raymond Rolt‘e‘s or the
murderer‘s?”

“ Rolt'c’s.”

“I don’t think so. His hands were too
large for this imprint. 1 found it during
my last visit to this room. You see where
the person who read the book rested a
hand while reading.”

Detective Keene drew near the shelf and
looked. There was a space formed by the
absence of several books, and sure enough,
in the layer of dust there was to be seen
the prints of three lingers.

Sarah Sharp said nothing till he spoke
again. '

“ You have sharp eyes, Sarah.”

“It is a good thing some one has, eh,
Kimball,” she said, a little sarcastically.
"Now, here is the book that was taken out
and read, or, at least, opened. You see
where it was pulled from the shelf. It’s
an old book—‘Thc Secrets of Toxicology)
Perhaps Raymond Rolfe looked at it more
than once, but I don‘t think he tore out
that leaf.”

“Where is a leaf torn out?"

Sarah Sharp had taken the book from
the shelf and opened it. She turned to the
middle, and then thrust the volume toward
the detective with a tritunphant glitter in
her eyes.

“ Here is where the leaf was abstracted.
You can see that it was done after the
hand rested on the shelf. For see! here is
the faint impress of lingers—just like you
see them in the dust yonder."

Accustomed to track with thl wonder»
ful, all-seeing creature, Kimball Keene ex-
pressed no surprise, but inspected the book
at the place indicated, and at last handed
it back to Sarah. . ,

“ It’iooks that way. The finger-marks
are small.”

“ As though a. woman made them? Just
so. The hand was gloved, for you can-
not see the, real flesh-marks anywhere.
She came to this place to steal something
from that book. It is an old volume. I
doubt if another copy can be found in this

city. Now, what did she want with that:

£3821), What secret did it hold in its keepi
g I

" You ought to be almost able‘to answer
that," said the Gotham Glow-Hawk. “You
have done so well to-night.”

“I can't do everything. You must take
up the matter from here. I brought you
thither to show you what I thought had
escaped your eye.”

“But you have an idea—a suspicion,
haven’t you?”

Sarah Sharp turned her head away for
a moment.

“You know that Oriel came hither?”

“ I found .her‘ here myself—in the labo-
ratory the night we broke down the iron
coon" ' ' ‘

“Just so. And if she knew the secrets
of that chamber she must have known of
the‘se books." ‘

“ That is reasonable.”

“What is more, she did know.”

“You are Very positive, Sarah.”

“ I have a right to be."

“ I see. You have gone further in this
matter than you let on. You have seen
Oriel.” , '

I “I have not; but I have seen her gloves.”
(6  I?”
A smile came to the sallow face and lin-

gered there. = _ I

“ You know that I am nothing if not a
tracker of my fellow-being. You know
to whom I owe this propensity. You
know who made men she falcon.”

There was no response.

“ I went after the quarry from this
room. I have been to Oriel Orne’s house.
As I have told you. I have seen her glove.
There is one that betrays her."

“ Not as the murderess?”

"‘I will not say. She was here; she
stood where I stand, and while she, took

. \

 

  

down this book and read it she rested her‘
A gloved hand on the shelf there." ' -
.3 .  1 : .

 

Detective Keene looked at the shelf, and
even leaned forward and again let tin-
light fall upon the glove prints in the deli-
catc dust.

“She carried off that leaf. She must
have. done so. I did not see her, but .i .
know that she was here as well as it' i
stood at the door yonder while she read.
Hark!"

Sarah Sharp turned toward the door as
the last word fell from her lips and threw
a hasty glance at Kimball Keene.

“ We are not the only ones in the house.
I‘ut out the light. Quick! Now we are in
the dark!"

They stood as silent as statues in the-
dense gloom which tilled the library and
waited. ,

Presently Kimball Kcenc heard a sound
which had already saluted his compan-
iou’s ears.

He knew that Sarah Sharp heard it, too,
and he waited for further developments,‘
standing in the dark, with his hand on the
handle of the door.

A few seconds passod, and then foot-
steps were heard in the corridor. There
was no mistaking the sounds. and the hand
of the she falcon sought and found Kim-
ball’s wrist. .

The pressure of the woman’s hand said
“Wait! We are on the eve of a victory.”

At first the steps seemed to proceed to
ward the broken door of iron, and Kimball
Keene thought of mounting the chair from
which he had watched Royal Flush; ,but
the following minute the steps came to-
ward them.

Sarah Slim-p pushed her companion to-
ward the eorner of the library, and there-
they remained in the darkness, scarcely
breathing, and waiting for the denoue—
ment.‘ o.

Half a minute had not elapsed, when the
handle of the door turned, the portal
opened, and some one seemed to stop en
the threshold.

It was an exciting moment, and Kimball
Keene was trying to guess the identity of
the unseen person. I

All at once there flashed up the light of
a lucifer, which was struck onthe jamb,
and with it overhead the invader ad»
vanced. . ‘

The light fell upon the old books: it rem
vealed to the wide-Open eyes of Kimball
Keene and Sarah Sharp ‘,fcnmle figure,
and as the invaderturncd her face toward
them there was a wild cry. and Oriel Orne ,
staggered back, dropping the burning; :
match from her nerveless fingers. , r

“ I7would have wagered my head ’twas,
she,” said Sarah Sharp. “What think you
now, Kimball?”

CHAPTER XXI.
MAN, WOMAN OR DEMON?

“ You here ?" cried Oriel, the‘flrst of the-
trio to speak. “You are here to cntrap
me. I see it! Heavens! I am lost.”

The hand oft‘rthe detective had found,
her wrist and was holding it firmly, but.
at the same time with much gentleness.
Sarah Sharp stood ot‘fwith her merciless.
gaze riveted upon the white-faced girl. ,

The city Glow-Hawk, who had turned
on the light of his little dark lantern, now
released Oriel’s wrist, and the young girl.
reeoiled to the wall. She looked now at
Sarah Sharp, and suddenly threw out her'

4 hand as she exclaimed:

“Who is this woman, Mr. Keene?” '

“ She is a friend of name."

“Is she—-—-” ~ I '

Oriel did not finish the sentence. ‘3 it”
stopped by Sarah’s glance, which seemed. ,
to send a chill to her bones. ‘ i

“ I am Sarah Sharp. Ghlk ," pu‘ in the" ‘
female detective. with a how u“ gentler '
ness in her tones. “We were. not waiting.
here for you. We had no idea that you
would come. You have been here before..
You tore a leaf out of that book." 
limit?“ and,0riel's face quivored in the-

s . 1 ' ‘

“ You stood yonder whilst you worked.
If you will go up to. the shelf you will"
see the prints of your fingers in the dust".F

A singular curiositv seeinan m «mad the
girl forward. and both Kimball Keene
anduSarah Sharp saw. her‘.stop at the:

 

 

 

   
  
 

    

.120

l

 

v Clyewl-HaWkKeene’s” "RighteBowe‘r.

 

“‘Do my fingers fit these marks?” she
.asked, looking over her shoulder at the
pair. “Really, do you mean to say tha t. l
«distlu-bed the dust here?"

"I say it," boldly answered Sarah.
“‘Uome, girl, the best thing you can do is
'to own. up."

Oriel turned slowly upon the Glow-
llawk of Gotham. lu her face there was a
mute deumnd for protection, but Kimball
Keene remained silent.

“ You are. going to let that woman
have her way, i see. .l am to be accused
.r , of murder by her and you intend to be-
g“ I lieve that I am guilty.”

 , “But weren‘t you here?" cried Sarah
' ‘Sharp, springingr forward and laying her
‘loug thin hand upon Oriel‘s shoulder.
“What can you say when one of your
gloves bears dust marks at this very mo-
ment—I mean at your home and not the
.glove you wear this moment.”_
rOriel with a start looked at her gloved
"hand and her face suddenly flushed.
“You have played night prowler. You
'must have been the person Floralia heard
in the house, and if Fioraiia had seen
,you your life wouldn‘t have been worth
the. sanding of a candle.
“But,” laughed Sarah, “your maid—the
tlgressglt‘loralia as you call her—didn't
.-see me at. all." ,
“ Come," broke in the detective, with a
‘ ‘_‘:glance at Sarah. who subsided promptly.
“I haven't accused you, But you have
heard what has been said.” I ‘
“ By that woman? Yes.”
“You came to this house and to this

    
   
   
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
   
 
  
 

do the laboratory ?”

“Because it wasn’t there.”

"‘ The missing phial?" .
. "No, no," said the young girl, with a

perceptible shudder. “You are the per-
,ztson to look for that."

:she finished and with a profound effort
":she moved closer to them and halted
. , there with a quick glance at Kimball
‘ ,Keene. ., , l .
- 3‘ Yes, I came to this house for a par-
ipose.“ she went on. “Heaven forgive
' .me, but I couldn’t remain away another
.‘hour. Something had to be done, and I
felt that I was the person to do it.”
I ~“ To do’ what, Miss Oriel?" .
_ ' "' Take that woman away,” cried Oriel,
flashing. a look at Sarah Sharp. “1 see in
list, only the” vulture that hunts down her
own sex without mercy.”

“You shall be

moving'toward‘ the door.

» ‘ialouc with her."

 1 In another moment Detective Keene
"and Oriel were. alone in the little room
land the latter shut the door. ,

' ' She stood- in fhe middle of the chamber,

with .her face still pale and her hands

clenched. . ‘

' I

  

    

, Is she. your com-
?Dflnlon .in .this case?” ‘
,. 'f I employ her sometimes.”

‘Yes,. yes. An'd'she‘is merciless; I

 
 

  

of my hand on the shelf yonder.”
, "It was your hand, then?"
“It was mine."
“And the book?"
“'I’muaiatedit, too.” \
., ‘Yqu tore out the 19:1! for——" ,. ’ 9
“(For a purpose. but 'I swear to you.
Mr. Keene, that I neVer shed a drop or.
is blood. Something hadrfo be done. I
m that unless I helped him they'would
y take him into custody." ,
'Xou don't mean Bastien Blue?”
el’s'jlips came aitggether and welded
" ‘one' as it seem .‘ ‘ ,‘
Bastien? Yes. yes. ,You don’t k’m -
. t, was done that night. .You might
ye known it I‘ had not comehere."Y

   
 

  

     

  

 
 
 
  

  

 
 
 
 
  

I from the shelf. - »

 

    
 
   
 

ton.

 no specific charge. Twas;
 ' f' three'nighfs‘betore the (strum? » '

‘3“ misfit then that youip‘mu'tllateflgthe

It retest‘mmethe’. ' '

v

 

iroom for a purpose. Why didn’t you go,

Her eyes wandered to the shelves as-

, “I’ll.go, Kimballfij put in Sarah Sharp, -

‘51 am to be hounded down by that ‘

wild-not think" that'I' had left the marks.

he reached up and took‘themutilated, ,

‘. N ': ‘layionrthe carpet.‘, , {_ _. ,
‘was'h'ere before 'the' crime," she figure halfdrawn up“
“You remember" that, ,Sarah.

 

 

low tones. “I feared the future. They
had a fierce quarrel—one whisk in the
heat of passion nearly left a dead man
in the room bellow.”

“ Who quarrellml '3"

“ The half~brothers.”

"All, you heard it?"

“More than that; I saw it all. It was

my secret, for they did not know that I
was in the house at; the time. Bastien
wanted some of the secrets of hismine
ot‘ mystery. He "wanted to know how
human lives could be taken by the sub-
tle poisons which he made in yonder
laboratory. He was found in this room
by Raymond Rolfe. He was found look—
ing through these forbidden books. Per-
haps he had discovered the secret which
the missing leaf reveals—the secret of the
most deadly poison of them all. I had
‘iooked xthrough these books. I might
have been terribly punished for my in—
discretion, but I could not help it. I
found ihat pages I robbed the book to
keep Bastien from getting possession of
the secret. It was the secret of the little
globules which contained the red fluid.
The phial which contained them was
stolen from theytable in the laboratory,
you know. _

“One drop of that fluid instilled into
the blood will kill as surely as a drop of
prussic acid. It was the poison of the
old killers of Bengala.”

“But
page.”

H I know. I know," cried Oriel. “I took

, my chances and robbed the book.”

" And carried off the leaf?“

U Yes.!! >7

“Where is it?" . '

“Ask me where was it?” said OrieL
“I took it home. No one knew. what 1
had done. I thought I would save him,
for‘there was no telling towhat the
quarrel would lead. These men, espe-
cially Raymond Rolfe, were desperate
that night. Bastien was also hot headed.
There were threats and curses. I took

the leaf home, Insay. I placed it under

lock and key—-
, “ Well?” . ‘
’ ‘ 1“ Bolts and bars did not hold it."
“ You were robbed in turn '3"
i‘ I was robbed", '
‘f By whom?” '
“ Ask‘ that woman out there.

r

If she

‘saw my glove she was in my house.”

“ She, saw that'glove to—night.”

“Do‘es she say 50?, To—night? Is that
the whole truth? If she was beyond my
doors to-night ,why could she not have
passed the portal before?” ,:

f‘ Shall I call her in?” '

“Yes.” . ‘ » ’ . .

Oriel Orne was wonderfully calm. ~

Detective Keene opened the door and
looked out. He saw no one in the hall.

Sarah Sharp was motto be seen.

"‘ Where is she?—in the laboratory?”
asked Oriel, stepping into the corridor at
the, ferret’s heels. “What has become
of this she-vulture of yours, Mr. Keene?”

“ Let us see. 'She must be in the house
somewhere.” ‘ , , . , v’ '

They”.advance(‘i down the hall, went
into the laboratory, the. interior of- which
was revealed by Keane’s lantern, and
Ithere they stopped; a little nonplussed.

“ Not here," whispered Oriel. “She may,

' know of the secret room." ' -

VThey swung back the shelf and opened
the;door which led into the hidden cham—
ber, but Sarah Sharp was 'not there.

“ She ma be'below,” remarked the de—,.

tective. .“ me. you want to see her and
you shall if she is in the house." ‘
Oriel=eagerly followed Kimball Keene
down,the steps and together theyen-
tered the room. of the tragedy. . , 
“ Here she is.” exclaimed the young
girl, starting back. but at the same time
pointing. to‘ an inanimate object.'u;hlch
., It was a female L
as it in the death-agony, and hermoe

 

  
   
 

  

 

Bastien .might have seen the .

, ‘ There was a little harshness in his tones. , 

pressed underneath an “arm. was not *visr’:

Then he turned-his lantern upon it and
held the light close enough to enable him
to identify her.

There was a Wild, but far-away look in
the woman’s eyes, and Oriel suddenly
touched Sarah's hand.

“ Here is the fatal red stain," she cried,
looking: up at the detective. “it is the
same death— the death of the red globule
and the secret of the old book!"

Kimball Keene lifted the body of his
female pard and bore it to the sofa
against the wall. ‘

Oriel remained a statue in the middle
of the room and looked on, speechless, but
terribly agitated.

“ Is she timid?" she suddenly asked,
going over to where Kimball bent above
the form on the sofa. :

“Not yet. For once the red death
(lid not kill with its usual rapidity. She 
is breathing.” i

“Wait!” and Oriel vanished from the
room.

Two minutes later she came back down
the stairs in the hall and thrust a bottle
of white fluid into Detective Keene‘s
hands. _

“Over her face, quick!" she cried.

The restorative acted promptly and in a
little while Sarah Sharp’s eyes were fas-
tened upon Kiniball’s.

“ \Vhom did you meet in this room?“
asked the detective.

“ I do not know.”

“ You were attacked?”

H Yes-’7

“In the dark?"

“ It was not quite dark."

“But you ought to have seen—” v

“I was a little too eager. I entered
the room, opened the door cautiously and.
was against the wall in a moment."

“ With some one at your throat?"

I! Yes."

“Man or woman?"

Sarah Sharp shut her eyes and shook
her head.

"‘, It was neither,” she said. “It: was a. ‘
demon.” ‘ .3 L

A smile came to Oriel’s face. ,

“That again exonerates him,” she. , \. ,'
whispered. “Look at the finger marks  
in her throa. Say you not a. woman :l 
made them?"

CHAPTER XXII. , '.
THE SUIT 0F GREY TWEED. ‘
The Clew-Hawk of Gotham stooped and
lipid the light closé to' Sarah Sharp’s face. *
here were marks on the ,d'arkish throat, ., 
and the detective looked at them a mo- :4 
ment while the‘ silent woman beside him ' I, '
stood and looked on.  ‘ 
When he r050, he was touched by the, « .51
hand of Oriel‘Orne. ‘
'.‘ You saw them?” she asked. ' '
“They. ,There are marks onthe throat
and they look like the prints 'of fingers."
Sarah Sharphad turned her gaze’ full
upon the face of Oriel and fora second ,
studied it sharply. ' g _ ' _
“Well, my young lady, did you con;
fess?” she exclaimed; ' H - ’ ' 1
"There," remoustrated the detective.
“She told me a good deal. She’has given
me, I'belicve, a true history offlthe takin
of the leaf, and let that sufiljce.” ‘

 

 

 

."’1.

 

      
   
     
        
     
    
    
     
     

 

   
    
   

and the female falcon subsided.‘ ‘ , , I ;
Sarah-soon-rccovered and leftvthe room, , ‘
halting in the hall, with a half-wild ex- 4
‘pression on her face.  . i ' ., - ' ‘,
' She! was about to seek-the door, for'the A
purpose ’of quitting the house, when; steps " i
were, heard onthe outside, and Bounds- 
' man Clipperprotruded his rotundity into ,
the corridor. \ ,‘ ‘  ‘   1 ‘
vHe. drewi back. when .hisveyes met the 
group in the 'glare‘ o£<me:'Ciewffiawk’s I
lantern, but Kimball called him in;  . ~ ’
Clipper ‘evidently had , something to my!

  
        
         
    
  
 

  
  
  
  
 
   

      
  

   
 
   

   
  
 
  
  
   

 
    
 

     
 

’for heioored first at the detection, and,_
thrust the twovwomen, ,; "in; , ,‘ ‘  -
f‘Yoa'yc. ’ ‘ no. here/Liar, some ,Vtime.

  
 
  

  
  

ha

 

 
   
 

~ 1

 

 

 

 

.1!
l‘:

.1

\

   

./ the table’ for himself. ' I .. :

Ciewaawk Keene’s Right «Bower.

 

On the alert ever since the night of the
event. and I‘ve kept a pretty keen watch
on this house. About ten minutes ago I
saw some one come out of the place,
and—w"

"Man or woman, Mr. Clipper?" broke
in Sarah Sharp.

" I happened to be at the far end of the
block. and I couldn't tell exactly which."

“ But which sex did the figure most re-
somble’.”

A curious smile came to ()lipper's mouth
a moment and seemed to linger there.

“ To me, as far as i could see, it looked
like a man in a cloak. I thought it. would
come my way, but it didn't. It whisked
round the corner, and when I got there it
wasn't in sight at all."

Keene‘s right bower looked triumphant-
ly at her companion, and Kimball nodded.

" You must have seen the person,” con-
tinued th 3 policeman.

“ I did not; neither did this young lady;
but Sarah here encountered the prowler.

“ Eh? Had a tussle with it ‘1"

Sarah Sharp said yes.

“ Then you ought to know something
about it, unless the meeting was in the
dark.“ ‘

There was no reply, and Roundsman
Clipper gave up trying to extract inform-
ation from the reticent woman. Evi-
dently Sarah had secrets of her own to
keep. and intended keeping them, for
without more ado she walked from the
house, leaving the trio in the hall.

Oriel evinced a desire to return home,
and Kimball Keene offered to accomptmy
her in a cab, as he had done on a previous
occasion, but she declined the otfer and
walked away.

“It‘s queer,” said Roundsman Clipper,
when Oriel had gone. “Did you find that
young woman in the house?"

“ We encountered her here.”

“Just as you did once before, on the
night of the strange death, you know?”

“Yes; but this time we didn't have to
break in an iron door to discover her."

“ No? She revealed herself this time, I
' suppose. In the laboratory?"

“In another room.”

