Nick Carter Weekly (no. 269) (1902 02 22)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
issued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at New York Post Office by SYRRBET & SMITH, 278 William St., N.Y. No. 209. Price, Five Cents. NICK CARTERS BY THE AUTHOR oF 4 : “MICK CARTER ‘“sToP!’’ CRIED YOXTTE, “I'LL SHOOT THE FIRST ONE OF YOU THAT MOVES!’*
Page 2
Issued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. No. 269. NEW YORK, February 22, 1902. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N.Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 278 Wilkam St, N. ¥. Entered BERENS to Act of Congress in the year 1902, in the Office of the Aabraviat of Congress, Washington, D. C. Price Five Cents. | OR,’ ‘A New Way to @atch a Criminal. By the author CHAPTER If. A CRIMINAL’S CLEVER RUSE, Two men fighting furiously in the dark. . Chairs and tables are overturned and fall to the floor with clatter and crash. The men have grappled, and lunge this way and that across the room. | “Give me the diamond, or I'll kill you!” hisses one, in a strange language. | ; “T tell you I haven’t got it,” the other replies. “If Thad it I shouldn't be here.” This exchange of words takes place while each ‘s trying to stab the other to the heart. They stumble together against a door. The second speaker, who is familiar with the place, pulls the door open and'slips through, trying to shut it in the face of the other. He does not succeed. - of “NICHOLAS CARTER.” ‘The first man clings to him, crosses the threshold with him, and kicks the door to. As it slams into place there is a great crash in the room from which they have just come. ; The sound telis its own story clearly tothe first man. Somebody has burst into the room, br satu down — the door to do so.' “It must be Nick Carter!” the man mutters, while he keeps on fighting in the dark. “If he gets in here it will be capture and perhaps death for both of us!” The other, man hears the sound of the breaking door. Se . He knows that it means pursuit, but he:does not know of Nick Carter. | : All he understands is that he has a deadly foe i in Oh his grasp, and that another foe is coming. 4 isae * 4.
Page 3
J 2 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. . oer on te i H, _-' “Tt is the only chance for escape,” ' He-makes a last fearful effort. to get rid of his ainseen enemy. — His right arm is free for an instant. He raises it high and brings it down with all his - force. There is a dagger in his tad Ti seems that the first man perceived the danger of such a blow in the dark, for he leaps ‘suddenly aside. Down comes the weapon. The point hits an iron shelf over the fireplace. Snap! the weapon breaks in two close to the hilt. The blade falls to the floor. With a curse the man who held the dagger drops the hilt. The blade falls to the floor, Now that he is free from his enemy, and also un- armed, he turns to another door that he knows of and ‘runs out. ‘His enemy lets pie go without: effort to grapple with him again. Instead of keeping up the fight, the man leaps to- ward the spot where he heard the dagger blade fall ringing to the floor. , na don’t know ny way in this house, and ‘he'll be on mé he mutters. in a few seconds.” Luckily, his hand touches ae blade of the dagget at the first try. OK ienaking out across the floor, he finds the broken handle also. , Somebody is alr eady trying to open ‘the door through which he came with his enemy: Another instant and that somebody will burst the door, in as he did the other one. i te s the only way,” the man mutters, again. With the quickness of a-cat, he drops to the floor. ’ The br ‘oken blade «ef the dagger is under him. /- He fies on his back, placing the handle of the dag- ger upon his breast in such’a way that, if it ‘could be Seen, it would look as if the blade had been driven i in ” ey open, but motionless: ‘one leg is draw up, and Tee i clutches with both hands at his breast, as if Le Had ae tried to pull the dagger out while ES spark of ais. re- mained in him. No sooner has he assumed this position than. the door is battered down. POA A man rushes in. Shae . The newcomer halts for just an instant after cross- 4 ing the threshold, si Then there is a sudden bright glow frome ‘a. podket lantern that he holds in his hand. The light shows hin one of the criminals he is s after lying apparentlydead, coat ugh the heart. r He gives but a glance at Re sce dead man ‘ and hurries on to capture the one who i is yet alive. os The instant the newcomer is gone, and the room is ey EL i again in pitch, dark cess, the man rolls over, — He tips up the edg ge of the carpet anc lie: the x dagger blade and handle beneath it. Then: he rises and darts silently into the room | where the fight began. eps From the rooms beyond he hears sounds that fo, } that the detective who flashed a light on him has me t. be with resistance. : He chuckles triumphantly at ‘Brst} and then hesi- tates. ede ee ae A new fear has come upon him. Spe : - Will not the detective be forced picks into: this part of the house2 JT here seems to be no escape throngh — the door that the detective. burst open, fo already: steps are heard ukside. Pets) Tenants of the house have been awakened y ‘the ‘ racket, and are coming to see what is the matter, Even now there is one coming in at the door. The criminal cannot see him, but he hears his tutly, f ier m ears over Whe ape chairs. ne bd a i one way het escaping fr om this new situation: ‘< _ Instant attack. ’ Aare . He acts on it. immediately. With one leap he has come to. a : hs stumbling through t the room, es
Page 4
He raises his own knife to strike. Just then they both hear the voice of the detective speaking to those who stand in his way in the room beyond. ‘ They hear these words: “T am an officer.” The criminal’s arm seems paralyzed for a moment. He has recognized that voice. “I thought so,” he silently says; “it is Nick Cae eid" The man against whom he leaped hears the words also. | He does not know who Nick Carter is, but the word “officer” maddens him. ‘ A curse comes from his lips as he tries to break away from the criminal’s clutch. “Tl kill him!” This gives the criminal a new thought. Why not let this man go, in the hope that he will “An officer!” he repeats. attack the brave detective from behind and get him ° out of his way forever? It is a good idea. He lets go suddenly, and leaps aside. The other man, confused and angry, stumbles on toward the room+where the voice was heard. Then the criminal makes for the broken door, _meaning to go through it to the stairs, and so out of the house. But there are many steps on the stairs. He hears the sound of many angry voices. It will be too risky to face all that number on the narrow stairway. No one could hope to fight his way through un- | harmed. Every second’s delay here is full of danger. He gives up thought of the stairs and feels along the wall of the room. Ah! his hands touch glass. It is a window. He raises it quickly. Outside it is almost as dark as within. There is barely enough light to show that there is nothing between the window ledge and the ground. M4 CARTER WEEKLY. a The criminal crawls through, lets himself hang a moment, and drops. ie * * * * * Feige iy Da Such was the clever and desperate ruse by which Jan Pallog escaped from Nick Carter in the very heart of Whitechapel, London. Pallog was a Roumelian traveler. He had found a diamond of enotmous value in far-away Borneo and had got possession of it for the Queen’of Rou- melia. | He said he had boughs the diamond from a sav- age king. Many persons doubted this story, believing that Pallog had obtained the stone by fraud. | However that might be, he had passed through New York with it on his way to his native country, and had been tempted by the value of the stone to pretend that it had been stolen. The Carter detectives were engaged to investigate the matter, with the result that Nick quickly sus- pected Pallog himself as the thief. They laid a trap for him, and Patsy, by some very clever detective work, got possession of the stone while crossing the ocean in the same steamer with Pallog. Patsy delivered the diamoswd to the Roumelian minister in London, who sent his messenger to Am- sterdam to talk with diamond cutters there about preparing the stone for the queen’s crown. The messenger was mysteriously murdered ina railway car at Charing Cross. Meantime Pailog, who had been arrested, had es-— caped from prison. . | Everybody but Nick Carter believed that. Pallog. was the man who murdered the messenger. Nick saw evidence pointing to a native of Borneo, who, it was believed, had been following Pallog over the world in the hope of talcing the diamond away from him. re Sein It proved that Nick’ s theory v was correct. Pallog himself had the same theory about the mut: der, and, besides, he believed that the black man from _ as Ud
Page 5
4 : NICK CARTER Borneo had taken the wonderful diamond from the messenger. So he had hunted for the black man, had found him in a Whitechapel lodging house, and had at- tacked him for the purpose of getting the stone again. There was where Pallog made a mistake. The black man did not have the stone, for the mur- dered messenger did not have the diamond with him at the time of his death. Nick, following close upon the trail of both crim- inals, Pallog and the black man, came upon them in the manner described while they were having their deadly battle in the dark. The detective was completely deceived by Pallog’s ruse. He went on to capture the black man, and did cap- ture him, believing all the-time that the black had -' killed Pallog. _ The drop to the ground was a short one, and when Pallog landed he was only a little shaken. He stumbled a bit and then dodged into a door- way. : The place was a court between buildings, It was irregular in shape, and narrow, crooked al- leys led from it in several directions. | One of them, as Pallog knew, led to Whitechapel road, the main street of that district. Where the others led he did not know. It was so dark that he could not even see where the entrances to the alleys were. _ ; One thing he was sure of—he did not care to go through the alley that led to Whitechapel road. Pallog could hear their steps and. voices in the - alley toward the main street. | Policemen would likely come in that way, too. A couple of men hurried past him. “Wot’s the row, Bill?” one was asking. “Dunno ; murder, likely,” the other replied. Pallog could have reached out and touched them. _ After they had gone on he darted across the court 7 bs: to the building on the other’ side. >There ee he got into a q HOE NGY, 8 and waited a | é moment. Preis aH att Sh ‘sage. LY. : a The coast was Clear in the direction away from the © main street. . He felt along the walls until he came to an open- ing. a | It led apparently straight into a house, for it was covered, like a hallway. | But it was stone paved, and Pallog knew that it | must have an end at some court, or alley. { Like most of the passages thereabout, it was crooked. Cautiously he advanced and rounded a bend. Then he discerned a faint glow. Proceeding more boldly, he came out presently, as he had expected to, in another court. This was lighted by a single street lamp in one cor- fe ner. : At that corner was the entrance to another pas: | Pallog didn’t like the looks of it. “Probably leads to the main street,” He thidtighe: He was not yet ready to go ra a well-lighted street, for he was too near the scene of the fight, and — he was not sure that his clothes were ony from. < blood. eee He thought he had cut the black man more than ; ‘f once in the struggle with him. i , In that case, not only his clothes, but his hands : and face would be likely to have marks that ‘would arouse the suspicions of policemen, er | He wanted no trouble with them. Ns that morning, he knew that every policeman would be on the watch for him. i So Pallog turned away from the alley by the igh” There was an opening that seemed to be very like i: the one he had just come through on the further slat | of the court, eae He could see it only dimly and could not ie sure whether it was a public passage or an open doorway. “i Before he had made up his mind what it was, he | heard steps coming rapidly up the alley near dia Ce he darted eae and sulk into, ae
Page 6
NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 5 The moment his foot passed from the court he knew that he had made a mistake. This was not a stone pavement, but a wooden ’ fldor, He would have retreated, but strong arms reached out in the darkness and grasped him. 3 CHAPTER II. EepLPED BY {AisHAG, Pallog had put away his dagger. He feared to be seen with it in his hand after getting out of the lodging-house. There was a revolver in his hip pocket, but he did not care to bring all the police of the neighborhood against him by using it, unless he had to. He had been caught by the throat and shoulder. For an instant he stood perfectly still. He offered no resistance whatever. It was a man who had grasped him, and it was a man’s voice that demanded: “Wot the mischief ye tryin’ to do? an’ who be ye?” Saying this, he didn’t relax his grip on Pallog’s throat. The traveler could neither answer, nor breathe. Nevertheless, he stood perfectly still for a moment longer. Then he caught the hand that held his throat, tore it away, grasped the unseen man under the armpits, lifted him’ up and hurled him back into the darkness. It was a feat worthy of Nick Carter himself. The unseen man bumped against one thing and an-: other, and there was a great clatter of pans, kettles and crockery w!] en he came down. He gasped loudly, and another voice spoke, _ It was harsh, but evidently that of a woman. ee : “Lor’ bless us!’ it said; “wot’s hup?” -Pallog had no intention of answering. 4 Indeed, he meant to slip out again, but two things made him hesitate. i First was the infernal racket the man had made “when he went stumbling and falling across the room. Tt. might have waked everybody i in the building expressions on the faces of both man ancien round about, and that would have made Pallog’s es- cape difficult. Second, the woman struck a match as she spoke. Its flame lighted the room enough for Pallog to see and be seen, and he thought it best shel to stay and face the consequences. His keen mind quickly formed a plan for turning the situation to his advantage. The woman touched the flame to a candle Wiel. It caught, and she held the candle up level with her eyes and peered at the stranger. What Pallog saw was a most villainous hag. * She was not old, but her face was wrinkled, her hair loose, her clothing a dirty collection of rags. He also saw, a little beyond her, a man seated on the floor, his knees up, his hands spread out beside him, his back against the wall. All around him were broken dishes and upset pans that had fallen from a table with which he had col lided when Pallog threw him. ; Pas He sat there motionless, staring in the greatest wonder. Scoundrel though he was, Pallog seua not help a smile of amusement. “Don’t stand there and’ grin like a denen snarled the hag. “Tell us who ye be, and wot ye ; mean by tearin’ into a peaceable ’ouse at dead 0” night. Come, now!” j hed “T made a mistake, madam, that’s all,” responded Pallog, ala public passage.” He raised his hand to his head to take off his nat and was surprised to find that he was bareheaded. That fact he had not noticed before. ise a ay His hat must have dropped off during the fight, or a while he lay pretending death. yes The hag noticed his movement and seemed to un- derstand, for there was an evil gleam of as i: in her eyes as she demanded again: “Who be ye? wot be ye? says I. Speak hup 1” 4 Pallog looked quickly over the place. He noticed the poor furniture, the filth, the vile “T thought your doorway was aoe Ve) ES ues
