Kitabı oku: «The Twin Ventriloquists: or, Nimble Ike and Jack the Juggler», sayfa 3
"Well, Ike, that was high," said Jack.
"It was."
The boys started to walk up the street, when they met a veiled lady who was walking rapidly along. Ike stopped short and said:
"Jack, that means something."
"The veiled lady?"
"Yes."
"What makes you think so? There are plenty of veiled ladies knocking around every day."
"That's so; but do you see that lady's excitement?"
"How can I when she is veiled?"
"But you can see it in her movements. Let's follow her and learn what is up. I tell you we will be on to something before we know it and I'd like to do some one a good turn."
"I'll let you investigate and I will go and do a little business I have on hand."
The youths agreed to meet later. Jack went his way, and Ike, who was a persistent fellow, followed the lady. She turned into one of the large office buildings. The ventriloquist followed and saw her enter a lawyer's office. He remained in the hall, and it was fully an hour before the lady came forth. When she did her veil was raised. Ike recognized that she was very beautiful and refined looking, and he saw also that she had been weeping. As she dropped her veil he fell to her trail. She descended to the street and with slower steps proceeded on her way. Our hero was a good-looking chap. He had increased in strength and stature since first introduced to our readers in a former story, Number 6 of "Old Sleuth's Own." He determined to follow and seize the first opportunity to speak to the pretty maid, who evidently was in some sort of trouble. While following her he was joined by Jack, and a little later Ike, who, as has been intimated, was observant, saw a man turn to follow the veiled lady.
"Hello!" he muttered, "the game is opening up. I wonder if that fellow is acquainted with the girl, or is merely following her on speculation?"
The girl walked through Nassau Street as far as the City Hall and boarded a Fourth Avenue car. Jack and Ike boarded the same car, and as the latter glanced in at the lady he saw that she was giving way to considerable emotion under her veil, and he also observed that the man who had started in to follow her had secured a seat directly opposite to her and had his evil eyes fixed upon her; for the lad discerned that the man did possess evil eyes.
"Jack," he said, "we are on to something, sure."
"It looks so."
The lady left the car at the park and started to walk through that great pleasure ground. The man left the car also and followed the girl, and it is needless to say that the two ventriloquists also followed on a double trail.
"The lady acts very strangely," remarked Jack.
"She does."
"And I've a suspicion."
Ike's eyes brightened up as he asked:
"And what is your suspicion?"
"She is going to throw herself into the lake. She is in trouble."
"But why does the man follow her?"
"I believe he is a rascal who means her no good."
"And I mean to see that he does her no harm."
"Suppose she does plunge into the lake?"
"We will fish her out."
From the course that the lady took it did appear as though she really intended to drown herself, as Jack had intimated. She finally, however, sat down on a bench near the water of the lake. The man stood off at a little distance watching her. The ventriloquists also lay off, ready to be at hand in case of emergency.
CHAPTER V
JACK AND IKE PLAY A TRICK ON A BAD MAN AND VERIFY IKE'S SUSPICION THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING UP – THE BAD MAN TAKES A SWIM INSTEAD OF THE VEILED GIRL.
The girl removed her veil a moment and gazed into the waters of the lake and her beautiful face was revealed. The man who had been shadowing her had a chance to observe her beauty. Ike had his eye upon the man and arrived at a conclusion. He concluded from the expression on the fellow's face that he was a villain and meant the beautiful girl no good. He was very handsomely dressed, wore diamonds of the biggest sort and altogether appeared like an individual whom a young girl would have good reason to fear.
"Jack," said our hero, "that fellow is a bad one. He means the girl no good."
We write girl, for the veiled lady was but a mere girl, as revealed when her veil was removed. She had only removed her face covering for a moment. The man advanced toward her and the lads stepped closer, hiding in the shrubbery to the rear of the rustic seat where the girl had placed herself. As the man approached he said:
"Why, Miss Galt, good-morning."
"I beg your pardon, sir," said the lady; "you have made a mistake."
It was the old trick – merely a pretense to speak to the girl.
"Is it possible I have made a mistake?" said the man.
"You have certainly made a mistake."
If the man had been a gentleman he would have apologized and have moved on, but he said:
"It's so strange. You are a perfect picture of the lady I know as Miss Galt."
"I am not Miss Galt, sir, and you will please not address me further."
"It's a beautiful day," said the man.
The girl betrayed her surprise from under her veil, but made no reply, evidently believing the man would move on; but instead he approached nearer to her. The girl rose as though to walk away, when the man said:
"Excuse me, but are you sure you are not playing me a little trick? Are you really not Miss Galt?"
