The Project Gutenberg eBook of Nick Carter weekly; no. 197.

"Well, old man," said Nick Carter, as he shook the snow from his overcoat, "what’s the news? Anything strange since this morning?"

He was addressing Chick, his assistant, who, to use his own expression, was "acting the chamber lawyer" for the day.

"Yes. Two small cases have come in; but there is a telegram from Boston that may be of importance."

"Let’s see it, my lad!" said the great detective, throwing his overcoat on a chair and seating himself. He took the dispatch in his hands and read it slowly.

"Good! I can catch the Providence[Pg 3] boat. Telegraph anything you have to say to the Adams House!" and in another moment the noted detective had left the office.

The snow lay heavy upon the ground when Nick Carter arrived in Boston next morning. Nothing eventful happened during his journey, and he felt rested and ripe for his work—whatever it was.

He was about to step into a cab, when his eyes caught sight of a small vial, half buried in the snow, which he picked up and placed in one of his overcoat pockets, then addressing the hackman, he said:

Half an hour later the cab stopped at an old-fashioned mansion, which stood in a beautifully kept lawn, in the most fashionable part of Dorchester.

"I wish to see Mr. Samuel Rogers, junior," said the detective to the colored man who answered his ring.

"Oh, never mind the name. Tell him that a friend from New York wishes to see him."

"Won’t you be seated?" continued the young man. "I wished to see you upon a very sad and mysterious matter."

"My father lies dead in the next room. The doctors say he died of heart disease, but I have a different opinion."

"This letter," said Rogers, handing the detective an envelope, which bore the Boston postmark of the previous day.[Pg 5]

"You did quite right," said Nick, "and now, Mr. Rogers, will you be good enough to let me see your father’s remains?"

The only watcher in the death chamber was the colored man who had admitted Nick Carter.

"That letter," said Rogers; but before making any further explanation, he ordered Jones—the colored man—to leave the room.

"I received it by the afternoon mail, just before the doctor made his examination. I then telegraphed to you, and decided that, until you arrived, I would not allow any interference with the body."

As the young fellow had said, it was quite apparent that nothing in the room had been disturbed since the old man died.

During his examination of the body his hand touched something with a sharp point.

It lay within the folds of the coat, and Nick made an exclamation of surprise when he discovered that it was a lady’s hat-pin, with a curious haliotis shell head. This he put in his pocket.

He had almost finished his examination of the body, rearranged the clothing, and was just placing the hands in the position in which he found them, when his keen eye detected a slight discoloration of the left wrist.

An almost imperceptible discoloration extended from this wound up along the wrist.

In a moment Nick produced a small surgical pincers and drew from the little wound a needle-like piece of silver.

"That I cannot tell even you, sir—at least not yet. But I shall have to ask you a few questions. Remember, if you do not answer them truthfully, or if you keep back any information concerning this matter, I shall not be responsible for the consequences."

"Exactly what I say. You must trust me with all your secrets, if I require to know them. Otherwise, you will never know how your father died."

The young man became pale and flushed in turn. He seemed to be suffering from intense mental disturbance.

"I shall not conceal anything from you, Mr. Carter. But," he falteringly continued, "publicity must only be given to those matters that directly concern my father’s death."

"Good!" said Nick. "And now, Mr. Rogers, let us be seated; for I have much to learn from you. Had your father ever suffered from any complaint that would need hypodermic injections?"

Nick’s face brightened; but he pretended not to notice the announcement which young Rogers had just made.

"When Jones went to bring him his chocolate, at seven o’clock yesterday morning."

"We sent for Dr. Lord, who examined him and pronounced it heart disease. He went away then, and returned shortly afterward with another doctor."

"Who was in the house besides your father, sister, the colored man, and yourself after Dr. Lord went away?"[Pg 9]

"You have not told me," said Nick, "who was in the house the night before last after Dr. Lord went away."

The young fellow again faltered and became very pale. And then, with an effort, he replied:

"When was the marriage of your sister to Dr. Lord to have taken place?" asked Carter.

"The fact is, Mr. Carter, I am also engaged to be married, and my sister and I decided to have the two events come off together."

"Well, we—that is, I hadn’t fixed upon any particular time. Miss Bland and I are not in a hurry, you know."[Pg 10]

"Not exactly," hurriedly cried Rogers. "She is not head over heels in love with Lord; but father was anxious for the match."

"It stipulates that his entire property is to be divided equally between Aimee and me, upon certain conditions. The estate is valued at about three hundred thousand dollars, and the only strange condition of the will is that, in the event of his death before Aimee’s marriage with Dr. Lord she is to get one-half of his entire estate if she marries him within six months of his, my father’s, decease. But that, in the event of this marriage not taking place within that time she is only to receive the interest upon twenty thousand dollars for life."

"Very well. Now, I shall have to leave you," said Nick; "but I shall probably[Pg 11] return in the afternoon. In the meantime do not disclose my presence or identity to anybody."

"I think you might send for the undertaker, and have the body placed in the coffin at once."

"Mrs. Nicholas Carter, New York City: Send Ida to Philadelphia immediately. Tell her to stop at usual hotel. I will telegraph her instructions this evening."

From here he walked slowly toward the cars, and was just about to board one bound for Boston, when he stopped and said:

"Certainly, sir. Straight up the road opposite. I forget the number; but you cannot make a mistake, for you will see a brass plate, with his name, on the garden gate."

"It must be," said the clerk, laughing, "for he is the only Lord in Dorchester."

A few minutes afterward Nick Carter was ushered into the reception-room of Mr. Rogers’ physician.

Apparently the reception-room was also used as a kind of auxiliary surgery; for, upon a table, were a number of surgical instruments of various kinds.

Nick noticed this with satisfaction, and[Pg 12] he moved over toward the table in order to more closely inspect the contents.

Just then the servant entered the room and announced that the doctor would be disengaged in a few minutes.

"You’re in luck, Nick!" muttered the detective, as he forthwith proceeded to inspect the surgical instruments. There were forceps, and lancets, and clinical thermometers by the dozen; but what attracted Nick’s eye were four hypodermic syringe cases.

He opened them one after another, and when he got to the last—which was smaller than the others—he held it in his hand only for a moment; then opening the case, he found a small syringe from which the pointer needle had been broken off at the base.

Taking from his pocket the point which he had removed from Mr. Rogers’ wrist, he was not surprised to find that it fitted exactly.

"Yes, sir. What can I do for you?" said the medical gentleman, with a pleasant voice.

"No, sir," politely replied the doctor. "When surgical instruments need repairing it is generally time to get new ones. I am sorry I have nothing in your line to-day."

As he said this he was very courteously[Pg 13] opening the door for his visitor; but Nick was not so easily dismissed.

"You will excuse me, sir," he said, "but while I was waiting I took the liberty of looking over your instruments yonder. They are beautiful tools; but I noticed that a remarkably fine hypodermic syringe has the point broken off."