Page 7
, 1 “Arms that can lift,” ~ an’ mebbe you're playin’ a dodge. » me. | Same NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ; [ “Criminals of the iSaiesh class,” he enone Aloud, but softly, he replied: “Madam, I am a lifter.” “A lifter!’ she repeated; “aha! I though as much.” She went closer to him. “Good clothes,” hup. An’ you've got arms, “if they are mussed ’ands, she muttered, ‘avet’t ye? an’ too?” She said this with plain admiration in her hoarse tone. Then she raised the candle near tis face, she went on, peering sharply at him, and ’ands that can ‘it ’ard, an’ a face that— ah!aface that’s blood on it! Ah! blood on ’is face! There’s been trouble, trouble an’ blood, eh?” - Pallog stood her examination coolly, though, in spite of his own villainous heart, he felt like shud- dering when she looked at him. _ She turned sharply to the man who still sit where _. Pallog had thrown him. “Get. up, Jack, ye paralyzed bloke!” she com- manded, in a whisper, “get up an’ shut the door.” The man arose then and obeyed, staring in won- ~ derment at Pallog as he passed. “Now; mister man,” said the hag, “there’s one kind of lifters an’ there’s others. No matter, says I, if the hofficers are hafter ye, we're with ye, Jack an’ But-ye see, to begin with, ye’ve smashed my dishes an’ ye’ve spoiled the little game we'd been put- tin’ up fer to git our breakfast.” Pallog did not fully understand all this, but he an- swered readily : ' “The officers are after me, closé shave, as you can see. I am glad you have seen blood on my face, for that tells me that I must As for your dishes, madam. wash it off before I go further. ‘I shall be very glad to pay you your own price for them if you will kindly let me have a basin of water and a towel.” “She nodded. her head from time to time as aire spoke. » The candle was still held at a level of her eyes. , Mebbe you're one kind : Vve -had z At last she set it on the table, seeming to be sat- isfied with her examination. Paks” useful. she said, “stir round, now. Make yerself F Get the gent a drop of water an’ suthin’ to | wipe ‘is face with.” The man bestirred himself stupidly, Hé had not yet got over his surprise at the way : Pallog. handled him. ‘ While he was getting a washbasin ready, the fas / sat on a stool and said: “We ain’t up to your game, Jack an’ me, we — hain’t. That’s clear enough from’ the cut of your ‘is rig. We ‘ave to lie low fer wot comes our way.” “Was that what you were doing,” | asked ae “when I blundered in?” “Hit were. We keeps the door hopen of a dark” night like this, and hoften hit ‘appens that a swell bloke comes reelin’ in. The swells come down to. Whitechapel to see wot it’s like, d’ye mind? An’ they gits loaded an’ don’t know where they’re goin’. Many a one of ‘em ’as come in’ere.”* “Do they mistake the door for a passage ?” a “That's it. We lie low an’ when they git inside we/ grab’em. Then I lights a light an’ Jack puts om the ‘igh an’ mighty an’ talks of callin’ in the police. Re She stopped to chuckle as if she remembered some incident of the sort that amused her. ; “I suppose the fools give up handsome, den’ ta they?” asked Pallog. pms “Depends on ‘ow much they’ve got,” dee aati swered. “Hif a man ’as as much as a sovereign left, ie ’e’s generally glad henough to get rid of it to save bein’ taken in by the hofficers. Hif ’e hain’t got — that much, we takes wot we can get, Jack an’ me — does.” ali yi “What if he tried to bluff you?” _ “Hit don’t work, that’s all. We manage to git the A money, one way or hanother.” " By this time Jack had brought a basin of water sia i a rag that he called a towel. eee ‘Pallog, used to roughing it, made use fe: it without ee washed his face ee a murmur.
Page 8
“the dust from his clothes, and then asked for a look- ing-glass. “Huh!” grunted the hag, “you'll ave to go further fer that. Wot do you take us fer—fashion plates? P’raps you ‘d like to borry me peral ’andled brush, an’ me silver comb.” “No,” said Pallog, smiling. “I can get along without them, but, tell me, do I look allright?” “Purty as a picter.” “No nonsense, now.” “Straight, mister.” “Fit to be seen, eh?” “Sure!” “Blood all gone?” i. “Bevery, bit.” “Wot was it all about?” asked Jack, speaking for the first time since Pallog threw him. | The hag did not give a chance for an answer. , -. “Hidiot!” she hissed, turning to Jack. “Wot do ye want the gent to give hisself away fer?” “I don’t want ’im to give hisself away,” Jack, uneasily, “I was hoe wonderin’, that’s all. muttered Hit e’s one of our kind “But ’e hain’t, don’t you see? ’E’s a top-lofty member of the perfesh an’ you're only a hignorant scaramonuch, Jack.” _ “Yhe question does no harm,” Huh! you keep yer tongue in yer ’ead, said Pallog.. “I simply had a scrap with a man who wants to see me ; 9 again more than | want to see him, unless “Hunless ‘is back is turned?” : OM GaeE rtst . The hag laughed hideously. , i “You're the right sort!” she croaked. A “T think so, but if anybody comes along here csk- ~ sen ing questions, you haven’t seen me; ; understand?” “Hof course! I’m not thick. Jack is, but I'll an- ; it swer fer im, never fear.” ; “T don't. Will this fix up your broken dishes?” Pallog handed her a ten-shilling piece. “*Andsome!” she ct ied, greedily. “You can smash hup wot there is left hat the same rate, if you “like.” went down the lighted alley. Whitechapel road. -itowas past midnight. BP ENR Sols en lao iat sale NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ae “Thank you; I’ve hit enough things for one night, but there’s one thing more I’m going to hit before 1 _ got to bed.” ‘ bitean “Wot’s that? the bloke wot’s hafter ye?” “No, not — he gets in my way.” “Then “Never mind, madam. Better keep my cribs to myself, hadn’t I?” “That's right. title.” “Good-night, then.” “Good luck to ye, gent.” Jack opened the door, and Pallog stepped out. Then he remembered something and turned back. “T say,’ he said, “I’ve lost my hat.” “T seen that,” said Jack. “What? My hat?” “No; that ye hadn’t got none.” ; “Well, haven’t you got something that will do for | Don’t peep to nobody. That’s my » me to wear in the dark?” “T dunno; mebbe.” “Vl give you half-a-crown for anything, that pone ; stay on my head.” - The woman spoke up: ere “Let ’im ’ave your hown ’at, seek ‘ou ean git another in the mornin’ fer a shillin’.’ a Without another word, the man tice out aS badly-battered hat and gave it to Pallog. | ers The latter paid the half-crown he had prduisel ae and startéd away. ao oe That part of the district was quiet now, It brought him to a narrow street. that led to Fe did not dare yet to be seen there, so heh wan- ri dered about throneh alleys and passages for sever ral a minutes. fess When at last he took éhie chance of going to the” main street he -vas a long distance from the scene of his adv enture with the black man and the detect. ey ra Oe ee: A number of persons. were on the esl, although
Page 9
Bee NICK CARTER WEEKLY. { None of them paid any attention to him, and still he felt a little doubtful about his appearance. It was not quite time for drinking up for the night. Pallog went into the private bar of a public saloon. Having called for his favorite drink—brandy—he took his glass into what was called the “sitting- room.” This was a room with chairs and tables behind the bar. A man and woman were drinking ale there, and they sat directly in front of the only mirror in the , * room. Pallog’ crossed to the farthest corner so that he _might get a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror as Bt ‘liquor spilled. he passed. His heart chilled when he saw his face. He sat down, and his hand trembled so that his A It was not that he saw blood on his face. The hag had spoken truly when she said that all - signs of his struggle had been washed away. The trouble was that he saw his own face, undis-* guised. ; When he made his escape from prison he had worn a false beard, and shortly after that he had still ‘further modified his appearance so that he felt sure no one would recognize him. In his struggle with the black man, or in his flight afterward, he could not tell when, the beard had been lost. The washing of his face had done the rest. He wondered what had become of the beard. “Tf it dropped off in one of those alleys,” he thought, “the detectives may find it. “That will give them a clew to the direction I took. _ “So they may come to the place where Jack and his hag wife live. “They're not to be trusted to keep my secret. “A coin will buy their information. “They can tell which direction I took, and then it _ svouldn’t be hard for a shrewd detective like Carter pbs 4 . RK ’ Vis places to shut, : to trace me, for I have been seen by a hundred per- sons. “Carter may be on my track now! “But perhaps he has been killed. a “T hope so, but it won’t do to take chances. “If I want to keep my liberty and get that dia- A mond, I’ve got to act at once. “The black didn’t have it. That is certain. “Then the messenger he killed didn’t have it. “That means. that the stone must still be in the possession of the Roumelian minister. F “Fortunately, I know his house address, ‘“That’s my erib, and I must crack it before day- hight.” He paid for his second drink and went out, feline as if every person in the place and on the street were looking at him. CHAPTER: ATL. OVER THE GARDEN W ae One: more he took to side tides and alleys can he came to a station of the underground railway. Trains do not run all night on this line, but Pallog found that he was in time for the last train west- ward. It was due in six minutes, id that short time 4 seemed like an hour. Every second he feared that one of the waiting passengers would prove to be a detective, He quietly changed his revolver from his hip pocket to the side pocket of his coat, Then he kept his hand in that pocket, grasping ye ; butt of the weapon, with his thumb on the hammer, prepared to bring it forth any instant and shoot the — man who should lay hands on him. : It was lucky for those passengers that none of them spoke to him. is Pallog was so excited, and so determined to keep his liberty, that he would have shot a man who asked. £ him the simplest question.. DS fe When the train came he got into. a compartment _ where there were no other asset, and heat
Page 10
1 i Te NICK CARTER WEEKLY. there until a stop was made at Earl’s Court, a sta- ion in that part of London known as Kensington. He got out there, and he became more confident as he passed through the station without attracting notice. The streets in that part of town were deserted. A short walk brought him to a street on which were a number of private houses, It was here, somewhere, that the Roumelian minis- ter lived. Pallog knew the number, but he had never been to the house, and his first step was to walk through the street to get a general idea of the place. He found that without exception every house had . a garden in front of it. None of the gardens could be seen, because there was a high wall running along the street front. In some places this wall was of brick, in others of stone. Here and there trees ee bushes showed over the top. From one side of the street he could see the house fronts on the other. This fact showed that the Hous ses were placed far back from the sidewalk. It was also possibile to see that the top of the high wall was guarded everywhere by broken glass, ce- mented to the stone or brick. There was a gate, or door, in the wall in front of. every house. Sometimes the entrance was the full height of the wall, and in other cases it was like an ordinary door reaching only part way up. In every case the gateway was covered with jagged’ glass at the top, The reason for this was to prevent just what Pal- log wanted to do—climb over the wall. If it hadn’t been for the glass he could have leaped up, caught the top of the wall and pulled himself up. Then he could have dropped down on the other side, _ As it was, he could not have leaped up without the Sees of cutting his hands badly. ‘ Such a thing as that was not to be risked. He was not discouraged, however. As he went along the street he looked for a piece of board, or anything that might be propped against the wall and so enable him to eee his hands on the top carefully. ea “T could knock off a little of the broken glass,” he’ thought, “with the butt of my revolver, and so get a place where I could hang on without cutting myself.” ‘He found the minister’s number and saw that his wall was guarded like the rest. From end to end of the street he went, and could not find so much as a stick to help himself. Back he went to the minister's house, and stood in frént of it for several minutes, thinking. That wasn’t getting ahead very fast. “Perhaps,” he thought, presently, keeper near the station has left a box on the side- walk. Or I might manage to unhook a sign and use “some shop- it as a step ladder.” He started back toward Earl’s Court. On the way he met a policeman. The officer was walking slowly along, trying the doors and gates in the garden walls to see that dope were properly fastened. Pallog walked briskly. “‘Good-evening, officer,” he said, as they passed. “Good-evening, sir,” sesponded the policeman. Pallog halted at a corner and stepped into the shadow of a gateway. From there he watched the pomenie go the” whole length of the street and then disappear round a corner. “All right,” thought the criminal. “He’s doing his duty and he won't trouble this street again to- _ night. That danger is out of the way.” He was about to go on again when he saw that he , was observed. A man stood half-leaning against a lamp- “post, looking at him. Pallog could not see the man’s face, but } he 2 odeae ee that his shoulders were rounded and that he had Hist; ie hands in his pockets.
