Mr. Dexter

“ See what power will be put into your hands! You might labor all your life, and not accomplish one-hundredth part of that which, as Gregory Dexter's wife, you could do in one day.
"As to your probable objection—the boy-and-girl engagement in which you were foolish enough to entangle yourself—I will simply say, leave it to time; it will break itself. How do you know that it is not, in fact, broken already? The Pronando blood is faithless in its very essence," added the old woman, bitterly. "Mr. Dexter is a man of the world. ”

“ Among these images were two statues of Dexter himself, one of which held a label with a characteristic inscription. His house was ornamented with minarets, adorned with golden balls, and surmounted by a large gilt eagle. He equipped it with costly furniture, with paintings, and a library. He went so far as to procure the services of a poet laureate, whose business it seems to have been to sing his praises. Surrounded with splendors like these, the plain title of “Mr.” Dexter would have been infinitely too mean and common. ”

“ No one was there but her husband. He looked grave to sadness. She looked at him a single moment, then shut her eyes and turned her face away. Mr. Dexter neither moved nor spoke. A more wretched man was scarcely in existence. He believed all against his wife that his words expressed; yet was he conscious of unpardonable indiscretion—and he was deeply troubled as to the consequences of his act. Mrs. Dexter was fully restored to consciousness, and remembered distinctly, the blasting intimations of her husband. But, she was wholly free from excitement, and was thinking calmly. ”

“ There is but one hope left, and that is the boy.”
319 Chapter XXXV. When old Mr. Dexter reached his home that afternoon, he called one of his servants and ordered him to gather all of his nephew’s possessions together and pack them up, to be sent away to an address which he would give them. At the same time he informed them that if his kinsman should call, he was not to be admitted to the house on any pretense whatever. ”

“ As the deputy sheriff, who acted as the auctioneer, had said, the farm was about to be sold. It was a fine one, and had belonged to Robert Dexter. With his wife Elizabeth, his sons, Larry, aged fifteen, a sturdy lad with bright blue eyes and brown hair, and James, aged eight, his daughters, Lucy, a girl of twelve, afflicted with a bad disease of the spine, and little Mary, just turned four, Mr. Dexter had lived on the place, and had worked it successfully, for several years.
Then he had become ill of consumption. He could not follow the hard life. ”

“ Dave and Greg added a few words at the end.
"So we think," summed up Dick, "that Mr. Dexter may not yet be through with his schemes against you. Excuse us, Mrs. Dexter, but don't you think it would be well to have a man sleep in the house—one that you can depend on if Dexter comes here to make trouble?"
"Yes, indeed. My hired man is a straight-forward fellow. I'll have him stay around here more, and I'll have a room fitted up in the house for him. Mr. Dexter isn't usually extremely brave. I imagine that the hired man can take care of him if he puts in an appearance. ”

“ Dexter?"
"Yes," said Anne; "I like him sincerely. And you will find his name very often there," she added, looking at the note-book by Helen's side.
"Yes, but the others too, I hope. What I want to know, of course, is the wicked career of the Knight-errant."
"But is not Mr. Dexter the Knight-errant?"
"By no means. Mr. Dexter is the Bishop; have you not discovered that? The Knight-errant is very decidedly some one else. And, by-the-way, how do you like Some One Else—that is, Mr. Heathcote?" ”

“ Why should I? The lady is charming. I was going to say that she has not her peer."
"Why not say it?" remarked Mrs. Dexter.
"Because," replied Mr. Hendrickson, as his eyes withdrew themselves from the face of Mrs. Dexter, "I do not believe it. She has her peer."
"She must be a lovely woman so to captivate your fancy," said Mrs. Dexter.
"Did I say that she had captivated my fancy?" asked Hendrickson.
"If not in so many formally spoken words, yet in a language that we ladies can read at a glance," replied Mrs. Dexter, affecting a gay smile. ”

“ If ifs bad it'll come out fast enough, and if it's good, leavin' it alone maybe will make it a little better. But here we are,” he continued aloud, “at Dexter's Oak. What's to be done, Miss Dexter, now, and with you, Mr. Joseph? Of course, I'll take you straight to the Inn—as for Miss Dexter—”
“I will get out at once,” said the unhappy woman. “You are sure you can take him to the Inn all right and—and—lift—that is—without—”
“Oh, I guess so,” said the farmer, grimly relapsing into an Americanism that was just beginning to leaven the whole country. ”

