Nicholas Carter

“ Returning consciousness brought a sense of cramped limbs and bruised muscles, the results of the blows he had received and the violence of his fall from the moving train, when Sol Mauler rudely rolled him from the express car. ”

“ When it comes to detective stories worth while, the Nick Carter Stories contain the only ones that should be considered. They are not overdrawn tales of bloodshed. They rather show the working of one of the finest minds ever conceived by a writer. The name of Nick Carter is familiar all over the world, for the stories of his adventures may be read in twenty languages. No other stories have withstood the severe test of time so well as those contained in the Nick Carter Stories. It proves conclusively that they are the best. ”

“ Chick nodded. “Unless some one comes across with the coin, it’s you for the caboose. I’ll have a bull after you inside of half a minute. I’ll tell all I know about the job and all I know about you. Your story wouldn’t stand washing in distilled water. The gink with the Vandyke whiskers did the job, and you know it. I’ll hand all this to the bulls, unless I get mine, and I’ll lose no time about it. That’s all. It’s up to you, now. What d’ye say?”
“I say that you may go to the devil, Kennedy, and do your worst,” snapped Janet, with eyes flashing. ”

“ He grasped the edge of the door and drew himself up from the platform, saying quietly, while he entered the car:
“It’s all right, Cady. I’ve got a letter to you from President Burdick. Don’t oppose me. Pretend this is nothing unusual.”
Cady seemed to grasp the situation. A fiery gleam appeared for a moment in the depths of his gray eyes, but he drew back to make room for Nick, replying, in quick whispers:
“What’s up? There’s nothing wrong, is there?”
“Wait until we leave here. Don’t question,” cautioned Nick.
“It’s all right, Cady,” Denny quickly assured him, leaning in through the open door. ”

“ Janet Payson’s companion was the man with a Vandyke beard—but he had removed it and slipped it into his pocket since entering.
The removal of the disguise did not improve him. It had served to hide a thin-lipped, sinister mouth, a bulldog jaw and chin, and the hard lines of a desperate and determined face.
That he was all that his face denoted, moreover, appeared in the celerity with which he whipped out a revolver from his hip pocket the instant the knock interrupted the subdued conversation with the woman. At the same time he muttered quickly:
“What’s that? Who the devil can that be?” ”

“ Every man was armed with a rifle or a shotgun, save Patsy Garvan, and he carried a revolver in each hand.
As now may be inferred, Chick Carter’s ruse had been to place himself in the hands of Janet Payson and the man known to be her confederate, knowing that they would take him to the headquarters of the gang, and in the meantime to have Patsy so stationed with assistants north of Benton Corners that the subsequent course of the rascals could be stealthily followed. ”

“ Murdock commanded. “It’s plain enough that Kennedy cannot be bullied. You’re in a mess, Janet, and I’m going to pull you out. Nevertheless, Kennedy, you must see that it’s not up to this woman to settle,” he added. “She had no hand in the job, even if your suspicions are correct. It’s up to the man to buy your silence. As a matter of fact, too, she has no money with which to bribe you. Nor have I. You must see the man himself.”
“Trot him out, then,” Chick said bluntly. “He’s the very gink I want to see. ”

“ Later, when they had reached the stage door and were climbing into several automobiles standing at the curb, Miss Reed leaned close to Klein and whispered:
“I’m just dying to be an actress. Don’t you think you could help me to get on the stage?”
“I’m afraid any assistance I might offer would be of small benefit,” Klein answered. “Getting a start upon the stage depends on the individual.”
In the automobile Klein was separated from Miss Reed—a condition of affairs that brought no regret—and found Helen Lydecker a delightful substitute. ”

“ This, of course, brought him and his companions to the Mauler place, less than ten minutes before Chick was brought there, and all hands were concealed scarce thirty feet back of the stable at that time.
The noise within had not abated when they came around both front corners of the stable, half a score of constables and officers from Shelby, but the voice of Patsy Garvan then rang like a trumpet over other sounds.
“Now, boys, get them!” he shouted, leading the way. “Some of you look after that fellow in the car. We’ve got those in the stable cornered like rats.” ”