“What brought her here? Did she tell
you, Mr. Keene?" ‘

“It is not all a mystery? I '

“That's good. But to me it’s devilish
strange. I never saw her enter the house,
though I‘ve watched. it well. By the
way. Bastien Blue came here just before
dark."

.“ To this house?"

"‘ Yes. I saw him, and he didn’t seem
to care whether he was seen or not.”

“ How long did he remain '2" ,‘

“Not very long, I guess. I went round
the corner, and was gone about ten min-
utes. I did not see. him come out, but
suppose he did, so while I was out of sight.”

“How was he dressed?" 1‘

“He wore the gray tweed which h
generally wears. It was the same suit he

had on the night of the murder. I took
particular notice of the suit, for that en-
abled me to identify him.” .
' “And his face? You‘saw'that, too?"

“As well as I could in the faint light.
I suppose he was doing a little inspection

'on his own hook, and I didn’t care to inter:
rupt him, nor play spy on his movements!
‘ Half an hour later Kimball. Keene was
in another part of the city, and Clipper
was patrolling his now famous beat.

The Claw-Hawk walked pasta well-to-
do house of two stories. and seemed to
take particular notice of the number over
the. front door. r

He had Walked half a block beyond the
house, when he suddenly turned back.
and, meanting this steps, i'ang.the bell.

, In a jiffy. the door was unlocked on the.

' 'inside and opened. and Bastien Blue stood

in. the, hall looking Into the Claw-Hawk's
face. , - . v ‘
' He ushered the detective into the parlor
where there was a warm fire, for the night
was a bit chilly, and after, inviting the

. detective to] a chair, he drew one toWard‘

“.You couldn’t have come at a maroon:

“ - Dortuneitime, Mr. Keener/smotheyounr,
' . N .

s his thinking about you, and:

‘ how was it brought about ‘2”

. mystery, even as my half-brother was. 1"

paper which I Illild written and signed

  

with a disease which fills me, with hallu-
rcinations wholly ,

 

{'teeiivt’; I batsmen beget someonee'théi

possibly I have something of importance
to communicate.”

“ Then you discovered something at the
I’I—u— street house this evening.“

There was a quick start on the young
man‘s part, and his face became a eu-
rious study.

“Pardon me, but I do not understand
you,” he replied. “At Raymond liolt‘e‘s
house to—night? I haven’t set foot outside
this house since three o‘clock this after-
noon." ,

Kimball Keene looked at Bastien, but.
not accusingly. After all, the eager Clip—
per might have been mistaken, and the
gray tweed suit might have been darker
than he suspected.

'He glanced instinctively at Bastien’s
garments, and saw that they Were dark
and quite new.

“ What makes you think that I was at
the house today?" asked Bastien.

“ Clipper thought he saw you come out
of the place.“

“Oh, Clipper, the fat pavement hawk?“
laughed Bastien. “Well, for once, his eyes
deceived him. I haven’t been to the house
since—well, not for three days."

“ You have worn that suit all day. have
you 1'"

“ No; I put it on right away after dinner.
and haven't changed it since. 1 was on‘
the eve of going out to look for you, for,
as I have said, i. may have a bit of inform-
ation for you.” ‘

“ Bearing on the. mystery '2"

“Perhaps; but you shall be judge of
that."

Bastien Blue crossed his legs a little
nervously, and took a. cigar from the box
on the table.

“I talk better when I smoke, some-
times,” he resumed. “I am a little nerv-
ous, as you may observe. Something very
singular has happened to me. I am to
marry Miss Della Doom.”

The Glow-Hawk made. no reply for an
instant, but his eyes did not quit Bastien’s
face, which had turned quite white.

“ It is true. and that is the most singular
part of the affair. I‘ never made love to
the young lady, never courted her, and
consequently a marriage with her was not
thought of.”

“Then, in the name of common-sense,

“ That is one of the perplexing myster-
iesof the whole thing. ‘She Wears my
ring now. See,” and he put out his hand
and showed the marks of a. missing ring
on one finger.

“Doctor Doom, her father, is a man of

go to the house under a strangesnell, and
I come away weak, nerveless. and with
my blood sluggish in all my veins. I can-
not; tell you what happens there.”

“ Why do you go?"

“ That is what I cannot explain. Some
unseen agency seems to (lag me to the
place, like one who is goaded to his doom
by the mysterious. I appear to be under
a, spell of some kind.” i
, The cigar went out while Bastien talked
and he looked at the detective with a wild
expression. ,

" Sometimes I feel that I amgolng mad
—-actually going insane." he wont on.
catching his breath hard. “I come'away
from that liouse in a maze, and get home
——I don’t know how.” -

“ Who sees you there?” i

“The doctor, generally; sometimes Miss
Della."

“ Has she made love to you?"

“ Not: to my knowledge. I was shown a

agreeing to wed her."
’ “ When was it written?" _
“They told me when and where. _ I wrote
it and signed the same at Doctor Doom’s
house, sol am told. but I have no recol-
lection .of the acts. This is what I wanted
to impart to you. It is beyond 'my com-
prehension.’ Sometimes I think I am being
made the victim of a foul plot, and again
I fear that I am mysteriously afflicted

, inexplainahle.. ‘ Miss
Oriel "and -I understand.» one another per-

    

crime. She does not charge me with having.
anything to do with the making of the will
that. was found with the Deposit i‘om~
pany. l was as startled as she over ‘its
provisions. Doctor Doom and his (laugh--
ter congratulated me on my ‘good luek’——
l remember that—but i would throw the
whole thing into the tire it’ i could solve
the mystery of Raymond‘s death and the
puzzle of my engagement to Miss Doom.
But i must give it up."

“ it'. as you say, you cannot control your
visits to Doctor Doom’s. how can you be
sure that you were not in the H~—-—— street
house to-niglit.?"

Bastien started sharply.

“There is something in that," he cried,
paling. “If i cannot. control my visits at.
one place, why not be apt to go to the--
other? My, God! I did not think of that,
while you illlllk of everything, Mr. Keene-
So Policeman Clipper says that the. man
who went to the house wore a tweed suit?
You intimated as much when you ques—
tioned me awhile ago."

" Clipper is quite positive.

Bastien Blue passed his hand over his.
forehead in a perplexed way.

“ You had a quarrel with your brother
Raymond a short time before the tour--
der?" .

“ Who told you that? We. were alone in
the house, and I thought that was a secre
which would not be raked up.” ’

“ it is true, however?"

“ his true! i found Raymond in one of
his tantrums; they usually followed a call
by Doctor Doom, who was one or his most
frequent visitors. i wanted to ask him

off shortly.

reled."
“And came to blows?"
“ Not, quite blows.

It irritated me, and we quar-

I pushed him across:

being injured myself? I then‘ left: him
lying there, perhaps unconscious: but not
seriously injured, I‘m sure." "

v!‘ Did you ever get the information about.
the poison?" ‘ ‘

“ Yes.“ smiled Bastien. “I broke .into
his private library a short time after the-

iuurder andtfound it. It was a little mean. t

in me, but I wanted to know. I can show

" I'm afraid not, Bastien. It has been
torn from the book." '- “

“By whom, in God’s name?"

“It was carried ofl'by Miss 0mm.”

“By Oriel? I see! I see!
weaving a net around that innocentgirlz
Look at me, ‘Mr. Keene. I am the man
who killed Rayménd Rolfe!" '

', CHAPTER XXIII.
THE CUNNING DOCTOR.

 

 

and his hands had a nervous twitching.
He was laboring under‘trcmendous ex-;

citement, which he tried hard to control,.‘ 1

but the effort was a signal failure.

“ Come. you don’t mean that." said“.

‘ Kimball Keene. . ‘i 

' “ Don't l?"- And the speaker leaned flor-

 

w'ard and laid his flight hand on the‘tahle- " “
- emphatically. “I killed Raymond. I say. It"
was all on account of that foolish.quanelt"l _

" When did you kill him?
night?" '  "
“ No; not the night of the (liflicultyr
You found him in the lower room.‘ dead;
'You saw the. splotch on the wall and the
red stain in his hand. I can explain them!“
The detective did not believe a word‘of‘
this. It was all, to shield Oriel; whom
Bastien suspected was to be netted by the

Not that; .

ferret; it was to save the [girl whom he‘ i

really loved. ‘ v . 

The Gotham ClerHawk picked-up his,
hat and walked toward the doom. , ' .

“ You don't believe me," crie‘d’Bastien;
looking after him. ' 3
‘ " Candidly. I do not.” '

“ I will confess to the authorities.” . , ,

“ You don’t intend to carry your decep-r.
tion that far, do you?” , , , . . -
“ My deception? \You must not involun-
Oriel-i this dark crime. You shali._.not"
.make v e innocent pay for the deeds of the

 

   

 

|.V “

 . Wan “W” W7

h. question about a poison, and he 'cut me .1 :

the table and choked him to prevent ‘_

 

you the page that tells about the poison." - '1

You. are "'1 .

Bastien Blue’s lips were ashen in line "L: 

 

r

 

      

 

“2'2

\

“Glow-Ham: Keane’s Right newer.

 

 

Glow-Hawk Keene saw that Bastien’s
voice quivered, and he left the door and
came back to the table. ,

“ Listen to me. Oriel is in no danger of
falling into'the meshes of my drag-net. l
have not said that she is suspected. I do
not believe that she had a hand in the
crime, no more than you had."

oi Bll‘__v’

“ There! you need not repeat your words.
You will not go to the authorities. You
will keep still. For the sake of the wom-
an you love you will remain at home.”

The young man sank back into the
chair, from the depths of which he looked
at Kimball Keene with gratitude.

“ Will you undertake to save her?" he
suddenly cried. '

" I will save her; but, really, she is in
no danger.” .

“ That is good.”

“You will take my advice. You will
remain at home for, say, three days, will
A; you?"
=.- ‘ “ If you say so. Do you mean that I am

' not to visit the Dooms 2'"

“ Exactly.”

“ But the spell?”

“ Fight it!" sententiously said the ferret.
“Don’t let it cnm‘csh you beyond redemp<
tion’.‘ 11' you are sent for, stay where you
are. ‘ ‘

  
  
   
   
   
 
  
   
  
   
  
  
     
 
   
    
   
   
      
    
   
    
   
 
  
   
 
    
    
  
  
  
 
  
    
   
  
 
  

no matter what happens!"
“ I'll not forget.”

> Kimball Keene went out.
~ He seemed to smile to himself as he
' reached the sidewalk, and drew his hat
‘ .over his brow. , V .

Bastien Blue went back into the little
room and tried to smoke.

“ I’m under orders," he said aloud.

- :f‘Three days in this house will be a month

in» prison. What will happen? They will

look after me. Tomorrow is to be the

day of the wedding. I am to marry Della

Doom to-morrow night. Can I fight it off?

Can I break the spell of Doctor Doom‘s
. eyes? I must try. For your sake, Oriel, I
will defy them both, and let them do their
worst, no matter what that is.”

;‘ vHe remained alone in the room for an
 hour, when he was joined by a man who
 let himself into the house and opened the

. door, softly. stepping forward. ‘

" Bastien turned, and almost fell from the
chair as he looked up into the face of
I _Dalias Doom, the Magic Doctor. /

A tremor swept over the young man‘s
frame, and he paled beneath the strange,
rail-powerful glance of the magic man. .

., “ All \ alone,” said the doctor, with a
laugh, as he came forward, and took a
seat directly opposite Bastien. “I hardly
expected this treat.” ’
3 .“I have been alone some time.”

- “,‘Yearning for companionship, eh? Well,
,-I'll chase away the blues for a little while.
‘Gigars?’ Don’t care if I do,” and the long,
white, effeminate hand of Dallas Doom
., took a cigar from the box on the table,
, :and he leaned back, smoking complacently,
'q.’:Wh'iie he regarded Bastien in a manner"
, « which made him (shudder. ,

't They talked for a little while on subjects
aéentireiy foreign to the all-pervading mys-
‘ftery of the H— street murder, when
Bastien felt a strange feeling creeping
nover’h'is senses.

.He seemed ,to be'falling gradually to
sleep. It'was a feeling which he couldlnot-
shake bff. try as he might. and did, and at.
last he made a feeble effort to rise from
,his chair. but fell back again, completely
in the power of the fiend. '- ’-

Doctor Doom watched his victim like
La hawk. r
V He continued to smoke a while longer,
mandfat length threw the stump of the
itrinidado” into the cuspidor.

  

 
 

 

  

 
 

 

    
  

eric passes ,before Bastien’s face, and
,3 quivering of the ,thin' lips was the re-
sult ‘ \ '

   

.Bastiefn was in the hypnotist’s power.
and Doctor Doom seemed to gloat over his
apeedy triumph. ‘ ,f .
.HfYou are going out with, me,“ said the
actor. ’ , . y , »

 
  
  

He bent forward and made a few mes: r

. at the door.

 

   
 

   

 

. “was with your!

5-, .

 

“ You shall see. Go and get your over-
coat.”

.Bastien moved to obey, but the doctor
caught his arm. _ ,

“ l’ll go with you,” said he. I

They passed up-stairs together, and Bas-
tien, watched by the serpent, donned his
fur-lined coat and turned to him with a.
smile. His eyes were wide open, and he
seemed to have perfect control of himself,
but at the same time he was under the will
of a mind stronger than his own'.

Bastien descended the steps with his
persecutor at his side, and they left the
house together.

At the nearest corner was a cab, which
Doctor Doom hailed with a look of pleas-
ure, and in another moment both were on
the inside, sitting side by side, the gloved
hand of the Magic Doctor clutching Bas-
tien's wrist.

The drive was not a very lengthy one,
a number of turns were made, and the cab
stopped at last in front of Doctor Doom’s
house.

The young» man was helped from the
vehicle and escorted into the mansion.

He was walked into the sumptuous par-
lor, and Doctor Doom pulled the tasseled
cord which hung over the table, and
waited for some one to come in.

Presently there were steps on the stair
and Ti-essy, the maid, entered.

“ Where‘s Della?"

.“ She went out half an hour ago.”

“ I told her—~"

Doctor Doom glanced at his victim, who
had moved in the arm-chair, and fixed his
game upon him.

“ I must wait, then. Tressy,‘y0u can go
out, too."

The girl bowed, and ran up—stairs;

Once morethe mesmerizpr and his vic-
tim were left alone. ' , '

Dallas Doom seemed to take delight in

the success of his powers. 'I-Ie even leaned
forward and smoothed Bastien’s hand,
glancing at the marks left by the ring
which he had handed over to Della:
' 9‘ In a few minutes we will have him
fully in our power, and the eight hundred
thousand will be ours. There‘s nothing like
perseverance. I’m deuced glad that that
she hawk isn’t in the house at this .time.
What a fool I was to believe for a moment
that she has Philip Manx’s child. Old
Jozy. could have settled that before he did
if I had only gone to him. But I can ren-
der her powerless. I can render all her
work void, and she need give me no un‘
easiness. Ha, there’s nothing like sticking
to a game to the very end of it."

He never left the chair while he waited
for the return of his daughter. . I, I

Now and then he glanced at the hand-
some elock which ticked away on the mar-
ble mantel, but for
garded the man in his grip.

“ What keeps the girl?” he growled.
“Tressy evidently did not know where she
went, for she volunteered no information.
It is getting late, and this man must be
home at twelve.” ‘

Just then the clock struck eleven, send-
ing its silvery tones throughout the me n,
and Doctor Doom ,looked daggers at t e
door. , . , s_ . ‘

At last it opened, and his face flushed as

zhe looked at his daughter.

"Della Doomstood on the threshold, gaz-
ing at Bastien in the chair, and scarcely
seeing her-father. ' r I ' '
Her face was colorless, and her dress/‘
was torn. w v
Therewas a long red mark on one of her
cheeks, and her eyes had a wild look. ’
She came forward slowly; her gaze at
last turned full upon heryfather and'her‘
figure was in a strange quiver.
“ What is it?" asked the astonished doc-
tor, looking up. , .
“When didihe came?"
“ Oh, he's been waitingfor you an hour.”
,“Forme‘?” ‘2 I.  '
“Yes. Where have you been?" ,
There was a quick start, and a hasty look

 
   
  

“ 'l‘réssy sail
said no more.
. Delia c tght

\atcha
to the tale She atmostffell law was;

9 you had‘gonc out, but she

  

    
 

   
 
  
 

the; most part he re— r

, till after midnight.” .

Vane-wales it close 5

she uttered a slight cry, trembling like a
leaf despite her usual nerve.

“ What injured your face. You have met
with an accident."

“ My face? it is scratched, is it? I have
had an adventure. I have been over to
that accursed house. Did you send me
thither?" ’

“ I?" exclaimed Dallas Doom.

“Yes; I know what you can do when
you exert your powers. If you sent me
thither you must have known who was
there.”

Doctor Doom seemed to have forgotten
all about Bastien.

He caught Della‘s wrist and sank his
icy fingers into it.

“Who was there. Tell me."

The girl took a long breath and collected
her thoughts before she replied.

“I went there, I hardly know why. It:
was the second time to-night.”

“Not the second time?”

“Yes. But, never mind about the first
one. Perhaps I went back to see what had
happened after the first visit, I found the
house tenanted.” ’

By whom ‘t”

“ By the man who blackmailed me out
of three hundred dollars.”

This was news for Doctor Doom. ,

“The man who blackmailed you?" he
cried. "You never told '1116 about that.
Who blackmailed you 1‘"

“ That man’s servant.
Royal Flush."

“That young sport?" laughed Dallas
Doom. “He blackmailed you, did be?
And you didn‘t resist 2'”

“I couldn’t. I dared not. He had
everything his own way that time. ‘I was
in his power: It was when Sarah Sharp,
as you call her now, was in the house.”

His right bower,

“to-night, did you?"
“ Yes.”

“You came upon him suddenly, I sup-
ose.” I

‘3 I did. Oh, it was very startling. He
was in the laboratory. I went up there,
you know. There he was. bending over
,the black bench to the right of the door.”

“What was he doing?"

“ e was taking some little phials from
the s elves andlooking at them.”

6"  ‘21?

“He heard me. I tried to get away, but,
in a moment I was in his grip. Desper-
ate I was then, and I struggled with all
my might. I seemed to have superhuman
powers. I seized one of the little phials;
I dashed it into his face, and it broke
there. ‘-, He fell from me like a person
struck with a sledge. He reeled away and
dropped dead—yes, dead. I believHunder

Doctor . Doom.

CHAPTER' XXIV.
BAS'I‘IEN 'ROBS THE EAGLE’S NEST.
“What else could I have done?‘ His

lease myself in some manner.”

“ I say you did right”, was the Magic
Doctor’s reply. .
oratory alone?”

“Alone. For a moment I stood spell-
bound, and when he turned upon me I
thought it was my last moment. I know
not what "was in the phial, but whatever
it was it was a terrible death agent."

. Dallas;Doom was silent for a moment.

“,You ‘did not look name face,’ did
you?" . . r,

“ No, no! I got out of the horrid house
at once and came home.’.’ , k
" Delia looked at her, father a. minute

the chair“ .    . ~
“Did he come hithEr of, hisiown voli-
tlon‘?’i asked she. , I ' ‘ . v_ ,
“He is here, ,at any rate. ,Tressy I
have 'sent’ away. she will not be2bacid

Della went, over td._Bast
her. hand over" his white brow. ‘ t
“ You. don’t v intend, that yitL, hall, take

 

     
      
   

   
   
   
   

\

place .to-night. do 
'u   I '. an I .l,
v was net-crews“?

 

“ You saw him in the H— street house

the round table in the chamber." . 
“It was your only way,” coolly said

grip was a grip of‘ironiand I had to re- ,

“So he was in the lab- I

and then turned upon-i Bastien Blue, in ,, 

. K‘ ‘ ’
ion and passed 1

 

 
     
     
          
      
     
        
         
      
   

 
      
 

 

 
        
       
       
    
 
 
      
       
   
  
    
  

v”

w» <4...» .

 

 

        
  
   
  
 
   

1, Claw-Hawk Keane’s ‘Ril’itliBou‘rer.

 

 

mony was not to have been performed
till to—morrow night."

“ A few hours will make no difference,
and, besides. may save the stakes.”

