Nicholas Carter

“ For a single instant the bathroom was flooded with light.
The window shades across the airshaft were up, and the gas in the back parlor of the opposite flat was burning brightly.
The detective saw a white-haired man sitting up in bed with a look of terror on his wrinkled face.
In front of the bed stood a masked man, holding a revolver within an inch of the old man’s forehead. ”

“ Nick wore now the semblance of the young man who had attempted to follow him. The likeness might not have deceived the young man’s mother, but in the evening and upon the street it seemed good enough to answer Nick’s purpose.
Thus disguised, Nick returned hurriedly to the carriage. He was determined to get a sight of the person within.
The coachman made no sign of suspecting anything was wrong. He sat like a statue on the box.
There was a deep shadow on the side of the carriage which Nick approached, for an electric lamp was on the opposite side of the street near the corner. ”

“ Nick might have seized the rascal there, and he meditated doing it. But he desired to see all the formalities of the place.
He wished to know how the thieves were received, because it would soon be his turn to receive them.
Moreover, the hall was so dark that he might easily make a mistake in his calculations. If he fell upon Benton and failed to shut off his wind instantly, the outcry would ruin his plans.
Then, too, for all he knew there might be somebody else in the hall. He could see nothing. Half a dozen men might have been standing there without his knowing it. ”

“ Nick tore the envelope, glanced at the contents, and then said:
“She is fully conscious. She knows everything.”
Morton Parks’ face became ashen. Then for an instant it cleared. If his wife was conscious he was not yet a murderer, at least he could save his life out of the ruin of his fortunes. ”

“ It was now a little after midnight. For half an hour the members of Doc Helstone’s gang arrived rapidly.
Each man was secured as he came in.
While Nick answered the bell, Chick stood guard over the captives, revolver in hand.
A strange spectacle was presented in that room.
Eleven criminals, every one a specialist in some line of theft, sat in a semicircle, facing a sort of desk which Benton ordinarily used when he had business on hand.
Nick had found a lot of heavy wooden chairs in one of the rooms, and in these the crooks sat, every one handcuffed and fastened to his chair. ”

“ One day a man met his death in such a way that only Greene and his scheming aids knew anything about it. This man’s body was dressed in Templin’s clothes, the body was laid with the face in the grate fire of Templin’s room till it was burned beyond the power of recognition, and the helpless Templin was put in perfect concealment. ”

“ There was no light in the place, except such as crept in from the street lamps, but this was enough to show the detective that the man who had admitted him was dressed from head to foot, even to his collar and necktie.
“This is a strange time of night for a man to be sitting all dressed in a dark room,” thought the detective. “Perhaps I have come to the wrong place for help in capturing these burglars.”
Nick stood looking across the airshaft to the window of the back parlor opposite, but there was nothing to be seen there. ”

“ When, occasionally, the light of a street lamp shone upon him, it revealed a countenance haggard and worn, yet it was the face of Morton Parks.
In all the city of Chicago that night there was probably no more piteous object than the escaped criminal. For lack of money this leader of criminals had become a common highwayman.
Dodging here and there through the semi-deserted streets in the banking and real-estate district—for it was{81} now after ten o’clock—the fugitive at length entered a prosperous-looking oyster and chophouse and asked for the proprietor. ”

“ But the brute instincts of a dog nearly betrayed the well-laid plot. It so thoroughly frightened the arch-plotter that he concluded to take no further risks in that direction, and while the pretended widow was witnessing the incineration of the remains of Jason Templin, the rejuvenated Miles Mackenzie, alias Dr. Greene, killed his loving dog. ”

“ Nick arose to go.
“You will hear from me, Mr. President, within a few days,” he said.
“Then you think there will be little trouble in showing fraud of some kind in this case?”
“Oh, I did not intend to convey that idea. If there be fraud, it ought to be proven in a very short time. If everything is legitimate, then the fact must also be readily established. Therefore, I anticipate a speedy report, but whether it will be favorable to your interests or not, I cannot promise until I have first gone to Elmwood.” ”

“ The young man looked at Nick as if he meditated making a break for liberty, but something in the detective’s glance restrained him. The stronger mind prevailed.{10}
“What would you advise me to do?” he asked.
“Go back and stand near the policeman,” said Nick. “Be on hand when the ambulance surgeon makes his examination.
“You will be taken to the police station. When you get there tell your story as you’ve told it to me. If there’s anything else, save it till you see me again. What is your name?”
“Austin L. Reeves. I live at ninety-two West Thirty-ninth Street.” ”

“ Before the three men could do anything more to keep the young man from leaving the room, he had closed the door with a bang and darted through the restaurant to the street.
When Gilmore opened the door the fugitive was out of sight.
“Why didn’t you catch him?” demanded the proprietor. “The man is a thief, and the racket out here was nothing but a scheme to steal some private papers from my room.”
“He went through like a flash,” explained the cashier.
“Nixon followed him,” replied a waiter.
“I am glad that one employee has some sense,” growled Gilmore. ”

