DUDIE DUNNE STARTS OUT ON A QUEST AND ENCOUNTERS SOME VERY CURIOUS ADVENTURES, TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL RUN-INS WITH MEN WHO TAKE HIM FOR A CHAPPIE.
DUDIE DUNNE STARTS OUT ON A QUEST AND ENCOUNTERS SOME VERY CURIOUS ADVENTURES, TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL RUN-INS WITH MEN WHO TAKE HIM FOR A CHAPPIE.
The girl Alice appeared to be greatly relieved and retired to her room while our hero lay down on the sofa and slept. He needed some rest and was glad of the opportunity to secure it.
On the following morning he saw Mrs. Frewen. That good lady had slept along undisturbed while the exciting incidents we have recorded were transpiring. Our hero related to her all that had occurred, and she said:
"Well, you are a very faithful man, and I desire a confidential talk with you."
Mrs. Frewen and the detective were in the rear sitting-room. The old lady closed the door and said in a low tone:
"What I say to you is purely confidential."
"All right, madam."
"You captured the burglars?"
"I did."
"You saw their faces?"
"I did."
"Plainly enough to identify them in case you had known them?"
"Yes."
"Did you recognize any of them?"
"I recognized them all."
"You did?"
"I did."
"Well?"
"What is it you want to know?"
"Washeamong them?"
"Who?"
"The young man Alphonse Donetti?"
"No."
There came a disappointed look to the old lady's face and she said:
"I am sorry."
"You are sorry, madam."
"Yes, I am sorry."
"Why?"
"I have no confidence in that young man."
"Do you know that he is in New York?"
"I do not know, but I suspect that he is."
"And you wanted him captured as a burglar?"
"Yes."
"After he sent you the warning note?"
"Yes."
The detective was silent, but there came a curious expression to his face.
"It may appear strange to you."
"Yes."
"I can trust you?"
"Yes."
"Yesterday I made a discovery, or rather you made one for me."
"I did?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"By the finding of that photograph in that album. I have long suspected a certain fact, now I have evidence that there are grounds for my suspicions."
"Will you speak plainly, madam?"
"I will."
"Do so."
"Again I ask, can I trust you?"
"You can."
"In a matter purely personal?"
"Yes."
"Then I will declare that I have reason to suspect that the rascal, Alphonse Donetti, has fascinated my niece, and I fear the girl has been deliberately deceiving me."
Our hero made no comment, and the old lady continued:
"At the terror of fearing that my own flesh and blood has been fascinated by a thief—in my opinion a born thief—the son of a thief—a low, vile, reckless scoundrel, yes, that is what I fear. It was this suspicion that caused me to leave Paris. And now, Oscar Dunne, you can make your fortune. I am a very rich woman; I can pay a great price. I want you to aid me to save my niece, even if she is compelled to gaze on the dead face of her lover."
"Madam, what do you mean? Can you believe that money will tempt me to commit a murder?"
"No, sir, I am not a murderess, but I believe money will induce you to bring a murderer to justice, and have him hung as he deserves."
"Well," thought the detective, "here is a pretty kettle of fish right in one family."
"Madam, are you sure you have made a discovery?"
"Yes, I have other evidences. What I learned yesterday was only confirmatory."
"I see you are disposed to trust me."
"Yes."
"Let me say for myself that your confidence is not displaced, and if you have reason to believe that your niece is in love with a criminal, and if we prove the man to be a criminal, I will aid you in removing the human toy beyond her reach. I will send him up to the gallows."
"Well, now, you are assuming that he is a murderer."
"I have every reason to believe that he is, and I think the evidence can be secured to convict him; but why should he seek to marry your niece?"
"He knows she is an heiress—yes, a great heiress. She is heir to millions, and will have the money in her own right without any restraint upon her use or misuse of it whatever."
"When?"
"When she becomes of age."
"How old is she now?"
"In about three years she will come into absolute possession of her fortune."
"And this man, you think, has bewitched her?"
"I do."
"And yet she denied ever having met him."
"I know it, and I will say this in her favor; she is a noble and truthful girl. She believes that wretch innocent. She thinks I am unwarrantably prejudiced, and that under the circumstances it is not wrong to deceive me. She thinks he is a wronged young man. She has been assailed on a woman's weakest side—her sympathies."
"Have you positive evidence that the young man is the villain you believe him to be?"
"Not positive evidence, not convicting evidence; that is what I want you to obtain."
"Is it not possible that your niece is right?"
"Right!" almost screamed Mrs. Frewen.
"Yes."
"Right, how?"
"Is it not possible that the young man has been wronged and is innocent?"
