CAD METTI AND OSCAR PERFORM SOME GREAT TRICKS AND AT EVERY STEP
GAIN INFORMATION LEADING TOWARD A THRILLING DENOUEMENT.
The detective was compelled to think quickly, and yet he sought a little
time.
"Miss Lamb sent you to me?"
"Yes."
"You are a friend of Miss Lamb?"
"I am."
"Tell me about her."
"She is a deserving young woman working honorably for an honorable
living."
"And she sent you to me?"
"She did."
"You desire my services?"
"I do."
"Madam, I am very busy."
"You will have time to advise me."
"Is advice all you need?"
"That depends."
"Upon what?"
"Upon what you may conclude after you have listened to my narrative."
Our hero had decided on his course. He decided to go with the woman and
permit her to tell her tale, for as the matter stood he could arrive at
no positive conclusion concerning her.
"Where shall we go?" he asked.
"We will go to some prominent restaurant."
"But, madam, I have not seen your face."
"There is no reason why I should not remove my veil. I will do so when
we are seated at a table. Let me tell you my experience is a very
strange one. I have a very extraordinary story to relate. I know you
will become interested; I know you will decide to serve me if you will
only let me narrate my startling experience."
"You shall certainly have an opportunity to relate your experience,
madam."
"Miss Lamb told me I could rely upon your generosity, but let me tell
you I do not expect that you will serve me simply in a spirit of
chivalry. If you can extricate me from my very singular entanglement I
will be in a position to reward you in the most munificent manner, but
it will require brains, courage and coolness to release me."
"Madam, I will not claim any of these qualities in advance, but I will
accompany you and listen to your strange tale. I am interested in odd
experiences; it is my infirmity."
"I have been informed that you have no infirmities; that you are a bold,
resolute, keen, level-headed gentleman."
Our hero smiled and said:
"Shall I select the place where we shall go?"
"If you please."
"You do not seek privacy?"
"Only so far as I can relate my story and be heard by you alone, and let
me tell you I may do you a great service while you are serving me."
"That will be splendid," said Oscar.
He walked with the veiled woman to a well-known restaurant. He led her
to a table in a remote corner, and the moment they were seated she
removed her veil and disclosed a very beautiful face. She was evidently
an American woman, and our hero had detected a Yankee pronunciation, but
he was thoughtful enough to know that the down east idiom might be
assumed. We will here say that his suspicions of the woman had not
relaxed, but when he beheld her fair, beautiful face his suspicion was
just a little staggered.
As indicated, Oscar had not dismissed his suspicions entirely, and he
waited wonderingly for the woman to open up her business.
"You have never beheld my face before?" she said.
"Never."
"It may seem bold for a positive stranger to ask a favor, but as I said
this is a matter which requires very delicate manipulation. I cannot
trust every one, not even among the corps of detectives."
"And yet you feel that you can trust me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I believe that combined with shrewdness, courage and cunning you
possess a sympathetic nature."
"You are very complimentary."
"My informant was Miss Lamb."
"Miss Lamb has evidently spoken very kindly of me."
"Yes, she thinks you are a fine type of honorable manhood."
"Miss, please do not compliment me any further through your acquaintance
with Miss Lamb. Please explain the nature of the business that led you
to seek me."
"Before I explain my business to you I must exact a promise."
"I am careful about making promises."
"Yes, I know as a detective you are not at liberty to make promises
off-hand, but my case is a very peculiar one."
"What do you wish me to promise?"
"I have a very remarkable disclosure to make; probably one of the most
remarkable disclosures you ever listened to during the whole course of
your professional career. It is a disclosure that will call for very
prompt measures on your part. It is a disclosure that will make you
professionally one of the most famous detective officers in the world."
Oscar stared and wondered what could be the nature of this thrilling
disclosure. He said nothing, but kept upon a line of intense thought,
and the woman proceeding said:
"Some very prominent people will be involved--men who stand high, who
will be torn from their high estate. I am willing that you should
perform your full professional duty, save as concerns one individual,
and I want you to promise that you will save that one individual, though
he may be the most guilty of the whole gang of criminals."
The woman's proposition was suggested, and it was a most remarkable one.
"Can you promise?" she asked.
"I cannot."
"Then my lips must remain sealed."
"I am sorry, miss, but I cannot promise to spare a criminal. I am bound
by professional honor to close in on every criminal whom I can convict."
"Then, as I said, my lips must remain sealed."
"What are your relations to the individual who is a criminal and whom
you desire exempted from the consequences of his acts?"
"He is my brother. Yes, sir, and in coming to you I am betraying my dear
brother; but I would do so only to save him from the consequences of his
crime. If I cannot save him I cannot betray him, but I do think that
when I reveal to you the plot and identities of many criminals in return
I should receive the promise of the exemption of one of them--that one,
my own brother."