Page 11
10 ; NICK CARTER WEEKLY. The man wore a cap that was drawn down over his ey es. For a moment Pallog hesitated. His old fear of pursuit by a shrewd detective had come upon him. He fingered his revolver. Then he slowly approached the man. The man did not stir, and when Pallog was close he saw from his slouchy appearance that he was -¢@ither a drunken loafer or a crook. Pallog halted directly in front of him, and for a moment they looked silently at each other. “Nice evening,” said Pallog, presently. “Huh!” grunted the other, “that depends.” “Tt isn’t dark enough tee some things, eh?” Pallog demanded. ' say: _ “Tt might be darker.” ca the policeman on this beat Has got out of the way.” “Wes; ’e won't be back.” “And it isn’t likely that any other will come along before daylight.” Dib iat’s 60." - “Then don’t lét me stand in your way if you've picked out a crib along here that you want to crack.’ “At this the man took his hands from his pockets and came a little closer. Pm onto you,” said he, in alow tone. “You + needn’t try to take a‘tise out of me. I know. you.” Di gs / ©{ don’t mean that 1 never seen you before, but I'm -That’s wot. says. Wot ‘was it?” “Why,” responded: Pallog, easily, “to see if he did hi8duty,. That’s all.” Dee reuty! huh! you've been ae off a crib on your tet own account. Needn’t tell me.’ ~ Pallog laughed lightly. “We're two of a kind, aren’t we?” he asked. -“Mebbe. I’m not sayin’ hanything.” ’ ao » No, and that’s right, but 1am, Now, listen: Zig oo going to make you an offer.” ? ad ) Wot i is it?” onto you. Wot was you spottin’ that, hofficer fer? “There’s a friend of mine lives in one of these houses back here.” “Well?” “TL want to give him.a stirprise.” “Huh!” “He doesn’t know I’m going to-ceall on him. “An’ you don’t mean to leave no card. Well?” “His gate is locked, and so I’ve got to get over the wall.” aie “Uh-huh. Why don’t you?” “Becattse—but you know.” “Dunno, I never tried it.” “Rubbish! you know all about garden walls, want you to be my ladder.” The man shrugged his’ shouldess easels slouched away a few paces, with his head down. : Pallog let him go, Presently the man halted and came é slaw back. “Ts that all?” he asked. “Yes. You can skip as soon as I’m over. I'll do the job inside alone.” “Wot do I get out-of it?” “It’s worth a shiner to me.” In the slang of London crooks a “shiner” is a een piece worth ten shillings, or about $2, 50 of American money. a “Let's see it,” said the man. Pallog took a ten-shilling piece from ae pocket and showed it in the light of the street lamp, The man looked at it etal Ut ota go,” he said. ie He held out his hand. Ng “Not yet,” said Pallog, putting the coin in his pocket. “Work first and pay afterward.” “Il won't take no chance on bein’ bilked,” ee in o u 5 e ait f ‘ f “T'won’t bilk you. Let me get on your nace and, the shiner is yours.” EAM feel ? Back they went to the minister's gate, “Now, then,” whispered Pallog;, Pid 5. make a quick job of it.” “Tl take my pay now,” muttered the man. 4 oe a “You shall have it. . > PRR:
Page 12
| sob: 2. AUS ve ao As he spoke, Pallog put his hand in his pocket. The man squatted on the walk close to the wall and held up a hand. : “Here you are,” said Pallog, reaching down a bright coin. The man’s hand closed over it. Pallog stepped on his shoulders. “Rise, now!" he whispered. Slowly and with great difficulty the man stood up. He was no athlete. His body quivered and he clung to the wall as well as he could while Pallog’s weight was on him. “"Urry !” he whispered, eagerly, “fer ’eaven’s sake, ‘urry! I cawn’t stand it forhever!” Pallog’s head was level with the top of the wall. “He reached his arm across it and broke off two pieces of jagged glass that stood higher than the rest. They fell silently upon the grass inside the garden. Then, with his elbows on the cleared space, he raised himself, and in a moment was on his knees on -He did not pause there, but, taking pains ee Be clothing should not be torn by the glass guards, let himself over the other side and dropped. The man who had acted as Pallog’s ladder raa panting down the street. to the nearest lamp-post, where he stopped to look at the bright coin that had been given him. . . ° . . . His jaw dropped and his brow wrinkled in a savage | scowl, “Curse ’im!” he muttered, “if ’e ’asn’t rung me fer a, tard)? By “fard” he meant farthing, the smallest piece ot money coined in England, It is of copper, and is worth one-half of an Ameri- can cent. i When fresh from the mint a farthing is very bright. As it is almost exactly the same size as a gold ten shilling piece, it is very easy to mistake one for the other when there isn’t time for a close examination. The man hadn’t examined the | coin at all when Pallog handed it to him. He had simply closed his hand over it, believing it aS 4 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 11 to be the “shiner” that had been shown him a min- ute before. Whether Pallog tricked him purposely cannot Bi said. It might have been a mistake, and that seems likely, for the shrewd criminal would hardly have taken the risk of making a dangerous enemy for the sake of saving a few shillings. But whatever the explanation, the thing was done. The man glared at the almost worthless coin a moment and then threw it angrily on the ground. | “The cussed bilker!” he muttered, He shook his fist at the house where Pallog was. ° At that moment a startling noise began there. A number of bells began to ring, there was a loud buzzing sound, and above the racket came the sharp crack of a pistol. “Blow me,” chuckled the man by the lamp-post, “hif there ain’t a burglar halarm on that ’ouse, ’an the bloke’s gone an’ set it off! Serve ‘im proper right, the bilker !” He could hear sounds that indicated that men were running about in the house and garden. “T ’opes they catches ’im!” he muttered, . _ Then it struck him that perhaps there would be danger for himself if he staid near, for the police would come soon. He picked up the farthing he had thrown away and started to run. 5: Then he heard a slam, and, turning his head, saw a man running away from a garden gate a little bayou, the one in front of the minister’s house. “It was Pallog, undoubtedly. The criminal had somehow escaped the inmates Si ; the house he had tried to enter. . He had either jumped over the wall into another — garden or had found an open gate. ay Then he had gone out through a street.gate that — could be opened without a key from the inside. So much was clear enough, and fora moment'the = man with the farthing was disappointed. He had hoped that the criminal would be captured, i A Then he had a new idea.
Page 13
12 It didn’t come very quickly, for his mind was slow. But he thought of getting eve.1 with the fellow who had bilked him. f So he pursued Pallog, at first with the thought of helping the police, and then deciding to catch up with the fugitive and demand ten shillings in return for the farthing. All that was well enough to think about, but it was another matter to catch up with Jan Pallog. The man chased him to a long street that led to the central part of Kensington. Pallog never stopped running, and the man fol- lowed as best he could, without gaining a yard. At last he lost sight of the criminal, but he kept running, and did not halt until he came to Kensing- ton High street. - Then he looked around. _ Ata little distance he saw a hansom'cab drawing - up at the curb. A passenger was climbing i in. The man recognized Pallog again and ran toward the cab. The cab started before he came to it. ‘Pallog was then standing in the front part, speak- ing to the driver over the roof. “To Euston in a hurry,” Pallog said. _ The man with the farthing didn’t know what to do. ’ “Curse him!” he muttered, again and again. “If I ‘should yell out and bring the police I might get pinched for ’elpin’ ’im hover the wall. An’ ’e wouldn’t pay me, anyway, the mean bloke. Oh! Mahe a dead straight loser, I am.” CHAPTER IV. A TIP FOR NICK CARTER. B “What happened in the minister’s house can be told “quickly, The first known of anything wrong was when the burglar alarm went off. Everybotly was aroused by the racket. mate Servants rushed from their rooms with revolvers. NICK CARTER WEEKLY. _ Shaking hands with shite . The thinister himself. dressed hastily and went downstairs to the front door. Meantime one of the servants had caught sialie of a man running around the house. He was making toward a side gate that led into a neighbor’s garden. The servant fired his revolver. He was so excited that he shot wild. The bullet did not come anywhere near the crim- inal, who pushed open the gate and went through. It proved later that the gate had not been quite . closed. : , Once through it, the criminal shut it behind him. Then it was fastened by a spring lock, As it was a solid gate, like a door, there was no use in firing through it. i None cf the half-dressed servants had a ie to the gate. One ran back to the house and brought a key. | By the time the gate was opened Pallog had gone out by the front gate of that garden. The servants hunted around in the bushes and in the angles of the house, and after a time they went. out to the street. Pallog was then far on the way to the place where | he found an all night cab. \ The minister and his servants were still hunting for vy the burglar when a couple of policemen came up on the run. Coa They had been warned by the Ae that connected with the station where they belonged. is Behind them came a hansom cab. It halted at the minister’s gate, and two men got out. The minister had come down to the sidewalk to speak to the policemen. He was telling them what little he knew about the affair when he saw)|the newcomers. “By all that’s lucky!” he exclaimed, Mr, Carter! ei : “Yes,” said Nick. “And the young man, too,” ‘asad! the minister ¥ {apt MA ae NS
Page 14
NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “We captured the man who killed your mes- enger,” Nick explained, shortly, “and, as Pallog is till at large, we came here to warn you. He’s likely _o come here in the hope of getting that diamond, and he isn’t the man to lose any time about it.” “T think he got here ahead of you, Mr. Carter.” “I see that something has happened. You’ve had “Yes. Our burglar alarm frightened him away.” “Did anybody see him?” “Nobody who could identify him. There was just a glimpse of a man escaping into the next yard.” “Tt must have been Pallog,” said Nick. “He’s a iswift one, Less than three hours ago I saw him lying ‘dead, rise a bekbitcd in a Whitechapel lodging- “house.” “Dead!” “I will explain that later. do just then, and left him. A few minutes later I dis- covered that he had come to life and disappeared.” | While he spoke, Nick was stooping just inside the garden wall and feeling of the grass, | Now he arose with a piece of broken glass in his le Looking up at the top of the wall, he said: “This is where he got over. He must have had/an accomplice.” “That’s an unpleasant thought, Mr. Carter,” re- sponded the minister. “It’s bad enough to know that we have to be on our guard against Pallog alone.” “He Coildn't have got over that wall without help,” said Nick, quietly. “You'd better make up your mind that there was an accomplice.” — “Very well, but who “T cannot tell,” I had other things to Nick was talking very rapidly. “How about the diamond?” he asked, in a low fone: “Tt j is safe, Mr. Carter,” “Sure P” ~ “Oh, yes. The man didn’t get into the house. I meee the stone in my bedroom.” — _ down over his eyes. bay Be “Where i is it now?” “In my pocket.” “Very well,” “Shall I show it to, you?” “No. I must get on the trail of Pallog. Was it that garden he went into?” “No: the one on the other side. That gate——” Nick did not wait to hear the explanation, but ran . along the sidewalk to the gate opening into the gar- den of the next house. He had taken his pocket lantern itt for the pur- | pose of hunting for footprints. | Before he opened the slide he observed a dim form ° slinking into a gateway across the street. Instantly he flashed the rays of the lantern in that direction. The bright rays showed him a startled man’ who was trying to squeeze himself into the shadow of the gatepost. ps Nick kept the light on him and crossed. The man was so astonished and frightened that ae could not stir. “What are you doing here?” Nick demanded, sharply. ! He saw a shabby-looking man, with a cap pulled The fellow’s teeth were chattering. “Nawthin, nawthin,” stammered the man, “so help me, I was just goin’ ’ome, I was.” terse) “Vou don’t live around here,” said the detective, “and this isn’t on your way home. Come, now, nose eh up!’. about.” “Oh! that was it.” “Yes, sir, so’elp me!” Nick looked at him sharply. . ‘eae Meantime the policemen aad some others” had a f come up. +3 “Ha!” exclaimed one of the officers, “that/must pe Ske 1 know him fora the man we’re after, Mr. Carter. : ra conimon, tie ay iP eee era CEs aa be 5 “y saat turned down ‘ere to see wot alll the r row was bite it
Page 15