The girl started to move away, when the man looked around furtively and then boldly approached. The girl was terrified. She attempted to scream, when the man actually grasped her arm. She was paralyzed with fear; she could not scream. Her eyes expressed her terror, her face became deathly pale, and no one can tell what might have occurred if at that critical moment Ike and Jack had not darted forth, and Ike exclaimed:
"Hold on there! you scoundrel, what are you doing?"
The man was large and apparently powerful. He glared at the two slender youths, and evidently concluded that with but little effort he could toss them both into the lake if so inclined. He said:
"You two young rascals, how dare you address me?"
He had released his hold upon the arm of the lady and the latter, woman-like, remained, hoping even in her weakness to be of some service to the two handsome youths who had interfered in her behalf. In a few moments, however, she learned that they did not need any assistance. These two young wonders were perfectly capable of taking care of the big insulter of womanhood.
In reply to his words to them, the two ventriloquists gave him a laugh. He became enraged. He felt mean anyhow, as he had been caught in a contemptible act. He was prepared to become enraged very readily.
"You laugh at me, you young rascals?"
"Certainly we do, you mean scoundrel."
"You call me a scoundrel?"
"That's what we call you."
"You two rascals, get away from here or I'll hurt you."
"You will?"
"Yes."
"You can't hurt any one. You're a big fraud."
The man moved toward the speaker, when a dog barked savagely at his heels. He leaped in the air and turned quickly, but there was no dog there. He supposed the fierce animal had skipped away, and with an oath he advanced another step toward the laughing and jeering lads, when again the dog barked savagely at his heels, and again he leaped in the air, but there was no dog visible.
The man was confused, and Ike said:
"You are a villain. You should be lynched or ducked."
"Let's duck him," said Jack.
"It's a go," answered Ike.
The man gazed in amazement at their audacity, and he was about to make a rush, when seemingly there came a gruff voice behind him, preceded by a shrill whistle.
"Hold on there! what are you about?"
The man thought that indeed a park policeman was at hand. He turned. He was standing near the edge of the water, for the ventriloquists had purposely changed their own position so as to draw him down in that direction. As he turned Ike ran forward head first and made a clear dive straight at the small of the man's back. Over he went, face forward, paralyzed by the blow, and then the two lads jumped on him. Over and over they rolled him toward the water. At this instant the lady interfered, but her protest came too late. The man was rolled into the water about waist deep, and the water restored his strength, and there followed a mighty floundering as he struggled toward the shore. The boys roared with laughter. The man crawled out and made a rush for them, when again the dog barked at his heels, and he made a leap in the air; and as he turned and saw no dog, terror seized him, and a sudden impulse, for away he ran like a deer, all wet and dripping as he was. Then Ike advanced toward the veiled girl and said:
"Excuse us, miss, but he got just what he deserved. We saw him seize you and we made up our minds to scare him out. We will bid you good-morning. He will not molest you again."
The girl stood and gazed in silence a moment and then said:
"I thank you," and involuntarily she added: "Oh, what shall I do?"
"Are you in trouble, miss?" asked Ike.
The girl had betrayed herself to a certain extent, and she answered:
"Yes, I am in great trouble."
"Possibly we can aid you."
"No, no, you cannot aid me as readily and manfully as you did just now."
"But possibly we can."
The girl looked the two handsome lads over, and again she murmured, as though unable to control her emotions:
"Oh, what shall I do?"
"We can help you."
"No, you cannot help me."
"Yes, we can."
"No, no; I wish you could. No one can help me; I am ruined."
"Come, we will walk away from here and you shall tell us your trouble. We can aid you. You will find out that we can."
They were both bright-faced youths. They had just given an exhibition of their nerve and courage.
"Come, do not be afraid. We can aid you, no matter what your trouble."
"It's so strange," murmured the girl.
"What is so strange?"
"That you should offer to aid me."
"Well, we can aid you. That's our mission in life."
The girl did not understand the remark, but she was charmed with the two bright-faced, honest-looking lads. She said:
"I am half inclined to tell you my trouble. I am a stranger in New York; I have no one to confide in. Yes, I will tell you my trouble, but you cannot aid me."
"I reckon we can aid you, no matter what the trouble may be."
The girl walked away with the two ventriloquists, but occasionally she glanced back at the lake and both the youths were convinced that she had really intended suicide.
When some distance away from the lake and in a retired part of the park, the girl said:
"Mine is a very strange story. I do not know as you will believe it."
