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diff --git a/old/69108-0.txt b/old/69108-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cbf6328..0000000 --- a/old/69108-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3621 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of New Nick Carter weekly; no. 28., by -Nick Carter - -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. - -Title: New Nick Carter weekly; no. 28. - -Author: Nick Carter - -Editor: Chickering Carter - -Release Date: October 7, 2022 [eBook #69108] - -Language: English - -Produced by: David Edwards and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (Northern Illinois University - Digital Library) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEW NICK CARTER WEEKLY; NO. -28. *** - - - - - - NEW - NICK CARTER - WEEKLY. - - _Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1897 by Street & - Smith, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C._ - - _Entered as second class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office._ - -_Issued weekly._ _Subscription price, $2.50 per year._ _July 10, 1897._ - -No. 28. STREET & SMITH, Publishers. NEW YORK. 29 Rose St., N. Y.5 Cents. - - - - - Nick Carter at the Track; - - OR, - - HOW HE BECAME A DEAD GAME SPORT. - - By the Author of “NICK CARTER.” - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -DENVER BAY. - - -“And so, you see, I stand to lose twenty thousand dollars.” - -“That’s a large sum.” - -“Yes, Mr. Carter, it’s a large sum; but a middle-aged gentleman like -yourself ought to be aware that risks are sometimes forced upon people -who handle money in large sums.” - -The celebrated detective smiled as he looked into the excited -countenance of the Wall Street man before him. - -Half an hour before, if the broker had seen him at all, he would hardly -have referred to him as “a middle-aged business man.” - -The detective had just returned from an expedition to the upper part of -the city, during which he had appeared as a verdant country boy of an -inquiring turn of mind. - -“Of course,” the detective said, slowly, “people who handle money for -the profit of others are expected to keep it in motion--honestly in -motion.” - -He glanced keenly into his visitor’s face as he emphasized the last -three words. - -“My case is hardly what you suppose it to be,” said Mr. James Wheeler, -broker. “The money I handle belongs to two heirs--both minors. With -that, however, you have nothing to do.” - -“You’re mistaken,” said Nick Carter, coldly. “If I am to handle your -case I must have your fullest confidence.” - -“Regarding my present venture, certainly, but I fail to see how past -complications can interest you.” - -“I have always made it a point,” said the detective, rising to his feet, -“not to engage in any case which is not entirely square and above-board. -You come here with a statement that you have risked twenty thousand -dollars belonging to two innocent children in the next Brooklyn -Handicap, an illegal proceeding, and if you have done this for your own -personal gain you have taken the first step toward a crime, and in that -case I refuse to have anything to do with the matter.” - -“Do you remember,” said Wheeler, putting out a hand to restrain the -detective, who seemed about to leave the room, “about the recent -daylight robbery in Wall Street, which resulted in the loss of twenty -thousand dollars in cash?” - -“Now you talk like a man of sense,” said the detective, resuming his -seat and drawing a note-book from his pocket. - -“Three weeks ago yesterday,” he continued, referring to the book, “the -office of Mr. James Wheeler, broker, was entered during the noon hour by -two men who claimed to be Texans seeking an investment. The broker was -absent, and his clerks were careless. - -“Result, when the Texans left, the broker was short exactly twenty -thousand dollars. Have I stated the case correctly?” - -The Wall Street man, sitting with his hands on his knees, stared in the -detective’s face with a look of surprise mingled with consternation. - -“Great God!” he exclaimed at length. “The matter wasn’t even reported to -the police.” - -“Very true. Perhaps you will have the kindness to tell me the reason -why.” - -“It would have ruined me. My creditors, and especially the friends of -these heirs, would have pounced down upon me in less than twenty-four -hours.” - -“And so, instead of facing the matter like a man, you endeavor to play -even by staking money on the next handicap?” - -“That’s it exactly, and I pledge you my word of honor that in doing so I -only sought to restore to the children the money of which they have been -robbed.” - -“And now they are likely to lose forty thousand instead of twenty.” - -“I’m afraid so.” - -“What reason had you for supposing when you staked the money that Denver -Bay would win the race?” - -“To tell the truth, I was half crazy when I made the investment. In -doing so I only followed the drift of public opinion regarding the -horse.” - -“Did you make the bet in the regular pool-room way?” - -“Certainly not. The odds were two to one on Denver Bay, and no bookmaker -would have taken such chances so long before the race. The bet was made -with a down-town sporting man, for whom I frequently do business in a -small way.” - -“His name?” - -“Peter Johnson.” - -“One of the most notorious race-track sharpers in the country.” - -“I was not aware of that at the time.” - -“Well,” said Nick, with a smile, “I never knew a horse to win a race -with such an outside bet on him, and all in the hands of one man, and -that man a professional trickster.” - -“I can see now how foolish it was, and I wish to place the matter -entirely in your hands. I am certain that the horse is to be fixed in -some way so that he cannot win.” - -“What makes you think that?” - -“I have no definite information on the subject, it is true. As we say on -the street, ‘It is in the air.’ No sporting man will touch the brute -now, and those supposed to be on the inside are warning their friends -not to risk their money on him.” - -“It does look pretty black.” - -“It looks pretty black, but I have every confidence in your ability to -run the rumors down, and either see that there is a fair race or that -the horse does not start at all.” - -“It’s a risky business, and will cost considerable money.” - -“I expect that; will you take the case?” - -“I will take it on one condition.” - -“Name it.” - -“It in this: If you recover this money you will take the whole amount -belonging to these heirs and invest it in some place where it will be -beyond the reach of New York thieves and race-track sharpers.” - -“You have my word on that. That is exactly the course I had decided -upon.” - -“Then there’s one other condition.” - -“If it is not more difficult than the other I accede to it in advance.” - -“That is, that if we discover crookedness on the part of these horsemen, -you are not to drop the matter as soon as you are made whole. You are to -stand up to the rack and help me to have justice done to them.” - -“I will do that willingly.” - -“It may cause you some trouble in your brokerage business.” - -“That doesn’t matter.” - -“That is all at present, then. You may see me at your office to-morrow. -If a man calls and asks to see you in regard to Lackawanna admit him to -your private room at once. You may not recognize me, but you can trust -the man that mentions that word.” - -After the departure of the broker the detective busied himself for some -moments in the examination of a list of the many pool-rooms in the lower -part of the city. - -“It’s a tough job,” he thought, “but it will give me a chance to see the -inside of some of these dens again.” - -He stepped into an inner room, and in a few minutes returned in the -guise of a cattle drover from the far West. - -When he left his office shortly afterward he took the direction of -Barclay Street, and soon entered one of the disreputable pool-rooms in -the vicinity of that thoroughfare. - -The place he entered was in a basement, and was foul, musty, and -suffocating. - -The place was crowded with men and boys of high and low degree, all half -crazed with the gambling spirit. - -The time was early in the afternoon. - -From his position behind a large desk a tough-looking clerk was drawling -out the names of horses with the odds which the proprietor of the place -would bet against them. - -It is generally supposed by the public that these pool-rooms merely -conduct a commission business, and that the odds offered there are the -ones posted at the race track. - -But this is by no means the case. The proprietors of the places bet -according to their private ideas of the proper odds. - -The rustling of greenbacks and the clinking of gold and silver were -heard throughout the place as the detective entered. - -“The race in which Denver Bay is entered takes place the day after -to-morrow,” mused the detective, “and I’ll just see how he stands in -this locality.” - -“Say, podner,” he said, advancing toward a heavily-built man behind the -railing, whom he knew to be the proprietor, “what odds d’ye give on -Denver Bay?” - -“Guess you’re from the West,” was the answer. - -“Right from the West, and any time you want to know about the price o’ -cattle just drop a line to Sol White to the Denver post-office.” - -“Denver Bay’s from the West, too, isn’t he?” - -“You bet he is, and he’s a good little hoss. What odds will you give me -on him?” - -“The Bay don’t count much of a figure on my books. The race ain’t on -yet, you know, and you can’t tell yet what horses will start. But I’ll -make a bet of two to one.” - -“You can’t do business with me at that figger,” said Nick, turning away. - -“Hold on!” said the sharper, pretending to look over the leaves of a -note-book in his hand. “I’ll give you five to one if you want to back -your favorite.” - -“Ten to one would be nearer right.” - -“You can’t have much confidence in your horse.” - -“’Tain’t my horse. I thought I’d drop fifty or a hundred just for luck.” - -“A thousand to a hundred is a pretty wild bet.” - -“You don’t have ter make it. Tell you what I’ll do. If you’ll make it -fifteen to one I’ll go you a hundred.” - -Nick Carter watched the face of the bookmaker as he made this -proposition, and saw at once that he was pleased to get a bet even at -such odds. - -“All right,” said the bookmaker. “Put up your dust. Here’s your ticket.” - -“If the horse don’t start, now,” said Nick, counting out the money, “I -get this back, I suppose.” - -“That’ll be all right,” said the other, in a non-committal sort of way. - -“When I sell my cattle,” said Nick, resolved to learn still more -regarding the pool-room idea of the horse, “I may want to bet some -more.” - -“I’ll take all the bets you want to make at that rate.” - -“Will they let me see the horse?” - -“You’ll have to settle that with the trainer.” - -“Where is he?” - -“In one of the stables near the track, I suppose.” - -“Well, I guess I’ll go over to-morrow and see him. I’ll bet the hoss’ll -know me like a book. Why, podner, I’ve rode behind him many a time.” - -“W’at’s dat ye’re givin’ us?” asked one of the plug-uglies who infest -that part of the city, crowding up against the detective. - -In paying over the money Nick had purposely exhibited a large roll of -bills. He was positive that such a course would attract the attention of -some of the sharpers about the place and would lead to some sort of -conversation. - -“I was jest a-sayin’,” he said, turning to the bully with a benevolent -look, “that I’ve rode behind Denver Bay many a time.” - -“Good little horse,” said the other, “but I think I can give yer a -pointer or two on him.” - -“Don’t give it away here,” said Nick, in a whisper. - -“I don’t give nuthin’ away. I gets money fer pointers--I does.” - -As he spoke he took the detective by the arm and led him to the meanly -furnished bar-room in the rear of the place. - -“I’ll jest tell you,” he said, as they stood at the bar with liberal -glasses of whisky before them, “that yer want ter play dat hoss fer -second place.” - -“I’ve been playin’ him fer winner.” - -“Well, you jest take my tip, an’ go ahead on it. It’s all right.” - -The detective paid for the drinks, and turned away, but the other caught -him fiercely by the arm. - -“Hold on here!” he said, with an ugly look. “That tip’ll cost you just -ten dollars.” - -“I didn’t ask you for no tip,” said the assumed countryman, with a -stare. - -“Well, you got it just the same, an’ you’ll get somethin’ else, too, if -you don’t cash up.” - -“You won’t get no ten dollars from me.” - -The bully struck viciously at the detective, who dodged away from him -in a clumsy sort of way. - -Nick was perfectly aware that the man meant business, and had no idea of -coming to close quarters with him. - -He well knew that a clinch of any kind would be likely to disarrange his -disguise and thus expose his true identity. - -With an oath the bully advanced again and struck a savage blow at the -detective’s face. - -Nick simply dodged his head this time, and striking before the other -could resume his guard, laid his opponent senseless on the floor. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -A LITTLE CIRCUS. - - -The knockdown created very little excitement in the room. - -Reports from the races were coming in every few minutes, and nearly -every one there had more or less money at stake. - -A few collected about the fallen man, however, and Nick had no -difficulty in slipping quietly out of the way. - -He had no idea, however, of leaving the place. - -His bet had started a little ripple of talk regarding Denver Bay, and he -knew that by remaining he might hear something to his advantage. - -At the end of the basement farthest from the street were a number of -stalls used by sporting men and others for private consultation. - -As the crowd was now congregated around the main desk in front many of -these stalls were empty. - -Nick stepped noiselessly into one of them, and closed the door. - -A moment later any one glancing into the stall would have seen a half -intoxicated countryman sitting with his chair tipped back against the -wall, his hat pulled down over an inflamed face, and his feet resting -upon the table. - -Not a single trace of the well-to-do cattle drover remained. - -“I may have to stay here a long time,” he thought, “and may as well have -some cigars. Besides a whisky glass properly placed on the table can do -no harm.” - -The order was given and promptly filled. - -The waiter by no means suspected that his seemingly inebriated customer -was the person in quest of whom the now infuriated bully was roaring -about. - -Before leaving home Nick had left a note addressed to Chick, instructing -him to call at the place toward which he was directing his steps, and he -now awaited with some impatience the arrival of his assistant. - -The afternoon passed slowly away. - -The races were over, and the stalls were filling up. - -In some of them people were dividing and spending the money won during -the day, while in others angry losers were laying plans by which they -might account for their sudden lack of funds. - -After a time two men, evidently none too sober, entered the stall next -to the one occupied by the detective, and ordered more drinks. - -“It’s a bloomin’ shame for a feller ter drop his wad like that,” said -one, in a maudlin tone, “specially when he’s on de inside an’ oughter -know. But you lost more’n I did, an’ I sympathize with you.” - -“I don’t want none o’ your sympathy,” said the other, evidently a little -nearer sober than his companion; “I’m broke now, but I can get plenty of -money when I get over to the stable.” - -“You’re a liar! you’re always workin’ that bluff about the stable. You -don’t get any more stuff’n I do. Wot you got to do wid de stable, say?” - -“W’at I got to do wid de stable?” said the other, in as sarcastic a tone -as he could command. “I’m chambermaid for Denver Bay, I am.” - -“You’re a nice man to be around a racing stable,” said the other, with -an oath. “W’at do you know about a hoss?” - -“You’re a sucker,” said the other. “You wait till the Denver Bay runs, -and I’ll show you a wad.” - -“You won’t get it on Denver Bay. You’re drunk, that’s what’s the matter -with you. Doncher talk to me no more. You’re drunk.” - -“You’re drunk yourself. You smell like a sour apple. Stan’ up like a -man. Why doncher pack yer whisky like me?” - -The last drinks had evidently been too much for the men, for Nick heard -a fall as the speaker attempted to stand on his feet to show how sober -he was. - -Nick stood upon a chair and carefully raised his head above the narrow -partition between the two stalls. - -In his fall the one had carried the other down with him, and they were -now clawing, chewing and punching one another in a drunken way. - -In a moment they lay still, and after mumbling a curse or two fell -asleep. - -“I’m in for it now,” thought the detective, again seating himself in a -position so that the men could not leave their stall without being seen -by him. “I must stay here all night if necessary in order to cultivate -the acquaintance of that fellow who acts as ‘chambermaid’ for Denver -Bay.” - -Just at that moment the door of his stall was opened, and a greasy -looking jockey shoved his face inside. - -“You don’t mean ter say you’re goin’ ter smoke them cigars?” he said, -taking one from the table, and breaking it in order to inspect its -contents. - -“Hardly. How long have you been here?” - -“Oh, just about long enough to nose around in search of a certain green -countryman,” said Chick, sitting down in a chair. - -“Isn’t that a bold costume for this place?” - -“Bold, why?” - -“These people may want to know what stable you belong to.” - -“Oh, that’s all right. I’m from the South, and I never rode a horse with -a record.” - -“That’ll do first rate. Just skip around in there, and see what you can -find out about Denver Bay; but before you go take a look at the men in -the next stall. We may have further business with them.” - -Chick opened the door and looked in. - -“Purty drunk, I should say.” - -“Yes, and I’ve got to wait around here until they get sober enough to -make friends with. One of them works at a stable I want to know -something about.” - -Chick now left the stall and hung about the place engaging in -conversation with any one who would talk with him. - -In a half hour he was back with his report. - -“There’s some scheme afloat in regard to Denver Bay,” he said. “They’re -having great sport over an old sucker who came in here this afternoon -and put up a hundred on him at fifteen to one.” - -“Yes, I’m the sucker. Well, find out all you can. Don’t go far away.” - -After a time Nick heard faint sounds in the adjoining stalls as though -the drunken men were regaining consciousness. - -As he peered cautiously over the partition one of them raised himself on -his elbow, eyed his companion curiously for a moment, and then asked, in -a sarcastic tone: - -“W’ats de matter wid you? Had a death in de family? Or did yer gal run -off wid de coachman? - -“Oh, you’ve never been broke before. Well, you’d better keep quiet an’ -let ’spectable people sleep, or I’ll put a charge of ’sturbin’ de peace -on you. See? Hello, pardner,” he continued, as some one opened the door -and walked in, “why don’t yer send in yer card?” - -“You’re a couple of nice blokes!” said the new-comer. “I was afraid when -you came over town that you’d get drunk. I’ll have you both run in if -you don’t look out.” - -“Run in nothin’. Dey can’t convict a man but once fer an offense, an’ I -was put in jail thirty years ago for this same drunk. I’ll swear I -haven’t been sober since. Just de same drunk all de time.” - -“How long has Amos been here?” - -“All the afternoon.” - -“Has he done any talking?” - -“Naw. His tongue’s as thick as a Congressman’s head.” - -“Well, you go out somewhere and get some supper. I want to talk with -him.” - -As the fellow slouched out, very much improved by his brief nap, the -new-comer seized the man on the floor by the shoulder and shook him -roughly. - -“Wake up, here!” he shouted, in a shrill voice, in his ear. - -Amos opened his eyes, and finally raised himself into a chair. - -“What have you been saying this afternoon?” asked the other, sharply. - -“Nothin’.” - -“Did you tell that drunken brute, Hazelton, anything?” - -“Not a thing, s’elp me!” - -The man passed out of the stall and inspected the rooms on each side. - -He found one stall empty, and in the other there was only a drunken -countryman sleeping with his feet on the table and his chair tipped back -against the wall. - -“Now, then,” he said, sitting down again, “are you sober enough to -understand what I say?” - -“I’m all right now,” said Amos, who really appeared to be in fair shape. -“Talk away, Martin.” - -Martin talked in a low tone, which, however, was loud enough to be -understood by the detective. - -“It’s all fixed. The horse is to be let alone and remain in good shape -until the last moment. He is to be fixed after he is brought upon the -track.” - -“I don’t see how I’m going to do that.” - -“It’s easy enough. The dose isn’t larger than a marble, and it’s rolled -up in sugar, so he’ll take it fast enough. You can put it in his mouth -just as you let go of the bridle at the start.” - -“Is the owner posted?” - -“Hardly,” said the other, with an oath. “The fool expects the horse to -win the race.” - -“Does he suspect anything?” - -“No; he’s heard the talk, of course, but he thinks it a trick of the -pool-rooms to keep his horse back.” - -“How are de jockeys?” - -“Why,” said the other, with another oath, “what do you suppose I got you -in that stable for? If the owner had been in with the game, or if -there’d been a jockey I could have depended on, I shouldn’t have needed -you.” - -“Well, I don’t like it a little bit. What effect will it have on de -hoss?” - -“It’ll just set him crazy for a minute or two, and he’ll bolt and kick -and buck around just enough to lose the race. - -“He probably will be all right in five minutes. - -“You understand about keeping him away from the judges’ stand as long as -possible, of course?” - -“I ain’t goin’ ter ride him,” said the other, sullenly. “I only hope the -boy that does won’t get his neck broken.” - -“Oh, the boy’ll be all right. You just rush down the track when you see -the break made, and fool around after the boy stops him until he has a -little chance to get over the dose, so the judge won’t suspect anything. -You understand now?” - -“Yes,” said the other; “I understand. I wish I hadn’t had anything to do -with it. Have you got any money? I’m broke.” - -“You won’t drink any more to-night?” - -“Not a drop.” - -“Well, here’s twenty-five dollars. I may not see you again till just -before the race comes off.” - -“I believe,” said Amos, as he took the money, “that Denver Bay would win -that race if you’d let him alone.” - -“In that case it would cost my man just forty thousand dollars.” - -As Martin passed out of the stall the door was left open for an instant, -and Amos stood directly in front of it with the greenbacks still in his -hands. - -Neither he nor Martin observed the greedy look which two shabby-looking -fellows who were passing at the time cast upon the money. - -But Nick Carter, from his position, took it all in. - -“I’m in great luck again,” he thought. “If those two loafers are the -kind of fellows I think they are I’ll have a chance to help that man out -of a scrape before long.” - -The next moment the two men advanced to the door of the stall occupied -by Amos, and stepped inside. - -It was now after dark, and the part of the room in which the stalls were -situated was but dimly lighted. - -There was still excitement enough around the cashier’s desk to attract -the attention of those who still lingered in the place. - -So there was really very little risk in what the two men evidently -intended doing. - -As they advanced Nick leaped to the top of his table, but remained in -such a position that no part of his body could be seen from the other -side. - -“Hello, pard,” said one of them, putting his hand familiarly upon Amos’ -shoulder, “you’ve been lucky enough to-day to buy the drinks.” - -“Yes, an’ hurry up!” added the other. “I’m mighty dry!” - -“I lost every dollar I put up.” - -“You’re lucky then to have such a fly-lookin’ chap hand you a roll like -that.” - -Amos sprang back and drew up his fist. - -“If you come a step nearer I’ll knock you down first,” he said, “and -then I’ll call the police.” - -Both men drew billies and advanced toward him. - -Just then a most unexpected thing occurred. - -Nick Carter leaped lightly over the partition, landed upon the table -between the combatants, and at once settled one of the ruffians by a -well-directed kick under the chin. - -The other, too astonished for a moment to make any movement of defense, -was piled on top of his companion by a fist blow under