Nick Carter Weekly (no. 203) (1900 11 17)
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CK ao WEE KLY Tasued weekly. Subscription price $2.56 50. per year. Entered as second eae matter at the N. Y. cost Office oy SrRexrr & SMITH. es matte No. 203. 4 Price 5 Cents. BY THE AVTHOR of — —NIGK GARTER— ‘two. 967, FALL ouT!”? aT THIS COMMAND, ED SANDERS, THE BANK ROBBER, DROPPED OUT OF THE LINE
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NICK @ARTER WEEKLY. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1900 by Street & Smith, in the Office of the Librarian of Oongrese, Washington, D, C. Entered as second class Mailer al the New York, N. ¥., Post Office: Subscription price, $2.50 per year. NEW YORK. Issued weekly. STREET & SMITH, Publishers, No. 203. November 17, 1900. — 238 William St., N. Y. Pardoned by the President; OR, NICK CARTER AT THE UNITED STATES TREASURY. By the Author of ‘‘NICK CARTER.” CHAP LER. 1. THE PARDON OF ED SANDERS. The convicts were marching across the “prison-yard. “Number 967 fall out.” At this command Ed Sanders, the bank . robber, dropped out of the line and went with a guard to the prison-oflice. Warden Rockwell sat at his desk looking over some papers. One of them had the Great Seal of the United States on it. “You may go, Jacobs,” said the warden to 7 the guard. When Jacobs was gone the warden got up and held out his tee in a es way. te ‘the ‘convict. “Sanders, I have some good news you,” said he, for “What good news can there be for a man doing twenty vears here?” “You are not doing twenty years. In less than an hour you will be free.” “Bree?” “Ves, rob -that bank, and the President of the It has been proved that-you didn’t United States has pardoned you.” 5 Cents. The warden touched a bell on his desk and an assistant came in. “Take this man to the clothing-room and have him fitted out with a good suit,” said the warden. When Sanders and the assistant had gone, Warden Rockwell went to an adjoining | room, where a special officer from Washing- ton stood near the door. ‘Did HONS get a good look at him, Leggett? Pee
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2 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “Yes,” to shadow him, I’d like to see him again after said the officer, “but if ’m going he has changed his clothes.” “Certainly, [ll arrange that. What in- structions have you had?” “None, except.that I am to shadow a man. You were to tell me the rest.” “Well,” Sanders, who robbed the\Cumberland Bank said the warden, “this fellow is Ed in Washington last fall and got away with _ over $350,000 in money and bonds. None of the plundet was ever found, and it is believed The bank people got a pardon for him, believing he Sanders has it hidden somewhere. would go to the place where the plunder is hidden, and that they would find it in this way.” *“T understand. Then what you said to him about the proof that he did not rob the bank ” was “Simply to keep him from suspecting the real purpose of his pardon.” “Tesees- “You must not let him get out of your _ sight for a moment. He might have the money where he could put his hand right on ita ” “Tf he gets it I will know it,” said the spe- cial officer. “Have they any idea where the money is hidden?” “Tt must be either in or very near Wash- ington. tween the time of the robbery and the time .he was arrested. He was suspected and - watched. The money was probably hidden on the might of the robbery and has not been moved since.” “Some pal could have taken it away.” “Yes, but Sanders always works. alone. Sie a aga a He wasn’t far away from there be-. That was one reason why he was suspected in the first place, for the tobbery seemed to have been committed by one man. It looked like a one-man job,” ' “The bank must have had a strong pull at the White House to get a pardon for him.” “Pull! Why, Senator Sanford is one of the directors of the bank.” “Oho!” ; “Mir, Bow ton: is the man you will deal with. He will help you in any way he can, and you.are to report I should say so. He is the president of the bank. Sanders’ movements to him as often as seems necessary.” oat “Suppose Sanders should lead me to the e money at once?” “Get the money.” Sait i ees “Shall I arrest him?” “Not unless you have to. hae don’ t want Sanders. ’ They want the money.” “What if he doesn’t go to Washington?’ “Follow him wherever he goes and report by. telegraph to Mr. Bowton.” : “Pretty tough job, warden.” mi@iewal guess not. He can’t go pes he gets more money than he will have when he leaves hete. I think he will go geen to Washington. If he does he will reach x there with less than two dollars in his Rockey That won't last long. He will have to have’ more very soon, and I shouldn’t be a if he tried to tap the bank plunder before cm to-morrow morning.” ; fae “Tf he does, I will tap him,” and Legge putting his hand on the poriet where he ear- ried his little leather billy. ss ae aes “Good! How many assistants have you?” “Two.” Pea oa i “Where are they ?”” a Heaei
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“One is outside. The other is at the rail- road” station.” In an hour Ed Sanders walked out of the prison and turned down the road toward the railroad station. . A peddler coming the other way asked him where Marcus Anson lived. Sanders said he didn’t know. A farmer on horseback, just behind San- ders, heard the peddler’s question and said: “Mark Anson? a-goin’ jest the wrong way to find his house. Why, man alive, you’re Turn right around and go back whur ye come from. He lives up over acrost the railroad track yender.” So the peddler turned around and trudged slowly with his big pack on his back, follow- ing Sanders toward the railroad track. The farmer hit his old mare with the end of the halter rope and galloped on ahead of Sanders. He was soon out of sight. When Sanders reached the track two rail- - road men were taking measurements with a tape-line. Sanders turned down toward the station. The two men. took measurements along the track in the same direction. The peddler did not turn toward the sta- tion. He went on across the track and over a hill beyond. There he found the farmer’s old mare tied to the fence. In another moment he was _ mounted on her and hurrying down a back road to beat the train to the rae station, three miles away. | The arrangements for shadowing Sanders had been carefully made. j turned him over to the peddler, and the ped- - dler had turned him over to the railroad men. He had not made a movement that had not . waar bs . , ™ The farmer had_ NICK CARTER WEEKLY. os 3 been seen by at least one pair of watchful eyes. Sanders bought a ‘ick for Washington and received $1,60 change. This was all the money he had when he boarded the train, and Leggett knew it. ) ‘Sanders took a seat ‘in the. smoking-car. The two railroad men sat across the aisle from him, making figures and discuSsing questions about ties and rails and right of a | 2 At the next’ station a passenger came aboard. Nobody would have ec him as the peddler. _ The two railroad men threw away their cigars and went back into another car. The new passenger*settled down into their seat, pulled his hat over his eyes, and seemed to go to sleep. When the train reached Washing this sleepy-looking passenger could have sworn that Sanders had not talked with anybody, and that nobody had given anything to him. This was about noon. Sanders went to a cheap restaurant and bought a lunch which cost twenty cents. Then he bought three cigars for a quarter. This left him with $1.15. He lighted one of the cigars and strolled over to the Mall, where he sat down under a big tree and smoked all his cigars. He had not yet een to a person who knew him. “He’s killing time,” said Leggett to one of his assistants. : 5 “Yes; he’s waiting for dark.” At about five o’clock Sanders got up and enue. started toward Penusylvaniaya It was “still daylight. ae
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& : NicCK CARTER WEEKLY. He wens directly to Savoni’s, the most fashionable restaurant in Washington. The eyes of the officers were on him every instant. He took a seat in the public room and or- dered his dinner. Leggett made a mental calculation and said: “He has ordered more than he can pay for.” Then Sanders called for a quart of wine— $2 1 tnore. He seemed to be perfectly, careless about the price of things. = “Probably has credit here,” said Leggett. No- body seems to know him,” answered the other _ “But he has not spoken to anybody. officer. “That’s so. must watch him very closely.” I don’t understand it. There was never an instant during the meal when one or the other of the officers was not looking at their man. When Sanders had sipped his wine and coffee and lighted his fine imported cigar, his bill amounted to $4.20. Leggett was positive he had had but.$r.15 _in his pocket. Sandérs tapped on his plate with his fork. The colored waiter came. , “Check,” said Sanders. The waitef filled out the check and ae ve Lt. £0? him. 3 cdc cane sah.” : “Sanders looked at it a moment, ’ . » The _,Ewo officers watched him eagerly. Both wondered what he would do. At last Sanders seemed to be satisfied that the check was right, We ae “May T see you alone, Mr: Bowton’ ». Leg: He put his hand into his vest pocket, took 2 out a bill, and handed it to the waiter. * The waiter bowed and hurried away to the © cashier’s desk. “Well, I swear!” muttered iene ali 23 like to know how he can get $4.20 out of ae one-dollar bill!” In a moment the waiter returned with a handful of money and counted it out to San- ders: sie ae “Four, » twenty—four twenty-five—fifty— five: dollars—ten—twenty—forty—fifty “doles lars, sah.” a AH Sanders handed a Guten to ae date got up, kicked down his trousers, and walked A out with the air of a satisfied man. ‘3 “Well!” said Leggett. “That beats me.” “Me, too,” echoed his. assistant. . — eee Where did that fifty-dollar bill come from? That was the question in their minds. CHAPTER Th are . THIS CASE wins A BETTER MAN. Leggett left his two assistants to watch Sanders while he hurried away to report to Mr. Bowton. i He found the bank president at hom Hepperson, the cashier, and Mr. Tay assistant, were there. : ear Mie ER a Pick hi ie ite asked. here,” ie ee eee a Zs * “Mr. Hepperson and | ae under stand the case as well'as I do. We are W k- ae on it together. a The: officer Feporied everyth' 32
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. his dinner with a fifty-dollar bill, Mr. Bowton and his assistants looked at each other in sur- “prise. “What can that mean?” asked Mr. Bowton. “It means that Sanders has got at the hid- den money without being seen,” said Mr. Hepperson, “That is impossible,” said Leggett. has not been out of our sight for an instant. One of my men examined the place where he sat under the tree on the Mall,.and there was certainly na other place where he could have got the money.” “But he got it somewhere,” said’ Mr. Bow- ton. ’ “Not after he left the prison,” said Leg- gett; “T’ll swear to that.” ; ” said Mr. Bowton. “T known Warden Rockwell for years, and “Tt is very strange, have | ; I am perfectly sure that he would not play us false.” Mr. Bowton told Leggett to continue his watch upon Sanders. “Engage as many men as you require, but don’t let him out of your sight. If he leaves Washington, follow him and report. frequent- ly to me by wire.’ Leggett left the house. “T haven't much confidence in these Wash- ington officers,” “I haven’t. any,” said Mr. Taylor. said Mr. Bowton. “Like enough they have a perfect understanding with Sanders by this. time.” _ **No; I don’t feuese that. honest, but I don’t think they are smart enough to compete with such a man as San- Lied ders.” What do you propose to do?” ae Mr ’ "Hlepperson don’ t think we shall ever get our Toney.” “He=:: gee -] wish to see it.” I think they are ie asked. x Se “Tam going ‘to New. York.” . is o What tor ty ae cs : z “To see Nick Carter,” said Mr. Bowton. : “We Gasket to have - the case in his hands ee ‘in the first place.” “T don’t believe it will do any” F good. Be S “Well, if there’s a’ detective in the world ~ who can get it for us, Nick Carter is the — ‘man. : ; e ~"T don’t. believe anybody can do it) said. “ Mr. Taylor. = : : “Well, it is worth the trial.” t4 After Mr. Hepperson and Mr. Taylor had” gone, Mr. Bowton sat in his library thinking. Suddenly He jumped up, snatched his-hat from the rack, and hurried down to Savoni’s. Mr. Savoni was an old acquaintance and a stockholder in the bank. Mr. Bowtons knew es “Sear he could trust him. “May .I speak conedeneunts to you?” said Mr. Bowton, as he entered Mr. Savoni’s pri- ~~ vate office. . “Of course you may.” a “A man dined here an hour ago and paid ie for his dinner with a fifty-dollar bill. May I. “g ‘see that bill?” ee Mr. Savoni was about. to call his cashier, ee but Mr, Bowton stopped him. eNf rather not have even your cashier know that “T can fix that.” Mr. Savoni stepped to the sia s ay “Bow much cash fave you in the drawer? >» The saber began to count it. ‘There was but one fifty-dollar bill.
