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“SHOT WITH A ROULETTE BALL” in No. 62 NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

- e 2 ne err 3 e
Rest 5 it Library of Detective St
The Rest 5 Cent Library of Detective Stories.
Mutered According to Act of Congress, Gvthe Year i592. oy Street © Simith. in the Office of the Librarianof Congress, Washington, D.C.
Entered as Second-cliss Matter at the New Yori, N. ¥.. Post Office, August $. 1891. /ssued Weekly. Subseription Price, $2.59 per Year. October 15, 1892:

a No, 63. * Srreer & Surry, Publishers. NEW YORK. 31-Rose St., N.Y. P.O, Box 2734. 5 Gents,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HE STy

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_ OR, EXROSING .A GREAT SWINDLE.

4 q~ f \
BY THE AUTHOR OF “NICK CARTER.”

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“THERE ARE SIX ACHS IN THE PACK!” AND NICK’S

 

f

 
   

 

  

 

a NICK CARTER LIBRARY. No. 68,

 

 

 

 

‘THE SIX ACES:

OR,

‘Exposing a Great Swindle.

 

By the Author of “NICK CARTER.”

 

CHAPTER I.
CHICK IS PUZZLED—THE TWO DANVERS.

Nick Carter, with his faithful assistant, Chick, was no
board the “Cannon-ball,” the famous fast train between
Denver and Kansas City on the old K. P. road.

They were speeding eastward at the rate of fifty-five
miles an hour, and both were glad of it.

They felt that their work in the West was closed fora
time, at least, and that they would once more see dear old
New York.

But “man proposes” without regard to the disposition
that destiny will make of his time and fate.

Nick was enjoying the ride and the rest that utter free-
dom from complicating problems gave him.

He was in the smoking-room of the car, and Chick, who
was always on the move, and never could keep still long
at a time, had left him only a short time before with the
remark that he was going to make a tour iS the t Aig
see what was going on. joe is

‘Go ahead if you enjoy it, old fellow: ” said Nick light
ing a fresh cigar and leaning back lazily in his chair.

By great good luck they were the only smokers on that
ear, so they had the smoking-room to themselves.

The work which bad detained them in Denver was only
just completed.*

 

The men whom Nick had pursued so unrelentingly were

new might come up to keep him there the detective, after
complying with necessary formalities, had taken the first
train East.

‘Chick had been gone on his tour through the ‘train
nearly an hour, when he returned and seated himself fac>
«ing Nick,

‘‘Say,” he said, “do I look like a chump?”

“Eh ?” exclaimed Nick, raising his head in astonishment,
“what's the matter now, Chick; gripes?”

“Not exactly.”

“What then?”

* Well, I could swear that I saw an old friend of ours on
this train.”
(OW ho”

“ Brayton Danvers.”

“What!” ‘

6¢ Facet: 29

“My dear boy, Brayton Danvers isin prison.”

. <F kneay it.”

“Phen how could he be on this train ¢”

“Give it up, Nick.”
., “TY believe you asked me a question a moment ago,” said
~ Nick, presently.
(Ss Yes.”
“What wasit. Oh! My answer is yes.”
“Thanks.”

vt

 

ee Ge ee 0 ALIN.”
in-prison awaiting their trials, and fearful that something

 

* See Number 62 of Nick Carter Library. “Shot With a Roulette ,
Ball; or, Nick Carter Among the Gamblers.”

Both were silent for several moments.
Nick was smoking and looking out of the window;

Chick was smoking and studying his toes, ( A

“TI don’t care,” he muttered, finally. “I'll bet my hat
that I saw Brayton Danvers on this train.”
“Atit again, are you?” drawled Nick.

‘Van: bb)
“You just admitted that Danvers was in prison, didn’t
you? 979 »
ig ‘ ¥
“Was in prison—yes.” :
“Ts in prison,” ,
“No. 39
~ “Don’t, eh?”
66 No 99

'“How’d he get out?”
“ Bless’d if I know.”
“He isn’t out, Chick.”
“Oh, isn’t he?”

“He can’t be.”

“Then that settles it.” ye -

“Tt ought to.” ( :

‘*All the same, Nick, it don’t.” f i

¢é Why 9”? uy

‘“ Because Ill take my oath that one of three things is
aboard this train in the person of the man to whom I am

referring.”

"Go on.”
“It was either Brayton Danvers, his ghost, or his
double.” 4

‘Chick, I’m worried about Gu?

‘Worry away; itdon’t hurt,”

“Bray Danvers is in prison——”

“ You said that before.”

“And consequently can’t be aboard of this train. He
alive, and therefore his ghost doesn’t waik. The theor

 

  
  
   
 

 
   
 

 

 
  
  
  

   

 

about doubles is exploded, and so that is bosh. Try

“Say, Nick.”
“Well?”
“Do me a favor.”

What?” 4

“Go and look at him.”

“Thanks; but I’m much too comfortable: y

“Suppose I should be right?”

66 Well O72?

“Suppose you knew it was Danvers; what would you
do?”

“ Nothing.”

66 Eh Oe

“Oh, well, I'd wire Denver that Danvers was on the
train, but, by Jove, that’s all I would do.”

“Well, he’s here.”

‘* Bosh !”

Chick shrugged his shoulders, and a second silence en-
sued, which was finally broken by Nick.

“T say, Chick,” he said.

What 2?”

‘Go and make another investigation.”

“Humph !”

“Ask him point-blank if he is Brayton Danvers. Con-.@
found it, lad, can’t you see if Danvers got away he’d dis-
guise himself so that the devil wouldn’t know him?”

‘He'd be likely to, I should say.”

“Certainly, and the oe last thing he’d do would be t
go on one of these trains.”
“Perhaps so.”

 

  
    
     
    
   
   
   
   
    
   
 

   
   
    
  
    
 

 
 
 
 

ir

CC

ce }
tai

rex

Up:
B

  
No. 63.

NICK CARTER LIBRATY.

 

 

“Was this fellow disguised ee
“T don’t think so.”
“Did he have Danvers’ hair
tache ?”

A To a dot.” '

Nick leaned back and laughed.

“ Danvers is smart, I’1] admit,” he said, “but I don’t
believe he could grow a head of hair and a beautiful mus-
- tache in two or three days, for all that; do you?”

ee No. ”

“Well, I know positively that he was in prison three
days ago.”

“ Admitted.”

“And he had neither mustache nor hair; the first had
been shaved off, aud the second clipped as closely as clip-
pers could do it:” |

“Right.”

_ “Have a fresh cigar, Chick.

Chick shook his head moodily, rose from his chair, and
a moment later went out of the door toward the adjoin-
ing car.

He passed through that car and into the one beyond it.

There, busily engaged in reading a paper, was the man
- whose face had so mystified him.

Chick could not be criticised for the belief that he har-
bored.

The stranger was certainly enough like Brayton Dan-

\

and his beautiful mus-

vers to be he.

The same handsome face; the same exquisite mustache,
blonde in hue, and perfectly trained ;
blonde hair with its slight wave near the ends; the same
clear blue eyes and perfect teeth; the same broad shoul-
ders and deep chest; the same man.

Chick felt more certain than ever as he studied his
-man the second time.

He tried to discover that the hair was a wig, that the
mustache was false, but keen and wall trained as were his
eyes they could determine nothing of the kind.

“Tm going to speak to him anyhow,” thought the
young detective. “He'll give himself away when he
answers, if he is Danvers.”

‘The detective waited for a good opportunity.

Then pte PEs forward quickly he Dabs one -hand upon

ae Pa kion me, but isn’t this Mr. Da ”

“Yes,” was the calm reply, and the blue eyes were
raised with an inquiring’ glance to Chick’s; “you have
the advantage of me, F think.”

2 Indeed? repliedgChick, with scorn in his tones; “we
have met, I think; in Denver.”

“In Denver? : No hardly, that,’ oH

46 Why ? 90) ae ne

“ Becauge I shéuld ee PaMeAbENed you. I have been
in Denver only a very short tinie in many years.”

‘You are aioe Danvers!” said Chick, coldly ; “Tam
‘convinced of #

The stranger laughed.

“That is the second ‘time I have heard that,” he said.
“Now, sir, you must admit that Iam good natured not to
take offense, but I see that I must bear an extraordinary
resemblance to somebody.
me who this Brayton Danvers is? Here is my card.”

Chick saw the name, “Charles Danvers,” engraved

upon the card, and down in one corner was the addregs,.

“ Honolulu.” oe

‘stray ger.
the same. silken’

Will you kindly explain to.

 

“Humph!” thought Chick, and he said, aloud, “Have
you a relative by that name?”

“Not that I know of.”

‘And do you insist that you are not Brayton Danvers
yourself ?”

“T certainly do.”

“Well, sir, my experience with the world has been
quite extensive. I once knew of a case where three
women so strongly resembled each other that the authori-
ties, the doctors, and even the family lawver, were de-
ceived,* yet notwithstanding all that I think this is the
strongest resemblance I ever saw.”

“Indeed !”

“ “You said that I was No. 2 in making this same mis-
take, I believe.”

oe Yes. ”

' “Will you tell me about No. 1”

“Certainly.”

“Thanks.” :

“Tt happened on the train between Salt Lake and Den-
ver.”

“Ah t?

“T was accosted much as you approached me just now.”

“Well?”

“In that case, however, the person who addressed me
was not a gentleman.”

Chick bowed in acknowledgment of the implied compli-
ment.

“He wag & gambler, pure and simple,” epapieasd the
Aye /

He came into the car on’ his way through, and was
passing me, when he stopped very suddenly.

“ “Well!? he cried; ‘I couldn’t have found .a better
man. Hello, Danvers, how are you?’

‘‘He called my name, and so I answered, but I saw at
once that 1 did not know him.

“Then he insisted that I was Brayton Danvers.

“When I assured him that I was not he began the most
violent kind of abuse, accused me of all sorts of crimes,
and ended by calling me a jail bird. I am a_ peaceable
man, Mr.—— By the way, you haven’t told me your
name,” ,

“Carter.”
“What!
Sandwich Islands.”

“No. Iam Chickering Carter.” ,

‘‘Ah! yes. Nota detective.”

“Yes, a detective.”

“Indeed. A brother of the great and only Nick?” -

% No.”

“Um! Well, asI was saying, the fellow pers
that I was opr teed to call we porter and have hi
from the car.’

“Didn’t he tell you who Brayton Danvers

6 No. 33

“T will.”

“Thanks.”

' “Brayton Danvers was a partner of a mami

iel Derrington; they ran a gambling-house
Danvers was an ex-cracksman and all-around ¢

is at this moment—uhless, pardon niié; ‘he sits before
serving out a term in prison.” :

“Wlattering, isn’t it?”

Nick Carter? I have heard of him even in the

Q

Pa

* See Nick Carter Library No. 16.
of a Family Feud.”

‘ ‘Package 17h; on Th

 
ad | : NICK
“Perhaps so, perhaps not.”
“Has this Brayton Danvers escaped ?”
“T had not heard that he had.”
“Tnen, my dear sir, how in the world can you confound
him with me?”
“The resemblance.”
“Bosh! Excuse me, but this sort of thing is very an-
noying.”
“Naturally.”
“T have spent some years in Honolulu, and am return-
ing to New York for a vacation.”
“Ah! Would you mind giving me the address of some
people who know you, Mr. Danvers? It le hg simplify
matters very much.”

 

é

eo TT,
THE WARDEN’S MESSAGE—CHICK APOLOGIZES.