"By the way," said the doctor, interrupting him, "I wish I knew where that came from. It isn’t mine. It is of a very curious pattern, too."

"Yes, doctor," said Nick, "it is a curious little syringe. But it is remarkable that it could have found its way here without your knowledge."

The doctor did not quite like this remark. He showed it in his face, which Nick was intently watching.

"I would like to buy it from you," said the pretended surgical instrument maker, not noticing the doctor’s look of impatience.

"Oh," said the latter, "it is not mine to sell. I found it upon my table yesterday evening, and I cannot possibly trace an ownership for it among my callers."

But this did not enlighten Dr. Lord. He was beginning to tire of the pertinacity of his visitor, and finally, to get rid of him, he said:

"Well, you can take it away with you. It is useless to me, and as it is also useless to whoever left it here, I dare say they won’t return for it."

Nick was profuse in his thanks, and was hurrying toward Boston in a very few moments.

He had noticed that the graduated[Pg 14] cylinder of the syringe contained a small quantity of some kind of liquid, and he determined to have it analyzed.

At the same time he remembered the small vial which he had found in the snow, at the Providence depot; and, upon his arrival at the city analyst’s, he handed that gentleman the two articles.

He gave him his card, and the moment the analyst recognized the name of the great New York detective he became particularly attentive, and after a careful examination, he pronounced the contents of the syringe to be the same as the vial, and a deadly poison it was.

"Supposing some of it was injected into a man’s wrist, what would happen?" said Nick.

"Happen? Why, the man would be dead in ten second or less. This is a South American poison, Mr. Carter. It is, perhaps, the most deadly in existence, and the peculiar thing about it is the fact that in doing its work in the human system, it so quickly assimilates with the blood that it is next to impossible to trace it. Another strange thing about it is that it acts directly upon the heart, and in such a manner that the most experienced physician will imagine the victim died from heart disease."

Nick thanked the analyst, and went at once to the Adams House for letters and telegrams from Chick. The coincidence of the fluids contained in the hypodermic syringe and in the vial, which he picked up in the snow at the Providence depot, being the same was remarkable, and, as he walked along, he mused:

"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars and a pretty girl is a big stake to lose, Dr. Lord. But it wasn’t a man of science who[Pg 15] placed that syringe point in man’s wrist!"

CHAPTER II.

THE CUBAN GIRL.

When Nick had attended to Chick’s messages he sent a long letter to Ida, in which he instructed her to find out the private address of James Rogers; to go there; try to ascertain whether or not Aimee Rogers really loved Dr. Lord, and to telegraph to him the moment she got the required information.

Darkness was now setting in, and Nick Carter strolled along Washington street. As he went by the passage that leads to Parke’s restaurant, he decided to take his dinner there, and accordingly, five minutes later, he was seated at a corner table, waiting for his order.

At a large table, close to him, four fashionably dressed young men were dining. The dishes had all been removed, and they were now enjoying their cigars over some black coffee and brandy.

Nick Carter soon disposed of the plain course which he had ordered, and was about to leave the restaurant when he heard one of the young fellows say:

While listening attentively to the conversation of the four young fellows, he heard one of them say:

"I dare say old Rogers’ death will postpone Sam’s marriage with Miss Bland."

"Lucky dog," said the first speaker. "They say that Lucy Bland is worth fully half a million."

"At least," rejoined his friend. "But look here, Porter, when did you see Sam’s other girl, the olive-tinted loved one? That girl will give him some trouble, if he is not more careful."

"Precisely. I bowed to her and asked if I could be of any service. She simply asked me the best hotel to stop at in Providence. I told her, and said, ‘You are surely not going to stop at that awful hole.’"

"Oh, you be blowed!" said the gentleman named Porter. "The girl laughed at the idea of remaining in Providence. She said that she merely intended stopping there for the night, and that she was going to New York by the nine o’clock boat to-day."

"If Rogers hears that you are interesting yourself in that girl, Porter, it will be pistols and coffee for two. By the way, what’s the divinity’s name?"

"Alvarez. I think she is a Cuban, or South American, or something of that kind."

In two minutes he was at the telegraph office, in the Parker House, writing the following dispatch to his faithful assistant:

"Meet boat left Providence nine o’clock this morning. Observe handsome Cuban lady named Alvarez. Keep her within distance until you hear from me.

He then returned to his hotel and wrote a letter to Chick, directing him to shadow his woman, find out all about her, and, if possible, discover what her business was.

"Recognize you?" said Rogers, when he had conducted Nick to his own bed chamber. "What do you mean, Mr. Carter? Does he know you?"

"I don’t think so; but, you know, doctors and detectives often meet under peculiar circumstances."

"Mr. Carter!" cried Rogers, turning deathly pale, "where on earth did you learn anything about her?"

"I have many channels from which to gather my information," said Nick, coolly. "But you have not answered my question. When did you see her last?"

"In the name of goodness, what have you learned?" asked Rogers, in apparent terror.

"A good deal about your relations with her, my dear young sir," said Nick, who was narrowly watching the perturbation of his companion.

The young fellow’s eyes twitched nervously; he was trembling, Nick saw plainly.

"Look here, Mr. Rogers, you told me this morning that you would conceal nothing from me. Do you think you are treating me fairly?"

"Well," said the young fellow, who was crushed from amazement more than anything else, "I shall make a clean breast of it."

CHAPTER III.

"ANOTHER CUBAN."

"What I am about to disclose to you, you will promise to keep as secret as the grave?"

"I thought you said you were engaged to be married to Miss Bland?" interjected Nick.

"Yes, sir. But I shall have to explain everything to you. When I was in Florida last winter I met her. She was very beautiful, and threw herself in my way. I became infatuated, and one night, while slightly intoxicated, I consented to marry her secretly. Her brother, who was present, insisted upon the marriage taking place at once. I discovered a few days afterward that the brother was one of a gang of desperate gamblers. Ever since that night my life has been a misery."

"No; but she has continually blackmailed me upon threat of making public the marriage. Finally I confessed to my father, who was urging me to marry Miss Bland—to whom I have been engaged for nearly three years. He sent for her, and asked her to put in writing the terms upon which she would consent to a divorce."

"She said that she would consent to a divorce for fifty thousand dollars. Father[Pg 20] agreed to pay that sum in exchange for the certificate of divorce, and to pay her expenses to California and allow her a certain amount to live there until the divorce was granted."

"He asked her to put it in writing. She called the next evening, after Dr. Lord had left, and said she would not do it for less than one hundred thousand dollars.

"My father told her that this was impossible. He read for her his will, and explained that by conceding fifty thousand dollars he was robbing my sister and myself of a large part of our heritage."

"Did he read for her the clause connected with your sister losing her portion if she did not marry the doctor within six months?"

"Do you know, sir, that this bond holds as good against your father’s estate, upon the production of the certificate of divorce, as if he had lived."

