THE EMPTY SEAT.
A hand shook the door as Professor Ruggles entered the room. He at
once suspected something wrong, but cared only for his own safety, and
so did not attempt to warn the inmates of Mrs. Scarlet's den of their
danger.
He hurried to the rear of the block, down an upper hall, and as he was
passing into an alley down the back stairs, the four men had burst in
the side door and rushed into Madge Scarlet's dingy sitting-room.
"The beaks are out in force, it seems," muttered Ruggles, as he halted
for a moment on the ground to rest from his exertion. "I hope Nick and
that fool pard of his will finish Dyke Darrel before the cops get onto
them. As for me, I shall turn my back on this accursed town the moment
I am assured that Nell is out of danger. I will be quite secure in New
York, I imagine."
And the red-haired villain made his escape from that building and,
leaving his charge in an out-of-the-way alley, went forth to find a
conveyance to take the wounded girl to a more safe retreat. He
succeeded in finding a hack that suited his purpose, and with his
insensible companion he was driven to another part of the city, on the
West Side. Ruggles had more than one resort in the great Western
metropolis, and after he had placed Nell in a cozy room, with an old
negress to watch over her, he breathed easy once more.
Nell Darrel was badly injured, and for several days she raved in
delirium. When she came to her senses she was weak and almost
helpless. During all this time the black tool of Darlington Ruggles
cared for her in a most kindly manner.
The negress had been instructed to do all in her power for the girl,
who, the Professor assured her, was a near relative who was not wholly
sound in mind, and this fact, combined with an accident, had brought
on the trouble from which she was now suffering.
"Poor little lily," murmured the negress, in a sympathetic tone, when
the girl was able to sit up and look about her.
"Where am I?" demanded Nell.
"Youse in good hands, chile," answered the black woman. "Your cousin
says he'll take you outen dis soon's you can trabbel."
"My cousin?"
Nell stared at the black, seemingly honest face in wonder. Of a sudden
the memory of the adventure in the basement on Clark street came to
the girl as a light from a clouded sky. She had indeed been under a
cloud for a long time, and had no means of judging of the passage of
time.
What had happened during all this while? What fate had been her
brother's? A feeling of deepest anxiety filled the girl's breast. Ere
she could find voice for more words, however, the door opened and a
man entered the room.
A low, alarmed cry fell from the lips of Nell Darrel.
Before her stood Harper Elliston, smiling and plucking at his beard,
which was but a mere stubble now, he having shaved since she had met
him last.
"Ah, Nell, you are looking bright; I trust that you feel better. You
have been very sick. How does your head feel?"
For the first time the girl realized that there was a sore spot under
her hair at the side of her head. She touched it with her hand, and
seemed surprised.
"You have forgotten, doubtless," he said. "You were rescued from a
band of villains nearly a fortnight since. It seems that one of them
must have fired at you, since there was a slight wound where you just
put your hand, that was doubtless made by a bullet."
Nell Darrel was beginning to remember the scene in the cellar.
"I was rescued, you say? Who were the rescuers?"
"Myself among others. I think you may safely acknowledge that you owe
your life to me," said the New Yorker coolly.
"And Dyke?" questioned Nell with intense eagerness.
"Was saved also, but he is badly hurt, and will be laid up for a month
or more. He is in one of the city hospitals."
"Oh, sir, I am thankful it is no worse. What have they done with the
villains, that sleek one with the red hair and beard?"
"They are all in prison, and will be brought to court as soon as the
witnesses are in a condition to appear against them."
"The witnesses?"
"Dyke Darrel and yourself."
"Can I go to Dyke?"
"Hardly," he answered with a smile. "You could not walk, that is
certain, and I am sure to attempt to ride would prove a dangerous
experiment. I am too deeply interested in your welfare to permit the
attempt."
"But I am quite strong, I assure you," returned Nell, rising to her
feet only to sink back again with a cry of piteous weakness.
"You see, it would not do to attempt leaving your room at present,"
said the villain, still smiling. Besides, there is no need of it. Your
brother is doing as well as could be expected, and he has the
assurance that you are out of danger, which has proved a great comfort
to him, I assure you.
"Well, I suppose I ought to be thankful," sighed Nell, with tears in
her dark eyes. "I cannot understand it all just now. It seems strange
that I should be subject to such treatment. Do you know the man Sims?"
"Sims?"
"The one with the red beard and hair. He met me at the depot."
"Exactly. I cannot say that I know the fellow, but I suspect he is a
scoundrel of the first water. Don't bother your head about these
things now, Nell. Try and get rested and strong, so that you can get
from here and back to your own home as soon as possible. I hope you do
not fear to trust me?"
He eyed her keenly at the last.
She was too weak to fully realize the enormity of this man's offense.
She knew nothing of his connection with, the ruffians who made of Mrs.