his ear. - -“Now, then,” said Nick, addressing the astonished horseman, “those -fellows won’t lay long in that way, and we’d better get out o’ here -mighty quick!” - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -A LARGE BET. - - -The detective and Amos passed out of the stall and out of the place, -leaving the two ruffians lying unconscious upon the floor. - -As they reached the street Amos pointed with his finger toward the place -they had just left. - -“There’ll be a big racket down there,” he said. - -“We won’t be in it,” was the reply. “Those fellows are two of the -toughest thieves in the city.” - -“You know them, then?” - -“They were pointed out to me one day.” - -“Well, I don’t think they’ll want to be pointed out to you again. You -did some of the quickest work there I ever saw.” - -“‘Quick’ work was necessary about that time.” - -“You did me a good turn anyway. If I ever get a chance I’ll do as much -for you.” - -“You ain’t liable to get a chance. I’m going away in a few days.” - -“You don’t live here, then?” - -“I’m a farmer.” - -“Where are you stopping?” - -“’Most anywhere.” - -“Why not come over and stay with me to-night?” - -“Don’t mind if I do.” - -Nick was more than pleased at his good fortune in getting within reach -of the tricky sporting men’s tool so soon. - -He suspected, however, that the man he was with would be followed by his -scheming employers from that time until the race was over. - -He was fully aware that men who commit crimes and engage others to -assist them in their nefarious work never trust their tools implicitly. - -His first idea was to ascertain whether spies had actually been set upon -his companion. - -He also desired to know whether Chick was in a position to be within -reach if needed. - -In order to do all this it was necessary for him to leave Amos alone for -at least a few moments. - -“Look here,” he said, as they were starting up the street, “I’m a little -anxious about those men down there. I’d like to know whether they are -hurt much.” - -“Well, we’ll go back if you like.” - -“No, you step into this saloon, and I’ll go back alone. They know you -there, but they don’t know me.” - -Amos did as requested, and Nick started rapidly down the street. - -In a moment he ran across Chick. - -“I was looking for you,” said Nick, shortly. - -“Here I am.” - -“Did you see me leave the place with that man?” - -“Sure; and it was a heap of fun to see the proprietor and the waiters -wondering over the two men you left in the stall.” - -“Are they badly hurt?” - -“No, you can’t kill people of that stamp. One’s got a black eye and the -other a lame neck.” - -“Did any one shadow us out?” - -“Yes.” - -“Who?” - -“The man who was in the stall before the two bums went in.” - -“How is he dressed?” - -“The same as before, only that he now has a light overcoat over his -cutaway, and wears a slouch hat instead of the silk tie.” - -“It’s just as I expected,” mused Nick. “The fellow is working for a man -who has a good deal of money at stake, and he’ll never leave my man -until he has him safe in bed. - -“Well, hustle into that saloon,” he finally said to Chick, pointing out -the place where he had left Amos, “and see if you can find our man -Martin in there.” - -“You mean the man with the light overcoat and slouch hat?” - -“Certainly. If he is in there, find out what he is doing. If he’s with -Amos, get back here as quick as possible.” - -“You want to keep those two fellows apart to-night?” - -“Yes.” - -The young fellow hastened into the place, only to dart out again the -next moment. - -“He’s in there giving Amos the razzle-dazzle.” - -“What is he saying?” - -“Why, Amos wants to get away from him, and he swears he means to stay -with him until after some race or other.” - -This was a puzzle. - -Nick had made every calculation upon going to the stables with the -fellow whom he had assisted. He wanted to know the place where Denver -Bay was in training. - -He had not yet decided upon what course to pursue after reaching the -field of action, but was positive that once on the ground some means -could be found by which the plotters could be circumvented. - -By this time the detective had made up his mind to give the tricky -sporting men a very hard deal. He was firmly of the opinion that Denver -Bay would be the best horse in the race. - -He believed that word had been passed around the inner circle of -gamblers and sporting men that the Western horse would not be permitted -to win, and he reasoned that they would lay almost any odds against the -horse. - -He thought that the best way to punish them would be to meet them on -their own ground, and win their money. - -Nick Carter is by no means a gamester or sporting man. - -He derives an immense income from his detective work, and has no -inclination to make a break for sudden fortune. - -In fact, were he worth as many millions as a Vanderbilt or a Gould he -would still, for the very love of the business, be a detective. - -“Well,” said Nick, at length, “if I do the work I have laid out for -myself to-night we must separate those two men.” - -“But how?” - -“Well, I have a report to make to the fellow, and I’ll go in and call -him aside. If he wants to get away from that chap I won’t have any -trouble arranging it.” - -“But if he doesn’t?” - -“Then one of us’ll have to go over to the stables on his own hook.” - -“Do you know where they are?” - -“Oh, they’re out there by the track somewhere.” - -Nick walked boldly into the saloon, and called Amos aside. - -Martin did not allow the two men to get very far away from him, and he -watched them as closely as a cat would a mouse every moment they were -talking together. - -“Those two men are in bad shape,” Nick said. - -“Well, you did the hitting, I didn’t.” - -“That won’t make any difference. We’d both have to stand trial if we -should get caught.” - -“Oh, come off! Nothing can be done to a man for knocking out a highway -robber.” - -“Ah!” thought Nick, “he has been getting some advice from my friend -Martin.” - -“Look here,” said Martin, advancing to where the two men were standing, -and addressing Nick, “this man and I have an engagement to-night, and we -don’t intend to have any outsiders forced upon us. If you have -transacted your business with him you’d better walk away.” - -“That’s right,” said Amos, now completely under the control of the -master mind; “you did me a good turn in there, and I’m much obliged to -you, but I’ve got business with this man just now.” - -Nick regarded both men with a countrified stare for a moment, and then -walked away. - -“It’s a good thing,” he thought, “that I tumbled to the racket before we -got started for the stables. The man would certainly have suspected -something. - -“Now, then,” he said to Chick, as the two again stood together, “you -follow these men over and locate the horse. You may report to me at the -house at eight o’clock in the morning.” - -As Chick placed himself in a position to watch every movement of the men -he was shadowing, Nick stepped into a restaurant and ordered a liberal -meal. This concluded, he walked into a saloon next door and sat down in -a private stall. - -Five minutes later a respectable-looking, middle-aged business man -walked out of the stall and took his way toward one of the most popular -gambling dens in that portion of the city. - -The place was crowded, and faro, roulette, and stud-poker tables were -running full blast. - -As Nick supposed it would be, the talk was all about the race. - -He bought a stack of white chips, and sat down at the end of a faro -table, playing very slowly and listening to every word that was said -around him. - -“Well, old sport,” said the dealer, familiarly, to a well-dressed -gentleman who entered and bought a stack of yellows, “you must have -struck luck to-day. Any news?” - -“No,” said the person addressed, with a laugh, “nothing except that a -fellow bought Denver Bay for a hundred at fifteen to one.” - -“That ain’t so bad,” said a player at the opposite end of the table. -“The horse may win.” - -“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” said the man behind the yellow chips, -“I’ll go you twenty to one that the horse don’t get a show.” - -The man subsided, and Nick shoved a fifty-dollar bill toward the -speaker. - -“I’ll take that bet,” he said, coolly. - -“All right,” said the player, taking out a roll of bills. “Here’s the -money. Who’ll hold the stakes?” - -Nick called up one of the proprietors, stated the bet, and put the money -into his hand. - -“Now, then,” said the other, with a sneer, “I’m not used to betting -against such odds, but I’ll put up ten thousand against a thousand that -Denver Bay don’t win.” - -“I’m your huckleberry,” said Nick, producing the money. - -“Of course I haven’t the money with me, but I’ll put up a forfeit of a -thousand against a hundred of yours, and we’ll make the bet at ten -o’clock in the morning.” - -“That’s satisfactory,” said Nick, handing the money to the stake-holder. - -With this the two men parted, and Nick sat down in a corner, and was -soon apparently deeply interested in a newspaper. - -The man with whom he had made the bets returned to the faro table, and -in a few moments cashed in his chips. - -“That’s the first move,” thought the detective. “The fellow’s next move -will be to find out if there’s anything wrong about the scheme they have -put up on Denver Bay.” - -Nick had made these two bets not so much for the purpose of winning the -money, but because he believed that a bluff of that sort would send the -sporting man back to the headquarters of the crooked crowd to see if -there had been any change in the programme. - -After cashing in his chips the man lit a cigar, and turned hastily -toward the door. - -Nick at once started along after him. - -“You won’t forget about that bet in the morning,” he said. - -“I should say not. I haven’t got any thousand dollars to throw away that -way.” - -“Well,” said Nick, as the other passed down the stairs, “I’ll light a -cigar and go home.” - -Instead of immediately passing into the street with the man Nick stood -in the entrance a moment, so as to give the man no indication of being -followed, and then hastened away after him. - -The fellow turned into a stairway on William Street which, as Nick was -well aware, led to another gambling room. - -The stairway was dark and deserted as the detective reached it. - -In a very few moments the green countryman who had struck such effective -blows in the pool-room stepped into the lighted hall above, and tapped -cautiously at the door. - -“Any game goin’ on?” he said, as the wicket in the door was opened and a -black face peered out upon him. - -The door was softly opened, and Nick stepped into a small, half-lighted -hallway. - -“Guess you nebber bin heah befo’, boss,” said the negro, with a grin. - -“No,” said Nick, “I’m from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I thought I’d like to -look around.” - -“Well, you go right in dat door,” said the darky, pointing to one at the -end of the hall. - -Nick had been in the place many times, and he knew it to be one of the -toughest gambling houses in town. - -In fact, it was just the sort of place for crooked work of all kinds to -be planned. - -The apartment into which he had been shown was but a small part of the -den. - -The rooms in which the schemes were hatched, and where the gamblers -spent their leisure hours, opened from the opposite end of the hall. - -The detective’s object now was to gain a position from which he could -overhear what was going on there. - -Seating himself in the outer room he called for glass after glass of -whisky until he appeared to be in the last stage of intoxication. - -Each time he paid the waiter from a large roll of bills. - -“Here’s a seat at the table if you want to play,” said a man behind the -roulette wheel. - -“Guesh I’m too full t’ pla; guesh I’ll go to the hotel ’n go t’ bed,” -said the man from Grand Rapids, Michigan. - -“You’ll get run in if you go out on the street now. You’d better go back -there and lay down a while. Pompey!” - -Nick could hardly restrain a chuckle as he was led away by the obliging -darky. - -“They don’t let any one out of here with a roll of money like that,” he -thought. - -He was shown into a small room containing a couch, a mirror, and a small -table. - -As the negro left the room the detective heard a key turned in the lock. - -Nick lost no time in making a close examination of the apartment. - -He