14 “I’m innercent, so ‘elp ” began the man. “Let him alone, please,” Nick interrupted. “If he knows anything about the matter he'll. tell me. Won’t you?” This was addressed to the trembling thief, who stared back in a frightened way, without replying. said Nick, then, “Stoop over a minute,” “and turn your back to me.” With a look of awful fear, the thief obeyed. Nick brought the lantern close to his shoulders, beckoned to the policemen and pointed with his finger. "They all saw clearly a broad mark of dirt on each of the thief’s shoulders, The policemen would have spoken, for they saw what the marks meant, but Nick motioned to them to be silent. “My man,” said he, ‘‘you’ve been playing ladder.” The thief shuddered and turned about, still kneel- ing. “Lor’ bless me!” he stainmered, “but you've gone an’ guessed it. That’s right, but I didn’t go fer to do it. I was ’ired, I was, an’ the bloke rung up a fard on me fer a shiner.” bh) “Not quite so fast,” said Nick. “Don’t be fright- ened. I sha’n’t trouble you if you tell the truth, the _ whole truth, mind! You say you were hired,” “Yes, sir. The bloke said.’e would give me. a shiner. I knowed it were wrang, but I needed the money that bad! an’ ’e went an’ did me fer a fard. Seel; ; He held up the biteht, new farthing. Nick could not help smiling when he saw the coin and understood exactly what had happened. “Well,” said he, “you don’t feel very kindly about that fellow, do you?” “That I doesn’t, sir! To tell ye the whole truth, I was comin’ back ’ere, ‘opin’ to give the police a tip. "hd ought to be ketched, rot “im! but you scared oe life out o’ me with your searchlight.” “That's too bad, but Alok ve got your life back again. Now, tell us the tip.” : “Well, sir, I chased ‘im up to Kensington Teh street, and seen ‘im’get inter a cab. ‘Euston in a ’urry,’ says ’e to the driver, an’ away they went like ta streak.” , Nick was silent for a moment, waiting to see if the man had anything more to say. NICK CARTER WEEKLY. “That’s all, so ’elp me, sir, an’ I wishes it was more.” “Surely you don’t believe him, Mr. bya pered one of the policemen. alkayatan “But he’s a bad egg. He lives by thieving.” “Did he ever commit a great crime?” “Bless you, no! he hasn’t got the wit for it.” “Of course, and that’s why I believe he tells the truth. That man. Pallog wouldn’t have anybody around him who wasn’t sharp. So I believe he picked this fellow up by accident and used him just as he says.” The policeman shrugged his shoulders and turned away. “Now,” sag ane to the thief, “I’m going to have you locked up.” “Couldn't you let me off this time, sir?” the thief whined, “I’m going to let you off. I sha’n’t bring any charge against you, but I want you as a witness.” “On!” . “You'd know that man again, wouldn’t you?” “Sure.” 3 “Then you'd better go with the officers and stay quiet a bah days. It won’t be long before I will let se BOK . “All right, sir, but I don’t want 9 be chucked into “whis- / quod any more’n any other man,’ “Take care of him,” said Nick, to the Gcecccas ‘aril | understand that he is detained simply as a witness.” The thief was led away, and Nick took the minister and Patsy aside. “Pallog,” said Nick to them, Scotland.” The minister looked surprised. i “You have proved to be a good gees, ” he be- “is on his way to gan. “I’m not a guesser,” Nick interrupted. believe the tip I have just received.” “I don’t see how you get Scotland out of it.” “Very simply. There is a mail and newspaper ex- press train that leaves Euston station for the North at about this hour. Pallog has gone to Euston. It follows that he knows about that train, and that he means to take it. It offers him the cies and best means fd settmg far from London.” LS O6s OE course, he may ae the train at some station, ate a na ris ya sicaly ; it
Page 16
‘but, as he has been so completely defeated in his op- , rations in London, it is more likely that he will get as far away as the train will take him.” “What do you propose to do, then?” . “Follow him, I understand that you are willing to meet any expense that is necessary?” “Decidedly yes.” “Good, Heisavery sharp man. As long as he is free he will try to get that diamond.” __ “That’s just the trouble, Mr. Carter. He i double on his tracks and come back here at once.’ _ “T am thinking of that, and I will leave my as- i sistant, Patsy, with you. My other assistant, Chick, ‘is also in town and will be at your service.” “That makes me feel easier.” . “But you'd better deposit the stone in the Bank of | poelane as soon as it opens for business this morn- “ing.” _ | “T will do so.” _ “Good-by, then. I sha’n’t ‘try to catch the early express, for that would be impossible. Indeed, there isa chance that Pallog may miss it, but in either case I. don’t feel that I’ve any time to tose.” “Good- ae then, Mr. Carter, Shall I hear from you?” _ “When I have caught Jan Pallog.” CHAPTER V. FALSE HOPES. Nick got into the cab by which he and Patsy had come to Kensington, and told the driver to go to the cab stand in Kensington High street. The cal business in London is run by a thorough system. Drivers have to report’ at certain stands ‘scattered about the city, and they go out from these stands in regular order. When Nicae came to the High street stand he asked the man in charge of it about cabs bat had gone out within a half-hour. Only three had gone within that time. One was called for by a gentleman who was known to the keeper, the other started westward on the chance, of picking up passengers, and the third nga started eastward for the same purpose. Nick believed that this last cab was the one that ‘Pallog. had taken. — He asked its number. : , “170d ‘replied the mele } NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 45 It was then almost the time when the early Be was due to leave Euston station. The detective drove to a telephone office and rang up the station master. “Has ihe Scotch express gone! ?” he asked, “Just pulling out,” was the reply. “Did a iciaar ae come in at the last minute?” “Yes, a man,’ “Can you tell me whether his cab is still in the — station?” “Why do you want to know?” “Tama detective.” “Oh! hold the wire a minute.” Nick waited until he heard the station ineetars “Hello.” “Hello,” he returned. “The cab is here.” «WW Bat number 2” “T704. ob Ne “Tell the driver to wait for me.’ “Very well, sir. Anything else?” “Yes. Can you arrange for a special train to’ fol- low the Scotch express?” 2 “Why, I think so. The track will be clear at this time of night.” “Get one ready, then. A swift locomotive and one carriage. I will be at the station as soon as I can drive there.” : “Very well, sir, but——”’ “But what?” “We have to pay in airaace for sable “T will hand you the money as soon as I arrive.” “Oh! sible, sir.’ Nick got into his. cab again, and, sila a rapid ; drive, arrived at Euston station. There was only one cab in the driveway. It was number 1704. The detective spoke to the ttriver, asking tae is uy describe the passenger he had taken from High ae street. . The driver gave a fair description of Pallog. " “That’s all,” said Nick, and he gave the man a coin to pay him for the time he had lost in waiting. “Tt’s all right,” he continued to himself. “Pm. on the right track, Now to see whether my man ac: “ tually got aboard the train.” He questioned the. men in the ticket office an i he “aa _ Station i posters, 1% fi ri : aa ce \ ‘ ; SOAS ES EA GURS te see, | * 7 BAYES : will have the train ready as soon as pos- PA
Page 17
16 oi . From what they told him he became satisfied that Pallog had got aboard the train and that he had not left it when it rolled out of the station. Then Nick looked up the station master. “1 am the man who asked for a special,” he said. “Oh! it will be ready in five minutes, sir.” “Very well, I'll pay now.” This part of the business was settled quickly, and Nick then asked: “Can the special.overtake the Scotch express?” “No, sir,’ replied the station master, ‘not unless the express meets with an accident.” “Can we gain on it?” “That might be, sir.” “Tell the engineer and conductor, then, that I want to get into Edinboro as soon as possible after the ex- press.” “T will, sir. Do you want.to go through without stops?” ; “No. I want to stop everywhere the express stops.” “That isn’t often, sir. Stops are only made to take on new engines. The mail and papers are thrown off in passing stations.” “So much the better, but I want to make every stop the other train makes, and I shall want time enough to ask some questions.” “T think that can be arranged, sir. And I have put three carriages on the train instead of one. That will “steady it and ashe Bi ccetls speed: But you will be the only passenger.” At that moment the special backed into the station and Nick got aboard. Little need-be said of the journey deriweael Nothing happened to interfere with the progress of the special, and there were no clews from the con- versations Nick had with men at the few stopping places. He always asked about passengers w ho had got off the Scotch express. So fat as he could learn, nobody answering Pal- log’s description had left the train. It was about the middle of the following afternoon se when the special halted for a moment at a junction ~ a mile or so from the Edinboro station. - Nick got out and called to the conductor. “How far behind ‘the express are we?” he ade ei “The express got in fifteen minutes ago, ' replied a ine conductor. . NICK CARTER WEEKLY, “Good. Run in the rest of the way swlalaed me. 17 “Without you, sir?” “Yes. Be careful not to let any faformeeiaih leak M out about my coming on the special.” : “None of us will say anything, sir.” Nick crossed the tracks, climbed a bank and soon found himself on one of the city streets. A moment® later he had taken his place in a cab and was being driven rapidly to the central part of the town. He was thoroughly disguised, and so had no fear of being seen by Pallog. What he hoped was that luck would be on his side, and that he might see Pallog walking along the? streets. x “Even if he goes straight to a hotel,” thought! Nick, “he isn’t likely to stay indoors after such a long journey. He can’t dream that he is being pur- # sued so close. I should think he would take a walk.” | Luck did not faver the detective. ’ He had his driver take him down to the railway P station, where he made careful inquiries as: to the * passengers who had arrived by the express. f It was difficult getting any definite clew there. . A good many passengers had left the train. The station is a gloomy place, and it is often very dark at midday, owing to the smoke from locomatives. | A passenger might easily leave a train and go from the station without being noticed by anybody. . It was quite possible, too, that Pallog had man- } aged to disguise himself while on the way. i The long ‘and short of it was that Nick learnedl nothing of value at the station. Rese He got into his cab again, and had the driver take him about the: city until dark. : Then he went to a hotel and had dinner. He telegraphed his address to Patsy and soon afterward got a cipher reply. When translated it read: All quiet here. Bank of England. Nick believed that Pallog would lie low for several : days before going back to London. ar It did not discourage him that he had not come upon a trace of the man since he nae been in Edin- boro. He had hardly begun his search yet. Time and again Nick had discovered criminals hele The crown diatnond is safe in-a vault in the simply wandering around a eet till he came across | sais Het Bray ta cea ve : }
Page 18
S That was to be his plan now, and, as Edinboro is tfot a very large city, he felt almost confident that he ‘Would meet his man before midnight. _ “Pallog has to drink,” Cea Nick. Some rum shop, at least.” Perhaps the detective was a little wrong in his Teckoning there. | He didn’t realize what a fearful dread of Nick Car- fer was in Pallog’s mind. The criminal had learned to respect all the Carters mightily, and wherever he was it was safe to say that he was constantly in terror lest Nick or one of his assistants should jump on him. But it was not certain that Pallog had come to Edinboro. Even if he had, it was not certain that he had staid there. He could have started back to London, which was have taken a train for some was possible, or he could sgow, which city is- distant ‘from Edinboro. | Nick had wandered around the town till after mid- hight. | He was beginning to think that See he would “He'll go to ¢ BS is e. Re for tain And the ise train for ee gil has gone by this time.” _ The detective was in what is known as the’ od in of Edinboro at this time. | That part of the city is built on a ridge that slopes Nery steeply to the valley lying between it and the Newer part of the city. > Most of the way the slope is too steep for streets, nut there are many narrow passages between He if |, Sometimes these passages, which the Scotch call Alleys lead from aan on each side. pity live in the buildings along the closes. | There are many saloons scattered among the al- PNick had visited every one he could find. Nowhere had he come across anything that gave ma hint that Pallog was in the city. s NICK CARTER WEEKLY. eae bes B lt happens that most of the rough people of the 17 “Vil take one more trip,” he said to himself, “and if nothing turns up I'll go to my boy and see if # few hours of sleep will freshen me up.” He started slowly down the first passage he cane to. It was a badly lighted place ahd one of the steepest. When he was part way down he saw a man coming stealthily up the stone steps toward him. As he had done more than once that evening, the detective slipped into the shadow of a doorway and waited. There was something in this man’s movements that seemed like Pallog, and Nick wanted a nearer view.” He didn’t get it. He had hardly got into the doorway when the man turned squarely and disappeared in a cross alley. “No, you don’t!” said Nick, softly. “I'll get a look at you if I have to go through the houses to - es you. > Softly but swiftly he descended the stone steps and went into the alley. There was no light of any kind in there. All the houses were shut up, and, as the sky was clouded, the detective could mot even see how far the alley extended. He paused a moment and listened, | A few paces away were faint clicking sounds, and a fainter noise as if two pieces of metal were being scraped against each other. Nick knew what that meant. Somebody was trying to unlock a door. Either the lock was out of order, or the key did not fit, or the man was working with a skeleton.. Once before in his pursuit of Pallog, Nick had been guided by the sound of picking a lock. That fact gave him greater confidence now. “At his old tricks!” he said to himself. Nick crept into the alley so softly that the man fooling with the clock did not hear him. The sounds continued steadily. ran? All at once there was a louder click. ' The bolt had beén thrown back. m4 A faint creak told that a door was being pushed _ open. The detective leaped. In the darkness he caught hold of an arm. ; With a savage oath the unseen man whirled about. His fist smashed hard on Nick’s face.