"No, she is not right. He is guilty, and you must obtain the proofs, and I will pay you an enormous reward."
"Madam, I will try and earn the reward, and in order to do so you must tell me what evidence you have of this young man's guilt."
"I have no evidence."
"You have no evidence?"
"No actual evidence."
"On what do you found your suspicions?"
"His general character."
"What is his general character?"
"I don't know positively. All I know is what I have heard and general rumor."
"One more question. Have you any evidence that he is in America?"
"Here again I have no evidence, but there are certain circumstances that point conclusively to the fact that he is in New York."
"And do you believe he sent you the warning note?"
"I do."
"What could have been his object?"
"Oh, it was a cunning trick on his part. He is making evidence, that's all."
"Making evidence?"
"Yes."
"To establish what?"
"That he is a pure young man and has been wronged. I really believed he would be with the burglars. You are to establish the fact that he instigated the robbery, thatthese men are his pals, as you detectives call them, and you are to follow him up and establish his career as a professional thief and criminal."
"I must find him first."
"Yes, you must find him, and I think you will succeed. You have his photograph; it is an excellent picture; when she got it I don't know, and I tell you it was hard for me to dissimulate yesterday, but I do not desire her to know that I suspect, even when we have all the proofs, and want it to come as a revelation to her. I never wish her to know that I ever suspected the truth."
"Madam, I will undertake to establish the fact that this young man is a criminal, or the victim of cruel suspicions."
"He is a criminal, I am sure of it."
"One moment; do you wish it to be established that he is a criminal, whether he is or not?"
The detective fixed a keen look on Mrs. Frewen's face as he asked the question. A moment the old lady hesitated and then said:
"Yes."
Promptly the detective answered:
"Under these circumstances, madam, you will have to secure the services of another person."
"But do not forget your reward."
"Madam, all your wealth would not induce me to manufacture evidence making it appear that an innocent man was a criminal."
There came a pleased look to the old lady's face and she said:
"I said that to try you. I know now I can trust you—yes, trust your honor and your judgment. I will amend my answer. It will please me very much to learn that the young man is innocent. All I ask of you is to prove his guilt if he is guilty, his innocence if he is innocent."
"With that understanding I will undertake the case,and I will say here that at present evidences point to the suspicion that he is a guilty man, possibly guilty of the crime of murder."
The old lady dropped her voice and her utterance was husky as she asked:
"What evidence have you?"
"No evidence yet, but I have a suspicion. I propose to follow it up."
"Tell me about it."
"I can tell you nothing at present. My first object will be to establish the fact that Alphonse Donetti is in America, and that he wrote the note to you. I will communicate with you later."
The detective went straight to the Tombs. He was admitted to the cell of one of the burglars. He was under a new disguise and he played a great game for information. His object was to identify Alphonse Donetti with the burglars. He did not succeed, but by skillful maneuvering he got a hint that caused him to pay a visit to an outlying district on Long Island, where there is located quite a colony of Italians. It was a warm and pleasant afternoon; our hero was gotten up as Dudie Dunne, and he attracted considerable attention as a genuine chappie. Indeed, on the car when riding to his destination he was made the subject of considerable merriment by a number of men in the car. He paid no attention, but he marked one of the men pretty well. This latter individual was particularly insulting, and there was no occasion for his insults. Simply because our hero had done nothing and had a perfect right to dress as a chappie if he so elected, that fact did not warrant actual insult. As the car stopped and our hero alighted the man who had made himself conspicuous as an insulter said:
"Let's get off, fellers, and I'll give you an exhibition."
The men were under the influence of liquor and thewhisky had made "Smart Alecs" of them, as it frequently does with men who have little brain and reason even when sober. The men all appeared to think it would be a good joke to see the exhibition and they left the car. Oscar had heard the man's invitation, and having made up his mind that it was an opportunity to teach one ruffian to mind his own business he took a course favorable for the exhibition, and started to go across an open lot; the men followed, and just as our hero arrived near a quagmire the man who was to give the exhibition ran forward and grasped Oscar.
The latter appeared to be terribly scared and exclaimed:
"Don't; let me alone; I have not harmed you."
"I think I know you."
"Oh, no, you don't know me—hee, hee, hee! I am a stranger around here. You are mistaken; you never saw me before."
"Yes, I have seen you before."
"You have?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Around here."
"Oh, no, youare, youaremistaken."
"Yes, I recognize you, mister. I saw you insult a lady—yes, I saw you insult a lady."
"Oh, no, never, never! What! I insult a lady! No, no, I admire the ladies."
"But I saw you insult one, and I am going to punish you."
