The Man from London.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 99, 27 April 1903, Page 6

The Man from London.

By NICHOLAS CARTER, Author of "Lady Velvet," "Brought to Bay," "Within the Toils," "Fighting Against Millions," etc.

CHAPTER XXIV. MAKING COMBINATIONS. "Have you the macMne, the device, with you?" inquired, "the customer." "Yes." "You sell it to me for a thousand dollars ?" "Not this one, but a duplicate." "When?" "To-morrow." "1 would liice ,you to demonstrate the effect." "What do you want to work on?" "Well —there's an envelope, with the address in good black ink," said the other, producing it from his pocket. "Do fou want that writing obliterated?? ! "Do that, and- I'll say it's a bargaifi.' Nick could not restrain the impulse to lift his head. He could not see all that Norris £id> but he could trace from his movements that some battery stored about him connected with a queer little contrivance of metal, glass and rubber that he held in one hand. Attached to this was a wire running to a bone-handled gutta-percha and zinc roller. The" customer had placed the envelope on the table.

Norris applied the roller. Over it once only the roller passed. "Blank!" fairly gasped the astounded and delightful customer. "Yes," coolly nodded Norris. "It will do "that every time?" "Never fails."

"Why! I can give an T.0.U., get hold of it later—Zip! One touch " "And you OAve nothing." "I can get that will —never mind. Say! I take the machine." "Very well." "I will bo here at this time to-mor-row evening with tin thousand dollars." "And I will be here with the machine. Good-evening." It was evident that Norris wanted to be alone, or, at least, did not care to leave the garden in company with the other. His customer bowed and departed. Norris backed toward the private booth, enttvod it and drew oft" his coat. Keeping an eye out, he began to unwind various wires from his body. "I don't want to be hampered by this arrangement, with to-hight'a business on hand," Nick distinctly heard him mutter. His elastic armature was like some harness.

Tie reached both hands behind J)im to unsßap two cutolips, connecting wires runtoing from tlio waist to the shoulders, where sonio pnrt of tbe electric eraser evidently rested. Norris had some trouble detaching the hooks—his fingers fumbled. Nick looked about the place; no one was in sight. Ho had the fellow "red handed"! Quickly the detective slipped a hand into his hip-pocket. Noiselessly he. drew forth a Shining pair of handcufTs. There was an unexpected snap —two of them.

Like a madman, Xorris turned, halfdivining his dilemma. "Insulated, my friend!" observed Nick Carter, coolly.

The "electric man," Nick Carter's double, Norris, broke forth in violent curees.

Helplessly handcuffed though lie was he* rushed upon his captor. Nick never moved, but met him with an pyo that quelled him.

"What cheap trickery is this?" panted the prisoner. "Insulated," said Nick, coolly; "now we will see about being isolated."

"You don't mean to nay that I am arrested.!' , brazened Norris. "Why, yes—about that." "Yon are making a serious mistake. I tell you— " "You can tell them at the station house," suggested the detective. "I can convince you or them that I am—" "'Mr Nicholas Carter?'" "Hah! Ray, «re you?"

"Perhaps." r Flie prisoner hung his head and began to mutter under his breath.

7Te made no resistance as ISTick forced him through a fide exit of the summer garden to the street and into a cab.

But the prisoner was constantly alert. Along the brilliantly lighted thoroughfares, clear Tip to the police station, with eager desperation, he scanned'every person on the pavemevits.

Mick sat by the man's side, ready to check the evident warning direction he would have shouted to accomplices had he met such.

Nick carefully removed the electrical harness and "the eraser" from Norris' body.

It comprised "dead-sure" . evidence against the prisoner. Nick suggested a single query.

"Norris." he asked, "are those 'wires' ready yet?"

The prisoner started, scowled, fixed a murderous look on Nick, and was silent.

Nick left the station. lie was satisfied that he had the ldng-bce of the case in custody.

He might have put in some time forcing a cross-examination, but a memory of the flower girl suggested a new line ready for exploration.

Nick had overheard all that Norirs had told this girl.

He called her Delia and he presented her with a ring.

Norris had apprised her in detail where she was to post herself- —near the bank —to act the ally, the messenger, in some plan of the night.

Nick believed that Ida also had overheard this interview between man and girl at the summer garden.