For the first time Chick saw some evidence of anger in
the ran to whom he was speaking.

“Don’t you think you are carrying this thing a little
too far, sir?” demanded the stranger, haughtily.

“T am a detective, sir. Il assisted in the arrest and con-
viction of Danvers, and I tell you plainly that I will
never lose sight of you until 1am satisfied that you are
not the convict.” .

It was a harsh thing to say, but Chick gaid it with de-
‘liberate intention.

He wanted to make the stranger angry if he could.
Angry men are always fools. ee person who loses‘ his
temper also loses his reason, ‘and becomes, th pit, it
plainly, an ass.

. “Sir,” exclaimed Denvers, “you try me too far. In-
stead of asking me for references, first ascertain if the
man for whom you mistake me has escaped.”

It was good advice. Chick knew it. But he persisted.

“In the meantime you will also escape,” he said, coldly.

‘‘Oh, this is unbearable. AmIto be annoyed in this
manner from one ocean to the other?”

“Very likely,” smiled Chick.

‘Danvers uttered an oath.

He turned his blue eyes, which now glittered with
passion, upon the detective.

“If we were anywhere but in a passenger-car, in the
presence of ladies,” he said, “by Heaven I’d throw you
out of it!”

Chick grinned.

“Don’t try it, sir,” he said.
angry. Don’t find fault with me, but with your face.
You happen to resemble a notorious criminal. You must

ke the consequences.”

Danvers shrugged his shoulders.

Vhat do you want with me?” he demanded.

ill have you arrested for blackmail.”
said Chick. “You will not give me refer-

will do nothing. @ will not talk more with you. Go,
will ring for the porter.”
“Very good,” was Chick’s reply. “I expect that we will

neet again, Mr. Danvers. Until then aw revoir.”
. :

CARTER Hl IBRARY,

“You are foolish tu get

 

No. 63.

 

With an impertinent smile upon his face Chick turned —

away, and returned to the car where Nick was still smok- ( :

ing and reading.

“ Well?” asked Nick.

Chick grunted.

“Still on the fence, lad ?” continued the detective.

66 Yes.”

“Changed your opinion any ?”

6b No.”

“Still think your man is Danvers?”

“Can’t nelp it.” —

“Gmt Well, what next?”

“T want you to go and look at him.” “

“Not I, Chicky. Do the going and the looking yourself. ee

“IT have.”

“Did you talk with him ?”

6b Yes. %

‘Ask him if he was Danvers?”

ob Yes. 9

‘What did he say ?”

“His name is Danvers.”

“Eh? Is that so?”

&e Yes. ”

6 Humph! q9)

“Took here, Nick. This fellow calls himself Charles -
Danvers; says he’s from Honolulu, but if he isn’t Bray-
ton Danvers just from prison I’1l eat him.”

“Maybe he’s tough, Chick”

“Tf he isn’t the man I think then the Almighty made
one mold for two men, and ran them into it. He’s got the
game figure, the same voice, eyes,
sion, hands, motions, and-—confound it! he’s the same
man,

“Go it, Chick. I like you when you get your dander
up a little. It makes you interesting.”

“Won't you take a look at him?”

“No, i]

“Why not?”

“I’m bound to rest on this trip. Besides, you can do as
wellasI. Fire away, lad, and let me alone.”

“All right. I?ll do it.”

“You might telegraph the prison.”

“T’m going to.”

“Tf Danvers has escaped——”

““Well ?”

“You might keep this fellow in view.
ton onto him, though, even then.”
“Why 20)

“Suppose you were Danvers.”

“Well ?”

‘And you had fist escaped from prison, %
“Um! Well?”  « a
‘“Would yousappear just as you alwas 8 Shad in pave 7
and where you were most likely to seen ard recog-
nized ?”

“Probably not.” f

“Could you raise a crop of hair and a Pet mustache in _
a few days?”

46 No. bP)

“Would you take a train on which you knew the men
whom you most feared rouls be passengers ?”

“No,” i

“Would you boldly e pall yourself Danvers and "give an
address 2?”

“Not likely.”

“You see, even if ce! Danvers has eens, the pads

I wouldn’t mut-

 

hair, mustache, expres-
No. 63.

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

 

 

are in favor of this Charles Danvers being another fellow

-eutirely.”

Chick grunted.

- “Now, lad, work the thing as you please, or let it alone.

Whatever you do don’t bother me with it, and don’t jump
onto this fellow’s neck unless you know you can choke
~him.”

‘“‘Humph !”

“Fancy arresting an innocent man, a traveler from
Honolulu, and charging him with being such a scoundrel
as Bray Danvers; why, you wouldn’t have a shred of
reputation left, and——”

‘All right, Nick ; only——”

“Well?”

~

“T am coavinced against my will, and therefore I am of.

_ the same opinion still.”

Nick laughed.

“Telegraph !” he said.

twill,”

At the next station Chick kept his word, and senta
message to the warden of the prison to which Brayton
Danvers had been committed.

He did not receive an answer until Kansas City was
reached, but there he received the following message :

“Brayton Danvers, No. 65 in the prison, was found dead
in his cell the morning of the fourteenth. Beside him was |
a vial still containing considerable prussic acid, showing |
conclusively the cause of death. His body was claimed

 

CHAPTER III.
STILL PUZZLED—THE SICK MAN,

Danvers returned the message to Chick without a word.

‘‘Rather remarkable, isn’t it?” asked the assistant de-
tective.

“Perhaps so.”

“Ts my apology accepted, sir?”

“Certainly.”

“No ill-feeling, I hope.”

“None whatever.”

“Do you continue East at once?”

“Yes; by the C. & A.”

“Ah! We will be fellow passengers.”

“Tam glad of it. I shall ask you to tell me the story of
this man whom I resemble so strangely.”

“Gladly. Our train leaves in an hour.”

They bowed, and Chick turned away and rejoined Nick,
who was having his boots blacked.

He paused near the spot, and waited for the job to be
finished.

“JT don’t care,” he muttered ; “I’m of the same opinion
still, in spite of the prussic acid and all that. .I can’t for-

and taken away for burial by friends. There was no post- get the trick that Doctor Quartz played on us once,* and

mortem examination, as cause of death was so apparent. |

‘I wouldn’t wonder if this fellow is up to the same game.

Have not yet discovered how he obtained poison, but am. How it would have simplified matcers if those confounded

investigating. Will send full particulars to your New
York address by letter. Let us know why you made in-
é quiry if reason is important.”

The message was signed by the warden of the prison.

Chick read and reread it several times until he almost
knew it by heart.

Then he went to Nick.

“T’ve heard from the warden,” he said.

“What warden ?”

“ About Danvers.”

“Oh, confound Danvers. Attend to the matter yourself,
Chick, if you want to, but heave me out of it.”

“All right.”

Chick turned away, rather indignant that Nick should
decline even to advise him.

The passengers were still leaving the train, ee among
them he espied the form of the man who called himself
Charles Danvers from Honolulu.

Chick went rapidly up to him.

“May Ihave a word with you, Mr. Danvers?” he asked.

“Ah! Well, do you wish to repeat——”

““T wish to repeat nothing. My desire is to apologize.”

“Ah! you are convinced, then ?”

‘“Bntirely.”

“T am delighted.
without the stars?”

“No; he is sport for demons now.”

oe Eh ay

“ He is dead.”

Oh! 407

“Read that.”

Chick handed out the eae. and Charles Danvers of
Honolulu took it in his hand, and read it through.

Is your man still wearing the stripes

-doctet ‘shad only held a post-mortem.

|

 

But they didn*t,
and—— I wish I could get Nick to talk with me a little
on this matter, but he won’t.

“T wonder if Danvers could have got hold of some mix-
ture that made him seem dead, have taken that, and left
a bottle half filled with prussic acid close beside him?”

Chick shook his head.

He knew that he would only be laughed at for enter-
taining such a wild theory as that, and that if he gave it
serious thought he must wait until he had something
more substantial than mere conjecture upon which to
base his conclusions before he ventured to assert them.

He was true to his word when the journey Hast was re-
commenced.

He cultivated the acquaintance of Charles Danses, and
devoted himself assiduously to entertaining that puzzling
individual.

He told him the story of the convict Brayton Danvers,
just as if was, omitting nothing.

He expatiated upon the marvelous resemblance which
the two men bore to each other, and when there was
nothing left to be said upon that topic he exerted himself
to be interesting in the way of relating anecdotes of his.
detective life until he felt certain that if Danvers was the
Danvers he had succeeded in disarming him of any sus-
picion that he still believed in the charge first made.

By a strange coincidence their tickets to New York had
been purchased all the way through by the same route, so
they were fellow-passengers the entire distance,

Daring that time it so happened that Nick did not once
catch sight of Danvers. oy

Chick thought it strange that it should happen so, ‘oe
he could see nothing in the conduct of Danvers which —

* See Nick Carter Library No. 14,

" geance.”’

 

“The Thirteen’s Oath of Ven- —
  

 

  

Once when he and Danvers were conversing together the

latter suddenly asked :
“Are you traveling alone?”

a “No,”

mie - “Ah; your wife is with you, 2 suppose.”

NO; "Nick Carter is with me.”

i Indeed ! ! The great Nick Carter ?”

“There is but one.”

“Is he ill?”

“No; why?”

‘“‘T have not seen him.”

‘‘He is at this moment in the second car in the rear.”

“H’m! Will you do me a favor?”

“What?”

‘Introduce me!”

Chick was surprised at the request, for he had not ex-

   
  
 

 

  
    
  
    
   
    
  
    
   
    
   
    
  
  
 
   
  
  
   
    
   
  
 
  
  
     
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
 
   
   
 
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
 
  
   
 
  
 

pected it.
“Certainly,” he replied. ‘‘ Will you come back with me
now ?”
“No; I would a that you would speak to him about
it first. i)
66 Why eon
“He is a celebrity in one sense. I do not wish to force
myself upon him, and perhaps he would not like——”
“Pshaw !”
. ‘““Nevertheless, ask him before you present me.”
“Very well.”

“His fame has traveled to Honolulu like that of Vidoe,
Byrnes, Lee, and others.”

ae Yes a

“Tam curious to know him—to see him. We came near
sending for him once in Honolulu, when the old king was
alive.”

“Indeed 2”

“Yes. To unravel a tangled murder. The criminal con-
fessed, however, and saved us the trouble and expense.
By the way——”

“« Welt 922.5

once—that first day out of Denver?”

“T hoped you had forgotten my foolishness of that
time.”

“Oh, I have—in the sense you mean. However, just
for fun, now that we are friends and I can appreciate how
you felt when you thought I was Brayton Danvers of ill
fame, I have made out a list of some people I know.”

“But, sir, I——”

“Pardon me. Here are two names in New York; two
in ’Frisco; two in Honolulu, and one in Chicago.”

“So I see.”

“They have all known me or of me for years. You
would do me a favor if you would communicate with
them.”

‘*But——”

“My dear sir, a man is never convinced until he hasn’t

‘a leg to stand on. I notice that you look at me sometiines
just as though you were figuring out the possibilities of
my digesting an ounce or two of prussic acid.”

Chick laughed.

“T confess—” he began.

**Don’t confess, for I know just how you feel. Com-
municate with those gentlemen, any or all of them, and
then you will have nothing to confess. Will you do this’ w

6 Yes. 99

“Thanks. What, going?”

“To ask Nick if he will let me introduce you—to bring
him here if he will come.”

“Thanks! Iam very anxious to meet him.”