had sized up the negro carefully, and in five minutes he was a pretty -good counterfeit of that sable gentleman. - -A sound of voices now came faintly from the direction opposite from the -entrance to the room he was in. - -It was very indistinct, however, and after a moment’s inspection of the -room beyond through the keyhole, the detective applied his pick-lock, -and soon found himself in a small dark room from which he could hear the -voices quite distinctly. - -“I tell you it’s all right,” said a voice, with an oath. - -“Well, it’s mighty strange that bets should be picked up in two places -in one day.” - -The voice was that of the man with whom the detective had made the bets. - -“You’re a suspicious chap, Brower,” said the first voice. “Ever since -you made that twenty-thousand dollar daylight haul down on Wall Street -you think everybody in town is after your money.” - -“Well, I’ll go and make the bet in the morning, then.” - -Nick, anxious to get a view of the man whose voice he did not recognize, -stepped lightly on a table to look through the transom. - -The table gave way beneath his weight, and fell to the floor with a -crash. - -In a moment the men in the room beyond were on their feet. - -Nick sprang to the door through which he had entered the room, closed -and locked it after him, and made a dash for the outer room. - -At the door he was met by two employees of the place whose attention had -been attracted by the noise of the fall. - -“What’s the matter, Pomp?” one of them asked, excitedly. - -“That ain’t Pomp,” shouted the other, reaching for his pistol; “that’s -some spy.” - -Nick struck out hard and quick, and both men went down. - -Before the men at the table could get upon their feet, or get where they -could make any effort to stop him, the detective was at the outer door -confronting the negro who had admitted him. - -The darky sprang to the door as though to bar his exit. - -The next moment he felt the cold muzzle of a revolver pressed against -his temple, and sank trembling to the floor. - -As Nick stepped out and bounded down the stairs a bullet struck the wall -just above his head. - -“I shall have to fine myself for that error,” he thought, as he -hastened away from the stairway into the crowd. - -“If I had kept on my countryman’s uniform they would have regarded that -break I made as the result of curiosity on the part of a country chump -out to see the town, and I might have learned something more about that -twenty-thousand-dollar daylight haul on Wall Street.” - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -A HOWLING SWELL. - - -Promptly at eight o’clock next morning Chick made his appearance at Nick -Carter’s private office. - -He had the appearance of a man who had had a hard night of it, but was -still full of pluck. - -“Did everything go all right?” Nick asked. - -“Yes, I was reasonably successful.” - -“Well, for my part, I don’t think I scored any very brilliant success -after we separated. After a good deal of hard work I struck just the -place I wanted, and then a table broke down with me, and I got out of -the joint just ahead of a bullet.” - -After receiving his assistant’s report Nick dressed himself in the -costume in which he had first met the Wall Street man, and took his way -to that gentleman’s office. - -“Tell Mr. Wheeler,” he said to the clerk in the outer office, “that I -want to see him in regard to that Lackawanna deal.” - -“You’re to be shown in at once,” said the clerk, opening the door to the -inner room. - -The broker appeared to be awaiting the arrival of the detective, and was -in anything but a calm frame of mind. - -“You were right,” the detective said, “in supposing that undue means -would be employed to prevent the horse winning the race.” - -“I’ve been hoping almost against hope that my suspicions were unfounded. -I wish I had pocketed my former loss, and let this matter alone.” - -“There is still a chance to save yourself without taking any risk.” - -“What do you mean?” - -“The horse can be kept out of the race.” - -Nick eyed the broker keenly as he made this suggestion. - -“I’ve been thinking about that.” - -“It’s easy enough done, and in that case you will recover your stakes.” - -“And still that leaves me just where I started in.” - -“Why didn’t you think of that before taking the steps you did last -night?” - -“You’re mistaken. I’ve done nothing at all in the matter since seeing -you.” - -“You have not been at the stables since leaving my house yesterday -afternoon?” - -“I have not.” - -“You have authorized some one to go there?” - -“I have not.” - -Nick reflected a moment before speaking. - -“You could have no motive in deceiving me,” he said, at length, “but -it’s very singular for all that.” - -“I don’t understand you.” - -“It isn’t necessary at the present time that you should.” - -“But I’m deeply interested in the matter, and----” - -“Never mind that now. I am not here to be cross-questioned.” - -“But I infer from your remark that something unusual took place at the -stables last night.” - -“Not that I am aware of.” - -“You talk in riddles.” - -“One of my men simply learned the true condition of affairs there, -that’s all.” - -“Does it affect me?” - -“Slightly.” - -“Then I ought to know.” - -“Not if you adhere to the resolution expressed yesterday afternoon, to -let the horse go in the race.” - -“It isn’t any use to try to pump you, I see,” said the broker, with a -smile. “You will have your own way.” - -“I usually do.” - -“You’re lucky.” - -“Now to business,” said Nick, taking a slip of paper from his pocket. -“If you still desire the case to go on as originally mapped out you must -go to this address at ten o’clock with nine hundred dollars in currency, -and stake it on Denver Bay.” - -“But, my dear sir, I have too much money on Denver Bay now.” - -“Count this as part of the expenses of the case, then. I put up a -hundred as a forfeit last night against a thousand.” - -“In other words, ten thousand dollars will be staked against a -thousand.” - -“That’s it.” - -“You have a great deal of confidence in the horse, and also in your -ability to make the race a square one.” - -“I never copper my own bets.” - -The broker took the required amount of money from the safe and put it -into his pocket. - -“What sort of a place is it?” - -“It’s a gambling house, but you will be used respectfully, and any money -staked there in the regular way is safe.” - -“Shall I find you here when I return?” - -“No; I’m going a part of the way with you.” - -“Why not all the way?” - -“I have reasons of my own for not doing so.” - -The two men passed out of the office together, and were soon in the -vicinity of the gambling house. - -The broker passed up the stairs, and Nick stood in a neighboring doorway -carelessly smoking a cigar. - -In a few moments the broker reappeared, and was about to approach the -spot where Nick stood when a quick motion informed him that he was to -pass on without recognition. - -“Did he make the bet?” Nick asked, seeming to address no one in -particular. - -The broker nodded and went on. - -Before long the man with whom Nick had conversed the previous evening -passed down the stairs, and took his way to a neighboring pool-room. - -The detective followed until there was no doubt as to where the man was -going, and then walked about the street for some moments in deep -thought. - -When he finally entered the pool-room the man stood at the desk talking -with the proprietor. - -“There is no doubt in my mind,” Nick heard the latter say, “regarding -the horse’s ability to win. The only question is whether the boys will -do their work well.” - -“You can’t gamble on anybody’s honesty when it comes to dollars and -cents,” was the reply. “The other side has the age now, and can afford -to put up a lot of money to have things go their way.” - -“Well, you’ll have to take your own chances.” - -“I suppose so.” - -“You’re too old a sport to get bluffed into a bet of that size.” - -“Yes, I ought not to have done it.” - -“There may be some way out of it yet.” - -“I’ll try and find some way,” said the other, with a scowl as he turned -away. - -After leaving the place the sport, whom the proprietor addressed as -Brower, took his way to a messenger office, sent a boy out with a note, -and then hastened to a fashionable saloon in the neighborhood. - -“Now, then,” thought Nick, as he took a seat not far from him out of the -range of his sight, “I’ll soon find out how many different games they -are playing over at the stables.” - -The sport settled himself down behind a paper as though he had some time -to wait. - -So Nick left him there, and passed out into the street, and ten minutes -later, disguised as a howling swell, sauntered into the place, stared -about through his one eye glass, and finally took a seat near the -waiting man. - -At the end of half an hour the sport became restless, and began walking -nervously up and down the room. - -Just then a rough-looking fellow entered, and in response to a signal -seated himself at a table in the rear end of the place. - -“Hello, Steve,” said the sport, advancing to the table and taking a -seat, “are the races going your way this season?” - -“About the same old thing,” was the careless response. - -Both men glanced keenly about, and the next moment were engaged in -earnest conversation. - -Nick strolled around toward the back part of the room, stupidly gazing -at the handsome paintings hung upon the walls. - -But the men, evidently very suspicious, dropped their voices to whispers -whenever he came near them. - -“This won’t do,” thought Nick. “I must find out what those fellows are -talking about.” - -Every effort to overhear them, however, failed, and he finally gave it -up. - -After a long talk, during which Nick saw some money pass from the sport -to his companion, the former left the place. - -“Well, Steve,” said one of the helpers about the saloon, “have you got -any pointers about the race to-morrow?” - -“I can tell you about that to-morrow.” - -“Aw,” said the dude, advancing toward the two men, “were you talking -about the races, you know?” - -“That’s what,” said Steve, winking at his companion. “Do you want to -make your everlasting fortune?” - -“Aw, I might put up a couple of hundred.” - -“That’s the cheese,” said Steve, with another wink. “I’ll bet you’re a -dead-game sport.” - -“It isn’t good form to be a sport, doncher know.” - -“You bet it ain’t, but it’s good form to win money, eh?” - -Steve poked the dude slyly in the ribs as he spoke. - -“All the boys bet, doncher know.” - -“Well, you follow my steer, and you’ll have a wad as big as yer head day -after to-morrow.” - -“But, my deah sir, I don’t see any steah. How can I follah a steah if -there is no steah?” - -“You’re a good un; you come wid me an’ I’ll show you de steer.” - -“Is it fah? I cawn’t walk in these gaiters, doncher know.” - -“Just a little ways, pard.” - -“Then we must have a cawwiage. Waitah, will you call a cawwiage?” - -Steve almost choked over the glass of whisky he was drinking as the -carriage drove up and the dude started for the door. - -Before entering the carriage he gave his instructions to the driver in a -low tone of voice. - -The carriage was driven around several blocks, and finally drew up at a -low pool-room which was only a short distance from the starting place. - -“Take a chair, Charlie,” said Steve, as they entered, “and I’ll find out -what de boss has got ter say ’bout de races.” - -“I’ve got a sucker,” he said to the clerk in a low tone. “W’at do I get -if he bets a couple o’ hundred?” - -“What’ll he bet on?” - -“Oh, anything.” - -“Twenty per cent; is that enough?” - -“’Tain’t ’nuff, but I s’pose it’s all I’ll get.” - -“Suppose I put him on Denver Bay even?” - -“Don’t do that,” said the other, hastily, “because if the horse -shouldn’t----” - -The fellow hesitated with some confusion in his manner. - -“What’s that?” demanded the pool-room man, sharply. “Are there any new -tricks over that horse?” - -“I don’t know anythin’ about any tricks.” - -“Well, if you don’t no man in New York does.” - -“That’s all right, but I didn’t come here to talk about that. Let’s get -down to business.” - -Nick’s sharp ear had taken in every word of the conversation, and he at -once resolved to test the fellow’s knowledge of Denver Bay’s standing. - -“Aw,” he said, advancing toward the desk, “I see Denver Bay is on the -board. I’ll bet on him.” - -“I wouldn’t do that,” said Steve. - -“Why not, me deah boy?” - -“You came down here to take my steer, didn’t you?” - -“Aw, get away from de desk wid yer dude!” - -A couple of bullies shoved themselves between Nick and the desk, and one -of them took occasion to drop a quid of tobacco on one of his nicely -polished shoes as he passed him. - -“Look heah, fellah, no gentleman would do that, doncher know.” - -“Who ain’t a gentleman?” demanded the bully, doubling up his fists. - -“These people are weal coarse,” said Nick, turning to Steve; “I shall -leave the place.” - -By this time the clerk was endeavoring by shaking his head and other -motions to induce the roughs to let his customer alone until the bet had -been made, but the fellows were half intoxicated, and were bent on -having a crack at the dude. - -“Take dat wid ye!” said one of them, aiming a blow at Nick’s face. - -Nick’s guard was up in a moment, and a second later two astonished -loafers were rolling over each other on the floor. - -“I like that,” said Steve, with a hearty laugh. “You’re a brick, if you -are a dude. If you’ll drive me over to de track I’ll show you de hosses. -I’ve got a date over there about this time.” - -The toughs did not appear anxious to renew the contest, so Nick and his -new friend left the place and were driven away. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -A JOCKEY IN TROUBLE. - - -The carriage containing the dude and the man Morris whom he had picked -up at the saloon stopped at a roadhouse a short distance from the -stables. - -Nick was not yet posted regarding the conference at the saloon between -Morris and the man Brower, who had summoned him there. - -He was satisfied that some scheme was on foot which had nothing to do -with the plot engineered by Johnson, who had staked forty thousand -dollars against twenty thousand of James Wheeler’s money that Denver Bay -would not win the race. - -Johnson wanted the horse to run and be beaten. - -The detective did not know exactly what the Brower crowd did want. - -He went over to the stables in company with Morris to find out. - -The dude and the roughly-dressed horseman attracted some attention as -they walked into the quiet little bar-room. - -The men outside seemed to regard it as a good joke that Morris had -picked up such a companion. - -“He’ll skin the dude all right enough,” said one of them from a lazy -position at the watering trough. - -“You bet he will,” added another. “If the dude has any money left after -Morris gets through betting with him he’s in luck.” - -“If he has any money left,” said another, “Morris will probably take him -down and take it away from him.” - -“I dunno ’bout dat. Did you notice the dude’s neck and shoulders?” - -While the men outside were talking, Nick and his companion seated -themselves in a small room opening from the bar-room. - -Nick ordered drinks and cigars liberally, and Morris was soon on the -road to a high old time. - -“Say, young feller,” he said, lighting a cigar and turning away just -long enough to permit Nick to empty his fourth glass of whisky into a -spittoon, “you knocked them fellows around pretty lively over there.” - -“I was dooced scared, doncher know.” - -“Well you acted to me just like a man who enjoyed it.” - -“I weally didn’t know when I hit them. Dooced lucky, wasn’t I?” - -“’Twasn’t all luck, I guess,” said Morris, eyeing the dude suspiciously. - -“Oh, come now. You mustn’t talk that way to a fellah.” - -“Hello, there,” shouted one of the loafers from the outside, pushing the -door open with his foot, “be you fellers goin’ on de retired list?” - -“We’re busy just now,” said Morris, angrily. - -“All right,” said the other, with a loud guffaw, “work de dude fer all -dere is in it.” - -Morris started excitedly to his feet. - -“What do you want here anyhow?” he demanded. - -“No offense,” said the other, with a smile, “I just thought I’d look in -and ask about the news over town.” - -“It’s too early for news over town. There ain’t much going on there till -afternoon. You mean about the races, of course?” - -“I’d like to know how to win a couple of hundred.” - -“You won’t find out from me if you stand there all day.” - -“Well, so long,” said the other, closing the door with a bang. “I didn’t -know but what de dude might stand treat,” he added, sneaking back to his -companion. - -“Aw,” said Nick, as the fellow disappeared. “Just touch the bell and -we’ll have something more to drink.” - -By this time Morris was considerably under the influence of liquor. - -He swallowed his whisky sullenly, and looked at his companion after the -wise manner of half-drunken men. - -“You didn’t get a bet yet,” he said, with a hiccough. - -“That’s what I’m waiting for. You promised, you know.” - -“Tell you, pardner, I took you into that pool-room to do you out of a -couple of hundred, and I’d a got forty fer doin’ it.” - -“That’s quite awful!” exclaimed Nick, throwing up his hands in -astonishment. - -“But I liked the way you bumped those toughies up there, and you have -acted square in bringing me here, so that I’m goin’ ter give you a tip.” - -“Weally, now?” - -“Yes; you’re a man of your word, ain’t you?” - -“’Pon honah!” - -“Well, then, I want you to promise me that you will give me half a -century after you get your money.” - -“Weally, now, isn’t that too much?” - -“You can make enny amount you like, pard.” - -“I might lose, you know.” - -“Will you give me fifty if yer win?” - -“Why, yes.” - -“Well, den, you bet on Daisy for de handicap to-morrow.” - -“But, my deah sir, what’s the mattah with Denver Bay?” - -“De hoss ain’t in it.” - -“But his name is on the cah’d, deah boy.” - -“I tell you,” said the other, pounding his fist on the table in drunken -impatience, “de hoss ain’t in it!” - -“But, my deah boy, I’ve got money bet on Denver Bay now.” - -“You’ll get dat back.” - -“I don’t see how.” - -“If de hoss don’t start all de bets will be declared off, won’t dey?” - -Nick sat for some moments in silence. - -“Here are the two schemes,” he thought. “Johnson wants the horse to run -and be beaten, and Brower does not want the beast to start.” - -“Wa’t do you say?” - -Nick was thinking fast, and did not answer for some time. - -“I’m responsible for the Brower end of the scheme,” he thought. “The -fellow doesn’t dare to risk his ten thousand dollars.” - -The detective smiled as he thought how little confidence crooked -sporting men have in each other’s word. - -“In this case,” he thought, “it may be that Brower doubts Johnson’s -ability to fix the horse. He’s afraid of some failure in the plan at the -last moment.” - -The detective now had two plans to select from. - -He could defeat the Johnson and Brower plots, and see that the race -would be a square one, or he could allow Brower to have his way, and -thus cause all bets to be declared off. - -The first plan, if the horse should win, would place his client in an -excellent position. - -On the other hand, if the horse should lose after all it would only -increase his difficulty. - -The second plan would release Wheeler’s twenty thousand dollar stake -money, and leave him just as he stood before engaging in the enterprise. - -This plan of preventing the horse from entering the race had been more -than hinted at when Chick had appeared at the stables as a jockey on the -previous night. - -His report on the matter that morning had caused Nick to talk as he had -at the broker’s office. - -From that conversation with Wheeler, every word of which was still fresh -in his mind, Nick had satisfied himself that the broker was anxious to -let the stake remain if there was any prospect of securing a fair race. - -This was one point in favor of the project of balking the rascals in -their efforts to keep the horse out. - -Another strong point in the mind of the detective was to teach Johnson -and his gang of criminal pool sellers a salutary lesson. - -“What they aimed at in their dealings with Wheeler,” he mused, “was -robbery, pure and simple. They thought to take his twenty thousand -dollars without even as much as giving him a show for it.” - -“Well,” said Morris, at length, “how much are you going to put up on -Daisy?” - -“Weally, now, I’d be betting against myself, doncher see?” - -“Didn’t I tell you you’d get the money staked on Denver Bay back again?” - -“Why don’t Denver Bay run?” - -“Now, look here, if you’re goin’ ’round tellin’ that Denver Bay isn’t -goin’ ter start you won’t be doin’ yerself enny good, and will get me -into trouble. You don’t want to do that, I suppose?” - -“My deah boy, of course I wouldn’t cause you any trouble.” - -“If you do,” began Morris, pounding his fist upon the table, “I’ll----” - -Just then the scene in the pool-room came to his mind, and glancing at -the muscular form of the pretended dude he finished the sentence in a -different way from that at first intended. - -“I’ll lose my place.” - -“Deah boy,” said the dude, who appeared to be struggling with a very -deep thought, “couldn’t you make Denver Bay win the race?” - -“Denver Bay,” said Morris, solemnly, “is by long odds the best horse -entered for the race. He could win de purse wid half a show.” - -“Weally now?” - -“It’s de surest thing in the world.” - -“Then,” said the dude, rising to his feet, “I’ll go and book some more -money on him.” - -“You’re a chump if you do.” - -“But I weally must, you know.” - -Morris had as yet given no intimation as to what means would be resorted -to to keep the horse off the track. - -This was a point upon which the detective desired further information. -For this reason he continued the talk about the horse still being a -possibility. - -“But, deah boy, the ownah tells me that the horse will be run, and will -do his best.” - -“Damn the owner! He’s de biggest sucker in de whole deal.” - -“But, chappie, he’s a friend of mine.” - -“Well, it’s a purty pair you are, then, that’s all I’ve got to say.” - -Nick rose to his feet as if about to leave the room. - -“Hold on! Are you goin’ out to bet more money on Denver Bay?” - -“Aw--aw--I thought I would.” - -“Well, it won’t do you no good. The money will only lay in de pool-room -till after de race, and den you’ll get it back.” - -“Has the horse got hurt, deah boy?” - -“He’s liable to get hurt before to-morrow morning.” - -“Quite shocking!” said the dude, innocently. “The ownah ought to know -it.” - -“Damn the owner. If he wants to set around here and let his horse be -used up right before his eyes let him do it. It’s no affair of mine or -yours.” - -“The secret is out,” thought Nick. “The brutes intend to steal into the -stable to-night and cripple the beast in some way.” - -“Come, young fellow,” said Morris, “I’ve talked myself dry again. Fill -up de glasses once more, and we’ll get out.” - -Nick gave the required order, and the fellow took down his whisky -without seeing that Nick threw the contents of his glass upon the floor. - -“Now, mind what I’ve told you,” said Morris, as they stood in the -doorway, “and don’t give me away. I shouldn’t have said anything about -it if it hadn’t been for the whisky you throwed into me.” - -“’Pon me honah! I’ll not mention it to a living soul.” - -As the two passed into the bar-room the sound of excited voices came -from the street in front of the house. - -Nick was now anxious to get away, but he paused for a moment and -listened as the sounds became louder. - -In a moment a small boy, clad in the costume of a jockey, dashed in at -the front door, and dodged behind tables and chairs in his efforts to -keep out of the reach of a red-faced fellow, who, riding whip in hand, -was pursuing him. - -The boy succeeded in eluding his pursuer for some moments, much to the -delight of the bystanders. - -At length the little fellow, in leaping backward, stumbled over a chair -and fell to the floor. - -Before he could rise to his feet the man had hold of his collar, and was -brandishing his whip high in air. - -“I’ll teach you to play your pranks on me,” he shouted, bringing the -whip down upon the boy’s shrinking form. - -The crowd seemed to enjoy the scene hugely, but it was not in the nature -of Nick Carter to stand by and see the boy cruelly beaten. - -He was about to interfere when the boy succeeded in releasing himself -from the man’s hold, and sprang sobbing behind the detective for -protection. - -The brute made another dash at him, but the detective’s sturdy frame -barred the way. - -“My deah fellah,” he said, “don’t hurt the boy. What has he done?” - -“He’s done enough, you confounded dude. Stand out of the way!” - -“If you touch the boy again,” drawled Nick, “I shall strike you.” - -The man raised the whip as though about to give the detective a lash in -the face. - -The crowd laughed and cheered, and made the most of the rather humorous -situation. - -The next moment their smiles changed to looks of astonishment. - -With a quick movement, the seeming dude secured possession of the whip. - -He then passed one arm half around the fellow’s head and neck, and gave -him a sudden whirl that sent him spinning about the room like a top. - -As he spun around the detective applied the whip with no gentle hand, -and fairly whirled and lashed the fellow out of the room. - -“Hurrah for de dude!” yelled a chorus of voices, as the defeated man -stood outside, swearing and shaking his fists. - -“I thought dere’d be some fun w’en de duller raised his whip on de -dude,” said Morris. “You oughter seen him clean out a couple of -plug-uglies in de pool-room to-day.” - -Nick paid no attention to the remarks that were being made about him, -but devoted his whole attention to the boy. - -“Where do you work?” he asked, hurriedly. - -“Over dere in de stables.” - -“What horses are there in the stables?” - -“Oh, Daisy, an’ Denver Bay, an’ a whole lot of ’em.” - -“Can you get away about dark?