Page 19
18 Up came Nick’s left. The detective was almost dazed by the blow he had received, but when his fist landed it was followed by aloud gasp. * The unseen man’s wind had been knocked out of him. There was plenty of fight left in him, however. He tried to trip his foe, and he lunged repeatedly in the dark with his fists. Nick soon managed to catch the fellow’s throat. Then the man brought up both hands in a frantic attempt to tear away the detective’s grip. It was of no use. Nick held on and dragged him along the alley to the close. There was a little light there from a distant street lamp. By it the detective saw at once that he had taken the wrong man. ss“ This was not Jan Pallog. CHAPTER VI. A LINE IN THE PAPERS. The detective released his grip on the man’s throat, but stood over him in such a way that he could master him again if it should be necessary. It was well that he was on his guard. _ The instant he felt himself freed, the man began to struggle. “Let me alone! p he cried. you don’t.” As he tried to draw :back for the purpose of laftstnie _ at Nick, a burglar’s jimmy dropped from nis coat pocket. “All right,” “There'll be murder if said Mick: gcplly. “T made one mis- take in thinking you were another man, but I won't, make another mistake-by letting you go.” . ; There was another sharp encounter, at the end of _ which the detective had the man’s wrists inside a pair _ of American handcuffs, When he saw that further struggle was useless, the man became very quiet. Nick led him up the alley. } On the main street of the old town fie soon found "a policeman. eh may 2) you know this man?” he asked. _ “Know him!” echoed the attics “T should say so. He's san cis offender. What- NICK CARTER WEEKLY. . ' won’t do at all to let my man get wee of the fact . there. f Dict eg y ge | paueut him in the act of entering a house below here.” “Good! but who are you?” “T’'ll go along with you to the station and explain. Better send a man down to the house to close the door. He had got it open when I jumped on him.” The policeman wonderingly acted on this advice. © He rapped on the pavenient with his club and in a moment.another officer came hurrying to the spot. He was told briefly about the open door, and went down to attend to it. Nick and his prisoner went with the other poles man to the station. Then the Arnprlcast detective explained who was td the officer im charge. “I’m on a very important case,” he said, ‘and it that I am anywhere near Edinboro..S liceman have all the credit of] > let this. po- a criminal whom the Pdinbee iolight had been loo! c ing for for a week or more, and Re ee to keep the secret. 4 Then Nick went to his hotel in ihe new town. = Early in the morning he went to Glasgow and spent most of the day wandering around in that cit Y Toward evening he was back in Edinboro withoy the slightest clew to Pallog. ‘. He still believed that the man had ceme to ‘Eda boro, and he could not help thinking that he was stil : Meantime he had had a new idea. ee “Tf I can’t find him in any. other way, [ll advertis for him, ” was Nick’s thought. That was certainly a new way of getting hold of f criminal, but Nick’s way of advertising was, rath) new, too. As soon as he got back to Edinboro. he made ‘a call on Craigie & Sons, the leading Ne ge of the city. He had a long talk with the shennan of he firm and afterward visited all the newspaper offices. When this pad been dane he said to himself: : iy Tih keep off the streets to-night.” i ' He spent the Syauitig : at a eat aRENS: ang. w carly. .
Page 20
, ei: ‘ Next morning every newspaper had a paragraph that read as follows: Was brought to England recently and delivered to the Minister of Roumelia for the purpose of having it set in the crown of the Queen-of that country. The stone is almost perfect as it is, but a little cutting will be necessary. It is understood that the con+ tract for cutting the diamond has been given to our townsmen, Craigie & Sons. At first it was supposed that cutters either in London or Amsterdam would be employed, but the stone was brought to Edinboro yesterday and is now at the warerooms of Craigie & Sons, on Prince’s street. The diamond will be placed On exhibition there as soon as the work of cutting has been finished. _ This announcement appeared as news, but it had Deen paid for by Nick Carter; and that was his ad- ertisement. “If that line in the papers don’t fetch him,” thought he detective, “it will be because he isn’t in Edin- _ All that day the detective was in the store of Lraigie & Sons. He appeared desk where he & tore. The desk was near a window, so that he could also See any who paused on the sidewalk to look in. _ Many persons came-in to congratulate the firm on Setting the important contract. _ All of them asked to see the stone. _ “We would Fakes 3 not show it until it has been put in perfect condition,’ was the regular answer. The store did a dig jusindee that day. a People were drawn there by the news about the diamond. _ Often there was a crowd at the counters. : Nick watched sharply, thinking that Pallog might lake advantage of a time when there was a : ome in. Jt seemed to be another case of false hopes, for bookkeeper, but he sat at a verybody who entered the confess that he had seen nobody whose face or 13 rements aroused his suspicions. -{ “But he'll come—if he’s in town,” said Nick. The store was closed at six o’clock. At that hour all the employees went home. The detective remained in the store. ting seen from it. About twenty feet from him was the big safe where ecious stones were locked up for the night. f NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ’ A wonderful diamond, said to have been obtained in Borneo, crowd to ‘en the business day was over the detective had- | He sat where he could see the front door without — . Nearer was the door leading to the private office of the firm at the back of the store. There were windows in the hier stata that looked out on a court. For eight hours Nick Carter sat anenlees: It was one of the longest waits that he ever had. When two o’clock came, and nothing had hap- pened, he began really to believe that he would have to think up some other plan. Then, five minutes later, he heard a scratching noise in the direction. of the private office. He did not stir. The noise was repeated after a moment. It was followed by a sound that told of straining woodwork. There was a low but sharp crack! Something had broken. Silence for a full minute followed. Still the detective sat motionless. In one hand he had his CeOHeD in the other his pocket lantern. Another sound came. This time it was a steady scratching. “All right,” thought Nick, “it will take you longer. to get in that way, pus it will make less noise, and I can wait, thank you.” He had sized the situation up in this way: The burglar at work on the rear wiadow had tried first to pry it up with a jimmy. The window had proved to be fastened 80 spi 8: that it would take great force to open it. That would mean a good deal of noise. The burglax then had decided to cut Out a part aoe the glass near the window catch. That would enable him to reach his hand in and. turn the fastening almost silently. The scratching noise, therefore, was due to the work that was being done with a glazier’s diamond. For some minutes the scratching continued. At t ig last there was a break, and a bit of glass fell almost — noiselessly on the carpeted floor of the office. Nick could not see the burglar, but he could tell what he did by the low sounds of his movements. It was clear that he reached his arm through the opening he had made and turned the catch. Then the window was pushed up and ae man crawled in. He paused to put the window down again, and then mov ed cautiously across the office. ct ‘ r) { hu }
Page 21
20 “He must know the store,” thought the detective, “for he isn’t looking for the safe in there.” Next instant the burglar stepped from the office into the store itself. A very little light came in from the street. Nick could barely distinguish his form as he passed almost within reach. The detective waited until the burglar had knelt before the safe. He was taking tools from his pocket and laying them on the floor beside him. . Then Nick stood, up. He meant to do so noiselessly, but he had been sit- ting still so long that his‘legs were stiff for a mo- ment. That caused him to kick his chair just a little, The noise was very slight, but fe was enough for the burglar. He leaped to his feet. Nick knew that a shot would follow and he swiftly prepared for it. Holding out his pocket lantern in his left hand at arm’s length, he touched the spring. Instantly the slide opened. . The light fell straight on the burglar. The detective saw at the first glance that it was -Pallog! 4 At the same instant Paice fired. Naturally, he aimed toward the light. He supposed that the detective eid it in front of him. With quick aim de shot a little over the mark. The bullet, therefore, flew into the wall harmlessly. Nice s quick movement had saved his life. “Hardly had Pallog pulled the trigger when Nick fired. He was determined to capture the slippery crim- ie inal alive. So he shot to disable Pallog. Pallog’s revolver dropped from his Se ce “Curse you!” he cried, fiercely. Nick set the lantern on a showease. “Better surrender, Pallog,” he said, quietly. “The on anne is up.” “Not by a long sight!” retorted the criminal. He whipped a long knife from his belt and stood i in a threatening attitrde. Pa gee I shoot again,” said Nick, Sy shall make you ie TONE target.” aye ~ stumbled against it. '-' Pallog was excited, -") + < NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ‘ “I know it, but you won’t shoot,” hissed Pallog. “No? What makes you think so?” “You want to take me alive.” “That’s a good guess.” “You'll never. do it.” “We'll see. I shan’t let you use that knife or yourself.” ; “On myself!” laughed the criminal, hoarsely. “1 don’t mean to. The knife is for you, my smart man You can kill me, but you’ll have to shoot to do it. “You mean to fight, then?” “I do. It’s the last time, Carter. or ine this trip.” Pallog’s eyes glowed like fire in the light of th lantern. His body was swaying from side to side, He seemed like a tiger preparing to spring BEG his prey. “Very well,” said Nick, laying his revolver « on the showcase beside the lantern, “Vl meet you on you own terms and take you aliyey* It wil be yot Pallog was startled to see thy weapon. _ He suspected a trick of some ki . Swiftly he started back. a He forgot that he was so near the safe, and he With a mighty leap the detective was - upon him, d But not before Pallog had time to raise his k arm. ean : ee ee The blade flashed in front of Nick’s face. With his old-time alertness he dodged and. caught the arm that held the dagger. | ne He had beaten a a desperate criminal i in the way. This time neither his quickness _ nor his stren ended the matter at once. Nick found that he had met his match. — Pallog had the strength of a giant a shee de perate fury of a madman. } a He did not try at first to get his ile ie ee, bt clutched at Nick’s throat. + | The detective caught that hand also, nt for. moment they stood, breathing into each other’s The criminal was held. firmly, and ‘the ie could not let go, fe Nick had one advantage, and only one—h perfectly cool.
Page 22
Give him time and he would be sure to make a p- “Ah! he suddenly tripped Nick, and they fell to- ‘ther to the floor. TThe detective was under, ‘Clinging like steel to Pallog’s wrists, Nick raiseel nself on his heels and shoulders, lifting the crim- ] with. him. Then he gave'a wrench and a roll, and both fell fer on their sides. lIn vain Nick sought for a chance to let go: and e the man one settling blow. ‘The criminal knew too much to give that kind of “opening. He was trying to maim the detective by kicking, td he tried also to fasten his teeth into Nick’s wrist. The detective let him try at that for a moment, id then suddenly let go with both hands. Tt was a desperate and dangerous experiment. If Pailog had been quick enough, he could have tied his long blade in Nick’s ‘heart. Por one instant he was too surprised to take the vantage offered him, Then it was too late. Nick was leaping to his feet. ‘Almost as quickly, Pallog was up, too. As he rose he drew back his arm for another oo Ith the knife. That was what Nick wanted. He rushed in without trying to dodge the blow. Both fists shot out. ‘One landed on Pallog’s chest, but it was partly arded off by the criminal’s left hand. the other caught him squarely under the ear. The blow that was falling stopped short. Nick nevertheless,leaped back to avoid it, sallog was lifted clean off his feet by Nick’s terri- Then silence. Pallog was unconscious. tthe silence was very short. \ 1t was followed by a rattling at the front door. 5 licemen had heard the pistol shots, and for the ag NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ~~ 4 minute or two had been tryi ing to eas where ) 21 At last they had heard the noise of struggle in the store of Craigie & Sons. They looked in just at the moment when Nick’s lantern was dashed to the floor. The detective let them pound and rattle for a mo- ment. . He wanted to be sure that Pallog was eane for be- fore leaving him. The quick- witted rascal had tricked him once be- fore, and Nick did not intend to be caught the second time. So. he knelt over the man, felt of him, saw that he was really stunned, and then, to make perfectly sure, slipped bracelets on both hands and ankles, - Then he went to the door and unlocked it, a key having been left with him by Mr. Craigie. “Come in,” he said; “you're just in time to help lock; up the most desperate criminal in Great .Brit- 2? ain. ‘ - CHAPTER VIL CHICK’S MISSION. About noon of iltaes day, Nick started back to Lon- don. Pallog was safely locked up and waiting to be tried for burglary on a charge made by Craigie & Sons. The members of that firm were well “opie with the results of Nick’s scheme. Their, store had been well advertised, and the de- — tective settled with them generously for all the dam- e that was done duri te the struggle with the crim- inal. . I It was, understood that as soon as Pallog had served his time on the burglary charge he would be handed over to English officers, to be tried for his first theft of the diamond ane for his escape from Old Bailey Prison. “These matters will keep him Need up fora long time,” out his sentences, send word to America and I will charge him with attempted murder. He tried to kill. one of my assistants while crossing the ocean, and Vd Fe like to see him punished for that.” th It may as well be said right here that it. isn’t likely that Nick will ever bring a charge against Pallog, for that man was sentenced to prison for life when rail was tried a few weeks later i in 1 Edinboro. 3 . Fel) vat J ble said Nick to the Scotch officers, “but if he lives. .
