Johnston McCulley

“ Marlowe asked.
“Why, confound it, I’ll simply handle you, if this thing continues! Don’t you think you’d better give me some sort of an explanation?” Warwick said.
“Explanations are not necessary,” replied Marlowe. “They’d be a waste of time and breath. I guess we understand each other, all right. Yes, I guess we do!”
“You are a very poor guesser,” Warwick told him. “My word! Follow a chap around all day, and then refuse to tell him the reason for it! It isn’t done, you know! It isn’t right at all!”
“Stop trying to throw a bluff, Warwick! I happen to be wise, you know.” ”

“ Warwick flashed a look at him, but agreed. They all moved out to the veranda, walked toward one end of it where there were easy chairs. They seated themselves and lighted cigarettes, and indulged in some more small talk. Warwick and Marlowe were watching each other carefully, each fearing that the other would make an unexpected move.
Warwick began wondering how the thing was to be accomplished. It had seemed so simple compared to some things he had done—merely snipping a locket from a chain and getting away with it without arousing suspicion. ”

“ Marlowe went on. “When a man finds a woman who combines beauty with intelligence, he has found a treasure. Your husband is a very lucky man.”
“I fear that there are times when he does not believe that,” Mrs. Burton Barker said.
Marlowe suddenly bent nearer to her—and she did exactly what John Warwick had known she would do, she put up her hands, and turned her face away, trying to act the timid, modest, half-frightened girl, making an attempt to avoid a caress. ”

“ Togo cried.
A swift change came over Togo’s face. For a moment the Japanese, who seldom showed emotion, revealed his feelings, and in no uncertain manner.
“Oh, everything will be quite regular, honorable Togo!” Warwick assured him. “I am not turning traitor, or bolting, or anything like that. My word, no! I’m thinking of getting married, old boy—understand?”
Togo grinned.
“I see that you do understand,” John Warwick continued. “And a married man should not be doing things that might get him into trouble with the police, should he? So there you are! ”

“ Warwick replied. “What man would not be?”
“John Warwick, I want you to know that I am speaking seriously. A woman always can tell when a man really is in love with her. And—and I should think—that a big, wise man—could tell when a girl—was really in love with him.” ”

“ John Warwick protested. “I meant that it is peculiar how you’ll meet a chap and think how much he looks like somebody else you have met. Only a certain number of types in the world, I fancy! Deuced peculiar, isn’t it? Always seeing somebody who looks like somebody else!”
John Warwick grinned, and for an instant his eyes met those of Marlowe squarely.
Mrs. Burton Barker turned away then, to greet some of her other guests, and Warwick and Marlowe stepped to one side, and started walking toward the den that had been set aside as a lounging and smoking room for the male guests. ”

“ John Warwick was puzzled to a certain extent. Mrs. Burton Barker was talking to the man as if she had been acquainted with him for some time. Was he in her employ, trying to protect the locket, and did he suspect John Warwick of planning to purloin it? The thought almost made Warwick shudder, especially when he remembered how the man had spoken regarding The Spider, for Warwick lived in continual fear of the day when suspicion would be cast upon him. ”

“ For from Silvia Rodney had been kept the knowledge of her uncle’s true character. She had been taught to believe that he was the representative of a certain European power, and that he was working in the interests of humanity.
John Warwick was too honest to speak to her of love without telling her that he was a criminal of a sort—and The Spider had forbidden him doing that. He knew that Silvia Rodney returned his love, and was wondering why he did not ask her to become his wife. ”

“ AGAIN, John Warwick darted forward, Togo close behind. Warwick was in a rage now. He did not believe in using violence toward women. He always had prided himself on avoiding the use of it whenever the orders of The Spider compelled him to deal with those of the gentler sex. And he did not intend to let four thugs assault a woman in that manner, chloroform her, and steal something that he himself wished to get into his possession. ”

“ My word, yes!”
“It will be all right, John.”
“Not so sure about that. Have to report to your jolly old uncle as soon as we reach the house, I suppose, and take what is coming to me.”
“Why not put it off?” she asked.
“Never do in the world. Make a full report, and maybe he can get the silly locket by sending somebody else after it—somebody who is not a bungler,”
“But you were fighting against odds!”
“Makes no difference,” he declared, “Always fought against odds before and won. Makes no difference at all!”
They rode for a time in silence, Silvia snuggling close to his side. ”

“ Warwick replied grimly. “Her husband was one of the group of men that robbed me of my fortune.”
“Then this work should be a pleasure for you,” said The Spider. “You may have observed that Mrs. Burton Barker wears a peculiar locket on a long gold chain.”
“I have noticed it often, old sir and employer. No matter how she may be dressed, she always wears the silly thing. She’s always twining the chain around her fingers and playing with it. I’ve wondered many times why she persists in wearing it when Barker could buy her all sorts of jewels, if she wished them.” ”

“ Warwick exclaimed, staring at the valet. “What a perfectly silly name to give a locket—and a cheap one at that! Nothing very tragic about Mrs. Burton Barker, I’m sure. She is just a silly butterfly of a woman!”
“It is true that she may have that appearance, sar,” said Togo. “But, if you will pardon me, she is nothing of the sort. She is a dangerous woman, sar!”
“You know her?”
“I know of her, sar,” said Togo. “Be on your guard, sar, when you attempt this thing. She may be expecting somebody to make an attempt to get the locket. ”