"But you don’t seem to recognize that she can continue her blackmailing scheme all the same, without annulling this instrument. It is a clever document, Mr. Rogers—very clever. In fact, I do not believe the woman ever drew up such an instrument herself."

"I cannot tell you just yet. But I want you to answer me one more question:[Pg 21] Did you have any conversation with her after your father signed that bond?"

"Very well. I shall now bid you good-night. I shall call upon you again to-morrow, and remember, silence is a necessity."

"The funeral takes place to-morrow morning at ten o’clock, Mr. Carter, but I shall be home again about two."[Pg 22]

"I wish the moon would come out," he muttered. "I should like to explore the road between here and the next railway station."

By the dim light that came from one of the windows of the house, he saw, outlined against the snow, the form of a man, who, with uplifted hand, was about to plunge a knife into his back.

In a second the would-be assassin found his wrist held by an iron grasp, and with a smothered cry of pain, the knife fell from his hand.

At the same moment the hall door was opened, and a flood of light rushed out upon the scene, revealing the features of Nick’s assailant. Dr. Lord was coming out.

As Nick did not wish to see the doctor, or rather, as he did not wish to be seen by him, he flung the would-be assassin from him, picked up the knife and stepped into the shadow of the shrubbery. When the doctor had passed out of the lawn, Nick came from his hiding-place and went toward the nearest railway station, saying, as he walked:

CHAPTER IV.

IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM.

When he arrived at the Adams House, he found a telegram from Chick, which read:[Pg 23]

"Good!" said Nick. "The fellow who tried to knock me out must be one of Moreno’s gang. I must warn Chick."

He handed this to the operator in the hotel corridor, and, feeling satisfied that nothing more could be done that night, he retired to his room.

He tore open the dispatch and seemed to be completely mystified by the contents. It read:

He wandered up the road where Lord’s house was situated, and was just making up his mind to call when he saw a carriage stop at the gate.

In a few minutes Dr. Lord’s door was opened, and Nick Carter saw a sight that surprised even him.

Walking down the garden path, apparently in earnest conversation, were the doctor and the Cuban who had attempted to assassinate him the night before. Dr. Lord got into the carriage; but the Cuban, taking off his hat respectfully, turned from the place and walked down the road, followed by Nick at a safe distance, who saw his man enter a street car bound toward Boston.

When his fare stepped out of the cab, at the corner of Kneeland and Washington streets, the driver nearly lost his balance from the shock.

A lively-looking chap got into the cab in Dorchester, and a staid-looking clergyman paid him his fare in Washington street.

The Cuban had left the street car at the next block, and Nick hurried after him on foot.

Nick was watching him intently, although he was apparently studying a time-table.

"Excuse me, sir," he said, with a pronounced foreign accent. "I am a stranger. I have just received this telegram."

"There is a hotel in Worcester called the Bay State; but this message tells you to ask somebody named Rogers about it."

Whereupon he took the telegram from Nick, lifted his hat courteously, and disappeared in the direction of the bar.

"Why, Mr. Carter, how do you do?" cordially welcomed the head of Boston’s police.

"Yes," mildly returned Nick. "It is a very mysterious case. I want you to arrest a Cuban named Gonzales, and hold him without examination for me. If you do this secretly you will oblige me, as his detention may be of much importance."

"Waldo," said the chief, when the detective entered, "go with this gentleman and arrest the party he will point out. Ask no questions, and bring your prisoner. Do you understand?"

At the United States Hotel, Waldo, who spoke Spanish fluently, asked for Gonzales.

Waldo ascended to the Cuban’s apartment, and returned in about ten minutes with his prisoner. Nobody in the hotel corridor imagined for a moment that an arrest had been made, so friendly did the pair seem to be.

That was Nick, who anxiously watched them from the paper stand, fearful that the Cuban might make a break for liberty.

He hailed a cab, ordered Gonzales to get in, and, having taken a seat opposite his prisoner, he directed the cabman to drive to police headquarters.

CHAPTER V.

A TERRIBLE POISON.

"Mr. Rogers," said Nick, when he was alone with that young gentleman, "can you come with me for about two hours?"

"Police headquarters?" exclaimed Rogers, in dismay. "What on earth do you want me to go there for, Mr. Carter. You surely have not placed this matter in the hands of the police?"

"No, sir. The suspicion or fact that your father has been murdered is unknown to a single soul, outside you and me."

"I have arranged that no one shall know of your visit. If it was not of great importance, I should not ask you to leave the house at such a time."

"Very well, sir," said Rogers. "Let us go at once, as my uncle will be back at five o’clock for dinner. He goes away by the six-thirty train."

When they arrived at police headquarters, they were met by the chief, who ushered them into his private room.

"We wish to see the prisoner without being observed by him," said Nick. "Use the screen."

He requested his visitors to stand behind a large screen, in which there were several small holes.

A few minutes afterward Gonzales appeared, accompanied by Waldo. Nick now directed Rogers to look through one of the holes in the screen.

The young man did so, and immediately drew back with a visible shudder. He seemed to be extremely agitated upon recognizing the Cuban, and was about to say something to Nick, when that gentleman put his finger to his lips and signaled him to be silent.

When the prisoner had been removed, Rogers turned quickly to Nick Carter and exclaimed:

They were now driving rapidly toward Dorchester, and Nick decided to discontinue his investigations until he was safely closeted with his companion in the latter’s home.

"I am not certain; but I think he must have seen him, as he and I frequently went to the gambling rooms where Alvarez did business."

"Tell me," said Nick. "Would it not be to your interest if your sister did not marry Dr. Lord?"

"Now, Mr. Rogers, I want you to answer me truthfully: Are you afraid of your wife?"

"Come, sir, are you not afraid that the price of her secrecy about your marriage will be a perpetual blackmail?"

"For that reason," said Nick, "would you not like to have the one hundred and thirty thousand dollars which your sister would lose if she did not marry Dr. Lord?"

"I assure you, Mr. Carter, that, no mat[Pg 30]ter what that woman—my wife—wishes, I sincerely hope to see my sister married to the doctor."

Nick noticed that he put particular emphasis upon the words, "no matter what that woman wishes," and he did not ask the young man another question.

"Well, sir," said the doctor, who was visibly displeased when he saw Nick, "I thought I told you yesterday that I had no surgical instruments that wanted repairing."

"What is it?" asked the doctor. "I am in a hurry, for I have to visit a patient."

"No," said Nick, intently watching his listener’s face. "I have not discovered the owner; but I have found the point that was broken off."

"Yes," said the medical man; "this is certainly the missing point. Where did you find it?"

"Ah, that’s a secret, doctor. But I believe you know the person to whom it belongs."

"It was well you did," said Nick, "or[Pg 31] we might never have been able to locate where this point came from."

"It makes very little difference one way or the other," said the doctor, who was now beginning to feel bored.