Page 23
boro. ~ here. I don’t wonder you are nervous about it. long ago, it would be quite like those savages in Bor-. 22 It still remained to get, the troublesome diamond _ to the place where it belonged. Nick had that matter in mind during his journey to London, and as soon as he arrived, he went to the Roumelian minister’s house.” Both Patsy and Chick were there. He told them briefly what had happened in Scot- land, and then said: “JT imagine that something is wrong here. expect to find both my assistants in this house.” “They are here at my request,” said the minister. “T have become quite nervous since you went away.” “Is the diamond “Perfectly safe, Mr. Carter. It is in the Bank of ' England.” Nick looked inquiringly at Chick. “The house is shadowed by a black man,’ latter. Hela. exclaimed Nick, “the one who committed suicide just after I captured him hasn’t come to life, has he?” ; “No. It’s another who looks enough like him to be his brother.” ~ “Ah! when was he seen first ?” The minister answered: “On the evening of the day you arrived in Edin- I saw him idling in the street when I came home from my office, but I said nothing until after Patsy had sent you a telegram to say that all was quiet. Then I told oe and thought you ought to be informed.” “And I told. him,” ’ said the put in Pansy, “that you had left me here to take care of just such things as that.” “That was right. What else?’ “T have seen the black several times since,’ ” replied the minister ; ‘ ‘once near the office, at other times He was loafing around the neighborhood this evening, and so I asked both your assistants to pass the night here.” “Has he spoken to se ee “No. %? “And I suppose he hasn’t done pee “that » would justify pote him under arrest.” “Not a thing.” “Tt he ted ” remarked Chick, ‘he would be locked up now.’ AOE course, ” said Nick: As I said H Poh . y iene 5) at | é Grae s Ore 5 SF 1 i ahd T didn’t aa tient I understand it. NICK CARTEK WEEKLY. neo to send more than one man around the wer to recover that stone.” “You think there is another one, then?” | ~ “I certainly do. They stuck to Pallog until th were sure he hadn’t got the stone. “Then one of them murdered your messenger fi the hope. of getting it. “Now another is watching you for the chance ¢ following the stone wherever you send it. “T haven’t a doubt that this black man knows th the diamond is at this moment in the Bank of Eng land, “He will be on hand when it is taken from the and he’ll make’trouble for the man who carries it) “Good gracious!” groaned the minister, “what al T to do? It seers like condemning a man to deat to send him with that stone to oe nie tare and yet t must be done. I can’t keep it.” aan “I’ve been thinking about that on the way fro Scotland,” said Nick. “Ifthe stone needs cutting can be done in Roumelia. The queen can send London or Amsterdam for cutters to go to Rd melia to do the work there undes guard.” “That’s true, but who is to be asked to undertal the danger of carrying the stone to Roumelia?” ~ “Well, Patsy and I have had our share OFS wo in this case. I think it’s Chick’s turn.” “Correct!” exclaimed Chick, sitting up suddenly . The minister opened his eyes wide. ” a “You don’t mean that you would ask yous assist to take his life in his hands x Nick interrupted with a laugh. “My assistants are doing that all the time,” he 4 swered, “and Chick is eager to go. Ask him.” “That’s right,” said Chick. “I feel as if I’d be on vacation for a couple of weeks and I'd like worl / “Well,” said the minister, “I am glad you h@ offered to do this. I wanted to ask you, but ¥ afraid you'd think I was asking too much.” a “Then that’s settled. Chick and Patsy may st here to-night, though I am very sure nothing v happen. In the morning Chick will go with you the Bank of England and get the diamond: 3 will start for the Continent peeibe riggs afterwal and that will end it.’ + : “I am afraid not, so far as Chick is concerned. “Trust Chick to take care of himself.” se Nick had a short talk with. Chick before he i a hotel. a a
Page 24
éctive. “lI feel as if it was your death Warrant ” he said; “4 am ae to hear you say 80. Really, 1 would ther the diamond were lost than have you or any- bdy else come to harm on account of it. The thing ls caused enough trouble and bloodshed already.” 4 think this will be its last trip, a? was Chick’s re- t Phasing Criss station is about two chile from the hk of England; the Mansion House station is but ew rods from the bank. ab it : NICK ae WEEKLY, When the train drew up at the Mansion House station, Chick looked out of the window. He sat back with a smile. The black whom he had seen opposite ‘the bank was on the platform with a grip in his hand, _ “Nick was right when he said the fellow was sharp,” thought Chick. “He has guessed that I’ve got the diamond, and that I am going to Paris by this train. We shall cross the channel by the same boat. I'll keep my eyes out for him.” The run to Dover was without incident. Chick went at once to the steamboat waiting at the end of the railroad line. Me saw the black man standing near the gangway. After Chick had gone on board the black followed. The detective went to the forward part of the boat, and the black stayed aft. During the short voyage across the channel, Chick several times walked past the place where the black was sitting, a Not once did the black seem to see eae “Quiet-looking chap,” thought Chick, “but I sup- pose there’s loads of fight in him.” The strange man’s quiet behavior did ‘not stinlee Chick careless: against surprises. Nothing happened, however, on the way across the channel, and the railway journey to Paris was equally quiet. Chick arrived at about six in the evening, There was no train to take him further until mid- night. 7 He had supper in a restaurant near the station, and then strolled to the Grand Boulevard for the sake of killing time. ; Thé black had not been seen since his abrival Chick had seen him leave the train and go rapidly from, the’ station, and that seemed to be the fast of him. “It’s just possible,” thought Chick: “that he hasn’ ta any interest in me or the diamond. é It had come to be about nine o'clock. _ The boule- | vard was alive with people, and Chick was ee ; slowly along enjoying the sight. An old man just ahead of him slipped and fell. « Quickly the detective was beside pay abe suit to, rise. g real hope you’ re not Ehuee sir,” said Chick. The old man looked at him, wonderingly. Pepe: TRAC SRN ae arse 23 He was on his guard every moment
Page 25
“half-hour at the most,” e “Madame, if you please, sir. 24 “Oh!” added Chick, speaking in. French now, “I beg pardon. I forgot that I was in France. I hope you are not hurt?” “No, monsieur, thank you very much,” replied the old man. He hobbled away, and Chick stood watching him for a moment, fearing that he might stumble again. “Sir! sir! one moment, please!” The words were in English, but with a slight ac- cent, and the voice was that of a woman. Chick had no reason to think that they were meant for him, but he turned about curiously. A cab stood at the curb near him. In it was a handsome young woman, dressed in . the height of fashion. She was looking at him with great anxiety. “Sir,” she repeated, pleadingly, you one moment?” The detective lifted his hat and advanced. “T heard you use English,” she said, when he stood close to the cab, “and I thought I could appeal to you. You are probably an Englishman, or, per- haps——” “American, mademoiselle,” he admitted. “Oh! ! she cried. “Tam in such “may I speak to Tam so thankful! trouble, sir, and I know that a gallant American gen- tleman will not fail to help me. You will, will you not, sir?” : “Tf it is in my power, certainly,” answered Chick. “Thank you a thousand times. You must think it _yery strange that I'should have the boldness to ad- dress you, but I must be even bolder. Will you get into the’ cab with me, and let me explain as we pao along?” Chick smiled, and took out his watch. - “Tt will not take half-an-hour?” she cried. . “Very well,” said he, “if that is the limit, and I can de anything, I shall be glad to do so. You mustn’t think me impolite, but I have the business of others to attend to, and must leave Paris at mid- night.” So saying, he was getting into the cab. “You shall not be detained one minute beyond a she declared, positively. take it for granted that you are familiar with the laws of your country.” “Some of them, madamoiselle.” I am married, and 4 L + eis 5 NiCK CARTER WEEKLY. ACA: “ I, ‘can consul to sateen the matter out. that is what is the matter. You know the laws | marriage?” “Why, aftera fashion. ficulty, and I will see,” “Well, then, I was in America last year, and I ma ried there a gentleman who is honorable and worth in every way. His business did not permit him 4 come with me to France when I came home ty weeks ago for a visit. My parents were surprised’ my marriage, and now they claim that it was no ma riage at all, and they want to force me to become t wife of a Frenchman.” “Dear me!” said Chick. % “We have had a great discussion at home. I haj told my people that not only do I hate this Frend man, but that a marriage You might state your di with him would be illegé They will not believe it unless I can bring an Amé ican who will assure them that I am right.” “You could go to the American consul in Paris | ‘Chick began. “T know,’ she interrupted, “and I have been the The office is closed. I went to his house and fow that he was away at the opera. I was in despair, if the matter must be settled at nce. Then I ha pened to overhear you speaking in English, and you ee the rest. I couldn’t help appealing - you.” The cab ad started the mément Chick got in, a was going along a street lined with fine hotels 4 esidences. “4 ce ” said Chick, ay do not quite see what J want me to do. Your people are not likely to “ the word of a stranger.” “They will if you will do what I ask.” “What is it ?” “Say that you knew me and my husband 4 in An LB) ie Chick smiled thoughtfully. , “Listen!” she cried, eagerly, seeing his’ esi A¢ “my name is Yvette Gardner. My husband is H Gardner, of Philadelphia. You could have met you know-———” ‘ “T am afraid I can’t go as far as ieee, «¢ Chicks ‘ terrupted, “but if you have your marriage certifi I can assure your parents that it is in bor ect for “That will be better than nothing, sir.” fe 4 “And to-morrow you can doubtless get the A tif ue - Vid in? i a wees 7
Page 26
B“Ah, yes, to-morrow! Well, if you can only say Omething to-night that will make them postpone atters till to-morrow I shall be saved.” “JT will do what I can.” B '“Good! here we are.” The cab stopped in front of an apartment house. 4 Yvette paid and dismissed the driver, and Chick Fent with her into the building. | She led him to.a splendidly furnished parlor, and sked him to be seated. ‘He took a chair in the middle of the room. “JT will call my father and mother,” said Yvette, in Lhusky, excited voice, as she went toward a door. | Just then Chick heard a rustling of curtains behind tim. He would have turned about but that Yvétte sud- lenly faced’ him with.a drawn revolver. Her eyes blazed fiercely first on Chick and then on mebody who was behind Chick’s chair. “Stop!” cried Yvette, “I will shoot the first one 4 you who stirs!” CHAPTER VIII. THE PATE OF THE DIAMOND, Chick sat still, smiling. : “Come around here,” said Yvette to the man be- There were shuffling, unwilling steae and Chick Ww his black man. He had.a long dagger in his hand with which he ‘ad meant to kill the detective. n Yvette. “Listen, both of you,” “T shall waste no words. said she, never lowering her reapon. . You,” address- Chick, “have in your possession a diamond that his, black man wants. He engaged me to get it for im. Blood has been shed for that stone before now, nd blood will be shed for it here if necessary. I ad- ise you, Mr. Detective, to give it up without foolish She paused. , NICK CARTER WEEKLY. His eyes were fixed, half in fear, half in suspicion, 25 “You've put up a pretty good job,” said Chick. al think I know when I’m beaten.” “You're a sensible man.” “T hope so.” . “This is a self-cocking revolver, and it has a hair trigger. I rather like you, but I will shoot and take the risks if you don’t hand over that diamond. “T understand and believe you. Do you mean to give it to your dark-complexioned friend, or will you keep it yourself.” “That is my affair!’ she snapped. “IT thought so. Well, Yvette, I’m not fool cschak to risk that hair trigger.” So saying, Chick took from the inside néekek of his vest a small box that he held toward Yvette. At first she started to lower her ii een and take it. Then she exclaimed: E “It may be empty.” Chick pressed the spring. Up went the cover of the box and revealed a flashing thing that made both woman and black man wild with excitement. “It is mine!” cried Yvette, reaching for it. As she spoke, she lowered her revolver arm. ‘Instantly the black leaped. He tore the box from her hand just as she took it from Chick, and dashed for the door. With a ery of rage she wheeled about. Chick jumped and caught her arm, wresting aay her weapon before she could fire. “The diamond isn’t worth the chance of being guillotined for murder.” — “I wouldn't,” he said, quietly. The black was now out of the door. They heard him running down the stairs. “Do you mean to let it go?” she peepee fran- tically. Chick held her firmly. “The black man might kill me if I chased him,” he answered. s “Pah!” she cried, “I supposed you were a brave man!” Coes “You saw how I surrendered to you.” She was trembling with rage and ope gp a vs
