The Riddle and the Ring; or, Won by NerveMacLaren, Gordon
General
The Riddle and the Ring; or, Won by Nerve
MacLaren, Gordon
Adventure stories; Detective and mystery stories; Dime novels; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction
A passing wonder came into his mind as to how Farr could have had the
nerve to show himself in such a place. Of course, Dean’s was patronized
mostly by the very wealthy members of the younger sporting set, and the
Beekman Trust Company had a clientele made up almost altogether of
shopkeepers, proprietors of lofts and the like, on the lower East Side.
Two such extremes were scarcely ever likely to come together, but there
was always a chance of discovery, as had been proved in this very
instance.
But Barry did not waste much thought on how his enemy happened to be
here. His presence in the rouge et noir game was the important thing,
and Lawrence instantly began to cudgel his brains as to how he might
take advantage of this discovery.
His own unsupported word as to Farr’s doings would not be enough to
convince Tappin or any of the directors. He must have a witness wholly
above the charge of bias.
Barry glanced swiftly around at the men near the table, and his heart
sank. He did not know a single one of them, and without a previous
acquaintance it would be time wasted to ask any of them to do such a
favor.
His eyes ranged over the faces for the second time, and stopped at a
tall, lean, slightly dissipated-looking chap who sat opposite Farr,
watching him with a languid interest, between whiles placing a bet
himself of no small amount.
"By Jove!" Lawrence said to himself. "I’ll be hanged if that isn’t
Charlie Biddle. It is!" he went on positively, after a careful
scrutiny. "I wonder if he wouldn’t help me out?"
Biddle was a man of means, with extremely rapid tendencies, and a type
of mind which caused his photograph to blaze forth frequently in the
metropolitan papers, while columns were devoted to his divertingly
eccentric escapades. He was a thoroughgoing, out-and-out sport, however,
and it struck Barry that he might possibly consent to become the very
desirable witness in the present case. At all events, he was the young
man’s only hope.
Having reached this conclusion, Lawrence went back to the other room,
eager to get away. He did not wish to have Farr see him.
The matter proved easier than he expected. Minturn greeted him with a
pathetic wail that he was busted, and so was Jack, and begged for a
loan. Barry managed to put him off by intimating that he also had been
cleaned out, and, after a somewhat prolonged argument, succeeded in
persuading the two fellows to depart with him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account