"You are mistaken, my friend—yes, you are mistaken, if you saw me speak to a lady. It was a bit of gallantry, that is all. Yes, I am very gallant to the ladies, I am a sort of defender of the ladies—their champion—yes, sir, their champion."
Dudie Dunne rather spunked up in manner as he spoke, and the men all laughed merrily.
"You did insult a lady, and I challenge you to fight me."
"Ou! ou! my dear friend, you are mad!"
"Yes, I am mad enough to knock you into the middle of next week, but I am going to give you a chance. You must fight me."
"Fight you, my friend?"
"Yes, fight me."
"You had better be careful. Don't challenge me to fight you. I am a gentleman, I am, and an athlete. You are only a common man; you can't fight me."
The men all laughed at the idea of the dude's being an athlete.
"I know you are an athlete, but you must fight me all the same."
"I beg your pardon, my friend, I cannot fight you here on the public street."
"You need not fight me here."
"But I don't wish to fight you at all."
"But you must fight me."
"Where can I fight you?"
"Oh, we can go right over there in the grove—no one will see us—but you must fight."
"You do not want me to thrash you, do you?"
"Yes, I do."
"You are not seeking for a fight, are you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Why, my friend, you'll get a surprise if you fight me. I am a regular fighter, I am—hee, hee, hee! I don't want to take advantage of you."
Little did those fellows dream as they laughed that the supposed chappie was telling the truth. Indeed he had a surprise for them and he intended to work up to the climax for all it was worth.
"Come on, I am going to make you fight me."
The challenger was quite a lusty fellow, and on appearances one would have thought he would knock the chappie over with a mere side-swing of his arm.
"Say, you fellows are foolish. Don't provoke me; I am a terror—yes, I am—hee, hee, hee!"
"All right, I am looking for a terror."
"And you want me to go over to the grove?"
"Yes."
"And you insist upon it?"
"Yes, I do."
"Well, I'll go over with you."
The party, full of glee, walked over to the grove.
There was the challenger and two friends and our hero, and he amused his friends by a display of his agility, his muscle and sinew. When they reached the grove the fellow who was to fight threw off his coat and Oscar said:
"See here! It's a good deal of trouble for me to thrash you; it's like work—I don't like work. I'll give you fellows fifteen cents to go to get your beer and call it off."
The men guffawed.
"Come on," said the challenger, walking up and squaring for Oscar. The latter stood with his hands at his sides, a picture of effeminacy, but when the man tapped him on the nose a most singular and astonishing result followed. Seemingly without an exertion the dude let drive, caught his assailant and insulter on the forehead and sent him tumbling, heels up. It was one of the cleanest knock-downs on record.
OSCAR HAD PROMISED A SURPRISE AND HE MAKES GOOD HIS PROMISE, AND AFTER SERVING OUT THE MAN AND HIS FRIENDS HE STARTS OUT AND ENCOUNTERS MORE SERIOUS ADVENTURES.
OSCAR HAD PROMISED A SURPRISE AND HE MAKES GOOD HIS PROMISE, AND AFTER SERVING OUT THE MAN AND HIS FRIENDS HE STARTS OUT AND ENCOUNTERS MORE SERIOUS ADVENTURES.
Our hero had promised the men a surprise, and he kept his word. A more surprised man than the fellow who caught the stinging blow never went whirling to the ground. It is stated that a similar scene frequently occurred with Billy Edwards, the light-weight champion, years ago, who gave no evidence in his appearance of being the athlete and powerful hitter that he really was.
The man who got it was a little dazed when he recovered his feet. He looked surprised indeed, but made a rush, possibly thinking there had been some mistake and he had been kicked by a mule instead of receiving the sockdologer from the effeminate-looking dude. He made a rush, as stated, when Dudie Dunne got into shape, worked his attitude, and dancing around his antagonist a moment he let drive again, and a second time the astonished insulter and challenger went whirling to the ground, blood spurting from his nose while his eyes began to swell.
The two other men were so surprised they just stood and looked on. Indeed it was a curious sight, but Oscar did not intend them to have the laugh so easy. Like the Irishman and the bull they had had their laugh before they went over the fence. It was their turn, thought Dudie Dunne, and as he gave his first assailant the second clip he swung round and quick as a flash light of a photographer he let the two men successively have it square on the forehead and over they went, heels up. When they recovered their feet they used them—used them togood advantage—in getting away, while chappie went for number one again, but the fellow begged—-actually begged—and our hero picking up his coat flung it at him and commanded:
"Get away, you dirty dog, and mind what you are at next time you attempt to insult a man who did no harm to you."
The whole tone and manner of the supposed dude had changed, and as the three men joined each other at some distance one of them said:
"What was it we struck?"
