John Carter

“ Mine own people do not care for me, John Carter; I am too unlike them. It is a sad fate, since I must live my life amongst them, and I often wish that I were a true green Martian woman, without love and without hope; ”

“ He did not know that Dago John, who went with him last night to rob the bank, was no other than Nick Carter. But it is true, Handsome."
"Gee!" breathed Handsome, his fingers twitching.
"He is all right now, Handsome. He cannot hurt you. I have put him out of business—and I don't think we had better let the men know that Nick Carter has been among them. Let them wreak their vengeance upon this fellow, and upon the other—that little Jap. As for Nick Carter himself, I will take care of him. He will never come out of that cellar alive. And now, Chick, I want you to answer me a question." ”

“ This case is the kind of thing that makes a man go stale. Gee! To think that a dub like John Garrison Rayne can keep out of our way on an island that you can almost spit across! Jumping cats! I’d rather go out and——”
“Patsy!”
It was the voice of Nick Carter. Garvan swung around.
“What is it, chief? Anything I can do?”
“Only stop your growling over there,” answered the detective, good-humoredly. “It’s got on your nerves, I dare say. But so it has on those of the rest of us. Grumbling and complaining never moved even a pebble out of the road yet. ”

“ George Carter, whose name has been so prominently before the public of late in connection with his splendid efforts in winning over the King of Okky to the side of humanity, has himself been the victim of some very high-handed oppression. He has discovered a most valuable vein of tin in a part of the back country where no European explorer had ever trod before, and with toil and care, and in fact with genius, had brought cargo after cargo of the valuable ore down mysterious African creeks and rivers to a spot where the ocean steamers could conveniently ship it. ”

“ Then he fell upon the rascal with both hands!
A rough and tumble in a motor boat is necessarily full of risk. It is always likely to end in a ducking for both combatants.
How Nick Carter and John Garrison Rayne escaped this unpleasantness is not to be explained. Only the fact can be stated.
Perhaps it was because Nick Carter was so dexterous in putting on the handcuffs when the Apache was not looking.
At all events, in less than two minutes, after a hard fight, John Garrison Rayne lay in the bottom of the dinky little craft, handcuffed, and with the detective sitting on him. ”

“ He settled himself in the mid thwart of the surf-boat with the water on the floor flowing merrily in and out of his pipe-clayed shoes. Whatever a white man may feel, he always assumes coolness and indifference before the black, and Carter picked up the instinct of his race. ”

“ The pair of them charged up the veranda steps, Carter in the lead, with the twelve-bore held ready for an instant discharge. The Krooboy with matchet uplifted and teeth at the snarl looked the very picture of savage desperation and ferocity. They stepped into the empty mess-room and lit matches and a lamp. The land breeze sang through the bamboo walls, and Carter's home-made punkah swished overhead to the unseen impulse of the water wheel; but of quick human life, there was not a trace. ”

“ With the King of Okky doing what he could to keep the country side in a ferment, to go up into the bush even with a strong party, and well provided, was risky. To go with empty pockets, and with no following, seemed very little short of suicide.
But Carter refused to see it in this light. "I'm tough," he told himself, "and I've worked up a certain reputation for ju-ju. If I use my wits I shall get through, and be successful. I absolutely refuse to die here in Africa. I've promised to marry Laura, and, let it cost what it may, I'm going to do it. ”

“ Carter's name did not appear except on the envelope; but his avocations and business hours were alluded to; the fact of their voyage together to New York was mentioned; there was no doubt that he was the man. The Doctor was more miserable than [Pg 437] he remembered to have been before since the death of his wife. After half an hour of wretched meditation, walking meanwhile up and down the puddles which had collected on the earthen floor of the shanty, he became aware that the rain had ceased, and set out on his miserable walk homeward. ”

“ Observe"—said Carter, and poured some whiskey onto the table top and set light to it—"Observe those blue flames that crawl and flicker about, but do not burn the wood. In those the ghosts that have been threatening you are now being most painfully consumed. Do you believe it?"
"I fit for see 'em die," said White-Man's-Trouble devoutly. "Oh, Carter, you plenty-much-fine witch doctor. I fit for pipe-clay dem shoes, three pair a day. Oh, Carter, if Okky men lib for come, you burn them, too?" ”