Chick sought Nick, and stated the case.

“Wants to be introduced, eh?” said Nick.

ce Yes. 99

“What for?”

“Curiosity, I guess.” ~

“Give him my most profound respects, and tell him to
take a half-dollar to the Eden Musee. He can see me in
‘wax therein my most famous disguise, and so life-like
that Byrnes said ‘Hello, Nick!’ the last time he was there.

 

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

suggested that he had any desire to avoid Nick Carter.

‘Do you remember that you eee dome for references |,

 
 

No. 63,

“Tt’s like being in a dime. museum i Proxy ; : -eh,.
Chick ?”

“Will you come and be introduced ?” asked Chick. |

“Really, lad, life is too short.”

‘Will you let me bring him here?”

‘No. Great Scott! He’d haunt this ane: room ee
a ghost, and I wouldn’t have another minute’s peace all
ae way to Gotham. Let me off, Chick, there’s a Bae
a 4»)

“ Fudge !” :
xf Call 3 it anything you please, only don’t make a ‘side-
show of me,” and Nick laughed again. é
Thus it happened that Nick Carter and the man whom
Chick still suspected of being Brayton Danvers did not
meet. .
New York was reached in due time, and just before the

final conversation with Danvers.

‘Where do you stop while in the city?” asked ‘Cid

“With friends.”

“Ah! I hope we will meet again.”

“Very likely we will. I shall visit the clubs, etc.”

» Will you be in town long?”

“That is uncertain. A month perhaps—a week maybe,
possibly only a day or two. I shall do whatever fancy
dictates.” :

Then they parted.

But when they left the train Chick managed to speak to:
a boy who was shouting with all his might, “Smash yer
baggage !”

“The big fellow with the blonde mustache and the alli-
gator bag,” he said, briefly.

The boy nodded, and Chick rejoined Nick.

‘Was that Patsy ?” asked the latter.

ce Wess

‘*Humph !”

“T wired him from Chicago. an

6 Ah 1? ‘

_ “Tm going to follow this thing for a while, just ‘fur
SAog. Wieea.

‘All right, lad; I sha’n’t inter fore. :

“Thanks. I discovered that fact some time ago.”

The detectives were soon at home and i e and so
three days passed.

Every afternoon about four Chick took a walk in Madi- ©
son square, and he always met a person with whom he
conversed for a few moments,

Sometimes it was a ragged boy ; sometimes it was a
flower giil; sometimes it was a little old man, but it was
always Patsy.

The third day their convesation was as follows :

“Well, Patsy?”

2s Nothing new except——

“Except what?”

‘“A stranger called on him last night.”

““A stranger, eh? Man?”

GC Yes. 2

‘Describe him.”

“Big fellow, very dark, full beard trimmed toa point, is
or has been sick, came and went in @ carriage; woman in
carriage who waited there till he came out. *
$e Humph 1”?

‘Any orders, sir?”
“Yes. Keep watch.
tag him.”

Oy. K. bP)

+ Vouw get. a bite by and by, my bess if you stick.”
‘*Maybe so.’

39

If you see the sick fellow again
‘

 

CHAPTER IV.
AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR—A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
That same evening Nick Carter and his assistant were
seated in the study when a caller was annonuced. y
There was no card sent up, the word being that a lady .
wished to see Mr. Carter.
“Go back and tell her to send up her name if she wants .
to see me,” said Nick to the servant.
Five minutes later the servant returned. —

 

   
 

It is true that I don’t use that rig much now, but,
then——”
Nick paused, threw back his head, and laughed heartily.

 

 

“The lady says that 1am to tell you that her name is»
‘Juanita, and that she last saw you in LeExer, ” was the
ee

      
 

train ran in at the depot in Jersey City Chick held os a

 

 

  

 
 

No. 63.

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

 

 

_ By 0 ove !” OP eesinet Nick, springing to his feet. “It’s
Juanita sure enough.”

“Probably it is,” remarked Chick, dryly, ‘‘gince that i is
the name she gives.”

“Well, come on, Chick; we’ll go down.”

“She sent for you, not me. 2

“Well, you’re in it; come.”

They descended together to the reception-room, and
there, sure enough, sat Juanita Derrington, as beautiful
as ever, were it not for the scar upon her forehead where
the bullet had left its mark. *

“This is decidedly an unexpected pleasure,” said Nick,
as they entered.

She rose as Nick came toward her, and pretended not
to see the hand which he extended in greeting.

The detective became cold and business-like at once.

‘*What can I do for you?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“Pardon me; then why did you call ?”

“Because I considered it my duty.”

“Yes? How so?”

“To tell you something that you ought to know.”

“That is kind of you. What is it?”

“Brayton Danvers has escaped from prison.”

6c Ah 1?

Nick looked at Chick. Chick grinned and looked at
Nick.

“When?” asked the latter.

On the 14th.”
Re Oh How (hey

“He pretended to take poison.”

‘*Do you mean to say that he could pretend death also ?”

‘He managed to do so.”

(73 How es

“ By swallowing a drug of some kind which produced
the semblance of death.”

‘I have read about such things, Mrs. Derrington.”

 

“Did you never know of such a case?”

es once.

“Well, I only know that he did it.
the drug I do not know.” -

“Nor what it was?”

SONG: 9

‘Where does it come from ?”

‘*‘T have been told that it is an East eae preparation.
Further than that I know nothing.”

“Why, when he seemed dead, was’a post-mortem exam-
ination not held ?”

“Because he prepared for that.”

“Indeed 2”

“By leaving a vial half filled with prussic acid beside
him he gave the impression that he had used it to ac-
complish death.”

“ Humph !”

“His body was claimed at once, and he was resusci-
tated.”

“And then——”

“Why, then he came here.
with you all the way from Denver.
pletely. I have heard him say so.”

“You are, then, in communication with him ?”

“ce No. 99

66 But

‘He does not. know that I am alive.”

“Indeed! Where is Dan Derrington, your husband ?”

“Did you not see him when he fell in the gambling-
room in Jimtown ?”

66 Yes. ”

‘““Then why ask where——

“Bosh !” interrupted Chick. “I know that Dan Derring-
ton is alive and in New York. I know that he has been to
see Danvers, and I know that you, madam, waited outside
in the carriage while he made the call.”

‘Indeed !” said Juanita, rising, “if I had known that
you were so well informed I need not have called.”

“Why did you call at all?” asked Nick.

“ Because I felt it to be my duty. I owed you a service,
and I have performed it. Weare quits now.”

Very soe Will yon teli me ee of Derring-

}
tow he procured |

He was on the same train
He fooled you com-

Ph

“T have ee to tell.” —

“Is that all you have to say ?”

ce Yes, 99

She turned quickly, and glided through the door.

“Follow her, Chick,” said the detective, and Chick
obeyed.

Ten minutes later Nick Carter also left the house. _

He took his way directly to a telegraph office, and the
information he had obtained was soon on its way to the
authorities in Denver.

In a few hours the word came back:

‘Find him, arrest him, and bring him here.

us to open his grave.
doubt that you are right.

Your assistant advised
Jt was done to-day. Body not there. No
See letter of even date.”

Nick turned away from the telegraph office and started
homeward.

He had gone but a short distance when he was accosted
by a child.

“Ob, sir!” she exclaimed, “come quick, sir.
killing her !”

“ Killing who?” demanded Nick.

“The lady—the good lady. Come; I beg you come, sir !”

Nick followed the child, who ran on before him with
frightened steps.

They were in Eleventh street, and presently the child
turned into the area of a pretentious looking house.

“In there, sir,” cried the child, pointing her finger
toward the basement windows. “ She has been kind te
me. Iwas with her when the man seized her; I ran;
you were the first one I met. J——”

“Hush !”

Nick listened with his face close to the window.

Ina moment he heard groans, and he knew that the
child had not deceived him.

He rapped upon the panels of the door beneath the
stoop.

There was no answer, only a louder groan.

He hesitated no longer,
eoainst the door he burst it open, and entered.

“The hall and the room with which it connected were
dark, but in an instant he struck a light, and applied it to
the gas jet.

Then he passed into the room and lighted the gas there
also.

The groans came from beneath the table.

He could see the skirt of a woman’s dress, where it half
concealed her feet, and with a quick motion he seized the
table, and drew it aside.

Then he uttered an exclamation of mangled sorrow and
anger.

It was Juanita Derrington who was stretched upon the
floor before him.

She was groaning faintly, but she opened her eyes as
Nick bent over her, and she knew him at once.

“Poor girl!” he said ; “are you badly hurt?”

“T am dying,” she whispered. “Danvers shot me. . Oh,
Heaven! if only I can live long enough to tell you all.”

Nick made a motion to lift her into a more comfortable
position, but she whispered, quickly :

“Don’t move me. It would kill me. Put your ear close
to my lips, and listen. Iam dying. You cannot save me,
so do not try.”

Nick obeyed her.

“They followed me when I went out to-night,” she con-
tinued ; “both of them: They watched. They knew where
T went. They knew I had betrayed them. They thought
I told you much more than I did.”

- he paused a moment, and then went on:

“They were here together when I returned. The child
came with me. She was hungry.

* Danvers put her out. Then he accused me of betrays ee
ing him.” :

“What did Derrington do?”

“He is too ill and weak to do anything. He has bedoue
a puppet in Danvers’ hands.”
“Indeed! The tables have turned.”

“Yes.

The master has become the man and the mar_

the master.”
She was growing weaker.

 

ton. Ye

-* See Nick Carter Liipery No. €2.

ase

“‘ Shot With a Roulette Ball.”

ae

Nick could only hear what she said by keeping be ear
close tocher lips and holding his breath while she spoke.

 

They are Ce

but bracing his shoulders ~~~
   
   
  
  

 
   

  
  
 

  

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

  

No. 63. a

 

 

: “ The voniette ball with which 1 shot Dan did not kill

him. I supposed him dead, and in the confusion of that
time when the fight took place in the gambling-room in
_ Jimtown* I hired some men to carry his body away.

“He was not dead, and { nursed him. He promised to
be a better man in the future, ard I believed him. We
- eame here, but all the while he was aiding in the plot to
. liberate Brayton Danvers from prison, and I did not know

it. 1

“What are they plotting?” asked Nick, who realized
that she could not talk much more, and who feared that
she would die before she had told him what he most
wished to know.

“The same old schemes,” she whispered so faintly that
he scarcely caught the words.

“But what?”

“Swindling—swindling always. Robbery, thievery,
and——”

“Yes, [ know. But how?”

“With cards—always—with cards. The—shoemaker—
sticks—to his—last. The gambler—to—his cards.”

“Tell me how and where?” pleaded Nick.

She did not answer.

Her eyes looked up at him, her lips moved, but gave
forth no sound, and then——

Nick sent the child who waited outside for a policeman,
but when, twenty minutes later, the officer came he
found that the child had deceived him.

There was no dead body there; no man waiting to tell
him all about it.

Looking closer, however, he found that there was blood
upon the carpet. But that was all.

Both Nick Carter and the body of the mur ndcred woman
had mysteriously disappeared.

 

CHAPTER V.”

TH WO TANS tae De Mir PASSENGER,

It will be remembered that shortly after Wuaniie Der-
rington left the detective’s house, Chick went out also,
for the purpose of following her.

For the first time in his life, the young assistant dis-
obeyed an order.

Nick had said to him: “Follow her,” and he meant to
do so; but an unlooked-for incident took his attention
away, and so he lost the trail.

They had not gone very far, when Chick saw the man
whom he believed to be Dan Der rington.