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Well, show yourself in the road there just below the house about dusk, -and I’ll pick you up in a carriage. Will you come?” - -“You bet I’ll come. Dat man would ’a’ killed me if it hadn’t been for -you.” - -“I’m making up now for last night’s bad luck,” thought Nick, as he -turned around with an insipid stare and in a drawl asked the bystanders -to join him in a drink. - -As he turned away from the bar a moment later he noticed a well-dressed -man entering the front door and hastening directly up-stairs, as though -desirous of remaining unnoticed. - -The man was Brower, with whom Nick had, in the disguise of a business -man, made the ten-thousand dollar bet the night before. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -WANTED--A DEPUTY SHERIFF. - - -About two o’clock in the afternoon of the same day the sheriff was -somewhat surprised at seeing a dudish-looking fellow walking into his -private office unannounced. - -He glanced up impatiently from his writing, but immediately resumed his -work. - -“Transact your business in the outer office, please,” he said. - -“Aw,” said the dude, gazing stupidly through his one eye-glass, “are you -the person in powah?” - -“Transact your business in the outer office,” repeated the sheriff, -peremptorily. - -“Cawn’t do it, me deah boy.” - -The sheriff threw himself angrily around in his revolving chair and -faced the intruder. - -“What do you want?” he demanded. - -The dude closed the office door carefully and threw himself into a chair -in front of the irate official. - -“I have an idea,” he said, in his natural tone of voice, “that there may -be a racket at the racing stables to-night, and I want an understanding -with your men.” - -“Who are you?” - -“Nick Carter, at your service.” - -“Well, well!” exclaimed the sheriff, extending his hand, “you would -deceive your own mother in that rig.” - -“All in the way of business,” said Nick, with a smile. - -“I begin to recognize you now, although it has been a long time since I -have had the pleasure of putting eyes on you.” - -“I’ve been rather busy, and the fact of the matter is that I am rather -crowded for time now. You have men at the track, I suppose?” - -“Certainly. The police are supposed to keep order there, but we always -have men on hand to look out for pickpockets and notorious criminals who -are wanted here and in other places.” - -“Shall you have men at the stables to-night?” - -“There are half a dozen there, I believe, who have been engaged to look -after the safety of the horses.” - -“Will you be kind enough to give me a note to one of them?” - -“Certainly, I’ll drive over with you if you think it necessary.” - -“I think it would be better not. I’m handling a peculiar case in which I -have constituted myself judge, jury, and executioner, and I think it -will be better for me to go alone.” - -“As you choose. You know, Mr. Carter, that you can command me in any -way.” - -“Well, it may be necessary for me to make an arrest there to-night. If -so, I want to have one of your men within reach so that I can place the -prisoner into his hands at once.” - -“That’s easily accomplished. I will write you a note which will place -all the deputies in that vicinity directly under your charge.” - -“After the arrest--if one is made--I want the prisoner hustled away and -lodged in jail without any fuss being made over it.” - -“In other words, you don’t want the people around there to know that an -arrest has been made.” - -“That’s it exactly.” - -The sheriff wrote busily for some moments, and then handed the detective -a slip of paper, which he had placed into an unsealed envelope. - -“There you are,” he said. “Show that to any man you see wearing my badge -and your orders will be promptly obeyed.” - -Thanking the sheriff for his assistance, Nick hastened away. - -At dusk that night a carriage drove slowly along in front of the road -house. - -A few yards from the front of the house a young boy in a jockey uniform -was standing. - -“Here you are, boy,” called a voice from the carriage. “Jump in quick.” - -The boy sprang nimbly into the vehicle. - -As he took his seat he glanced hastily at the only other occupant, and -started back in alarm. - -“You’re looking for the dude who saved you a thrashing this morning?” - -“Yes, sir. Did he send you?” - -“Yes,” said Nick, nodding to the driver to proceed. “Are you employed at -the stable where Denver Bay is kept?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Well, I want to sleep there to-night.” - -The boy glanced keenly at the coarse and ill-fitting garments of the -pretended countryman who sat on the seat beside him, and asked: - -“Ain’t you got no other place to stay?” - -“Never mind that. I have taken a notion to sleep in the stable -to-night.” - -“You don’t mean no harm?” - -“Not a bit, my boy.” - -“Well, I guess I can slide you in, but there’d be an awful racket if -they should find out.” - -“I’ll take all the chances on the racket.” - -“Be you the duffer what give the man a whippin’ this mornin’?” - -“Do I look like him?” - -“Not a bit.” - -“Well, I’m the same man, and if I did you a favor to-day you must do me -one to-night.” - -“Ain’t I goin’ to let you into the stables?” - -“You must do more than that.” - -“What is it?” - -“You must never say a word about my being in there--never speak or hint -of it to a living soul.” - -“You bet I won’t if you don’t want me to.” - -“Does any one watch the stables at night?” - -“Oh, dere’s folks around dere, but dey don’t watch very close.” - -“Is any one supposed to sleep anywhere near Denver Bay?” - -“No, sir--not very near.” - -“What time can you let me in?” - -“You come to the big doors about ten o’clock. Den if any one sees you -dey’ll think you’re one of de men working around there.” - -“That’s just the thing. When I get in point out Denver Bay’s stall, and -go away as if nothing had happened.” - -“Is de Bay goin’ to win de race to-morrow?” - -“I hope so.” - -“I hope so, too. He’s a dandy horse.” - -After some further conversation the detective let the boy out of the -carriage, and a few moments later left it himself. - -The night was quite dark, and the lights still burning about the stables -had very little effect at ten o’clock, when the detective made his -appearance at the place indicated by the boy. - -The jockey was in waiting for him, and soon had him snugly stowed away -under Denver Bay’s manger. - -The horse did not seem to relish this invasion of his private domain to -any great extent, but save a few snorts and an emphatic stamp or two, he -paid little attention to his unbidden guest. - -There were sounds of voices about the place for some time after the -detective had secured his position, but just before midnight all grew -still. - -Now and then a steady footstep sounded in the distance, but in the -immediate vicinity all was quiet. - -“Now I wonder,” thought Nick, “if that sheriff’s officer is attending -strictly to business. He seems to be an intelligent and nervy sort of -chap, and I guess I can trust him.” - -After what seemed hours to the waiting detective, he heard an inner door -opened cautiously and the footfalls of two persons were heard stealthily -advancing toward the place where he lay concealed. - -“That’s the horse over there,” said a voice which he had no difficulty -in recognizing as that of Morris. - -“You take the iron and do the work,” said Brower, in a whisper. - -“Not much. I’m not laming race horses for a living just now.” - -“You’ve done worse than that before now.” - -“Well, everything I ever tackled had some sort of a show.” - -“Will you obey my orders?” - -“I will not.” - -“Then I’ll do it myself. You stand here and watch.” - -“Now, then,” thought Nick, “I wonder if that deputy sheriff is near the -door.” - -Just then the low yelp of a dog sounded from the outside. - -“That’s he!” he thought. - -“Hark!” whispered Brower, “what was that noise?” - -“Some dog hunting for a bone or a place to sleep, I suppose.” - -“Hunting us, probably.” - -“You’re a coward.” - -“The fact is, I don’t like this sort of thing.” - -“Then leave it.” - -“And leave my ten-thousand dollar stake against a thousand? Not much.” - -“You were a fool to make that bet.” - -“I know that as well as you do, but I was crowded into it.” - -“You’re better at lifting money from a Wall Street office than at -anything else, I guess.” - -“Hush! you had your share of the money, didn’t you?” - -“Yes, I had it until you got me into a poker game.” - -“Well, I presume the broker has made twenty thousand since that time. So -it don’t matter.” - -“This is no place to talk over such things. Do your work, and let’s get -out of here.” - -“I hope the Bay will kick his head off,” thought Nick, as the man -approached the head of the stall. - -“Now, gentlemen,” spoke a voice from out the darkness, “I have the drop -on you, and if you make a move until I say the word I’ll blow your -brains out.” - -Nick spoke the last word in a loud tone of voice, and in response to the -signal the door swung open and a bright light flashed into the place. - -Behind the light was an officer’s badge, and at the right of the badge -was a steady arm carrying a cocked revolver. - -Before the two culprits could recover from their astonishment or lift a -hand, the cool voice in the darkness continued: - -“You see how it is, gentlemen, two men have the drop on you, so you may -as well give in.” - -“Hold steady there, Mr. Officer, while I slip on the bracelets.” - -Almost before the men could realize their true position, they were -handcuffed and helpless. - -“It’s just this way,” said Nick, still keeping in the shadow, “nothing -is to be said about your attempt to lame Denver Bay.” - -“What are we arrested for, then?” gasped Brower. - -“For the larceny of twenty thousand dollars from James Wheeler’s office -in Wall Street not long ago.” - -“Where is your proof?” - -“Never mind the proof now. There is a carriage waiting outside. If you -make any noise here, or in the future give any intimation of the place -of your arrest, it will only damage your case with the court.” - -They offered no further remonstrance, and were soon in a carriage on -their way to the county jail in charge of two deputy sheriffs. - -A few men lounging about the place saw the men enter the carriage, but -no one suspected that the elegantly attired gentleman and the -rough-looking hostler were handcuffed together. - -As Nick stood watching the carriage when it was driven off he felt a -soft pull at his coat. - -“My!” said the voice of a jockey, “wasn’t that a slick job?” - -“You little scamp!” said Nick, with a smile, “did you see that?” - -“You bet I did. Don’t you s’pose I wanted to know what you was stayin’ -in dere for?” - -“Suppose I had stayed there all night?” - -“Den I wouldn’t have got no sleep.” - -“Suppose I had hurt the horse?” - -“Then I’d have clawed your eyes out.” - -“You think a good deal of that horse, don’t you?” - -“Course I does.” - -“Then you stick close to him to-morrow.” - -“You bet I will. I’m goin’ to ride him.” - -“Well, if you see a new hostler hanging around him on the track, you ask -him if he doesn’t think he’s a dude. If he says he was a dude yesterday -you go on