Nicholas Carter

“ Another was the government engineer, Garland, looking drawn and white, in spite of his efforts to appear congenial; while next to him was seated a slender, graceful woman of almost dazzling beauty and brilliancy, her sinuous figure ravishingly clad and her abundance of auburn hair fairly ablaze with costly gems.
“H’m, just so,” thought Nick, furtively gazing. “Verona Warren, eh? Wonderful eyes, an irresistible smile, a mouth like a rosebud, and a matchless complexion—but not all her own. She is a skillful woman who, at thirty-five, can strip off enough years to appear like a debutante. ”

“ Nick Carter did not see her until, hearing her fierce, sibilant voice, he swung round and found himself gazing into the deadly muzzle of a leveled revolver.
“You’re wrong! He’s not under arrest!” Irma Valaska cried, with terrible intensity. “Throw up your hands, Nick Carter. Up with them—or there’ll be a corpse where you are standing.”
Nick did not pause for an instant. No sane man looking into her drawn, determined face, would have ignored the murderous light in the woman’s eyes. ”

“ Come across with it.”
“Good for you,” said Nick approvingly. “You’re a big man, Garland, big in more ways than one, and a splendid future awaits you. You are so big, in fact, like other men I have known, that you are blind to the servile treachery and dirty trickery of which some are capable, both being so foreign to you. That is one reason why big men are sometimes easily made the dupes of the others.” ”

“ Nick could occasionally catch a few words uttered more vivaciously than others, but none were of special significance. He saw Stella Barclay frowning at times upon Garland, however, and finally heard her inquire:
“What on earth, Harry, has come over you? You’re as dumb as an oyster, and dreadfully white.”
“Pardon!” Garland exclaimed, brightening quickly. “I did not realize it, Miss Barclay.”
“I have noticed it all evening. You are not ill, are you?”
“No, indeed.”
“Miss Barclay is right,” said Captain Dillon, with a squint from one to the other. “I have noticed it. ”

“ Nick fell back a step and threw up his hands.
Irma Valaska came nearer to him. Plainly enough, she feared him no more than a wild cat fears a rabbit.
“Don’t drop them!” she cried, between her teeth. “I’ll fire if you lower them an inch. You devil of a Carter! You would foil my designs, eh? Oh, I know you—I know you! I know all. You move foot or finger, and I will kill you.”
“You look quite capable of it,” said Nick calmly.
“I am!” she cried. “I would rather than not. But there will be time for that—time for that! Move quickly, Casper, while I keep him covered. Get your revolver. ”

“ Patsy hastened to comply, reading the article from beginning to end.
Nick stood listening while knotting his necktie. His strong, clean-cut face became more grave. His eyes took on a more intent expression.
“There may be more fire, Chick, than is supposed,” said he, taking the newspaper from Patsy and glancing himself at the article. “I think there really is, in fact.”
“Why so?” questioned Chick, a bit surprised. “For what reason?”
“Several,” said Nick. “One because I have met Captain Casper Dillon and happen to know something about him. He is not the type of man I fancy.” ”

“ Chief Welden swung round in his swivel chair, so as to directly face the noted detective. There had been other times when the keen and clever men under his direction had been baffled by perplexing problems, resulting in an appeal to the famous New York detective; but judging from Welden’s expression at that moment, none could have been more important than that which had occasioned this summons of Nick Carter to Washington, an appeal direct from the president himself. ”

“ There is always turbulence and violence when strong tides meet.
It was after nine o’clock when Chick Carter approached the rented home of the Baron Esterveldt and his wife, as well as the beautiful snake who was posing as their orphan relative.
It was, as Garland had said to Nick, a most attractive place. A stately stone residence well in from the street, with an environment of beautiful grounds, shaded with fine old trees and adorned with ornamental shrubbery. ”

“ Welden hastened to reassure him, however, by saying, with sympathetic voice and a smile:
“Draw up a chair, Garland, and shake hands with this gentleman. We have brought him from New York to pull you out of this affair. I think he may succeed in doing so, for he rarely fails, if ever, in what he seriously undertakes. His own mother would not know him just now, however. Shake hands with Nick Carter.” ”

“ Nick gazed thoughtfully at the floor for a moment.
“I don’t think so,” he then said decidedly. “That is to say, Chick, I don’t think they have succeeded. The thugs who have the plans, and who evidently were out to get them at some little risk, must have some idea of their character and value.”
“That’s true, of course.”
“Naturally, then, while they might enter into negotiations, perhaps, they would not be likely to let go of the plans until they have craftily learned from whom they can get the biggest price for them. ”

“ Nick went on. “He sees a loophole for escape in this story he has told, and he is going to stick to it. He knows the lawyer who pursued him cannot disprove it, having seen only the three men running away after the assault.”
“That appears to be obvious, Nick, at least.”
“But Carney may have still another motive,” Nick added. “He is known to be a thief. The assault may have been made with intent to rob. In spite of Dillon’s assertion to the contrary, moreover, the thugs may have robbed him of something.”
“But he would know it in that case, Nick,” said Chick. ”

“ Nick said confidently. “It began with the Baron Esterveldt’s hospitality to the Barclays when they were abroad. It was framed up at that time and the way paved for what since has occurred. Captain Dillon had a hand in it as long ago as that, for I since have learned that he then was in Europe.”
“You must be right, Carter,” Garland said, more calmly. “I now see it plainly. My honor is at stake, as you said, and the integrity of Senator Barclay. What’s to be done?”
“You can do nothing,” Nick replied. “The recovery of those plans before any advantage can be derived from them is my work.” ”

“ Rounded and perfectly kept driveways led to a stable and a commodious garage, beyond which a stone wall divided the estate from a rear street.
Chick turned his steps in that direction after sauntering by the front of the house, taking the opposite side of the fashionable street. He could see no one at any of the windows, many of which were partly open for ventilation at that hour of the morning. ”