“ Larry smiled to hear Mr. Emberg call him "Mr. Dexter," but, no matter how familiar an editor may become with his reporters, he gives even the youngest the title of mister when speaking of him to the copy boys.
Larry finished the first page of his story, pulled it from the typewriter and handed it to Tommy, who rushed with it to Mr. Emberg's desk. The editor glanced over it, made one or two corrections, changed the wording a bit, and handed it back to Tommy, who hurried with it to the pneumatic tube, in which it was shot upstairs to the composing room. ”

“ Benjamin if he were near enough to the library door to hear Dexter tell you of his entering the bedchamber on the night of Mrs. Eustace Macallan’s death.”
I put the question to Benjamin when we met at the luncheon-table before setting forth for the distant suburb in which Miserrimus Dexter lived. My old friend disapproved of the contemplated expedition as strongly as ever. He was unusually grave and unusually sparing of his words when he answered me.
“I am no listener,” he said. “But some people have voices which insist on being heard. Mr. Dexter is one of them.” ”

“ There were only two familiar faces for Dexter to encounter, first, namely, those of Mr Hippetts and the schoolmaster, both of whom expressed themselves as being proud to shake their old pupil’s hand.
Then they ascended to the infirmary, where the old nurse lay very comfortable and well cared for, and looking as if she might last for months.
Her eyes lit up as she saw Dexter; and, when he approached, she held out her hand, and made him sit down beside her.
“And growed such a fine chap!” she said, again and again. ”

“ You can only stay long enough to humor the creature’s wayward fancy, and to keep his crazy brain quiet for a time. That done, all is done—you leave him. Even supposing Dexter to be still capable of helping you, how can you make use of him but by admitting him to terms of confidence and familiarity—by treating him, in short, on the footing of an intimate friend? Answer me honestly: can you bring yourself to do that, after what happened at Mr. Benjamin’s house? ”

“ It is not easy for a person to exactly locate a sound when the cause is not apparent. In short, Mr. Dexter’s operations may be described as only consisting of a little well-managed Dexterity!
A young man “out West,” claiming to be influenced by spirits, astonished people by reading names, telling time by watches, etc., in a dark room. ”

“ At the end of the discussion, the reverend listener appears in a paragraph as the deus ex machinâ of the drama, pats the victorious sensible boy on the head, and treats the foolish boy with silent contempt. It does not take much to win Mr. Dexter's approval. He goes into rhapsodies over a rich man who insists on carrying home his own bundle; while another purchaser, who is villain enough to desire his parcel to be sent to his house, meets with all the scorn that he merits. Our author takes cheerful views of life. ”

“ Dexter, who had taken the remark as a question.
"Just so. And there are no legal means of getting rid of the man?"
"None at all, sir, for three years, if he pleases to stop. But, Mr. Chandos, he appears to me to be an exceedingly eligible tenant—so very wealthy and respectable a gentleman!"
"Wealthy and respectable though he may be, I would give a thousand pounds to be quit of him, Dexter."
"But why, sir?" repeated the agent, in surprise.
"He is not likely to prove an agreeable neighbour. I don't like the look of him." ”

“ This was what Larry wanted.
Slowing down his engine the least bit, so as to keep in pace with the other machine and not pass it, he called across to Mr. Potter, as the two autos raced side by side:
"Mr. Potter, I bring you a message from your friends!"
"What is it?"
"It is this! 'The money is safe!'"
"Good!" cried the millionaire. "Now I don't care what these scoundrels do!"
"Father! Father!" cried Grace.
"Stop that machine!" yelled Larry to the chauffeur of the green car.
"You can't make me!" retorted the man.
"Jump into our car!" cried Fritsch to Mr. Potter. "You can do it!" ”

“ Newton came the man wearing a new pair of gloves.
“It's a good thing Larry didn't undertake this thing alone,” thought Mr. Newton. “The chase is leading into a dangerous part of town. But it's just the place where I'd expect the gang to have its headquarters.”
“I hope he doesn't give up until he gets where I want him to,” murmured the man with the gloves. “If he doesn't we'll show him a thing or two, and I guess he'll not be so fond of monkeying with other people's affairs after this,” and he smiled in a cruel sort of way that boded no good to Mr. Newton.
Peter was playing his part well. ”