"We will believe anything you tell us," said Ike gallantly.
"A week ago I came on from San Francisco. My father died a year ago; my mother has been dead for a long time. My father knew he was to die, as he had an incurable disease, and he gave me all his savings, converted everything he had into cash and placed it in my hands, and when it came near the last he told me after his death to come on here to New York. He said he once had a brother whom he had not seen or heard from for thirty years. 'My brother may still be living; if so he will be your friend and protector, and you will not be dependent upon him, as you will have five thousand dollars.'
"After my father's death I remained in San Francisco a year to complete my education, and then I started for New York. The money I had changed into non-registered bonds, and I put them in my trunk. I arrived in New York a week ago and went to a place to board that had been recommended to me by a friend in San Francisco. Last night I opened my trunk to look at the bonds and discovered to my horror that they were gone. I at once informed the landlady, who told me she could do nothing, that she knew nothing about my bonds. She evidently did not believe my story. She looks upon me as a swindler. I saw in this morning's paper the name of a lawyer. I called upon him to consult him, but first I went to the captain of police in my district. He evidently did not believe my story, and then, as I said, I went to the lawyer. I told my tale to him. He said he could do nothing for me – I must depend upon the police. He also, I think, did not believe my story. They look upon me as an adventuress. I have no proofs. I have no way to prove that I ever had the bonds. They have been stolen, and in claiming them I am losing my reputation. I am looked upon as a swindler myself. I tell you the truth. I did have the bonds and they have been stolen from me. I am ruined. No one will believe me. You do not believe my story."
"Yes, I do believe your story," said Ike, "and we will recover your bonds."
"You will recover them?" exclaimed the girl.
"Yes, we will recover them."
"No, no; never," she said in a despairing tone.
"We will see about that. When did you last see your bonds?"
"The night after my arrival in New York."
"Where?"
"In my trunk."
"After you had arrived at your present boarding-house?"
"Yes."
"Is there any one in the house whom you suspect?"
"I know not whom to suspect, but they were stolen after my arrival in that house. The landlady refuses to believe my story; the captain of police refuses to believe my story, and the lawyer to whom I went and offered one thousand dollars as a fee refuses to believe my story."
"And my friend and I do believe your story, and we are the only ones who can aid you in recovering them. One would have to know you to believe your tale. It is indeed a strange one."
"And you do not know me."
"Well, we have other reasons for believing your story. I tell you we will recover your bonds. You can rely upon my word."
"How can you do it?"
"We have our own method for going about it."
"The landlady has hinted that she would like to have me leave the house. I have no money to go anywhere else, for all my money I had placed in my trunk and that is gone also."
"How much money did you have?"
"I had over two hundred dollars."
"And it has been stolen?"
"Yes; whoever took the bonds took my money also, and my jewelry – for all my valuables were in my trunk."
Jack looked at Ike in a dubious sort of way, for the story was becoming quite odd. Ike, however, believed the tale. He said:
"It's hard luck to lose all that way, but you shall have it returned to you."
"I don't know what I shall do."
"Did you tell any one else in the house about your loss save the landlady?"
"No, I have not said one word to any one else, and the landlady told me not to do so."
Ike was thoughtful a moment and then said:
"I will find your bonds. In the meantime I believe it well for you temporarily to find another boarding-place."
"I do not know where to go."
"I can recommend you to a very nice, motherly lady who will see to your comfort."
There came a look of sudden suspicion to the girl's eyes and she said:
"I have no money. I do not know what to do."
Ike, as our readers know, possessed wonderfully quick and observant eyes, and he could discern in a most remarkable manner.
"You need not bother about the money part of it. I know this lady well; she is a very reputable person, the widow of a man who was a great detective. She will be willing to wait for her pay until you recover your money and bonds."
"But I may never recover them."
"Yes, you will recover them; on that point you can make your mind easy. When I and my friend here set out to accomplish a thing we never fail, and you shall satisfy yourself that the lady will really become your friend before you take up your home with her."
Ike had organized a great scheme. He was satisfied in his own mind that the money had been stolen either by the landlady or one of her boarders. He had a way of bringing people to a betrayal that was all his own. He held some further talk with the girl, and then asked:
"What is your name?"
The girl hesitated.
"You need not fear to tell me your name. I will go with you if you choose to the captain of police and he shall vouch for my honor and loyalty."
"It is not necessary," said the girl, who was really bright and self-reliant. "My name is Sara Sidney."
"Miss Sidney," said our hero, "we will go to the home of the lady where I propose that you shall board while I am conducting the hunt for your missing bonds. You can satisfy yourself of her respectability before you remove to her home."