He was standing near a carriage, evidently waiting for
somebody, and Chick, who felt that he was following
Juanita solely for the purpose of getting upon the track

of this very man and his partner, Danvers, dropped off
' the trail he was pursuing and devoted his attention to the
new find.

“She has given me the scent quicker than I thought,”
he muttered.

Then he glided into an area-way and waited.

Derrington, for it was he, seemed in no hurry to move.

He remained upon the curbstone near the carriage,
engaged in smoking:’a cigar and pacing up and down
restlessly.

Minutes flew by, and Chick remained in his place of
eoncealment waiting for the man whose movements he
was watching to take the initiative.

Juanita had in the meantime disappeared utterly.

Suddenly, while Chick was watching, a second carriage
drove up to the first one, and the gambler passed around
between them where they stood side by side, close to the
eurb.

There was a moment’s delay, and then with a sudden
start, both carriages drove off.

Ohick had seen no one except Derrington and. the
drivers of the two vehicles.

His point of observation was too distant to see clearly,
but he judged that Derrington had been waiting for some-
- body—probably Danvers—who was in the second car-

riage.
Chick did not see which vehicle Derrington entered,

 

* See Number 62 of Nick Carter Library.

 

but he judged that he had made use of the one that had me

been waiting with him; and, having selected his prey,
the young assistant was bound to stick to it.

When the carriages started away so suddenly, they
went in opposite directions, and Chick, without a mo-
ment’s hesitation, started in pursuit of the one that he
had reason to believe contained Derrington.

The chase was long and arduous.

The carriage drove rapidly, presently urns -into-
Madison avenue, and taxing the endurance of the young
detective to the utmost by its rapid flight northward.

But Chick settled himself to the task, and followed with
that dogged determination which was an essential part of
his character.

Up Madison avenue to Forty-eighth street, through the

_l|latter thoroughfare to Fifth avenue, and thence to the

entrance of Central Park the vehicle went, never once
stopping or slacking its pace.

On past the entrance into the park and along the wind-
ing drive-way without abating its speed.

Chick, however, now saw an opportunity for taking
things a little easier.

The moment the shadows of the park were reacted, he
put on a “spurt,” and closed in with the carriage.

In another moment he was clinging to the rear, and al-
though in an uncomfortable position, it was much better
than running.

On, on went the carriage, nearly to the extremity of-the
park.

Then it turned, and without stopping swept back again
toward Fifty-ninth street, and in due time was once more
upon Fifth avenue, going south.

“Humph !” thought Chick; “this is a queer move.
wonder if those chaps played it on me, after all?”

Presently, fearing that he would be seen clinging to the
carriage, he dropped off and again pursued the chase on
foot.

Fortunately, he had not far to go.

The e: arriage turned westward at Fifty-second street,
Cr ossed Sixth avenue, and presently drove up to a stable-
door.

“By Jove! Buncoed!” exclaimed Chick.

He had never felt more chagrined in his life.

Instantly he saw just how the shrewd game had been
played, and how easily he had been fooled.

Derrington had taken the other carriage in company
with the man or woman for whom he was waiting, and
had paid the driver of the empty carriage to take the long
and useless trip.

But why ?

That puzzled Chick more than anything else.

Why should all these precautions have been taken at
just that moment?

Danvers had made no attempt at concealment since his
arrival in New York; and Derrington—well, Derrington
had no reason to suppose that his existence was sus-
pected.

Chick did not, however, pause to discuss theories with
himself, then.

He stepped hastily forward, and confronted the driver,
just as the stable-door was opened to admit the horses.

“Driver !” he said, sharply.

“Hello! What d’ye want?”

Chick threw back his coat and showed his badge, and
the driver started back with a sudden and sharp exclama-
tion :

‘“A cop!” he muttered.

“Yes, a cop ”

“Well, what d’ye want?”

“That depends. I may want you.”

I

“What for? Iain’t done nothin’.”
“Oh, haven't you ?”
ct No. 7

‘Where is your passenger ?”

‘What passenger ?”

“The one who was walking on the curb smoking, while
you waited for him in Thirteenth street.”

The driver grinned, even though he was frightened.

“T left him there,” he said.

“T know that; but where have you been since?” .

 

“Oh, jest fur a little drive.”

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

  

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

 

_ “Through Central Park, eh? You have mixed yourselt |
- up in a nice megs, you have.”
“Hh? What? Hew so?” -
“That fellow is badly ‘wanted,’ and you have aided
him to escape.”
_ “T didn’t, so help me!”
“Tt looked very much like it.”
os Well, I didn’t.”
_ “Tell me all about it, driver. If your po is straight,
_ TU let you down easy, ‘put—welly go on.’
‘*What do you want to know ?”
‘‘Who was your fare ?”
‘ Blowed ’f I know!”
“Where did you pick him up ?”
“Union square. That’s where I stand.”
“What time was it? I mean how long ago?”
* Well, allowing an hour and a quarter for the drive in

© the park, I should figure it just three hours.”

“Did you ever see him before ?”

“ Never.”

“ Why were you standing in Thirteenth street ?”

“Blessed ’f I know. Hetold me to take him to that
number, and I did. When we got there, he got out, and
instead of going into the house, he began walking up and
down and smoking. That’s all I know about it.”

‘‘Why did you take that useless drive ?”

“TH tell you. When his nibs hired me, says he:

“much an hour, driver?’ I told him, an’ then says he:

take you for three hours and pay youin advance
do exactly as I say.’

‘How
ae

‘Of course I will,’ Says al and [

did. ITain’t mixed up in nothin’, Cully, an’ don’ t you
» forgit it.”

“You drove dir ectly to Thirteenth street?”
(34 Yes. bb)
“ And stopped at that number ?”
ce Yes. 9

“He got out at once did he?”
6 Yes. sas
“Did he say anything to you?”

af Ves.”
ee W hat ? 97)

“He said another hack would be along purty soon.”

“Well, what else?”

“He said that he might decide to take aridein the
other one instead of mine. Then he handed me another
dollar, an’ says he: ‘Whether I get into your carriage or
not youare to drive through Central Park and back
again to your stable when I give the word to go.’ ”

ce Ah He.

“Well, bimeby I heard the word. My door slammed,
and I drove off. I didn’t know whether I had a passenger
or not when you came up, and to tell the truth, I don’t
know now.”

Chick smiled.

“Is it likely that our man would sit there Wee listen

a calmly to all this talk about him?”

“ Not very.’

“Perhaps you’d better look and see. He may be there
yet. He was quite a sickly chap, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. Jest stand aside an’ let me lead the hosses into
the stable. Then, for fun, I will look inside.”

Chick acquiesced. The horses were led into the stable, |

where two lanterns hung suspended from the ceiling.
. The driver took one of them down, and went to the
 earriage door.

_. He threw it open, and pushed the lantern inside in
order to see the more plainly.

Then, with one loud yell of terror, he leaped back

a again, dropped the lantern to the floor, and stood with

quaking knees and bulging eyes staring ‘through the open
door of the hack.

Chick bounded forward.

He seized the lantern, which had not been extinguished,
and raising it, thrust it inside the hack.

There, partly upon the floor. and partly upon the rear |

| seat was the dead body of a woman.
Ay, and one whom he knew.

, if you'll |.

watching Derrington, had been foully murdered, and he
had unwittingly followed her posy many miles.

CHAPTER VI.
THE NIGHT’S MYSTERY—HIDDEN CLEWS. °

Never, in all Chick’s experience, had he faced such a

perplexing problem as then.

Let the reader go back over the incidents for a moment,
and endéavor to appreciate his feelings.

A lady called atthe house to see Nick Carter: she
proved to be an old acquaintance who had come to give
the detective valuable information.

The information given proved that a theory long held
by Chick had been correct.

When she left the house the assistant, acting upon the
advice of his superior, followed her, but presently came
upon one of the men, to find whom he was following the
woman.

She did not seem to see Derrington, but walked rapidly
on,

Chick, believing that the man would prove the more
valuable of the two, to watch, abandened pursuit of the
woman, and watched the man.

He saw Juanita disappear down the avenue toward
Twelfth street, and he let her go, believing that he was
pursuing the wisest course in watching the gambler.

There was a carriage standing near the spot as if wait-
ing for Derrington to finish his smoke.

Presently a second carriage drove up, and paused close
beside the first.

A moment or two later they both departed, taking op-
posite courses, and Chick having reason to believe that
Derrington was still a passenger in the vehicle that had
been waiting for him followed it.

A long and useless drive through Central Park ensued,
‘and thien the hack drove to the stable.

The door was opened, and there, inside the hack, dead
and cold, murdered, was found the very woman whom
two hours before the detective had been shadowing.

It seemed incredible.

With the fact before his eyes, it was hard for Chick to
believe it.

Yet there was no such thing as controverting it.

Juanita Derringon was dead, and Dan Derrington, who
must have had some hand in her death, but who could not
have done the deed himself, had mysteriously but effect-
ually disappeared.

The driver, on discovering that he had had a dead -
woman for a passenger, was nearly crazed with fear and
horror.

Chick questioned him further, but found that the man

| had already told him all he knew, and that no amount of

questioning could elicit any further information.

There was but one thing for them to do, and Chick at.
tended to that at once.

He ordered the driver to get back upon his box, and to
drive at once to the police-station.

The detective mounted beside the driver, and the sta-
tion-house was soon reached.

There the story was told as briefly as possible and the
driver, who was more unfortunate than criminal, allowed
to depart on his own recognizance.

But Chick spent along time with the captain of hie
precinct.

He told him everything he knew noperding the case
from start to finish.

The fact seemed evident that Danvers and Derr ington
were responsible for the murder, but the very skill with
which they had gone about the disposal of the body left |
little room for belief that they would be easily appre-
hended.

The precinct in which the transfer of the body from one
carriage to another had taken place was communicated
with, but nothing was known there.

The officer, who had been called by the little girl at

 

With a cry of surprise, he recognized the features.

Juanita Derrington, or all that remained of her, was
before him.

ee vary. woman whom ha had followed troiti we detec-

Nick’s request, was not yet off duty and had therefore
not reported the circumstance.

In fact, he did not consider it of sufficient importance
for a special report.

   

      
 

tive’s house; whom he had allowed to go for the sake of

      
   
  
  
   
    

 
      
     
    
      
    

Se

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

 

 

He looked upon the incident as largely i in the imagina-
tion of the girl who had sought him.
He believed there had been a row of some kind, that the

child had got frightened, and—well, there are so many

occurrences of the kind in the life of a policemen that he
learns to regard them with complacence.

The precinct detective was sent at once to the house
where Danvers had been staying ever since his arrival in
New York, with instructions to arrest him and bring him
to the station-house.

He returned with the report that Mr. Charles Danvers
had left town that evening by an early train, and that his
destination was Chicago.

‘Bosh !” said Chick. (

‘Eh?’ asked the captain.

“He hasn’t gone to Chicago any more than I have,”
continued the young detective.

“Do you think he is still in New York?”

‘Sure !”

- “T wish your chief was here for afew moments, ” said
the captain after a pause.

“Who? Nick?”

et Yes. 99

“Send for him.”

“Will he come ?”

“You bet!”

An officer was dispatched.

He was gone an hour, and then returned.

“Mr, Carter went out soon after you did,” he said to
Chick, “and he has not returned.”

“Did you leave word for him?” asked the captain.

h Yes, Sit.”

“Then he’ll be in before morning.”