Page 27
26 “I meant to get it and scare you both off till I _ could leave the room and-lock you in,” she gasped. Then she began to cry, and Chick released her. She sank into a chair. “You played for a fortune.and lost it, Yvette,” said Chick. | were really rather clever. “T can’t help feeling sorry for you, for you You know I might have you arrested for what. you have done.” 8 Bi she cried, looking up in terror. “You see, you have made me lose the diamond.” “Oh! have mercy on me!” she pleaded. “I will,” replied Chick, “because it won't bring the T shall now have to set the Paris polite on the hunt for that black diamond back if I have you punished. friend of yours, but I won’t drag you into the scrape if I can help it. Good-night.” With that he left her looking at him with the great- est wonder and not a little fear. She did not dream that the detective had walked deliberately into the trap she setifor him. He had suspected her froin the start, and when she told her absurd marriage story he knew that she was ache ping to get hold of the ~ diamond. . Chick did not set the Paris police at work. He did not even ask anybody which way the black man went when he left the house. Instead, he went without any an, to the railway station, got into a sleeper and slept soundly till the - following forenoon, when he was hundreds of miles » from Paris. ; And two days later he had the pleasure of deliver- ing the wonderful diamond into the hands of the - Roumelian Queen herself. The thing that the black man had | grabbed and run away with was a fake diamond nei in imitation of the real thing. _ Nick Carter had had duces stich fakes made in New York, and each of the detectives had one. Patsy had tricked Pallog. with his fake at one time, a Chick had used his most successfully, ae it set-- -tled all the troubles about the stone. NICK CARTER WEEKLY. weekly. ” nde sd the N shilists, of, ‘The Mine age t | This was ren first by the ssc that” Since that adventure in Paris nobody has thed to steal 1 crown diamond. In the second place, about a year after this aff a friend of Nick’s returned from a journey round t world. He was telling Nick of the strange things had seen. “Tn Borneo,” he said, “I came across a ike of sa ages who worship a diamond. Whenever they go war the King marches his army around a field wh there is a kind of altar, on which the diamond Every, soldier looks at it, and after that it said that the army fights with wonderful brave . placed. “That’s interesting,” said Nick; “when was it y saw this?” | ; 4 But that isn’t so int esting as the fact, which they told me, that a trav 3 had stolen the stone about a year previously. members of the tribe hunted him all over the 1 till one of them got the diamond again. The ot “About six months ago. lost his life fighting for it.” And Nick thought: “Who would have supposed that a’ piece of ni cut glass would do for the savages just as well as! real thing that the Queen of Rowmelia wears it | crown?” fess. ; had started for América ahead of him, They, were still there. a said Nick,‘ ‘as 8 af we should hi to spend some time in Russia. There’s business ¢ that needs somebody’ $ attention at once.’ : “Tt looks to me,’ tended to it, w ill be told i in the next tnuinber ‘on : Duke’s Palace.” “How the Carters tracked the Ni ists and jearned_ their secrets is an. interesti ng 4 t ele : eet it in next wee thrilling aed
Page 28
NAMES OF PRIZE Rourse we can’t print them ail. A Drummer’s Yarn. (By G. $. Mason, Virginia.) | Three drummers were one day talking about how fast @the different trains went. , One said: ‘‘I was on the’ B. and O. not long ago and qe went so fast that the telegraph poles looked like pal- { ings to a fence.’ | The next one said the Big Four went so fast that the elegraph poles looked like teeth to a fine-comb. W The third said, ‘*That’s nothing. I got on the Peun- Sylvania one day at Washington, and just as the train | ae off I stooped over to kiss my wife, and I, instead, *) Fun at a Country Circus. (By H. Burns,*New Vork.) 4 “Come in and behold Melba, the most beautliful wo- -‘‘Your royal giblets,’’ said a smart chap one of a small gtoup at a country circus, ‘“did’st ever see Weary Wig- Wins? Nay? Then be careful of thy statements, for he ‘S something of a Snake Charmer himself.”’ . ‘'G’wan!’’ retorts the barker. “Wot yer givin’ us? You wouldn’t know a Snake Charmer if you saw one. Now, honest, did yer ever see one?’’ fl ‘Well, you are very nearly the first I’ve ever seen,” ‘Was the answer. ‘‘ Your nose is your own aid, sir. You an provide your own snakes with a pint of whisky.” _ With that the group passed into the hut, leaving the Mngry barker to pour out his wrath on the perpetual towd that there ever is at a circus. On entering the ent the smart one pounced upon a big fellow apparently a friend. | ‘‘Hello, Jim! Nice old gall you had out to sup last Night after the opera. ‘Theatrical dame, wasn’t she? MBelonged to the chorus, 1 should judge.”’ 4. ‘What the dickens ‘makes you think so?’’ demanded ‘Jim, hardly phased. “‘Did she look like a chorus girl?’’ i “Well, she looked something like a chorus lady,” hirped the smart one. ‘“Somebody told me she lowered Phe curtain the night Lincoln was shot.” Jim stared while the others chuckled. WINNERS ON PACE 3i! FUN FOR EVERYBODY! Of course every one of you know already who are the winners in this contest. Beside the announcement . Prize remember that prizes always come sooner or later to the boy who keeps on trying. If you won a ptize fou want another fike it. We don’t need to tell you to enter the new contest. We have lots of entries in the old contest on hand yet—several thousand. They are all good, but of We print a few of the best, however, this week. “You'll get salted some time!’ growled the big fel- low. “Vou need it, too, for you’re awfully fresh.’’ ‘Sorry I-can’t say the same thing about the ancient maid you were blowing off to birds and fizz last eve, Jim, old mark,’’ purred the smart one, ~ ‘She was simply an old flame of mine,’’ asserted Jim. “T thought so when I saw her hair.’’ After Jim had informed him that he might ‘‘Go’way | back and sit down,” the smart one started in to give a lecture on the wonders there assembled, and this he con- tinued until they passed out. Three Jokes. (By Wm. Rogers, Brooklyn.) HE ONLY ASKED FOR THEIR EARS. | Some one threw a head of cabbage at an Irish orator while he was making a speech. He paused a second and | said: f ‘Gentlemen, I only ask for your ears, I don’t want your heads.’’ He was not bothered during the remainder of his speech. " BULL IN THR WELL. Pat, who is being lowered into a well: you, Murphy? I want to coom up agin.’’ Murphy, still letting him down: ‘‘ Wphat for?’’ Pat: ‘"I'll show ye. Af ye don’t sthop lettin’ doon, Oi’ll cut the repe.’’ A THROUGH TRAIN. Mr. McFaddle: “Tet me off at Miketown.”’ Conductor: ‘‘We don’t stop, this is a through train.’”’ Mr. McFaddle: ‘‘'Thin, please, sor, will ye stop long enough for me to tell Bridget that it’s carried through I am.’’ “Sthop, will me “ An Englishman’s Mistake. (By Ralph Comstock, Pa.) ze An Englishman who did not know the width of our country, came over here on his way around the world and stopped at New York. He got up in the morning, came downstairs in a hurry and said:
Page 29
28 “Hurry up and get mea ticket to San Francisco on that six o’clock train—I want to get there by ten o’clock.’? ‘Then he wondered why the men all laughed at him. Breaking the News Easy. (By Harry Goss, Pa.) My Dear Harry: I have not herd anything of ye sens the last time I wrote ye, I moved from the place whare I now live or would of written before. I now take my peu in hand to inform you of the death of your own liv- ing uncle Si. He dide very suddenly after a long illness of 6 months. He lay a long time in convulsions, per- fectly quiet and spachless aud all the time asking for water. His age ye know as wellas I. -He was 45 years old last March lacking 14 months. If he had lived till now he have been dead 6 months just. I ask ye not to brake the seal of this letter until 2 or 3 days after ye have red it—for which time ye will be better prepared for the sorroful noose. I. M. THRUE. Write quick. ‘ A Wayside Conversation. (By Arthur Schacke, Minn.) Several days ago, while Mr. Bibbs was attempting to go on horseback, from‘one mill to another, he lost his ‘way in the “deep tangled wildwood,’ and after many hours of blind wandering, came upon an old fellow sit- ting onalog. His face wore air expression of comical - laziness. » “*Ah, my} good man!’ said Bibbs, ‘‘will you tell me the road to one of the Albion saw mills?’’ “Which one?’’ the old fellow asked, looking up and squinting at the Englishman. ‘“Oh, it makes no difference shiceey, T assure you.’’ “Then I don’t reckon it. makes any diffunce which _ road you take.’ ‘«Ah, now, you are very, very amusing.’” “Yas, so is frogs.’” ‘“Well, now, really, I never noticed that, but since you have mentioned it, I doubt not that you jare right. There are a gteat inany things in nature that we never ‘really notice until our attention is‘called to then, mot know.’ Mas, any that’s, whut the circuit jedge ‘lowed, bu the gran’ jury kep’ on a- -fetchin’ in the indictments. ay “Ah,” said the Englishman, adjusting his eyeglass and giving the squatter a searching look of inquiry. |. “*Reckon it is,”’ said the squatter. | _ “Bee pardon, but what did you say ?”’ ‘“M’y, you ‘lowed ‘ah,’ an’ I say I reckon it is.”” | “es, ah, very amusing, assure you. Now, will you Veett me the way to either one of those panes Bre “*Ain’t got time.”’ “Why, it would not take long, I assure you.’’ “Wall, ef you know more about it than I do, you’d ' “better go on. Well, now, really, this is extraordinary.’” ‘*Vas, that’s whut’ the jedge “lowed, bee the jury - fotch in a verdict of guilty.”” ds Nc : fo ity hes NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ‘nothing mote, and during his silence he seeine a pets you are the most omasine man I ever, met, but I do wish you would give me the informatio seek. Which road shall] take?’’ ; ‘Do you see any road ?’? 66 No, pas) ““Wall, then, how air you goin’ ter take it?’ ‘‘Upon my word, you are exceedingly peculiar. long have you lived in this community Sih ‘“Come here when Nan was a baby.’’ ‘Yow old is Nan, permit me to ask?’’ F “Wall, ef she hadu’t er died she’d a’ been older ‘ thé Betsy.’’ ‘‘Pray tell me how old Betsy is?’’ ‘‘Not quite as old 'as Nan would ’a’ been.”’ ‘“Upon my word, you are an extraordinary man. area farmer, I presume.” \ ‘‘Kain’t say I am. * ‘*What is your calling, then?’ *‘Call hogs sometime, an’ sometimes I don’t « nothin’.’’ ‘'What do you do for a living? ore K ‘‘Hat sometimes, an’ then ag’in I drink.” i “Well, I must say you are the most peculiar mat ever met.”’ ‘‘Neenter say it unless you want to. a-shoyin’ you.’ “Well, well,” said the Englishman, giving ‘‘T am somewhat interested Ain’t nob of another searching look. you.’’ | ‘‘Vas, that’s what the wild turkey said when 9 § picked up the June bug.”’ i ‘‘TWa, ha, quite a fable, I assure = aid But come, nol tell me the way to the mill.’’ gt bahia ae ““Which one??? ta ‘Bither.? “What's that?” “T say either.’ sia ; ““Reckon you'd better go on, “Man come ‘round | be last fall an’ said ither, an’ the fust thing we know he’d done run away with arloie;7"?) s ‘ ‘‘Well, did I ever hear the like.’’? ; Bs | ‘‘Don’t know as you have. Don’t know what you! hearn. Ain’t never'run with you none.” 4 a ell, now, joking aside——”’ ‘Ain’ t jokin’ a side pura back, nuther.’’ — “Well, then, aside fron joking, will you tell met way to: either one of those mills?” BR ‘Come around some other time, I’m busy now.”? — “Look here, my sae fellow, you are getting t provoking.” he “Yas, that’s wut the lizard "lowed when the saw! 1 was drug over Hymn, %< rf The Englishman sought an easier position: in ta dle, looked at the squatter, frowned perpieay Oe then said: “T have cone here for the good of, the commun Ese ‘“Whur air you frum? : ‘‘Londou, England.’ “Which side of the railroad is it on? ” ‘Well, upon my soul !”? 3 For several minutes afterward the Briton wondering whether or not to proclaim the fool, Bab de hid ccs eee to ha
Page 30