“ What good to have extended you false hopes? Sit down, now, and have a talk with Mr. Carter. He wants to ask you a few questions.”
Garland hastened to comply, while Nick said, in a more businesslike fashion:
“Welden has told me all of the superficial circumstances, Mr. Garland, and I’ll do what I can for you. Let’s waste no time in getting right at the matter, for time is always valuable. Steady yourself and answer my questions as quickly and concisely as possible.”
“I will do so, Mr. Carter,” said Garland eagerly.
“To begin with, then, who else occupies your office in the war department? ”

“ Margate said coldly. “I can imagine that your subsequent safety will permit of only one course.”
“There is some truth in that.”
“What you do with them is immaterial to me,” added Margate. “Carter is too dangerous a man for me to leave alive, if I were the one seriously threatened. That, however, will be up to you.”
“We can take care of him,” snapped Irma Valaska, with a fiery glance at the unruffled detective. “We’ll be sure to close his mouth.”
“Possibly.”
Nick dropped in the single doubtful word indifferently.
“A settlement, then, should be easily arrived at,” said Margate, resuming. ”

“ 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. ”

“ There then were three other persons in the room—Andy Margate, Tom Carney, and Larry Trent.
They had arrived upon the scene ten minutes before. The forces that had been in operation had come together, had united for the first time, and explanations formed a part of the discussion, conducted almost entirely by the Baron Esterveldt and Margate.
“Never mind how I came to know of your designs,” Margate was saying to the other just as a French clock on the mantel struck twelve. “That’s neither here nor there. All that we need come to is a settlement of the matter as it stands.” ”

“ I employ only a girl stenographer, who has a desk in the outer office.”
“Does she know on what work you have been engaged?”
“No, sir. That is known only to Captain Backas and the heads of the department.”
“All of whom are, of course, perfectly reliable,” said Nick. “I now am aiming only to pick up a clew, Garland, to the identity of the person who could have had the information necessary to have framed up this job. Did your stenographer know you were going to Annapolis last Friday?” ”

“ Patsy dryly allowed.
“That’s just what I want,” said Margate, with a threatening nod. “What case is Carter on in Washington?”
“Give it up,” said Patsy. “You’ll have to ask him.”
“Does that mean that you’ll not inform me?”
“Take it any old way you like.”
“I’ll find a way to make you.”
“You bet we will,” snarled Trent, seizing a poker and starting to thrust it into the stove. “A red-hot iron will open your mouth. That’s what you’ll get, too, unless——”
“Keep quiet, Larry,” interrupted Margate, thrusting him aside. “There’ll be time enough for that. I’ll get the truth from him while you are gone.” ”

“ He’s a long ways from dead,” growled Carney.
Larry Trent laughed loudly.
But Margate waved both of them aside, taking a chair directly opposite the detective and coldly eyeing him.
“We know for what we have taken you,” he said icily. “We know who you are, too.”
“Well, you’ve got nothing on me, Mr. Margate, as far as that goes,” Patsy coolly retorted.
“Ah, you admit that you know me, then!”
“That’s what. You are pretty well known and widely mugged in two countries.”
“I see,” Margate drawled, with a sneer. “I was right. Carter did recognize me. He has told you about me.” ”

“ Dillon quietly exclaimed, squinting at Nick over the table. “I’m very glad you warned me, or I certainly would have done so.”
“I foresaw it, captain,” smiled Nick. “You have not changed much in the several years since we met. You hold your own like an old war horse. I am pleased to meet you again.”
“That feeling is reciprocated, Mr. Carter, I assure you,” Captain Dillon said quietly. “How long have you been in Washington?”
“Not long,” said Nick. “I am here on important business. I cannot tell when I may leave. That depends.” ”

“ INTO A TRAP.
“Andy Margate is the man we must get. He is the rascal who now has the government plans. Andy Margate is the man we must get—and lose no time in getting him.”
These forcible declarations came from Nick Carter soon after eight o’clock on the morning following his impressive interview with Harold Garland. They were addressed to Chick and Patsy, then in their suite in the Willard immediately after breakfast. ”

“ Patsy Garvan rushed out of the house in time to fire twice, only to miss the crouching rascal, and in another moment the speeding car had turned the nearest corner.
At one o’clock that afternoon, Nick Carter, in company with Chick and Patsy, knocked on the door of a suite in the Willard and waited for the occupant to{40} open it. There was an odd smile on the face of the famous detective, an odd smile on that of each of his companions. The light in their eyes was one that never shone on land or sea. ”

“ He then looked white and drawn, however, as men look who have aged years in as many days under some terrible experience. Mental distress of the most poignant kind was reflected in his face, and Nick rightly inferred, as Chief Welden also perceived, that the young man apprehended further direful disclosures and additional misery from this unexpected summons to the chief’s office. ”

“ He had strange tales, such as that one day he came home and found an old alligator asleep on his hearth; how that rattlesnakes had frequently crept in through the interstices of the logs; and how that almost every evening after dusk, at certain times of the year, wolves prowled around.
Then our protector informed us that we must be stirring with the dawn. He would take us in his canoe a distance of ten miles, whence, by crossing a narrow tongue of land, we might reach a steamboat landing. ”

“ He at once leaped over the wall and darted behind the garage, from which nearer point he gazed out at her.
“The game is opening, all right,” thought Chick, who was some fifty yards from the garage, that being on the opposite side of the grounds. “But who the deuce is the fellow? He appears to know the woman by sight, at least, yet fears for some reason to approach her. By Jove, he may be one of the crooks who assaulted Dillon and got away with the portfolio. He may have seen Irma Valaska in the touring car that evening, and in other respects a stranger to her.” ”