“ Cady’s beard was torn off and the truth revealed—the man was not Cady.
It was not a substitute package to which the telegram had referred, but—a substitute man!
Something like a half-smothered oath broke from the detective. He swung the struggling ruffian around and forced him against the wall of the swaying car. He could have overcome him and crushed him within half a minute—if help had not been at hand.
All transpired, in fact, in far less time than half a minute.
The covers of two of the packing cases flew upward.
Out of each case leaped a man. ”

“ Burdick thoughtfully admitted. “We can easily protect the shipment by concealing a posse of well-armed men in the express car. How will that do?”
“It won’t do at all,” Nick replied. “The crooks might discover the fact and throw up the job. They are not working blindly, Mr. Burdick, nor in the dark. Being absolutely ignorant of their identity, moreover, you might reveal your intentions to some man who would betray you. You must leave this matter entirely to me. I want the rascals to undertake the job. ”

“ He still pretended to have some misgivings, nevertheless, but asked, as if somewhat impressed:
“Where must I go to see him?”
“Up Willow Creek way,” said Murdock indefinitely.
“Where’s that?”
“Nearly a dozen miles from here.”
“Is there a train?”
“You can do better than take a train. None runs very near the place, nor could you find it alone.”
“What d’ye mean by better?” Chick demanded.
“I have the touring car that I came down in this morning,” said Murdock. “I’m going to take Janet up there. You can ride with us.” ”

“ No observer seeing me come down from the signal tower would think it strange for me to board the car as if to ride to Shelby.”
“Surely not,” Denny quickly agreed. “That frequently occurs. You look the part to the letter, too, Mr. Carter.”
“I wish to be with Cady in the car during the run,” Nick added. “I will, I think, show these bandits that their knavery will be far from a walk-over.”
“No doubt,” said Denny, smiling. “You’ll find Cady all right, too, and game to the core. He’s one man in a thousand.” ”

“ Arthur Belden walked on leisurely alone, and Nick judged that he was heading for the main office of the Western Union Company, whose sign projected from a building some fifty yards away. The detective walked more rapidly, and quickly overtook him.
“How are you, Belden?” said he, slipping his hand through the young man’s arm. “Don’t appear surprised. Pretend that you know me. I have something to say to you.”
Belden was quick-witted, and he immediately nodded and smiled.
“I will explain presently,” Nick continued. “We’ll wait until we are under cover. It’s barely possible that we are observed. ”

“ To have one dead to rights is a term usually applied to a situation, a gang, or a man; not to a parcel, package, or anything of that kind.
“By Jove, it may in this case have been a man. The substitute may have been a man in place of Cady. That would explain Cady’s disappearance from the car. A man made up to perfectly resemble Cady—that’s it, by gracious, as sure as I’m a foot high,” Chick decided. “That’s why Martin worded the letter in that way, that he’d have a substitute down fine, in ample time. A substitute to take Cady’s place in the express car—that’s what!” ”

“ Chick decided to listen briefly before revealing his identity and what he knew about the case, a self-restraint which few would have had under such circumstances, and he very soon determined to say nothing.
For the engineer and train hands, familiar with the desolate section of the country, quickly came to two conclusions; one, that Cady had been overcome by the robbers who had been concealed in the empty packing cases; the other, that he had been carried away with the 11 plunder from the open safe by a gang of desperadoes whom it would be useless to pursue at that time. ”

“ If you have ever passed through any of the above-enumerated experiences—and what man or woman has not—forget it; deliverance is at hand. The hour of the hastily impressed newspaper, the borrowed umbrella, or the painfully extracted cash loan from the hotel clerk or elevator boy is to bob up unserenely no more, for the paper raincoat has taken its place alongside the egg sandwich, chewing gum, and insurance policies placed before the public in vending machines. ”

“ Klein, waiting in the doorway for his cue, felt his pulse quicken. The sight of the photograph—Delmar’s photograph—had caused Tanner to hesitate!
The wait grew longer. Fearful of the delay, and aware that his entrance might set the dialogue moving once more, Klein stepped through the door. ”