“ In life Carter was a poor man, and he died poor; so far from attempting to hand his division over to the enemy, he fell while executing the manœuvre which insured their ruin, and as he died his last words were an exhortation to his men to fight bravely, fight to the last. The story may be pronounced a libel on a brave man. The body of the admiral was buried at Portsmouth with ceremonial honour. ”

“ Well, as I was saying, the promotion of Carter is one of [Pg 434] the most intelligent moves of the Administration. Carter—I beg pardon—I don't mean to insinuate that I am on familiar terms with him—I acknowledge him as my superior officer and keep my distance—General Carter is born for command and for victory. Wherever he goes he conquers. He is triumphant in the field and in the boudoir. He is victorious over man and women. By Jove, sir," (here he gave a saturnine chuckle, and leer.) "I came across the most amusing proof of his capacity for bringing the fair sex to a surrender." ”

“ If you notice, they dare not go back, so that rather hints that the someone is still hidden in the meadow-sweet."
"Which said clump," observed Carter, "is just two yards off the graven image which commands bush road number three. Oh, assistant conjurer, canst thou swear?"
"Oh, Carter," said the Krooboy with simple dignity, "I no bush-boy. I speak English. I learn him on steamah. I work up to position of stand-by-at-crane boy before I lib for come ashore to work at factory. Ah, Carter, I savvy swear-palaver plenty-much-too-good. You fit for hear me?" ”

“ If he read between the lines the answer to Chick Carter’s pertinent question, or even a hint at the answer, his serious, unchanging countenance did not reveal it.
John Madden watched him anxiously.
David Mack gazed at him with fixed and searching scrutiny.
Neither banker broke the silence until the detective looked up from the printed sheet.
“Well, what do you think of it?” Mack then asked bluntly. “Isn’t it the limit? Could you beat it?”
“How to beat the rascals is a more pertinent question,” Nick replied, with grim austerity.
“True. That goes without saying.”
“What are your views, Nick?” Mr. ”

“ John Thinker
For cold-blooded, devilish nerve in a man's own house, Cousin Fanny certainly takes the cake, Mary!
Mary Thinker
She gets more spiteful every day. She knows her power, and the more childish she gets the more delight she takes in playing tyrant.
John Thinker
Cheer up, it isn't forever! If she doesn't change her will before she dies, it means fifteen thousand dollars a year. That's worth a little trouble!
Mary Thinker
You're away at your office all day. I'm here at home with her. It is I who catch all the trouble! ”

“ He has induced King Kallee to abandon human sacrifice now and for always.
"As will be seen by the two interviews which appear in our news columns, the information on these points did not come from Mr. Carter himself. Mr. Carter is that man so rare to find in these pushing days, a man who does not care one jot for anything the press can do towards his own self-advancement, a man, moreover, who does not mind saying so in strong, rude Anglo-Saxon. ”

“ Flood at once mounted the stairs and entered the chamber previously described. At that hour, however, the room presented a vivid contrast. It was like looking at the bare stage of a theater seen by daylight. There was no game going, no excited players, no glare of electric lights, no clicking of ivory chips, no signs of apprehension, no precautionary measures. For the door of the room stood open, and John Green, the humpback, was engaged in wiping the glassware on the sideboard. ”

“ I’ll send Sarah to bed, though she’s as deaf as an adder.”
“Would she squeal, Jim, if she knew?” questioned Kate Crandall.
“Never a squeal,” Dacey declared. “But she’s best out of the way, for all that.”
“By Jove, that was a woman’s voice, as sure as I’m over seven,” thought Chick, when he heard Kate’s question. “A woman in male attire, eh? Great guns! I begin to scent the rat in the meal. This bunch of rascals have in some way got the best of Nick and Patsy. But there still is a third string to the chief’s bow. It’s always safe to bank on one of us.” ”