“Then it shall be as you say. Shall we
wait till 'l‘ressy returns?"

“ N o.
and there shall be signatures to still fur-
ther substantiate it. I have arranged for
a minister. He Will be here in a few min-
utes. In fact. he is in waiting at this mo-
ment."

“In the house?”

“ No, but within call. Watch him.
Della. You will be a bride within. the
hour.” .

Doctor Doom threw a cloak across his
shoulders and left the parlor.

“Don‘t remain away long. He
come out of the spell, you know."

“ Not much danger of that. I guess.
Keep watch over him and if he stirs—if
he shows any signs of coming out of it—o
throw this across his face."

A dark handkerchief fell upon the me
ble at the young girl’s hand and she
picked it up.

The Magic Doctor walked into! the
hall and Della. heard the door close upon
him

She was alone with Bastien Blue. the
victim of the Dooms. She looked at him
a little while, and then, moving across
the carpet, got a look at herself in the
long mirror.

She. showed seine signs of her advenf
ture in the house on H——-— street.

Her face was very white and the scratch
:across it showed red and startling.

Then, her sleeve was ripped and her
bracelet broken and altogether she did
'not look ‘much like a young lady on the
eve of her nuptials.

Della did not remain long before the
mirror.

She came away thinking for the mo-
ment more of her looks than of the man

‘ in the chair, and shutting the door and
locking it. she ran up the stairs and bolted
into her dressing-room.

It did not. take her long with her deft
fingers. to rearrange her attire. and in a

may

little while she came tripping down the

broad steps with a smile on her face.

“ What if he is gone?” passed swiftly
through her mind. “What if Bastien is
not in the parlor? But. psliaw! ; He
couldn‘t get out, for I locked the door.”

She did not open the portal without
some misgivings. She hastened to look
beyond it..when‘ all at once she seemed
to petrify in the~light, for Bastien Blue 3
chair was empty. .1

Della Doom uttered a sharp cry at this
and in another second wasnt the table.

“Gone!” she gasped. “Gone and all
because of my folly. I was told to watch
him every moment, and here I‘ve let him
esca e.” \ .

Sh: sank into a cushioned chair entirely
unnerved and looked at her white scared
reflection, in the mirror.

Several seconds passed before she came

to. . x _ ”
“ ' ’t 0 through yon door, she
excgiingdén “Ighad to unlock it to get in
here. He must have gone out through
the rear of thebhciii’ses I may find him
‘ r'n him ac '.
anSdheta)staff-ted. up’ at this and spranghcross
the parlor, opening a door near the, piano
and passing into another room.
Nothing was seen of Bastien.‘ .
“Heavens! How can I meet him when
becomes back? What can I say in sup»,
port of my folly? I dare: not meet him.
She went on into another room. an .
 found herself in the kitchen. A dooi
‘ stood open and a whiff of ‘night air
. k her face. ‘. _
‘Stfiu'f'his is the way he went out.” Ha I?
really gone and we have‘lost him. '
She ,Wflsabout to turn back when a

F noise 'fell upon her-“ears and she saw

something dark rise ,from the ground

1) fore her.  . 1
$8113 uttered a cry‘and stopped like a

edsetter. ' v 
“gradually the something took shape

 

ease and she saw the} figure of a. man.

   

I will see that it is legally done, '

' comes. back.

 

= between her and the lights of another ‘

“’Tis hc——’tis Bastien Blue!" she said
to Herself. “I have found our prey."

In another instant he came toward her
and Della shrank back as if dreading the
meeting she had just sought with fiendish
eagerness. "

They stood face to face, Bastien Blue
liatlcss, in the shifting light. and she like
a statue in the little room.

He was out of the spell, but still some-
what dazed; she could see that.

“ Ah! I have. found you, have I? Come
back into the house. I want the paper
and the ring.”

Della heard every word, but did not

stir. .
She was dragged back into the parlor
with a long hand at her wrist: and in the
bright light which prevailed there she
was almost thrown into a chair.

Bastien Blue stood over her, his eyes
glittering like a basilisk‘s, and his body
slightly bent forward.

“ Where are they? Ah!
ring now on your finger."

“But you put it there?”

“Under what. infernal spell?" cried he.
“I want it—now, now!" ,

She did not. lift her hand nor make a
move to remove the ring.

“Come. I’ll tear it from your finger,"
he cried. “Take it off, girl, or. by Heav-
en, I'll take it by force.” _ , I '

Della thought. of something at that mo-
ment in her pocket and wondered if she
could not fight him off with it. She had
stood at Sarah Sharp's door with that
same needle-pointed dagger in her hand,
and now she could reach it in an instant.

Suddenly Bastien pounced upon the
hand before Della could withdraw it and
wrenched off the ring. :

“ Now for the papers—the ones I signed
under the spell. Quick! I don’t care to
facethat seoundrel liypnotist when he
What, you don’t know
where they are. eh? Op‘en yon desk.”

Della looked toward her father’s private
desk. but shook her head.

“Don't tell me that. you can’t!" cried
Bastien. ' “You two people have every-
thing .in common in this house. You
have no secrets between you. Come, the
papers in a moment!" 4 '

He. pulled her from the chair and her

You have the

hand dropped into her pocket. but he

saw the movement and anticipated it.

“ You sha‘n’t sting me,” said he. “You
have a dagger down there, but you sha’n't
out Bastien Blue. The desk. please.
You carry the key where you do the dag-
ger." .

She went toward the desk, gripped by
his hand, which seemed to sink to the
bone, and he stood her up there with an
exclamation of victory. ‘

“Open it!” . '

She dared not refuse nor plead inability
'to do so any longer. He would not listen,
and well she knew it. - ,

.So she drew a bunch of keys from her
pocket, but, as if to gain time. got hold of
the wrong ones, one after another. '

Bastien saw this. ,2

A smile came tovhls face at this, and
he broke into a little laugh. .

‘,‘ Trying to gain a little time, I see. ‘ I
can’t wait. Give me the bunch.” ‘

But just then Della apparently found
what she had been lookng for. for she

turned a. key in the lock and with the,

other hand lifted the lid.
“Now. get the papers.
me another second.” .
er hand moved toward atcertain pig-
eon hole in the desk. and pulled forth
some papers neatly tied with  scarlet

Don't deceive

‘ cord.

Bastien snatched them from her hand
the moment‘slie drew them forth.

His knife cut the. cord and he leaned
toward the light as he ran over what he
held in his hand. , -

“‘ This is the main one,” said he, clutch-
ing a certain paper. “And what is this?
Heavens! Did I do that, too?” . »

There was no reply, but the eyes of
Della Doom watched him liken hawk’s
and she breathed hard while she looked. '
~ “ You can. tell your father Ithat ,I‘ve got
the documents when he ,comes‘zhome,”

p l

     

 

     
  
 
     
 
  
    
    
   
   
 
   
    
    
   
   
   
  
 
    
   
  
 
   
   
   
    
 
  
 
 
 
    
  
 
  
 
   
   
  
  
 
  
   
  
    
 
    
  
   
     
 
 
   
   
   
   
      
   

he remarked, looking up at her. “I guess
I‘ve won them. Now you can have the
house to yourself." '

He crammed the papers into an inner
pocket and traniped across the carpet:
with the air of a victor. '

Della remained at the plundered desk.

Her face was ghastly and her whole
form quivcred.

At the open door Bastien Blue stopped.
and looked at. her. i .

“It. was a well played groom. and, but
for your father‘s infernal liypnotism. it;
would have had. no hopes of‘success. The
end is not yet.”

“You are right. The end is not yet.
This; victory will cost you dear. I t ruins
you." .1

I-Iis reply was a laugh, and in another
second he had crossed the threshold and
passed from the room with the figure at;
the desk to keep him company in mind
far from the mansion.

Bastien Blue cleared the premises as
soon as possible. He was eager to get
away from the scene of his exciting ad-
venture and anxious to find himself once
more in his own house.

Della Doom left the desk open and tot-
tered across the room to the chair.

She looked unnerved and speechless.

“What will he say? He will come
back with the minister, but like man I
was to have guarded is gone.“ Not only
this, but he has carried off the papers
that made him ours.” *

Well might she wait frightened for foot-
steps ln the hall; Wellnlig'hi; she look
scared at the door and Wonder when her
father Would come. ,

By and by a key turned in the outer
lock and she heard some one come in»? . ”
Della, who had not moved in thirty ’
minutes, slowly turned her head and shut ,

her eyes.

“Where is our prisoner. child?"

She heard and sprang up. Her father 2‘ _
stood before her alone. ' 1

“,I failed to get the man 'i wanted, but, *
he will be at our service any time after ,
to-night.” . :,

'Della's glance [travelled toward the"
desk rind the doctor’s eyes followed it. “9' ,

“What has happened?” he cried‘. ‘ ,» '

“He has robbed us. See, he tore the
ring from my hand. I could not'hclpwit.l
You shall have the wholestory—J' ' '

“Never mind. I illll satisfied that yollil
did, yourlbest to keep the gilded bird in 
the cage.‘ He is ours still. Whatever he '
did to-nlght, there is no escape for him. ‘
That man is doomed!” ' -"

Della falls back into the chair with’ a:
grateful sigh. ‘ L

CHAPTER XXV. .

THE WITNESS OF. THE DEAD HAND. .

The 'Clew-Hawk was not done witli
Royal Flush. He had not forgotten the,
visit tOiItaymond Rolfe’s house on the ‘
night of the. crime and how cool the young:
man was through that ordeal. - '

He recalled, too. the blows Flush had!
rained upon the iron door with the
strength of a Samson While Bastien stood
near, a little nervous, but tryingrall the ’
Willie‘io keep cool. : '

The. finding of Royal at the gymnasium,
after the crime. theytracking of him to“
thcliouse on H———- street, the theft of the
phial and the subsequent giving. of it to "
old Jozy. were the links of a chain which
the crime-tracer wanted to follow up.‘ ‘ 3

It was the morning after. The events:
we have just witnessed that the Clewv
Hawk might have been seen in a small! ‘
apartment which looked very like a chem-
ist’s shop.  M

It was not so large as the room of the?
iron door. nor were the phials andchem
ical apparatus arranged with'such nen
ness as there. but everything showed
that the owner sometimes delved into the
mysteries of Science for something. more
than mere pastime. / , '

The morning was well advanced, but}
the detective was alone. , ,» ’

He had looked over the shelves and was
in the. act of opening a drafver when a
door behind him, opened and a singulalf
Jenkins” person, entered, r .

 

 

 

 
     
  
       
    

  
 
 
  
  

 
 

   

 
 
 
 
  

 
  
  

p.24

' "dléwiafldwktkeenelsRight Bowen »

L

 

“Making yourself at home, I see?"
griniaeed the man who came in—au old
man, a little bent and wrinkled.

Kimball looked at him and noted the
fire that seemed to flash up in his eyes.

“That's right. I thought of you al-
most before I went to the door. You
promised, you remember, to send up a
message in case I might be busy—a mes-
sage which no one but I should under-
stand. I started a little at the tone of it
and here I am." /

Keene took a seat, which was a. re-
wolving chair, and turned so as to face
lthe old man. .

“ What do you want to know this
time? ‘You remember I wasn’t of very
much service to you the last time. The
defense beat you in spite of what I knew
about blood. Well, the best of us miss
Lit now and then.”

Kimball, making no reply, took from his

‘ inner pocket :1 flat package, ‘which be pro-
ceeded to open in the old man‘s pres—
ence. This done, he laid upon the table

’ a piece of heavy wall paper larger than
ouc‘s hand and quite dark in hue.

   
  
    
  
     
    
      
  
    
 
    
   
   
   
   
    
 
 
    
    
   
  
    
   
   
    
   
   
    
  
  

“ I see. This mushhave come from the
housv on II“ street," smiled the old
chemist. I I

~ “ You are right. It came from the wall
» _ near which Raymond Rolfe was found
dead. You will see that an attempt has
been made to obliterate the original stain.
» A blur/was the result, and this, in turn.
' has been tampered with."
1 g The old man. went to work- and for
' ., some minutes not a sound was heard in
“the little shop while he tried several
chemicals on the splotch. ' '
- f At last he looked up.
». “It seems to bathe me. Raymond
illolfe, I happen to know, had made great
j and startling progress in chemistry. He
» was ahead of Doctor Doom in this
; science.” ‘ ‘ ,
“Oh, you know the doctor, then?"
_ .“ Why shouldn’t 1? He was my pupil,
once." ' ' 
 5‘  ‘
The detective manifested a little sur-
prise, yet, when he came to think or it,
there was not much occasion for t. I
t “The strangest part of/‘it allwlis that
Doom deems me dead. I vanished sud-
, denly "years ago—went avaay Just after
' an exciting interview with him. I re-
mained away until-six months ago, when.
Iflw'brqught me back to New .Yorkya'nd
, ere I'would have-remained buried but
“for your keenness." , ‘ "
 ’.“I» could not get along without
you.” ‘ . . '
“PerhapsnotR .- - ‘ , A.
The old chemist went back to the wall.
paper; be bent ovér itwith a powerful
’gla‘aanfter spraying the splotch with some .
fluid, and Keene waited in silence. I
‘ eé the prints oi! fingers,” [asserted

the old'man at last": r _ v .v .
before,_but not

   

. . “They have, been seen
’ , 'tely." . - .v
’ fillseeihcm plainly, now. Here is the‘
little finger, quite distinct.” ,A. hand was
placedj‘against this particular spot'on the
. . ,_ I (It was before the thing was tan»,
red =Wlt ."i , l ‘ ‘
“thonlare'sure it was before?” I
".Qutt'e i sures. What is strange,
prints  to indicate. 'a. 'woman’s‘ finfif
getsififiow far from the- floorwas this»
onthe wall?” ' " ' 3, . 2
bout'.,four feet.” - ‘
' ye man lying. on the
it

He: hould no 

    
 
 
 
  
  

l

   

floor in the

       
  
 
    
  

  

, Brat som‘e one steppingovcr himvcould ‘
,  :h», hand.there.” . ,« ' i 
mentality}? ' e x r, t  -,
kaezthe {zines/Keene. ‘ Take it and
«any placen'rmmentfi j r  
{the Giew~Ha 'k took the-glass and heat ,

ér'the’paper on theltable.  , ._
said inothinggas his eyesjfell upon
willka outlines ota'hand 

tw' '

      

1

J

I! f‘rl had. to find you.” observed the ter- "

struggle. could not have" reached.

 

 

 

ffection. a
saw it.

"if by the electric, current.

he‘ ‘must have known oi! them, forzhe was out
t ‘ ,
:he‘ "do iberately took his own, life.
don't

   
 

'from‘thfihdetective’s‘. hand, a,- ii'ttle glass

thumb.
on“ It was
time: betrayin V.
where you go this,jKi

“ I, see." said he, drawing back. “You
are right. That splotch was made by a
human hand."

A nod on the old man‘s part told that
he heard the detective, at- whom he
looked with intense eagerness.

“I read everything I could get that
bore upon the crime in the old house,”
said he. “ I remember that the dead
man’s hand was bloody.”

“ And cut ‘2"

“.Yes, and cut.” ‘

“I can‘t say that it was blood, at least
not all of it.” I

“See here, Kimball, if you only had
the hand itself to show me! If you had
stooped to a little theft—the dead would
have been none the wiser for, it, you
know———"

“ You mean that you would like to ex-
amine the dead man‘s hand?"

“ That‘s it, exactly."

Keene throw back his overcoat, which
he had kept on all the time, and dis-
played the top of a package above the
inside pocket.

,“ It is singular that I did not think of
that before to-day.” said be. “You know,
or may have read, that the body is still
unburied, pending investigation. It is at
the Morgue, guarded by the authorities,
who have had it embalmed.”

“I did not know that. But you have
the hand?” .

The package was forthcoming, and as
Kimball Keane bent over the table the
old chemist looked at the sealed packet
with staring eyes. '

.An odor of chemicals. pervaded the room
more than ever! as the several wrappings
Were removed. and at last a human hand
was 1aid,,palm downward, on the oil-
clotli.- ’ ’ 1' ‘

“So, that is it! I haven’t seen that
hand for years—not since Raymond Rolfe
came back from Brazil. He used to drop
in upon me before he went to the trop-
ics, for even then he evinced a liking for
toxicology. That is his hand. Let me
prove it.” ' , i

The little man opened a drawer near at
hand and‘took out a number of charts. ‘

He ran over them and Suddenly threw
beside the hand the drawing of a human
hand. pmfcct in the minutcst/details.

It was Raymond Rolfe’s hand to per-
n‘d the detective nodded when he

, .

i

‘i‘ Turn it over,” said he. ‘ '
This nwas done and the old chemist,
started when he saw the deep crimson
stain in the‘palm. . . ' . ‘
‘ “Death didn’t obliterate ft,.I see.” he»
observed. “It must have been fplainer
at ,one time than it is now}? . l
u  Wasivr/ ‘ ' I , ‘ ‘
_ "‘Here are » the cuts the newspapers
spoke of. Look like glass wounds.” ,
. ‘9There were bits ‘of glass on the floor.
They looked as though they belonged to
a. delicate globe of glass. which. might
have been broken in the deceased’s’hand.”
“Say. you so'.’*. cried the old fellow;
{This is the death agent. There was no
stab, no other abrasion of the skin? The
man was killed ,quickly, and as surely as
Now, there
are few poisons which kill that way. He

adept in, IOXlCOIng’.‘ No one thinks Elgar
on
élieve' that. I{imbxill~?’;’:’ r. . .
The Claw-Hawk shook his hen '. "
.“ Of course not. But the ‘terrib cogent
might have been in his possession”;
“ Something otthis kind, think you?” ‘
‘- There rolled across“ th‘e'table. slipping.

inhere, e onowhich Oriel had given
 I r u ‘ ‘ l‘ ‘ .y 1

’ ,Tiie‘iEihemtst;
finger to

J

. .. ,. Viy.,‘,;.l:(.‘
stopped it- gently with: his"

   
  

  

’ this.’1’,,cried, he, -
, excitement.

brought the tie infard

.finger marks there show up like a.

’wherev .
.“rm‘i‘d-‘ SO lookout?! . .

' tective’s ., eye and l h

 

u‘o held it up between. finger, and.
as interim 

The chemist took 'the dead hand and
laid it, palm downward, again.

Then poising the globe over it a. mo‘
ment, be tapped it with a little steel rod,
gently breaking it, and letting a few
drops of its red fluid fall upon the skin.

In an instant the fluid seemed to penc-
trate beneath the surface and a crimson
tinge overspread the hand.

The New York Glow-Hawk watched
these proceedings with bated breath and
did not speak.

“It is as I thought. The Red Death
struck him. He must have known of its
existence, for hetold me once that he
owned a copy of the ‘Secrets of Toxicol-
ogy,’ a work which you might not be
able to pick up in ten years’ travel. It’s
pretty. isn’t it, Kimilmll? See how the
redness seems to travel beneath the curi-
cle like a worm. You can see’ it wind
round the depleted ve‘ns and almost.
sparkle where the blood used to be.”

The old man was becoming enthusi-
astic. ‘

“Anything more. Kimball?" he asked,
looking suspiciously at the detective's
pockets.

“Nothing more. You have exhausted
my treasury to—night," was the reply.

The alchemist went back to the globe
and its strange work.

“I am the chemist, you the ferret,” he
said. "I produce results, you forge the
chain.”

There was‘no reply. ,

In another instant the wrinkled hand
off the old man laid 'the bit of wall paper
alongside the ghastly sight on the table.

“ You are the tracker, I saywthe mer—
ciless bloodhound of the law. You will
have t lindthe owner of this other
hand." and his finger touched theisplotch
on the paper. , ’ ‘

“From that hand to this one you can
build a bridge which your cunning will
allow you to cross in pursuit of the
guilty.“ ‘

“You have already told me that the

 

 

woman’s.” ‘ I ,

“I say that again.” ’ ~ ‘

.“Then, 'do you think that a woman
killed Raymond??? ‘ . ‘ . ._

“‘ hat is for you to determine with
these things before you—silent witnesses
of the deed of‘vthenight. of the fourth.”

