Back Aa

Woman at Bay

<h2 class="newchapter">CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> <h3>BLACK MADGE CAUGHT IN A TRAP.</h3> But the flaring up of the match also developed another rather startling fact, and that was the presence of Curly, who, with the bartender, Phil, was standing directly behind Chick. The light also discovered Nick Carter to the others, as it discovered them to him, and, although it burned but a moment, it was a revelation to all the parties concerned. It was Phil, the bartender, who acted more quickly than the others in this somewhat confusing moment of the encounter, for, with admirable presence of mind, he stepped quickly forward, and, reaching out his hands, managed to pull the others toward him until their heads were so close together that the faintest whisper could be heard, and then he said: "Follow me along the corridor into the front hall. We can talk there." They did so, and presently they stood together in the front hallway beside the stairs beyond the hidden doorway which Nick had discovered. And, during the time they occupied in getting to this point, Nick, who realized that the disguise he wore was no longer of any importance, busily engaged himself in removing it, or, at least, the facial part of it, so that, although in[Pg 312] the dark they could not see him, he had restored himself, nevertheless, to his proper person. "Now, Curly," said the detective, "tell me what this all means. I don't understand it at all." "Let me talk," interrupted Phil. "It's this way, Carter: When you escaped from the barroom through the little door into the boss' sanctum, you had no sooner gone than Grinnel switched on the lights again, and your absence was discovered. Then it was that the whole bunch lit on to Curly and Chick here, with both feet, downed them, trussed them up, and when Chick was taken to the cellar below, to feed the rats, if he had been left there long enough, Curly was fired along with him. I tell you, right now, Carter, it's all up with Curly in this place. He never can make himself good with this bunch again as long as he lives, and it's up to him to light out now, for good and all, unless he wants to turn up his toes and go to the morgue." The detective turned to Curly again, and once more struck a match so that they could all see the faces of one another. "Is that straight, Curly?" he asked. "That's about the size of it, Mr. Carter." "Then," said Nick, "am I to understand that the occurrences of this evening have released me from my promise to you to make no arrests in this place,[Pg 313] or any arrest of any one who is now in this place within twenty-four hours?" "Yes, sir, the promise is all off. You can do as you've a mind to. It would suit me to a T if you would gather in the whole push." "Thank you, Curly," said Nick. "That statement of yours lets me out of a peck of trouble, for having given the promise, of course I would not break it, and I could not quite see how we could carry this thing through to a finish without." He was silent for a moment after that, and then he asked: "Can I rely upon you, Curly, to stand by me through what is to come?" "To the last ditch, Mr. Carter," was the emphatic response. "And you, Phil—what about you?" "Well," was the slow reply, for the man was evidently considering his words with very great care, "I guess my usefulness in this place is just about over. When the boss finds out that Curly and Chick have both gotten out of the dungeon below, he will know mighty well who it was that let them out, and that will mean yours truly for the dead wagon in about fifteen minutes; so I think, Carter, that I'd better tie up to you while I've got the chance. I am not a crook myself, and never have been one, although I have con[Pg 314]sorted with them, and been companions with them for a good many years." "And will you see the thing through to the finish, Phil?" asked Nick again. "I will do just as Curly said he would do. I'll stand by you to the last ditch." "Are you all ready to obey my orders, exactly as I shall give them?" asked Nick again, slowly. "We are," came the unanimous response. "In this case," said the detective, "I am going to make a desperate effort to find out what a bold stroke will do, and here is my plan: We will go back together to that door before which I was standing a moment ago, which, I conclude, from its character, is rather a flimsy——" "It is that," said Phil. "And after we get there we will stand silently for a moment, each one of you preparing for the signal which I shall give. When I say, 'Now,' I will throw myself against the door, and burst it open, and as I do so, and leap into the room, you three are to follow me, one after the other, as quickly as possible. "You, Phil, will make directly for the electric switch, and you will see to it, no matter what happens, that the room is not plunged in darkness. "You, Curly—by the way, have you any weapons about you?" "I have got two guns in my pocket, all right." [Pg 315]"Very well; you, Curly, the moment you get into the room, will draw your two guns, and level