"I was thinking that perhaps he might have left it behind. And if you gave me his address, doctor, I would call upon him and offer to mend it."

"Yes, I had a Spanish visitor the day before yesterday. But it wasn’t a man. It was a lady."

"I found a new kind of fluid in this little syringe, doctor," said Nick, adroitly changing the subject.

"Yes. You know that people who understand surgical instruments usually go in for a little chemistry, too. When I examined the cylinder of this syringe I noticed a small quantity of colorless liquid in it; so I took it out and analyzed it."

"I have a little vial of the same drug here," said Nick, producing the one which he had picked up in the snow.[Pg 32]

"You are certain that this is the same fluid?" he said, looking inquiringly at Nick.

"Absolutely certain, doctor. And it strikes me that it is a rather dangerous one to give a hypodermic injection with."

"You forget," said the doctor, "that all drugs are greatly diluted before being used for injection purposes."

"However," said Dr. Lord, "I shall consider it a favor if you will allow me to examine this. I have never seen anything like it before."

"You may do so," said Nick, and he continued: "Perhaps you would like to know where I discovered the point of the syringe?"

"It is as I have said," calmly rejoined Nick. "And now, doctor, I shall not detain you any longer from your patient. I shall call for the vial to-morrow."

CHAPTER VI.

"CAN HE SUSPECT?"

"Well, Chick," said Nick, when they were seated in his room, "what’s the news?"

"I dined at the next table to theirs last night, and learned that they have some deep scheme to prevent a man named Lord from getting married. Her brother was to have seen him this morning. That was why I sent the second telegram."

At that moment there was a knock at the door and a bell-boy handed in a telegram.

"You meet Moreno at the railroad depot. I have to go to Worcester by the six-forty train. And see here. If anything serious turns up, telegraph to me at the Bay State Hotel."

The ground was still covered with snow from the storm of a few days before; but it had been freezing hard, and now a heavy crust made walking rather pleasant.

Nick stood outside the depot for a moment, and looked at the sky and the snow-covered road, as if considering[Pg 34] whether he would walk to the hotel or ride. While he was thus engaged, he heard the rumbling of an incoming train.

"This is the New York express," said he, and he immediately withdrew into the shadow of the ticket office and watched the passengers as they came out.

There was the usual bustle and hurrying hither and thither that accompanies the arrival of a passenger train.

Thirty or forty persons came from the platform, grip or satchel in hand, and went out into the street, and finally there passed close to Nick the two individuals he most desired to see.

Moreno hastily wrung Anita’s hand and rushed back to the train, and the lady gathered up her dress and went to the depot entrance.

Nick watched her board a cab and heard her order the driver to take her to the Bay State Hotel.

Having arrived at the hotel, he nodded to the clerk at the desk and asked to see the register.

It was now evident that the "ask Rogers" in the Gonzales telegram meant, ask for Rogers.

The second entry was rather strange; but it did not puzzle Nick Carter. Addressing the clerk, he said:

"Are you her brother, sir—Mr. Lord, for whom she registered?" asked the clerk.

The bell-boy led the way to room 47, and Nick immediately took possession and bolted the door on the inside.

"I beg your pardon," she said, in perfect English. "That stupid clerk must have made a mistake!"

She was about to retreat immediately, but Nick stepped between her and the door, and said:

"I assure you, madame, the clerk made no mistake. Mr. Gonzales was unable to meet you here tonight. I have come from him——”

"You really must excuse me, madame!" said Nick, courteously. "I am Sam Rogers’ friend——”

"I do not understand you, sir," said[Pg 36] Anita, whose color had heightened at the mention of young Rogers’ name.

"Pray be seated, and I shall explain myself," said Nick, in his most gracious manner.

"I beg of you to keep calm," said Nick. "I have come as a messenger from your brother and Mr. Rogers."

"You must surely know, madame, that unless Gonzales told me where to meet you and had instructed me to assume the role of your brother, I would not be here."

"He had to keep an eye upon the movements of Nick Carter, the New York detective."

"He made an awful mistake in sending for that man, Nick Carter," said Anita.[Pg 37]

"You don’t know him, Mr. Rogers. That man will be sure to ferret out the truth. What I told Sam to do was to engage an ordinary detective, and if he did that, suspicion would most surely fall upon Dr. Lord. However, Moreno and Manuel will probably be able to arrange matters."

"If he does get out, it is Sam’s own fault," said the lady, "and I will never allow him to marry Miss Bland."

"If you do this, he will take steps to secure a divorce. Public sentiment would now be upon his side, and you would probably lose all."

"I do not understand you," said Nick, who, nevertheless, now discovered that the attack upon his life was planned by Moreno and the woman.

"I do not wish you to understand," said Anita, testily. "But you can tell Sam[Pg 38] Rogers that, unless he agrees to my proposition, he will never marry Miss Bland."

"He has deputed me to act for him, madame, and if you will tell me your final proposal, I shall be able to say directly whether or not he will accept it."

"I shall not alter my proposition in the slightest. I must have one hundred thousand dollars in cash. He cannot pay this unless the match between his sister and Dr. Lord is broken off, and the only possible way to break it off is to accuse the doctor of the murder of old Mr. Rogers."

"I don’t think so. Why, even Nick Carter, the detective, will have to swear that he found the point of the hypodermic syringe in Mr. Rogers’ wrist, and the broken syringe in the doctor’s room. That would convict him in any court. Besides, it is very unlikely that Miss Rogers would marry a man about whom there was even a suspicion of having murdered her father. However, you now know the only conditions upon which I will get a divorce, and unless Sam consents at once, in writing, I will proclaim myself his wife and will go to police headquarters and tell them about the poison that was injected into Mr. Rogers wrist."

"I know he does," interrupted Anita. "But if he loves himself or Miss Bland, who, you know, is worth half a million, he will be a man and do what I demand. He can give his sister the money she will lose by not marrying Lord out of Miss Bland’s fortune."

"Yes. He will guarantee to pay you the one hundred thousand dollars after you procure the divorce, and he is married to Miss Bland."

"Does he think I am a fool?" she cried, angrily. "But I know this is not his doing. He has confided in Nick Carter. It is that wretch who is advising him. It is well he does not know the entire truth."

"What do you mean, madame? Sam assured me that he knew everything about his father’s death."

She paused for a few moments, and then, as if her whole being was inflamed with ferocity, she cried:

"Of course you refer to the fact that Sam would not see your brother", said Nick innocently.

As she uttered that word, she looked in a fright at Nick, and the thought flashed across her mind:

Nick’s features were perfectly impassive, however, and addressing him, she said:

"Very well, madame. After I have seen Sam, I shall communicate the result to Gonzales."

CHAPTER VII.

DR. LORD ASTOUNDED.

That the mystery connected with Mr. Rogers’ death was not known by the son, Nick was now convinced.[Pg 40]

His visit to Worcester had been very fruitful, however, and the great detective returned to Boston armed with facts that he knew would soon enable him to unravel that mystery.