“ The doctor appeared to be very angry.
“You will spoil the whole scheme by putting such men on guard,” he said, “and at this critical time, too.”
“I’ll run that door myself, after this,” said Nixon, “or at least until the drill starts.”
The doctor stepped forward and bent over the still figure lying in the corner by the bank vault.
“He’s about gone,” he said. “We must get him out of this before he dies.”
“Why so?”
“Because you can take an unconscious man through the streets very easily, but you can’t stir with a dead one.”
“You are right about that,” said Geary. “I have tried both.” ”

“ Nick thought of the armature he had found in the rooms below not long before, and remained silent.
“Now,” said the detective, “I want to be back in that room when the doctors return, and I want you within reach in case I should need help. What do you say to that?”
“All right. I am dying for a scrap, anyway.”
The two men descended to the lower flat, and Nick was placed in the shape in which he had been left.
The gag was in his mouth, and the ropes were on his wrists and ankles, but they were fixed so that they could be cast aside at any moment. ”

“ Nick had known that he could get by the sentinel. Benton could not keep people away by force.
That would make too much noise and attract too much attention.
But Nick knew equally well that it would do him no good to get by unless he was welcome. The negro unquestionably had some means of signaling to Benton.
He was, of course, instructed to pass only those who had the countersign or whose names had been given in advance.
For these Pete was to make a favorable signal, and they would get in all right.
In the case of others he would signal unfavorably and they would find “everything locked up.” ”

“ A huge Newfoundland dog met them at the gate leading into the spacious grounds surrounding the house. The dog greeted Dr. Abbott familiarly and with demonstrations of great friendship.
“Poor Rover!” exclaimed Abbott, patting the Newfoundland on the head. “You have lost your good, kind master.”
Then to Nick he said:
“This dog and Mackenzie were almost inseparable. When the poor brute realizes his loss, he will be inconsolable.”
As they neared the house, Nick said:
“Dr. Abbott, I wish you would not mention to the widow my profession nor the business which brought me to Elmwood.” ”

“ Gilmore arose from the floor, brushing milk, butter and sugar from his clothing, and started for the door.
“This is no chance fight,” he shouted. “These men came here on purpose to get up a row.”
“You lie,” said Chick, coolly, “one of your toughs tried to rob me, and this gentleman came to my assistance.”
Before Gilmore could reply a back door was opened, and three hard-looking men rushed into the room.
“There come the men who are putting in the electric-drill machinery,” whispered Nick. “Now, look out for hot work.”
The two detectives moved toward the door, but the gang closed in upon them. ”

“ The money will not be paid till you get time to look up the Mackenzie affair. So you have a mystery to clear up, too, eh, Miss Templin?”
“Yes; and we’ve come to you to help us out.”
“I help you out? Why, how can I? What is it?”
Miss Templin explained as briefly as she could what had happened when she called the week previous.
“And you want to trace this man if you can from our office?” asked the president of Nick.
“Yes,” replied the detective.
“But how?”
“He was here on business, I suppose?”
“That seems a reasonable deduction.”
“For what purpose do men usually call?”
“To pay premiums.” ”

“ Why shouldn’t I get to Chicago and give Gilmore and Geary a hand? Yes, by jingo, that’s my plan.
“I’ll have to beg or steal my way there, but I ought to know how to do that.”
* * * * * * *
“Talk about nerve!”
“What is it now, Mr. Smith?”
“Burglars!”
“What, again?”
“Yes, last night, at my residence.”
Mr. Chester Smith, the wealthy Chicago banker, threw himself into an easy-chair in the office of the chief of police, and looked decidedly ugly.
“What did they get?” asked the chief.
“I’d like to know what they didn’t get,” was the excited reply, “and I was at home every minute of the time, too.” ”

“ She urges upon this man—your nephew, let us say—to make restitution and reform.
“It is what a woman might do though a man would smile at it. He curses her. She seizes some of the jewels and rushes out saying that she will expose everything.
“The rank and file of the thieves’ gang would murder her rather than permit her to leave the room.
“But the leader is more wily. He knows that she must die, but not there.
“He follows her; stabs her in the street, and escapes.”
“In the name of God, did my nephew do this?”
“The villain who did this is called Helstone. He is the leader of a gang of thieves. ”

“ I understand that the gentleman you name has a liking for souls, my friend.”
The newcomer was tall and slender, with sharp eyes and very glossy black whiskers, which clung close to a very white face.
He was an important personage in the electric-drill combination, having supplied most of the money with which to equip the chophouse and purchase the machinery.
“You will have your joke,” growled Gilmore.
“Anything new from the South Side?” asked the newcomer, who was a doctor by profession, and always smelled of drugs.
“Parks and Nixon are still there,” was the reply. ”