them at the crowd. "After that all you have to do is to follow the lead of Chick and myself, and protect yourselves until the fight is over—if there is a fight." "I reckon I can do that, too, Mr. Carter," said Curly. "I haven't a doubt of it, Curly. I want you to remember not to shoot too quick, and under no circumstances to shoot to kill, unless it is absolutely necessary; as a matter of fact, I don't expect that we will have much trouble, for when they see us in the room, fully armed, and hear the first words that I shall utter, I think we will have no difficulty in carrying our point." There was nothing more said then, and Nick turned away, and led them quickly back again to the door, near which he had heard the conversation between Black Madge and Mike Grinnel. For a moment they stood there, waiting to get their breath, and to prepare their muscles and sinews and nerves for the ordeal to which they were about to be put; and then from the detective came a low and emphatic—"Now!" The instant that the detective shouted out this word, he plunged forward, throwing his shoulder heavily against the flimsy door, already mentioned, so that it[Pg 316] was burst from its lock and from its hinges at the same time, and was sent flying halfway across the room. But even before the clatter which followed the crash had subsided, Nick Carter, with a pistol in either hand, had leaped across the threshold, and with one more bound arrived at the spot directly beside Mike Grinnel. Turning the weapon about while he approached, he brought the butt of it down, with a resounding whack, upon Grinnel's skull, sending him tumbling to the floor, and then he straightened up, with both arms extended, and the muzzles of his pistols wavering from form to form of the astonished throng in the room, and he cried out: "Hands up, every one of you. I am here after just one person. The rest of you I don't want, unless somebody interferes with me, and if you do interfere there are enough outside of this house, without doubt, to take you all in." When he leaped across the threshold, the others followed him, as he had directed, and, having already cautioned Chick in a whisper to look out for Madge, and feeling sure that the others would do their respective duties, as he had directed, Nick had no fear whatever of the result. A collection of criminals assembled as these were are always glad to hear that there is only one among[Pg 317] them who is "wanted," for each one seems instinctively to know that he is not "it." And Nick Carter knew the criminal class so well that he was certain that this announcement would prevent any immediate attack upon him by the twenty or thirty men who were gathered there. Having heard this statement, and having, also, taken due notice of his suggestion that there were plenty of reënforcements outside the building, although it will be remembered that the detective had not explained how far outside they were, and remembering that a considerable time had elapsed since Nick Carter left that room before, they were one and all willing to wait a moment before beginning what might be an unnecessary attack, which would be sure to send many of them to prison before it was over. And so they waited, casting furtive glances at one another, many of them with their hands upon their weapons, and all of them ready to fight, if need be, but quite as ready to avoid a fight, if it were policy to do so. "Now, listen to me," said Nick Carter. "I came here to-night to get Black Madge, and I know by the sounds I have heard behind me since I entered the room just now that she has got a pair of bracelets on her that she doesn't like to wear. I am going to take her away with me, and she is going to be sent back to the prison from which she escaped, and if there is anybody in this crowd that interferes with me, or[Pg 318] offers to do so, it will be very much the worse for that person. "On the other hand, if I am not interfered with, we shall go away quietly with Madge, and what the rest of you may do after that does not concern me. You have my word for it, and you all know that when Nick Carter gives his word, he keeps it. Now, answer me, somebody, and let him speak for all. Does what I say go?" A voice from the far end of the room replied instantly: "I say it goes, for one." "Then answer, all of you," said the detective. "It goes. You bet it goes." In their eagerness to answer his request, they came near to all shouting at once. "Thank you," said Nick, smiling. "Now, I have one more word to say, and then we will take our departure. There are eight men here whose names I will call, and I want them each to take this as a warning from me. They are Scar-faced Johnny; a man called Slippery Al; Surly Bob, whose career I know; Gentleman Jim, who, for the good of his health, ought to take a vacation on the other side of the ocean; Joe Cuthbert; Eugene Maxwell; Fly Cummings; and, last, but not least, is the man who is known as The Parson, and that same Parson had[Pg 319] better get himself out of New York as quickly as possible. "I am speaking now to those