“ As he has said to us, they are his slaves, and he can do what he likes with them. He may be sorry to lose their services, but he never would think of avenging them. They are not important enough, in his eyes.”
“There’s truth in that, Adil,” assented Nick Carter. “We have seen how he caused the death of one of his guards [3] just because he stumbled and dropped a package he was carrying. No, I dare say he will pretend to be friendly with us, as if there never had been a fight.”
“He’s a sly old rascal,” snorted Jefferson Arnold. “But we’ll beat him yet. We’ve got to do it. ”

“ Nick Carter had formed his little band in battle array at the first alarm. He had marshaled Chick, Patsy, Jefferson Arnold, and Adil as a small covering ring for Leslie Arnold and the four coolies who were carrying the baggage, while Jai Singh had taken his place on the left flank.
Everybody in the party except the coolies had his rifle leveled, and could have shot this man on the white mule at any moment. But he showed no disturbance. He looked at the white men as if they were some curious species of animals he was seeing for the first time. ”

“ He stepped before Nick Carter and stared steadfastly at the man on the mule.
“You are Calaman, the priest,” cried Leslie Arnold, in ringing tones, as he pointed a finger at the man’s face. “You ordered your men to take another white man and bring him here. But that white man got away.”
“Well, what if I am Calaman?” rejoined the priest, with dignity. “I have the right to command.”
“Not white men!” shouted Leslie. “It is there where you are to be punished. Do as you will in your own country, and with your own people. ”

“ Calaman has no mercy on those who oppose him. I’m with you in this venture. In return, I ask you to stand by me.”
“Till the death!” returned Nick Carter earnestly.
“Here, too,” added Chick.
“And you can bet your pile on me,” announced Patsy.
“Where do we strike first?” asked Jefferson Arnold.
“I only have my knife,” bewailed Jai Singh. “It will have to serve until I can get a spear. But I’ll take one from some of those men as soon as I get near to them.”
“I have a revolver,” modestly spoke Adil, who seldom said anything unless he considered it absolutely necessary. ”

“ These names were not like those that were signed to the Declaration of Independence or those who fell at Bunker Hill. Decidedly they were more like those found in to-day’s New York directory. This might have been expected, and yet it gave Carter something of a shock until one afternoon he saw a regiment of khaki-clad men marching down Fifth Avenue. Then he felt a lump in his throat that prevented him from cheering as loud as he wished. In uniform and marching to the stirring music of a military band these men were, every mother’s son of them, Americans. ”

“ The father buried his face in his hands, and rocked to and fro convulsively.
“Well, even so, what is the meaning of the spear coming over the rocks like this?” asked Patsy.
“There can be only one meaning,” returned Nick Carter. “Calaman, the high priest of that strange city, Shangore, sends us this necktie to let us know he has Leslie Arnold a prisoner.”
“Why did we ever come away without making sure he was safe?” groaned Jefferson Arnold. “It was my fault. My boy will think we have deserted him.”
“No,” contradicted Nick. “He will know better than that. He will understand just how it was. ”

“ The detective sees that the man’s face is as pale as death, and that his hands are trembling.
“You beat me on the jumping match,” said Nick, turning to the excited man, “but I’ll bet you an even ten that Denver Bay wins the race.”
Amos makes no reply.
He pushes his way hither and yon in the crowd, muttering incoherently to himself.
“It must be time,” Nick hears him say, as the thunder of hoofs grows louder. “If it don’t happen, they’ll all blame me.”
With straining muscles and glaring eyes, the horses pound up the track, Denver Bay still in the lead. ”

“ But Nick Carter quickly reassured her, and his cheery tones acted like a stimulant, as he called out:
“Don’t be afraid, and be ready! Leave your father to me! We must get out by the roof. There is no other way. The firemen are up there. They’ll soon break through with their axes. Don’t you hear them hammering on the trapdoor?”
“No,” she cried. “It isn’t the firemen. It’s Howard—Mr. Milmarsh! He can’t open that trap! Oh, can’t we help? Can’t we do something?” ”

“ They were like machines, those switchboard girls, human, living, palpitating machines, each a connecting link for others in every phase of life, every calling and vocation, from the gilded mansions of exclusive society to the smoke-begrimed dives of the underworld. They are the servants of all, and, in a measure, the confidantes of all.
The girl who had caught Nick Carter’s eye was striking not alone because of her facial expression at that moment, but because of her remarkable grace and beauty. ”