Nick Carter Stories No. 133, March 27, 1915: Won by Magic; or, Nick Carter's Mysterious Ear.Carter, Nicholas (House name)
General
Nick Carter Stories No. 133, March 27, 1915: Won by Magic; or, Nick Carter's Mysterious Ear.
Carter, Nicholas (House name)
Detective and mystery stories, American -- Periodicals; Popular literature -- Periodicals
With this they parted, Tod hurrying back to the dance that was just
starting, while Klein, avoiding Miss Lydecker, who seemed puzzled
because he refused to join in the festivities, went out of the door, and
stood for a time in the friendly shadows of the wide porch.
A sudden bustle among the dancers, following a waltz, told him that they
were about going in for supper.
“My cue at last,” he murmured to himself, thrilling a bit at the thought
of the scene that was to come. “All the guests will be in the dining
room now.”
Swiftly he crossed the porch, gained the footbridge that led to Eagle’s
Nest, traveled its length, found the bundle he had previously examined,
took it, and went into the summerhouse. He remained there for all of
five minutes, and when he emerged he was wearing a long raincoat. He
came back over the bridge, gained the shadow of the house, and was on
the point of entering, when he stopped short. Hurrying around the
corner, and coming to a halt within a few yards of where Klein had
paused, came the detective, Jarge.
At the same moment a window, just above his head, opened and something
flashed in the moonlight. Jarge’s hand went out. It was all done before
Klein could fully realize the meaning. Then swiftly it dawned upon him.
He had expected it, but not at this moment.
Now, instantly alive to the situation, despite the fact that the scenes
were being juggled, Klein stepped forward. Until that time Jarge had
not seen him. At the first sound, however, the detective whirled.
“Well?” he snapped, taken off guard, his voice far from a natural one.
“I’ll trouble you for that necklace you just caught,” Klein announced
quietly.
“I--I don’t know what you mean.” Jarge was plainly upset, and was
sparring for time.
“Don’t hedge. I saw it. A necklace was dropped to you from that window.
Give it to me!”
“I don’t know----” began the other.
Klein advanced another step, gripped Jarge’s wrist with one hand, and
allowed the other to drop into the detective’s pocket. Quick as a flash
Jarge turned, but not in time to prevent the discovery. Klein’s fingers
brought forth the necklace from the pocket.
“You----” gasped the enraged detective.
“Don’t waste your good breath,” Klein interrupted, placing the necklace
in his own pocket. “If I’m not greatly mistaken, you’ll need all of it
later on. By the way, do you happen to have Miss Lydecker’s brooch with
you to-night? I mean the one you got away with last week. Rather a neat
plan, Jarge. Posing as a detective is quite a help, isn’t it? And
winning the respect of Mr. Lydecker by first stealing his daughter’s
jewels, then returning them, is another clever move on your part. You’re
an artist!”
Gradually Jarge was recovering from his first shock. And as Klein
finished with his accusations he shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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