“ Dexter.
“I’m almost certain,” replied Larry. “Just you wait, mother. I’m sure we’ll have Jimmy before another day goes by.”
“I only wish I could believe so,” remarked Mrs. Dexter, wiping the tears from her eyes.
In the meanwhile, Mr. Newton had gone to the former headquarters of the gang that had rooms behind the door with the blue hand on it. As he feared, the place was deserted, and no one in the neighborhood knew anything about where the former occupants had gone, or, if they did, they would not tell. In Chinatown it is the policy of the inhabitants to relate just as little as they can. ”

“ He seemed very much interested in you, Larry.”
“Altogether too much,” went on Larry. “Mother, don't trust that man. Mr. Newton knows him, and says he is almost as bad a criminal as though he had been convicted.”
“Why, I'm sure he seemed real polite,” said Mrs. Dexter. “He was very nicely spoken.”
“Those are the worst kind,” said Larry. “Don't ever show him any of father's old papers, particularly the deed to the land in the Bronx.”
“Why not, Larry? Is there any chance of that land ever becoming valuable? I remember your poor father saying it would never be any good. ”

“ Oh, he was a cute one, Hank was!”
“Do you think he planned it all this way?” asked Ned.
“He must have,” asserted Bob.
“It was leaving a good deal to chance,” was Harry’s opinion. “Just supposing Hiram hadn’t saved that envelope?”
“In that case we’d be out of luck,” Bob said. “But I think Mr. Denby must have known Hiram would save the key to the cipher. If he hadn’t thought that he’d have made up some other way of letting it be known where the treasure was buried.”
“Maybe it’s all a joke,” murmured Ned. “I mean, maybe there isn’t any treasure buried after all. ”

“ He can’t be hurt. He’s probably, as I said, been taken by that gang, but it’s to their interest to keep him safe. He has a claim on the property the same as you or I have, and if any—any harm came to him it would only mix things up for them. You can depend on it, they’ll take very good care of Jimmy.”
256
“Do you think so?” asked Mrs. Dexter.
“Sure,” replied Larry. “Besides we’ll have him back in a few days, no matter where he is. Mr. Newton and I will start on the search. The Leader will help us, and all the police in the city will lend a hand, as they are friendly toward our paper.” ”

“ Larry said to himself, at length. “I can’t do anything alone. Anyhow, I’ve located the Rising Sun crowd. I’d better not make too much of a fuss, or they’ll suspect I’m after them, and move away.”
He hurried downstairs, wishing he could find Mr. Newton at once, instead of waiting until night, when the older reporter had promised Larry to call at the Dexter house. ”

“ Bill had said to Mr. Beel, when Bob drove him to the place the morning of the discovery of the crime on Storm Mountain.
“Stay as long as you like—we’ll try and make you welcome!” Mr. Beel had said with the bluff heartiness that characterized him when greeting a new guest.
“And you’re sure no one will object to my wooden leg?” asked Jolly Bill.
“Huh! I’d like to see ’em!” snapped out the proprietor. “You got just as good a right to have a wooden leg as another man has to have two of flesh and blood, I reckon.” ”

“ Dexter.
"She resides in B—."
"Miss Arden? Miss Arden?" Mrs. Dexter seemed curious. "What is her appearance?"
"Tall, with a very graceful figure. Complexion dark enough to make her pass for a brunette. Large black eyes and raven hair."
"In company with her mother?" said Mrs. Dexter.
"Yes."
"I remember her now. She was quite the belle at Saratoga. But I was not so fortunate as to make her acquaintance. She sings wonderfully. Few professional artists are so gifted."
"You have used the right word," said Mr. Hendrickson. "Her musical powers are wonderful. ”

“ I was told by the aldermanic committee that they were prepared to offer you twenty thousand dollars for the land. If they do, and I think they will, I advise you to take it.”
“Of course we will!” shouted Larry. “Think of twenty thousand dollars! We'll be rich, mother!”
“Well, not exactly rich,” remarked Mr. Newton, “but it will help some.”
“No wonder the gang wanted to get possession of the land,” observed Larry.
“That was their game,” went on Mr. Newton. “They learned you had the deed to one of the most valuable pieces. ”