eight whose names I have mentioned. I know that you have all joined in with an organization created by Black Madge. I know, or think I know, the purpose of that organization. I will give all of you twenty-four hours to get out of the city of New York, and if any one of you is found inside of the limits of the city after that time, look out for squalls." There was a low murmur around the room following upon this speech by the detective, but whether in protest or approbation, the detective did not concern himself to discover. With calm deliberation, he turned his back upon them all, and motioned to Chick, who had Madge securely handcuffed to his own wrist, to precede him through the door. Then he motioned to Curly and to Phil to pass through it also. And, then, stepping himself to the door, he turned about upon the threshold, and faced the crowd once more. "One last word to you all," he said. "He among you who hurts Curly John, or Phil, the bartender, for this night's work, or attempts to do so, hurts me. I bid you good night." [Pg 320]It is only necessary to add that, within forty-eight hours of that time, Black Madge found herself again in the prison of that State for which she had expressed such abounding contempt, and that, at her trial, which followed soon after, she was sentenced to serve ten years in the State prison, where she is at this day. THE END <div class="blockquot">"The Temple of Vice" is the title of New Magnet Series No. 1223, by Nicholas Carter. It is a story that will thrill you throughout its reading. </div> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> NICK CARTER STORIES <h2>New Magnet Library</h2> Not a Dull Book in This List ALL BY NICHOLAS CARTER Nick Carter stands for an interesting detective story. The fact that the books in this line are so uniformly good is entirely due to the work of a specialist. The man who wrote these stories produced no other type of fiction. His mind was concentrated upon the creation of new plots and situations in which his hero emerged triumphantly from all sorts of troubles and landed the criminal just where he should be—behind the bars. The author of these stories knew more about writing detective stories than any other single person. Following is a list of the best Nick Carter stories. They have been selected with extreme care, and we unhesitatingly recommend each of them as being fully as interesting as any detective story between cloth covers which sells at ten times the price. If you do not know Nick Carter, buy a copy of any of the New Magnet Library books, and get acquainted. He will surprise and delight you. ALL TITLES ALWAYS IN PRINT <ol style="list-style-type: decimal; padding-left: 6em;"> <li value="901">— A Weird Treasure</li> <li>— The Middle Link</li> <li>— To the Ends of the Earth</li> <li>— When Honors Pall</li> <li>— The Yellow Brand</li> <li>— A New Serpent in Eden</li> <li>— When Brave Men Tremble</li> <li>— A Test of Courage</li> <li>— Where Peril Beckons</li> <li>— The Gargoni Girdle</li> <li>— Rascals & Co.</li> <li>— Too Late to Talk</li> <li>— Satan's Apt Pupil</li> <li>— The Girl Prisoner</li> <li>— The Danger of Folly</li> <li>— One Shipwreck Too Many</li> <li>— Scourged by Fear</li> <li>— The Red Plague</li> <li>— Scoundrels Rampant</li> <li>— From Clew to Clew</li> <li>— When Rogues Conspire</li> <li>— Twelve in a Grave</li> <li>— The Great Opium Case</li> <li>— A Conspiracy of Rumors</li> <li>— A Klondike Claim</li> <li>— The Evil Formula</li> <li>— The Man of Many Faces</li> <li>— The Great Enigma</li> <li>— The Burden of Proof</li> <li>— The Stolen Brain</li> <li>— A Titled Counterfeiter</li> <li>— The Magic Necklace</li> <li>— 'Round the World for a Quarter</li> <li>— Over the Edge of the World</li> <li>— In the Grip of Fate</li> <li>— The Case of Many Clews</li> <li>— The Sealed Door</li> <li>— Nick Carter and the Green Goods Men</li> <li>— The Man Without a Will</li> <li>— Tracked Across the Atlantic</li> <li>— A Clew from the Unknown</li> <li>— The Crime of a Countess</li> <li>— A Mixed-up Mess</li> <li>— The Great Money-order Swindle</li> <li>— The Adder's Brood</li> <li>— A Wall Street Haul</li> <li>— For a Pawned Crown</li> <li>— Sealed Orders</li> <li>— The Hate that Kills</li> <li>— The American Marquis</li> <li>— The Needy Nine</li> <li>— Fighting Against Millions</li> <li>— Outlaws of the Blue</li> <li>— The Old Detective's Pupil</li> <li>— Found in the Jungle</li> <li>— The Mysterious Mail Robbery</li> <li>— Broken Bars</li> <li>— A Fair Criminal</li> <li>— Won by Magic</li> <li>— The Piano Box Mystery</li> <li>— The Man They Held Back</li> <li>— A Millionaire Partner</li> <li>— A Pressing Peril</li> <li>— An Australian Klondike</li> <li>— The Sultan's Pearls</li> <li>— The Double Shuffle Club</li> <li>— Paying the Price</li> <li>— A Woman's Hand</li> <li>— A Network of Crime</li> <li>— At Thompson's Ranch</li> <li>— The Crossed Needles</li> <li>— The Diamond Mine Case</li> <li>— Blood Will Tell</li> <li>— An Accidental Password</li> <li>— The Crook's Double</li> <li>— Two Plus Two</li> <li>— The Yellow