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» closely at the bill. ea Se haps NICK CARTER WEEKLY. Mr. cally, as if he doubted whether it was good. “T think it is all right,’ “Where did you get it?” Savoni took it and looked at it criti- * said the cashier. “A stranger just paid it in.” “TI guess it is good,” said Mr. Savoni, put- ting the bill into his pocket. “Charge it to In the private office Mr. Bowton looked It was an old one. “Are you sure this is the one?” “Tt was the only one in the drawer.” “Will you sell it to me, Mr. Savoni?” “Certainly.” Mr. Bowton bought the bill and took. it away with him. The next morning Leggett called before Mr. Bowton had breakfasted. He ‘had nothing of importance to report. Sanders had. falcon a cheap room at the American House and had gone to bed early. He had not left the room until long after day- light. : M1. York, and that afternoon was shown into ~ Bowton took the first train for New “Nick Carter’s reception-roont.. When he had briefly outlined the case to "the great detective, he asked: os “Can you come‘to Washington to-night, Mr. Carter?” Nick is much: more apt to ask questions than to answer them. “What were the circumstances of the rob- bery ?” he asked. “On the 13th of last September,”’ said Mr. Bowton, “when our cashier went to open the : vault door, he found that it had been locked open instead of shut.’’ “Was the door open?” . “No; it was shut, but the bolts were thrown back instead of forward.” “Who locks that door?” “Mr. Hepperson, the cashier, usually does — it himself, but Mr. Taylor, the assistant eash- ier, had done it the night before.” “Yes; go on.” “T heard Mr. Hepperson scolding Mr. Tay- lor for his carelessness and stepped out to see what was the matter. I drew the vault door open and found the lock inside had been blown to pieces.” . “Tow ?” “T don’t know. Some explosive had been used. The inside of the door was badly anal up, and Pes of the lock lay on : the floor.” “How was the explosive introduced ?” “That is what we do not know. ‘The po- lice said it was some new method unknown to them.” “The inner safe, containing the money, was opened in the same way, I suppose,” said Nick. eae \ “Yes.” “Did Mr. Taylor lock that also the night before?” “No. self.” _ “They were both inside locks, were they?” “Ves, ” Mr. Hepperson locked that him- “And both broken in ‘the same ieee’ “They? segmed to be.” “Yet nobody knows how it was done!” “Nobody.” Sido: “You do?” x i “Yes.” “How?”
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “It is a new method, as you say. I sup- pose it was never done before in Washington. I will explain it to you later. I will take your case, Mr. Bowton,” “Good! ington in about an hour.” We can catch a train for Wash- “Fixctise me a moment,” When he returned he said: Was it Leggett’s left the room. “Now about Sanders! idea to have him pardoned?” “No; it was mine. Or, rather, it was sug- gested to me by a newspaper clipping. Sen- ator Sanford, who is one of our directors, gave it to me. His niece, Mrs, Marquhar, cut it from a San Francisco paper.” “You are convinced that Sanders had less than two dollars when he reached Washing= ton?” “Yes.” “And he paid for his dinner that night with a fifty-dollar bill?” “Yes; here is the bill.” Nick glanced at the bill which Mr. Bowton handed to him, and put it into his pocket. “Very well, Mr. Bowton. Now please lis- ten, Go back to Washington to-night.” SV aoe: “At noon to-morrow dismiss Leggett and : his assistants.” “You will be there then?” “No. This is Wednesday. I shall be there a week from to-day.” : “But, Mr. Carter, Sanders will certainly get away with the money before that time.” “Mr, Bowton, if I am going to conduct the case, I shall have to conduct it in my own an way.” “Certainly. ‘I expect 1 that.” “Tien Pee do as [ say.” said Nick, as he _ Tewill.? “Does anybody know that you have come — to see me?” “Nobody but Mr. Hepperson and’ Mr. Tay- : lor.” -“Tell them I could not come.. have nobody know that I am on the case.” “Very well.” As Mr: Bowtori rose to go, be asked : “Mr, Carter, have you any hope of recov- ering the money! ya T ae to. “Tf I had not I should not care to take thes case, Mr. Bowton.” On the following Watackday an elderly peaiiense with white hair and side-whiskers called at the bank and sent his card in to Bes Tt read: ' Mr. ALEXANDER Harpy. Bowton. Mr. Hardy was shown into Mr. Bowton’s private office. “Mr. Bowton,” an account with your bank.” said He, “T wish to open “The cashier attends to such matters,” said Mr. Bowton, “But I wish you to identify me.” “I can’t do that, sir. I never saw you be- fore” , “Then you couldn’t indorse my check?” “Not if I know myself.” “But if you know me you will.” “You will find ‘him outside.” — % Mr. Alexander Hardy took off his wig and > whiskers. ~ # Nick Carter?” : “At your service, Mr. Bowton.” After he had recovered from his surprise, the banker asked: _“Do you really wish to open an account?” “Yes, as Alexander Hardy.” Nick put on ‘his wig and whiskers again. ape!
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wee, 2g Mr. Hepperson was called in and intro- duced to Mr. Hardy. Nick handed a roll of money to Mr. Hep- person, who counted and sorted it. There were some pretty badly worn bills in the lot. Mr. Hepperson separated these from the rest. “T notice,” said Nick, “that all the paper money used in Washington is new.” aes “the Treas- ury is so close at hand that we always turn in said Mr. Hepperson ; ‘worn motiey and get new bills for it.” “Such as that, for instance?” said Nick, pointing to the pile of old bills that Mr. Hep- person had separated from the rest. “Yes: Treasury.” we send all such bills over to the “I suppose you keep it until you get a quantity.” “No day.. Strangers bring a good deal of worn ; we send over what! we have every money to town and we always retire it as soon as possible.” ot When the business of opening the account was done and Mr. Hepperson had gone, Mr. Bowton said: “Mr. Carter, I have something to explain “to you.” men. “T know it.” “Know. what?” “That you didn’t dismiss cent and his “T don’t see -how you found it out, but it is trie. I had a good reason for keeping them at work, though. There was something you didn’t ktiow about.” “What was that?” “The day after I came back from New York, Leggett reported to me that he had eet & NICK CARTER WEEKLY. seen a suspicious looking character with San- ders.” “Indeed ?” “Yes; and I thought you would want to know all you could about him.” “So you told Leggett to shadow him?” “Yes; and find out who he was, if possi- ble.” “Did he find out?” “No; he shadowed him a little while, aa somehow lost all track of him. He says the fellow went out of eS as completely as if he had dissolved into air.’ “And hasn’t been seen since?” “No. But since then Leggett has seen two others.” “Making three in all.” ” “Ves.” “A very suspiciotts circumstance,” said Nick. ae “Yes ; Leggett thought so, and so did I.” “Would you recognize those men if you — saw them?” “T think T would. . ee dacerioet ern ; very closely to me.’ Nick stepped to the back window. “Ts that one of them?” he asked, ted to-an Irishman lighting his pipes in the alley behind the bank. “As I live, it is,” said Mr. Bowton, in — amazement, Boe The Irishman saw him looking at him and— hastily slipped around the corner of’ a build- r ing. Nick drew Mr. idee: to the side. window. “Ts that another of them?” he asked, point- ing at a man with a heavy ‘black beard just is coming out “> a hala on the side ‘street. + Jax
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. — “Upon my word!” exclaimed Mr. Bowton. — “This is wonderful.” “He’s Number Two, is he?” £Vi88.” The man disappeared in another hallway. “Mr. Carter, when did you reach Wash-_ ington?” Half-an hour ago.” “And you already know of these men. f can’t see through it” a “It’s perfectly simple.” “Are they pals of Sanders?” “We shall know more about that ass a while.” ; The office- boy brought in a card Bearing this inscription : : J. Luewetian: GREGGCORY. “What does he want?” asked Mr, Bowton. “Wants to see you,” said the boy, “Tell him I am engaged. Have Mr. Hep- person find out what he wants.” 2 The boy came back ina ‘moment, “He won't see anybody. bute you, Mr. Bow) i ton, and he says it’s very important.” “Tell him I will be out ina moment,” said Mr. Bowton. The boy disappeared. “2 “Better let him come in,” said Nick; “T can go out if necessary.” Nick opened the door and in walked Mr. .Greggory, a young dude with a down mus- tache, sucking the immense silver head of his cane. ; “Ts this the third one?” said Nick, as he closed the door. poet Mr. Bowton dropped back in his chair, . oy bewildered. HEN Es. Carter, you ate'a wizard,” he eee oe “No, T'm not. © Sit down, Chick. “I want ~ Mr. Bowton to get acquainted with you.” — “And this is your famous assistant, Mre Cavers es ay — eg “Yes; this is Chick, a ay a ate “And the’ black-bearded’ man was——” Chick.” 2 “And the Irishman ea ; “Who was the Irishman, Chick?” _ “Begob, sor, Oi'm afeard that was Chie! too.” ; ; . “And you've been here all this time?” ex- claimed the bank president. € geo tings “ “The chief got me started for this city before you were out of. “T have,” responded Chick. his house.” . GP CHAPTER III. THE RESTAURANT PUZZLE SOLVED. “T am an ass,” said Mr. Bowton. _ “No; you area banker,” Nick answered. ‘ “T am not a detective, that is sure. But you have taught me a lesson which I shall 2 not forget. After this IT will carry out your : instructions to the letter.” re “Then I think we shall have no trouble. Now we can get to work. Mrs. Elton es a reception to-night.” “Ves,” “You will attend?” “T shall.” ; “Will you send word asking her if you may bring Mr, Hardy, a friend of yours?” Mr. Bowton sent a note at once, and Mrs. Elton’s answer soon came. She Said thee would be es to meet any friend of Mr. = Bowton. . FO oe “Twill call at your house | at nine se ee Mr. Bowton, ” said Nick.