The girl hesitated.
"You need not hesitate. I will not only find your bonds, but I will find your uncle for you if he still be living, or his sons or daughters in case any of your cousins may be living."
"Why should you take all this trouble on my behalf?"
"I will confide to you a secret: I am a sort of detective. It is my duty to look out for you."
"I will go with you," said the girl.
Ike arranged to meet Jack later on and proceeded with Sara to the house of the lady where he proposed she should remain. The moment Sara was introduced to the lady the latter won the girl's confidence, and our hero left his charge with his friend, and the latter arranged to go with Sara and have her trunk removed. Meantime Ike met his comrade Jack, and the latter said:
"Well, Ike, I yield the palm to you. Yes, sir, you are the most observant and quickest person I ever met. I thought I was great, but you are the greatest fellow on earth, in my opinion."
"Well, it is strange how we chanced to fall to this girl, so beautiful and so helpless."
"Yes, she is beautiful, and I will say that there are thousands of undeveloped romances in New York at this very moment."
"Yes, that is true; if a man desires to get into an adventure of a strange character he can easily do it here in this great metropolis."
"Say, Ike, she is a beautiful girl."
"She is indeed. Have you fallen in love with her?"
"I don't know."
"I wish you'd find out," said Ike, with a very meaning smile on his face.
"Hello! is that the case, Ike?"
"Is what the case?"
"Are you dead gone so soon?"
"I don't know how I am, but she is a lovely girl and her case is a peculiar one."
"And you have promised to recover her bonds?"
"I have."
"You have undertaken a big job."
"You think so?"
"I do."
"I'll get them."
"You will?"
"Yes."
"Have you a plan?"
"I have."
"Will you tell me your plan?"
Ike revealed his plan to Jack, and the latter said:
"Well, I'll be shot if you haven't a head for a detective, and it's right here where our gifts come in."
"Yes, sir."
"And you want me to aid you?"
"Sure."
"When will you start in?"
"At once."
The same afternoon that the incidents occurred which we have related, Ike, gotten up in good shape and furnished with a letter of introduction, called at the house where Sara Sidney had been robbed, and he succeeded in engaging board. He pretended to be an art student, and the first night he appeared at the dinner table he glanced around to take in the general appearance of his fellow boarders. He was just the lad to measure human faces. He had questioned Sara very particularly about her fellow boarders in the house, and he was well posted when he sat down to the table, after the usual introduction in a general way. The people he found to be the usual representative class that one finds in a city boarding-house. There was the doctor who occupied the rear parlor, a lawyer, two lady typewriters, one a creature who knew it all from A to Z. There were in all about twenty people in the house. Ike went over them all. He studied in his quiet, cute way every face, and did not see one person whom he was led to suspect, and the sequel will prove how unerring was his facial study of those people. When the meal was about half through there came bouncing into the room a young man. He was a bold-faced, bumptious sort of a chap, and as he took his seat he ran his eyes over the people assembled and then asked:
"Where is Miss Sidney?"
The landlady said:
"She has left us."
The young man was thoughtful a moment, and then asked:
"When did she go?"
"This afternoon."
"What reason did she give for going?"
There was an interested look in the young fellow's eyes as he asked the question.
"She gave no reason."
"Where has she gone?"
"I do not know."
"I must find out," said the youth. "I was greatly taken with Miss Sidney; she was a very charming young lady. We shall miss her."
At that instant there came the announcement:
"Miss Sidney left the house because she was robbed."
Every one started. No one appeared to know who had spoken, but the young man gave a start, turned pale and asked in a voice that trembled perceptibly:
"Who says she was robbed?"
At that moment the landlady returned to the room. She saw that something had gone wrong.
"What is the matter?" she asked.
No one answered, and there followed a moment's awkward silence, broken at length by the bumptious young man, who said:
"Some one stated that Miss Sidney left here because she had been robbed."
The landlady's face flushed scarlet as she said:
"Who made the statement?"
No one answered.
"It's false," said the landlady, "and I should like to know who said she had been robbed."
"I said so."
The voice appeared to come from the old maid typewriter, and the landlady at once exclaimed:
"Miss Gaynor, did you state that Miss Sidney left here because she was robbed?"
"I did not," declared Miss Gaynor, indignantly.
"I said so," came a voice from the far end of the table.
The landlady looked in the direction indicated. An old man sat there and the voice was that of an old man.
"Did you say so, Mr. Smith?"
"I did not, madam," declared the elderly gentleman in an angry tone.