“Without doubt,” commented Chick.
time, Pll get a move on me.”

“Where to?”

“Well, we both forgot one important fact, cap.”

SOW. hati igi P 4

“We let our driver go a liltle too soon.’ ee

be Why so 2 97?

“The driver of that other hack could give us some in-
formation, if we could find him.”

“That’s so.”

“Tt is possible that this driver knew him.”

“By Jove! What idiots not to have thought of that
before.”

“Or,” continued Chick, “if he did not know him, he
may have recognized the hack, have seen the number on
it, or something of the kind.” ”

c T’ll send for him at once.’

“No; let me go to him.”

“All right. Will you let me know as soon as you learn
anything ?”

“Sure !”

Chick took his departure.

He hurried back to the stable, where he knew the driver
slept, and soon roused him.

His name was Morris Clove, but he belied his name, for
he was by no means smart.

Clove looked frightened when he saw Chick back again.

He had been fortifying his courage with several drinks
since he left the police-station, but he was by no means
intoxicated, although voluble.

“T want you to answera few questions, Clove,” said
Chick.

66 Yes, sir. +9

“When you were standing on Thirteenth street and the
second hack drove up, did you notice it particularly ?”

“Yes, sir.”

‘What was its number ?”

“Tt didn’t have any.”

“ Are you sure? ee

‘*Positive.” :

“Did you know the driver?”

RecN 27

“ Bver see him before ?”

“Never.”

“Be positive, now.”

“Lam ms

“Would ycu know him, if you should see him again?”

‘“T would.”

“In the mean-

 

(33 Why ? 90)

“Cos I got a good look at his phiz.
him, but he wouldn’t say nothin” only yes an’ no.”

“What did you say to him?”

“T asked him one or two questions—enough to know

that he was a greenhorn.”
“You mean not a ee driver ?”
oC Yes. 9
“What was your impression of the hack?”
‘“T thought it was private.”

“Oh! Was there anything about it by which you would —

recognize it, if you should see it adage

“T don’t think go.”

“Suppose it should drive in here now ; do you think you
would know it?”

“T might and I might not.”

“Well, I want you to try to find that hack and the
driver who had charge of it.”

Yes: ein”

“Will you try ?”

“Yes, gir.”

“Commence now. Hire somebody to run your concern
for you. I will see that. you lose nothing by it,”

Oo Ka Sins

“The minute you find out anything, go to the captain of
the precinct and report.”

“Yes, sir.”

‘Report there every night at six o’clock, anvhow.”

““Yes, sir.”

“Now work. You have got yourself into a hole, and
this is the best way for you to get out of it,”

“All right, sir, Ill try.”

‘Good! Do so.”

Chick left the stable and hurried home.

It was then nearly three o’clock in the morning, and he
confidently expected to find that Nick had returned.

He was disappointed, however.

Nick had not been back since he went out early in thie

‘'evening, and he had said no word to anybody as to where —

he was going.

But if Nick was not there, Patsy was.

The servant told Chick that the boy was in bed and
asleep, and greatly surprised that he should have lett, his
duty, Chick went to his room and woke him.

_ CHAPTER VIL.
PATSY’S WATERLOO-——THE DISAPPEARANCE OF NICK.

Patsy sprang up quickly when Chick spoke to him.

* What does this mean, Patsy?” he asked. “Why have
you left your duty ?”

“Because there wasn’t any duty left for me to do.”

“What do you mean?”

‘“The cove plaved me.

‘Played you!”

66 Yes. 9

ce How on?

“Made a chump of me.”

“Explain.”

“Well, there ain’t much to explain.
walk away from me, that’s all.
more, and I’m going to quit.” ~

“Quit what?”

“Quit work.”

‘nh oe

“What good am Ito youor to Nick Carter, if I leta
cuss like that feller walk off before my eyes, hey ?”

“Ts that what you did 2”

‘Precisely that.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, just about dark, he came out and took a car-
riage that was waiting for hie at the door.”

“H’m! Well?”

“He drove to half a dozen stores on Sixth avenue, and
I hung to him.”
~ “Good! Goon.’

 

ITain’t any good any

“Tn each place ue bought something, Shirts, oe

and all that ; see?”
ce Yes. ”
“He made so many calls of that kind that I got tired of

‘tried to talk with

I just let him |

following him into places, and so I began to wait outside.” |

       
 
       
     
     
      
 
 
   
     
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
 
  
  
 
    
  
  
  
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
  
 

 

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NICK CARTER MIBRARY = AY

 

 

 

“Ah! Well?”
“Bimeby he went to Delmonico’s for supper, I thought.”
‘Very likely.”
“ He left his bundles in the carriage, and went in. I
waited outside.”
“Of course.’
“That was at seven o'clock.”
“Yes? Well?”
“T waited three hours, and so did the hack.”
66 Ah! 1?
“Then I went in and took a squint around. »
“ And didn’t find him, eh?”
“Hind him? No.”
“Well 2”
_ “He has been there two or three times before since I’ve
- been keeping company with him, you know.”
“Ves, ”
“T reckoned somebody would know him.”
oe Ri ght! q??
“Well, [ inquired around and I found the waiter who
had always attended him.”
“Good !”

“He remembered him because he has always been so}

liberal; see? 2”
nm Yes.”
“Well, Danvers—confound him—had just walked in,
found his waiter, asked him a question or two, given him
a fiver, and then walked out of the Wifth avenue door;
see ?”

“Plainly»’

“The cuss had three hours start of me.”

C6 Sure ! 40)

“JT was mad enough to shoot.”

“Naturally, Patsy.”

“‘T went back and bored the driver of the carriage.”

“Was he still waiting?”

“Yes, and is yet, I guess.”

Chick laughed.

“Well?” he said.

“The driver didn’t know anything, except that he nasa
been told to wait.”

“Well? What next?”
“T went back to the house.”
66 Ah {2

“And I went plum’ up to the door, rang the bell, and
asked for him. What do you think they told me?”
“That he had gone to Chicago ?”
“Wh? How in blazes did you know that?”
“T have sent for him since.”
“Well, he’s gone.”
“Sure !”
“And I’m a fool.” =
“Not quite, Patsy.”
‘He played me for one, anyhow.”
‘Phat’s right.”
“ Confound him.”
“Patsy, he was onto you. He has probably known for
some time that you were following him.”
“Think so?”
“ Without doubt.”
“Confound him !”

“That shopping was alla blind. He did it just to throw!-

you off the track, and, when he outwitted you to-night,
he went straightway and committed a murder.”

“WHAT !”

tact

“And to think——”

‘‘Never mind. You’re not to blame.”

“Yes, Iam; but I’ll get even.”

“Tnat’s the way to talk.”

Pi find him, if I live.”

“ Patsy, Danvers and Derrington have been getting
ready for to-night for some time. They laid their plans
well, and they were ready for everything when the hour
came.’

‘*Tt looks so.”

“Ttis so.”

“T’ll go to Chicago—-—”

“You might as well go to grass.”

‘OM 2”

“Your man has not left New York.”

   

 

“Think not?”
“I’m certain of it.”

“Then where is he?”

‘“He’s hiding somewhere—not in a garret or a cellar—
not in a closet or an upturned tub, but in broad daylight

jand before the eyes of everybody.”

“T wish I caught on—but I don’t.”

“T know the man well, Patsy.”

“Um! 9

“He’s bold and daring; he adopts the course which
seems the least likely, every time, and unless I am greatly
mistaken, he’ll continue to dine at Delmonico’s.”

Patsy shook his head.

‘*T don’t think so,” he said.

‘Well, you can work in your own way, boy. The fel-
low is wanted badly now. We don’t guess who he is any
more; we know.”

“Do, eh?”

“Yes; and in addition to his other crimes, he has com-
mitted a murder within the last few hours.”

‘“He’s a terror. Who'd he kill.”

‘ Derrington’s wife.”

“What? His pard’s?”

NV 65.)

How 2”

“He shot her.”

s By thunder! What was Derrington doing all the
time ?”

Helping him.”

‘What a precious pair of scoundrels they are.”

‘“‘T should say so.’

‘““Where’s the boss ?”

“T don’t know.”

“Does he know about all this?”

‘“T don’t know. He went out shortly after I did. He has
not returned.”

“Say, Chicld don’t you think after to-night that I ought
to quit trying to be a SEROC MO! S assistant?”

“By no means.’

“But I’m such a pane to let that fellow get away from
me.’

“Never mind, Patsy.
than you did.”

ce You 12

66 Yes. ”

“How 2”

“The murderer, with the body of his victim in his pos-
session, and in company with his accomplice, fell into my
clutches. last night, and i didn’ tknow it until they had
stepped out again and gone.’

“Say, those fellows are smart, aren’t they ”

“They are.”

‘Your story makes me feel] better, though, Chick.”

(74 Why pe)

“Well, it proves that I’m not the only fool in the world.
No offense, you know.”

Chick laughed.

“Go to sleep now, Patsy,” he said.
more to do until we get some orders.”
“From the boss?”
a6 Yes. 39
Patsy turned over, and quickly dropped off to sleep.
Chick descended to his room, but he did not retire.

He was too greatly puzzled by the events of the night.
The hours crept past and daylight came.

The breakfast hour arrived, and still Nick Carter did
not appear.

The forenoon wore away, and no word or sign came
from the detective to relieve the anxiety that Chick be-
gan to feel.

It was not like Nick to go off like that, and to send no ©
message.

The young assistant began to fear that something had
happened.

Twice during the day, the captain of the precinct where
the body of Juanita had been taken, sent for Nick, and
both times the word that he had not yet come in had to be
returned.
Evening came, and the captain sent for Chick.

The assistant hastened to the station-house, and found

I made even a bigger blunder

‘‘There’s nothing

 

 

the captain waiting for him in his private office.

  
    

    
 
   
 
   
  

     

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

 

 

 

 

“Well, where is Nick?” ie asked, but the serious ex-
pression of his face belied. the tones he used.

‘Not showed up yet,” replied Chick.

‘Have you any idea where he is?”

46 No. 9

“Well, Chick, I have picked up a bit» of information
that makes me think that something may have happened
to him,”

“What?”

“An officer of the ——th precinct was accosted by a
little girl last night. She told him that a woman ae
been hurtin a house in Eleventh street between Third
avenue and Fourth.”

66 Ah 12?

“She said there was a man with the woman, and that
the man had seiit her for a policeman.”

“Well?” —

“The officer went to the house, but there was neither a
man nora woman there. In fact, there wasn’t a soul in
the house.”

“Humph !”

“There was blood upon the carpet under the dining-
table in the basement, where the child said the injured
woman and the man had been.

“The officer thought the whole thing was a hoax, but
the child sticks to her story. I have talked with her, and
_ I think she tells the truth.”

 

CHAPTER VIII.
CONJECTURES AND THEORIES—BROUGHT TO A STAND-STILL.

Chick was very thoughtful.

“Well, what do you make of it?” he asked the captain.

“IT have made out enough to feel certain that the in-
jured woman of the house in Eleventh strest and the one
wuose corpse you brought here are the same. iH

“You have 2”
“Veg ? f i : \
66 How ? 9”) dd

“The house was hired furnished only a short time ago

by alady. I have had the agent view the body, and he
says it is the same.”
66 Ah ay

“You gave her name as Juanita Derrington.”

oe Yes. Dp)

“She gave it as Mrs. Darrel. There is no doubt that
the woman whose body you found in the hack was mur-
dered in the basement of the Eleventh street house.”

“No doubt at all.”