Label</li> <li>— The Clever Celestial</li> <li>— The Amphitheater Plot</li> <li>— Gideon Drexel's Millions</li> <li>— Death in Life</li> <li>— A Stolen Identity</li> <li>— Evidence by Telephone</li> <li>— The Twelve Tin Boxes</li> <li>— Clew Against Clew</li> <li>— Lady Velvet</li> <li>— Playing a Bold Game</li> <li>— A Dead Man's Grip</li> <li>— Snarled Identities</li> <li>— A Deposit Vault Puzzle</li> <li>— The Crescent Brotherhood</li> <li>— The Stolen Pay Train</li> <li>— The Sea Fox</li> <li>— Wanted by Two Clients</li> <li>— The Van Alstine Case</li> <li>— Check No. 777</li> <li>— Partners in Peril</li> <li>— Nick Carter's Clever Protégé</li> <li>— The Sign of the Crossed Knives</li> <li>— The Man Who Vanished</li> <li>— A Battle for the Right</li> <li>— A Game of Craft</li> <li>— Nick Carter's Retainer</li> <li>— Caught in the Toils</li> <li>— A Broken Bond</li> <li>— The Crime of the French Café</li> <li>— The Man Who Stole Millions</li> <li>— The Twelve Wise Men</li> <li>— Hidden Foes</li> <li>— A Gamblers' Syndicate</li> <li>— A Chance Discovery</li> <li>— Among the Counterfeiters</li> <li>— A Threefold Disappearance</li> <li>— At Odds with Scotland Yard</li> <li>— A Princess of Crime</li> <li>— Found on the Beach</li> <li>— A Spinner of Death</li> <li>— The Detective's Pretty Neighbor</li> <li>— A Bogus Clew</li> <li>— The Puzzle of Five Pistols</li> <li>— The Secret of the Marble Mantel</li> <li>— A Bite of an Apple</li> <li>— A Triple Crime</li> <li>— The Stolen Race Horse</li> <li>— Wildfire</li> <li>— A Herald Personal</li> <li>— The Finger of Suspicion</li> <li>— The Crimson Clew</li> <li>— Nick Carter Down East</li> <li>— The Chain of Clews</li> <li>— A Victim of Circumstances</li> <li>— Brought to Bay</li> <li>— The Dynamite Trap</li> <li>— A Scrap of Black Lace</li> <li>— The Woman of Evil</li> <li>— A Legacy of Hate</li> <li>— A Trusted Rogue</li> <li>— Man Against Man</li> <li>— The Demons of the Night</li> <li>— The Brotherhood of Death</li> <li>— At the Knife's Point</li> <li>— A Cry for Help</li> <li>— A Stroke of Policy</li> <li>— Hounded to Death</li> <li>— A Bargain in Crime</li> <li>— The Fatal Prescription</li> <li>— The Man of Iron</li> <li>— An Amazing Scoundrel</li> <li>— The Chain of Evidence</li> <li>— Paid with Death</li> <li>— A Fight for a Throne</li> <li>— The Woman of Steel</li> <li>— The Seal of Death</li> <li>— The Human Fiend</li> <li>— A Desperate Chance</li> <li>— A Chase in the Dark</li> <li>— The Snare and the Game</li> <li>— The Murray Hill Mystery</li> <li>— Nick Carter's Close Call</li> <li>— The Missing Cotton King</li> <li>— A Game of Plots</li> <li>— The Prince of Liars</li> <li>— The Man at the Window</li> <li>— The Red League</li> <li>— The Price of a Secret</li> <li>— The Worst Case on Record</li> <li>— From Peril to Peril</li> <li>— The Seal of Silence</li> <li>— Nick Carter's Chinese Puzzle</li> <li>— A Blackmailer's Bluff</li> <li>— Heard in the Dark</li> <li>— A Checkmated Scoundrel</li> <li>— The Cashier's Secret</li> <li>— Behind a Mask</li> </ol> <div class="blockquot"> READ When you want real recreation in your leisure hours, read! Read the Street & Smith Novels! They are the cheapest and most interesting reading matter published in America to-day. No jazz—no sex—just big, clean, interesting books. There are hundreds of different titles, among which you will find a lot of exactly the sort of reading you want. So, when you get tired of rolling around in your Lady Lizzie or listening to the blah-blah of your radio, hie yourself to the nearest news dealer, grab off a copy of a good detective, adventure or love story, and then READ! Read the Street & Smith Novels. Catalogue sent upon request. Street & Smith Corporation 79 Seventh Avenue   New York City Printed in the U. S. A. </div> <div class="blockquot"> [Transcriber's Note: The original edition of this work did not contain a table of contents. A table of contents has been created for this electronic edition. The advertisement containing a list of other Nick Carter stories has been moved from the front of the book to the back. The following typographical errors present in the original edition have been corrected. In Chapter II, a period was changed to a comma after "who he was". In Chapter V, a missing period was added after "take me into the fold" and after "near the tracks". In Chapter VII, "dregs in you coffee cup" was changed to "dregs in your coffee cup". In Chapter XIII, "she heard Madge inquire" was changed to "he heard Madge inquire". In Chapter XIV, "lying at full lngth" was changed to "lying at full length". In Chapter XVI, "He rose stifly" was changed to "He rose stiffly". In Chapter XIX, a missing quotation mark was added before "but he sent a bullet after me". In Chapter XXII, "that wake of life" was changed to "that walk of life". In Chapter XXVI, a missing period was added after "too stuck up for my kind". No other changes have been made to the original text.] </div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

1 of 2

2 of 2

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.