From Anita’s passionate exclamations about himself, he learned that the Moreno gang would endeavor to get him out of the way, and he smiled grimly as he said to himself:

A few minutes later he rang the bell at Dr. Lord’s door and handed the domestic one of his cards containing his real name and profession.

"You have come early for your vial. But I must ask you to wait some little time, as a gentleman from New York has just called."

Nick arose from his seat, took another card from his pocket, and, handing it to his bewildered companion, said:

"You!" exclaimed the doctor, who dropped into an arm-chair and looked at his visitor with astonishment. "Why, Mr. Carter, you are just the man I wanted to see. I was about to telegraph for you. I am in serious trouble."

"And the surgical instrument maker[Pg 41] scheme—what was the meaning of that, Mr. Carter?"

"I cannot explain to you, sir, why I adopt certain methods which I find necessary to employ in the business of my profession. It will, however, answer your question sufficiently to inform you that my adoption of the role of surgical instrument maker was connected with this same case concerning which you telegraphed for me. And now, sir, will you be good enough to state your business?"

"It would not surprise me one bit if you could. But, Mr. Carter, let me ask you one question: What do you know about the woman Alvarez?"

"Perhaps I had better explain," said the doctor. "On the morning after Mr. Rogers’ death—some time after Dr. White and I had made our examination of the body, the woman Alvarez called. She insisted that she was Sam Rogers’ wife."

"She appeared to be terribly excited. She said she had evidence that her father-[Pg 42]in-law did not die of heart disease. I assured her that she was mistaken. Whereupon she took from her pocket a little vial similar to the one which I asked you to allow me to examine yesterday."

The fruit was ripening fast, and he firmly believed that it would very soon be ready to pluck.

"I analyzed the contents," continued the doctor. "I discovered that it was indeed a terrible poison."

"‘I found this in my father-in-law’s room. You have poisoned him! I will have you arrested!’

"I was fearful of scandal, for I am to be married to Mr. Rogers’ daughter, so I tried to calm her. I said I would do anything to hush up the ridiculous suspicion."

"‘You are guilty, or you would not make such a proposition. But I have here the proofs of your villainous crime to get hold of Miss Rogers’ money at once.’

"This annoyed me, and I requested her to leave the house at once, which she did. She returned again, however, that same evening. The moment I saw her the idea entered my mind that she came to blackmail me, and I determined to humor her—to find out, if possible, who she was. She came fully prepared this time. She said that a private examination had been made by young Rogers and it was dis[Pg 43]covered that his father had been poisoned. There was an appearance of truth in this; for, after her first visit, I wanted to make a more critical examination of the body, and Sam refused to allow it. You see, Mr. Carter, I was in a very delicate position."

"Therefore," added Dr. Lord, "I listened to her without offering a word of denial or assent. Her plans were very cleverly laid, you see. She said that if I would consent to sign a certain agreement, she would bind herself not to disclose the fact about the vial or any of the other evidence, which she said she had in her possession, that directly pointed to me as Mr. Rogers’ murderer. I asked time to consider, though I had not the slightest intention of permitting her to blackmail me. She consented, and gave me until yesterday morning, when, she said, her brother would call."

Dr. Lord really felt uncomfortable. He could not understand why or how Nick knew so much about the affair, unless it was that he was watching him. However, he continued:

"He brought with him the copy of an agreement. I told him that I could not decide just then, but that, in any event, I would not sign the agreement as it then stood. I wanted to see just how far he would go."

"No. I was just starting for Mr. Rogers[Pg 44]’ funeral, and he promised to come for my answer at ten o’clock to-day."

"He won’t be here," said Nick. "But I have heard enough, doctor. What do you wish me to do?"

"I want to be protected from this gang of blackmailers, but I do not want it made public."

"If young Rogers knows of it, it will be hard to hide the affair," said Nick. "I shouldn’t be surprised if he did, if that woman is his wife."

"For God’s sake, do something—anything to prevent this outrageous lie reaching Miss Rogers’ ears! Let them take the money. Yes, I will add to it; but spare me my honor and my love."

"Yes. It stipulated that upon condition[Pg 45] that the Alvarez woman or her brother would not breathe a suspicion about the finding of the hypodermic syringe point, I was to pay to her the sum of fifty thousand dollars on the morning of my marriage with Miss Rogers. I need not tell you that signing such a document would incriminate me and give them a perpetual handle for blackmail."

"You only know one-half of their scheming, doctor. But they are clever. They wished to make certain of at least one person from whom they could levy tax. However, the question of Mr. Rogers death must be sifted to the end, and if young Rogers is in any way implicated, I may need your assistance."

"You shall have it if it is necessary. But it strikes me, Mr. Carter, that the first thing to be ascertained is, was Mr. Rogers murdered?"

CHAPTER VIII.

A CRUEL POSITION.

"I shall settle that question," said Nick. "It was I who found the point of the hypodermic syringe imbedded in Mr. Rogers’ wrist. It was undoubtedly broken off to complete the blackmailing scheme and attract suspicion to you. It was for that same reason the broken syringe was left here."

"That must be so," said the doctor, "and if he was murdered, it must have been by that woman."

"In my profession we do not jump at[Pg 46] conclusions so hastily," said Nick, evading the doctor’s remark.

"Before you go, Mr. Carter, can you tell me what was the appearance of the wrist in the locality where the syringe point was imbedded?"

"Yes. I observed it very carefully. Where the point lay, underneath the skin, the color was normal—except that one could detect the needle-like piece of silver, upon very close observation. But it was not that which first attracted my attention."

"It was the fact that, extending from the point of the needle upward, for a couple of inches, there was a marked discoloration."

"Thank you. This may be important, Mr. Carter. I shall consult with Dr. White about it."

Nick then bade the doctor good-by and turned his footsteps toward the Rogers mansion.

He hurriedly explained to the doctor why he had come back, and, two minutes later, a distinguished-looking Cuban left the physician’s residence.

Chick, who was accustomed to his chief’s wonderful disguises, noticed him approaching and came slowly toward him.

"As soon as I have entered the house I engage Jones, the butler, in conversation," said Nick, hurriedly.

It was Chick, and Nick Carter knew well that his clever assistant would keep Jones engaged until he again appeared.

Creeping noiselessly, he went along the hallway until he arrived at the library door.

He heard the voices of two persons; but could not catch their conversation.[Pg 48]

The ornamentations on the key-hole, inside as well as on the hall side, prevented his hearing through that channel.

Looking upward, he noticed that the old-fashioned transom could easily be opened, and he was soon standing upon a hall chair with a good view of the interior of the room.

The latter was speaking in a commanding manner; but his voice was so low that Nick could not detect his words.

After a few moments he succeeded in opening it a few inches, and he then heard distinctly the conversation of Moreno and Rogers.