“The only question is, was it Nick Carter who was with
her when the child went to find the policeman ?”

“Can the child describe the man?”

“No, she remembers nothing about how he looked.”

“Too bad.”

‘“T am inclined to think it was Nick.”

Why 9”

“Hor no particular reason.
my head, though.”

“What is the child’s story ?”

“It’s rather disjointed. She washungry. The lady was
going to give her something to eat. A very big man sud-
denly appeared, and seized her—Mrs. Derrington or Dar-
rel—by the throat. The child screamed, and ran away.
She met aman upon the street. He was not very big.
She told him that the lady was being killed. He went
with her to the Shouse. The basement-door was. locked.
He burst it open, and went in. The child remained out-
side. He was gone a long time, she says. Then he came
out, and told he to get a policeman. She did so. The
policeman went there, and found nothing.”

“How long was it from the time when He child was
sent for the officer until he got there?”

“T have figured it the best I can.”

ce Well? 9”)

“She says she ran all the way.’

ra Yes. 99

“ Judging from the distance she ran, and the speed at
which she must have gone, together with the time it took
her to guide the officer back to the house, say fifteen
minutes.”

“ Humph !”

I can’t get the idea out of

“Well 2”

“An awful lot can happen in fifteen minutes.”
‘*That’s so.”

Chick was thoughtful for a moment.

“Tt might have been Nick,” he said.

“T think so.”

utes.”

SVaad: 2

“Probably he went to the telegraph office.
easily find that out, if he got there.”

6 Sure! 4?

“The route would take him just where tas kid was
most likely to find him—just where she did find some-
body.”

66 Yes. 9

“Nick would go with her instantly.”

“You bet he would.”

zen, I mean—would, upon finding the door locked, have
run for an officer.”

*‘That’s so.”

“He would not dare break through a door.”

6c Yes. 9

‘On the other hand, that would be the very first: thing
that Nick would do, if he thought he was needed inside.”

“It was Nick, depend upon it.”

‘IT begin to think so. Now, let’s figure on what oc-
curred.”

“Very good !”

“When the kid ran out screaming, the man could not
stop her. He finished his work, however, and then fled.”

“Probably.”

“But he didn’t gofar. Dll stake my reputation that
Danvers was, the man. I know him. He would wait
around to see what happened.”

“Yes, perhaps.”

the mana as Niek Carter.
him.”

“T see.”

“The kid, standing near the door, wasa guard, how-
ever, and he watched and waited.

“Nobody else came, unless it was the very hack in
which the body was taken from the house. If that came,
he intercepted it.”

* Sure !”

“He saw Nick come out, and send the child away.
Then he crept to the door. He shot or sand-bagged Nick
from behind, called the hack, and with the driver’s help
put both bodies into it. Then they drove away to the spot
where Derrington was waiting.

“When the hacks came together, the body of the
woman was putin the one that I followed, and Derring-
ton and Danvers got into the other with N ick,

couldn’t know. It’s awful! Awful!”

“Too bad, Chick.”

“There is just one grain of comfort in the whole thing.”

“'What’s that?”

“Nick Carter was not dead.”

“Eh? How do you know that?”

“Because if he had been, they would have put both
bodies in the other hack.”

‘‘That’s so, by Jove!”

“Sure! Nick was alive, then; but——”

“Well?”

“He was wounded ; he must have been.” —

cow hy ee

“Great Scott! Did you ever see any two men, big
or little, who could put Nick Carter into a hack and
carry him off, unless he was insensible?”

“No, I didn’t.” “

“Then no one man could do it, for sure.”

| Right. 99

* And Nick wouldn’t be standing suill for Danvers | to

chloroform him, either.”

“ Not likely.”

“He was wounded. Danvers crept upon hirn from be-
hind. He used a club, a sand- bas, s a knife, ora gun. You
/can bet on that.

 

‘‘He left home a few moments after I did—say ten min-

We can

‘““There’s another point, cap. The average man—citi-

‘He saw the kid come back witha man. He recognized
He hates Nick, and he laid for

 

 

‘Heavens, captain! To think that I was right there and

 

os
pit
Af
\
Bo
Sa Mp secl aa
SEU LLME aor ney,

       
   
        
        

 

   
   
       
 
 
   
   
 
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
       
 
      
     
    
  
  
  
  
 
    
  

 
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 

 

 

 

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2 x 2

 

 

 

 

  

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

    

13

 

 

 

“Well, what’s to be done?”

“Done! We must find Nick Carter.”
_ “Hasier said than done, Chick.”
ML do-it. Vil do it somehow, and I’ll get even with

those fellows, too.”

“Tf Nick is at their mercy, it will go hard with him.”

6 It may. ”

“Do you think they will dare to kill him?”

“Dare? They will dare anything. They’ll put him out
of the way, unless they want him for some other purpose.
- He’ll outwit ’em, if he gets half a chance; but I’m afraid

he won’t.”
_ “We must trace this murder, Chick, and——”

-“Confound the murder! Do you think I care for a mur-

der, or a dozen of them, while Nick Carter is in danger ?”

SO hee

‘Besides, I know who the murderer is already.”

“You do?”

“ Haven’t I said a dozen times that Danvers did it? It’s
as plainas day. Danvers committed the murder. Dan-
vers has stolen amarch.on Nick. Find Nick, and you
find Danvers. Find Danvers, and you find the murderer.
Good -day.”

“ Where are you going?”

“To work.”

“Keep me posted, Chick.”

a Yes. bP) &

“Tf I can help you any——”

“T]] call on you. By the way, I told Clove to report to

you every night at six.”

AM right.”

“Tf he gets any trace of that hack, or the man who
drove it, let me know at once.’

“1 will.”

“Oap, those fellows had this thing all cut and dried.”

“Tt looks so.”

“Tt is so.” Slime Sa

“They're clever.”

“Clever is no name for it.
mined to put Juanita out of the way before——

66 Who? 9”

“Mrs. Derrington—before they knew that she meant to
betray them.”

*T wouldn’t wonder. They may have had a scheme
fixed up for Nick besides.”

“May have? say did have. Danvers hated Nick like

- poison. He’d take a good many chanzes in order to get
even,”

“Maybe you’re in it, too.”

‘Perhaps I am.’

“Keep your ee eye open, Chick, or they’ll lay
you out next.”

“They’ll have to keep awake, then, for I sha’n’t sleep

I believe they had deter-

”

much, I tell you. Cap!”
“Well 2”
‘Promise me one thing.”
“What?”

“Tf they should down me, never , give up the search
~ until Nick is either O. K., or—or——”
“QL promise, Chick.”

‘“Thanks. So long.”

Turning abruptly away, the young assistant left the
station-house.

Which way to move to make a beginning, he did not
know.

There was absolutely no clew for him to follow.

The hack—when it drove away from Thirteenth street—
was the last sign that anybody had had of the men whom
Chick wanted to find.

“111 go down to Eleventh street, and take a look at
that house, anyhow,” he muttered.

He went. He examined it thoroughly, but without a
single result.

There was not aclew of any kind, or anything that
would lead to a clew.

The villains had so thoroughly covered their tracks.

that Chick could not find the smallest thing upon which
- to even base a theory as to what had become of Derring-
_ ton and Danvers.

_. They seemed to have faded out entirely.

     
    

-CHAPIER IX.
HOPING AGAINST HOPE—TWO CLEWS. .

An entire week went by on leaden wings, and yet there
was no news concerning the fate of Nick Carter.

Chick had been tireless during that time.

He had scarcely slept atall, and there was never a
moment when his mind was not upon the problem of
Nick’s disappearance, and the hiding-place of the two
men who were accountable for it.

Patsy. like Chick, had been constantly upon the go,
tireless, energetic, determined, hopeful.

Chick had lost hope.

He did not believe that his loved chief would ever be
found alive. ae
He feared the worst—that is, that Nick had been “ put
out of the way” by the villains into whose power he had
fallen, and his body disposed of where it would, perhaps,

never be found.

“Tf Nick were alive, he would have found some way to
return to us,” he said to Patsy, one evening when they
were advising together.

“ Maybe not,” replied the hopeful Patsy.

“T fear that he is dead, Pat,” continued Chick.

“Well, I don’t believe it, and I won’t till I know it, 2
was the stout reply.

Chick shook his head sadly, and walked away.

A second and a third week passed, and still no news.

Every detective in New York and every policeman on
the force was interesed in the case, and yet their united
efforts accomplished nothing.

Thus an entire month came and went, and even Patsy
began to give up hope. There seemed to be no room left
for it.

There never was the slightest clew found divine all that
time.

That Nick had been attacked in the house in Hievensh
street where the murder was committed, was, after ail,
only conjecture.

‘fhere was nothing to establish a fact out of the belief.

The city had been scoured for the hack and the driver
which Chick saw in Thirteenth street the night of the dis-
appearance—the hack by which the body of Juanita Der-
rington had been conveyed from the Eleventh street house
to the other hack, driven by the man Clove.

Neither could be found.

Every hack in the city was canvassed ; every man who
drove such a vehicle, in all that great metropolis, was in-
terviewed.

Kach police precinct did its share of the work, and there
was not a driver in the city who was overlooked.

But all to no purpose.

Neither the man nor the carriage could be found, try
as they might.

At the end of the month, Chick gave up hope entirely.

He was convinced that Nick was dead, and with a stern
determination to hunt down the men who had committed
the foul play, he refused all the cases that came to him.

They were many, and some of the would-be clients were
extremely persistent.

All to no purpose.

Chick, upon whose shoulders the mantle of Nick Carter

pad fallen, steadily declined to have anything to do with

detective business.

He made two trips to Denver, he explored Kansas City,
Salt Lake, Chicago, and the mining districts of Colorado.

All to no purpose.

One day, nearly six weeks after the disappearance of
Nick, he met Superintendent of Police Byrnes upon Broad-
way in New York.

“Well, Chick,” said the superintendent, “when do you
propose putting on the harness again ?”

 

“Never, sir, until I have found Dan Derrington and
Brayton Danvers and have brought them to justice,” was
the determined reply.

‘“Nonsense, lad. Go to work.

It willdo you good. It

 

will help you to forget.”

“Forget! Do you think IJ can ever.forget? Can I for-
get the man who found me, a ragged boy in the mining
district of Nevada, who took me by the hand, educated

me, and made me what ame

i No, Chick » nor’

  
 
 
 

if ., MICK OC. RUBR LIBRARY, oe

 

 

“Can I forget the best friend I ever had? The man who
has been father, brother, family, everything to me ever
since we met?”

The superintendent shook his head, sadly.

“T tell you, sir,” continued Chick, “that I cannot for-

get. I will never rest, never know peace, never feel satis-

fied with life until I have hunted down the twe men who
are accountable for the disappearance of the best and
noblest human being I ever knew.

“T have got money enough. As the world goes, Iam
rich, and I “will spend every dollar I am worth, and de-
vote every day and every hour to this task, until it is
done—until I know Nick Carter’s fate.”

“Good! I sympathize with you, lad. By the way, shall
you probate Nick’s will?) I suppose I am an executor; he
asked me once if I would serve, and——”

‘What! probate his will before I know positively that
he is dead? No, sir; no.” The superintendent smiled.

“1 said that, Chick, to discover if you still had hope. I
gee you have.”

“Well, perhaps I have—a little.

“Stick to it, Chick.”

Shwill.”

“ Are you determined to take no cases at all?”

Ness.

“Tam sorry. I have just sent a lady to you who——”

“T won’t see her.’

