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Man Without a Conscience

<h2>CHAPTER III. NICK CARTER HELD UP.</h2> Despite that he then attached no special significance to the photograph, the fact that Nick Carter was of a peculiarly impressionable nature, and that any unusual circumstance quickly stirred his rare detective instinct, appeared in his next question and the abruptness with which it was asked. “How did it happen, Weston, that this picture of the scene was taken during the robbery?” “I’ll tell you,” replied the Boston chief. “One moment,” interposed Nick. “First, tell me something about the victims of the robbery.” “The Mrs. Badger mentioned,” replied Weston, “is the wife of one Amos G. Badger, a wealthy Boston stock-broker. He owns a fine old place on one of the most desirable outskirts of Brookline, inherited from his father some years ago, and the couple move in the most exclusive circles of the local fashionable society. Badger’s place is on Laurel Road, and covers several acres.” “Go on,” nodded Nick; “I follow you.” “Mrs. Badger’s companion that afternoon was her[25] sister,” continued Weston, “a woman locally famous under the name of Madame Victoria.” “Famous for what?” inquired Nick. “Well, she claims to be an astrologer, a spiritual medium, and a sort of fortune-teller, I believe,” explained Chief Weston. “H’m!” “At all events, Nick, she does a tremendous business, and has a magnificent suite in an office building on Tremont Street, directly opposite the Common. No end of wealthy and fashionable people consult her, either for advice in business or love-affairs—or to get messages alleged to come from dead friends,” added Weston, laughing a bit derisively. “I don’t take any stock in that stuff,” said Nick bluntly. “Nor do I, Nick,” was the reply. “Yet the woman is certainly a character, and, if reports are true, has made very many remarkable predictions, and displays a most mysterious faculty for communicating with the unseen world.” “Bosh!” “Like you, Nick, I have no faith in any of that rot!” laughed Weston. “Yet I know half a dozen brokers who consult her regularly as to the course of the stock-market,[26] as well as many other business men, all of whom claim to derive great advantages thereby. Her rooms are always occupied by some patron, either male or female, and her fees are very high. So there may be a little more in it, Nick, than you imagine.” Nick shook his head incredulously. “Come back to Hecuba,” he growled. “You say that this woman is sister to Badger’s wife?” “Yes.” “What is her right name?” “Victoria Clayton.” “A euphonious name, at least.” “Badger’s wife was a Claudia Clayton, and at one time was on the stage,” continued Weston. “She, too, is a remarkably clever and capable woman, an accomplished linguist, a votary of physical culture, an expert tennis and golf-player, and one of the best cross-country riders among the cultured sporting set who lean to such pastimes. Both women, in fact, are over the average, and out of the ordinary.” “Did Badger marry his wife from the stage?” “I think not, Nick. She had retired some time before. They have been married about five years, I believe.” “Come back to the picture,” said Nick. “It must have been taken just as the hold-up occurred.” [27] “Yes, it was.” “Were the crooks aware of it?” “No, indeed.” “How was the trick pulled off?” demanded Nick curiously. “It’s not often that such a clever dodge is played upon professional crooks.” “The woman who did it is clever, just as I tell you.” “Tell me how it happened.” “I will give you the facts as they were given to me.” “By whom?” “By Amos Badger and his wife,” replied Chief Weston. “He notified me by telephone of the robbery, and called here with his wife the next morning to report the details of the hold-up. Two days later, as soon as it could be finished and mounted, Badger brought me the photograph.” “What about the hold-up?” “It was committed about a week ago, at three o’clock in the afternoon,” said Weston. “Mrs. Badger and her sister, Madame Victoria, were returning from Canton to Brookline. When in a lonely section of a road that leads through a considerable belt of woods, they rounded a sharp curve and came suddenly upon a large automobile standing at an angle across the road. A man appeared to be fixing some break in the works, and was[28] crouching beside it, while a woman stood near-by in the road, apparently watching him.” “Were they the only occupants of that car?” “Yes, as the picture indicates. They were, too, the only persons in sight in either direction.” “The machine appears to be a Winton.” “That’s what it was, Nick, for Mrs. Badger noticed it.” “Go on,” nodded Nick. “What more?” “Naturally Mrs. Badger slowed down, nearly stopping, for the road was almost completely blocked by the other car,” continued Weston. “Then the veiled woman seen in the picture suddenly stepped forward, leveled a revolver, and commanded Mrs. Badger not to start her auto without permission.” “H’m!” exclaimed Nick. “That was bold, indeed.” “At the same moment the man, who was seen to be masked, sprang up and approached the two startled women, and commanded them to hand over their jewelry and money, and to be very lively about it.” “Which they did?” “Yes, Nick, for the women naturally were much alarmed. Both hastened to obey, though Madame Victoria did, I believe, undertake to make some argument[29] or protest. She was cut short, however, with a threat that quickly silenced her.” “I see.” “She had on the seat of the car, however, a small camera, which she frequently carries, one of her fads being that of securing pretty views, of which she has several large volumes. Looking down, she observed it, and had the presence of mind to conceal it with her hand, at the same time snapping it and luckily catching the picture you have there. I told her it was a clever piece of work, Nick, yet it is much to be regretted that the faces of the crooks were covered. Otherwise, we should possess a clue