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10- NICK CARTER WEEKLY. At half-past five that afternoon two for- one seemed to be looking in another direc- eign-looking gentleman entered Savoni’s res- _ tion. ae taurant, and took seats at a table near one of The waiter slipped the one-dollar bill the westerly windows. which Sanders had given him out of sight, One of them had a heavy military mus- and took from his palm a fifty-dollar bill, tache.. The other wore a Van Dyke beard, which had been there all the time. and had a neat green patch over his left eye. He gave the fifty-dollar bill to the cashier They conversed in French. and carried the change, forty-seven dollars In a few minutes Ed Sanders came in and and twenty cents, to Sanders. Sa took his ctistomary seat at a small table in the Sanders gave the twenty cents to thé waiter darkest corner. and left ie room. A colored waiter took his order and Nickkwieouee Sia, Chick’s 40° the s brought him a good dinner. cashier's desk oa laid down a one-hundred- After Sanders had eaten it and lighted a dollar bill. good cigar, he called for his check. The “Ts that the smallest you havé?” asked the waiter made it out and handed it to him, say- cashier. F A eis eS , 3 “Tt is,” said Nick, in broken English. _. “Two-eighty, sah.” 2 “Everybody has big bills to-day,” said the Sanders drew a bill from his vest pocket. cashier, counting out the change. Just as he did so the Frenchman with the There was a fifty-dollar bill in it. mustache reached across the table for. a Nick fe aan at it carefully. match. The rays of the sun coming in at. the “This is badly worn,” said he. “Could you window were reflected from a peculiar ring 5 aie 4 oy Pp S give me a better one? on his finger, and thréw a strong light upon “ “Tt is the only one Ihave. It is perfectly the bill in Sanders’ hand: ; good. I just took it myself.” It was but a flash, such as a mirror makes Nick put the bill into his Rr cciianl wale ’ ane i sunlight, it w: ; "9 when. it is moved in the sunlight, but it was away. san : F enough, for at just that moment the other \ “Now for the bicycles,” Kas said, when ie 7, & a cj . . / f ’ Frenchman was apparently looking through Rad C Hick. ware oimerantan Cs the window with one eye, and, as a matter , ; ge t ey Sore Pe : . At seven o’clock the night force of waiters © of fact, watchin anders very closely from ‘ ‘ Ree eS BN aE gs y y came on duty at Savoni’s, and Tom Jackson, es 3 7 bg | 4 ‘ under the green patch with the othe who Wid: Waited “ono manders at ae eens “Dj sh oNGck ?” Did you catch it, Nick?” the Frenchman eenagad: ay) <= g with the queer ring signaled to his compan- a 4 ) sight he In a few minutes he mounted a bicycle and Bee AON ack a Yes: Chick,” the other signaled back, “it: _was a one-dollar, bill.” , Pa Cs behind the ae Sra Nick watched But he did not go to the montment. He- 3 : turned into | a dark 8 ret near r the oe Van < rode away toward the Washington Monu- ment.
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. Ness house and rode up and down this de- serted street several times. Presently 4 woman came speeding on a wheel from the monument grounds. She spun past Jackson and said: Mom.” “Ves.” In an instant the woman was beyond speak- seconds, ing distance. The waiter statted speedily toward it. Just then another woman came dashing on a wheel out of the darkness behind Jackson. She was a very large and strong woman, and she was flying along’on her wheel as if _ riding on the back of a cyclone. Behind her was a man in fill chase. There was a crash of wheels, and Tom Jackson went flying into the gutter with the woman and both bicycles sprawling upon him. He lay utterly helpless. The woman had fallen right across his face. He could neither move nor see, and he couldn’t breathe very well. He struggled to get away, but the skirts were tangled about him, and the -woman | seemed to weigh a ton. Both were so mixed up in their bicycles that it looked as if they never would get out without help. The man who had followed this woman jumped off his wheel and snatched up the little package that the first woman had dropped. This man was Nick Carter, While Jackson and the second woman were trying to get out of their tangle, Nick hastily unfolded the package and found it contained a fifty-dollar bill and a brief note. The note read: i “In the stable.” “T must see you to-night. I am going to 44-2 Bea hl the Elton reception. Come to the conserva- tory window at eleven o'clock and hand me a note telling me where you will meet me after. (Signed. ) Cutox.” Nick rolled the money in the note and put the package beside the road, where he had it, All this occupied “about ’ forty When it had been done, Jackson was still lying blinded and helpless under the woman's body. the reception. | found it. He was getting angry, and : the smothered words that came from his lips — were beginning to sound like profanity. ; Nick helped the woman to rise. “Are you hurt, madame?” he asked. “Oh, I don’t know, sir,” she gasped. thought I was half-killed.” pd He put her on her feet and soon she said « she was all right. “Can you get on your wheel?” “Oh, yes, sir, thank you. I was only F: frightened. I am not hurt.” Za They rode away together, and when they were out of Jackson’s hearing, Nick said: “T thought you had broken your neck, sure enough, that time, Chick.” “Twas afraid T had broken the darky's, 2 : said Chick. Tom _Jackson found the little once’ where if had been dropped for him, so he a had no reason to think the collision was not, an accident. y : + Promptly at nine o’clock Nick jumped from- 4 a cab in front of Mr, Bowton’s house. Mr. Bowton met him at the door. “You may as well dismiss your cab,” said the banker. “My carriage is'all ready.” “Where?”
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12 “Let it stay there awhile.” “Mr. Bowton,” continued Nick, “can you open the bank vault?” Yes.” “And the inner safe?” Pes. “Now ?” “Tf you wish.” “Then come along.” They entered the cab, hurried to the bank, and were soon inside the vault. -“You were the first one to enter the vault after the robbery, Mr. Bowton?” Yes,” “Please tell me just how it looked in here.” “Well, broken. in this manner.’ the lock on this outer door was » Mr. Bowton showed where the break was. “Tt was a lock just like this?” “Yes.” “Go ahead.” “The broken pieces lay here where they Oe RP had fallen, and all this part of the door was ~ smoked up.” g “Any smoke on the outside of the door?” “Ves; a little, close around the combination “knob: But little, hartlly . enough to blister the paint. very. though ‘ seemed to have spent its force on the lock in- ; - side. 6 » “What has been done 'to the vault. since the robbery § ee are bee . Nothing, but to put a new lock on the door.” During this conversation Nick was look- ing over the interior of the vault very care- - fully. The explosive — A saree of tin cash- hoxes stood ae a NICK CARTER WEBREKELY. painted on them, and some were marked by tags tied to the handles. | Nick looked at a few of the tags. “Those are merely private boxes,” said Mr. Bowton. . “They belong to stockholders and friends of the bank. We let them put them here for safe-keeping.” “Were they all here at the time of the rob- bery ?” NES 2 “And none of them was disturbed?” “No; papers, of no value to anybody but their they contain nothing but private owners,’ (aes “Now about the ote Will you please open 3 that?” Mr. Bowton knelt before the safe. He was slow in opening the door. ‘Nick meanwhile was looking over the walls, — the door, the boxes, and everything inside the ES vault. Se ae: . Somebody .rapped vigorously on the lass ; = front of the bank. — a “What's that?” said ve: Bowton, “You’debetter go and see,” said Nick. Mr. Bowton stepped to the front Wise. Vv It was the cab driver. He motioned to ae ere to ops the door. oot eR “Will I ave time to. dune ‘ues rw: i the corner and get a drink: tae ae driver, - 5 See: Rica ak eile “T won't go if you’re go ing to want me righ ay away, but if you don’t, you know, I thought ce I’d run over and get a bracer.” “Tell him to go on,” Nick called foi the — vault; “bub have as ee back.” iy
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z NICK ease & WEEKLY. ver, locked the front Bor, and came back to ‘the vault. When the safe was opened Nick eee the inside of it, while Mr. Bowton explained the condition it was in on the morning after the robbery. “Has it been painted?’ Nick asked, “The inside of the door has.” “Nothing else?” “No.” “And the broken pieces of lock—where are they ?” ee “Tying around here,” said Mr. Bowton, pointing out the place. “That will do, I believe. light.”’ Now put out the Mr. Bowton turned off the gas in the vault and started to go out. “Hold on,” said Nick; “ Keep your eye on that window a minute and stand right there. you will see something.” Mr. Bowton stood in the dark and fixed his gaze on a side window of the bank. Presently he saw a negro’s face close out- side the pane. The fellow was looking very intently. : “Do you know who that is?” Nick asked, “No; I never saw him before.” “Surer” Scere ; “I guess you “have.” “Who is it?» Chik “No; Ed: Sanders.” “How do you know that?” “My driver told me.” “When?” “When you opened the door for him.” ‘ “How could he have told you anything? ‘heard all he san se tees ter self Neue esis ‘Senator sees “But you didn’t backs all it mean? {oe “Who is your driver?” “Chick.” . “And is he here now?” “Watching Sanders, He “Mr! Carter, you fecowy everything. “Is 28 Sanders going to try to rob the bank again a “Not to-night. e CHAPTER IV: MRS. ILTON’S RECEPTION. When Nick and Mr. Bowton came out of the bank, Chick was ‘nowhere in sight. The cab stood near a saloon on the corner below. “Get in, Mr. Bowton,” said Nick. “Chick is off on business. Ill have to drive you to Mrs. Elton’s.” z He slipped on the big coachman’s overcoat, which Chick had left behind, and mounted the box. When they reached Mrs. Elton’s, it was only necessary to slip the coat off again, and -. to put the horse in a servant's care. It was not yet ten o’clock when Mr. Bow- ton introduced his friend, Mr. Hardy, to Mrs. Elton, and she, in turn, introduced him to many of her guests. ' Among them were Senator Sanford and Mrs. Marquhar, his niece, the Savonis, the Gilsons, the Jessups, and, in fact, nearly all of those who formed what Washington society. people called “the Cumberland Bartk set,” in- cluding Mr. Hepperson and Mr. Taylor, — whom Mr, Hardy had met at the bank. : After the introductions, Nick worked his way through the crowd, stopping for a pleas- ant word here and there, until he found him-