“ The Spider added.
“Oh, I see! Something already planned—what?”
“Yes—two things. As soon as they are accomplished, you are to be a free man, and then you can marry Silvia and settle down as a respectable citizen.”
“The old world isn’t such a bad place after all—what?” Warwick said. “Man gets his reward in time, and all that sort of silly rot! Feel like a new man already! ”

“ Mrs. Burton Barker always wears a little locket on the end of a long, gold chain. I am to get that locket. Don’t ask me why, for I do not know. Your jolly old uncle wants it for some purpose, and that is enough for me. Now, you forget it!”
“Very well, I’ll try, only I’m not so sure that I can,” Silvia said. “But I’ll not bother you, John.”
Warwick glanced through the window as the big car speeded toward that section of the city where pretentious residences predominated. The Burton Barkers had an imposing mansion surrounded by lawns that were fringed with big trees. ”

“ I always considered the woman rather shallow myself. Sort of a little girl masquerading in a grown-up’s costume, what? I’ve known her for a score of years, since she was a girl—”
“Pardon, sar!” Togo interrupted. “But, during all those years, were there no times, when you were traveling, when you did not see her and heard nothing of her for years?”
“Of course! She was in school—and then she came out and spent the usual time abroad—”
“Ah!” Togo said significantly.
“So that is it, eh? She got mixed up with The Spider while abroad—what? Why, it can’t be possible! ”

“ It would be like The Spider to refuse to release him from the band and allow him to marry Silvia, and Warwick told himself that he never would marry her unless he was released. He would get the locket yet, he told himself. He would follow Marlowe day and night, with only Togo to help him—he’d get that locket if he was forced to use violence against Marlowe and his men, if he had to turn burglar or highwayman! He never had failed The Spider before, and he did not intend to fail now! ”

“ Warwick demanded. “My word! A man would think that I was about to abduct the sultan of Turkey, or some little thing like that.”
“It seems to be only a very simple thing, sar, but, believe me, it is not!” Togo told him.
“How on Earth does it happen that a woman like Mrs. Burton Barker is wearing a locket there could be so much fuss about? Why, the woman has had the thing for years! It seems to be a sort of pet of hers. Everybody wonders why she wears the thing. Impression is abroad that she is superstitious, and all that, and thinks the fool locket brings her good luck. ”

“ You can make up some whale of a story and be a hero.” The man laughed raucously, and the other joined in.
“I suppose you realize,” said Warwick, “that you could be sent to prison for doing such a thing as this.”
“Oh, we ain’t worryin’ any about that, sir. This scrap is strictly between ourselves, and neither side is goin’ to call in the police. If we go to prison, a certain gent of The Spider’s gang will go right along with us!”
“What do you mean by speaking of The Spider’s gang?” Warwick asked.
“I suppose you don’t know—oh, no! You never heard of The Spider and his gang, you didn’t. ”

“ He realized that these men meant him no real harm physically—but they were interfering with his work. The Spider had told him to get that locket from Mrs. Burton Barker, and had warned him to be on guard against foes—and the supercriminal expected nothing except success.
“Better just take it easy, Mr. Warwick,” one of the men told him. “We don’t want to muss up a gent like you, as has done some nervy things in his time, but we’ll have to do it, if you try any tricks. ”

“ So you see, I understand the affair perfectly, Warwick. I happen to be connected with certain persons who do not care to have you succeed in your little undertaking. In fact, it is my particular business to see that you do not succeed. ”

“ Across the lawn they followed the men, careful to avoid being seen. The odds were great, and Warwick did not care to attempt a combat and come from it vanquished. The men ahead were running now. They dropped the unconscious form of Mrs. Burton Barker beside a clump of brush.
Warwick stopped there just an instant. It was as he had expected—the locket was gone. ”

“ Barker was not aware that John Warwick knew he had conspired with other men to rob him in business deals. Warwick would not have known it, had not The Spider proved it to him. Warwick had no repugnance, therefore, in committing a crime in Burton Barker’s residence while he was a guest there. ”

“ Silvia Rodney, the young woman who sat at his side, believed that it was because Warwick was nervous, and she smiled happily, for Warwick’s manner led her to believe that he was about to address her on a subject a young woman always likes to hear discussed by a man she more than admires. ”

“ And then he made his way slowly down the broad stairs and came to the hall below. The orchestra was playing, couples were in the mazes of a dance, others were chatting in the conservatory and in the refreshment rooms. ”

“ Burton Barker. They probably would carry her a short distance across the lawn, tear the locket from the chain and get away with it. Marlowe would remain behind, and probably take part in the search for the assailants, thus freeing himself of any suspicion.
It all occurred in a short space of time. Warwick sensed that Marlowe would have him attended to, also. And so he darted noiselessly to the railing and vaulted over it to the ground. He brushed against another man, who instantly grappled with him. Warwick started to fight. ”

“ Marlowe was gripping one of his arms, and also watching the walk ahead. Two more men came from the darkness and joined in the fray.
Warwick, his back against the clump of brush, fought as well as he could. He tried to hold off his antagonists, to clear a space through which he could dart to the walk and run down it toward the veranda. But he found that they were too many for him.
“Quiet as possible, men!” he heard Marlowe command. “We don’t want a row that will attract any of the guests! Do your work quickly! Clever, is he? ”

“ Warwick asked.
“Of course!”
“But, in such a case—”
“I’ll be angry, nevertheless. And how will it look to the others, John? Will they not suspect something?”
“Have to cover it up in some manner,” Warwick said. “Might get out at the first corner and return.”
“Oh, let the old locket go!”
“Dear girl! Your jolly old uncle will be enraged.”
“I’ll smooth it over for you, John.” ”