Scarlet's building a rendezvous; she only knew that he had been
indiscreet and insulting once, when in liquor, but of this he might
have repented long since. At any rate, he seemed to be doing her a
good turn now, and she could do no other way than trust him.
"I am still puzzled about one thing," she said, seeming to forget the
question he had propounded.
"What is that?" asked Elliston.
"Why was I brought here?"
"Simply because you were not able to be taken home."
"But the hospital----"
"Was no place for a lady. I realized that you needed the best of care,
and knowing Aunt Venus was a kind, motherly soul, an excellent nurse,
even though she had a black skin, I brought you here."
"And here I've been--how long?"
"About fourteen days."
"So long?'
"You are surprised?"
"It doesn't seem a day."
"I suppose not. You haven't been in your right mind any of the time.
Have you any word to send to Dyke?"
"Are you going to him soon?"
"Immediately. I call at the hospital every day to inquire after the
dear boy, and I haven't been there this morning."
His voice was gentle, and there was a moist light in his dark eyes. It
was barely possible that she had wronged the New Yorker, and the
thought caused a pang. In the time to come she would confess her
obligations, but now she was not in a mood for it.
"If I could write a line it would do him more good than aught else,"
said Nell.
"Can you control your hand?"
"Oh, yes, easily."
"Then you shall write the dear boy. As you say, it will be of immense
benefit to him."
Mr. Elliston drew forth from an inner pocket a book. Opening it he
tore out a leaf and placed it, with pencil, in the lap of the invalid
girl. It was not without difficulty that she controlled her hand
sufficiently to write.
Taking the folded note Elliston bade her good morning and passed from
the room. The moment he gained the street he tore the bit of paper to
fragments, a smile glinting over his face meantime.
"So much for that," he muttered. "Nell is about in the right trim for
removal, and I must not delay another day. Simple little thing! She
believed every word that I told her regarding the outcome of that
racket on Clark street. What an opinion she would have of me if she
knew the exact truth. I must get me to Gotham immediately. My funds
are running low, and SHE must replenish them. I haven't seen Aunt
Scarlet since the racket. I hope she got her quietus. I believe I have
had quite enough of her disinterested assistance; quite enough of it."
And yet the scheming gentleman was to receive more of the Clark street
hag's assistance in the future, and in a way that was not just exactly
pleasant, than he imagined.
* * * * *
Night hung its sable mantle over the earth. A silver moon rode in a
clear sky, and the lightning express rattled down through the night
with a hiss and screech that rent the silence with an uncanny sound.
The train was speeding through the Empire State, and when morning
dawned, with no accident happening, it would come thundering into the
great city by the sea.
Two persons occupying a seat in the car next the sleeper merit our
attention. One is a heavily-veiled lady, apparently sleeping, since
her head reclines against the back of the seat, and a low breathing is
heard, or might be but for the noise made by the train rattling over
the steel rails.
Who is the woman?
No need to ask when we note the fact that the man sitting there
possesses red hair and beard--the irrepressible Professor Darlington
Ruggles, of Chicago. He has been eminently successful thus far in his
plot for the safe abduction of Nell Darrel. Under the influence of a
powerful drug he conveyed her to the station, and set out on the
previous day for the East.
His companion was an invalid sister, who was in a comatose state a
portion of the time as the result of her ill health. This was the
story told by the Professor to inquisitive people, and the truth did
not come to the surface. Travelers, who become accustomed to seeing
all sorts of people, are not often suspicious.
The villain was more successful than he could have hoped. Within a few
hours he would be in New York, and then he felt that he could bid
defiance to pursuit.
It was now past midnight. The man from Chicago felt a deep drowsiness
stealing over him. He wished to shake it off, and so, rising and
seeing only people in an unconscious state about him, he concluded to
go into the smoking-car and enjoy a cigar. He began to feel nervous,
and such a stimulant seemed absolutely necessary.
The train drew into a station, paused less than a minute, and then
went swiftly on its way.
Calmly the scheming villain sat and puffed at his cigar until it was
more than half consumed, then he tossed the stump through the open
window, and once more he passed into the other car.
When he gained the seat he had lately occupied, he could not suppress
a cry of startled wonder.
THE SEAT WAS EMPTY!
He had left Nell Darrel there not more than twenty minutes since,
drugged into complete insensibility. She could not have gone from the
seat of her own volition.
An indefinable thrill of fear stole over the stalwart frame of
Professor Darlington Ruggles. He glanced up and down the car; the girl
was not in sight. But one person was awake, an old man, who said:
"Lookin' fur the young lady?"
The Professor nodded.
"She got off't last station." "Got off? How--"
"She had help, of course," explained the old passenger, quickly.
"Who helped her?" cried Ruggles, in a husky voice.
"An old woman, who got on and off at the last station quick's wink."