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14 The Senator was gazing admiringly at his niece, who looked very beautiful as she stood *eracefully leaning against the mantel, where the mellow light fell richly upon her remark- able hair. “Mrs. Senator,” said Nick. Marquhar is a charming woman, “Tsn’t she?” answered the old Senator, proudly. “What wonderful hair!” indeed. seen anything like it.” “Tt is wonderful, I have never *You ought to be very proud of her.” “Tam. She is the only near relative I have, and she is very dear to me.” “A sister's daughter?” “No; a brother’s. I have never had a sis- Er,” “Mrs. Marquhar is a Californian, I under- “stand.” “Yes; and a eee example of the true Western woman.’ “In what way?” “She is the pluckiest woman I ever knew. She has had sorrows and trials enough to break down all but one woman in a million.” “Tndeed ? “Tt is a long one.’ It must be an interesting story.” “Nevertheless, I should like to héat sts said Nick. the lawn?” “What do you say to a cigar on ‘The Senator was an inveterate smoker. He needed only one invitation of that kind. The two men walked out and lighted their cigars. : “My only brother went to California in 1849,"! said the Senator, “ until his death. a few years later little Helen, now Mrs. Mar- J53" ‘and remained there In 1855 he was married, and NICK CARTER WEEKLY, ‘ing but a lot of debts. quhar, was born. My brother was completely wrapped up in his little daughter. His let- ters to me were fuli of her. “There were no photographs out there in those days, and if there had been my brother could hardly have afforded to get one at the price it would have cost in that country. - “But he used to describe his little Helen to me and send me locks of her hair, saying that there never was anything so odd or so beautiful in all the world before. “Of course I could see by the peculiar color that her hair must be beautiful, but I took much that my brother said with a good deal of allowance. think well of their own children. “My brother died in 1862. ‘army at the time, and I must confess that the Gite UM ee I was in the Parents are pretty sure to ~ x busy excitement of war caused me to neglect my dity to my brother’s widow and orphan. — was all, and I soon lost track: of tiers _I did write to them once or twice, Bat: that — “I have since learned that my brother's widow married again and that her husband — abused her and her daughter shamefully. Then he eloped with a variety actress and left — I them penniless. “The shock and shame of it broke down the mother’s health, and the daughter, a mere girl, had to,earn bread for both. Oh, sir, it isa pitiful story.” “Is her mother living 1 now! ” “No, sir; she died several years ago. Then zs He no the daughter married Mr. Marquhar. was kind to her, but he died, leaving her noth. These she has stic- ceeded in paying off.” Be: Se “Her husband’s debts?” eee ‘SY 5. Of course she eae not be so :
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= ‘mestic sort of a man, NICK CARTER WEEKLY. pelled to pay them, but she loved her hus- band and she says it was a pleasure to pay his debts.” “Very noble,” said Nick ; her good. uncle has given her a lift now and “but I presume then.” “No, sir; She won't let me. When she came to Washington six months ago, I want- not a penny. I never saw such independence. ed her to live with me as my own daughter, but she would not do so. “T secured a temporary place for her in the Treasury Department, intending to put her into a better place very soon, but she said she preferred to stay there.” “Her salary must be small.” “Only one thousand dollars a year.” “Does she live on that?” “Yes; and dresses well, as you see.” “Yow don’t help her at all financially?” “She won't let me. I am not a rich man, but I would gladly divide what I have with her. ; I have no one else.” “She is a remarkable wornan.” “She is a splendid woman, perfectly splen- did. Ah, what a wife for some good man}. I wish she and Mr. Hepperson could join hands. who would make a woman happy; and I am quite sure he ad- mires my niece.” Nick took hold of Senator Sanford’s arm. “Look out for the dog!” said he. The huge ‘creature lay on the grass under a tree in the side yard where they were walk- = ane. “Ah,” said the Senator, “that is Mrs. El- tton's St. Bérard: “He is perfectly harm- less.” He’s a capital fellow—a quiet, do- Senator’ Sanford stooped down and patted the animal’s great head. The two men entered the heuké by the aide door and were soon separated in the throng. _ Mrs. Marquhar was standing near the con- servatory door when Nick approached her. “Did your eats burn, Mrs. Marquhar?. I have just been out for a smoke with Senator Sanford, and he said a great many nice ‘things about you.” “He is a dear, good uncle,” she answered. “He says much more of me than I deserve.” “He doesn’t think he can say enough.” Mrs. Marquhar smiled sweetly. “How very close it is to-night!” she-cried. “Won't you step into the conservatory where I can stand by the window, Mr. Hardy?” “With pleasure. I will fetch a chair.” “No, no; I prefer to sit right here,” and she sat down on the sill of an open window which looked out on ‘the dark side ground. Nick stood facing her. It was very dark outside. He did not even see the huge dog’ get up from the grass, walk slowly to the small porch, and lie down close by the win- dow in which Mrs. Marquhar sat. _Nor did he see the man who presently came creeping around the rear cornet of the house, - keeping close to the wall. The man had a smail.piece of folded paper in his hand. Mrs, Marquhar’s hand was hanging care- lessly down in the dark outside the window- sill. The man stopped beneath it and reached up the bit of paper. It was taken from his hand. He thought Mrs. Marquhar took it.
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16 The dog uttered a low growl. The man hurried back around the corner of the house. “Bruno, what do you mean, sir?” said Mrs. Marquhar, looking out. “Don’t you growl at me, sir. Go away! Go away, Bruno! That’s no place for you.” The dog got up and moved off. Queer dog, that! legs. He didn’t go far on four Pretty soon he got up, and walked on two. A human hand appeared holding the note, and human eyes—Chick’s eyes—tread these words; “Tll wait for you under the big tree in the corner.” Chick laid off his dogskin disguise, which had been bought from a dealer in stuffed ani- mals. Then he skulked around the corner of the house, just as the other man had done. Mrs. Marquhar still sat in the window, talking sweetly to Nick. Her hand hung down as. before. Chick reached up and put the note into it. Her fingers closed over it. “T am quite cool now,” she said, rising from . the window-sill. “I am afraid to sit here any longer.” ae “It is dangerous to sit in such a draft,.1 think.” | Nick gave her his arm and led her, smiling, into the drawing-room. CHAPTER -V. TWO VIEWS OF MRS. MARQUHAR: Mr. Hepperson escorted Mrs. Marquhar _. home from the reception. .It was a pleasant night and they walked. said he, ‘ hats : ‘Mrs. Marquhac,? ‘you are He strangest woman I ever knew.” NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “Am I? What is so strange about me?” “Why do you continue in an office? Why » do you work so hard for so little when it is not necessary ?” “But it is necessary. I must live” - “You do not have to work for a living.” “T suppose you would advise me to live with my uncle.” “No, I would not.” “Where else could I live without work! pe “Where else?” “Yes; where else ?” “Why, with—with me. I-love you.” Mrs. Marquhar, | Mr. Hepperson had long wanted to = : this, but had never dared to do so hefore. He took her hand in his. “ “Could you not learn to love me just a little?” he asked. 2 ee “I should have to love you more than aie little before I could become your wife, Mr. Hepperson.”. CF kp cate “May I not hope ‘that j in time you will learn _ to love me a great deal?” : “T will not say anaes is impossible, but such things take time.” aie _“T will wait. Itis worth waiting a fete to win your love.” ee f : When they parted at the door, Mr. Hepper- son went away hoping that the dearest wish of his life might come true: : Mrs. Marquiar had det him think so, for i _ she believed he might yet be useful in carry- _ ing out oe re front door. ahe went cue at the back. Her face was ae a6 idsh
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wi NICK CARTER WEEKLY. She walked hurriedly to the big tree in the dark corner of the Elton grounds. _ Ed Sanders, disgtiised as a negro, was waiting for her. So was Bruno. - This is what Bruno heard as he lay near the fence: “Do you remember the agreement we made when I came to see you in prison?” asked Mrs. Margquhar. ;ed6.” “I agreed to get a pardon for you, didn’t 1?” “You did.” “And I got it, didn’t 1?” “Yes” ; ’ “T agreed to furnish you with money after you got out, didn’t 1?” “You did.” “And I have sent more than four hundred dollars to you, haven’t [?” “You have.” “Did I agree to do anything I haven't done? '¢ Noa tiaee beso “Well, then, why don’t be ent out your agreement with me?” tater iss - “T am carrying’ it out as fast as I can. What more can you ask?” “You have heen free more than a week, and I_haven’t seen a penny of the bank money When am I going to get my share?” I told you it might take yet. “T don’t know. some time.” “What makes. it-take so much time?” “Well, T was ladon every. minute until : yesterday.” sor aad & ate “Have they quit shadowing you now ?”’ “might go off. and spoil — everything. Pe worth: a fortune to you Bibs but I wouldn’t — will che on us Be DT ise It wouldn't be safe to go near. the bank money yet.” “T think so, but I’m not sure. “Why can’t you tell me where it is? They s are not shadowing me. I “could. get it and — we could -beaway. from here before morning.” “Qh, no. “You don’ t trust me, then? iss “Look here,’ f well say what wé mean. That was ‘not the agreement.’ 43 “we might as. Tf I should. tell you Sanders, _ where that money is, that is the last I’d ever see of you or the money.” E “T swear I will give you your ae of it.” Sanders laughed. : “Don’t swear. It ain’t lady-like.” “You expect me to send money to you and trust you with it, yet you do not trust me.” “You're not trusting me, and you know it. You're merely investing a few hundred dol- lars of somebody else’s money for the sake df getting a few htndred thousand of your a own. “T am trusting you, too; and, see here, Ed Sanders, if you play any tricks on me, I’ll fol- low you to the end of the world.” Bruno saw something gleam i in her hand. ae in “Oh, put up your gun,” said Sanders. be worth a shilling to you ‘dead,” Mrs. Marquhar| put away her pistol. “T ought to have got the money before Ilet ~~ you out of prison,” she said. “But what’s _ the use of quarreling? We're in the deal to- gether, and we might as we'l be friends.” Coates “You couldn’t,” he answered, “Tt makes me Aeryous: to wait sO tong. fe want to get my money and go awas from — here. How -do- we know but Tom Jackson ee