Certainly 'lliek had seen Ida leave a lattice-guard as the flower girl moved away. As the detective neared the bank, therefore, he kept eyes and ears pretty well on the alert, believing that Ida

Avould be on the spot. • . Nick passed the bahii on the opposite side of the street. To his surprise he received no signal to indicate that Patsy was lurking in the vicinity, as he had been informed. He could dimly see the form of the inside watchman in a chair, just beyond a bank window. The cap, the head, were visible; before the vaults the droplights shone full on the glistening metal doors. Upstairs there was neither light nor movement. Nick passed along in the. shadow. He was bent on a detour that would bring him around to the spot where Norris had ordered the girl Delia to post herself. Nick passed the billboard with little realisation of the interest it had held for his energetic young assistant, Chic, an hour oi*.more earlier. As he reached its end tht detective came to a sudden halt. Above -the mingled sounds arising from the streets a low whistls seemed blended into an answering one. "Aloft?" questioned Nick, quickly, lifting his gaze. A brisk whirr followed the whistling sounds. Like a long snake uncoiling, something thick, rubbery, tailed a line of bellying black across the street. It shot straight to the roof of a building opposite the one at the end of the billboard.

Nick discerned it to be a heavy wire, almost the thickness of a human finger.

It began to lose its lax sway—it moved along. Nick followed it with his eyes till he saw it carried diagonally to the roof of the bank building.

"'Wait for the wires?'" qiioted Nick, from the message in the papier-mache apple. "The work is going on without its main director, it seems. "

"There is a. 'connection' between this building :md the bank. ,

"A wire has been stretched —a big one. I am beginning to guess. Now, for the flower girl!"

Nick'came around behind the bank.

Hero was a space leading most conveniently into shadow.

He made out a form—he could not mistake the hat; veil and drcs3 of the girl to whom Norris had given his mysterious instructions and a ring. The girl was standing motionless, looking into the dark, courtlike space, her back to the street.

"The game Seems in play. , ' muttered Nick. "F rrsJ] take a hnml."

He glided noiselessly, directly up behind tin's posted sentinel. "Wanted, young lady!" observed Nick. He clasped the girl by an arm and wheeled her about, ready to silence her if she attempted to cry out a warning.

Very tranquilly the veiled face was lifted to Nick's own.

"What for?" interrogated Ida.

"Zounds!" Nick was forced to exclaim, from sheer admiration—"you make up well."

"That was the easy part of it." "Where is your model?" "Safe and harmless." "What is the hard part?" Ida pointed down the dark court.

"Two men passed me here," she said "How loner since 1" 9 "About half an hour ago." "Go on, Ida."

"They had ropes, carpet-sack?—they reminded me of telegraph line repairers."

"It fits," nodded Nick. Tda wan extending a key. "Ono of them gave me this," she ex plained.

"What'is it for?"

" 'When you hear this,' the man said" —Ida's pretty lips puckered to an imitative whistle—" 'go ahead. Start away, get a cab, and bring the others to Norris.'"

"The others?" repeated Nick, thoughtfully. * . "Yes,"

"Where are those others, Ida, do you suppose ?"

"I don't know, for I didn't dare ask." "Oil, certainly not. But I think I know."

"When the signal conies?"

"It will not com? till T have soon you again, Ida,'* apprised Nick. "Remain hero at your post, while I look into matters."

Nick went into the shadows

Where an angle was formed by two walls, he found .a dangling rope. Up twelve feet it was secured to the bar of a window, of which two companion bars were missing.

Nick Ascended. He knew instantly where he was—upon a landing of the stairway that led to the tipper rooms of the bank.

Light guided him. Nick noiselessly continued an ascent.

He reached a hall: at ite end was the door of a room, half ajar. Nick reached it; he peered in. A strange spectacle greeted his vision.

Dressed for the street, the armlesg man was evidently waiting for something to happen, or somebody to appear.

Meantime, he was not idle. He was half-leanLig over a table. TTpon a. sheet of paper he was—figuring. ■ '

With skill and intelligence, Brewer was dashing off the numbers With his mouth!

That is, a fountain pen between his lips, the armless man was showing his proficiency as a mathematician and a scholar.

The mystery of the unique forgeries was a mystery no longer!

(To be continued daily.)