CHAPTER XXXVI—IN CUSTODYWhen the Black Star opened his eyes he saw a peculiar-looking individual before him, scarcely half a dozen feet away, who held an automatic pistol in his hand in a threatening manner. This individual was dressed in greasy overalls and jumper, and had a soft hat pulled down low over his forehead. The collar of his jumper was turned up so that scarcely any of the face could be seen except the eyes. His hands were dirty; his hair was black and long, and apparently needed cutting badly.“Well, I’ve got you, all right!” the individual growled in a hoarse voice. “Pretty good pickin’ around these diggin’s, too. Notice the swag I’ve got here on the table?”He bent forward and tore the gag from the Black Star’s mouth.“Talk, if you want to,” he offered. “Black Star, eh? Big crook, eh?”“Who are you?” the Black Star asked.“What do you care?”“I am interested. Any man who can put me down and out—and I suppose you are the one who did it—interests me strangely. So you think I am the Black Star?”“I know it.”“I suppose you want to join my organization and are taking this melodramatic way to show me you are fitted?”“Guess again!”“Well, what is the idea, then? I suppose you realize what you are running up against when you tackle the Black Star?”“I know that, all right, and I’m not scared.”“You’re not very communicative,” said the other. “Suppose you untie me now, and we’ll talk business. If it is money you want——”“Why untie you when I’ve got it all right here on the table?”“Well, what are you going to do?”“Give you a surprise,” came the answer.The Black Star saw the man before him straighten up suddenly. His hand went to his hat, and the hat came off, and with it a black wig. And then he smiled and bowed.“Roger Verbeck!” the Black Star gasped.“At your service, Sir Crook! I said I’d get you, and I have!”“But—— How did you get here so soon? I saw you back at the National Trust—as I was leaving.”“Pardon me, my dear Mr. Black Star. You are not very observing, are you? How many times have you seen me, spoken to me?”“Half a dozen, I suppose.”“But never paid particular attention to me, did you?”“I never had a chance particularly, as I always saw you under conditions of excitement.”“That was one bad mistake you made. You should know me when you meet me face to face.”“I know that, all right, but you haven’t answered my question—how did you get here so quickly, and alone? How did you know where my headquarters was?”“Naturally, since I was out to get you, I just discovered that.”“One of my men turned traitor, I suppose.”“Indeed, no. I did it all by my own little self, Mr. Black Star. I said six months ago that I could get you, and you dared me to try. You went right ahead with your crimes, and you made a fool of me on several occasions. You always prepared for every possible emergency; that was it. You never made a mistake. You went ahead on your thieving way, and I told you that no criminal could be successful for always, no matter how brainy a man, and that some day you’d make a mistake. You’ve made one—and now you’re going to pay for it. For you’re going to jail from here, Mr. Black Star. I’m going to see you in the prisoner’s dock, as I swore I should. And I’m going to follow you to the doors of the penitentiary, and see them close behind you. You have to pay for your career of crime. Every criminal must pay! He may succeed for a time, but in the end he pays! He can’t dodge the law of compensation.”“I’m not in jail yet, Mr. Verbeck.”“You’ll be there soon. I notice you are slipping your foot along the floor. I presume you are looking for the button that throws a trap and opens a pit beneath where I am standing. Might as well give up. I found that trap several hours ago and wrecked the spring. Oh, I’ve got you this time, Mr. Black Star!”“Several hours ago! I don’t understand.”“You made a mistake, that’s all—a bad and a sad mistake.”“Suppose you tell me about it.”“In good time,” Verbeck replied. “I am waiting for some friends of mine—Muggs and the police and some others.”“You’ve called the police?”“To hand you over—yes. How did you escape them to-night? I warned them what you were going to do.”“So that’s how they discovered it! But how could you warn them, when I had you abducted and carried here and had you watched every minute of the time until—— What do you mean? Explain!”“You made a bad mistake,” Verbeck reiterated. “That explains everything. Ah!”Down the road a siren shrieked. Verbeck deliberately turned his back on the Black Star, walked through the house and threw open the front door. Two automobiles splashed through the mud and stopped near the front gate.“That you, Verbeck?” some one called.“Yes. Come right on in!”He went back and stood before his prisoner again.“Quick, Verbeck—let me go!” the Black Star begged. “I’ll do anything you say—let you give them back the stuff——”“Save your breath!” Verbeck replied.The crowd rushed in from the road. The chief and Muggs were in the lead, and half a dozen officers, revolvers in their hands as if they were expecting another battle, followed at their heels. They stopped in astonishment when they saw Verbeck.“Wha-what——” the chief cried.“No questions!” Verbeck begged, laughing. “Here is the Black Star, chief, and there is the loot he got to-night, and some jewels he obtained in other robberies. See that you don’t let him get away this time! I got him—as I said I would. And where is—— Ah!”Another man came through the door and stood at Verbeck’s side. Every man there except Muggs gasped in surprise, and Muggs only grinned. Here were two Verbecks, alike except that one was an inch shorter than the other and slightly thinner in the face.