"I reckon we struck against a stone wall or a flying brick, from the way my face is swelling."
The men had gotten their surprise, and our hero, as a matter of prudence, being alone in the grove, changed his disguise, dropped the chappie role altogether, and walked off in an opposite direction. He had visited the neighborhood for a special purpose, and his run-in with the three rowdies had only been a side diversion.
Oscar walked over to a row of dilapidated-looking houses, where he had presented a view of the miserable condition in which human beings can live and thrive. On the way over he passed the three men whom he had served out, and so complete was his disguise they failed to recognize him. He walked past the cottages several times and only attracted a passing glance; or it is more probable that those who saw him did not recognize that he had passed and repassed. Oscar was going by for the third time when he saw a face—a dark face with glittering black eyes—appear at one of the upper windows just for an instant. Our hero, however, was one of those who can take in a great deal at a glance and he muttered:
"Aha! a fish has seen the bait, now there will come a nibble."
The detective after a little passed down by the row ofhouses for the fourth time, and he kept his eyes seemingly in one direction, when in fact his glance was directed toward the window where for one instant he had seen the dark face. The face did not appear again, and he muttered:
"That was a nibble, sure. Now we will see."
He repassed the houses for the fifth time, going very slowly, but seemingly attracted no attention. He was aware, however, that he was being very closely observed, not from the window where he had seen the face, but by a female and a rather pretty-looking young Italian woman, and as our hero passed she smiled upon him very sweetly—and she could smile sweetly—and her glittering black eyes were illuminated with a brilliance that was charming.
Our hero stopped short, stepped toward the stoop on which the girl was sitting, and asked:
"Do you speak English?"
"Yes," came the answer, and again the maiden smiled a bewildering smile.
"Do you live in these houses?"
"Yes."
"Do you know a young lady named Fennetti?"
"That is my name," and the girl smiled even more sweetly than before. The detective did not smile, however, but the regret shot through his mind: "Why in thunder did I chance to pitch upon that name?"
"I am looking for a Miss Fennetti, a drawing teacher."
"I am a drawing teacher," came the startling answer.
The detective for a moment was knocked endways, but he was a young officer of wonderful resource and he said:
"I am glad to meet you. I was told that you could tell me where I can find a gentleman named Argetti."
Our hero had manufactured the name, but the dark-eyed beauty with the glittering black eyes at once answered:
"I know Signor Argetti."
The detective was matched, but he discerned that he had not only caught a nibble, but a regular bite, and he was in danger of being bitten if he did not play just right.
He was the cool-headed, nervy man to do it, however, and he said:
"Will you furnish me the direction?"
"I will take you to his house."
"Oh, do you know where he lives?"
"Yes."
"Is it far from here?"
"Yes."
The girl had made a slip. She had given our hero a chance to hedge. She was bright and smart, but she would have been a mind-reader had she successfully parried our detective clear to the end of his diplomacy. He appeared to stop and think, and the girl asked:
"Shall I guide you?"
"I was thinking."
She exclaimed quickly:
"It is not very far. It will only take us about ten minutes."
While talking to the pretty Italian girl our hero was letting his glance wander around. He was looking for abigger fish. The girl, meantime, raised her hand to her brow as though to recall something to her mind; as she did so Oscar observed a gem of rare value glittering on her finger, and mentally he ejaculated:
"Aha! I reckon I am getting into deep water."
"Will you go?" she asked.
"And you will guide me?"
"I will."
"My business with Mr. Argetti is not really pressing, but I will go for the pleasure of having such a lovely guide."
"Hold! hold! no flattery, please. I am merely obliging a stranger."
The girl's eyes flashed with a different light than that which illuminated them when her eyes embellished her smile.
"I don't mean to flatter you. I but spoke the truth."
"You wish to see Signor Argetti personally?"
"Yes."
"You will not be able to see him before night."
"And will I be compelled to wait until to-night?"
"To see him, yes."
"Can you not go and show me where his house is located, and then I can call upon him at my leisure?"
"I cannot go with you until to-night."
Again the girl smiled one of her bewildering smiles.
"At what hour shall I come here?"
"At about nine o'clock."
"And then I will surely find him at home?"
"Yes."
"And you will meet me to guide me to his home?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"At the railroad crossing."
"You will be there at nine?"
"I will."
"I will meet you and be very much obliged to you," said our hero, and raising his hat like an Italian count he walked away.