“ NIGHT WORK.
Chick Carter, in accord with the plans laid out by Nick, was in Amherst that evening in the disguise of a traveling salesman. He was waiting on the station platform when the Southern Limited arrived.
Chick sized up the train as it rolled into the station. He did not definitely know, of course, whether the crook who had sent the telegram from Philadelphia was among the passengers, but he strongly suspected that he was, and he also knew that Nick would board the express car at North Dayton. ”

“ Have you ever noticed a flock of pretty but scolding maidens in a downtown doorway or the post-office entrance, or the vestibule of a movie-picture place wildly calling for umbrellas, raincoats, newspapers, brother’s, or best beau’s silk handkerchief, or anything to prevent that lovely seven or ten-dollar hat from being ruined by the sudden shower? ”

“ Nick obeyed, remarking, with a laugh:
“You’re all right, Denny. He will be a good man, indeed, who catches you napping.”
Denny read the brief letter, all the while with one eye upon the intruder. He had no doubt of Nick’s identity, however, after reading the missive and seeing the familiar handwriting of the railway president.
“By Jove, you gave me a disagreeable surprise to start with, Mr. Carter, but this more than makes up for it,” he said heartily, placing the letter and weapon upon the table and extending his hand.
“Good enough,” Nick replied, entering and shaking hands with him. ”

“ Nick coldly advised.
“You can bet your boots on that. We’ll soon have it planted where no infernal New York dick will find it.”
“Don’t be so sure of it. You may slip a cog.”
“No slips for us,” said Sol confidently. “You ought to know that, Carter.”
“I’m not telling all I know.”
“They did a fat job who brought you down here to corral us fellows,” Mauler went on derisively. “We’re too slick for any city guy of your cut. Why, I near laughed in your ugly mug, when you boarded that express car and shoved a letter from Burdick under my nose.” ”

“ If you are a masculine reader, have you ever been compelled to “cough up” from three to six dollars in order to get your fair Dulcinea home from play or dance when it is raining pitchforks and black cats and the rubber-coated man on the box has suddenly become so stiff and lofty—in his price, at least—that occasionally one doubts if he can be touched even with a ten-spot bill or a ten-foot pole? ”

“ No kiss has a right to more than one foot of film.
“You see, when an actress is kissed on the stage, it isn’t because she wants to be kissed, but because the artistry of the play demands it, to indicate emotion on the part of the stage characters. ”

“ I wish to get into the car without any display of opposition on his part.”
“I’ll fix you, Mr. Carter, as far as that goes.”
“And that is all I will require of you,” said Nick. “I will explain to Cady after the train leaves here. How soon is it due?”
“In about five minutes,” said Denny, glancing at a clock on the wall. “I’ll slip on my coat and be ready to go down with you.”
“Very good,” Nick said approvingly. “Pay no attention to any persons who may be on the platform, or step from the train during the stop. An inquisitive stare might cause misgivings.” ”

“ Nick inquired.
“That’s all to date,” returned Patsy. “I’ve got my eye on the man.”
“Keep it on him, Patsy, after he receives the letter,” Nick directed. “Shadow him, if possible, or find some way to trail him. Listen while I tell you what the letter contains. It may be of advantage to you.”
“Shoot! I’m all ears,” said Patsy.
Nick then repeated the letter verbatim and told Patsy of what his suspicions consisted, again directing him to make a special mark of Dewitt until otherwise instructed. ”

“ Chick sprang up with the last and hastened down to the hotel office. Entering a telephone booth and closing the door, he called up the central exchange and learned that he could quickly get a clear wire to Philadelphia.
“I want the police headquarters,” said he. “The officer in charge.”
Chick had waited only seven minutes, when the operator rang him up and announced:
“All ready.”
“Hello!” Chick called. “Police headquarters, Philadelphia?”
“Yes.”
Distance did not serve to soften the strong, sonorous voice. The wire carried the sound perfectly. ”