“ What doyou think?” w . “
‘ Keene leaned ,backyin his. chair and
waited fora reply. The old man shut his
eyes and remained silentua little while. V 

‘51 wasn’t there,,you know,'? said he,,
,at last. “But, if the woman9who made
that mark on the. wall didn’t kill him with
thecrimson death, who did? ' That/is for
you. ,Go outthere on the trail and an-
swerfthatvquestion.” ‘ . “ ‘

The detective rose and looked down at.
the we‘azenod face near the table. ». 

i“ Keep those things until I call for
them,” said he. pointing to the‘whand and
’globe of glass. “I willeome for :them
when I have nettedmy victim. You have
“confirmed a terrible suSpicion. You have , '.
put .me on my feet:ionce more’and have .

set ‘them' ‘on the‘ bleed trail, of H—-—-/‘v
street."' ,. ‘  ’ 1‘ -

.“But bewareJiimballr The person who _. '
killed witht e little Elobermaybedangerw ' 3‘ '
oust 'stiil.» c‘.p1'ettiest<.vipers are the,
deadliest. .I have. seen the golden bee kill ’
the‘ flower with her, sting.‘ That woman,
or you find her; will be terribly

 

 

 

      
        
        

       
      
 
 

 

 
   
   
     

   
  
  
 
 
 

  
   
  
   

  

There, was a flea « ,

. stewed

lowed by the old alchemist/to

 4' DoctorfDoom might“. , you something ‘

aboutthislagent, but? Gui wonlt ' ,Ito
him; ieh? ~ All right.v‘=*Look out ‘ ‘
and that lcfitlits ed ‘

   

     
    
 
 

 
 
 
  
 
   
   
 

 

--~.

 

   
 

J! a

 tor’s.”

_ . ",3...
v u

 

 

 

Glow-Haw}: Keene’s‘ Right Bower.

 

CHAPTER XXVI.
MARKED FOR LIFE.

The city ferret followed Sarah Sharp
some distance before she halted; then she
turned suddenly, and after passing
through a street which seemed to end the
trail, she stopped and entered a house.

“You heard me?" said Sarah, as they
entered. “I told you that you were in the
shadow of death."

“ Of course i heard you," was the reply.
"I did not expect to see you on the street.
You knew where I was?"

The woman nodded.

“I thought you were with old Marius.
You told me, you remember, that you in-
tended to consult him. Well, you have
kept out of the snare by doing so."

" flow out of the snare?"

Sarah Sharp spoke rapidly for five min-
utes. There was no excitement in her
face, and her voice was calm. .

"Royal Flush is marked for life," said
she, as she concluded. “ The young man
has met with an adventure, and in the
house on H————— street. He went thither
for a purpose, and he encountered some
one there. Would you like to see him?"

" “'here is he?"

“At home. He managed to get back,
more dead than alive, and 1 think is ready
to listen to you."

“ Whom did he meet in the old house?"

“Let him tell you that," observed Sarah,
with a smile. “He came out of the tussle
the worse for the wear, but he will talk,
I am sure of that.”

“Come, then," answered the detective,
but the hand of the' female detective
touched the ferret’s arm. .

“ In a moment. Let me go out and see
if the spy is still at your heels."

She rose and left the room, while Keene,
with a singular expression on his face,
leaned back in his chair and waited.

Sarah reached the sidewalk and cast
.sharp glances up and down. .

Ever on the alert, she was ready to sin-
gle out any enemy, and for some little
time she stood near the doorway, looking
at every one in sight. _

Across the street loungcd a man who did
not appear to have anything particular to
do. He did not send suspicious looks to-
ward the woman, but, all the same, she
knew that hegwas on guar .

She came back to Kimball smilingly.

“I thought so," said she, asshe bent
over the little table where he at. “The
wolf is after the fox. I have just seen
him.” . ‘

“Out there, eh?”

H Yes."

The detective rose. and stepped toward
the door, but the hand of Sarah Sharp re-
strained him.

“Not yet. There is no hurry. Royal:
Flush will wait for us. Sit down again.”

The Glow-Hawk dropped back into the
chair and 100 d at her.

“ You know .the watcher, do you ?”

“Of course," was the reply. “I know
him for one of the cleverest rascals in this
city. You will know him, too, despite his
disguise." '

“ 0h, he is disguised, then!" '

“ Do you think a man would track Ixim-
ball Keene in his own garb?" she ex—
claimed. “What afool he would be. I
would sooner trail a rattler in slippers."

Kimball laughed at her words and
waited on. , _ ,|

“You want to see him. I’ know you
do," said Sarah, presently. “I never saw
you so restless before. Come, then. If he
is out there you shall have a look at him.

They, quitted the little place together,
and Sarah guiding, the detective up a
flight of narrow stairs, they pushed

kinds, to a front window. '

through a room filled with trumpery of all '
‘i I k!" she went on, pointing from the '

wind w, and designating a man on the
opposite side of the street: “There is your
shadOwer!" .

Keene looked at him a moment, and
then caught his companion’s eyes.

“ Don’t you know him?” ,
‘f He has a shapelike the handsome doc-

V.
H i

 

    

“What a. guesscr you are. You are right."

“ it is Doctor Doom."

“Dallas, the Magic Doctor," answered
Sarah. "1 knew him the moment I set.
eyes upon him. lie is out for business;
don't you see what sly glances he steals
toward this building? He knows that We
are here, aml the moment we show our-
selves we will have him at. our heels as
before."

" Let us give him something to do. then."
suggested Kimball. "He looks cold,
though the sun is well up."

“ No; We can't let him watch 11s to Royal
li‘lush's house. Why not give him the slip '.’
You will see him again. Don’t think that,
man will abandon the trail after having
seen you come out of old Marius" den.
Not he!" '

They went back to the room below and
passed through it to the rear of the preta-
ises. where they glided into an alley and
came out upon another street, a few rods
away.

“ 1 will pay my compliments
some other tithe.“ smiled Kimball.
. "He is out on a man hunt. He went
first to your house this morning; He was
in your room."

" You know this, Sarah?"

"1 know it. He came away without
finding you, but he left a trap set."

" That man did ‘2"

"’ That man. You don't know Doctor
Doom."

‘f But why should Doctor Doom hunt me
down? 1 never put a straw in that man‘s
road." .

A strange look came at once into Sarah
Sharp’s eye. She turned upon the detec-
tive, and for a moment did not speak. ,

“ He knows what you have done. Doc-
tor Doom, the father of the viperess with
the baleful eyes, would not be out to—day
in that garb if you had put no straws in his
way. But come."

Kimball Keene and Sarah Sharp at once
wore hurrying away, and in less than
twenty minutes the street pilot ran nimbly
up a flight of three steps before a well-to-
go house, and seized the handle of the

our. .

She did not knock, as if she had no need
to, but opened the door, which was not
locked. and the city Clew-Hawk entered
the hull.

She led him nearly to the end of the cor-
ridor, which was not very light, and
stopped at another door.

\“ He is in here,” said she, .in a whisper,
and Keene followed her into a chamber

'to him

where the curtains were drawn close, and

which was dimly lighted, after the manner
of sick-rooms.

The detective perceived a half-recum-
bent tigure on a sofa, and noticed that‘the
man had his face bandaged, and was look-
ing at them over a black handkerchief
which he had pulled from his eyes.

The features of this man were not dis-
tinguishable, but as the detective ad-
vanced, he sp 'ang erect, and the eyes
flashed their anger;

Sarah Sharp, extending her hand, stepped
betwoen the two men.

“ It is all my doings," she explained.
“I brought, him here, Royal. I wanted you
to see him.”

“ What! To see that man?" was the re-
sponse. “I have no business with him."

“ You know him?" ‘

“ I know him—~all I care to. He is Kim-
ball Keene, the ferret. He is now on a
trail which I may be interested in. I
don't wish to see him, and if you brought
him here to hear me talk. why. you have
your trouble for your pains. woman.”

The female detective made no reply, but
looked steadily at Flush until he got
through. '

“ Won‘t you show him your face, Roy-
al?" she asked. "

“ What right has he to see a. face dis-
figured for life?- What good will it do
him?”

Royal Flush put up his liand as if to tear
away the oiled bandage. but the next
moment he dro ped it again.

“No! ake rim away!" he exclaimed.
“You brou‘ght‘him here to hear the story
I will not'tell.” ‘ ' , , "

 
  

‘yond the borders of ti

 

   
     

 

He went back to the sofa, and for sev‘
eral moments sat there in silence.

Sarah stepped forward, and, bending
over him, said in low tones. as her hand
dropped like a snowflake upon his slimli—
tier:

“No other man ean fully avenge you.
This is the only one in the World who can
strike the hand that. disfigured you for
life. Talk to him, 1 earnestly beseech
you!"

A shudder passed over the young ath.
lete's frame, aml he slowly turned toward
the detective.

“ l saw you once in the houseon II———-
street,“ said he, after a'pause. “it was
when l hammered the iron door down."

"i remember the night. It was a Stillk
born door."

“ But down it (ammo. We found the girl.
in the laboratory imprisoned like a toad in
its rock. l‘ve been to the house since."

Sa 'ali Sharp gave. the detective a quick
glance. Was the confession near at hands

“I have been in that accnrsed room.
You see what 1 got for going there."

He. passed his hands over his face, and
ended by pulling down the bandages.

“Look!” said be, through set teeth.
“Take a look at the changed face of Royal
Flush."

Sarah Sharp lifted the lamp from the
table, turned the light on a little more,
then held it close to the young man’s face
while Kimball Keene bent forward and
looked.

it was a face scarred and burned every-i

where. There were open wounds almost:
black, and great gents of dark blood hero
and there. It almost made the stout-
hearted detective shudder.

“Not quite as handsome as I used to be,”
continued the athlete, with a hideous. grin.
“I wouldn’t be. a shining light in society
just now. No, no! Gods! I thought I
was on fire when the infernal chemicals
struck my skin. and they penetrated like
molten lead. I was alone in the labora-
tory. on business." .

" And something burst unawares, Mr.
Flush?"

“I’navarcs? Not altogether," and the»
grin was reduplicated. "No, not unawar'es.
I'was alone there, I say. I went thither
for a purpose, which is neither here no:
there—”

“Tell it all, Royal," interrupted Stu-alt.
Sharp. » . '
“ Perhaps it would be best. I can’t see
to hunt the villains down myself. That
is out'of the question now. I heard foot-
steps behind me, and looked around. Into ‘
the chamber came a young girl. We stood
face to face a moment, when I saw her
hand drop to her pocket, and then I caught
her wrist.

wall. She struggled like a tlgress, and I
wanted to hold her.- But in the melee she

snatched up one of the phlals, and the next ‘ '

instant it had broken in my face!

Ohl
the horrors of that moment!

I was on‘

fire! The tortures of the lost were mine. . --

while she sprang back and laughed as I
fell against the table, and dropped through '
a lake of flame, as I thought. When I
came to she was gone, and I was alone.

i

\.

I had to drop the phials I had - 
just taken from the little cupboard in the '

I managed to hide my face and creep ‘

home, to be discovered by that woman
,yonder, who knows more about my past
than ny other living creature. She—the
yo tigress encountered in the labora~
tory—may have been paying me back for:
my little trick played at' her home; but I
believe she had deeper motives than that.
Open the little desk yonder, Sarah.
Thanks; that’s it. Now. bring me a pack- ‘
age. wrapped in dark paper. Ah," this 18;;
the secret keeper, Kimball Keene. .Hera
is the phial of the Red Death! Thle is

the weapon that sent Raymond Rolfe boo M,

e!!!
Flush placed in the detective’s hand a
phial almost full of little globes, in ear:

of which glowed a reddish liquid. * ‘
i “That is it.” he went on.
have seen it before. You remember the
night you went alone to the H-—-— stroet.
house? You recall how you found a phial
similar to this and placed it on the table.
in the laboratory. while you paid some at

   
 

And Royal ‘

“You may i;

1*}

   
 

   

2‘6

 

   

tention to a vailed woman in the rooms
below? Well, that is the same phial. I
had the pleasure of robbing you in turn.
I had the honor of bulking the best detec—
tive in New York, little dreaming, Kimball
Keene, that 1 would ever place it in your
hands.

A little laugh rippled over the withered
lips of Royal Flush, and he watched the
phial a semnd in the detective‘s hand.

“ It is yours," he went on. “i never
'thought to give it up to you. I was keep~
ing it for a little revenge of my own. I
saw a. gold-mine ahead. 1 had in my
power certain people while I held on to
that phial. They know it now, if she has
‘ unsealed her lips. You will probably ask
7‘ - me who killed Raymond Rolfe, and 1 will

have to tell you that I don’t know. The
secret is kept by that phial. Force it
from it, and there you are! i"New, please
leave me to my tortures and to my dark-
ened life." .
Royal Flush turned his head and buried
4 his bandaged face in his hands.
g1 - , Sarah Sharp crossed the room, followed
"~ r by the Clew-Hawk of- Gotham.

, CHAPTER XXVII.
IN ’l‘lHE TOILS 01“ THE UNKNOWN.
About the same hour of these events

Oriel Orne stood in her little dressing

room on the second floor of her home in

Fourteenth street. ,

. She was looking over some papers
~ which sire had just, taken from a drawer

in the bureau, and evidently thought she
,1 was not observed, for the door stood
alar, and Floralia, the maid, was the
, only other poison in the house.
Oriel heard in the hall without a foot-
- . step iand turned to see flit past the door
. a'hgurc which brought. a flush of sudden
' anger to her face. ,
_ Darting out 'into the corridor she
', bounded after the person who had caught
:7 ', her cye, and in a little time she reached
“a door which had just been closed with a
bang.

I -'She was at the door of Floralia’s room
and the maid behind it refused to open
, :to her mistress; '

‘For a moment Oriel demanded admit-
; tanoe, but there was silence within, and at
' last she withdrew. ‘
r She could not look beyond the portal;
she could not see the tall figure of the
maid as she stood in the middle of the
room, clutching a long‘ knife with a slen-
der blade which seemed to taper ‘to a
deadly needle point.

    
  
 
 
 
 
   
  
   
   
  
    
  
   
 
    
   
     
    
    
  
   
  
  
   
   
   
  
 
   
    
  
   
  
 

 

v rose and fell excitedly, and she glared at
"‘the‘locked door with all the fre of ashe
Wildcat . I

 A strange being was Floralia. \Ray-
mend- Rolfe had secured her to wait on
 protegee, and while she and Oriel had
_ managed to get along without jars, Oriel
~‘h‘ad never liked her. . . .~ ,

More than once she had come home- to

stealthy rootstep in the corridors at night,
if} acat [were creeping fbyvalong the
Wall, on evil bent .

en, Floralia had always refused to
'her mistress any account of her
‘ t‘;, sh had refused to say what she
ew- a at Raymond Rolfe: but. at the
Jame ime, she seemed to have visited
him, at the house on H-——— street. a. to
haverwatched him prepare some. 0 his
deadly chemicals. >

  

  

  

  

dined-t0 take these “stories of Floralia’s
f if some grains of allowance, but had
not Openly disputedt them, and Raymond
Rolfe had never mentioned the mil-id’s
Visits to her. “ V a -
When. Oriel left the closed door after
winning Floralia into her chamber, she
Wt’back'j to her own room' and‘soon
' erw‘ard proceeded down-stairs:

    
  

  

 

 

   
  

Shelwnnted‘ to see Floraliam‘but the
15?. dark-faced maid refused to show

 camcf '3 .

 

    
 

 

M {homing of them. : a

 

” Floralia’s eyes were on fire; her bosom

{find the maid out. and she had heard a'

Oriel, on the other/hand, had been in- ‘

All'th’at day Oriel ,Ornekentin‘doors. : V

Oriel had listoned' with was senses
for the teeter. her maid on thexstairs;.but,

 

Clew-HaWk Keane’s" Right Bewer.

Fiel'alia was still in her prison.

By and by Oriel went tip-stairs and lis-
tened at, the door of the maid's room.
She heard no sound beyond it, and con-
cluded that Floralia had fallen asleep
and would not show herself until morn-

ing, or until the mad spell had spent its.

force.
All at once the fall of a heavy body
startled the young girl in the parlor and

she bounded up the broad steps for the

fifth tithe. The noise seemed to have,
come from the niaidis room; but, when
she reached the door it was as solid as
before and she got no response when she
called Floralia‘s name.

For a moment Oriel thought of sum-
moning the police or some one strong
enough to force the door, and with a smile
she thought of Royal Flush and his ham-
mer, but at last she Went back, deter-
mined to wait a while long r.

By and by Oriel heard fno sounds at
all; the night pedestrians seemed to have
entirely deserted that locality, and she
dropped asleep amid the silence and the
warmth of the parlor.

When she awakened her first thought
was of the locked door up-stairs and she
went up once more.

It stood wide open now. I

With eagerness she sprang across the
threshold.

A light was burning on‘ the dressing
stand, the drawers of which'wcrc open
and ransacked, and there were, on every
hand, evidences of hasty flight.

Floralla was gone. .After serving her in
her strange manner for three yeals she
had departed. without warning, and Oriel
stood amid the trumpery which she had
overturned and looked upon it all. .

What had brought about the maid's dc-
parture? ‘ .

Oriel could not guess, but, as she was
tin-hing from the scene a bit of white pa-
per which protruded from beneath an
ivory comb-case on the dresser caught
her eye. ’ g ‘

In an instant Oriel had drawn it forth

and with distended eyes was reading to

herself as follows: , .‘

“Floralia—The timchas come and you
must come to me. If you are interfered
with come despite everything. I need you.
Keep the secret and come. “'DELLA."

The last name Oriel spoke aloud and
with pale face.

There was to her .but one “Della,” and
that was the Magic Doctorfs daughter;
but What right had .she to command
Floralia to desert her (Oriel) and come to
her? 1 ,

Floralia had evidently forgotten to de-
stroy the note at once, or else had. left it
on the dresser for a purpose, hardly the
latter, and she read it three times before
she laid it down. ‘ t A , .

Oriel’s brain seemed inn whirl. Flor-
alla had taken but few things with her——
had" departed While she slept, in the par-
lor and already was far away, or with
Della Doom. . ‘

Oriel thought of‘ Bastien. ‘He might

solve the mystery. He ought to hear of

this queer freak of‘t‘he'mad niaid‘s, and,
as he was doubly interested in the solv-
ing of the crime of the recluse’s house, he
might be-able ,to take up the claw from

the note left on the dresser and discover.

something startling. Y ‘ , .

(linen, there was Kimball Keene! Why
not carry the news to him. first?

“ I will," decided Oriel. “ I know. where
he is to be found and he shall see the let-
ter‘first.” ‘ ‘ . '

She dressed hastily for the street and in v”
in: 'few moments was on her way. r

It did not take her long to halt in front
of the detectives rooms, near

No one answered her rap. _ “
Oriel rapped again, and again. with in:
creasing loudness, but drew off; atlast;

perplexed.

There was along corridor running from
bar toward «the front of the building inf, .
which the Claw-Hawk roamed. Land' she
tin-nine from the. door when sh s w.

 
 

.WM
3 figmetake shape tone. nd the

i

  
 
  
  

Broadway, ‘
,and presently she: was at the door. ' r

Oriel Ornc felt her heart leap into hot:
throat while she watched the strange ob-
ject which came down the white wall like
a burglar, and, standing spellbound at:
y the Glow-Hawk‘s door, she waited. herj
doom, as it were. ‘

Nearer and nearer came the gliding fig--
tire with the certainty of fate itself. ‘

The girl had no weapon of defense
about her; her hands were her only help
and they were slender and White. if not,
nerveless, at her sides. ,

All at once the girl saw that the face. of
the figure in the hall, and barely ten feet‘
away, was concealed by a dark nlaski
which fell downward to the chin. ‘

She thought she caught sight of a pair
of gleaming eyes, but was not certain; at!
any rate she was sure she had come upon
the hunting ground of some enemy of.
Kimball Keene's, and that he was going:
to inquire into her presence there.