Oscar understood his risk, but he understood more. He knew that he was on the track of some one. A great game had been played. He connected all the little incidents—the face at the window, the dark face of a man with glittering eyes, then the woman so handily on the stoop of an adjoining house. Then again her admissions to a false identity, for our hero had invented both names that he had given the girl. All these little incidents proved that he had been observed, that he had aroused asuspicion as to his design, and that the observation and suspicion could only be aroused in one who feared something—possibly feared being seen and tracked.
After the girl had seen our hero pass from view, she entered the house at the window of which Oscar had seen the dark face. In the room was a desperate-looking man—a man one would fear to meet at night alone, for every lineament betrayed the man to be a desperate scoundrel.
When the girl returned the man asked, as she entered the room, he speaking in Italian:
"Who is he?"
"I do not know."
"What is his purpose?"
"I leave you to judge. I will repeat the conversation."
"Do so."
The girl exhibited a wonderful preciseness of memory by repeating every word that had passed between herself and the stranger. The man listened, and when the recital was concluded he said:
"You are bright; you intended to be very cute, but alas! if he is a foe, as I believe he is, he invented those names. He knows you confessed to an identity that is false, and therefore knows that there is something wrong."
"What will you do?"
"He is to meet you to-night?"
"Yes."
"You are to guide him to the house of Argetti."
"Yes."
"I will be Argetti and you shall introduce him to me. He will be led to the little cabin out on the marsh. I have had it fitted up for an emergency. After you have brought him to me you must be on the watch to learn if there are others at his back; if there is you must signal me, if not you must signal me."
"And then?"
The man laughed in a strange, weird manner and said:
"I have a grave under the cabin floor."
The girl's face assumed a very thoughtful expression.
"Well, what now?"
"You may be too rash."
"How?"
"I do not think there is any necessity for putting a body in the grave. You can play a shrewder game."
"I can?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Maintain the character of Argetti."
"That depends."
"Upon what?"
"The discoveries I make concerning this man?"
"He appears very harmless, very much of a gentleman. He may not intend harm. He may not be a foe."
"I would be glad to agree with you, but I have experience. If he were an American, I would believe as you do, but he is English."
"How do you know he is English?"
"By his dress and walk. I observed him very closely."
"Suppose he is English?"
"Then he has come over here to look for me."
"That man is not a detective."
"He is not?"
"No."
"How do you know?"
"He is a weak and very dainty young gentleman."
"Is he?"
"Yes."
"Well, I tell you that when one becomes a fugitive he must judge people by their acts, not by their looks; I believe the man is either a detective, or a detective's decoy. His innocent looks aid his trick, but I will know after he has visited me in the cabin."
"Oh, I hope you will do him no harm."
"What! has his handsome face bewitched you?"
"No."
"It would appear so."
"I would save you."
"Save me?"
"Yes."
"By having me captured. No, no, girl, I know how to take care of myself. I've been fighting the police of different countries for too many years to fear an encounter now."
At the hour named our hero was on hand, but during the time he had been waiting he had become conscious that he was under surveillance, and the man who appeared to "dog" him was an Italian. The fellow was very cute in practicing his game of dodge and peep, and our hero was unable to see his face, so he finally determined to make it a counter dodge and peep, but his man dodged out of the way like the man at the window, and Oscar lost sight of him.
As stated, he appeared at the meeting place and the girl was there waiting for him.
"You are on time," he said.
"Yes, I am here."
"You are very kind."
"I promised."
"I will pay you for the trouble you have taken."
The girl was thoughtful and silent. She did not start, but stood, as intimated, lost in deep thought. Finally she asked:
"Will you tell me why you wish to meet Argetti?"
"I wish to ask him some questions."
"No, that is not your purpose."
"Well, no, that is not my purpose, but I am permitted to name my business to Argetti only."
The girl looked around in a furtive manner and said:
"Can I advise you?"
"Yes."
"Do not go to meet Argetti to-night."
"Why not?"
"Do not ask any questions, but heed my warning."
"Is it a warning?"
"Yes."
"Why do you warn me? Why should I be warned?"
"Argetti is a peculiar man—a very suspicious man."
"Well?"
"He is a man of very violent temper. His house is situated in a very lonely place. Should he become angry he could assault you and your cries would not be heard."
"Why should he assault me?"
"I cannot imagine, and yet I am warned that it is not best for you to go there to-night."
"Yes, I must go."
"Your business must be very urgent."
"It is."
"I have warned you."
"Yes, but you should give me more definite information."
"I cannot."
"What would you have me do?"
"Don't go, and I will tell him you failed to meet me."
"Aha! he is waiting for me. Then he knows of my intended visit?"
"Yes, that is why I did not guide you to his house this afternoon. I desired to prepare him for your visit."
The girl discovered her error by the admission that our hero was expected, but she was quick in seeking to repair her error and besides she was taking chances at best.