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18 ~ “Never-you fret about Tom. I’ve got the drop on him. Besides, what does he know ?” “He knows I am furnishing money for you.” “What if he does? to give a gentleman a few hundred if she Hasn’t # lady a right watits to?” ‘And suppose somebody ‘should take the trouble to ask where a lady on a salary of a thousand a year gets four hundred a week?” “Sure enough, that might be an impolite question to ask of a lady. By the way, I don’t happen to know where the money comes from myself.” “No; and you're not likely to, either.” oy suppose your uncle puts it up.” “What, Senator Sanford? He’s as poor as a church mouse.” ““He’s a director of the bank.” “Yes; they made him a director on account of his Not a penny. he has a few Shares of stock, and influence. You see, it’s handy for a bank to have a director who can get pardons and such things fromthe President.” “Getting funny, an’t you? Maybe it’s your other uncle who is putting up for you.” “What other uncle?” “Uncle Sam.” fe _ “If you know how a department clerk can tnake Uncle Sam put up anything more than : salary, I wish; you’d tell me how to do it.” “Well, if you haven’t found a way, there’s “no use of my looking for one.” "Yon might try your new explosive on the Treasury vaults.” a a4 : He seemed to think it was not discreet to talk Sanders _made no answer. to. this. ahioxtt explosives. “Hepperson went home with you to-night.” NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “What's that to you?” “Oh, nothing, only: “Only what?” “Nothing.” 7 “What are you driving at, Ed Sanders?” 39 “Oh, nothing. up a few hundreds for you.” “Why should he?” . Sanders imitated Hepperson’s voice and manner as he said: y -“‘Could you not learn to love me just a little, Mrs. Marquhar ?’ ” Then he imitated Mrs. sage nc voice, j Say ing: “*T should have to love you more than a~ little before I could become your wife, Mr. Hepperson.’ 2 “Ed Sanders, did you follow us?” “Oh, no; of course not. such a thing.’ A little bird ‘told me.” Of course he wouldn’t put i atlaet do_ “Tf you think you can make anything by. following me around, you’re mistaken. t a : You’d better attend to your own business.” “I know it. That's why I followed you.” “What business have you following me?” “Oh, you know, I had to go along to see “e that no harm came to you. ” kidnap you, you know. “See here, I didn’t come here to’ listen to. ‘your poor jokes. followed.mne.}) = Siaoes ee Hepperson might , Dee eh I want to know why you “Oh, I happened to be going in the same direction.” “No, you didn’t; you followed us on pur- Za pose.” a “What purpose ? ” i ; “T don’t know, but yh hale some reasah, pe ee that.” | y wae fe oe
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “Tell me where you got your money, and I’'[l tell you why I followed you.” “JT won’t do it.” “All right then; neither will I.” “Well, don’t then. Who cares?” “When are you going to marry Hepper- son?” “None of your business.” “Ves itiiss “Flow Pe I’d like to know.” “Why, you are my business partner, you know—my silent partner.” “What's that got to do with Hepperson?” “Maybe it’s got a good deal to do with him.” “What do you mean?” “T mean: td “Sh!” ; Mrs. Marquhar took hold of his arm and spoke low: “Who's that?” “Who’s what?” Sanders ee “That man.’ “Where?” “Over there.” “T don’t see aieedy “By the fence.” She drew Sanders out from behind the tree und turned him so that he looked toward the place where Chick lay. “Do you see him?” Yess? : Z “Fe must have heard us.” “Of course he did.” “Has he been there all the time, do you suppose? idee “FTe couldn’t have come since we did. We should have seen him.” “What shall we do?” on arun for home. . “Dead men tell no tales.” “Is it safe to kill him?” ee “If he is one of Leggett’s men, we are lost unless we do kill him.” Mrs. -Marquhar took out her Pistol and cocked it. Sanders snatched it from her on : “Great Heaven!” said he, “do you want the whole town to come down on us?” He drew a glittering knife with one ee and a pistol with the other. , - With the pistol leveled at Chick, he said: “Tf you move a hand I'll blow apa head Ob = 4 aan Still covering Chick with the Histol: San- ders walked howard him, holding his knife behind him. Chick did not move. Sanders advanced to within a few feet of him, and, suddenly raising his knife, sprang at him. Quick as a flash Chick ane aside and - uttered a sharp yelp, followed by a growl. “Tt’s Bruno,” cried Mrs. Marquhar. “Bruno is mighty lucky to-be alive,” saith Sanders, as he got up and put away his - weapons. “T’'m all unstrung,” said Mrs. Marquhar, excitedly. “T can’t talk any more to-night. I'm going home.” nee “When can I see you again? I’ve some- thing more to say to you.” “Come here to-morrow night.” Sanders went one way afd Mrs. Marquhar ~ the other. When they were gone Chick went to a va- - cant stable in the next block and let the real Bruno out. —* Sawer ss: The dog sniffed a few times and started —
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20 | CHAPTER VI. WHAT BECOMES OF UNCLE SAM’S MONEY. The next day Nick Carter, disguised as a countryman, fell in with a party of sight- seers who were being shown through the - Treasury Building. 37 “Here, young man,” said Nick, slipping a dollar into the guide’s hand, “I want to ask a lot o’ questions, an’ I’m willin’ to pay for the trouble I give you. I don’t. git to Washing- ton. every day; an’ J want to see all I can of it now I’m here.” said the “T will answer them if I can.” “Ask all the questions you like,” guide. So Nick asked about everything he saw, and the rest of the party merely listened to the answers. When they came to the Redemption Divis- ion, Nick asked: ‘What do they do here?” “This is where they redeem old worn-out - paper money.” : “Redeem?” . “Yes; when-anybody has an old dollar bill, for instance, he can send it here and get a new one for it.” : “Can, hey? I never knew that before.” “Neither did I,” said one of. the oe R yee seers. “Oh, yes: the Government will aie give — you new money for old,” “I'd never think of sendin’ an old bill to Washington,” said Nick.- Do many folks send old. money ; “Td pass it off on : : somebody. here? I never heard of anybody doin’ it.” STE Ts generally sent in by banks,” said nee guide. “People pay it to storekeepers and “such, and they ee it | into the Pans: NICK CARTER WEEKLY. . that time.” ‘sigh oe the same money?* banca Then Beat 4 the banks send it here. and get new money for . ike “Oh, ho! I see. old money ?” Then what becomes of the “T will show you.” gies They passed through into a long room where twelve men and women sat at tables counting piles of old, tattered bills. Mrs. Marquhar was one of these, and Nick = noticed that she did not seem to count as Tap-, idly as some of the others. “Green hand at it, an’t she?” he whispered — to the quideninsen <e. one ; eb ata: ~ “She has been. here ony a fen months. Some of the others have been here many 2 years. That lady with the gray hair has counted this stuff for more than twenty-seveir years, and has made but three mistakes i in all it don’t seem possible; does it?” said Nick 3 a one of the sight-seers. “W’y, Vd: make a 3 dozen mistakes a day.” “That wouldn’t do here,” said the guide. eas “Don’t these people do anything but count , old money?” “That's aie other.” “What? They count it over — You don’t mean they all count EVES It is all counted twelve times in this” section.” eas. “What do they count it so many times for?” “Well, one reason is that they he e perfectly sure the count is right, : 3? reason,” said the ae loweri
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|out a ten-dollar bill once in a while? There Pan’t nobody watchin’ ’em.” “Yes; but she would be caught at it imme- diately. Her count has to tally with the oth- = “Couldn't two or three of ’em go snooks ?” “No; even if the whole twelve put up-a job eA together they couldn’t take a dollar without Be cing caught at it.” 3 ae Why notre “Because this section has to receipt for all =) (2 79s - “At once.” “Did they send ’em-to jail?” “No; the Government never. sends stich They are merely dismissed oe quietly, and nobody. ever knows why.” “What's that for?” “Well, I suppose it is because the ‘Veeakity officials do not want it known that any dis- ; honest people are ever employed here,” “Must have been a pretty. smart man that thought out this system,” ' said. Nick. “Tt was hundreds of ‘smart men. Tt took years of study to stop every possible chance of theft.” “What becomes of the old money after it ° leaves here?”’ ~ “It is made up into packages and the bills One half goes to the Secretary of the Treasury, and : the other half to the United States ‘Treasurer. Phe two halves never come together again. They are destroyed separately.” The guide took the party down to the mac- erating room, where the halves of the old bills _ are finally put into.a big vat and chopped in strong acid until they are nothing but ee “And that’s the end of? em ?” said Nick, “That’s the end. 8 “Much ‘obleeged, young man.” Ree Nick left the building. uae oe: a7 ‘In a few moments he entered the Cutten: ; ee Bank, disguised as Alexander. Hardy: He had a tin cash-box in his. hand. - “T wonder if I may trouble you to keep thi ‘3 “No trouble at all, Mr. Hee om