Again there followed a silence, when the landlady remarked:
"It's very strange; if any one makes such a charge, I wish they would come out and do so openly."
"Mr. Goodlove made the statement," came a voice.
Mr. Goodlove was the bumptious young man. He at once rose to his feet and in an indignant tone declared:
"It's a lie, I did not make the statement. Who says I did?"
"I do," came the answer, and it appeared to come from the young lady typewriter number two, who was a pretty, delicate-looking young girl, quiet, modest, and least likely to speak out boldly.
The man Goodlove looked at her and demanded:
"Do you dare say I made the statement?"
"I said nothing," she answered timidly, adding, "I did not speak at all."
"What is all this ado about, anyhow?" came a voice. "Mr. Goodlove knows better than any one else that Miss Sidney was robbed; why does he pretend ignorance as to the cause of her leaving?"
The young man turned ghastly.
"Who spoke then?" he asked.
"Oh, it's no use asking who spoke; you know all about the robbery."
"Whoever says that is a liar."
The landlady was becoming greatly excited. She said:
"Miss Sidney did claim that she was robbed, but I have proof that she is an adventuress and a blackmailer. She told me she had been robbed and she really wanted to work upon my sympathies. She did not possess anything to be robbed of, and I told her she had better go away."
"You did right," said Mr. Goodlove. "I did not wish to tell you, madam, but I suspected all along that the minx was an adventuress."
A voice came, saying: "You've changed your mind; you said she was a lovely girl and that you were very much taken with her. Well, I reckon you did take."
"Who spoke?" demanded Goodlove.
"Oh, you know who spoke, and you know more about this whole affair than any one else. The police are after you."
The man wilted as he asked:
"Did Miss Sidney hint that I was the robber?"
As Goodlove spoke his eyes wandered around to learn who it was who had addressed him.
"No, she didn't accuse any one; you have accused yourself. You were seen, however, to deposit a whole lot of gold."
"She didn't have any gold," came the excited declaration.
Ike had struck his man at last.
It was a strange scene in that room at that moment, and the great mystery was who did the talking. No one appeared to know and there was great confusion, and it was because of the confusion that no one appeared to recognize, as stated, who was doing the talking.
There came a voice demanding, when Goodlove said she had no gold:
"How do you know? Were you rummaging in her trunk?"
The man became confused; indeed, he looked as though about going into collapse.
The most mysterious part of it all was the fact that no one knew who was doing the talking. The people looked into each other's faces and could not discern, and yet the voice sounded distinct and clear. Some one was talking. Who was it?
During all this time Ike was as mute as an owl after dawn. He looked around with an inquiring and surprised look upon his face, seemingly as greatly mystified as any one, and the voice pitilessly continued:
"Better be careful, Mister Man. The detectives have their eyes on you."
Goodlove turned to the landlady and almost yelled:
"Madam, send for an officer. This is going too far."
"I will not have an officer in my house; no need."
"But, madam, who is it insulting me?"
"I do not know."
The landlady was as much dazed and mystified as any one.
The voice, however, ceased – became hushed; but a strange feeling pervaded those who had been witnesses and listeners during the strange scene. One after the other they rose and left the table and the room. Goodlove and Ike remained. The fellow looked over at Ike sharply and said:
"Say, my friend, did you notice who used the insulting language?"
The voice was again heard. It appeared to come from the hall and the words were:
"That young man does not know anything about it. Don't question him, you thief."
Goodlove rushed out to the hall. There was not a soul there. He ran up the stairs, but saw no one. Each one of the boarders had either retired to his room or had gone out. Ike left the table and passed Goodlove in the hall. He did not speak to the man, but went to the hatrack, secured his hat and stepped out to the street. Goodlove meantime entered the parlor and commenced pacing the floor. The landlady joined him.
"Madam," he said, "this is a most extraordinary occurrence."
"It is, sir."
"You were present. You know who made those insulting remarks."
"I do not."
"I will know, madam."
"I hope you will be able to learn, for the occurrence will do me great injury unless the mystery is explained."
"There is no mystery about it. You have an impudent rascal in your house. Who is your new boarder?"
"He came to me highly recommended."
"It's all very strange, madam."
"Can it be possible," asked the landlady, "that the new boarder is a detective?"
Goodlove's face became ghastly. He walked more rapidly, and finally, seizing his hat from the hatrack, stepped out to the street. He had gone but a few steps, however, when a hand was laid on his shoulder – a heavy hand. The man would have shrieked if he had not been actually paralyzed with terror.