"It is utterly useless to go any further," said Rogers. "I will not swear an information against Dr. Lord."

"She told you to engage a private detective in Boston, to whom you were to point out the top of the hypodermic syringe, and suggest to him that it might belong to Dr. Lord. If you did that, Lord would have been at once arrested on suspicion. But you knew that Nick Carter would never make the arrest until he had[Pg 49] fully and perfectly investigated the case, and was absolutely certain of his man."

"If you engaged him with the intention of directing his suspicion to Dr. Lord, why do you now refuse to make an information yourself?"

"What would you do if Anita made such a statement to the police?" said the Cuban.

It evidently did not suit Moreno’s plans to quarrel seriously with his companion.

"To-morrow? Why, that’s impossible! But, see here, Moreno. If Mr. Carter arrests the doctor upon his own responsibility, I shall not interfere. That is all I can or will do in this direction. But I am[Pg 50] willing to guarantee Anita one hundred thousand dollars, to be paid after my marriage with Miss Bland, if she produces a decree of divorce before it. It is utterly useless to annoy me further."

"Do your very worst! I am so weary of this disgraceful affair that I am perfectly prepared for any event."

"Very well, Mr. Rogers," said the Cuban, in a cold, cutting tone. "Anita will to-morrow come to Boston and proclaim herself your wife."

The young fellow threw himself into a chair and gave way to torturing reflections.

Moreno knew well the effect of his blow, he looked at Rogers with a smile of triumph, and then took up his hat and pretended to prepare to leave the room.

"No, Mr. Rogers, not one day. You wish to consult with Nick Carter. I must have your answer now or you will never marry Miss Bland. If you are so anxious to avoid family scandal by saving your sister’s intended husband, pay the money right away. It will enable you to wed half a million."[Pg 51]

"Supposing I do consent," he said, at length. "You have agreed to produce a divorce from Anita upon receipt of one hundred thousand dollars. That will take some time."

"Yes. If you consent to pay the money to-morrow, I shall telegraph to her to come here to arrange the affair. And now I shall not waste another moment. Do you consent? Or shall I allow her to come here and proclaim herself your wife?"

"I consent," said Rogers, in a solemn tone, as if he was passing his own death sentence. "Leave me now, Moreno. I am upset by this affair. I shall be ready to-morrow."

"Oh, no," said the Cuban, with a sardonic grin. "I shall not leave you now until our little business is transacted."

"Mr. Carter will be here shortly," said Rogers, looking the Cuban full in the face. "Perhaps you would not care to see him?"

"Oh, it does not make any difference, now that you have decided to settle up without waiting for Dr. Lord’s arrest. But I would advise you to dismiss Carter at once."

"Very well. I shall be glad to have this horrible affair ended. But[Pg 52]——”

"Mr. Carter has already interested himself in the case, and from what you tell me of his character, I fear he may want to probe it, with or without my consent."

Quick as lightning, and before Moreno could recover from his surprise, Nick caught his wrists with a grasp of iron and placed the handcuffs upon them.

"The moon, of course, but the place you are going to will be much nearer at hand."

Handing him over to Chick who was still conversing with the colored man, Nick said:

He was positively dazed to learn that Nick knew about his arrangements with Moreno.

He could not understand how it was possible for him to have discovered it, and he looked at him in silence in the same manner as he would have looked at a supernatural being.

Nick saw that the young fellow was overwhelmed with surprise; but there was no time to be lost.

"Mr. Rogers," said he, "I want your presence at the Adams House at three o’clock. It is a matter of the greatest importance for you to be there. Don’t fail."

Surprises were pouring in so suddenly upon the young man that he was too bewildered to reply.

Nick now hastened to the nearest telegraph office and sent the following dispatch:

"I simply called to ask you to meet me[Pg 54] in room seventy-five at the Adams House at three o’clock."

"What a sell they will all get!" he mused. "But it will be an agreeable one. The poor doctor will be sold because his misery will end almost before it had begun.

"If he hadn’t deceived me about the woman’s visits, I could have finished yesterday.

"However, he will feel sold when he learns how I have found him out, although he will, at the same time, be freed from his Cuban wife.

CHAPTER IX.

LAST LINK IN THE CHAIN.

"Very well, thank you, Mr. Rogers. I[Pg 55] expected to find my brother, and—and a friend here."

"He will be here himself at three o’clock, madame. We shall then arrange everything connected with this matter."

"I cannot see what good it would do. It will be much better to discuss the entire affair with him personally. But won’t you remove your heavy cloak and make yourself comfortable while you are waiting? By the way, wouldn’t you like a cup of coffee after your journey?"

"Yes, Mr. Rogers, thank you. If you would not mind, I should like a cup of black coffee and brandy."

"Have Moreno and Gonzales here at 3:30. Admit Rogers first. Keep prisoners in your room until we need them."

When the door closed, Nick took from his pocket the hat pin which he found in[Pg 56] Mr. Rogers’ room, and placed it on a chair close to his visitor.

She looked at it; then put her hand up to her hat to satisfy herself that the one there was not missing.

"Why, yes!" she cried. "I have missed that pin for some days. I wonder where it came from, or how it could have got here."

The unfortunate woman was so bewildered that, in her confusion, she really believed she had told him.

But just then the waiter arrived with[Pg 57] the coffee and brandy, and the diversion relieved her.

"You know well," said Anita, regaining her self-confidence, "that no other person could have done it."

"Then you believe," said Nick, adroitly, "that that syringe was charged with poison solely for the purpose of murdering Mr. Rogers."

The moment she uttered these words she recognized her mistake, and would have given worlds not to have spoken them.

But, although Nick had now secured the last link of his chain of evidence, he gave no outward sign that he attached any importance to it.

"That man would not call him Mr. Rogers, if he was his cousin!" was the thought that flashed through her mind.

She was trembling with fear of an unknown something which her imagination was unable to define.

"Keep your temper, madame," said Nick. "Your real husband will shortly be here. As Mrs. Moreno, you cannot be Mrs. Rogers."

"I have learned much more, madame, that you will be even less pleased to listen to."[Pg 59]

The door between Nick’s room and his assistant’s was immediately opened, and Moreno and Gonzales were marched in, handcuffed to the two detectives.

"Yes, gentlemen," said Nick. "I shall now explain why I have invited you all to be present at this meeting."

"Everybody in this room knows, in part, a good deal of what I know concerning Mr. Rogers’ death, and the criminal events surrounding it; but not one of you can even guess all that I do know.

"Three people in this room knew, from the very beginning, that he was not murdered.

"These are Anita Moreno, Manuel Alvarez and the conspirator in chief, Moreno himself."

Had a thunderbolt fallen in the room it could not have caused more consternation and amazement.

"There was an intention to murder him, however; but luckily nature stepped in and claimed Mr. Rogers before this crime could be committed.