It was evident that she had been seen}
by the unknown. ,

He did not stop. but. having come from
his corner like a spider from the dark rc‘
ecsses of her web, he was creeping upon.
the fly breathlessly awaiting her doom. ;

Oriel threw out her hands as the start..
ling object came within reach and com—j
mandcd him to halt.

There was a sudden stop on the part of
the strange one and the eyes in the head.
behind the mask certainly blazed.

The gloved hands, of the unknown did.
not touch her. On the contrary, they:
seemed to have been stowed out of sight:
for a purpose, and the most startling
thing she saw was the fascinating look
from the eyes.

A singular feeling like that of irresistw
ible drowsiness seemed to be taking pos-
session of her. '

She tried to move. but could not. As if
glued to the spot where she had halted,
she found that all volition was fleeing
away, and that she was passing into the
power of those all-fascinating orbs.

She thought of fifty things at once—of
Bastien Blue, of Kimball Keene, Floralia,
and even Sarah Sharp—But these grew
confused in her mind, and she passed
into the net of the human spider. ‘

All at once she seemed to be sinking
down, down upon air; she was conscious
01: a touch at hex-wrist, a burning hand
there, but she could notshake it 015?. "

That was all Oriel remembered.

When she came back to life she was in
a strange place.

There was a high ceiling overhead,
walls covered with dark paper, a soft:
carpet on the floor, no pictures, a table in
the middle of the strange room, and her~
self lying upon a sofa‘with a crimson cov-i
ering.

Where was she? , ' ’

- By degrees she recalled the scenes in the
hall which skirted the Glow-Hawk's door.

She remembered - the creeping figure
which came down the corridor, spider-
like; she saw the' velvet mask and the‘
burning eyes behind, it; she felt again
the hot fingers at her wrist. and instin‘ct- ,
ively looked down to see'if they had left f
any marks therer . '

To ,her astonishment there was a mark

has coil had encircled her wrist, and while
she gazed a spark of fire seemed‘to run.
round the marked member. ,‘ ,.
‘ Oriel sprang up and rushed toward the
only door she saw. 5 It was at the far side
of the room. and with eagerness bordering
on frenzy she seized the knob and gave it
a wrench, V ' i  , t
‘But, like the
Flush broke it, down
and she felli‘bac’k withta tory of ,desmir'. 
She Was not in the Gl‘ew-Hawk'sroom-

_htake'her think that she had been, carried
into the detective's‘place by the puss
tefious’man., '  ‘ ' 't

     
 
    
   

   

1

snare v. of the enem
. on 

meme

xvi/Renew . '
fulfille- teenrlg by .a: this most
’solved .te-be cool. -

 

 

on the white skin: it looked as it a burn- '

iron door Royal 
. :it was immovable, '

There was nothing about the place to .

 No: she Was elsewhereLJperhaps   I

 

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3.

 

   
      
      
 

      
 

 

   

      
         
    
        
  
  
  
 
 
 
 

   
   

 
   
   
   

 
  
    
   

04..“  -! 

 

" above, ~fell athwart it 
Ja nth We, ha '

 

 

 

She glanced at her watch and saw that
the hands denoted the hour of midnight.

She must have been there two hours.

Oriel crossed the room once more, de-
termined to get some reasons for her im—
prisonment. ,

She beat the door with her hands, \vhich'
she clenched, and then stopped to listen.

Nothing reward’tfil her.

She might be in a deserted house, but
no; there were the light and the furni-
ture.

She went to work again; she caught up
a book which lay on the table and used
it for a portal opener. ,

At last there came to her hearing a
sound outside the door.

“Silence!” cried a voice outside.

Oriel’s face almost touched the door as
she asked:

“ Where am I and why am I here?"

There was a low laugh, and then a
reply: ‘

“You are Where you will pass the re—
mainder of your life unless you do one
thing." i

“ What is that?”

“ Confess that you killed Raymond
Rolfe the night they found you in the
laboratory.” _

Oriel’s answer was a wild cry of horror.

 

CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE MAGIC DOCTOR‘S PERIL. ,

No wonder the imprisoned girl fell back
with blanched face and a cry of horror.

Confess that she killed her benefactor?
Confess that she had sent Raymond Rolfe
before the Great Judge before his time?

For a moment she stood at the door, and
then went back shivering to the sofa.

The voice out there had a familiar
sound, and she litened for it while she
breathed hard. .

Who had spoken? Sm'ely she had heard
those tones before, and she tried to think
:where and on what occasion.

All at once Oriel with a bound crossed
the room and put her lips to the closed
portal.

“Are you there yet?” she asked.

“ I am waiting for your answer, girl".

There was no immediate reply by Oriel
Orne, and she seemed to listen With all
the intensity of despair.

“What have you toysay? ,

“I am innocent—innocent before Heav—
en! I never took that man’s life!” .

Her words were answered .by a derisive
laugh, and foosteps for a moment receded
down the hall.

“He is gone," thought the girl.

But they soon came back.

“Then you perish where you arel You
.Will not purchase your freedom."

“Not in that infamous manner.”

“ Very well, girl." ; . .

“But wait," cried Oriel, who heard the
footsteps recede again. “I want to 
with you. Open the door!"

“ Not now, my bird.” ‘

“Are you the person I saw in the cor-
ridor outside the detective’s door.”

“Oh, you were there, then?" I

“I saw you there. I know it. I fell,
into your hands by the display of your
magic powers, and—~—-" '

“ Never mind. This need not be contin-
ued. You will not confess~——”

“No, no! ‘I will not——-"

“Then take the consequences.” ,

For the third time the steps went away
and‘Oriel returned to the sofa on the other
side of the grim chamber. She felt that she

I)

was in the meshes of a death-net—that she

had fallen into the power of some demon
who intended to fasten upon her. that ter-
rible crimeiof the night of the fourth!
The very horror of the situation seemed
to freeze her blood. ‘ ’ . .
Some ,time passed: she knew not how

y' long, and she suddenly awakened from a
" deep slumber.‘ , ,, '

The room was dark, and she” started up,
forgetting for» a moment where she was. ',
Groping her way, through thedarknem.
she found a table. and‘as shet'ou'ched it a
glimmerof light that .seemod,to‘come from
’ d a folded note

 

  

Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

Oriel picked it up and opened it with
feverish eagerness. The writing was
strong and familiar at the first glance.

But her brain reeled while she read it,
for chry word seemed to burn itself into
her mind, and she tottered back.

it was Bastien Blue's handwriting; there
was no doubt of that, for every word bore
its well known peculiarities, and Oriel
Orne almost cried aloud in the agony of
the supreme moment. '

When she recovered, she came back to
the table ,and holding to it with one hand,
read the following:

“ Oriel Orne—-I have, against my incli~
nations, discovered evidences of your guilt.
'l'here cannot be the shadow of a doubt.
and your only way to clemency is to con-
fess that you took his life, perhaps under
great provocation. Come out boldly and
tell the truth. We know that the blood
of Raymond Rolfe is on yotu' hands, and
I will do all I can for you in the moment
of your peril. But, tell the truth. Confess
that you are the guilty one, and face the
world with the terrible story. Do this at
once, for unless you do the meshes of 'guilt

rwill hold you forever.

“BASTIEN BLUE.“

The poor girl, with her brain reeling,
threw her hands to her head and let the
paper drop at her feet. ‘

Believed to be a murderess by Bastien
Blue? Charged with the murder'Of Ray-
mond Rolfe by the man she loved, despite
his little eccentricltiies, and branded a
felon by that man! It was too much.

She thought no longer of the accursed

note which had been left on the table
While she slept.
1 He must have been in the house. Per-
haps he had connived at her abduction,
and, if he had not had an actual hand in
bringing her to the unknown house, he
knew all about it, and was in the plot.

Oriel went to the door again and lis-
tened, but all was still outside.

She tried the latch, but it was like ada-
mant, and, fora moment, despairing of
ever getting out again into the sunlight,
she truggltd back to the friendly sofa
and fell there in a swoon.

When she came out of the faint a streak
of daylight lay across the carpet, but the
room was still well tenanted with shadows
and she was its sole occupant. '

Another day, had come. What would it
bring her? _  ,

Oriel waited for breakfast, and‘ at last
the door opened a‘littlc, causing her to
spring up and dart toward it. But it was
shut before she could reach it, and a tray

containing‘meats and drink had been!

placed on the floor. '

Truly, she was a prisoner in» that
house. . . -

Her eyes fell upon the note she had
droppedmpon the carpet, and she picked
it up to read it again.

Yes, Bastie Blue must have penned it.
But why? .‘had professed belief in her
innocence; he had told her that he would
light out herbattles, and give her more
than half the money the will save him: he
had declared that he ‘believed the will to
be a forgery, and that he would be the
first to try to prove it so. I

But what had taken place to shake his
faith in her? Why had he penned that
terrible letter, charging her with murder
and sailing fora confession of blood-guild-
ness. ' i ‘

Meantime, in another. part of the city.
Roya Flush, whom we saw last with
Kim 11 Keene and Sarah Sharp, was
seated at a table in his own apartment;

His disfigured face looked still more hor-
rible. as the wohnds ,seemed edged with
black, and his eyes were red and swollen.
‘ He had called in mo doctor. He was his
own doctor. caring for himself, and nurs-
ing his vengeance even while he wondered
if he would not be better (lead than wean
ing a countenance at sight of which the
stoutest ‘man would shudder.

It was about the same hour of Oriel
Orne’s second reading of the startling note.
‘Royal was alone.
ever. since. the departure of the detective

 

    
 
 
 
 

and .his' female partner. ' and now at the.

t ble,’ with a pen in hi 123116.116:-

 

,the room and opened a sideboard theref.

. have taken it."

He had been alone’

 

   

 

    
   
     
   
 
   
    
    
 
   
 
  
    
  
  
    
  
   
   
   
 
 
  
    
   
  
 
   
    
      
 
 
  
   
     
      
     
  
     
     
 
   
   
    
   
   
  
 
    
    
 
 
 
   
     
     
        
   
   
       
        
   
  
    
   

slowly and painfully tracing on a sheet of
paper lines which struggled, for his hand
trembled and his eyesight was not good.

Every now and then he paused and
looked up to groan and clcueh his hands.

Thc,pam was intense, almost overpower-
ing, and be felt it in every nerve and mus-
cle.

"They won‘t come back for some time,
if they come at all," he said aloud to him-‘
self. " Sarah Sharp with her falcon eyes-
stands before me now, and it was she who
made me tell the detective what i knew.
I am going to die here—to die in this house
without help and with no one near.

“ Well, isn‘t it best? Why drag out 'a
miserable existence with such a face as I
have, with that terrible acid eating its
way even now deeper and deeper? That
girl must have known what was in that
phial. She had been there before. 1 know
that. She did not expect to find me in the
laboratory, but I was there. 1 saw her i
eyes flash when she saw the two phiais, ’
and she picked up the deadliest one. She
knew something about the secrets of the:
laboratory. She knew a good deal about
Raymond Rolfe’s poisons and chemicals.
and why shouldn’t she? it was her bust-g
ness. Yes, that‘s itwher business!" ‘

He laughed a wild, hollow laugh. which ,
sounded strangely in that place, and went _
back to his work. ‘ i -

Again the pen traveled slowly across '
the aper, stopping now and then. as some
spasm of pain shot through his mutilated
face, and at last he threw down the pen.

“I can’t finish it." said he, looking at.
what he had written. “ I‘ haven‘t the
strength. with this terrible pain, to finish,
it is but halfcompleted. but there is a,
man who can guess the rest, and: what he~' r
can’t guess she will tell him. She knows
a good deal about me. Ah, Sarah Sharp»?
is a cool one, and she didn‘t miss her call»:
ing when she became a female Yidocq."

Royal Flush leaned back in his chair a.
moment and shut his teeth hard. r r '

He was struggling with himself, tighti
a deep mental battle, in the end to come
out but half conqueror. 

He folded the paper, and lneiosed it in
a large envelope, which he addressed to!
Sarah Sharp; then he placed it underneath '
a paper-weight. e_ r

In another minute he had walked across

With eager clutch he carried to the table
a bottle of wine, some of which be poured
into a! glass. He took from an inner-
pooket a‘ little phlal, almost flat. which it
opened and held above the goblet. 

‘-’ I knew just what to carry off when ‘I‘
went to the laboratory,” he laughed. “It:
is a goodthing that I took this phial.
before she saw" me, else I would never:

 

Drop after drop of the reddish liquor in
the phial fell into the wine, turning it a;
deeper crimson, and at last Royal placed
the little bottle upon the table. > ‘

He took a seat and gazed upon it a in
meat and seemed to smile grimly Ins
contemplated the change of color; " ’ ,.

Suddenly a rap sounded at his‘ door. Him
hands caught both glass and phiai.;a.nd
while the latter was thrown across the-
room, to fall unbroken upon the soft c w
pet, he lifted the former to his lips. '

"Knock on!” hissed he. “You can b” 19
down the 'doorvby and by. Just as I broke;
down the iron portal. But you won‘t tint
my door so stubborn. Yes, knock on. ‘ .
think I know who you are. I don’t care»
about seeing you, Bastien Blue."  i

There was a cessation of the knocks, audi'
Royal Flush's hand poured on its wayctoi
his mouth. ‘ ' '

“You don’t care to ruin your knuckles.
on niywioor, eh?" he laughed. “‘I believe
I will see you. I have a mind to‘ let you.
look at your old servant’s‘face, for v ‘
won‘t see another like it in a  s;
travel.” . _ - r "

He set the glass down and went over low
thedoor. ~ ,‘ .  ..

Hishnnd at the handle seemedto passes
a moment. as if he Was rapidly changt‘
his mind, but. all at once, he turned
key in the lock.  I , ~ ' . '
-“ Here I am— Heavensi’f cried R

        
 
  

  
   

   
     
   
    
   
 
 
 

  
   
       
   
    
  

>28

Claw-Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

 

 

as he opened the door, and confronted, not
Bastien Blue, but quite another person.
“I see,” was the reply, as the visitor
stepped into the room and walked toward
the table, still looking at Royal Flush with
eyes that seemed to pierce him through.
Royal turned from the door after shut-
ting it, and watched his caller. He was a
tail, well made man, with a handsome

heard of glossy black, and he had stopped

near the table.

" You didn’t expect me?" said the caller.

"No," answered Royal, pulling up his
bandage, which acted as a vizor. “I
wasn’t looking for you, Doctor Doom; but,
since you’re here, 1 want you to look at.
my face.”

There was a sparkle in the eyes of the
Magic Doctor, and he waited for Royal to
«continue.

‘Bastien Blue's factotum stepped up to
the table and turned on the light a little
more. He dropped into a chair and lifted
his half-hidden face to Doctor Doom.

“Take off the bandages," said Dallas
Doom. ' v

With a grimace of pain, Royal did so,
and, in an instant, there came to the spec-
tator’s face a look of fiendish joy.

_ Doctor Doom bent closer and looked

keenly at the terrible sight thus exposed,
_ and seemed to smile at the wretched man's
' I ailiiction.

“You know who did it, don’t you?"
.asked Royal.

There was no reply, for Doctor Doom
had placed the tip of his finger into one
of the ugly gaps to see the victim shrink
.back with a sudden cry of agony.

“ I say you know who did it?” repeated
I Royal, quitting the chair and standing
, =«erect before the Magic Doctor, his eyes
, aname with rage and his whole form in a
_,-qulver.

“Your daughter gave it to me,
[square in the face," he went on. “The
, ,pretty serpent who stings men till they die
threw at my eyes the deadly phial of the

recluse chemist. She did it, I say."

y “And what did you try to do? Sit
, down!"

‘ But Royal Flush did not move,‘ al-
VI‘though the mesmeric eyes of the speaker
.- Were riveted upon him with all their

'.

7,

 

  
  
    
   
  
   
  
    
 

    
  
   
    
  
 

war. -
"Take that chair. I want to talk to you.”
1 “You? You mean you want to throw
round me your internal power. I will not!”
The final w‘ord seemed to end in a roar,

    
    
 

bounded forward, and, clutching Doctor
Doom by the throat, carried him by main
warrength across the room and pimied him
,struggllng against the door. I
In vain did the Magic Doctor struggle;
he was a child in the hands of the young
athlete. -,
~ .' CHAPTER XXIX.
w / THE LODESTONE 0F GUILT.
_, ', Miss Della Doom had been to the win-
dow of the parlor of the Magic Doctor’s
mansion for the twentieth time in an
hour, and she stood there once more, with
“her willowy figure half immersed in the
nick curtains and her anxious face turned
‘1oward the street.
, It was ten o'clock at night.
' Whenever she heard wheels in the street
interface lighted up with hope, only, to
% fade away. when the vehicle had passed
a, the house, and whenever she caught the
‘6 sound of feet on the pavement her dark
«eyes would glow with pleasure, but, as be-
 the look would vanish and one mu
*0! blank despair take its place. ‘
, “ I must see what keeps him," she cried
at last. “ Lmust find out where he is.”
' 1 Going up to her dressing-room she soon
me back habited fer tho street. ‘after
Web she opened the front door and
. ided out. V V
,, No'one seemed to be on the watch.
With a hasty glance ovér her shoulder
who” hurried off. her footsteps sounding ip

   
  
    
   
 

 

      
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
 
   
  
  
   
   
   
  

grinning figure of a‘ghost.

Slit» did not stop until she dodged into
“firm parrow passage between Ravmond
CRoife’s house and its neighbor, and there

  
   

  
 
 

and, hard upon its utterance, Royal Flush '

the night and her figure looking like the

 

  

She must have expected to find her
father in that house, now bearing a num-
ber which thencet’orih. woqu have a
crimson record in the annals of Gotham.

Delia had means for getting into the
place, and in a short time she stood in
the dark hallway, feeling her way to the
right hand door, which she found un-
locked.

She knew where she was, did this girl.

.E‘nteriug the room of the crime, she
paused and listened. in that house she
could hear many sounds, but just then
she seemed to be the only tenant.

“I can‘t hear him,” she said to her-
self. "He may be upstairs, in the lab-
oratory." ,

She slipped from the room to the stairs
and stopped there, looking up into dense
darkness, while again she listened in-
tently.

No sounds as before.

“I haven‘t been in the laboratory
since——” ‘

'She checked herself as the recollection
of her startling encounter with Royal
Flush in the room of the deadly chem-
icals rushed across her mind, and for a
moment she drew back.

“Pshawi that am I here for?" she
exclaimed. “Now is the very time for
nerves," and she bounded up the stairs,
her feet making no noise on the carpet,
and in a little while she stood at the
door of the laboratory. '

“Not yet! Father can’t be here. But
I wonder if the other man still tenants
this place."

It was a query which she sought to
answer by the blaze of. a' match, for she
took one from her pocket and struck it on
the. nearest wall. -

The light flashed up and eagerly Della
bent forward with her gaze fastened
upon the floor at the round table.

There was nothing there. Yes, there
was a darkish stain where she had seen
Royal Flush sink down; that was all.

She‘ seemed relieved for a moment;
then a pallor of fear came to her face.

Had he recovered and crept from the
house to expose her to the police. or to
take vengeance in a manner more horri-
ble still? ‘ .

She did not know what to think. as she
stoor there.

“ ot here! In the name of Heaven
what became of him? Has father car-
ried the\body off to screen me?"

She carried the match over to the table
with more nerve than she had yet dis-
played and held it close to the splotch
on the floor.

It was blood!

When she rose she stood for half a min.
ute speechless in the middle of the lab-
oratory, with the shelves around her and
the, crucibles and retorts in their proper
places.

“ I must go back. No 'one here. When
father comes home he may clear up this
little mystery, for if Royal Flush did not
survive. Doctor Doom knows what he-

came of him.”

Della went to the lower floor‘and re-

entered the room of the strange death“ ‘

There she lit a lamp and shaded it
with a book. ‘. -

The lszht fell upon the Wall near the
secret button, which used to unfasten the
laboratory door, and all at once the young
girl’s gaze! happened to rest there. '

r“ Who’s been here?” she exclaimed,
springing forward and halting near_the
wall. ‘ _
She was looking at a spot from which
the wallpaper had been deftly removed.
‘It was about as large as a man’s hand.
and she could see how the knife had been
thrust underneath the/paper, stripping it
off. for a purpose.

