CAUGHT IN THE NET
At the Branniton residence, Richard Branniton was stretched on the
floor, unconscious from the effects of a vapor gun. The men were
standing against one wall, the ladies against another. The Black Star's
men guarded the doors and windows and watched the guests. The master
criminal himself was in the center of the room.
"I must have all your jewels, ladies," he said. "You need not be
alarmed; you shall not be harmed if you conduct yourselves properly. And
you gentlemen will be safer if you indulge in no attempt to better your
present condition. I assure you that you are at the mercy of my band."
He made a sign, and three of his men took bags from beneath their robes
and started toward the line of women.
"Take off your jewelry and toss it into the bags," the Black Star
directed. "Married ladies may retain their wedding rings and their
engagement rings, but must give up everything else. That is just to show
that I am not hard-hearted, as some persons would have the world
believe."
He laughed gleefully as his men began their task. Terrified women
removed their jewels and handed them over. Weeping women, hysterical
women, surrendered necklaces, brooches, rings. The bags were filled
rapidly, and the Black Star's men stepped back again.
"And now we have something else to do," the Black Star said. "Which of
you gentlemen is Lord Sambery?"
One of them stepped forward, a dignified man of perhaps fifty. "I have
that honor," he said stiffly.
"I admire you greatly, sir," the Black Star said. "I have read a great
deal about the work you have done. I admire you so much that I insist
you become my guest for a time."
"I beg your pardon?" stammered the astonished nobleman.
"I insist upon it, sir!" the Black Star said. "And where is Sir Burton
Banks?"
"I am here!"
"I admire you, too, sir, and you shall be my guest also," the Black Star
declared.
"Allow me to decline your hospitality," said Sir Burton Banks stiffly.
"But I cannot allow you to do so," the master criminal said, chuckling.
"You see, you mean money to me."
"How is that?" Sir Burton Banks demanded.
"Not your money," the Black Star said. "It has occurred to us that you
two gentlemen are in this country on an important mission, and that your
time is very valuable. We have an idea that, if you should be detained,
certain persons and personages would pay a handsome sum for your
release."
"Why, confound the fellow! He means to abduct us and hold us for
ransom!" Lord Sambery exclaimed.
"You have guessed it," the Black Star said.
"But this is the United States of America, sir, and we are in one of its
greatest cities! I never heard of such a thing! The idea is
preposterous! You can't do it!"
"Can't we?" asked the Black Star with a laugh. "It's a very simple
thing. We just render you unconscious and carry you away--and you can
never be found."
"Why, you dare not!" cried Sir Burton Banks.
"I am not particularly prone to fear," the master criminal said. "I have
dared many things, and accomplished many things harder than kidnaping a
couple of gentlemen. You need fear nothing; you shall be treated with
every courtesy."
"I--I shall fight!" Lord Sambery declared.
"You are an elderly man, sir, and, also, I abhor violence," the Black
Star reminded him. "You cannot fight long against one of my vapor guns,
your lordship."
"I--I--my country will have you punished for this!"
"The first thing will be to capture me, your lordship," said the master
criminal. "I was captured before, but managed to escape, as perhaps you
know. But we are wasting valuable time in conversation, and I'll have
ample time to talk to you during the next two days. I am forced to have
you gentlemen put to sleep for a short time, but I assure you there are
no bad after effects."
"You--you----" Sir Burton stammered.
"It is quite useless to protest, or to attempt to fight," the Black Star
informed him. "By the way, I am going to take Mr. Branniton along, too."
"You fiend!" Branniton's wife cried.
"He shall not be harmed, my dear madam, but it will cost him something
to regain his liberty. He caused me considerable annoyance; he was the
prosecuting attorney at my trial."
"And he shall be again!" Mrs. Branniton retorted.
"Perhaps--we shall see! I have no idea of standing trial again, my dear
madam. By the time I am captured, your husband probably will be a United
States senator, or an ambassador abroad. I realize that he is a man of
promise."
The Black Star signaled to two of his men, and they advanced toward Lord
Sambery and Sir Burton Banks. The latter showed that he intended to
fight, regardless of what the master criminal had said. But the Black
Star's men rushed in, discharged their vapor guns, and darted back
again. The two diplomats toppled over on the floor. A woman shrieked.
"They are not harmed a bit," the Black Star assured them. "They will
simply awake from a sleep, and feel quite fit. Ladies, I regret that I
interrupted your little party. I suggest you continue it after I leave
with my men. In reality, you should thank me. You will have something to
talk about for the remainder of your lives; and women, I have heard,
love to talk!"
He backed toward the entrance to the hall.
A shrill whistle came from the lawn outside--another--a third. The Black
Star whirled toward the door. His men stood still, listening. Into the
room rushed a robed and masked member of the band.
"Police, sir--all around the place!" he cried.