"This intended murder was planned by Moreno and was to have been executed by the woman, his wife, who is guilty of bigamy for entering into a marriage ceremony with Mr. Rogers.

"When Anita Moreno went to Mr. Rogers’ home—to murder him—and found that he had died the night before of heart disease, she nevertheless inserted the needle of this hypodermic syringe in his wrist and injected some of Mr. Moreno’s famous poison into it."

"She then broke off the point in the wound, hoping that the doctors would find it and naturally suspect the family physician of having used the dreadful poison it contained.

"But she was ignorant of the fact that[Pg 61] after death hypodermic injections will not be distributed through the system, as the blood has ceased to circulate.

"For this reason I noticed that the wrist was discolored by the poison, and that fact has guided me throughout.

"There is no necessity to recite the clever scheme of blackmail which was to have been put into execution.

"But every one here does not know, nor does the lady herself, that the vial of poison from which the syringe was charged was dropped by her at the Providence depot and picked up by me.

"And lastly, only the three prisoners know that Alvarez attempted to murder your humble servant at midnight on Mr. Rogers’ lawn.

"They must return to Cuba; for if within three days any one of them is[Pg 62] found in the United States, every one of the crimes of which I hold the proofs against them will be charged to the law’s limit."

When the three culprits took their departure, Nick Carter’s face became once more severe, and, turning to Sam Rogers, he said:

That was all; and the great detective then escaped from the outpouring of gratitude of the two men, whose happy future he had insured.

The next number will contain "Nick Carter under the Knife; or, The Little Giant Among the Body-Snatchers."[Pg 64]

NICK CARTER WEEKLY.

THE BEST LIBRARY OF DETECTIVE STORIES.

LATEST ISSUES:

198—Nick Carter Under the Knife; or, The Little Giant Among the Body-Snatchers.
197—The Little Glass Vial; or, A Beautiful Blackmailer Brought to Bay.
196—A Man of Wood; or, Who Killed Dr. Startle?
195—Nick Carter’s Grateful Client; or, Saving the Honor of the Old Man’s Boy.
194—Nick Carter on the Bowery; or, A Crippled Cracksman’s Detection.
193—Nick Carter on the Inside; or, No Chance for the Coroner.
192—Nick Carter in Frisco; or, Instructed by a Newspaper Personal.
191—Wanted for Embezzlement; or, What Became of the Treasurer.
190—Nick Carter’s Slippery Quarry; or, The Case Against ’Frisco Jim.
189—Nick Carter’s Proofs; or, Bad News for the Guilty.
188—Nick Carter at the Races; or, Two Kinds of Lead Pipe Cinch.
187—The Best Detective in the Country; or, A Prompt Reply to a Telegram.
186—Nick Carter Rescues a Daughter; or, The Junior Partner’s Strange Behavior.
185—Nick Carter Saves a Reputation; or, A Button Worth a Fortune.
184—Shielding a Murderer; or, Nick Carter’s Dealings with an Avenger.
183—Saved from the Penitentiary; or, Three Cheers for Nick Carter.
182—The Blood-Stained Check; or, Nick Carter in the Dissecting-Room.
181—In the Clutch of the Law; or, Nick Carter’s Chain of Evidence.
180—The Government Custom’s Swindle; or, Nick Carter’s Work for the U. S. Treasury.
179—Nick Carter’s Beautiful Decoy; or, The Diamond Duke of Chicago.
178—Nick Carter Arrests a Client; or, The Body Found in the Flat.
177—Nick Carter’s Dumb Assistant; or, The Man with a Dead Brain.
176—Nick Carter Behind the Counter; or, A Peck of Pawn Tickets.
[Pg 66]175—Nick Carter’s Pointer; or, A Hungry Dog’s Dinner.
174—By Whose Hand; or, Nick Carter Advertises for a Cab-Driver.
173—Caught in Six Hours; or, Trouble in Room No. 46.
172—Burglar Joe; or, Nick Carter’s Leap in the Dark.
171—Nick Carter’s Little Shadow; or, The Man with the Yellow Dog.
170—Caught by Electricity; or, Nick Carter Bags an Old Offender.
169—Unmasked by Nick Carter; or, An Attempt at Blackmail.
168—Nick Carter’s Second Sight; or, A Dumfounded Prisoner.
167—Nick Carter Makes a Loan That Brings Him Big Returns.
166—Nick Carter Prevents a Disturbance, and Loses a Disguise.
165—Nick Carter in a Hole; or, A Plan to Catch Him That Didn’t Work.
164—Nick Carter Off the Track, but Has Another String to His Bow.
163—Nick Carter Jumps a Train, and Takes Big Chances.
162—Nick Carter Saves a Life, and Earns a Woman’s Gratitude.
161—Nick Carter Corners a Bank President; or, A Balance That Was Crooked.
160—Nick Carter’s Steamer Trunk; or, A Crime in Mid-Ocean.
159—Nick Carter’s New Uniform; or, A Bribe That Was Expected.
158—Nick Carter and the Sawdust Man; or, An Investment That Caused Trouble.
157—Nick Carter as an Expert; or, A Battery That Was Tampered With.
156—Nick Carter’s Silent Search; or, A Drive at a Fake Detective.
155—Nick Carter’s Curious Client; or, A Criminal with More Gall than Sense.
154—Nick Carter Settles a Conspiracy; or, A Telegram That Wasn’t Signed.
153—Nick Carter’s Midnight Caller; or, A Case Concluded Before Daylight.
152—Nick Carter’s Fake Murder Case; or, The Plan to Wipe Out the Agency.
[Pg 67]

Back numbers always on hand. If you cannot get our publications from your newsdealer, five cents a copy will bring them to you, by mail, postpaid.

THE MEDAL LIBRARY.

Oliver Optic and Others. The Right Books at the Right Price.

There is a line of classics for youth—the books your fathers read—the books you want to read—the books the boys and girls will read and like as long as the English language endures. They have done more to shape the mind of American boys for the last fifty years than any others. We refer to the writings of Oliver Optic, Horatio Alger, Edward S. Ellis, Lieut. Lounsberry, James Otis, William Murray Graydon, etc. These names are familiar wherever the American flag floats.

Unfortunately, they have heretofore been procurable only in expensive binding at from $1.00 to $1.50 each. The average boy has not got $1.50 to invest. Ten cents is nearer the price. We have made the ten cent book the leader with the elder readers. Now we are going to do the same thing for the boys, and give them their favorites in a form in every respect equal to our well-known Eagle and Magnet Libraries, at the uniform price of ten cents. Thousands of boys have asked us to issue this line. Thousands more are ready to buy it on sight. There is no line like it in the world. We can justly call it the Medal series, as every book will be a prize winner. It will contain no story that the boys have not approved as a "standard." They have bought them by the thousands at $1.00 and upwards, and now they can get them for TEN CENTS A COPY.[Pg 69]

Order them at once. If you cannot get them send to us. Remember these are 12mo books, printed from new plates, with elegant covers, and are the "real thing" and only TEN CENTS A COPY.[Pg 72]

Homeliness—not positive ugliness—but mere plainness, often passes for beauty when crowned with a halo of beautiful hair.