"I will not positively declare that I will not make the promise; it will
depend upon the nature of the disclosure. Will you indicate the
character of the disclosure you have to make?"
"I will."
"Do so."
"There is existing in this city a band, an organized gang of the most
skillful criminals on earth. Their organization is so complete that a
discipline as perfect as military order prevails. These men have defied
the police for years; they are doing more harm to the commercial world
than ever was suffered before in many years. My brother is a member of
this gang. Misfortune overtook him, and in a moment of desperation he
became a member, a sworn member. He is very useful to them, owing to his
skill in certain directions. He has made a confidant of me. He has told
me everything and I, after a long struggle with myself, determined to
save him if I could by betraying his confederates. I know all their
identities. I know all their plans. I can place them bound hand and
foot in your power, but my brother must be saved. It is to save him that
I am prepared to make the terrible disclosure. You will become famous;
you will achieve a professional victory where all other detectives have
failed. You will do the country a service such as no detective ever
before performed, but the price of my disclosure is the salvation of my
brother."
"Why do you not cause your brother to withdraw from these criminals?"
"I cannot. I have exhausted my persuasion with him. He is mad, mad,
believes he is on the eve of the acquirement of great wealth. To be rich
is his mania. He is really insane. I wish to save him. I can do so only
by a betrayal of his confederates, and a disclosure of all their plans
and devices as revealed to me by my brother."
Oscar was amazed in spite of his inurement to surprises. He was aghast
at the suggestions involved in the woman's proposition, and he had cause
for deep study. It was a singular fact that from the first moment the
beautiful woman spoke to him he associated her with the matter he had in
hand, but did not anticipate that her connection with the subject would
come in the strange, weird shape that it did.
"It is your brother you wish to save?"
"Yes."
"And he is associated with this gang of criminals?"
"Yes."
"He has revealed everything to you?"
"He has."
"And you wish to betray these men?"
"I do."
"Why?"
"In order to save my brother."
"You have no other motive?"
"I have no other motive."
"But you told me there might be a large reward for me."
"I did."
"What did you mean?"
"The government has offered a large reward for the arrest and conviction
of these men."
"How did you learn the fact?"
"My brother told me."
"Tell me more about yourself."
"I may, on one condition."
"What is the condition?"
"Can I hope?"
"Hope in what manner?"
"That you will agree to save my brother, and--" The woman stopped short.
"Proceed, miss, you have another proviso."
"I have."
"State it."
"Can I hope that you will save my brother under any circumstances, and
share the reward with me? for without my aid you cannot earn it. I
should be entitled to at least one-half of the reward."
"Miss, if through any information you give me I earn the reward I will
share with you."
"And my brother?"
"I may be led to recognize that I can promise to spare your brother on
the ground that criminals are sometimes promised immunity upon turning
state's evidence."
"My brother is not a criminal," answered the beautiful young lady in an
earnest tone.
"He is not a criminal?"
"No."
"But you have admitted that he is a member of this dangerous gang."
"He is, but he is not a criminal."
"How will you demonstrate that?"
"In a moment of desperation, while actually insane, he was seduced to
become a member of the gang, but he is an honorable young man. Were it
not for his trouble he never would have dreamed of converting his
wonderful skill to the services of these bad men."
"He is skillful."
"He is."
"In what direction?"
"Alas! I must have your answer before I tell you."
"And I must know about you and your brother before I give the answer."
"Can I hope?"
"Yes."
"You will entertain the proposition to save him and divide with me?"
"Yes, I will entertain the proposition, but I will not promise until I
know more."
"Under any circumstances you will not use the information against my
brother if I only partially explain to you?"
"I can make no promises."
"I must have some guarantee."
"I can give no guarantee until I know more."
"Oh, what shall I do?" exclaimed the woman.
"Trust me; trust in my honor."
A moment the beautiful lady meditated and then said:
"Yes, I will trust you. I can do nothing else."
"I do not think you will have reason to regret trusting me."
"My father lives in Massachusetts. He is an engraver. My brother
inherited a marvelous talent for engraving, but he detested the
employment. He went into other business, and met a very beautiful and
accomplished girl. He was to be married when he lost his position. It
maddened him, and in a desperate moment he fell in with one of the
members of this gang. He was beguiled into betraying the fact of his
wonderful skill as an engraver. He had no idea at the time of offering
his services, but they induced him to show them a specimen of his
handiwork. Then they offered him splendid inducements to join them,
promising him a fortune. He was dazzled; he saw a way to win a fortune
and his bride, and he yielded to the temptation. He has produced some
wonderful plates. I do not believe his equal lives on the face of the
earth at his craft."
The story told by the woman was probable and reasonable, and it did
appear that our hero was about to secure men and evidence in a most
strange, remarkable, and complete manner.