"I shall go and meet him."
"You are a gentleman."
"I trust so."
"I have warned you."
"You have."
"You will not betray me?"
"Not for my life."
"I believe you, and trust all will come out well, but I tell you plainly you are taking great chances as I am."
"You are?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"In warning you. If it were known that I had warned you it would cost me my life."
"You are very frank."
"I am."
"Why?"
"Because I fear you will be made the victim of another man."
"The victim of another man?"
"Yes."
"Explain."
"I told you Argetti had a foe."
"Yes."
"He knows that foe is seeking him."
"Yes."
"He has heard of your inquiring for him."
"Yes."
"He associates you with his enemy; if it were his enemy I would utter no words of warning, but believing you are my friend I warn you."
The detective put two and two together and at once concluded that the man who had been watching him during the afternoon was the foe of the so-called Argetti. This man had been watching our hero because he believed he was in communication with Argetti, or the individual whom the so-called Argetti represented.
The detective meditated and finally said:
"I must see Argetti."
"You fully comprehend what I have said?"
"I do."
"You know there is risk?"
"I do."
"You know that I have advised you in all sincerity?"
"Yes."
"Do you really go alone to meet Argetti?"
"I do."
"Very well, we will go."
OUR HERO GOES TO THE LONE HOUSE ON THE MARSH—HE MEETS THE DESPERATE-LOOKING MAN AND SOME VERY FINE DIPLOMACY FOLLOWS, ALSO STRANGE AND WEIRD SUGGESTIONS.
OUR HERO GOES TO THE LONE HOUSE ON THE MARSH—HE MEETS THE DESPERATE-LOOKING MAN AND SOME VERY FINE DIPLOMACY FOLLOWS, ALSO STRANGE AND WEIRD SUGGESTIONS.
The girl did not speak another word following her remark, or rather command, as recorded at the close of our preceding chapter; and soon she turned aside to take the path through the marsh, and for the first time spoke. She said:
"That is the house where you see the glimmer of a light."
"I thought that light was on some vessel in the bay."
"No, it is a cabin, and there is not another dwelling within a mile and a half at least."
"You have been very kind to warn me."
"Yes."
"Is the man's name Argetti whom we are to meet?"
"He will answer for Signor Argetti."
"He is a gentleman, I suppose."
At that moment the girl stopped short. She faced our hero and said:
"You have not kept faith with me."
"I have not?"
"No."
"How have I failed?"
"You have brought others with you. I tell you frankly I will warn Argetti."
"On my honor, I have not brought any one with me."
"We have been followed."
"Then our follower is the real foe of Argetti."
"Do you know him?"
"I do not."
"I shall warn Argetti."
"Do so."
"And you are willing that I should warn him?"
"Yes."
"I will tell him my suspicion."
"Very well, do so; there is no deceit in my visit to Signor Argetti."
The girl hesitated a moment and then said:
"Very well, I am but obeying orders all round. We will proceed."
Our hero was very handsomely attired, and he looked like a very effeminate young man—one who possessed neither courage nor stamina. Indeed, from his appearance, a resolute, sturdy man might expect to deal with him as he would with a mere boy. But our hero was one of those who expanded in a crisis.
The girl upon reaching the cabin rapped on the door and from the inside came the demand:
"Who's there?"
"I am here."
"Alone?"
"No, the gentleman is with me."
"Come in."
The girl pushed the cabin door open, and our hero entering found himself in a dimly-lighted apartment and in the presence of a villainous, dark-faced man. The latter eyed his visitor by the aid of the dim, flickering light shed abroad in the room by a sputtering candle.
"Be seated," said the man, and he spoke in fairly good English.
Our hero obeyed and expected the girl would tell the man that his visitor had not visited him unaccompanied, but she said nothing beyond asking:
"Shall I go?"
"Yes, you can go."
A moment later and Argetti, as the man chose to be called, and our hero were sitting face to face under the dim light of the sputtering candle. Argetti fixed his glittering eyes on our hero as though he would read him through and through, and at length, in a quick, sharp tone he said:
"You desire to see me?"
"Yes."
"Well, what is your purpose?"
"That's all," answered our hero coolly.
"That's all?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean?"
"What I say."
"But you desired to see me?"
"Yes."
"And I repeat why did you desire to see me?"
"I wanted to see what you looked like."
"And you have no special business with me?"
"No."
"Then why did you come here?"
"I wanted to see you, that's all."
"On what business?"
"No business. I merely desired to gratify my curiosity."
"Are you a fool or do you take me to be a fool?"
"Neither."
"Your conduct is so strange I do not know what to think."
"Can I trust you?"