If your druggist cannot supply you, send us $1.00, and we will express a bottle
to you, all charges prepaid. Be sure and give us your nearest express office.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEW NICK CARTER WEEKLY NO. 197: THE LITTLE GLASS VIAL; OR A BEAUTIFUL BLACKMAILER BROUGHT TO BAY ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™ electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works provided that:

• You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.”
• You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works.
• You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work.
• You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™

Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

63	In the Sunk Lands	Walter F. Burns
62	How He Won	Brooks McCormick
61	The Erie Train Boy	Horatio Alger, Jr.
60	The Mountain Cave	George H. Coomer
59	The Rajah’s Fortress	William Murray Graydon
58	Gilbert, the Trapper	Capt. C. B. Ashley
57	The Gold of Flat Top Mountain	Frank H. Converse
56	Nature’s Young Noblemen	Brooks McCormick
55	A Voyage to the Gold Coast	Frank H. Converse
54	Joe Nichols; or, Difficulties Overcome	Alfred Oldfellow
53	The adventures of a New York Telegraph Boy	Arthur Lee Putnam
52	From Farm Boy to Senator	Horatio Alger, Jr.
51	Tom Tracy	Arthur Lee Putnam
50	Dean Dunham	Horatio Alger, Jr.
49	The Mystery of a Diamond	Frank H. Converse
48	Luke Bennett’s Hide-Out	Capt. C. B. Ashley, U. S. Scout
47	Eric Dane	Matthew White, Jr.
46	Poor and Proud	Oliver Optic
45	Jack Wheeler: A Western Story	Captain David Southwick
44	The Golden Magnet	George Manville Fenn
43	In Southern Seas	Frank H. Converse
42	The Young Acrobat	Horatio Alger, Jr.
41	Check 2134	Edward S. Ellis
40	Canoe and Campfire	St. George Rathborne
39	With Boer and Britisher in the Transvaal	William Murray Graydon
38	Gay Dashleigh’s Academy Days	Arthur Sewall
37	Commodore Junk	George Manville Fenn
36	In Barracks and Wigwam	William Murray Graydon
35	In the Reign of Terror	G. A. Henty
34	The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green	Cuthbert Bede, B. A.
33	Jud and Joe, Printers and Publishers	Gilbert Patten
32	The Curse of Carnes’ Hold	G. A. Henty
31	The Cruise of the Snow Bird	Gordon Stables
30	Peter Simple	Captain Marryat
29	True to the Old Flag	G. A. Henty
28	The Boy Boomers	Gilbert Patten
27	Centre-Board Jim	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
26	The Cryptogram	William Murray Graydon
25	Through the Fray	G. A. Henty
24	The Boy from the West	Gilbert Patten
23	The Dragon and the Raven	G. A. Henty
22	From Lake to Wilderness	William Murray Graydon
21	Won at West Point	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
20	Wheeling for Fortune	James Otis
19	Jack Archer	G. A. Henty
18	The Silver Ship	Leon Lewis
17	Ensign Merrill	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
16	The White King of Africa	William Murray Graydon
15	Midshipman Merrill	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
14	The Young Colonists: A Story of Life and War in Africa	G. A. Henty
13	Up the Ladder	Lieut. Murray
12	Don Kirk’s Mine	Gilbert Patten
11	From Tent to White House (Boyhood and Life of President McKinley)	Edward S. Ellis
10	Don Kirk, the Boy Cattle King	Gilbert Patten
9	Try Again	Oliver Optic
8	Kit Carey’s Protege	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
7	Chased Through Norway	James Otis
6	Captain Carey of the Gallant Seventh	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
5	Now or Never	Oliver Optic
4	Lieutenant Carey’s Luck	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
3	All Aboard	Oliver Optic
2	Cadet Kit Carey	Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
1	The Boat Club	Oliver Optic

The Project Gutenberg eBook of New Nick Carter weekly no. 197: The little glass vial; or A beautiful blackmailer brought to bay

The Little Glass Vial;
OR,
A BEAUTIFUL BLACKMAILER BROUGHT TO BAY.

CHAPTER I.

THE VIAL IN THE SNOW.

CHAPTER II.

THE CUBAN GIRL.

CHAPTER III.

"ANOTHER CUBAN."

CHAPTER IV.

IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM.

CHAPTER V.

A TERRIBLE POISON.

CHAPTER VI.

"CAN HE SUSPECT?"

CHAPTER VII.

DR. LORD ASTOUNDED.

CHAPTER VIII.

A CRUEL POSITION.

CHAPTER IX.

LAST LINK IN THE CHAIN.

NICK CARTER WEEKLY.

THE BEST LIBRARY OF DETECTIVE STORIES.

LATEST ISSUES:

THE MEDAL LIBRARY.

Oliver Optic and Others. The Right Books at the Right Price.

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

The Project Gutenberg eBook of New Nick Carter weekly no. 197: The little glass vial; or A beautiful blackmailer brought to bay

The Little Glass Vial; OR, A BEAUTIFUL BLACKMAILER BROUGHT TO BAY.

CHAPTER I. THE VIAL IN THE SNOW.

CHAPTER II. THE CUBAN GIRL.

CHAPTER III. "ANOTHER CUBAN."

CHAPTER IV. IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM.

CHAPTER V. A TERRIBLE POISON.

CHAPTER VI. "CAN HE SUSPECT?"

CHAPTER VII. DR. LORD ASTOUNDED.

CHAPTER VIII. A CRUEL POSITION.

CHAPTER IX. LAST LINK IN THE CHAIN.

NICK CARTER WEEKLY. THE BEST LIBRARY OF DETECTIVE STORIES. LATEST ISSUES:

THE MEDAL LIBRARY. Oliver Optic and Others. The Right Books at the Right Price.

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

The Little Glass Vial;
OR,
A BEAUTIFUL BLACKMAILER BROUGHT TO BAY.

CHAPTER I.

THE VIAL IN THE SNOW.

CHAPTER II.

THE CUBAN GIRL.

CHAPTER III.

"ANOTHER CUBAN."

CHAPTER IV.

IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM.

CHAPTER V.

A TERRIBLE POISON.

CHAPTER VI.

"CAN HE SUSPECT?"

CHAPTER VII.

DR. LORD ASTOUNDED.

CHAPTER VIII.

A CRUEL POSITION.

CHAPTER IX.

LAST LINK IN THE CHAIN.

NICK CARTER WEEKLY.

THE BEST LIBRARY OF DETECTIVE STORIES.

LATEST ISSUES:

THE MEDAL LIBRARY.

Oliver Optic and Others. The Right Books at the Right Price.