“Here is the explanation, gentlemen,” Verbeck said. “I discovered that the Black Star was having me shadowed night and day. The men who shadowed had to report some time, of course. I got the idea that if I could get some one to take my place I might shadow the Black Star’s shadow and so find his headquarters. When he threatened three weeks ago to abduct me and let me witness his next crime, I realized that here was my chance. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to my cousin. His father and mine married sisters—perhaps that is why we look so much alike.”“Your cousin!” the chief gasped.“He has been living out West. I wrote him full details, and he came on to help me. I smuggled him into my house and let him take my place. He went out with Muggs, visited my fiancée in my place, went to my clubs a bit. Only Muggs was in the secret, for I didn’t want to take a chance of having that secret leak out. And I shadowed the shadow, waiting for the abduction, and to-night it came. Mr. Black Star, I came here on the rear of my own roadster, which carried your prisoners. I put your watchdog to sleep and entered this house, and I’ve been here since. I overheard your plans and telephoned the police as soon as you had left.“I wanted to be in at the death, of course, but knew I could not get back to the city in time. And I had a suspicion that you’d escape the police at the last minute, as you had so many times before—so I remained here, waiting for you, and when you came I succeeded in making you my prisoner. While you were gone I examined the house and found many interesting things.“In your excitement at planning and carrying out a big crime you made a mistake, Mr. Black Star—you didn’t use your eyes, didn’t observe closely. You took my cousin for me. That’s all. And now you must pay! Oh, yes! I must decorate you as you have often in the past decorated me.”He took a bit of paper from his pocket and he pinned it to the Black Star’s breast while the master criminal sputtered his wrath. It read:Mr. Black Star: Never depend on the eyes of others but use your own. Because Muggs drove a roadster and my cousin looks like me, your men took it for granted that my cousin was me, and you let it go at that. That was your mistake.Roger Verbeck.“Now, chief, take your man,” Verbeck concluded. “And don’t let him get away this time. And you, Muggs, go out and get the roadster ready. We’re going home! There is a telephone, chief, if you want to give the glad news to the papers.”Muggs turned toward the door. The adventure was over, Muggs knew. He was no longer comrade in arms—now he was chauffeur and valet and all-around man to Roger Verbeck—until that young gentleman should feel the call of adventure again.THE END
When the Black Star opened his eyes he saw a peculiar-looking individual before him, scarcely half a dozen feet away, who held an automatic pistol in his hand in a threatening manner. This individual was dressed in greasy overalls and jumper, and had a soft hat pulled down low over his forehead. The collar of his jumper was turned up so that scarcely any of the face could be seen except the eyes. His hands were dirty; his hair was black and long, and apparently needed cutting badly.
“Well, I’ve got you, all right!” the individual growled in a hoarse voice. “Pretty good pickin’ around these diggin’s, too. Notice the swag I’ve got here on the table?”
He bent forward and tore the gag from the Black Star’s mouth.
“Talk, if you want to,” he offered. “Black Star, eh? Big crook, eh?”
“Who are you?” the Black Star asked.
“What do you care?”
“I am interested. Any man who can put me down and out—and I suppose you are the one who did it—interests me strangely. So you think I am the Black Star?”
“I know it.”
“I suppose you want to join my organization and are taking this melodramatic way to show me you are fitted?”
“Guess again!”
“Well, what is the idea, then? I suppose you realize what you are running up against when you tackle the Black Star?”
“I know that, all right, and I’m not scared.”
“You’re not very communicative,” said the other. “Suppose you untie me now, and we’ll talk business. If it is money you want——”
“Why untie you when I’ve got it all right here on the table?”
“Well, what are you going to do?”
“Give you a surprise,” came the answer.
The Black Star saw the man before him straighten up suddenly. His hand went to his hat, and the hat came off, and with it a black wig. And then he smiled and bowed.
“Roger Verbeck!” the Black Star gasped.
“At your service, Sir Crook! I said I’d get you, and I have!”
“But—— How did you get here so soon? I saw you back at the National Trust—as I was leaving.”
“Pardon me, my dear Mr. Black Star. You are not very observing, are you? How many times have you seen me, spoken to me?”
“Half a dozen, I suppose.”
“But never paid particular attention to me, did you?”
“I never had a chance particularly, as I always saw you under conditions of excitement.”
“That was one bad mistake you made. You should know me when you meet me face to face.”
“I know that, all right, but you haven’t answered my question—how did you get here so quickly, and alone? How did you know where my headquarters was?”
“Naturally, since I was out to get you, I just discovered that.”
“One of my men turned traitor, I suppose.”