The sight seemed to rivet her tothe
spot. and she looked at it. while her face
lost color and her lips seemed to qriaver.

“They’ve cut it out!" said she. “Who
did it-the man or the woman '2"

Sim hurl nicked an the lamp and was

r

holding it close to the. wall. . ‘

For hde shook when she restored the
light M the table, and ‘she dropped into

. a chair. ~/ ,

 

 

“I see. They are at work, both of
them. And I had Sarah Sharp in my
hands. I held her there for hours and
might have prevented this.”

Once more her eyes went back to the
cut—out piece, and for a second she saw
nothing else.

She recalled the time when Sarah Sharp
met her in the back room of the res—
taurant, and when she caught her wrist,
preventing her from using the needle—
pointed dagger which she gripped in her
hand. ‘

She went back over the past and
thought of how this same woman had
come to their house as a spy and how she
had repeatedly listened and watched at
her door. .

She had missed her victim;
failed to carry out her plans, and now
she believed that the cunning of Sarah
Sharp. the female Vidocq, had been at
work in the old house.

Della remained silent in the chamber
for nearly half an hour, brooding over
the matter, when suddenly she cried:

“What’s that? Some one’s in the
house besides myself!”

She put out the lamp; then, drawing
her dagger, she braced herself near the
door and waited.

Her quick ears had detected the sound
of some one’s feet beyond the room. She
"WIS sure she had heard a door open and
close.

Della Doom, the doctor’s daughter,»had
all her nerves .now. \Vllatever had be-
come of them the previous minute, they
were with her now, and she was as cool
as when she had listened at Sarah Sharp’s
door in her father’s house.

But she longed to see who had come
like herself to the house of the strange

oath. '

Sounds Were emphasized by being put
forth in that house, and she believed she
could have heard a cricket in the attic.

For ten minutes Della Doom waited in
the dark with 'all her senses on the alert.

Now she thought she heard some one
upstairs and now he seemed to be slip-
ping toward the door which she could have
touched from where she stood. ..

. But. the unseen did not enter the room-
of the crime. . '

Suddenly, however, Della heard a sound
which came to her in the shape of a deep
long-drawn groan. - ’ .

“What was that?-a groan?” she ex-
claimed, moving toward the door. the
handle of which she caught eagerly, but

she had

[held it without opening the portal. »

“It was up-stairs! Was it in the lab-
oratory?” ‘

At once she slipped into ,the hall,
stopped. at the stairs and looked up. A.
falnt’light was seen, where the labora-
tory was, but no sound came down to
tell her who was up there.

“ Come, ,‘Dclla Doom, you must inquire
into tliis,"’cried the girl. “You must see‘
lwho is up there. Everything may de-
depend upon discovering who is up
there. All may hinge on the identity of
theperson overhead.” . ' .

' The shining steel of the needle-pointed
dagger was obscured by her arm as she ‘
crept up the steps and poured the top of
the carpeted flight. I ‘

“I can look into the laboratory from the
head of the stairs,” she thought. and
without hesitation :she proceeded up the
:talci‘s and paused on the steps near the
- ea . _

There was a dim light in the laboratory.
and by it she beheld a human figure bend-
ing over one of the benches with a. hand
outstretched toward a cupboardset in the . ,
wa . r ' " ' ‘ ' «

“'Tisvhe!" cried the young girl, “and
now I can tell him what I know." . _

At this. juncture the‘ figure in The lab-
oratory turned' and she knew that she
had found her fath-r. ' '

Doctor Doom did not see his daughter
crouched on the stairs, nordid hadron
that he was watched by‘her. , ' ‘ ‘

, Della watched himi'take from the map»~
board a tiny phial. which ihe'held he :‘
tween him and the light." " i " ‘ ‘

 
   
 

 

  

_ 'z‘ffiehfiwm here 191'“ ’ “WW

 

 

 
  

  

 

 

said to herself, but he put it back. “No,
it wasn't for that one.“

He found another which he examined
as before, but this time he did not re-
turn it to the cupboard.

His face was pale above the black
beard and his eyes had an unnatural
light.

" l‘ll meet him now,” decided Della, as
she rose, for Doctor Doom had turned
toward the door.

She sprang up and planted herself in
the corridor. He could not reach the
steps without meeting her.

He carried the lamp in his hand as he
came down the corridor, and all at once
Della drew back and hugged the wall,
white-faced and breathless!

Doctor Doom, walking like a man in a
trance, did not see his child.

He glided toward the little room of the
forbidden books at the other end of the
hall, and Della, against the wall, watched
him flit past with all the gruesomeness
of a specter.

Her face was white and ghastly: her
eyes seemed to bulge from ileum-ad, and
her hands tried to bury themselves in the
wall behind her.

He passed on into the mom, the door of
which he siiut behind him; but, a minute
later, he came out and Went down-stairs.

A cold sweat stood out on the forehead
of the beautiful demon, but she let him
go down without hindrance. '

In the room of the crime he set the
lamp on the table and drew a chair up to
it. ‘ ~
“ He is all right now. The trance is
over," said Della, seeing this movement.
“ I can go down to him and talk.”

She went down, but paused at the open
door and looked inside.

Doctor Doom had already found writ-
ing materials somewhere, and was bend-
ing over the table, writing with a gloved
hand.

Not a sound was heard.

Della waited till she could wait no
longer. She glided forward, crossed the
threshold and moved round behind her
father, yet he had not seen her.

She approached him, and, holding her
breath. looked over his shoulder.

A sheet of paper lay before him and the
'bold black characters stood, out like char-
coal sentences on a white wall.

Della watched the pen a moment until
it paused, and then, with a'wild cry, she
straightened and glared at him.

Hcr shriek broke the spell; she fell al-
most against the wall as the hypnOtist
turned slowly upon her. .

“ What have you written there? What
have you done?” cried the pailid girl.

He laughed, and with a glance at the
sheet, his finger pointed to the writing, at
which. she looked again.

“ Here, let me burn it! You don’t know
what you have written. You don’t know
who might find that paper—-—"

He jerked it from beneath her very
hand, and arisingqind confronting her. his
mesmeric gaze transfixed her till she shiv-
cred and let the dagger in her grasp fall
from her nerveless hand to the floor. ‘

" I am going to save myself,” said Doc-
ltor Doom, almost sullenly. ‘

CHAPTER XXX.

THE END OF THE CRIMSON SKEIN.

“To save yourself?” and Della Doom
looked at her father and seemed to smile
derisively. ‘

“ I have said so—to save. myse .”

“ Are the trail—dogs so near?”

He waved her aside. but she came close

 

-.

to him. beating down his hand, and draw:

ins tier figure to its mu height in his pres-
ence. ‘ ,
“ It was you, then,” said Della. “It was
you who came to this room that night?
Well, I am here.” ‘ ,

He Went back to the table, and again
dropping into the chair, drew once more

toward him the sheet which he’had half i

covered with writing. v'
She watched him a: moment, and then
hurried to the door. ~

“Doom me it you will, by that contesoi
him. but" remember!

 

   

 

Time will i come.

Glow-Hawk Keene’s Right Dower.

 

when I will speak. You cannot silence
me. I can tell Bastien Blue all. 1 can
break the vase you have fashioned in your
guilt and by your infamous powers."

Doctor Doom sprang up, but it was too
late. The girl was gone, and there re-
mained for him nothing but the echo of
her last words.

Delia passed from the house, and out
into the night.

She had barely left the place, when a
figure was seen to slip after her, and a
man kept her in sight.

She turned the first corner, with her
cloak drawn close round her form, and
her head bent to the wind, which came
from the bay.

Not for a. moment did the man behind
her lose sight of her; not even when she
struck Broadway, and for a time seemed
to have lost herself amid the humanity
there.

Della Doom hurried home, and, once
inside, she ran lip-stairs. She soon came
down. dressed for the street, but paused a
moment in the parlor, where she sat down
and wrote on the tablet lying on the green
baize of the table.

“Now let the detective play out his
hand," said she, speaking, as it seemed,
through clenched teeth. “Now let him
reach the end of the crimson skein. And
you. Sarah Sharp, you should be here at
this moment, woman. I would not strike
at your heart, but I would startle you!"

Outside stood the man who had shad-
owed her home. He watched the house
until the. front door opened and Della
Doom on me forth once more, and. glancing
sharply up and down the street, she moved
off, walking rapidly down a quiet street,
to pause, after a while, and open a door
behind a shade tree. x

“He may be living. I am sure he was
not in the H street house to-night, for
I looked in the laboratory. If Royal Flush
survived my attempt upon his life, I will
see him.”

She was in Bastien‘s house, but, as she
stepped toward the room where she ex-
pected to find its tenant, if he still lived,
she heard a door open, and some one came
into the hall. .

-In an instant there loomed up before
Della Doom the angular figure of Sarah
Sharp.

 

The woman looked keenly at the doctor’s r

daughter.

"You?" cried the fair demon. “Where
is he?" ‘ r

“He is in yonder.
your work has done.”

Sarah stepped stiffly to one side and
pointed toward the room. which she had
Just quitted.

“You have been tracking me?” half-
savagely asserted Della, as she passed the
woman. -

7 ” Not so much as the Red Death,” was
the reply. “Girl, you have blood on your
hands." '

“ Whose blood, Sarah Sharp?” was the
reply. ,

“Never mind. Go in there and look at
your last victim.” .

Della throw open the door and stepped
into the room. " It 'as darkened, but her
eyes could single out a tenant who lay
back in a chair near the wall—her vic-
tim, Royal Flush. .

At that juncture the shadower put in
an appearance and Sarah Sharp held up
a warning linger as he slipped in.

She pointed toward the room and Kim-
dall Keene advanced, but stopped at the
door. '

The tracker had run Della down.

Sarah Sharp leaned toward the Olew-
Hawk and whispered: ‘ '

“ She was bound to come back to her
victim some time. There was no keeping
her away. She is in there with him,"
whispered the woman.

" And Royal?”

“ He is mad—crazy."

"' What?——-” ,

7' He as met some. one in this house
within
lay against the chairboard, his garments
torn and his eaten face cut. He met some
one here.”

Go and. see what

short time. When I came in he.

 

 

Meantime Della Doom was looking at
the face which the light revealed.

It was not like the full, strong face of
the young athlete who had blackmailed
her. it was a poor, torn and marked
face, rendered the more horrible by the:
work of the broken phial.

She caught him by the shoulder, but
the deep-set eyes which stared at her 3.
gave her no answer. "

“ Sarah Sharp, come here!"

At Della's call the mantle detective en—
tered the room. ,

“What is the matter with him? He
will not speak."

“ He is mad.”

“ No; [he is dying; look at those eyesi”

“Your work, miss," mercilessly said.
Sarah. "Your work, I say. You broke

the phial against his face.”

Della Would have spoken, but. at that;
moment she caught sight of the man who
had entered at Sarah’s heels.

“ The tracker—Kimball Keene!"
cried.

She retreated to a place behind Royal
li‘lusli's chair, and from there glared at
the ferret with eyes that seemed to emit:
balei'ul fires. ,

Quietly Kimball Keene took from his

she.

pocket :1 package which was Well wruppzid

and upon which the gaze of the white-
faced girl became riveted.

He next put down a little ball of red,
which rolled half-way across the. gently
sloping table, and stopped beside the
package.

“ Is that all you have to show?” asked
Della.

Sarah Sharp was watching her like a
hawk. .

Besides these things the detective laid
the bit of wall paper which he had
shown to old Marius. 1 .

“Anything more, Mr. Keene?”

The coolness of this remarkable girl was
exasperating, and there came to Sarah‘s
lips asniile at the detective's expense.

“And this,” cried Sarah Sharp, draw-
ing from beneath the folds of her shawl
something which fell beside the“ articles
already on the table. ,

Della started at sight of the last thing,
and stared at the female detective.

“ You know what it is,“ quietly said
Sarah. ’

There was a movement of the lips, but
no words came forth, and Della remained
speechless. ‘

Kimball Keene now picked up the hid-

L
I, .

den object in its wmpplngs of burn: pa- ‘4»

per and tore it open. .
A cry issued from Delhi’s lips as a hu-
man hand fell out and lay, palm upwards. 
on the cloth. I .
“ You know it?” queried the Claw-m
Hawk. ‘
‘ There was no reply.

Then he picked up the little glass globe
and held it over the hand, still looking at
Della.

‘ It was‘more than coolness and human J

nature could stand. 1
The next instant a brick walled from.
the girl’s throat and she threw up her
hgn‘ds and sank beside Royal Flush's ,
o a r. ‘ "
“You have won,” quietly remarked‘
Sarah Sharp. “My package contains t e,

.truc will, which I found in Doctor D001 ’3.

mansion. It gives nearly all of Ray‘
1800(1’ Rolfe’s wealth to Miss Oriel.
rno.‘

“Della suspected, or know, what you?
had- found. But where is the Magic Doc~
tor himself?"

“ Ask that girl when she revives."

{they waited for some time and slowly'
out of the swoon came Della Doom,
lheart-sickened, spirit-broken—cowed at‘
ast. ’

But. with the astonishing coolness of ‘
one who has all her nerves under control, 
she proceeded to her confession—told how
she had frequently visited. Raymondg
Rolfe under the Magic Doctor's instruct;
tions, and with one end in view—his death
and the forging of a new will which -
should give all his wealth to Bastien _.
Blue, already in their hands through the. '
doctor‘s black art.

 

  
 

~

30 ‘ I Claw Hawk Keane’s Right Bower.

[
“I am the real murderess," she ad- NEXT DIME LIBRARY, N0. 860. BY 01-1: 000111!!-
mitited. “I knew more about the deadly 146 K". Bandy, De‘irclivu; or,SIlvarSmr,ilmlloy Knight.

. ioaxiiiai'r '.'l‘hY iii...
chemicals of the laboratory than any Ki: ifilidm'loafghll'ifr'rn.50.??i15...i$ "Z" If

nos
one beyond that house. I went there  S l d S t  d ' 4"}?“1‘1’3‘ 18"?“B:"fi{:,:3-,Btb‘fiagh‘hgmgyGI-fl
. ’ that night to kill the man who stood he- 3  8  at  fiat]... 1333.13,: Sl‘l‘tt'lflgchréme; “"615 T'Iuin"§..di'a:."
OE,

 

 

 

 

 

’ D - .B .
tween us and fortune. I stole from the 350  1.3223iyafiii'eifii‘lgf.fiiu'i?!£.'.fi:"..........
. . - v '. . . ' ' 'i‘ 1 it lindy an ed or, ii InlnniGl t.
ii‘i’ffi‘”? . “if 3"““éf‘ttt‘ii‘t‘g it“ “it , as ii: lit-ii. "an. “it” “oi  
(y; _ V 0( { V‘VU ( k 0 )95 ~01“ l ' L I l S I S F ' u yf l u! 0:0, I" o inxinm.
l appeared to him in his room h'elow. _ arlait  S Wlng at anta e. 804 Kit “and: a Brigade; or.l)an,i.he Mountain Guide. .
. . . . 153 Jack Drew. the Nemusll. or, Engl- Kit the Be Demon.
He suspected 11011111)". I seized his hand. —— i‘a algal: lll’rew’ili lllrfmdor,Li‘tltlo HIIIr’rlcnnedgo to, owns...
1 forced into it one of the little globes BY “° "w " °“ “"‘° ‘°" “W” “‘e‘
. . , _ - LIEUT. A K SIMS ir a A ll Ab th 1d.
Ile realized my intention, but it was too ' ' ' is”; :(‘eeeellII-Iléllillf; 31'; Pfiil'.3m’t§."i»r:ui.?° °’ '3” G“ °
late. I shut his hand hard. The glass aynuahnnd Jowho Young Wand-"II:sz.
1 ball was shattered, and with a cry and a B  I H   l'h 1‘1, £23.5’ETEkPEX‘Yow Millianler.
,; snigger, Raymond Rolfe soon lay on the ea 8 S a ' Ime I my. :35 ggfagggefilfln‘ ; gfigfigggg '
1‘, :iloor. dead! It was the print. of my hand 74 Hawk-o o ilor'r emrou... rum-"Rum.
{:z’ ' on the wall. I went back afterward, to “Y ARTHUR Co 011155015. 132. g::leoélzo: it". ,lu'l." ."1‘i’g..T.".:’."”"""'
v ' . 488 .F~S l,|lSi iH ha.
blot it out: and thought I had done so 3:: niggiasrggfié $14331: Bowl-Kid. ks ofigom‘fufum"frxmfrmpghr
with the aid of chemicals. My father is “I Tum.” “me. u", amnouun M“ are Tiger Tom,tlie Texu'l'orrhv.
. w . . . . ' 9.4 Duhln nick: or Trapper Tom'l Calila. 
I now in tht house on H— street, oi was 9,3 “me "a," 4”.“ PH.“ N d
- . . . i r PHILIP s. minim. . ' ‘ ° "'““ ‘
. when I left him. 1‘ may lune been under I :2: Re git-o;- lae tact-five: My?“ gunning-m .
. his spell when I took the life of Ray "1"“°"""°“1‘°"°°'°" 01"“““"“"E°"’"CW""' goo it.§e-ii'fii’i°iun,'ihe‘il$§ Pnlvla'glkar.‘ m'
175 Jun-In Arizona: or, Petunia-the: Joe I Big Gun. .7“ MI k , i M“ "m 80 , 51"" .h a“
mom], but I ask no mercy on that ne- 198j30ptllla Mull"; or,Pawnt-hnlharlm’lmhnt. no “Rigfinmfih 30’s”...§,,°o,d'¢_,,b mm]...
3‘; munt. Bastien Blue was in his power. :33 r'og'figgpgglt'ggggz: “tuggjflv'm‘m :32 ahfipsk Demon; or, now. a... hug... ' ‘

 ‘ ' Bastien Blue would have. made me his 8'38 Ame ornadoun'l‘heoum- «uh-Glam "W 3°“ “ma” “Wk”

8713 It I ,ch p . 409 lloronlen vr, Dick, the Boy Ranger. '
Wife but for you two people. 388 11:31: 3:35.253, 01%.?“ in: Own Tun. 4‘” wan“ “W ‘h" Tm“? W‘c‘m'

“ You will tind Oriel Orue in our house: 23;  figgherffifikghfi”:2:331:31“.an“ 1:: S'n'edfi: if: '30" :14 Poms-“L
You will had the girl guarded by Flor- «1 Lime AII sin; or. no our-o claim. “a 311.1313“, 13.2".” mail-:3?!“ fag-rm”...

alia, her maid. whom I called to my wide by :2“, “";’3‘}‘I,{f,“fi;,fig'Lif-i-l'l°p2¥."§?miyv.me. 3?; R” “"1? ‘1‘“‘33'3. "3:"? u..

holdingr oyer her head a little secret which all; -,| lm Gladdey’u fem-ta: KIT!“ Jolly 131:”??? “lg-- no iiurfifiia 1°13": a: wiirai‘ti'aeni'x' ‘
' is much to her. Sarah Sharp, I regret s41 Em'flifl,i'mt‘ittotm.2“33:3.°" “a n "m 3’” 1'“ °' J'm" "" mm“"’5’°"'

I That I did nothing more than listen at 3:2 fij‘figflgflfl‘gflfi35:511..no“. ' BY CAPTAIN palm wm'rrnxnn.

, , your door while you were ‘Susan Blunt.’ 598 Keen Ole-Mm nnohlmp- 11.. 89.4)314or,Tthlmh.fDulgn,

468 Tun-rue Tom, the Big Tmer Boy. 
.
- . , 15 . i
in our house. As for that man, he would 3?: niflynfifl" “3.32%.? 3513335: “my. _ :2 he Dumb 1’33: pm“: Dow-Dulst I
i

 

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lei
. v _ . I l Iek Dar" on Expnu Rider.
have killed me in the laboratory. He 33" :}§g’g’fig:fii§,flh§$fia Baum” H 1 no knee-nanny: onyThI Children om. Ohm
I!