| | nother effort, he said: ‘‘I have come here for the good of the community, and really deserve better treatment, even at the hands of an irresponsible native.’ - *Reckon, you'll make more money outen the neighbar- ood then I will,’’ the squatter replied. ‘‘You come in here and crowd the neighborhood.”’ ‘‘Crowd the neighborhood?’? the Englishman ex- Claimed. ‘‘Vas, that’s whut you air doin’. All my life I have been crowded. Some time ago I lived way over vander’’—waving his ari—'‘w as gittin’ along fust-rate till one mornin’ I woke up an’ found that another fellow had moved in.’’ ‘¢Hfe didn’t move into your house ?’’ “No, but he settled down not more’n five mile frum the an’ 'skeered the deer. I went to him an’ axed him ter apologize, an’ he wouldn’t do it, an’ then, ruther Paes ter be crowded, [I left.’’ . “‘Good- by,’’ said Bibbs. longer.” ‘*T won’t crowd you any 3 ; Sinfal Pat. (By R. C. Harrison, Ala.) | Two Irishmen went into a restaurant in this city ‘recently, and upon being shown the bill of fare decided to order a small amount of meat and vegetables, and make the dinner off of mustard, which did not cost any- thing. Pat sampled it and presently began to weep. “*Pat,’’ says Mike, ““pwhat are yez wapin’ for?” y(t ain wapin’ bacause me mither-im-law jist died,’’ ae Pat. ‘‘Have some o’ that.’’ Presently Pat noticed Mike weeping, and on inquir- ing the cause Mike responded: _ ‘Shure, an’ Oi am wapin’ bacause yez didn’t doie whin jour mither-in-law did.” A Mathetintisat Joke. (By Charles Holman, Jr., Brooklyn, N. Y.) A boy entered a grocery store and said to the clerk: ‘Take this order: Ten pounds of crackers at six Cents; eleven pounds of flour at twenty-five cents; eight Pounds of figs at thirty cents. Add that up. How Much does that make?’’ Clerk: ‘‘Five dollars.’’ : : ; Ate you sure?’’ ‘“Of course I’m sure.’ ; enbenise: that’s my sieudehe lesson for to- ) A Bug Story. (By Joel Strause, Baltimore, Md.) Just asa traveler was writing his name on the register of'a Leavenworth hotel a bedbug appeared and took its Way across the page. ‘The man paused and remarked: “‘T've been bled by St. Joe fleas, bitten by Kansas a Vil be darned if I was ever in a place before where the bedbugs looked over ie.) hotel register | to find where fe four room was,’”’ NICK CARTER WEEKLY. C: ity spiders, and interviewed by Fort Scott graybacks; 29 TRUE SAYINGS. A mother down East was so kind that she gave nee child chloroform before she whipped it. Free speech is the brain of the republic. No bird is actually on the wing. Wings are on the bird. Ifyou get the best whisky, whisky will get the best of you. I know a young man who attends church regularly, and clasps his hands so tight during prayer time that he can’t get them open when the contribution box comes around. A Testimonial from the Editor. (By James Johnson, Brooklyn.) An inventor, having produced a wonderful hair invig- orating fluid, sent.a case of bottles to a bald editor with a request for a testimonial. He got it in these terms: ‘*A little applied to the ink stand has given it a coat of bristles, making a splendid penwiper at a small cost. We applied the lather to a twopenny nail, and the nail is now the handsomest shaving brush you ever saw, with beautiful soft hair growing from the end of it some five or six inches in length. ‘Applied to doorsteps, it does away with the use of a mat, ‘Applied to the floor, it will cause to grow therefrom hair sufficient for a brussels carpet. ‘‘A little weak lather sprinkled over a shed makes it impervious to the wind, rain or cold. It is good to put inside children’s cradles, sprinkle on the roadside, or anywhere where luxurious grass is wanted for use or ornament. It produces the effect in ten minutes. ‘‘ A Few. Laughs. (By Henry Hofmeister, Baltimore.) A careless young woman, in starting to leave a car, dropped her purse. A young man, who evidently in- tended to leave the car at the same time saw her drop her purse, picked it up and put it into his pocket. But his action had not been unnoticed. Just as he stepped from the car, an elderly man gripped him by the arm and whispered: ‘Tf you don’t give that purse to the young lady this — instant, I’ll expose you.”’ “ Ves, certainly |” gasped the astonished © young man. ‘Then, with a grin: ““T beg your pardon, Elizabeth; you dropped your urse.”’ “Oh, thank you, Jim,’”’ she replied, as she took it. ‘“T hope you are satisfied,’’ said tits turning to the elderly man. ‘'The lady is my sister.’ The elderly man collapsed. ‘‘Speakin’ of twins,’’ said the old man Chumpkins, ‘“there was two boys raised in our neighborhood that looked just alike till their dyin’ days. any teeth, and his brother Dave did, but they looked perzactly alike, all the same. Fh Lem didn’t have © { De | ‘<The only way you could tell.’em_ apart was to put | your finger in Lem’ s mouth, and if he bit yer eyes ‘4 pate eae i
Page 31
* Each week in this department you will find a special article, either on stamps or coins, Stamp and Coin Department. We also give ai opportunity to our readers to make exchanges of coins as well as stamps through this department free of cost, aml we will answer, in a special column, any questions our readers would like to ask on these subjects. Address al communications to the Stamp and Coin Department. What is the Rarest Stamp. The question is hard to answer. Even professional stamp collectors disagree on that point. Among the rarest are the New Haven stamps issued by that city before the general government began issuing postage ‘stamps. They are valued at $2,500. The issue of the Confederate States are rare and valuable, as are also those of Moldavia and the first issue of the Hawaiian Islands. The issues of the cities of St’ Louis, Millbury, New Haven, Baltimore and Brattleboro are rare and worth from $roo to $1,500 each, according to the variety "and peculiarity of the dies from which they were printed. The first issues of British Guiana and Mauritius are among the rarest in the hands, of the philatelist, Another rare stamp is the ‘‘Connell’’ variety, which is a series issued by the postmaster-general of New Bruns- wick, Mr. Connell, who had his portrait on them. The hoime government ordered them destroyed. The first postage stamp was issued by Great Britain in 1840. Brazil,came next in 1843, Switzerland issuing _ a series later in the same year. In 1844 a. number of countries began issuing stamps. From 1845 to 1847 several ‘cities in the United States issued stamps of their own to prepay postage on the mails; and in 1847 the United States began to issue them and the local stamps were withdrawn from circula- ery The egereun designs on postage stamps ithe make them interesting. Every one recollects the issue of Co- lumbian stamps, with representations of events in the discovery of America. Asarule, United States stamps bear the heads or busts of prominent statesmen, but other countries do not adhere to that rule. ‘The stamps of Afghanistan bear a tiger’s head, China a dragon’s head; Liberia, elephant or rhinoceros; Australia, a swan; New South Wales, bird of paradise and ostrich; Newfoundland, fishing smack, seal, and codfish; Canada, beaver; Japan, peacock; India, square block; Perak, bounding tiger; Panama, map of the isthmus; Mexico, ‘ship, stage, coach, burrp, railroad train, peon; Victoria, queen on her throne; Chili, Columbus landing; Nica- . ‘ragua, Columbus landing on Cat Island; New South ‘rare, and its market value depends prinpicaliy on tl Wales, map of Australia. The early stamp of Molday has a rude head of a bull, surmounted by a star and res! ing ona hunter’s horn for a design. The $10 timbre or internal revenue stamps of Mexico, dated 1880, hay a portrait of Inturbide in the center, surmounted by al eagle standing on a cactus with a snake in one claw aul its bill. The collecting of seam seeins to have passed the fa period and become a science, for men of wealth, cultuf and education are engaged in it, and large firms dealix exclusively in postage stamps have sprung into exis ence, Probably the richest collector in the world is M Philip L. R. von Ferray, of Paris. He has a collectio worth $1,000,000, ‘i : a * CORRESPONDENCE. * : Cely “RHE Scott Bop and Coin tbe ie eek ; Ane He , Miss Katie Munn,—The half dollar you oo worth about sixty cents. a Scott Stamp and Coil Company. H. W.—Your eagle penny is worth one ent. not. imention the date of the ae and two-cent piect you speak of. Collector.—Most of tlie eel known coin atid stam companies could sell you specimens, ‘Try the Sed Stamp and Coin Company. , 4 B. T. M.—There is no premium upon tie pres issue of two-cent stamps. We will publish an ons 0 the Pan American stamps in the near future. J. B. W., Albany, N. Y.—The Scott Coin Co. will te you the value of your 1797 cent. It is uot particulam anxiety of some collector to procure one. The twenl cent piece of 1874 is worth $5. That of 1875 is not E rare. Your Hawaiian ten cent piece is worth about i face value. You may obtain more for tii however, # ind sotne collector. eerie Preis
Page 32
THE PRIZE WINNERS _ The Editor of NICK CARTER WEEKLY takes great Pleasure in announcing the winners in the recent contest, WT he popularity of the contest exceeded his mest sanguine Rxpectations, and, judging from the size of the mail that 1 Was every morning dumped on his desk, it seemed as very boy in the United States had sent in his contribu- jiion. The articles literally poured in, and it was only by tithe most constant work that the jucge were enabled to fannotnce the result in this issue, , The winners of the First Prizes, who are each awarded #2 first-class, up-to-date banjo, ares Charles Grissom, Denton, Texas. Roy Neweomer, Higin, 111. I. H, Nordstrom, 2117 South oth St., Minneapolis, Minn. 4 YY : § The winners of the Second Prizes, who ate each award- ad a complete magic trick outfit, ave: Emil Newman, 1450 Fifth Ave., New York City. Charles 8. Wright, 334 Marion St., Brooklyn, N. Y. E. F. Shutes, Bloomfield, Neb. BH. G. Parmley, Du Quoin, 111. John Tidd, Jr., Stoneham, Mags. | The winners of the Third Prizes, who are each award- td a pair of heavy, military regulation leggings, are: John Ohrtner, Jamestown, N. D. _ Guy C. Thompson, Crawford House, Crawfordsville, Ind. | ~ Thomas Williams, 357 Hilliard St., Atlanta, Ga. -R.P. Taylor, Ingalls, Okla. George Halstrom, 111 Sixth St., Hast Cambridge, Mass. Le R. Nelson, 209 Sweitzer St., Greenville, O. Emil Jurgemeyer, Luzerne, Ia. C. Pusateri, St: Joseph, Mo, Leroy Freeman, 1919 Vermont Ave., Washington, D. C. 1 Joseph G. Fletcher, 73 Forbes St., Jamaica Plains, Mass. | | | Three cheers for the winners. Hats off to them all. They have had to work for their honors, and they have y on on, their merits, i you do not see YOUR name in the above list, don’t kt that discourage you. Jump right into the new con- est and try again for the prizes. You will never know ow hear your story came to winning a prize. Perhaps Next time you will see your name among the lucky few. a NOTE TO PRIZE WINNERS. —If your full address does not appear ter your|name in the above list, you should send it at once to the ‘itor of Nick Carter Weekly, in order that you may receive your prize omptly. +” i fis ; i { NICK CARTER WEEKLY. & Second Prizes 1 | A SPLENDID PRIZE CONTEST. | | Of course you all like funny stories—the kind you have been reading lately in the NIcK CARTER WEEKLY. [If you can write any like them send them in, that is if you want A FIRST RATE UP-TO-DATE BANJO, A SPLENDID ALL-WOOL SWEATER, OR LONG DISTANCE MEGAPHONES. Fi Pp 5 The three boys who send in the three = irst i iZ8S funniest stories will each receive a first-class banjo. A beautiful instru- | ment. Perfect and up-to-date in every detail. These banjos are | warranted in every particular, They have 11-inch calf heads, wal- | hut necks and veneered finger boards, with celluloid inlaid position: dots, raised frets, twenty-four nickel brackets and wired edge. These instruments can be easily mastered, and every boy-should | jump at the opportunity to win one. The five boys who send us the next funniest stories will each teceive a Spalding all-wool sweater. Any color you choose. Guaranteed all wool and full | shaped to the body and arms. The ten boys who send us the next funniest stories will receive | ©) Third Prizes ie recor. : nee 2 Spalding 12-inch Long Dis- tance” Megaphone, capable of carrying the sound of the human yoice two miles, HERE ARE THE DIRECTIONS: This contest will close May 1st. Remember, whether your story. wihs a prize or not, it stands a good chatice of being pwhlished, together ; with your name. 5 To become a contestant for these prizes you must cut out the Prize Contest Coupon printed herewith; fill it out properly, and send it to Nick CARTER WEEKLY, care of Street & Smith, 238 William Street, New York | City, together with your story. No story will be considered that Goes not have this coupon accompanying ‘it. COUPON. "Nick Carter Weekly Prize Contest No 2. Beat ks dvs Nak vei ei MUO vee Fated e nee een eeeeebossaenens. ) City or Town.. States... 6... Title of Story Ke '+'S M Ob <9 CbUR SOW ECs 68 Gio. e648 11855 8'S.616 CN EN 6 08 n POP OPM r eee ORR eOET Eee ous HE Oedesesesenesesns ae aa ard 4 4 4 + 31°
Page 33
= »* BP ewe Mint ante, Gwe > Entitled . ‘ ‘The Boys Who Couldn't Be a the rink, the plots of their enemies, etc., etc., are just a few of the ] features of this remarkable story, throbbing with enthusiasm and ! excitement. Don’t miss No. 20, BOYS OF EE: uments: ~—_ , opening installment of this erat story. J 75 Solid Not Gold Filled Watches Wot Gold Piated Watches BUT ABSOLUTELY Solid Gold Watches WARRANTED UNITED STATES ASSAY. FULL PARTICULARS IN NUMBER 20, BOYS OF AMERICA. Now Running in “Boys of America” ue Corking, ere — | The Famous Yale Athlete, ‘The All- Star Athletic Club: OR, NO BOY CAN AFFORD TO MISS THIS FASCINATING STORY. : The wonderful record of the All-Star Athletic Club, their bitter! : rivals, their battles on the ice, in the gymnasium, on the snow, in } : vain Be yah ye, fi i 2
Page 34
‘THE BOYS’ OWN LIBRARY SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BOYS BY & Edward S. Ellis Horatio Alger, Jr. James Otis Matthew White, Jr. Gordon Stables George Manville Fenn W. H. G. Kingston Wm. Murray Graydon Brooks McCormick AND OTHER CELEBRATED AUTHORS HE BOYS’ OWN LIBRARY consists of eighty-eight copyrighted titles pub- lished in this series only. The books are bound in highly illuminated cover designs, and equal in every respect to the average high-priced works. Price, 75 cents each. For sale at all first-class book stores. Catalogue on applica- tion to the Publishers, &% 2% % % % HHH HH HH HH SH STREET & SMITH, 238 WILLIAM ST, NEW YORK