"Where do you reside?" asked Oscar.
"I am temporarily residing in New York. I am studying typewriting. I
hope to be able to earn my own living as a typewriter, but it would be a
grand thing for me if I could secure a few hundred dollars out of the
reward."
"Is it your desire to obtain the reward, or is it your main purpose to
save your brother?"
"It is my main purpose to save my brother. I do not care for the reward
on my own account solely, but with it I can send my brother away. I
believe he will learn a lesson that will last him all his life when
those men are arrested and punished. And with the money he will have a
chance to make a fresh start in some other city."
Oscar thought the matter over, and we will admit that there was no doubt
in his mind as to the genuineness of the story he had listened to. It
did not appear that there was the least possibility of its being a false
tale. It was not the beautiful face of the narrator and proposer that
had led him to this conclusion. It was the probability and
reasonableness of the story itself; but with his usual caution he
determined to investigate. He was not prepared to accept any statement,
no matter how probable and reasonable, without absolute proof. Still, as
intimated, there was no question in his mind as to the genuineness of
the information and the sincerity of the proposition.
"How do you intend to proceed?" he asked.
"In order to obtain the reward you must not only secure the men but
convict them," said the beauty.
"That is true."
Oscar was a little disturbed here at the girl's singular knowledge and
shrewdness.
"These men have constant meetings with my brother."
"Where?"
"At the little house where I and my brother reside."
"Where is that house located?"
"In Brooklyn."
"And these men go to your home?"
"Yes."
"Do they know you are acquainted with the purpose of their visits?"
"No."
"Are the plates in this house?"
"No."
"Where are they?"
"I do not know. I only propose to furnish you the opening clues and let
you follow them up and find the plates and all the evidence."
"Your brother knows where the plates are concealed?"
"He does."
"Can you not secure the information from him?"
"I cannot. I have tried to do so, but he tells me he is bound by
terrible oaths not to reveal where the workshop is located."
"He never works at your home?"
"Never. He is often gone away all night. I think they work at night."
"Then how can I locate them?"
"You can trail my brother. Shadow the men also whom you will meet at our
home."
"I am to go to your house?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Any time you may elect."
"And then?"
"I will conceal you. You can see the men who come to talk with my
brother. You can overhear all that passes. You can identify them and
shadow them. I think they go from our house to the secret workshop."
"I will arrange with you to go to your home."
"When?"
"At some future time."
"Very soon?"
"Yes."
"Within forty-eight hours?"
"Yes."
"And I have your promise that under no circumstances is my brother to be
arrested?"
"We may arrest him and let him turn state's evidence."
"No, no, never. I am only anxious to save him from disgrace. I am
revealing this to you in order to save him from disgrace. Yes, it is for
this purpose I am betraying his confederates."
"Can you meet me to-night?"
"I can."
"I must have time to think this matter over."
"We must act quickly."
"Yes."
"It would be better were you to make arrangements to go to my house by
to-morrow night at the latest."
"Yes, I will."
"Where shall I meet you to-night?"
"Here. We have dined together; we will sup together."
"We will meet near here?"
"Yes."
A corner was named and a little later the woman, who did not give her
name, and our hero separated. Later Oscar called upon Miss Lamb. He
learned from her that she had met a lady at the typewriting school where
Miss Lamb was a substitute teacher, and Miss Lamb had really referred
the lady to our hero upon gaining her confidence, and having learned
that she had need of a detective in a very delicate affair, the nature
of which had not been revealed to Miss Lamb.
When the detective parted from Miss Lamb he was more and more convinced
that the beautiful sister of the criminal was honest, and really
intended to put him on a "lay" that would indeed advance him to the top
rung of the profession.
An hour later Oscar met Cad, who wore a very serious look upon her face,
and she waited for a little time, when with a glitter in her eyes she
demanded:
"Who was that creature you dined with to-day?"
Oscar laughed in a merry way. He read the thoughts that were chasing
through Cad's mind, or, rather, he _imagined_ he did so.
"Did you see her, Cad?"
"Yes."
"Did you mark her beautiful, innocent face?"
"Her innocent face?" repeated Cad in a sneering tone.
"Yes, innocent face."
Cad fixed her brilliant black eyes on her partner, and her lovely face
was ashen white and her voice trembled as she asked in what might be
termed a husky voice:
"Are you joking, Oscar, or were you really deceived?"
"I was not deceived, Cad."
There came a look of relief to the Italian girl's face as she said in a
less sharp tone:
"What a goose I was; certainly you were not deceived by that vixen."
Oscar started.
"What do you mean, Cad?"
Again there came a glitter to the girl's eyes as she said in a cold,
incisive tone:
"Oscar, I really believe you are in earnest, and were deceived by that
expert schemer. Brother, that woman was playing you for a fool and I see
you were played."