“ Wait, Chick.
her, and it will be a favor to me.
vase. 0
“Very well.”

‘She will call to-day ; in about an hour, in fact.”

“Addl right.”

They parted, and an hour Jater, when Chick had just

resiched home, the lady called.
-* “Madam,” said Chick, “before we begin, you may as
“well understand that I will not’ take your case. [I we ill
hear what you have to say, and advise you to the bes? of
my ability, because Superintendent Byrnes asked me to
do so. I have one case on hand which absorbs all my time,
and——”

“Ves, sir; I know.”

“Ah, very good! Then, if you will be good enough to
tell me what I can do for you——”

“IT did not come, seeking your aid, sir; but to aid you.”

“To aid me? Pardon me, but I——

‘*You have not asked my name, yet.”

“True. I——”

“‘Noz seen my face.
Do you know me?”

Chick started violently.

“ Janette Marshall!” he exclaimed.

“The same,” she replied, with a smile.

“But I thought——”

“That I was in an asylum for the insane?” *

Chick nodded.

“T am cured now,” she said.

“But,” exclaimed Chick, “you said that you came to
aid me; how ?”

“JT think I can put you on the track of the men you
seek.”

i hope against hope.”

It can do no harm to see and talk with
You need not take the

I will remove my vail. There!

‘
“God bless you! If you can do that, you will, indeed,

aid me.”
“What I believe may be of no use to you, but a woman’s
intuition——”

“Yes—yes. Please tell me what you know.”

“Tf know nothing, positively. I believe, though, that I
can tell you where to find Derrington and Danvers.”

“Tell me! Tell me!”

“Among my brother’s papers recently I found this,”
and she handed a letter to Chick.

He opened it eagerly, and in a moment had mastered
its contents. :

It was a note written by Dan Derrington to Burke Gaul,
and nobody eould tell how it pee to be in the pos-
session of Felix Marshall.

The probability is that he found ‘it somewhere in the
gambling -rooms, and recognizing that it would give him!
some sort of power over Gaul, bad retained it.
ji . * See Number 62 Nick Carter Library. ‘Shot With a Roulette

my OeBall tt,

 

it after he was killed, and she took it to Chick.
Here it is:

‘‘GauL:—I have taken the trip. Everything is fixed. We can run —

the steamer question our own way.
throne.

We have friends behind the
With you, D., and myself, and the trio on the water, we

make six. The Six Aces, eh? Not bad, is it? I expect my sixth of —

the boodle will be very large.

I shall see you soon. It’s too warm
here in N. O. to suit me.

Look out for squalls if N. C. is around.

ep. D,*

Chick leaped to his feet with a bound.

“You’ve hit it,” he cried.

ok thought so,” she replied, with a smile.

‘““N. O.? means New Orleans; the ‘steamer question’
refers to the river steamers on the Mississippi. ‘N. C.’
means Nick Carter, which proves this letter was written
while he was-in Denver, although it has no date.” ~

He lapsed into a brown study for a moment. E

Presently he raised his head again.

“There was originally Derrington, Danvers, Gaul, Con-
ners, Herrick, and Seliney as the sextette. Danvers was

(in prison with Seliney when this was written, but they

knew of the scheme for him to escape, for he is counted

‘in here as ‘D.’

‘For some reason Conners and Herrick weren’t in it.
Now, who were the other three?

“At present Derrington and Danvers are the only ones
left out of the original crowd.

“Query: pursued on every hand, to what place would

they fly? Oh, how often I have asked myself that ques- _

tion; and here is the answer.

ie To the Mississippi river steamers, of course.

“There they can disguise themselves ; they can ride to
and fro, and ply their games of cheating with little fear
of detection. Miss Marshall, you have done me a favor
that I can never repay.”

“Wait,” she said; “I have comeing more for yOu.

“What?”

“This, It was in the same envelope with that paper,
and my brother doubtless found them both at the same
time.”

She passed a second paper to Chick.

It was in the same handwriting, and puidenay ad-
dressed to the same man, although there was no super-
scription or signature attached.

It read :

‘The thing is fixed. He'll never get out till we let him out. No-
body could, man or devil. If we could only send Carter to keep him
company it would be great. It’s worth thinking over. You know
how to get there if I don’t turn up; via Breckenridge and over the
notch.”

That was.all.

Chick bounded toward the door with a word of thanks
to Janette Marshall.

At the door he paused.

“Have you given me all the points?” he asked.

oe Yes. ”

“‘T’ll thank you when I’ve got more time. I have just
thirty minutes to catch the Pennsylvania limited.”

He caught it, too, and Patsy, who was entering the
house us he flew out, went with him.

In an hour they were flying toward Colorado together.

It wasin some respects a blind chase, but it was a clew.

Denver was reached, and they at once set out for Breck-
enridge,

Arrived there, Chick at once began an inquiry for the
oldest and best posted mountaineer in the region, and he
was without hesitation directed to Simeon Dodd. ;

Chick had spent all the time during the flying trip West |

in thinking over the clew he had received so strangely,
and with that wonderful power of analysis that was his,
he had worked the question out until he knew exactly

what he wanted to. say and do when Breckenridge was

 

reached.
3 CHAPTER xX.

THE EXPOSE-—“ BU’STED FOR GOOD!”

“How long have you lived here, Mr. Dodd 2” he asked,
when the mountaineer stood before him.

“Since I was a kid, sir.” ,

“Good! If you can serve me I ‘Sal pay you a thousand
dollars.
near here ?” s ; :

oma:

At all events, it was among his papers; his sister found

 

 

Now, do you know oe called the Boy

         
      
    
      
  
   
  

   
   
   

 
   

  
  
   
    

    
 
 

  
 
   
   
 
    
   

   
 
 
 
   

   

  

 

 
   
       
      
 
   

 

 

oy |

 

 

Do you know of any place that is
) over the Notch—a_ place which may be
pn old mine, an old crater, or a depression in the earth,
t a place from which it would be impossible for a man
» escape if he were put there?”
"You bet Ido. 1t’s——_”
“Are you sure?”
“You bet. It’s——_”
“Take me there now.”
(au richt, sir; it’s——”
“Get what you need in the way of ropes and tackle.
Get a spare horse for each of us.”
“Tt’s——”. :
“Go! Dll give you a dollar extra for every minute less
than half an hour you occupy.” :
‘eV Os. S19 it's=-—”
“GO!” He went.

    

 

It would occupy altogether too much space to attempt
to describe here the journey that they were obliged to take. |
_ ‘They climbed the mountain, and after passing the Notch |
went off the trail, where Dodd said mankind very rarely.
traveled. ‘
_ In due time they reached the place that. the guide had.
so vainly endeavored to describe. |

If he had been permitted to finish the sentence he began |
so many times he would have said, “It’s the cussedest |
place you ever saw.”

An extinct crater describes it better than anything else.
can; a chunk fifteen acres in extent, scooped out from
the top of a mount, just as one cuts with a cheese-spade. |

Cliffs three hundred feet high surrounded it: cliffs.
which leaned toward the center and which were im-|
possible to scale from the bottom.

There they found Nick Carter.

There was a herd of goats in the depression, and plenty
of water and grass, and for six weeks Nick Carter had |

lived upon those animals, for his captors, as if to prolong

his agony, had provided him with a gun and ammunition. |
He was overcome in the house in Eleventh street just as_
Chick had suspected, struck with a sand-bag. Then, |
while he was still unconscious, the two villains used |
drugs upon him, so that they kept him stupefied. |

They hired a nurse to travel with them; one of them, |
Danvers, acted the part of doctor, and they, by their very |
boldness, took their prisoner to the West without a suspi-|
cion falling upon them. |

Stall drugged, Nick was placed in the Devil's Hole, to
awaken and find that he was deserted, and that all he|
possessed with which to obtain food was a rifle and one!
hundred cartridges and two boxes of matches.

However, he believed that Chick would find him, and
Chick did.

Ree

& * * * * *

Simeon Dodd got his thousand dollars, with an extra
thousand added to it, and Nick and Chick and Patsy hur-
ried to Denver. /

There they rested quietly until Nick was thoroughly re-
covered from the effects of his strange imprisonment.

In a week they were ready for business again, and then
they set out for the Mississippi river. *

Another week was spent in St. Louis, making inquiries,
which resulted in the fact that one day the detective and
his two assisiants took passage upon the steamer Glide-
away from St Louis to New Orleans.

They felt that they were near the end of the case; they
had learned enough to feel certain that they would find
both De1trington and Danvers upon that steamer playing
their old tricks with cards, and obtaining money by
cheating.

Nor were they mistaken.

They had not been two hours in the river ere Nick, who’
had arranged his disguise with great care and with the
desire to be picked out by the gamblers as a possible
“sucker,” was invited to “sit in” a game of poker.

He accepted at once. :

His disguise made him look like a well-to-do merchant
with plenty of money.

A wig of rather long hair, which curled a little, a tuft of
whiskers*upon his chin, and a big diamond in his shirt.
front made up the major part of the disguise.

 

ahs

  
 

 

a ies

   

NICK CARTER LIBRARY. a ae

Chick passed as a young countryman from the East,
who was going ‘‘out West” to try his luck, and Patsy was
simply a young passenger who represented nothing ex-
cept “cheek and go.”

They didn’t know each other on the steamer naturally.

They went aboard separately, and “never spoke as they
passed by.” :

When Nick was invited to play it was by a ‘‘heeler” for

the game; probably one of the lesser and unimportant
“aces” of the six to whom Derrington had referred.

The game was in progress in the main saloon of the
steamer, and was to be made up of four players.

Nick saw that they had selected another pigeon besides
himself, who was to be plucked, and he also recognized
both Derrington and Danvers in the other two.

He took a seat opposite Derrington.

Danvers sat at the end of the table at his right, and the
other victim directly upon his right.

The game began, and Nick was astounded by the bold
and reckless way in which the cheating was done.

There was scarcely a hand when one or the other of the
partners did not hold aces, and the detective began to

think that the expression “six aces” was even more sig-

nificant than he had supposed.

Chick and Patsy were both there, but as spectators
only.

They stood near, where they could see the game, and
both watched eagerly for the moment to come when the
detective would ‘‘fall” on the gamblers.

Hand after hand went around.

Bet after bet was made with varying results, but always
helping the sharpers ahead.

At last the moment came for the decisive step.

Derrington dealt the cards, and the others “came in.”

When it got around to Derrington again’ he raised the
ante aifty dollars before the draw. » :

N igs already kad three kings, and he did ‘not doubt
that The man on his right had three of something.

Sure enough that player raised also, when it came to
him, and gradually the “pot” was swelled to alarming
proportions. :

“This is the hand,” thought Nick, “where they intend
to make their sweep. I’ll give them a little surprise party

| before we are through.”

Atlast the draw wag made, and the regular betting
began... :

Derrington raised every time it came to him; Danvers
dropped out early. Y

The stranger “stayed” every time, and with a satisfied
smile on his face, as if he knew he would win.

Nick always made a very small raise, to give Derring- ~

ton a chance to play the scheme to the end.

At last, however, Nick called, and Derrington, with a
wink of satisfaction, threw his cards down upon the table,
face up.

There were four aces in the hand.

He reached out to rake in the huge piles of chips, when,
like a cold blanket upon him, came the words:

“Don’t touch that, money, sir.”

At the same instant Nick put out his left hand, seized

Yaggunused portion of the pack and turned it over.

here, upon the bottom, were two more ace

be seen by all.