“Indeed, no. I did it all by my own little self, Mr. Black Star. I said six months ago that I could get you, and you dared me to try. You went right ahead with your crimes, and you made a fool of me on several occasions. You always prepared for every possible emergency; that was it. You never made a mistake. You went ahead on your thieving way, and I told you that no criminal could be successful for always, no matter how brainy a man, and that some day you’d make a mistake. You’ve made one—and now you’re going to pay for it. For you’re going to jail from here, Mr. Black Star. I’m going to see you in the prisoner’s dock, as I swore I should. And I’m going to follow you to the doors of the penitentiary, and see them close behind you. You have to pay for your career of crime. Every criminal must pay! He may succeed for a time, but in the end he pays! He can’t dodge the law of compensation.”
“I’m not in jail yet, Mr. Verbeck.”
“You’ll be there soon. I notice you are slipping your foot along the floor. I presume you are looking for the button that throws a trap and opens a pit beneath where I am standing. Might as well give up. I found that trap several hours ago and wrecked the spring. Oh, I’ve got you this time, Mr. Black Star!”
“Several hours ago! I don’t understand.”
“You made a mistake, that’s all—a bad and a sad mistake.”
“Suppose you tell me about it.”
“In good time,” Verbeck replied. “I am waiting for some friends of mine—Muggs and the police and some others.”
“You’ve called the police?”
“To hand you over—yes. How did you escape them to-night? I warned them what you were going to do.”
“So that’s how they discovered it! But how could you warn them, when I had you abducted and carried here and had you watched every minute of the time until—— What do you mean? Explain!”
“You made a bad mistake,” Verbeck reiterated. “That explains everything. Ah!”
Down the road a siren shrieked. Verbeck deliberately turned his back on the Black Star, walked through the house and threw open the front door. Two automobiles splashed through the mud and stopped near the front gate.
“That you, Verbeck?” some one called.
“Yes. Come right on in!”
He went back and stood before his prisoner again.
“Quick, Verbeck—let me go!” the Black Star begged. “I’ll do anything you say—let you give them back the stuff——”
“Save your breath!” Verbeck replied.
The crowd rushed in from the road. The chief and Muggs were in the lead, and half a dozen officers, revolvers in their hands as if they were expecting another battle, followed at their heels. They stopped in astonishment when they saw Verbeck.
“Wha-what——” the chief cried.
“No questions!” Verbeck begged, laughing. “Here is the Black Star, chief, and there is the loot he got to-night, and some jewels he obtained in other robberies. See that you don’t let him get away this time! I got him—as I said I would. And where is—— Ah!”
Another man came through the door and stood at Verbeck’s side. Every man there except Muggs gasped in surprise, and Muggs only grinned. Here were two Verbecks, alike except that one was an inch shorter than the other and slightly thinner in the face.
“Here is the explanation, gentlemen,” Verbeck said. “I discovered that the Black Star was having me shadowed night and day. The men who shadowed had to report some time, of course. I got the idea that if I could get some one to take my place I might shadow the Black Star’s shadow and so find his headquarters. When he threatened three weeks ago to abduct me and let me witness his next crime, I realized that here was my chance. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to my cousin. His father and mine married sisters—perhaps that is why we look so much alike.”
“Your cousin!” the chief gasped.
“He has been living out West. I wrote him full details, and he came on to help me. I smuggled him into my house and let him take my place. He went out with Muggs, visited my fiancée in my place, went to my clubs a bit. Only Muggs was in the secret, for I didn’t want to take a chance of having that secret leak out. And I shadowed the shadow, waiting for the abduction, and to-night it came. Mr. Black Star, I came here on the rear of my own roadster, which carried your prisoners. I put your watchdog to sleep and entered this house, and I’ve been here since. I overheard your plans and telephoned the police as soon as you had left.
“I wanted to be in at the death, of course, but knew I could not get back to the city in time. And I had a suspicion that you’d escape the police at the last minute, as you had so many times before—so I remained here, waiting for you, and when you came I succeeded in making you my prisoner. While you were gone I examined the house and found many interesting things.
“In your excitement at planning and carrying out a big crime you made a mistake, Mr. Black Star—you didn’t use your eyes, didn’t observe closely. You took my cousin for me. That’s all. And now you must pay! Oh, yes! I must decorate you as you have often in the past decorated me.”
He took a bit of paper from his pocket and he pinned it to the Black Star’s breast while the master criminal sputtered his wrath. It read:
Mr. Black Star: Never depend on the eyes of others but use your own. Because Muggs drove a roadster and my cousin looks like me, your men took it for granted that my cousin was me, and you let it go at that. That was your mistake.Roger Verbeck.
Mr. Black Star: Never depend on the eyes of others but use your own. Because Muggs drove a roadster and my cousin looks like me, your men took it for granted that my cousin was me, and you let it go at that. That was your mistake.
Roger Verbeck.
“Now, chief, take your man,” Verbeck concluded. “And don’t let him get away this time. And you, Muggs, go out and get the roadster ready. We’re going home! There is a telephone, chief, if you want to give the glad news to the papers.”
Muggs turned toward the door. The adventure was over, Muggs knew. He was no longer comrade in arms—now he was chauffeur and valet and all-around man to Roger Verbeck—until that young gentleman should feel the call of adventure again.
THE END