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22 “Ves, sir.” “Busy ?” “I guess not very.” “J merely wish to say good-morning and thank him for a.yery pleasant evening at Mrs. Elton’s. Delightful Yady, isn’t she?” “She is, indeed.” “And that ‘Mrs. Egad, if I were of your age, or -Marquhar is perfectly charming. “Mr. Taylor’s, she wouldn’t be a widow long if I could, help it.” Mr. Hepperson blushed like a schoolboy. “Did T hear my name taken in vain?” asked Mr. Taylor, looking up from-a column of figures. “T was only, saying that if I were of your age I wouldn’t let such a woman. as Mrs. Marquhar remain a widow very long.” “T have all I can do to take care of my- . self,” said Mr. Taylor. I'd do if I had to take care of a wife, too. “Smoke fewer cigars, play less billiards, cut down on ‘club dinners and theatres. Pshaw! : port two wives.” ; Nick passed through. into Mr. Bowton’s ~ private office. He seemed to be fevling in excellent spirits. eee “Mr. Bowton,’’ said he, jocularly, “I have a great scheme for preventing all dishonesty in this world. raat ~Mr. Bowton saw that Nick was not in a pres af - : very serious mood. - “What’s your scheme?” he asked. “Simply to have intelligent money.” a ; “Intelligent money 7 : “Yes; ‘money, — “eyes and ears and? oe tongues.” NICK CARTER WEEKLY. pose that three hundred and Bin an jeeeneae ee ae fe could ta, " “I don’t know what ‘ ” ge ; A’ man on your salary could sup-— “Not very. Suppose the Governmen should stamp values on men instead ef on paper, and issue them as money.” : Mr. Bowton eee at the sbraity of the idea. “Tt would eke. a Tot of Stealing,” Nick. aS “How so?” et ae “Why, if money could see and hear and talk, thieves would be afraid to steal it. “said “ " my often wished money ‘could talk. It woul save me a lot of work. Just think! = = dollars that was stolen from Y your ‘safe. cot talk!” © ne “Now, here’s a bit Sb money xy that pe z “Yes, gigas on ever ‘seen it ‘inde i “Not that T know Pe laa sae ‘Well, it has been rove yeu bank “How?! ae “Til tell you - who “Sanders paid for his dinner with it : aga, last Wednesday.” ; i “Yes.” ee “You | ; gave it to me.” Soe ag deposited it in Jour bai ee “When you opened ander Gaye res i
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“Listen. Your bank sent it to the Treas- ury, didn’t it?” “Yes. “Well, Ed Sanders paid for his dinner with it the next day. That is, he went chrough the motions in the way I explained to you.” “Possible and true.” “Are you sure it is the same one?” j “Tt has my private mark upon it.” 7 ; ji ; s RS . “Impossible!” i “How could it have got back to Sanders? 3 If it ever got into the Treasury it Serene ; would have been destroyed before now.’ “Of course you are sure it got into, the 3 T reasury, Mr. Bowton.” “Pye come to think I can't be sure of any- ce thing. I only know Mr. be bea started for : the Treasury with sie q onds. Nick did not disturb his thoughts. Finally the banker spoke: C “Mr, Carter, I cannot think Taylor is dis- honest. I have known: him since he was a ; baby, and _ Mr. Bowton - stopped short. An idea seemed to strike him all at once. _ “Why,” said he, “of course Taylor could not have taken it. He brought back new _ money in place of it. Why should he take its place?” Nick said nothing. the window and enjoying Mr. Bowton’s per- Mr. Bowton put his hand to his chin and When he oke acne he seemed to be talking more to fell into deep thought once more. “But here is the bill,” ” he said, as if NICK CARTER WEEKLY. doubted. Mr. Bowton sat meditating for several sec- x an old worn-out bill, and put new money in ae He was looking out of that, at 3s were evidence which could not: be. “Tf Taylor put it into the Treasury — it couldn’t be here. Yet here it is. How the devil did it get here?” ok least, CHAPTER Vil. DR. RADCLIFFE, THE DREAMER. ° “Mr. Bowton,” said Nick, “do you know * the chief of the Redemption Division ?” 3 “Mr. Daniels? Yes, very well.” > “Could you ask him to ae over here ? » “I think he would come.” : ? Mr. Bowton sent word to “Mr. Daniels. When the messenger had started Nick put on his hat. “Ifa man named Radcliffe comes in before I return let him come in and keep him till you hear from me.” “ es » “Who is he?” aot ‘ “A man who will make an important. ex- Let Mr. Daniels hear what he has "It will interest him.” Nick had not been gone “many minutes Planet to say. when 4 shabby- -looking man with long, tan- ~ gled hair and beard, slouched up to the bank | cashier. “Ts the president in?” he asked, in a husky woice. : | “Why?” ied Mr. Hepperson. : a wish to see him.” “What for?” ee : “Tt is the president I wish to see. Are you the man?” Se “No; but I don’t think the president wil rae see you.” ake : j eae 2 u X “This is my name,” said the man, , as he os inate over a es = of cr m
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24 “Dr. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN RADCLIFFE, “Professional. Dreamer,” -“Hand that to the president, sir, and tell him I come on an important mission from Dreamland.” Mr. Hepperson opened Mr. Bowton’s door and put in his head, “Are you at home to messengers from Dreamland?” “What?” “Do you wish to see a lunatic: tke “Who is it?” “Tere is his card.’’. “Mr, Hepperson smiled as he fuahided the dirty bit of paper to Mr. Bowton. “Radcliffe? Oh, yes; let him in.” “As the professional dreamer sidled into the oe private office everybody in the outer room laughed. : ere the devil himself sent in his catd Mr. Bowton would say let him come in,” said Mr. eo aylors <5 ; . Mr. Danicls ‘soon came and was s shown in. “Yes,” Mr. Daniels with wild d eyes, “yes, on is the - man of my dream.” on Mr, Daniels looked ‘at “Me, Bowton in amazement. : iB to. tell you, Mr. Daniels.” “Yes, ” said Dr. Radcliffe ; “J am-here to show you what I saw in a dream.” _~ “Ts this a joke, Mr. Bowton?” said Daniels. SS think not,” said Mr. Bowton, half du- im Pious. eke it is, I am not in 17 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. said. the shabby visitor, staring at “Blaze away,” said Mr. Daniels, “but iS short. I’m busy.” j ee at “Look, then! muibdd in the. uteasiiry See To-day, as es And a voice elit’ ae what you s p $9 quire ! “Rot!” said Mr. Danieiea™ to listen to this nonsense.” ae “Patience! patience!” said ‘the strange vi itor, ee from his ret a package detected,” continued One Ras. say it was.” ” cal ST; found an answer,” “Look = -emnly.
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When he had torn pieces from them all and put the small bits into his pocket he asked: for each of these bills, would it not?” ” said Mr. Daniels. “So you said in my dream.” “Of course, Then he took the fourteen small pieces from his pocket, a trimmed their edges with a sharp knife, and - pasted them lightly together. They made one whole bill! Mr. Daniels watched him with intense in- = terest. 4 “And the Treasury would redeem this one, a too?” Dr. Radcliffe asked. Mr. Daniels rubbed his eyes as if he was dreaming. “My God!” he said, “Mr. Bowtori, this F. man has made“fifteen good bills out of four- teen.” a Mr. Bowton stood bewildered. “But hold! I did more than that,” said _ the dreamer. ; - *More than that?” * “Ves. Watch!” the one he had made from pieces of the four- teen others. ‘This whole bill he put into his pocket. “There; said thee skm my dream I ‘ str oyed. Is it true? i S pes cs. a work bill would certainly be destroyed.” That ace containing the patch- “And there would be no evidence of the crime. would pass anywhere. Plenty of whole bills NICK CARTER WHEKLY. “The ‘Treasury would give me fifty dollars — laid them on the table, not sure whether he himself was awake or ~ Dr. Radcliffe took a fairly whole bill from his remaining package and put in place of it | i thought _ that this package would be de- The thief would have a bill “that: 25 are sent to be redeemed when they are nearly as good as new.” f “Mr. Bowton,” said Daniels, “this is sim- ply marvelous. Why, sir, this man has _ ‘shown us how anybody can steal any amount from the Government and then make the Gov-. ernment destroy the only evidence against him.” | “They say angels may whisper to us in our. dreams,” said the wild-eyed visitor; “but sometimes it is the devil!” “Tt must have been the devil who thought out that trick. Why, every clerk in the Re- | demption Division could make a thousand — dollars-a week easily, if he knew. that game.” “T have no further message, sir, for you a any more should come I will send for you.” * said Mr. Daniels, Where are you from?” from Dreamland,” said Dr. Radcliffe. “But, sir,’ “I am inter- ested in you. “Dreamland.” “Yes, but who are you?” ch dreamer.” This was all the satisfaction Mr. Daniels _ dreamer, sir; only a professional could get. When he was gone, Mr. Bowton closed the door and said: “Nick Carter, you beat the devil.” ‘Yes; I guess so,” his long hair and beard} “I have beaten one devil, at least—and a she:devil, at that.” “Who ?” “Mrs. Marquhar.” —_ “What? Mrs. Marquhar? No!” “Yes; Mrs. Marquhar.” “Mr. Carter, explain. : “No, ~ let explain - themselves. things i said Nick, pulling off