“ Nick could not deny to himself the force of her words. He had not seen her remove the bandage. He could not swear that she had done so. It might have been done by the sick woman herself.
A nurse cannot be prosecuted for an error of judgment unless it amounts to criminal carelessness. ”

“ I’ve had Chick look over the field, and he agrees with me that there are ten chances to one that Benton will get their plunder.
“What I propose to do, therefore, is to capture Benton’s place on the quiet. Not a whisper must be heard on the outside.
“When that is done I’ll wait in the old thief’s place. I’ll disguise myself as Benton, and receive his customers.”
“Very pretty,” said the inspector. “You’ll bag a lot of game.”
“We ought to get a good part of the gang.”
“I think so, but you won’t get Helstone himself.” ”

“ Nick excused himself to the doctor, with the plea that he must go to the hotel and get ready for his departure. He promised to meet Abbott at the depot.
At half-past three o’clock a train arrived from New York.
Among the passengers who left the train at Elmwood was a rather handsome, smoothed-faced young man, an entire stranger to the loungers about the station, who were already collecting to pay a last tribute of respect to the remains of their dead townsman, as he would be borne away forever by the four o’clock train. ”

“ They walked over Twenty-eighth Street to Seventh Avenue, and then downtown until they were nearly opposite the “fence” on Sixth Avenue.
Then Nick took one of the cross streets and Chick the other. Nick was to enter by the alley, and Chick from the front.
At the mouth of the alley Nick encountered a negro whose face was as black as the darkness behind him.
“Heah, you! Whar you goin’?” cried the negro, as Nick tried to pass him.
“Shut up, Pete,” said Nick, in a voice exactly like Hardy’s. “Don’t you know me?”
“That you, Al Hardy? When did you get out?” ”

“ I only had a dollar or two, that I stole from the detective.”
“Go on; don’t worry about the details. We can fill them in afterward. How do you come to be here in this plight?”
“My New York gang had been run in. I knew you had come to Chicago. I became a tramp, got in with a lot of thugs and finally landed here because it’s the only place where I expect to meet a friend.”
“Don’t be too sure,” said Gilmore, brutally. “Nobody likes to have an escaped criminal on his hands.”
“How about your own record?” asked Parks. ”

“ An intelligent dog like Rover would have known even his master’s corpse.”
“Why, you don’t mean——”
“Wait. Perhaps you noticed that the dog was almost constantly searching for something.”
“Well, yes. There was certainly something of that kind in his demeanor.”
“He was looking for his master.”
“That may be.”
“And he found him. That is where Rover, the dog, was shrewder than you, the friend.”
“Found him? How? Where?”
“Listen. I’ll tell you.”
Then Nick described the scene at the hotel when Rover surprised the landlord, and aggravated the newly arrived son. ”

“ Instead of starting away, however, the three men stepped into the cigar store and stood there by the counter, Nixon never taking his eyes from the doorway through which Chick had entered the hotel.
Nick began to change his clothes.
In about five minutes he looked like the prosperous advance agent of a negro minstrel company—one of the fellows who always talk show, no matter where they are, and who want everybody with whom they come in contact to know that they belong to the “perfesh.”
“How’s this?” he asked. “This will be apt to take down there in the chophouse, won’t it?” ”

“ They found the president of the Scotia Life Insurance Company in his office, and Miss Templin introduced herself. She met with a warm welcome from the friend of her affianced husband.
Then she introduced Nick Carter.
“What! Not the celebrated detective!” exclaimed the insurance president. “How fortunate! I was upon the point of going to your house to consult you on a matter of considerable concern to not only our company, but to four or five other companies in this city, who have been hit equally hard.”
“Hit!” exclaimed Nick.
“Why, yes. A man who insured with us two years ago has died. ”

“ The theory of burglars would not hold water. One of my servants had been ill, and had been about the house with a light almost all night, and had seen nothing of robbers.”
“Did you tell the servants of your loss?”
“No; I questioned them without letting them know anything unusual had happened.”
“They have been the guilty ones.”
Parks shook his head.
“I watched them all. They were honest. Then I learned that my wife speculated in stocks. There are more women stock gamblers in New York than most people could be made to believe. ”

“ Nick Carter stands for an interesting detective story. The fact that the books in this line are so uniformly good is entirely due to the work of a specialist. The man who wrote these stories produced no other type of fiction. His mind was concentrated upon the creation of new plots and situations in which his hero emerged triumphantly from all sorts of troubles and landed the criminal just where he should be—behind the bars. ”

“ Then was heard what seemed to be the sound of crashing glass.
“Abbott, we must get out of this, if we can, without delay,” said Nick, in tones which were full of intense meaning. “They have crashed the lamp among the clothing in the closet beneath us, and thus fired the house.”
“They? Who?”
“I don’t know. But the woman has had help, for she could never have escaped from her bonds unassisted; of that I am sure.”
“Good heavens, Carter! There is no chance for us. The roof is too far beyond our reach, and that is now our only way out,” cried Abbott.{209}
CHAPTER XXVIII. ”