"Yes."
"I am using you as a guy. I am seeking to fool a man."
Argetti stared with an amazed look upon his face, and our hero continued:
"Yes, I am using you as a decoy. I find Iambeing 'dogged,' by a certain man. He is on my track to-night. He was on my track this afternoon and I wished to act very mysterious and fool him, so when the girl asked my business this afternoon I told her I was looking for a gentleman named Argetti. My answer was a 'steer,' but the girl said she knew Argetti. I had invented the name and was surprised, so I conceived a desire to see the individual. I had, as it appears, individualized, for I knew no Argetti until the girl said she knew the man. Is your name Argetti?"
"Permit me, please, to think over what you have said, and to ask you a few questions."
"Good. I will answer your questions like a little man."
Argetti appeared more and more amazed, and he sat for a long time eyeing our hero without speaking one word. The interview would appear to have been very embarrassing. When Argetti spoke there was a depth of suppressed passion in his tone.
"Have you come here to amuse yourself at my expense?"
"Yes," came the bold and really insulting answer.
The Italian leaped to his feet exclaiming:
"You miserable little fool, I'll wring your neck as I'd wring the neck of a squab."
Oscar did not move or betray any fear or nervousness. He merely laughed his "hee, hee, hee!" and said soothingly:
"Now don't become violent, old fellow; don't become violent, even if I am having a little fun at your expense."
"You dare tell me you are here to have fun at my expense?"
"Certainly," came the brazen answer.
The very boldness and indifference of the detective appeared so paralyze to the Italian.
"Do you know the risk you take?"
"Certainly."
"You think I am a mere puppet for your amusement?"
"Certainly, but don't get violent, for I am an awful fellow when I get roused. Sometimes I have a spell come over me—yes, a strange sort of spell—and then I become very, very violent. So don't arouse me and bring on one of those spells. Just sit down and let me amuse myself at your expense. This is a very novel amusement for me. The idea of facing a terrible man right in his den and enraging him. Why, it's just jolly."
The Italian's eyes glowed like coals of fire as he said:
"You are lying; you came here with a purpose; you came back with friends whom you think you can summon at a moment's notice; but they will never come; I have taken care of them, and you are at my mercy. I have a grave all prepared under this flooring, and unless you give a satisfactory explanation of your visit hereyouwill occupy that grave."
"Well, well, you are very amusing. You act just like some terrible brigand. I guess you were a brigand in your own country."
The words had just escaped our hero's lips when with a yell the Italian leaped upon him. Oscar was prepared for the spring. He leaped to his feet in time to meet hisassailant, and in true fistic style, as the man attempted to seize hold of him, our hero let fly and caught his dark-faced assailant on the chin and over the man went. But with a yell he leaped to his feet, drew a poniard and made a rush; but here our hero, cool as an icicle, was prepared for the would-be murderer. He had drawn a club, dealt the Italian a blow on the hand which knocked the knife from his grasp, and then dealt him a powerful stroke on the head which brought him to his knees, and at the same instant the door opened and the Italian girl peeped into the room. She immediately withdrew. Our hero had the so-called Argetti laid out. The man was not only dazed by the force of the blow, but he was paralyzed with surprise. Here he, a great, powerful bull-necked man, had been knocked down with perfect ease apparently by an effeminate dude, and when he had drawn his knife he was disarmed and brought to his knees with blows from a club in the hands of the same dude in appearance. The Italian recovered from his surprise and curses fell from his foaming lips. He looked like a raging demon, so great was his anger—he leaped to his feet and sought to seize hold of a stool, but ere he could do so he received a second rap on the head which knocked him face foremost to the floor; then Oscar sprang forward, rolled the man over and clapped a pair of darbies on his wrists, and having his man thus helpless he coolly returned, took his seat and waited for the man to arise and speak. The man rolled over and lay on his back and glared at his conqueror.
"Well, Argetti," said Oscar with his "hee, hee, hee!—you have come to grief. Well, you are a very violent man. I warned you—hee, hee—yes, I told you I was bad when aroused; that I was subject to strange spells. You believe me now, and please just lie still and let me amuse myself. You have given me more amusement than I expected. I like to knock men down and bring them around—it's real fun."
"You will pay for this fun."
"Yes, certainly, I intend to give you half a dollar, and—hee, hee, hee—that's an awful big sum of money for just a little amusement. I once gave a dollar for the privilege of beating a man almost to death, but I nearly killed him, you know, and I've only hammered you just a little—yes, just a little—I did give you one hard rap, though—yes, one hard rap—hee, hee, hee!"