Derrington made a motion as if to draw
in an instant Nick’s revolver was pointing §
tween the gambler’s eyes, while he said, quietly: _

“You see, gentlemen, there are six aces in thé ae®
That man there is Dan Derrington, one of the worst cheats
and swindlers that lives, and—do you know me, Dan ?—he
is also the accomplice to the murder of his wife.”

Ah, what a curse broke from Derrington’s lips, but he
did not dare to move. :

Danvers leaped to his feet, and attempted to run away.

But Chick and Patsy had worked around to his side of
the table.

They seized him, and before he knew what had hap-

   
 

plainly to

pened he was securely handcuffed and a prisoner. ©

“You'll try the electric chair this time, Danvers,” said
Chick, “and there won’t be any little drug to get you out
of it either, unless you call brimstone a drug.”

Never was a crowd so incensed as that which was col-_

NG

 

     

     
         
        
      
     
       
     
 

   

 
        
     
        
      
   
        
    
  
  
   
 
 
  
  
  
 
   
 
 
  
   
   
   
   
 
   
 
 
  
    
    
 

   
 
 

      
      
     
     
     
       
 
      
       
 
     

 
 
 
  

        
       
 

    
16

NICK CARTER LIBRARY.

 

lected around the poker table in =the saloon of that
steamer.

When the exposé came they surged forward.

While Nick still held the revolver presented at. Derring-
ton somebody seized the exposed cheat from behind.

It seemed a signal for all.

With howls they swept forward, and seized Derrington.

In spite of Nick’s efforts to prevent it, the gambler was
dragged to the deck.

There he was beaten and choked into insensibility, and
thrown bodily into the river.

Nick sought the captain.

The steamer was stopped, a boat lowered, and every
effort made to rescue the gambler at his request.

But ihe efor ts were useless.

Not a trace of him was found, and at last the 88
went upon its way without him.

“Tt wanted him for a worse fate,” mused Nick,
that is bad enough. Anyway we’ve got dace a
we’ve bu’sted the Six“Aces, I think, for good.”

(THE END.)

The Nick Carter Liprary has the. largest circulatioyg
of any Library ever published.

“THE GREAT GREEN Goops SWINDLE; or, Nick CARTER’s
CLEVER CatcH,” by the author of “Nick Carter,” will be
published in the next number (64) of the Nick Carrer}

‘ came

 

LIBRARY.

 

 

WickKx CARTER LIBRARY

THE BEST FIVE CENT LIBRARY OF DETECTIVE STORIES.

 

ISSUED EVERY SATURDAY.

PRICE, FIVE CENTS.

 

1—NICK CARTER, DETECTIVE. ‘Tue Sonution oF A Rx-
MARKABLE CASE. By a Celebrated Author.

9—NICK CARTER’S QUICK WORK; Or, A QuEEN oF CouNTER-
Ferrers. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”

3—A MILLION DOLLAR CHECK; Or, Tue Lirtim GIANT AT
Work. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
—ONE AGAINST TWENTY-ONE; Or, Tae Rancu Roppery.
By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”

5—THE CIPHER LETTER; Or,
By the Author of ‘Nick Carter.”

6_NiCK CARTER IN PHILADELPHIA; Or, Tre Nicur Hawke
OF THE QuAkKER.City. By the Author of “Nick Carter.’

7—OLD THUNDERBOLT, LOCOMOTIVE; Or, THE PacKaGE IN
THe MipnicgHTr Matt. By the Authur of “N ick Carter.”’

. 8—NICK CARTER BEFORE THE MAST; Or, A Sea Mystery.

By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
»+9-—A MAN WITH FOUR IDENTITIES; Or,

Nicx Cartrer’s Iron NERVE.

Tur LittLe Grant’ s

 

Profon, By the Arthur of YNA iek Carter.’

-10—NICK” CARTER’S DOUBLYL GAME: ¢
Ravenswoop House.

JiI—NICK CARTER IN BOSTON; Or, A CusveEr

Scumeme, By the Author of “Nick Carter.”

0. 12—CHECK No. 777; Or, Huntine tHe Samm Man
the Author of “Nick Carter.”

. 13—3,009 MILES BY FREIGHT; Or, Tue Mystery or a Piano
Box. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”

_14—THE THIRTEEN’S OATH OF VENGEANCE; Or, A Crm-
mat Compact. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”

.15—THE FATE OF DOCTOR QUARTZ; Or, Toe Murper m
THE DissECTING Room. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
-16—PACKAGE ‘17 A;” Or, THe Secret or a Faminy Frup. By

the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
-17—NICK CARTER’S GREAT PERIL; Or, A Prisoner ror Lire
Wits tHE Deap. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
_18—THE GREAT DETECTIVE DEFIED; Or, Zuma, THE
FremaLte Firrnp. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
-19—THE LITTLE GIANT’S TASK; Or, Nick Carrsr’s Won-
DERFUL NERVE. By the Author of ‘“‘Nick Carter.” |
_90—BROUGHT TO BAY AT LAST; Or, Ovrwrrrep, Our-|
GENERALED AND OvuTponE. By the Author of ‘Nick | ake
~91--NICK CARTER AT’ WESTERN UNION JUNCTION; a
Tue Sr. Pavt Train Roppery. By the author of oe
. 22 NICK CARTER’'S CELEBRATED CASE; Or, Tae Mysrerizs, }
or GotHam. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.’
.23—THE LITTLE GIANT ON DECK; Or, THe Great Axnpuc-
TioN Case. By the Author of ‘Nick Carter.”
. 24 NICK ARTER AT GLENDALE; Or, Tur Ropezry oF qy
: @Nicut oa By the Author of ‘Nick Garter
MERCULES, NICK C ee 'S ASSISTANT > 1
AUSCLR AND Reve By the Author of ‘Nick
ATER IN SAN FRANCISCO | Gr, UNEARTHING
Curnatown. By the Author of ‘Nick Carter.”
RTER IN CHICAGO; Or, Tar Came or Tau Laxu
By the Author of “Nick Carter.”
. 28: SHE PASSENG tER GOING EAST. By the Author of “Nick
Jarter,”
. 29--NICK CARTER'S MYSTERIOUS CASE: Or, Tar Roap-
House Traaepy. By the Author of ‘Nick Carter.”
. 30.—MAD MADGE, THE QUEEN OF CROOKS : Or, figurine
AN Arntrun For. By the Author of ‘Nick Carter.”
1A DEAD MAN’S GRIP ; Or, THe SKELETON IN THE CLOSET,

iw Tan Gusee,

FORGER’S |

Twice. By,

 

a ont
By the Anthor of ‘‘Nick Carter.” / by

Carter.” |

 

By the Author of ‘‘Nick Garter.”
_32--NICK CARTER IN KANSAS CITY; Or,
Revivep. By the Author of ‘Nick Carter.’

Tue Niecut Hawxs

No. 33-—THE MYSTERIOUS MAIL BAG ROBBERY ; Or, Nicx Cans
TERS GREAT CatcH. By the Auther of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
34—YOUNG HERCULES IN MEXICO ; Or, Pruck anp Musoux
Acainst Stratecy. By the Author of “Nick Carter,”
35—NINETY MILES AN HOUR; Or, Tue PROBLEM oF SEVEN
Dratas. By the Author of ‘‘ Nick Carter.’
36—NICK CARTER IN ST. LOUIS; or, Tur Nigur Hawss’ Tae
ScreecH. By the Author of “Nick Carter. ie
37—NICK CARTER IN BALTIMORE; or, Tue Consprracy oF
THE Rep Leacur. By the Author of ‘‘ Nick Carter.”
38—NICK CARTER IN NEW ORLEANS; Or, Tuz Rep Leacun’s
Last Errort. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
. 39—THREE TIMES DEAD ; Or, Nick Carrer In a Ticht Prace,
By the Author of ‘Nick Carter. i
. 40—THE GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY ; Or, Nick Carter Anonel
THE Horm, Tuinves. By the Author of ‘‘ Nick Carter.”
io. 41—THE FOURFOLD MURDER; Or, Nicx CARTER’S CLEVER
Work in Froripa. By the Author of ‘‘ Nick Carter.’

. 42—THE N. ¥. CENTRAL TRAIN ROBBERY; Or, Tur } NERVIEST|
Outiaw Ative. By the Author of ‘Nick Caster: }
THE LETTERS ON THE FLOOR: Or, Nick Carrrer’s Curver
DercipHer. By the Author of “Nick Carter. e

». 44 NICK CARTER ON HIS METTLE; Or, A Cuase Arrer

A Fortrunr By the Author of ‘ Nick Carter,” etc.
—NICK CARTER’S GREATEST PERIL ; Or, On THE Trad,
Or A Human Fienp. By the Author of “Nick "Carter, ” etc,
.46—THE GOLD BRICK SWINDLERS ; Or, Nick ‘CARTER’S
Great Exposurs. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
. 47-NICK CARTER ON THE BOWERY ; Or, Tue Terrors OF
Onzu Nicut. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
No, 48--NICK CARTER'’S HANDICAP; On, Won in a Canter. By
the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
BOLD MASKED ROBBERS; On, Nick Carrmr’s Liveny
Conruict. By the Author of “Nick Carter.”
.50--NICK CARTER’S FIGHT FOR LIFE; Or, Tar Minzuionairn’s
Nemesis. By the Author of ‘Nick Carter, sf
. 51—JUDGE LYNCH’S MISTAKE: On, Nick Carrer’s SEARCH |
¥oR A MurpERER. By the Author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
52--A BOLD BANK ROBBERY ; Or, Nick Canrmr’s Great Havr, | |
By the Author of ‘Nick Carter. 1
58—NICK CARTER IN WALL STREET : Os, ‘Prackina s
Fortune. By the author of ‘ Nik Garter.”
54_TRICK ED AND TRAPPER ; Or, Nick Carter's Green
Goovs Hat 1, 3V the author of ‘‘ Nick Carter.”
55--ROBBED BY. RIVER PIRATES; Or, Nick Carter Among |
rae Wuarr Kars. By the author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”

No.
No.
No.
No.
No.

9, 43 —

To, 49-—

No.
No. STOLEN
No.

No.

yo 5o-—A DARING DEED; On, Nick Carrer Sonvine THE OAKLAND |

Mystrry. By the author of ‘Nick Carter.”
o. 57—A MYSTERY OF THE SURF; Or, Nicx CARTER AT Conny
Isnanp. By the author of ‘‘ Nick Carter. @
. 588—NICK CARTER IN CHINATOWN ; On, Tue Dovers Strent
Crmianats. By the author of ‘‘Nick Carter.”
(io. 59—NICK CARTER AT SING SING; Or, In Hor Porsvrr or
AN Escapep Criminan. By the author of ‘‘ Nick Carter,”
.60--A MYSTERY OF THE RIALTO; Or, Nick Carrer m
New Yorr. By the author of ‘‘ Nick Carter.”
. 61—_THE GREAT BANK HOLD UP IN DENVER; Or. Nicx
JarTer’s DirricuttT Case. By the auther of ‘ Nick Carter.”
.62—SHOT WITH A ROULETTE BALL: Or, Nick Carrer
Amone Tue GambBieRs. By the author of “Nick Carter.”
. 63,—_ THE SIX ACES; Or, EXPOSING 4 GREAT SwiInDLE. By the
author of ‘‘Nick Carter.’
. 64.—THE GREAT GREEN GOODS SWINDLE; Or, Nick
Carter's CLEVER Catcu. By the author of “Nick Carter.”

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