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- ‘cliffe, and that will wind him up. 26 Enough that she is a thief and will certainly be caught on the tip I gave.” | “But, my dear sir, Mr. Hépperson tells me He If she is a bad* woman, he has. proposed to Mrs. Marquhar. thinks she’s an angel. he must be saved’ from such.a marriage.” “Call him in.’ Mr. Hepperson had stepped out of the bank for a moment. While they were waiting for him, Mr. Bowton asked: “Mr. Carter, why did you appear to Mr. Daniels as a fantastic lunatic ?”’ : “Simply because I don’t want to be both- ered any further with that case. it was my duty to put Mr. Daniels on his guard, but that is all the interest I have in the matter.” Of course “Daniels was deeply interested.” “That's “it; you, too, if I had told him this as. your friend Hardy. Dr. Radcliffe, the crank, will never be heard of again, and nobody will ever have ‘and he would annoy me and to explain his absence. “Now I'll walk out of the bank as Rad- Tl return as Hardy and talk to Hepperson.” Nick, as the crank, went out, and Mr. Hepperson came in, He did not have to wait long io Mr. Hardy. “Mr. Hepperson,” said Nick, “y fear I ~ have some bad news for you.” “Bad news?” “Mr. Bowton and I have been gossiping a little. I told him that you showed very plainly at the reception last night that’ you admired Mrs. Marquhar, and he told me that you had proposed marriage to her.” “T did not mean to make it public, Mr. Bowton,” said Mr. Hepperson. “Tt. will not be made public. cisely what we wish to avoid,”~'said Nick. “That is, why we have called you in here. , Be eee, ye That is pre- his letter, fae it = her at once.” eS ' NICK CARTER WEEKLY, Mr. Bowton is your friend, and when T told him that Mrs. Marquhar had been caught stealing large sums from the Treasury me “Mr. Hardy, is this some awful joke?” “No, Mr. Hepperson; it is the awful truth. Mrs. Marquhar will be dismissed to-morrow i if she has not been already. Mr. Bowton wished to save you from a fate worse than eek Sa as death, so I have told you in order that you — might break the engagement, if one exists.” | ~ Mr, Hepperson put his hand to his head — and reeled. Mr. Bowton steadied him. “Tf { were you, Mr. Hepperson,” said Nick, — “I would write to her at once, withdrawing — my proposition.” Mr. Hepperson stood in deep thought a © Then he said: “Twill gp. as you fle her at once.’ moment. I will write to “Has she accepted your offer?” : EEN O ¢ ture.” accepts. At.” Mr. ‘Hepperson sat down at his desk to ; write the letter. Nick took out a Re head and said to_ Mr. ‘Bowton: “May I step into the vault and ee oe deed into my box?” “Certainly.” By the time Mr. eppersoti had completed Nick came out of the vault and — said: So “It may be well, Mr. apnea for you A she only ct me hope for. eis 2S “Then there can be no breach oF promise suit if you withdraw your offer before she to have a witness to the fact that she received _ your letter of withdrawal before she accepted : your offer. I will gladly serve you as such a fee, witness if you wish. I will deliver your let- ter to ater in person, and at once, if od de- Siresc a i Mr. pop sd was much calmer now. gee pene + eA Prat te ‘ 4
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stepped out through Mr. Bowton’s room. Mr. Bowton. --when I tap onthe window, quickly.” - ing with Hepperson’s letter. CHAPTER VII. A NIGHT SCENE IN THE BANK, _ corner of the Elton grounds. Mrs. Marquhar reached it. _ there ahead of him. heard Mrs. Marquhar say: 8S); “Flow do you happen to know?” _, “He has told me the same thing.” - great surprise. “Ves ”? _» “Then you know 39 the whole tow n to know it?” Chick could not hear what they said, _. nearer point. “Yes: % heard Sanders say. __ “Then be there at one o’clock.” “All right. Where will you be?” down the street to the river.’ Sanders and Mrs. Marquhar separated. NiCk CARTER : WEEKLY. Nick put the letter into his pocket and “Don’t sleep to-night,” he said, as he passed “Stay in your library, and come out. Nick hurried toward the Treasury Build- That night Chick went slyly to the dark He meant to climb into the big tree before Sanders and But they had changed the hour of their meeting and were _. As he dropped down behind the fence he T believe you now. You have lied - to me’all the way through, but this time I 4 happen to know you are telling the truth.” “He has?” asked Sanders, in a tone of “Ah! Don’t talk so loud. Do you want They lowered their voices. so much that. _ He crept carefully along the fence to a Til do it,” was the next thing he “T’'ll have the boat reas: Come ee Chick had heard but little, but with what he already knew, that little was very important. In an instant the banker was at the door. “What’s up?” he asked. “Come on,” said Nick. They hastened to the bank. Mr. Bowton opened the front door. When they were inside, Nick told him to lock it. Nick led the way to Mr. oars on office, They entered this and turned the log Nick wheeled a table before the door and placed Mr. Bowton upon it, where he could look out through the transom. “Stand there,” said he, something.” “What is it?” : “You'll see. But don’t. move or speak until I tell you to.” ‘s “Ts there any danger? I am not armed.” “You don’t need to be. Never mind what strange sights you see, don’t say a word or do a thing. Don’t speak to me unless I pets to you,’ “I will do as you say.” . “That's right.” : They had waited in silence for half an. 1 hour when they heard a key in the front door lock. Presently a man entered. Mr. Bowton wanted to speak, but remem- bered Nick’s warning and kept silent. The man locked the door behind him and walked straight to the vault. In a few moments the vault door swung open and the man walked in. He did not stay in the vaulta minute. - When he came out he carried a large tin cash-box. , The man locked the vault door behind hini and left the bank, locking also the front door behind him. “Did you recognize him?” asked Nick. “Yes. What does it mean?” / “Can't you guess?” . ; “No. Why should ‘Hepperson come bee at this hour and get oe Pee Ee \ . al “and you will see ge i ees
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28 “Can't you figure it out?” IN Oyae ou “There’s a woman in the case.” “Mrs. Marquhar ?” “Yes.” - “She has been exposed.” “Well?” “Does Hepperson love her?” “I think he does.” “What did he have in his box?” “Some letters and private papers, I believe. He once showed me a package of his moth- er’s and father’s love letters that he kept there.” “Did he keep any money in his box?” “A little, perhaps. Not much, surely. He kept his‘money on deposit with the bank.” “FTe could have drawn it out?” yh Fis “And in that case it’s in the box?” “Probably.” : “Well, if there’s a woman in the case > and money in the box, can’t you figure out the - natural consequence?” “N-n-n-o; not quite.” “What do. you mean?” “That he won't elope with her.” “Ah! I see now. How stupid Tam! He is going to help her away before her dis- grace is known. I ought to have guessed at first. It is just such a thing as Heppersor would do for the woman he had once loved, even if she had proved herself unworthy.” “Sh!” said Nick. ont “ Mr. Bowton heard nothing. His’ ears were not Nick’s. “We must get out there!” exclaimed the - detective. He and. Bowton jumped from the table, and Nick drew it away from the door, turned the key, and slipped out into the bank. “Unlock the door, please.” Mr. Bowton hastened to obey. Nick sprang out and turned into the alley : “beside ‘the bank. NICK CARTER WEEKLY. _ the river ‘bank he saw a man lying i = tell me anything. Mr. Bowton was close behind him. The banker, looking beyond Nick, saw the body of a man lying in the alley. Bowton i uttered a loud ery. 3 OS hha COS ME bite AIL * aN The detective stooped over the prostrate — form, and put his ear to the man’s breast. Mr. Bowton raised the man’s head. “Heavens!” said he, “it is Hepperson.” 4 A policeman came across the street. Sa “Officer, ring for an ambulance. Take this , man to the Emergency Hospital.” = Nick spoke a few words in a low tone to. the officer. See The policeman took charge of tmconscious Hepperson and Nick led Mr. omen HO 6 bank door. : eee “Go into your office and wait until I come — back.” gee Mr. Bowton went in and~ Nick started toward the river. Pee Chick had given him the necessary dhe - tions, so he lost no time in reaching the ne point. ; 5 As he ran down. from the deserted street to near the water’s edge. “Hallo, Sanders,” said Nick, bending over Bee must have got. here Bs -< FS a tae PA SERVIO Lethe the » man, ahead of you.” “Who are you?” asked Sanders. [2 “Oh, nobody but Nick, Carter.” spn ae “Nick Carter! ‘The devil!” eee ‘Sanders; ‘not as bad as that.” tell the wicks story. I’ve— “Never mind,” said Nick. “You I know all abo 5 with me.” He helped Sanders fee went to the bank ° vhere e Mr.
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. CHAPTER IX. HE BOX CAME BACK, When Mrs. Marquhar parted from San- ders under the big tree in the Elton grounds, Chick hurried away to tell Nick what he had _ learned. ‘Then he went to the river. At the foot of the street on which the Cum- berland Bank was situated he found a light, trim boat tied under a tree which grew low - and almost hid it. The oars were set ready for use. He looked it over hastily and ran down the river-bank until he found another boat. “It’s a clumsy thing,” said he to himself, * “but it will have to do. particular.” He easily picked the padlock which held it to a stake, and soon brought a pair of oars There’s no time to be from a small barn near by. Then he went back, and-by means of a small rope and staple, fastened a heavy stone to the stern of the light boat. : “They'll have to take a little handicap if I’ve got to row that heavy old scow,” he said. When everyiiine was ready he concealed himself and waited. A little before midnight Mrs. xfs came and puta satchel into the stern of the boat. Then she unfastened the chain, took her ae at the oars, and waited. Presently Sandérs came running down the bank toward the tree. under his arm. “Here,” said Mrs. Marquhar. : “Ready?” Sanders asked, as he set the box in the bow of the boat. “Yes ; shove off, : He pushed the boat free from shore and _ jumped in. “Give me the oars,” said he. He carried a box “What for? “No,” answered Mrs. Marquhar; “sit still. V'll row. You keep watch.” She pulled sturdily, but the boat. did ee: shoot forward very rapidly. : The: stone dragging behind was dois its wark. “Here,” said eae “et me row. vo il never get us across.” : He rose to take the oars, aes e stepbed over the seat, Chick saw him fall ae heard a splash in the water. Sanders came to the’ surface of the inte: with an oath on his lips. Mrs. Marquhar sean over the'stern of the boat. In the darkness Chick could not attic out whether she was going to help Sanders into the boat again or not. That question, how- ever, was soon settled, for she raised one of e the oars and struck ’a vicious blow at his head. Sanders turried and swam back to shore, muttering terrible oaths against her. As he came out of the water and started to run down the bank toward the other boat, he felt the coil of Chick’s lariat about his neck. In. an instant Chick was upon him, and Sanders soon lay bound hand and foot. Chick leaped into the heavy boat and set out in pursuit of Mrs, Marquhar. He overhauled her boat near the other shore and jumped into it. “Who are you? What do you want here?’ asked Mrs. Marquhar. . “Never mind who I am. I want you.” What have I done? What. right have you to get into my boat ?”” “Never mind about “rights now.” We'll talk about those later. Just now I want you.” : : “Are you an officer ?” ae <r ene 2, “Then of course I nee ‘submit: to you. But will you vee ik tell me © why J Iam ar rested ?””