The agonies expressed in the face of Argetti are indescribable. He glared and writhed, and his face worked as though in a convulsion, but when he managed to calm himself sufficiently to again speak he said:
"Now, I am at your mercy, why am I arrested?"
"Arrested?"
"Yes."
"Who said anything about arrest?"
The man held up his manacled hands.
"Ah, that is a part of my amusement; but here, let's see if you know anything? Are you acquainted with Alphonse Donetti?"
A look of abject terror succeeded the former expression of rage and disappointment that had distorted Argetti's face, and when our hero saw this change to a look of terror there came a rapid beating of his own heart.
"I never heard the name. It is another name of your invention, I think."
The detective laughed and said:
"How strange it is that I so readily invent names of real personages. Why, I really begin to suspect that your name is truly Argetti."
"Why did you ask about Alphonse Donetti?"
"Then you do know him?"
"No, but as you have mentioned that name it may aid me in explaining some grave mistake that has been made in my arrest."
"Oh, there is no such person as Donetti. I was fooling you—hee, hee, hee—but don't you know why the irons were put on you?"
"I do not."
"You have a short memory."
"My memory don't aid me in that direction."
"It don't?"
"No."
"Then you must forget that without provocation you set to murder me, and you have the cheek to ask why you are arrested, and intimate there has been a mistake. No, no, there has been no mistake. You were arrested for an assault upon me—an attempt to murder me."
"But you are an intruder in my house—you may be a robber."
"I beg your pardon, I was introduced into your house, and you rather inveigled me here. I didn't know before, but now I begin to suspect that you are a very bad man. It is possible that you have committed a very serious crime in Italy, or you wouldn't be so infernally sensitive—hee, hee, hee!"
When our hero made an allusion to a possible crime in Italy the man actually groaned, but said nothing.
Our hero had his prisoner, and the question arose, What should he do with him? He had started out alone; he had no one to aid him. For some time he meditated. It was necessary to have some charge upon which to arrest the man, and he determined to carry out a bold proceeding. He tied and bound his man, so he could not move. Indeed, without assistance it would have been impossible for him to get free, and during the process, Argetti, as we will call him, said:
"You will regret what you are doing. I am a person of some quality, and you will be held to a bitter responsibility."
"Very well, I like to hold responsibilities, that will just suit me—hee, hee, hee!"
Having secured and gagged his man our hero slipped forth from the cottage. He looked around for the Italian girl. He did not see her, and he muttered:
"Hang it! I am anchored here; that girl will steal in and release the man." Even as our hero spoke he heard a shrill scream, and it was the voice of a female and not very far distant. He started at a run in the direction from which the scream had come and quickly arrived at a point where he beheld a man struggling with a woman. Oscar dashed forward, the man saw him, released the girl, and our hero saw her fall to the ground. He believed a murder had been committed and he ran past the girl to secure the murderer. The latter proved fleet of foot, and most mysteriously disappeared. He vanished as completely as though he had been suddenly dissolved into air.
"Well, that gets me," he ejaculated, and after standing for some minutes looking in every direction, he returned to where the girl lay. He expected to find her dead, but as our hero approached she rose to her feet.
"Thank heaven!" ejaculated Oscar, "I thought you had been murdered."
"I believe he intended to murder me and he might just as well have succeeded—my life is forfeited now."
"Your life is forfeited?"
"Yes."
"Why do you say that?"
"Those men suspect me; you have given my life away."
"I have given your life away?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"By your assault upon Argetti. I did not suspect that were an officer. They will claim that I knew—that I was in league with you, and led Argetti into the trap."
"Is that man's name Argetti?"
"No, but that is the name you gave him. We will speak of him as Argetti."
"You know his real name?"
"I do."
"What is his real name?"
"I dare not tell you. I have already forfeited my life."
"Who is the man you were struggling with?"
"One of Argetti's confederates—one of the gang."
"You need not fear to confide in me. You have not forfeited your life. You shall be protected at all hazards."
"Ah, you do not know."
"Do not know what?"
"The desperate character of these men."
"What relation do you bear to these men?"
"I am an orphan; my parents died in an English poor-house. This man Argetti adopted me as his child. I have traveled all over the world with him, but now I must flee away and hide somewhere."
"You need not flee away. Argetti, as we call him, can do you no harm. We will take care of him."
"But his confederates. Already one of them has made an attempt to strangle me."
"Who was the man?"
"I did not recognize him. Probably Argetti had him as a reserve after he had settled you. Oh, how unfortunate I am, to be associated with these men, and yet I have never committed a crime. I have no proof concerning any particular crime they have committed, and yet I am sure they are criminals. But see there!" suddenly exclaimed the girl, pointing to a shining object lying on the ground.