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blackmailed me and I had to submit, be 004 Cheeky Charley t. ‘4 Th 3""! "II-Wm W“- L-nd om" llwmdm

HM“
U

Special. J 5

 

 
  
   
  
 
  
    
 
    
    
    
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_ The Lost. On gun; 07. Skin" ’lbfl Mn’l .
, cause he had Stolen the phial of the Red- no a oy owl-II: on'rhnroaunom. rimdiuu
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They went to the old house on H 194 13:151.: mu I’B:tl 5-. 151.336}. Guide. :2? 31:21?! mannng mafia.“ m m“.
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table Where Della had left him,’ appar- v nY'JosEPn n. BADGER. an. BY mum L I... c ADM“.
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up at the (flew-Hawk. v a 9 The mania... or TheHom-Thievol’Luguu.
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_ " ‘ '5 ' 865 The King oi’the and“ or. DmiiIl floanI'I Luz'i‘nil. ‘ 17¢ Th. 1]., Runny.” or,ThI Bucrlnur om. BIy.
palm and bits of glass fell upon the table. 3;: K} F": tthordago was?“ 180 The Ben rune" or. A Vow w." m...
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At the end of the trail of the Bed 3.3 (it.“8:33,Qfinfid'ia'v'flfmc‘ffiffi, BY ALBERT w. unis. . .
Death stood the tireless Metropolitan ; snug-one»: rug-Iiwtafi. “ _ a E... 3.“. Ruggier or,'l'ho Forum“ or. namy Girl.’
,«' . .- . ‘, _ A r in u . . ro - r. . ‘
m(“V:HaWk’ {fwd m?‘dfotmm' “fl 3“? exh- ; 33% ea Hit”??? 51%;?“ an ism iini $3 9.5: §°letfxihfhi§hn° amino" pI'I'i n P
pressmg no S 3115 0 V Ol'V. S 00 L ara ' 'v' y e ‘ ‘ °° i “Y- 9 or In Iy. oe ue o Inge Ian I 0! '3 . .
, . . ‘ . ’H 9 fill.“ . , the Heltil : o TleBmd Bugl’ . “7 Y I: N t. AT I (Trick d in Goun-
Sharp. Detective Ixeene’s Right Bower. was 5n... . .. .. a. Frieiiiy;'o’..-i'-ne noriizziiufiida'grua g2: E3’i.n€Niek.‘o:firhe Pei-1:200 o'i'f'nmiing. '

 

 

 

 

 

4:55

.. w... is: tanner.- ! v
’ . . .1 no! in twin or. I .

’ ' “Y T o Immune" no conicoiol-uao,.aami.iama Detective

‘ Della Doom never was tried for murder;
her health gave  at once, and death

  
 
 

       
 
 

l ' h ’ . ' I ‘
noon cheated the noose. ‘ 3g g'fifli'iau'ainigfl'éé gfllngngnfi Igg’ll‘gntl‘r. "8 0°“ 0mm“ m N" “m "’11" “'w" Fm ‘
Royal Flush, With his scarred face, 3: "33"}:3‘ 02f+g;'b§f;,:;7':hffl taggmm BY 61:01:61: 0. JENKS.
flint himself up in a private retreat, 3:53.31 ‘amrsot,l:h. wead-HBIWi'i. or,Old Powder-flee. :43: g}: gaggggggghflgnw- ' p i ,
“while Bastien Blue, true to his love, on ma hfomfiidam' '° °’ "W" t s a n Doctor; or. banging. me“ 153: Downw-

   

ulla' or The White no.
' on Q“

   

. 3 mo

. 581 Double-Oucve Dan on .
333w:19|:;llie¥h$am, '11:: 11g? 598~Flute thI Singer Detective; or pwnIy in e l’hw RolI. _'
Go! Tr r. a... s on; or, 0 am Avon”. 603 The I‘Iteher lbeteotlve’n oily or, n... . noun. Phy-
gornndo mom; on llnjnn JIek Frnm Red Core. 810 The ocean Deteoflvfl or.'l'he Lenten!“ oithe Black Bear.

made Oriel hiswife. and they enjoyed
 long honeymoon far from the scenes

 
       
 
  

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through which they ‘had passed. MT 1 n. B .1 no. 11, M ,m m I .iisi The Pi elim- lleteetlve’l Tau Lest Til-Ila.

 For Driel knew that the accusing letter i '1 "fifi'fihfi‘gflfi’fi"fi‘JW-un ‘. 333 {13; [3.5.1323 Efiflfifl'fiflmfim“ °" W" m" f
signed by Bastien had been produced gas ggntgiulgfillliet: firYLigh-gggisfivg 354 UN“ 9"“ “WWW” Cum!“- , V {
under the hypnotic 81’9". but I'Oallwi .m mined..." t.?'i-..°.'€.'....‘.eatifih..- BY comma-BELLE um.

that now no more would the ngic Doc.‘ :55 Captain Anon» m. King-Pin offiowie.
i ' - ‘ m'ri. Llonof he! xn-TlaVildLnd.
" tor play for thousands with Raymond a???" "W‘M" “mm” “mm” “mm”""‘ ° ‘ u ' a ' ' ’

 
   
  
  
   
    
  
  
   
  
  
    
 
  
   
   
  

    
 
 
 

 
   
 
       
   
  

    
        
  
  
 
 

     
    
 

  
  
  
    
    
 
  
 

 

       
  

 

 
    
 
 

      
   

    
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 
   
 

 

 

 

   

     
   
   
  

 

    
    
    
  
 

  
  
    

 

 

  
   
 
   
  

  

  
  
  
 

 

’ ll Winch or, The Bllcklkin Innuendo“. 188 Cool Demondl or.'l'ho Gunhlu’l Big Gun. i t
‘ ’ -.. on n mite .Tma iBid rah». - '4'” ' “
,mt’lfe-S. ha” brother for “11 unconsch so rfignriounu‘ifihiiienavm 2r,'h'.‘-’i-rig‘}°..'ii.'r‘wiy. BY J. w. osnox. . ‘ .
assistant. '- A 3}; g]; '51:“??? 1‘5"“ 0‘1“? °!,"*'””‘;-m N no The nini Gimm- oi‘howhnr’.
v ‘ l i . r , l
.. Sarah Sharp left the profession after the' gm nig’l333mnfi'g htiqnfin Muir”? °"°' 4:; mzfiagg:ry:3lflw’g¢am mi.
unraveling of the mystery of H—‘ .5 {321.331$‘ptgfii‘fl-‘ii'liilflibiféifi" ' 3M Powder Plilzthi,'3°r numeri‘muuwmmnue.
filmed and thereafter devoted herself to am Velvetrootdheindinn Dehciivo V goo non Dorrl a». \IunnD-uctlfl. M ,
. ‘ I g " HI I' ‘ 0.- ‘
 a“ Captain Oath-n of 1b. 3 can Gl ll? ' 80 Lit em him It I I‘D-Pf!“ 0'. I vim: otuehluii
"We spam“ - iii lit"... 3""  ’rh-a- mm "manhunt;1.2%...." .za- '
. '1? people suspmted me “05 that 93' ’418 Felon: l‘ anthrax lipozt'icrforfgll‘lhca ooi'r'icenfltivm Yoyk. “5 Gold Dill" Dln’l. “villi "Jinn" Roydhv Rankin! ;
fluted between the Glow-Hawk and his 495 '1' la! ‘rum . an. Magma». , I _ . Y Wu G PAH.“ . t r
m t ‘ B . . ‘ - - 4|! Vl’ Fla! . tto New Torn Fox; nr ThoMyIteryoi’Roomfl.’ n ' ‘ ' i w ‘ « 7
x it 0W”. and 110t “mtll long "01ft?!" M 5 “no City mn‘MI-e i or. Red Rolfn‘n Plumm- 639 Viola Vane the Valut Sport; or,'rbo Jubilee oi Juliwa
ward was it “jade Known that they Were 26 LnoA inItJi‘my or. The Luz Mun ochno Bar. 608 Violet Vane I Victory; or. Tho JupInCin Clo-n Out-
“ 7’ he 0! Shadow; anFollx Fox’l Hunt. 698 w. {ind Daisy, the PoI PIrdI. ‘ ,
hmhqt and sister; 47 ’l‘lm Excel-1m- Sport; or. Tin Wuhinlton Spotter. 705 Violet Inc’s ‘ow: or. 901.11 Doinfln’ICnit.
Old Joz ianlshmd aft r in tri l d 33 45"”; ¥%:"hl°§°ifii°f 5'2"" ‘ 33313“? $3.31: Vnfif'tnn’igi' a'lyg'cglimw ’
r '\ it ..' ‘ . ' " no 01-90130va .
‘- '“ y i L e e a ’ «an . 511 1.33;: Mo ll: WIMPFS ynfinacilvo. 3‘41 Violet Vane. fli- Vl'ai'llrilI niIt'Vldocm '0". ".8pr 1
51“? m” 1"“ “‘0 Superintendent 0‘ P.0- :: ' °' m“ an!“ “is “WM-n Wm- ..33 this” mam-“i” in antima- ‘ ‘
9‘3” 511!“ Kimball Keene knew whither u  n3.i°i$'i".°.'.ii. °"" 5' no im im- ml' Memoir» mew rmoino'anoei. ‘ .._
Fr‘ Went He was not molested and no 12?; ‘ -" fine-“M'immmm 8” MM“ 33 ihfi‘ag'mwmhm '  ‘ '
' - ’ . , y n pen-Ii e. In. -
‘ . ' ’ ‘ ‘ a . iii Vi ;» ,Th e . IB'HH ominli n as R: DIketl . . . i
i “9.9%? Spent another thought upon the fie's’ wo gianng ..f‘t°3..%tm.§ufs‘;§.°8m'. ' ,04 mi. “when: oifilzerwmxfizmvunm. ‘ ~
.6. M'rat. of Cherry “from: 593! ] Dick’s nrom ur,’i‘lia Mun from'JIrwy. ' 10 The Bo rump Ilene. veg ammo.)an Grith IDI-
3t ~ ' _ . ' ' ’ ' i594 Lit ion. the street—Sinner Detectlva. ‘ 041 Bland nve’e, Pand only on'l'haClual 
.Klmbull‘keene had hig‘ best reward in $3 gins ,‘m gold Sbnrkic'ixril 1:“!le 50‘? Mai. 33 WgfignFm-im hgufimmvmlm. - ‘

H . 9 l- . . ' , I : L ’
the thanks of, Oriel Orne; but-healways- fig- ‘l'gfikg‘ 123:: “03,2” Damn? N m“ agglgmvofi; hgyggrngmg- . »/ ; ’
{pitted the strong young man who'md his as nin’y‘nennt'a‘h‘iinzfii'kvhfiflia , , g J Jan She «unfamsumsgreiu aphid“? 3" .1 _ .

I ' ‘ - ‘ r I '8’? Jersey Jed. the anlipstlIrwr. Shadowing the Shim». 8"“ 'hw'my “we 5"”! R'thw'mt' I ~ ‘~ ‘
.3. Wotan“ “’9 “Om the world, and the “a  "new.  a: .rrnnasaiiansiaw- r  ~- ~ '
" gymnasiums of New lps ' ' bog " "m."- 'I ‘L ‘ "‘m‘“ 5"" "sin a :33: Rolf ' is T ' "
. . , York t their . t I 1: Wide A“ i IF?“ the nuke! Cit} Ferret. “ ’gsne‘r Bob&%o;&y fiziet.

that n 5whei’i Della, the beautifultdemon. 75

Fire“; the phial into» Royal, Elosh‘s-face

mm ive;or,TnppinzBi¢Gomo. 3 i
M90 in). _ ‘ - ,

 

‘ ‘ [UCA‘NGI lune E‘vou‘l‘w. '
j mink-Dine Lihury b tor I

 

  

a Buttgreyr'tiffinl.
vy Bfin’e Bi loam-e.

 

 

BEADLE’Sae‘DIMEéeflBRARY:

 

  
  
   
  
   
     
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
 
 
 
 
    
   
  
   
  
 
  
   
  
  
   
   
    
    
    
 
  
 
   
   
   
  
  
    
    
          
     
      
 
     
     
     
 
         
 
    
       
    
       
 
      
 
      
        
 
  
 
 
  
 

 

 

+ Publde Every Wednesday. Each Issue Cmnplete and Sold at the Umform I’rzce of Ten Cents. No Double Numbers. .
BBgfiFAllig‘Bllél. 1:0VEts. 848 TRY 30813:}!!! E. BADGER. JR. ALBERT w, AIKEN9S novuns_
y 0 one ren ss ngra am. he Rival e — at Sports. ,
851 Bufialo Bill‘s Double Dilemma. 837 curl-V Ki‘lv “"8 Cheyenne Sport. 7» mt“ Talbo‘ serum.
845 Baaan Burs Redfikm Ruse. 824 The Sofr, Hand Detective_ 141 Dick Tnlbot‘s Close Call.
830 Buffalo Burs Boys in Blue_ 815 The Soft Hand's Clutch. 7-237 Dick Talbot in A moire land.
‘ 325 Buflnlo Bmvs Lasso Throwers. 809 Dan Dunn. the Soft-Hand Sport. 7'33 Didi TMhOt- '1‘“ Mb King-

323 B11331.) Bill‘s Best Bowen 796 The Frisco Detective‘s Thug-Tangle. 72? I)!“ Talbovl‘ Clean'om-
816 Buffalo Bill‘s Red Trail. 739 Sam Cary. the River Sport. .72-’ Die“ Tam“ in N0 Mfln’s.camp- .
812 Buffalo Bill’s Deathxue“. 780 The Dead Sport’s Double. v 384 Dick Talbot in thelllookies; or, Injun Dick.
794 Buffalo Burs Winning Hand. 771 Prince John, Detective s 9cm]. 3354 Dick Talbot: 0!. The Brand of 'nnson Cross.
737 Buflalo Billie Dead Shot“ 763 Dandy Don, the Denver etective. 349 Dick. the Gentleman Roan-Ace
731 Bufialo Burs Brand. 754 The Man from Texas; or, Dangerfield, the 107 Dick Talbot. 0f Cinnabar. \
777 Buffalo Burs Spy shadowen Doom;- Detective. 93 Dual: Talbot. King of the Road.
769 3‘13an Burs Sweepstake. 744 Sweegtstakes Sam, the Silver Sport. 91 Dick Talbot in Utah: or. Gold Dun.
765 B “filo Burs Dozen; 0, Silk Ribbon Sam. 720 The eel-er. Six- 01-, Old Halcyon, 3:; Dick Talbot's Iron Grin: or. The Velvet Hand. \
.761 Buflalo Bulls Mascot. ’ 712 The Man of Silk. 3i) Dick Talbot: or. The Death-shot of Shasta. ,
757 Buffalo Burs Double_ 705 Bantam Bob. the Benut from Butte. 3-5 Dick Talbot at the Mines: or, Kentuck. the Sport. ' ~
750 Buffalo Buys Big FOUL 693 Kent Kasson the Prone er Sport. 34 Dick Tulbot‘s Fnegor. Rocky Mountain Rob. , i
.748 Ruffle Burs Flush Band. 683 {job Breeze, {he Rounder Detective_ 83 Dick Talbot at White Pine; or. Overland Kit. - “ :

xfl 739 Buffalo Bill‘s Blind: or, The Masked Driver. “75 isle“ Sum" .‘he 390" "0'" Sunrise-
735 Buflalo Bi“ and His Merry Men 668 bolemn Souls Luck Streak. Allen’s Fresh of Frisco Series.
731 Buffalo Bill‘s Beagles; or Silk Lasso Sam. fig} :38 Get'Tllel‘e Sham, 895 Fresh. the Raced‘rack Sport-
727 Buttan Bill’s Body Gunr . m G vertip Steve. the W Scraper from Siskiyou. 660 The Fresh in Montana' or, Blake‘s Full Hand.
722 Buffalo 3111 on the w“. t1], 636 Dophel‘ 98120, the Uns€en Detecuve- 652 Tue Fresh's Rustie at Painted Cit .
716 Buflalo Bill's Scout overs. 627 Mandy Darling, Demon“. . 647 The Fresh at Santa F9; or Tho S¥ranger Sharp.
m Busing mu Baffled; or, The Deserter Desperado. o 7 Tgssgack Mosy. the Mountaineer. we Fresh. the Sport: or. The Big Racket at Slide Out.
697 Buffalo Bill's Buckskin Brotherhood. 5,1,, B. e '1 Sack Sharp 8 Even lg). 53'? Fresh ainst the Field: or. Blake. the Lion.
.391 “undo Bill‘s Blind Tmfl- or. Mustang Madge. 538 Sig Ban 1, the Brigadier of B mstoue Butte. )29 The Free of Frisco in New York. , ,
v66? But!qu Bill‘s Swoop; or. The King of the Mines. 576 . “dy “magi the. 5.1”“? "on! snack}? 9'7 The Fresh in T8188: 01‘- Thfl Esoobedo MllllOmI. ! .

.‘ 649 Burran Bill's Chief of Oowbo s; or. Buck Taylor Sll'er-TO“ ed Sld~ 0?. G” Wk MP 8 Sweep. an The Fresh or Frisco on the Rio Grande.

564 The Gl'lp- 301! Sharp: 0?. eSernphs ofSodom. 173 The Fresh in Arizona; or, California John. .

i 644 Buffalo Bill’s Bonanza; or. S Iver Circle Knights.
130 The Fresh in Mexico- or. Captain Volcano“

.362 Buflnlo Bill‘s Gri ; or. Oath Bound to Custer. 555 GriVSWk Sid' the.sample.sp°,”- .
:329 Buffalo Bill's Pl go: or. The League of Three, 547 The Buried Detective; or. soul s Six Sensations. m The Fresh in liig Walnut Camp; 01'. Bronze J act
0. '

g3: gig giflis gold Trailidon “finfifiim‘e Dozen % liiilmfifiil ‘i‘ifJ'i‘ié‘cfiiiiglViiom Dead or. 77 T“ M” °' W -
153 Wild Bilingup‘gg’ol “page.” 8‘“ Hem“ gig gagg'yGAndyigheGglouiog-d Datiective. ' Alkon'l Joe Phenlx Serlel.
u mm a 22 0m nBen r ‘ o
By Bull‘an Bill. 504 Solemn 3311']. the Sad 11 from SangSaba. m ‘gignggglixs’hgrfl:  giigggd cm, or. The
339 The Ranch King DeadShot. or Texas Jack's 495 Rattlepate Rob; Ol‘. The Roundhoad’s Repfififll. 793 Joe Phenix's Decoy" 03- The Mail of Three
Proxy. ’ ' 43" The Tholroughbmd SW"- 760 Joe Phenix‘s Lone' and '
.820 White Mayer‘s Still Hunt. 47:4 Dadd -Eye, the Desoot of Dow Drop. 749 Joe phonix's Big Bulge ' ‘
807 Wild Em the Wild west Duelist 466 Old ough and Ready, the Shire of Sundown. 745 Jo. phemxvs Mad Case: ’
300 Wild 3111' the Dead-Center Shot' 453 Dumb Dfln- the NSF”! from Spitzeubers. 708 Joe Phenix‘s Show or The Woman Hawkshaw-
639 Buffalo Dill's Gold King. '  £118 Eng?” {’Ptecuve- , . 700 Joe Phenlx‘s Unknown; 01'. Crushing the Crooks
} all): as [land Séiotthifieéxor. lll)iiy Pards ot the Plains. 438 Oklggmgggibgl‘i Pistol-1011111157 8 Picnic. g goo ggenlix'? SBocialséJ or. The Actress Detective , 4
- nor, enan emotive. .- . ‘ 0e enxn‘raz am. g
l 401 One-Armed Ford; or. Borderland Retribution. ‘33 mughmg Leov 0‘" 83m" Dandy P3 632 Joe Phenix’s Maste’r Seargh.