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30 Chick merely pointed at the box. “Well,” said she, “what about that ? longs to Mr. Hepperson.” It be- “What are you doing with it here?” “Well, sir, if you want to know, Mr. Hep- person and I were going away together.” 5 “An elopement, eh?” “Call it so if you wish. I suppose a single lady has a right to elope with an unmarried man.” “But that was not Hepperson in the boat with you.” “No; I don’t know who that man was. I got the boat ready and was waiting for Mr. Hepperson, who had gone to the bank to get This man came with the box and jumped into the boat. _ his box. I thought it was Mr. Hepperson until we were out in the stream.” “Then you pushed him erent and ee to break his head with an oar.’ “When I saw that it wasn’t Mr. Hepper- son, I knew it was somebody who had robbed Mr. Hepperson of his box, and | did what I could to save the box; for of course this man would have run away with it as soon as we got across the river.” “Smart woman!’ said Chick to himself. “Tells a pretty good story on short notice.” “What’s in that box?” he asked Be her. “Mr. Hepperson’s private S yeaa “Tet’s seé,” said Chick, moving as if to open the box. Mrs. Marquhar sprang toward the box and sat down upon it. “I command you, sir, not to break into that box. It is Mr. Hepperson’s private property. He has done nothing against the law, and you _ have no right to burglarize his box.” “That’s so,” said Chick. “But I have a right to restore the box to Mr. Hepperson if it is his.” : “T have no objection to that. I meant to do so myself. 3 SN ety i then, we will go together.” NICK CARTER WEEKLY. Chick reached over the stern of the boat, cut the rope which held the stone. and rowed the boat to the shore from which it had come. “Where are you going?” asked Mrs. Mar- quhar. “To find Hepperson,” “Do you know where he is?” “We can find him.” \. When they reached the shore, Sanders was gone. Nick had been there and taken him away. .Chick carried Hepperson’s box, and Mrs. Marquhar walked beside him. Chick took Mrs. Marquhar and the box di- rectly to the Cumberland Bank. | . When they arrived there they found Mr. Bowton, Nick and Sanders waiting for them. PCHAPTER AS SANDERS TELLS THE TRUTH. Nick left the bank and soon returned with — Hepperson, who had a jd about his | head. When Hepperson saw his box standing in. the middie of the floor, he reeled into the. chair that. Nick had placed for him and sat there, a picture of despair. < “Well, Chick,” said Nick, “what have you to report?” i Chick told the siues as Mrs. Marquhar t had told it to him in the boat. As this story progressed, Mr. Hepperson seemed to brighten up and take more interest in what was going on, te When Chick had finished the story he went out. and claimed his box, to take it and go away. , - “Tt contains a little money of mine,” said. of it.” He pointed to Sanders, who sat with sullen — face, the embodiment of reckless desperation. _ —_ Then Hepperson feebly got upon his fee" i He asked permission : he | “This villain would have robbed me —
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. Sanders,” “Well, pretty bad for you. said Nick, “this looks A man who was par- doned less than two weeks ago’can’t expect much mercy when he comes up to be sen- tenced for highway robbery.” Sanders had been sullenly silent up to this time, Now he was angry. said “and now I’m ready to tell all I know “T have been duped by this woman,” he, about it.” : ; “Go ahead,” said Nick, leaning back in his chair. “Well, Mrs. Marquhar came to me in pris- . on and agreed to get me pardoned if I would give her half of the hidden boodte I had stolen from the bank. ‘The trouble is, I didn’t rob the bank, and I didn’t know where the boodle was, but I saw a chance to get free, so I let her think I did. Then I told her it would take some money for the expenses while I was getting the boodle, and she agreed to fur- nish that.” “You worked her for that?” said Nick. OY Cae wee her.” “Go on,’ “J had been convicted on evidence fur- nished mostly by Hepperson, and I knew he _had lied under oath, so I made up my mind he was the real robber. “T worked night and day trying to find where he had the money hidden. I disguised myself as a darky and watched the bank nights, thinking I might learn something, for Hepperson was often in the bank after dark. “T finally told Mrs. Marquhar that I was not the robber, and she said she knew it; that -Hepperson had told her he had the money.” said Nick “in the letter which T carried “Hepperson wrote that to her,” to Mr. Bowton, for him yesterday—the same letter in which he arranged for the,elopement.” ” “Mrs. Marquhar told me,” continued San- . ders, “that Hepperson wanted to elope with + wre her, but that she didn’t want to be bothered with him, _ “She said she esoraad me. So it ae ranged that Iwas to sand-bag Hepperson and she and I were to run away with the boodle, which was in his box.” : Mr. Bowton seemed dazed. . “Hepperson the thief! Can it be possi- “Nick Carter, how did’ You must have ble ?” he muttered. you come to suspect this? done it early, for all your work has tended to one end.” “It was perfectly. aie You Washing- ton officers should have known tt at once. waa “I had your description of the safe doors.” They saw them. You told me where the pieces of lock lay—outside the doors! “Could they have been blown through the doors? Nonsense. Then what follows? “Why, the doors were open when the. ex- plosions took place. ‘Then they were opened by means of the combination, and the explo- sions were a blind. “So it was an inside job. That narrowed the problem down to a very few men, and I soon picked out Hepperson.” ; “Then our money is in that box,” ex- claimed Mr. Bowton, “and has really never been outside the vault until to-night? To think that we have searched Washington all over for it when it was right here, guarded by our own locks all the time!”’ During this recital Hepperson had relapsed a into his condition of despair, “Mr. Hepperson, will you kindly open your box?’ said Nick. . Hepperson opened *the box. There was nothing but waste paper in it. All but Nick started to their feet with ex- clamations of surprise. , . “Mr. Carter,” said Mr. Bowton, “you have made an awful bungle.. The money is gone.” Nick smiled. Ras
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~ was from Sacramento, California. 32 “Mr. Bowton, will you please bring Alex- ander Hardy’s box from the vault?” The box was brought and Nick unlocked it. There were the money and bonds that had been stolen from the bank. “T thought it would be better not to let it go out of the vault,” said Nick, calmly. “So I transferred it yesterday from Hepperson’s box to my own.” Chick and Senator Sanford came in. When the Senator learned of the part his niece had played he wept like a child. “Senator Sanford, your niece had very bright red hair, I believe.” As Nick said this he snipped. a lock from Mrs. Marquhar’s head. “This woman’s hair,” he Gd ‘fs an- other color.” He tossed the lock-into a basin of water and the water was soon turned red. _ “Those aniline dyes never were very good for the hair,” said he. “Do you mean that Mrs. Marquhar: is not my niece?” “No; I mean this woman is not Mrs. Mar- quhar.” Nick took from his pocket a telegram. It It said: “Mrs. Marquhar is here. Just returned from China. ; (Signed) “Patsy.” “This woman,” said Nick, “is. merely an adventuress who knew about your niece, and got up this scheme to personate her in order that, by your influence, she could get into the United States Tr easury. You know what she did there.” _ The net result of the case was the recovery of the money, and the landing of Sanders, Hepperson, Tom Jackson, the waiter—who was a crook, and a pal of Sanders—and the bogus Mrs. Marquhar in prison. Hepperson’s case certainly proved that the way of the transgressor is hard. Ae them ‘to you by mail, postpaid, — NICK CARTER WEEKLY. He had spent not a penny of the stolen money. It might as well have lain in the bank’s safe so far as he was concerned. He had simply waited for the time when he should spend it, and the time had never come. Bowton in his gratitude would have given Nick anything he asked for; but the great de- tective, as usual, was very moderate in his charge, considering the extent of his service to the bank. THE END. The next number will contain ‘‘ Tracked © to Union Station; or, The Celebrated St. Louis Mystery.”’ LATEST ISSUES. , 204—Tracked to ee ela or, The Celebrated St. Louis Myster 208—Pardoned by the President: Nick Carter at the United States Treasury. 202—The Counterfeiter’s Gold Tooth; or, Nick Car- ter’s Crooked Correspondent. 201—The Great Life Insurance Fraud; or, Nick Car- ; ter’s Tussle with a Very Slick ‘Countryman. 200—The Beautiful Shop-Lifter; or, Nick Carter’s Search for an Old Offender, 199—Nick Carter and the Forest Fires; or, A Nest of Vipers Burned Out. ; 198—Nick Carter Under the Knife; or, The Little Giant Among the Body-Snatchers, 197—The Little Glass Vial; or, A Beautiful Black- mailer sEOUS at to Bay 196—A Man of Wood; or, Who KiNed Dr, Startle? © 195—Nick Carter's ~ Grateful open or, Saving the Honor of the Old Man’s Boy. F geek Carter on the Bowery; A Crippled ; Cracksman’s Detection. : ral ne 28 Carter on the-Inside; or, No Chance for the ~ oroner. 192—Nick Carter in Frisco; or, Instructed by a News- paper Personal. 1!i—Wanted for Embezzlement; or, What Became of the Treasurer, } 190—Nick Carter's Slippery Quarry; The Case Against ’Friseco Jim. j 189—Nick Pn gieios Proofs; or, Bad News for the y 188—Nick. Carter at the Races; or, Two Kinds “of. Lead Pipe Cinch, 187—The Best Detective in the Country; or, A Prompt _ Reply to a_Telegram as 18k-Nick Carter Rescues a Daughter; or, The Junior — Partner’s Strange Behavior. Bed 1s5—Nick Carter Saves a Reputation; or, A Button | Worth a Fortune, - at 184—Shielding a Murderer; or, Nick Carter's. Dealings with an Avenger. 1883—Saved from the Penitentiary; or, Three Cheers for Nick Carter. + 182—The Blood-Stained Check; or, bi Carter in the 1i—In the Cluteh of the L, —In the Clutch of the Law; Nick Car Chain of Evidence. Cartene 180—The Government Custom’s Swindle; or, Nick | Carter's ‘Work for the U. S. Treasury. ey pbigmes eter 8 Beautiful Decoy; or, The Diamond _ Duke of Chicago, 178—Nick Carter Anreste a Client; or, The Boay Found in the Flat. een age s Ce pitas Assistant; or, The Man with ‘. 116-Niok Caster, Behind the Counter; or, A Peck— of awn Tickets Sagi caver 8 Dotntat or, A ‘Hungry Boats Din- By Wh dks Hand; or, Nick Carter Advertises for Cab-Driver. or, or, or, or, Back numbers always on hand. — If you cannot get-ou publications, trom your newsdealer, five cents a copy wi t2
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