well worth having.” “I believe your story,” assented Nick. “The crooks, having secured their plunder, ordered the women to drive on, which they were very willing to do,” concluded Weston. “They were too frightened to venture back in pursuit of the rascals, but hurried home, to notify me by telephone.” For some moments Nick had worn a decidedly thoughtful expression, as if he already had some project in his mind. Before the chief had fairly ceased speaking, moreover, Nick said bluntly: “I’d like to talk with Mrs. Badger.” [30] “By telephone?” inquired Weston, wondering at the wish. “No, personally.” “You may easily do so by going out to Brookline.” “I’ll go!” exclaimed Nick, abruptly rising. “I suppose I may keep this photograph for a short time?” “Certainly.” “As regards my undertaking to round up the rascals guilty of these robberies—well, I will give you my answer a little later,” Nick went on to say, as he opened the door by which he had entered. “I have no doubt, old friend, that it will be a favorable answer.” “I hope so, Nick, I’m sure,” declared Weston, as he followed the former into the outer office, where Nick briefly halted. Sanderson Hyde, perched upon a stool in the enclosure, appeared busy over his books, not so much as looking up at the intruders. “Are you going out at once?” inquired Weston. “Yes,” replied Nick, slipping the photograph into his pocket. “There are a few questions I wish to ask Mrs. Amos Badger. If I can find a public automobile, Weston, I think I will go out there in it. It’s the quickest conveyance, and this is a fine morning for a ride.” “You’ll find what you want at the corner below,” replied[31] Weston. “The machine is all right, and so is the man. Grady is his name. Mention mine, Nick, and there’ll be no charges.” “Oh, I’ll see that Grady gets his fee, all right,” laughed Nick, as he turned to leave the office. “I’ll see you later, Weston, probably early this afternoon.” “Do so,” nodded the latter. Then he turned to the busy clerk and added, a bit sharply: “What did you say to that man, Hyde, when he came in here this morning?” Young Sanderson Hyde looked up with raised brows. “Nothing of consequence, chief,” he respectfully answered. “Only a few words about sending in his card.” “Do you know the man?” “No, sir. I don’t recall ever having seen him.” “Well, the next time you see him take a good look at him, for that man is Nick Carter, the greatest detective that ever stood in leather.” “The dickens!” gasped Hyde, with manifest astonishment. “You don’t mean it, chief! Not Nick Carter himself?” “I always say what I mean,” growled Weston. “Hereafter, show him into my office without delay.” The catlike eyes followed the burly figure of the[32] speaker as he returned through the passage, and presently the snap of the catch-lock sounded through the office. Then Mr. Hyde laid down his pen and came out of the enclosure. His tread was more light and cautious than ordinary business should have required. He glanced sharply into both of the adjoining corridors, listened intently for a moment, then darted into a telephone-closet near-by and tightly closed the door. Nick Carter found Grady on the corner mentioned, a shrewd-looking young Irishman, seated in an excellent runabout, reading the morning newspaper. “Do you know Laurel Road, Brookline, Mr. Grady?” asked Nick, halting beside the machine. “I know pretty near where it is, sir,” said Grady, alert for business. “I can find it for you, all right.” “Take me out there,” said Nick, mounting to the seat. “To the house of Mr. Amos Badger.” “The broker, sir,” nodded Grady. “I know the man, sir. I’ll land you out there in thirty minutes, sir, or less, if you say the word.” “I’m in no special hurry,” said Nick. “Keep down to the speed limit.” He did not tell Grady his name, nor that he came from the police headquarters. Neither did he enter into[33] much conversation with the man, for Nick was absorbed in thought about the disclosures made him, and the various possibilities of the work he was invited to undertake. Grady, on his part, was not quite as good as his word. He ran a mile or two out of the direct course to Laurel Road, and then he had to round the great Chestnut Hill reservoir in order to hit the right track. There are numerous wooded roads on the outskirts of fashionable Brookline, along which the attractive dwellings are much scattered, or divided by extensive estates; and through one of these roads Grady was sending his machine at a faster clip, to make up for lost time. Suddenly, from out a little piece of woods some fifty yards away, a drunken fellow came staggering into the road, much as if he had just awakened from a nap in the shrubbery; and Nick Carter, being the first to see him, said quickly to his driver: “Look out for that chap, Grady.” “I see him, sir,” nodded Grady. “He has a load aboard.” “I should say so.” The intoxicated man now heard the automobile approaching him from behind. He turned around, halting unsteadily in the middle of the road, where he stood[34] swaying and staring as if too fuddled to know which side of the road to seek to avoid being run over. Grady naturally slowed down when scarcely twenty feet from the fellow. “Get out of the road!” he impatiently yelled. “Take one side or the other, blast you!” The auto had come to a dead stop. The man in the road reeled a little to one side—and a little nearer. Then, with movements as quick and decisive as a lightning stroke, he sprang forward, whipped out a brace of revolvers, leveled them straight at the heads of the two men in the auto, and sharply cried: “Hands up! If you start that machine, driver, I’ll blow your head off!” The voice was as firm and cold as ice, yet it had a ring as threatening as when blades of steel cross in deadly combat. Nick Carter fairly caught his breath. “Held up, by thunder!” was his first thought. <hr class="chap" /> [35] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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