, . I‘d. -
 The Wizard Brothers: 01'. White Beaver's Trail. 425 The uh?“ Dawn”: 0" The 39‘3"“ send” Spy. 688 Joe Phenix's Go Now or the Dand Cons lrat ‘
394 White Beaver. the Exile of the Platte. 353 align” “'m- “‘0 Flack Sheen 0* Bismarck r 620 Joe Pheuix‘s Slight shE. ’ y p 0".
g > - .319 Wild Bu], the \Vhirlend of the West, b R0 Randi. 01'. The Imps 01: 1?“ Inhaler \ 601 Joe‘ rhenix‘s shadowmrmhe Detoctive‘s Monitor «

 

.304 Texas Jack. the Pmme Rattler. 403 TneNameleSS Sport. ‘ i. I . . _ 419 Joe Phenix. the Kin of Det ctives.
our ThePll rim harp: or. The Soldier‘sSweethenrt- % DWI?) A1m. the Duke of Dex-ringers: r - ' 1 on Joe Phénix's sou mfm. 9
El Gold Bu let port: or. Knl hts or the Overland. m Dirk) “1} “he Ism‘ael 0" “‘9 H‘lls- ‘ 161 JonPhenix‘s Great Man Hunt .
52 Death-Trailer. the Chief o Scouts. . HOW “12 Qnman- the TWO? from Headwatersi 112 JoerPhenix, Private Detective; or, The League.
37} Captain Crisp. the Man with a. Record. 79 Joe Phe‘mx‘ ma Ponce spy. . . 
By Leon Lewis, Ned Buntllne, etc. 34,7 A Royal Flush: or, Don Brown‘s Big Game. i . .
, 773 Bufl'alo Bill's Ban; or. Cody to the Rescue. fig ggmm“g°rwigb%%nffiflcf 1mm summwm Alkon’l Miscellaneous Novels. . 3
3‘33 gugglfi gipdf‘ssficgfi 5&7?" Tris“; d tb Di k 351 Notgm 6%?ch the Border affective. 842 T“°“..'r°m- m“ Hml'm‘wd'
“ 1 8' o 3’ °r‘ a 6 ea c ' 345 Masked Mark. the Mounted Detective. ' 835 The kmg'm" Deleon“-

, I . I
 gggflg Ellll’sclgfl ogasllcbgg'srrhe Express Ride“ 889 Spread Eagle Sam. the Hercules Hide Hunter. 8“ The New Y0K" Anion? Tex“ SP0?“-

      

 
 

 
 

- . ‘ i ' v. , ’ 775 Kin Dandy, the Silvers rt.
 Buggy» I13331111 gust-is: Pardfior. Dashing Dandy-  8%" orfifirfi-ghififn‘gf’fifsfifififim 753 Gidgon's on at Babylonplgar. .
“ ° ' e c Skin “3' 817 Frank Lighttoot. the Miner Detective. 717 OWN“ P“ 060w“! the Greene“: Demuve'
BY wm. a. pATTEN. 302 Faro Sam, the Handsome gemuies_ 674 Uncle Sun Up. the Born Detective. '; :
_ - h Th , T 1392 Make Homer. the Boss Roustsbout. 070 The Lightweight Detective. :
l 352 ‘3?’§i§iéiiiwk‘f‘iii. 83% Shadower. g gist? Jammy; gr. OlliefMgmnifi a Thoussnd. 35*; 3:38.33; gggegggg or, The Golden Gate Final.
158 We PM“ 01‘; hfiwdfmkscmflsbet u ' 257 Dans??? ugigfizg;  Anilfin ’Way Back. 6m Old Benzine the “Hard Case" Detective. ’
s 753 01" Bm‘e' ' e “ 5°“ “um °° “'9' 249 Elenhant'lpom. or Dumnzo. - 594 Fire Face. t 6 Silver King‘s Foe. ‘ ’

747 Double-voice Dan's Double Disguise. . V 583 The Silva]. Sh” Dptectlve. . I
 3°“gie'¥°§°° 11))“ 2}}  D 1er fl g; ggigtgfiisgg;§flem . 577 Tom, of Cantor-gin; or, Detective’s Shadow Act.
0“ 9' ° ‘39 “v 9 Way 5'01” 9° ‘33:: '6 gm pm of'the plum-s; on do“ “his Death Hum; 570 The Actress Detective: or. The Jnvlsiblefisnd,

 
 

   

  
  
 
 
 
 

    
 
  
   
 
  
     
   
  

€23 ¥§§%1§.¥€i33 £11333?“ Go it “one Dem 197 Reva of Rob: or, The Belle 0 Nugget Camp, 562 Lone Hand. the Shadow. .
\576 Hurricane 331 zh3'00wboy Ham“,- 180 Old ‘4 - or. The Amazon of Arizona. 520 The Lone Hand on the Caddo.
.360 om True Blue ‘me Trust ‘ 170 Sweet. William. the Trapper Detective. 420 The Lone Hand in Texas.
.6553 The Giant s 03-h or 50] £0 Satan . 165 Joaquin. the Terrible . 445 Chin Chin, the Chinese Detective.
056 Old Plug Ugly 'the’Rough and ME 154 Joaquin. the Saddle King. 2 . 485 The Actor Detective. _ ‘ _
343 Gold Glove Gig, the Man of am 141 uinox Tom. the Bulkg of Red Rock. 440 The High Horse of the Pacific. 1.
641 Aztec Jack the base“ Nomad ' 12? So Scott. the Masked iner. 433 The Lone Hand; or. The Red River Roman“.
631 Colonel 0°61 the Santa Fe Shérp 119 Alabama Joe: or. The Yazoo Man-Hunters. 408- Doc Grip. the Vendetta of Dqsth.‘ . - _ I
.602 an min Nalfieless the Mountain'myatery 106 Dan Brown of Denver: or. The Detective. ‘ 881 The Gy y Gentleman: or. hick Fox. Detective
571'01391331“ the 3‘“ Detective - ‘ A. 88 Big Geo e; or. The Five Outlaw Brothers; 876 Black nrds: on. The Rio Grande High one
i‘ 545 Hustle, nah-y the owboy spar} 71 Captain ooi Blade: or.~Mississinpi Man Shark. 370 The Dusky Detective: or. Pursued to the no.
’i ' ‘ 67 The Boy Jockey: or, Honesty vs. Crookedness. 333 Crownlugshleld. the Detective I.
f ; BY WILLIAM H. MANNING. M DoublP-Sight, the Death Shot. 8‘10 The G'enteei Spotter: or The N. Y. Night Howk.
349 The Gene“ simmers Combine '50 Jack Rabbit, the Prairie 8 rt. i W: 13116 \\ all Street Mood: or. The Telegrth Girl.
1) l - 47 Pacific Pete. the Prince 0 the Revolver. 204i '1 he Double Detective: or.‘i‘he Midnight Mystery.’

V
 $§2€§§€$€3§§£§y$gfi _ 45 Old Bulls-E e. the Lizhtnin Shot. 196 La Msrmoset. the Letrciive Queen.

 

 

 
   

  

 
    
   
  

  
 

 

 
  

   
 
    

 
  

 

   
      
       
  
      

 

     
   
     
 

   

. 40 Lo -Hoire Paras: or.The otters of the Plains. 101 The Man from New York» ' ‘ v
8% gfigcfillgfilfiefii‘éggvfi?3§ii.°wn' i 30 Goggel George: or. Fiery Fred. the Outlaw. 91 The Winning Our: or. The InnkeeFei-‘s Dnughterql
790 Plunger Pete the RsceTrsck Detective. 28 Three'rmge’e‘l Jukv “‘9 Md'Agent- 8“ H “a Down: 0" The M90 Thm' " -
774 Steve Sta". {he Dock Detect,” . 81 The Human Tiger: or. A Heart of litre.

‘764 The New York Sharp‘s Shadow-r. BY HAROLD PAYNE. .  tightlfmsn Genomes ‘or.
738 Detective Claxton, the Record Breaker. 844 Tracked to Chicago. ‘ 65%: tgngmwgge: 3,“
_ 714 Gabe Gall. the Gambolier from Great Hump, 886 The Policy Broker's Blind. 59 The Jungfrau, 1.9 is, ‘01.
708 Spokane Saul. the Samaritan Sue ct. 829 The Frisco Sharper‘s 900i Hand. , M Th 1mm“ M“ x or ‘Mndman of the PM“
692 Dead-Shot Paul. the Deep-Range lorer. 891’The Tramp Shadower s Backer. ‘9 Tbs we" Demogpg'i Ti; Kamwha “on ~
655 Strawberry Sam, the Man with the irthmnrk. 818 The Sham S otter's shrewd Scheme. 42 Tm Caummlan ‘w 1"“, i“. The Who “on;
 1??er J01? ninth?) “Thamwiie ‘ ill}E“w“;“BuiT‘fm'g‘iillllfil‘m Riven 31 The N” “’k Sgirc' 02'“? “mm “2mm '
m- .orea l- , e v. suna.‘ ‘, '.‘ ’
 Rim 13:03: Dana the %ei§eiBe%ten Dretectlve. Pm gigs VI‘)7rilil'es';Dontits-lllllyainawas!m ’ , w The quttervne‘em V°“°" ems 0‘ New 80"“ L
ka A t 9 me 0 13:: tom ems. ' n e. s reet nrper's p. ' . ~ .
596 Rustler Ruhe- the Round-Up Detective. 784ThndBurr‘s Death Drop. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES.
.585 Dan Dixon‘s Double. . 742‘ Detective Burr Among the New York Thugs; , ._ .-
’ 675 Steady Hand,- the Na oleon of Detectives- 7341 Detective Burr‘s Foil-01’. A Woman‘s Strategy. 851 Bunalo Bill‘s Double Dilemma: or. The Grout
gig E’yomiizafielgg, tmofi uiiaogkilgmuysuckle. 35g geometwgve Eu"; tlsneigfénggt'igrters Speclnl. i Scout‘s Big Three. By 001. P. lngrshsm. .
um , e w a . ve urr s p . , . .
539 Old Doubled th Wi Detective. 706 )etectlve Burr’s Seven Clues. 852 The filing" S 0'15 Shaka'upl m“- M m
g} vgaddl i-cngaengié nfi: 131% rie (myth . , 3% “Eadiflilcrfi thoggvinalhle: or, The “Livonia. Rube % Racket a Red Bend. By W- 3- Enter. _
i s so m.te or- est .. e a. ens too we. ' (4,00 . ’ 2
513 Texas Tartar, the Man With Nine Lives; 680 XX, the Fatal Claw; or, Burt’s Master Case. 853 afieagfifigg. mg Hart‘le gay'ggad Fm"; 
~50“ Uncle Honest. the Peacemakerot Hornets’ Nest. ' ‘ . - ' -; 7
498 Central Psoiflo‘ ml. the Msil’l‘rsin Spy- ‘ 1 BY LIEU'I‘. Aql K. films. 854 The Ocean on?“ or. Cruiser Keats's Hunt-
492 Border Bullet. t e Prairie sharpshooter. 343 The Omen"; (my sporty ‘ 1 Down. By Col. rentlss Ingmham. ‘ '-

  
  
    

48“ Kansas Kitten. thb Northwest Detective. = 33.3 cm Gale's Block Gan-‘8‘

479 Gladiator Gabe. the $111150?in Sassaiwk. am The Kiss Plu ot the Leadvme Lions... 8‘5 The C "M" We“ swam“ °" Hm Kn”?

the Rogue-Rancher. ‘By Jon. E. Badger,_Jr.-‘

 

   

 
  

 

470 The Duke of Dakota. r . 786 Chico. Charlie’s Diamond Haul. ' , .
463 Gold Gauntletgthe Gulch Gladiator- ' 776 Chicago Charlie. the Colombian Detective. .‘ 355 The "Hn seed Detective or. Slippery Jim
 §ia11§3¥§g2w rd. tittehg'sll Hustler of the ENS. 7532mm 1 King tlve. fl3W Dinmo Deal. By Geo.  Janka. ’ ’
1 . o v Decides. 723 Teamster Tom. the met Detect . ’ ‘
, » was muouhmn Voteran.- ,th i' - an» Buflalo Bill‘s Royal flush: or. The Pony. r’l
' ‘l'h .11 01 Inquires. . 3% Wang-ms? Legs Page $133335 Chestnut vB-m' Perth-Bun. BY 00% Will“ Wuhan?» mi "

      
    
  

. e.
‘ M - ' -\ _ ‘ 688 "River-Rust armor. the Detectivefrom‘wny Back - ‘
' ' "73 WWW“ Sal“ "13 Willi?“ 1 WF“- " ‘Bieodlo'o Dime Library is for sole i-y all
, 665.01dAdamant, the Munotl‘inc _ .r g 1 r ' - f t b . on v
301 Moons Karl. the Detective King. : . New“ng ten, 09”“ per copy, or 59“ y m r”“
5531,? Primrose. the ’lFlowér o't theiflooh V receiptot we.le cents ouch. VBEADLE & all) :
‘1 F0“? ’W _ ' William moot. How York.

  
    

 

 

 

" Buffalo Bill Novels in lieadle’s lime WW ‘

 

 

857 Buffalo Bill's Royal Flush; or. The Pony Rider‘s
Death-Run. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

851 Buffalo Bill's Double Dilemma; or, The Great
Scout‘s Bit: Three. By Col. P. Ingraliam

845 Buffalo Bill’s Redskin Ruse; or, Texas Jack’s
Death-Shot, I By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

3'
889 The Ranch King Dead-Shot; or, Texas Jack's
Proxy. By Buffalo Bill.

880 Buffalo Bill’s Boys in Blue; or, The Brimstone
Band‘s Blot-out. By Col. P. Ingraham.

826 Buffalo Bill‘s Sharoshooters; or, The Surgeon
Scout to the Rescue. By Col. P. lngraham.

822 Buflalo Bill‘s Best Bower; or, Montehello the Gold
King. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

8% White Beaver‘s Still Hunt; or. The Miner Ma-
rauder‘s Death-Track. By Buffalo Bill.

816 Buffalo Bill's Red Trail; or. The Road-Rider
Renegades RumDown.‘ By Col. P. Ingzahum.

 

750 Buffalo Bill’s Big Four; or. Cnster’s Shadow.
By Col. Prentiss lngraham.

713 Buffalo Bill‘s Flush Hand; or, Texas Jack‘s
Bravos. liy Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

739 Buffalo Bill‘s Blind; or. The Masked Driver of
Death‘s Canyon. By Col. Prentiss Ingrahem.

735 Buffalo Bill and His Merry Men; or, The Robin
Hood Rivals. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

731 Buffalo Bill‘s Beagles; or,VSilk Lasso Sam. By
Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

7'27 Buffalo Bill’s Body Guard; or. The Still Hunt of
the Hills. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

722 Buffalo Bill on the War Path; or, Silk Lasso
Sam. the Will-o'-the-Wisp. By 00]. P. Ingraham.

716 Buffalo Bill's Scout Shadowers; or. Emerald Ed
of Devil‘s Acre. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

710 Buffalo Bill Baffled; or. The Deserter Desper-
ado's Defiance. By Col. P. Ingraham.

 

414 Red Renard, the Indian-Detective; or, The Gold
Buzzards of Colorado. By Buffalo Bill.

401 The One-Armed Pard. By Buffalo Bill.

397 The Wizard Brothers; or, White Beaver‘s Trail.
By Buffalo Bill.

394 White Beaver. the Exile of the Platte; or, A
Wronged Man’s Red Trail. By Buffalo Bill.

362 Buffalo Bill‘s Grip: or, Oath-bound to Custer.
By 00]. Prentiss Ingraham.

329 Buffalo Bill’s Pledge; or, The League of Three
By Col. P. Ingraham.

319 Wild Bill, the Whirlwind of the West.
falo Bill.

304 Texas Jack. the Prairie Rattler; or, The Queen
of the Wild Riders. By Buffalo Bill.

243 The Pilgrim Sharp; or, The Soldier‘s Sweetheart;
Bv Buflalo Bill. Government Scout and Guide.

189 Wild Bill‘s Gold Trail; or, The Desperate Dozen
By Col. P. Ingraham

By Buf-

 

 

 

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812 Buffalo Bill's Death-Knoll: or, The Red Band
Rider’l of the Rockies. By Col. P. Ingrahsm.

d0? Wild Bill. the Wild West Duelist; or. The Girl
Mascot of Moonlight Mine. By Buffalo Bill.

800 Wild Bill. the Desdi'Center Shot; or, Rio Grande
Ralph, the Cowboy Chief. By Buffalo Bill.

794 Buflalo Bill‘s Winning Hand; or. The Masked
Woman of the Colorado Canyon. By lngraham.

787 Buffalo Bill’s Dead Shot; or. The Skeleton Scout
of the Colorado. By Col. Prentiss Ingrahsm.

781 Buflalo Bill‘s Brand; or. The Brimstone Brother-
hood. By Col. Prentiss Ingrahnm.

777 Buffalo Bill‘s Spy-Shodower; or, The: Masked
Mon at Grand Canyon. By Col. P. lngrsham.

778 Buffalo Bill’s Ban: or, (Jody w the Rescue. By
Leon Lewis.

769 Male Bill's Sweepstoke; or. The Wipe-out at
Last Chance. By Col. Prentisa Ingrnhsm.

765 Bulfslo Bill’s Dozen; or, Silk Ribbon Sun. By
001. Prentiss Inga-shun.

761 Buffalo sur- Mascot: or, 11.. Death Valley
Victim No. is. 3! Col. Prentiss Inmhom.

75W Buflslo Bill's Double; or. The Desperado Detec-
tive. By Col. Prentiss luncheon.“

 

BUFFALO 311.11.

09! Buflalo Bill‘s Buckskin Brotherhood; or. Open

ing Up a Lost Trail. By Col. P. Ingrahom.
091‘ Buffalo Bill’s Blind Trail; or, The Daughter of
the Regiment. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

682 Buffalo Bill’s Secret Service Trail. By Meior
Dangerfield Burr.

667 Buffalo Bill‘s Swoop; or, the King of the Mines.
By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

658 The (‘oévboy Clan; or, The Tigress of Texas.
By Colonel Prentlu Ingrahsm.

653 The Lasso King's League; or. The Tigers 
Texan. By colonel Prentiss Ingrahom.

M9 Buck Taylor, the Saddle King. Buffalo Bill's
Chief of Scouts. By Col. P.’ Ingrahsm. _

644 Buffalo Bill's Bonanza; or, The Knights of the
Silver Cimle. _By 001. P. Inmhun. ‘

689 The Gold King; or, Moutebeilo; the Magnificent.
By Buffalo Bill. ' '

629 Buffalo Bill's Daring Role; or, Daredacth Dick
KingoftheCowboys. Byloonnewis.‘ , -
599 The Dead Shot nine: or, lily Pcrdsvof-tho Plans.

By Buffalo Bill. ‘
517 Male Bill's First Trail. By Red Buntiino.
,. .

. in Buffalo Bill's Strung Pard' or. Dash
ills. .B

» 9i: Buffalo Bill, the Buckskin King;
‘ of the West.

 

I

175 Wild Bill's Tram Card' or The Indian H
31.001. Prentiss napalm) We."

:68 Wild Bill the Pistol Dead Shot' or Dagger Don's
Dongle." By Col. Prentiss Inzrdhsin.

158 hurran Bill Coiefof Scouts' or The boom
Dozen. By r. Frank Powell..' ' -' ,
Dandy.

The Hotspur of the y Major D. .

or the Amazon
By Major Dangerfield Burr.

at Gold Bullet s n: or the Knights of the Over--
ind. .By 0 Bill: ‘

52 Death Trailer, the Chief of Sconts- or. Life and,
Love in a Frontier Fort. y Bufla 0 Bill.

LATEST AND NEW 1881138.
858 Number One, the Dead-set Detective" or, The
- ‘ High Dollar‘s Dual Game. By Dr. Noel Dunbor.
859 0th!!ku Keane's Right Bower; or. Tho-Crook
'Hypnotist's Dupe-Ploy. By Capt. H. Holmes.
8” The Spangie‘d S Sludo : Lori“ Bill It
I SwingSsnts rgflsy norm. g’Sims.
~ 'A m ism any Wednesday.
Boone’s Duno Library is tor solo by on
Wmmncwtsperoopymrscut bymoiiou
receipt of twelve cent: ouch. ; Dam a ADAMS:

_ Publisher-,HWillism  York.

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