about your business and let him alone. Understand?” - -“All right. Guess I know who de new man’ll be.” - -“Well, don’t you open your mouth about what has taken place here -to-night, and keep equally still about to-morrow’s work.” - -The boy nodded and turned away. - -“And now,” thought Nick, as he walked toward the hotel, “I’ve got the -biggest scheme of all to face in the morning.” - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -A FOOT RACE. - - -“There’s something mysterious going on.” - -Martin was the speaker, and Amos was listening, all attention. - -“Anything new?” - -“Why, there’s rumors around the stables of strange happenings last -night, but no one seems to know anything definite.” - -“In what way?” - -“That’s what I can’t find out. People were seen to pass out late in the -night and drive hurriedly away in a carriage.” - -“Nobody knows who they were?” - -“The jockey who is to ride Denver Bay was seen talking to one of the -strangers, but you can’t get a word out of him.” - -“That’s strange.” - -“It’s more than strange--it’s suspicious. But, after all, we have our -own scheme to work, and I have every confidence in that.” - -“You have the medicine?” - -“Yes.” - -“Well, you’d better give it to me now. There is no knowing when we will -be together again.” - -Martin took a small box from his pocket, opened it, and exhibited a -white, sugar-coated pill about the size of a marble. - -“You can’t be too careful with this,” he said. “I had work enough -getting it.” - -“Is it poisonous?” - -“No. It’s a compound known only to one or two people, and they charge -mighty high for it. That little pill cost me a hundred round dollars.” - -“It’ll make the horse stop, bolt and kick, will it?” - -“It certainly will. I didn’t go into this thing without seeing it -tried.” - -“And the horse’ll be all right in five minutes, eh?” - -“Yes, the pain will subside in less time than that. The beast will be a -trifle weak for a while, but no one will notice that.” - -“Isn’t there some danger of killing the jockey?” - -“Let the jockey take care of himself.” - -As the two men arose from the table at which they had been sitting, in a -room at the hotel which the detective had visited on the previous day, -Martin stopped a moment with his hand on the door and listened. - -“What’s that noise?” he asked, in a startled tone. - -“What noise?” - -“What is that bumping sound? I’ve heard it several times lately.” - -“I heard it, too,” said Amos, with a laugh, “and listened. It’s some -one bumping against the wall in the next room.” - -“Well, here we part for the present,” said Martin. “You do your work and -I’ll do mine. You are sure you can get the pill in the hoarse’s mouth -unobserved? It must be done on the track at the last moment.” - -“That’s easy enough. The last thing I do is to sponge his mouth.” - -“Well, don’t make any mistake. There has been an impression that Denver -Bay is sure to win, and the pool boxes are just loaded down with bets.” - -Thus talking, the men passed out of the room, closing and locking the -door behind them. No sooner had they disappeared than there was a sudden -upheaval of a long couch in one corner of the room, and Nick Carter -crept from underneath it. - -“Whew!” he said, drawing a long breath and wiping the perspiration from -his face, “I think I should have died in there in five minutes more.” - -The celebrated detective had, as a matter of fact, been concealed in the -narrow space between the sofa bottom and the floor for four long hours. - -Early in the day he had heard Martin engage the room, and give explicit -orders that no one should be allowed to occupy it during the day. - -Not long after, he had heard him make an appointment with Amos at that -place. - -By the use of his pick-lock Nick had entered the room and concealed -himself. - -He was already aware of Martin’s plans as they had stood two days -before, but he thought that a change might have been made since the -details were arranged in the pool-room stall, and wanted to make sure of -his ground. - -“They stick to their original plan,” he thought, “and I’ve had this long -watch for nothing; but, after all, I was not in a position to take -chances.” - -He wore the dress and had the appearance of the ordinary employee of -the racing stable. - -He had procured badges admitting him to all parts of the grounds, the -track, and the judges’ stand as well, and the little jockey had provided -him with a ribbon bearing the name of Denver Bay. - -This would enable him to work around the horse after he appeared upon -the track. - -“I imagine,” thought the detective, as he listened with his ear at the -door, “that there’ll be a performance on the track to-day not down on -their bills. If I’m not mistaken, Mr. Johnson will go home to-night -sixty thousand dollars poorer than he thinks he will.” - -The hall outside the door appeared to be deserted, and the detective -pressed back the bolt, and passed out, closing the door softly after -him. - -The coast was clear, and he lost no time in getting outside and mingling -with the crowd. - -An he stepped along the walk, he felt a touch upon his arm, and turned -to find Chick standing before him, still in the disguise of a jockey. - -The two walked along together until they reached a secluded place, and -then Nick asked: - -“Did you see the sheriff?” - -“Yes. Everything is all right at the jail. Brower and Morris are locked -up in separate cells, and no one is the wiser for their being there.” - -“Have they done any talking or sent out for friends?” - -“They talk most of the time, threatening all sorts of things, and Brower -has been trying all the morning to send a messenger over town to call -that ten thousand dollar bet off.” - -“The sheriff didn’t allow him to send out any word, did he?” - -“Of course he didn’t. He understands as well as we do that that is -Wheeler’s money.” - -“You gave the sheriff my note, of course?” - -“Yes, and he had a great laugh over it.” - -“He couldn’t imagine yesterday what I wanted his men for. I suppose he -knows now.” - -“Then you didn’t tell him?” - -“No, I didn’t tell him. I got what I wanted without doing that.” - -“Now,” said Nick, “I want you on the track this afternoon when the -handicap starts, and as close to Denver Bay as you can get without -attracting attention.” - -“Is there liable to be a scrap?” - -“It strikes me that I have been in about enough scraps in this case.” - -After some further conversation the detective and his assistant parted, -and the former walked slowly back to the hotel. - -Amos was nowhere in sight when he reached the crowd lounging about the -place. - -Five minutes later Nick stood in front of the counter of a small drug -store a short distance from the track. - -The clerk in charge came out from behind the prescription screen to wait -upon him. - -“I want a sugar pill,” said Nick, with a smile. - -The clerk reached out his hand and took down a jar of homeopathic -pellets. - -“Hold on,” said Nick, “those are too small. Besides, they are medicated, -are they not?” - -“Nothing but pure sugar,” said the clerk, putting a few into his mouth -and chewing them with evident relish. - -“That ain’t what I want,” said Nick, stepping around to the show case -where a line of marbles and toys were displayed. “I want just one about -the size of one of those marbles. It must be perfectly round and smooth -and hard. Can you make one?” - -“I certainly can.” - -“Well, do so at once.” - -The clerk retired behind the screen, and in a few minutes came out and -stood behind the counter facing the detective. - -“I’ve got it made just as you ordered, but it will take a few moments to -dry.” - -“It will be hard, will it?” - -“As hard as a rock.” - -Nick purchased some cigars, and sat down by the window to smoke. - -As he did so, Amos passed along on the opposite side of the street and -entered a small livery stable. - -“What sort of place is that over there?” Nick asked. - -“Rather a tough joint, I should say. They have very little business when -there are no races on.” - -Nick removed the badge indicating that he was a follower of Denver Bay, -and pinned the steel badge of a deputy sheriff upon his vest. - -“Here’s your pill. It’s big enough to sweeten a cup of coffee with.” - -“I’ll sweeten more than that with it,” said Nick, as he took it, paid -the bill, and hastened off to the livery stable. - -Amos sat on a bench near the driveway, conversing with several attaches -of the place. - -“Here comes a new deputy,” said one of the loungers, as Nick stepped up. -“You haven’t been on the force long, have you, partner?” - -“Just got on this morning.” - -“I thought I hadn’t seen you around before.” - -“As I was saying,” broke in Amos, evidently continuing a conversation, -“the fellow is the best jumper I ever saw. I don’t know how far his jump -was, but it must have been a clean twelve feet.” - -“Speaking about jumping,” said Nick, “I can do a little of that myself.” - -Nick, in his present disguise was rather a green-looking specimen, and -the loafers scented some fun at once. - -“How far can you jump?” asked one. - -“I don’t know.” - -“Let’s go back in the barn and try,” suggested another. - -Nick walked back into the barn without saying another word, and took off -his coat and vest. - -“That’s purty good,” said Amos, as Nick sprang lightly out, making only -a fair jump, “but I can beat it.” - -“I’ll bet you five dollars you can’t.” - -As Amos started to take off his coat and vest, Nick picked up his own. - -When Amos threw his garments down Nick threw his own on top of them. - -The money was staked, and Amos won easily. - -“That’s hard luck,” said Nick. “Can you run as well as you can jump?” - -“I can do some running,” said one of the men. - -“I want to get my money back on this jumper,” said Nick, throwing -himself down on the pile of clothes. “I’ll bet five dollars that he can -beat any man in the party for a block.” - -“I can’t do it,” said Amos, “but I’ll try it if you make the bet.” - -He winked at the others as he spoke. - -They had found a sucker, and they would divide the money, Amos, of -course, losing. - -The loafers all rushed to the door as the two rushed down the street, -and Nick followed with a coat and a vest in his hand. - -He remained behind the rest, however, and seemed to have some particular -business with the pocket of the vest he held in his hand. - -“You’re beat,” said one, as the runners reached the corner. - -“I guess I ain’t no good,” said Nick, as Amos came back. - -“Hello, there,” said Amos, all out of breath, “you’re trying to put on -my vest.” - -“That’s so,” said Nick, with a wink. “It looks a little newer than -mine.” - -Amos put on the garment, threw on his coat, and hastened to the rear end -of the barn, where Nick plainly saw him fumbling with a box which he had -taken from the vest pocket. - -“You’ll find a pill there, all right enough,” thought Nick, as he walked -away, “but not one calculated to make a horse lose a race. In the -meantime,” he added, rolling a hard, round substance in his pocket, -“I’ll keep this and have it analyzed.” - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -A SURPRISE. - - -The race track is all excitement. - -People fight their way through the crowd to the bookmakers, and deposit -their money, many of them placing it on Denver Bay. - -Finally the rakes and brooms are called from the track. - -The crowd rushes up the stairways, and the next moment a splendid bay -horse comes around the head of the stretch. - -“Denver Bay! Denver Bay!” is the cry. - -Close behind him come other favorites. - -They go down the paddock, followed in a straggling way by the rest of -the field. - -The jockeys and helpers crowd about their mounts, and excitement is -everywhere. - -“Hello,” shouts Denver Bay’s jockey, as a man, wearing the horse’s -colors, moves up to him. “Don’t you think you are a dude?” - -“I was a dude yesterday,” is the sullen reply. - -“No monkeying there,” shouts Amos, walking up to the horse with a sponge -in his hand. “They are about ready.” - -The detective watches the man closely, and smiles as he sees something -white glistening in his palm. - -There is a flash of colors and a gleam of steel down in the paddock, as -the jockeys mount their horses, and the entire field moves out to the -track. - -Denver Bay leads. - -He minces along with a knowing air, as though thoroughly realizing his -importance. - -The rest of the field follows in single file, their glossy hides shining -in the sun like satin. - -The horses take their places in a long, irregular line. - -Clouds of dust follow several false breaks and hang over the starting -point. - -The signal comes, and down the stretch of track come the bright shirts -of the jockeys. - -Denver Bay gives a sudden plunge or two, jumps off something like two -lengths, and goes sailing away in the lead. - -There is a grand shout of voices and a shuffling of nervous feet, and -shrill cries of “Denver Bay! Denver Bay!” - -They sweep past the stand, past the long rows of excited faces, around -the turn and away. - -Then there is silence for a moment, but only for a moment. - -“Daisy falls back!” shouts one, swinging his field glass aloft. - -“Denver Bay leads!” shouts another, amid the wildest cheers. - -Nick Carter stands close by the side of Amos as the horses turn into the -home-stretch. - -The detective sees that the man’s face is as pale as death, and that his -hands are trembling. - -“You beat me on the jumping match,” said Nick, turning to the excited -man, “but I’ll bet you an even ten that Denver Bay wins the race.” - -Amos makes no reply. - -He pushes his way hither and yon in the crowd, muttering incoherently to -himself. - -“It must be time,” Nick hears him say, as the thunder of hoofs grows -louder. “If it don’t happen, they’ll all blame me.” - -With straining muscles and glaring eyes, the horses pound up the track, -Denver Bay still in the lead. - -“This is ruin!” gasps Amos, now utterly regardless of the people about -him. - -The horses are only a few rods away. - -Then Nick sees the excited man grasped by the throat, and realizes that -Martin, desperate and unable to control his passion, is fighting with -his tool, as dogs fight in the gutter. - -The horses thunder past, and Denver Bay wins by a good length. - -The great handicap race is over and Denver Bay is officially declared -the winner. - -As the crowd surges around the winning horse and the jockey is being -weighed, there is a cry from the grand stand that some one has fainted. - -Nick sees that the excitement is about the spot the Wall Street broker -selected as his seat, and hastens in that direction. - -As he reaches the place Wheeler slowly opens his eyes and reaches out -his hand. - -“Not a word here,” whispers the detective, as he bends over him. “Are -you able to walk?” - -“I think so. You see, it rather knocked me out.” - -“Well, get a carriage here and drive away.” - -Nick places the broker in a carriage, and then turns back toward the -track. - -“You did nobly,” he says to the jockey, a moment later. “Keep what took -place last night to yourself, and come to this address to-morrow -forenoon.” - -The detective hands the boy the broker’s card and hastens away. - -“Now, then,” he says to the broker, as they drive slowly along, “I want -to tell you, now that it is all over, that I don’t like these kind of -cases.” - -“But you have saved my reputation, and have saved the property of two -innocent children. Besides this, you have defeated one of the wickedest -conspiracies ever put on the turf.” - -“Yes, but I don’t like it for all that. I don’t like the idea of mixing -up in these affairs of the turf. My business is to assist the officers -of the law in bringing criminals to justice.” - -“If the note you sent me this morning is correct you have also done -this.” - -“How is that?” - -“In defeating the race-track gamblers you have captured the men who -robbed me of twenty thousand dollars.” - -“That is all that makes me feel in any way easy about my part in the -transaction.” - -“You have even recovered ten thousand dollars of the stolen money.” - -“Yes, but that part of it was all involuntary--I did not set out to -catch the thieves or to recover the stolen money.” - -“You did both, though,” said Wheeler, heartily, “and I am seventy -thousand dollars ahead by reason of your good work. For without your -assistance I should have lost the twenty thousand stake money, and would -never have recovered the ten thousand.” - -“You should have faced the loss of the twenty thousand dollars like a -man, and not resorted to the race track to get even. Don’t come to me if -you ever get into another scrape of the same sort. You remember the -promise you made me when I entered upon the case?” - -“What was it?” - -“You promised that if I would assist you in saving your money that you -would invest the money belonging to these heirs in some safe and secure -manner, where it would be beyond your reach.” - -“And you may rest assured that I will do all that and more. They shall -have all the money I have won by the use of their money.” - -“There is one thing more. I want you to give the little jockey a -thousand dollars when he comes to your office to-morrow. I leave my -compensation entirely to yourself.” - -“It shall be ten thousand dollars, if it is a cent. Come around in the -morning and get the check.” - -“You’d better collect in all your bets this afternoon,” said Nick, as -the two men parted, “for the pool-rooms have been hit hard. I just won a -few hundred myself; not because I wanted to win the money, but because I -found myself in places where I had to bet. I have a private charity -fund, however, which will care for that.” - -Wheeler collected his money without any difficulty, and Nick Carter -received his very liberal fee next day. - -The little jockey nearly went wild when he was presented with a thousand -dollars. - -Brower and Morris were convicted of grand larceny, and sentenced to long -terms. - -And now, when the celebrated detective feels particularly pleasant, he -explains to his companions how, for once in his life, he became a -“dead-game” sport, saved the patrimony of two innocent children, and won -the famous handicap. - - -[THE END.] - - -The next number of the New Nick Carter Weekly will contain “Trim in the -Dark; or, A Long Road That Has No Turning.” - - - - - NICK - CARTER’S - QUARTERLY. - - -Our readers will be pleased to learn that we have issued No. 1 of Nick - Carter’s Quarterly, containing Nos. 1 to 13 of the New Nick Carter - Weekly bound in one volume, with all the original colored - illustrations--a splendid collection of good detective stories. - - PRICE 50 CENTS. - - For sale by all newsdealers, or sent postpaid by mail on receipt of - price by - - STREET & SMITH, Publishers, - New York. - - - - - BOOKS - FOR EVERYBODY - TEN CENTS EACH. - -The following list of books will be found useful, entertaining, and full -of instructive information for all. They are handsomely bound in -attractive covers, printed on good quality paper, illustrated, and are -marvels of excellence. These books have never before been offered at -such a low figure. The price, 10 cents each includes postage. - - -USEFUL AND INSTRUCTIVE INFORMATION. - -Album Writer’s Assistant. -Short Hand for Everybody. -How to Do Business. -Amateur’s Manual of Photography. -Mills’ Universal Letter-Writer. -Boys’ Own Book of Boats. -The Book of Knowledge. -Everyday Cook Book. -The Taxidermist Manual. -Good Housekeeping. - - -GAMES AND SPORTS. - -The Hunter and Angler. -The Complete Angler. -Riding and Driving. -Poe’s Foot-Ball. -Campbell’s Lawn Tennis. -The Complete Checker Player. -Backgammon and Bagatelle. -Out Door Sports. -The Young Gymnast. -The International Cricket Guide. -Amateur and Professional Oarsman’s Manual. -Complete Training Guide for Amateur. -Dunn’s Fencing Instructor. -Capt. Webb’s Swimming Instructor. -Aquatic Guide; or, Yachting and Sailing. - - -FORTUNE-TELLING. - -Napoleon’s Book of Fate. -Cupid’s Dream Book. -Zola’s Dream Book. - - -TRICKS. - -Herrman’s Black Art. -The Way to Do Magic. -Heller’s Hand Book of Magic. -Herrman’s Tricks with Cards. - - -RECITATIONS AND READINGS. - -The Peerless Reciter. -The Young Elocutionist. -Select Recitations and Readings. -The Standard Reciter. - -These books will be sent prepaid upon receipt of 10 cents each: When -ordering, please be particular to send the full title of the book -desired, also your full name and address. The books are 10 cents each, -postage free. Address - - -MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose st., New York. - - - - -BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE. - -One thousand facts worth remembering will be found in this book. It is a -guide to rapid wealth, the secrets of trade, etc. In the druggist -department will be found cures for all complaints and how to compound -them. Also contains chapters on manufacturing all household and toilet -articles. Arts and Sciences, Dyes, Printing Inks, Horses, Mixing Paints, -and all general recipes. The book contains over one hundred pages, and -will be sent postpaid to any address on receipt of =ten cents=. Address - -MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New York. - - -AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. - -Many people imagine that a photographer’s camera is a difficult machine -to handle, and that the work is dirty and disagreeable. All this is a -mistake. Photography is a clean, light, and pleasant accomplishment, -within the reach of all. The camera will prove a friend, reporter, and -helper. With a very inexpensive camera any boy or girl can now learn not -only to take good pictures, but pictures that there is everywhere a -demand for at remunerative prices. A complete guide to this fascinating -art, entitled AMATEUR MANUAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY, will be sent on receipt of -ten cents. - -MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New York. - - -HOW TO DO BUSINESS. - -This book is a guide to success in life, embracing Principles of -Business, Choice of Pursuit, Buying and Selling, General Management, -Mechanical Trades, Manufacturing, Bookkeeping, Causes of Success and -Failure, Business Maxims and Forms, etc. It also contains an appendix of -complete business forms and a dictionary of commercial terms. No young -man should be without this valuable book. It gives complete information -about trades, professions and occupations in which any young man is -interested. Price =ten cents.= Address - -MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New York. - - -WRESTLING. - -History tells us that wrestling was the first form of athletic pastime. -Without doubt, it gives strength and firmness, combined with quickness -and pliability, to the limbs, vigor to the body, coolness and -discrimination to the head and elasticity to the temper, the whole -forming an energetic combination of the greatest power to be found in -man. The book is entitled PROFESSOR MULDOON’S WRESTLING. It is fully -illustrated, and will be sent postpaid on receipt of =ten cents=. Address - -MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New York. - - -Tip Top Quarterlies. - -=416 Large Pages.= =Fifty Cents Each.= - -Numbers 1, 2 and 3 of the Tip Top Quarterlies are now ready, each -containing in one volume thirteen of the famous Frank Merriwell stories -complete and unabridged, and thirteen illuminated photo-engraved -illustrations. - -=THE FRANK MERRIWELL STORIES= - -detail the pranks, trials and bravery of a true-hearted American -lad--brave to the core. They have received universal commendation, and -the Tip Top Quarterlies are issued in response to numerous inquiries for -a complete series of the Merriwell stories. - -For sale by newsdealers everywhere, or sent by mail, postpaid, on -receipt of price, by the publishers. - - - STREET & SMITH, New York. - - - - -The following is a list of all the NICK CARTER LIBRARIES now in print: - - 87--Nick Carter’s Quick Decision. - 88--Chicago’s Carnival of Crime. - 89--Looted in Transit. - 90--9-19-29. - 91--The Coin Cuff Button. - 92--The Highwaymen Side-Tracked. - 93--The New York Post Office Thugs. - 94--Skipped from Custody. - 95--The Letter Z. - 96--The Electric Drill. - 97--Nick Carter at Mount Vernon. - 98--The Identity of Daly. - 99--The Book-maker’s Crime. -100--Nick Carter’s Greatest Puzzle. -101--The Knave of Diamonds. -102--The Foot-pads of the Fair. -103--The Little Knocker Out. -104--Nick Carter and the Circus Crooks. -105--The Elevated Railroad Mystery. -106--Nick Carter’s Presence of Mind. -107--The Murder in the Sleeping Car. -108--Nick Carter’s Walk Over. -109--Nick Carter After Bob Dalton. -110--Among the Fire Bugs. -111--Nick Carter’s Second Sight. -112--Nick Carter Among the Poisoners. -113--The Mysterious Assassin. -114--Nick Carter’s Vacation. -115--The Great Detective’s Mascot. -116--The Train Robbery at Kessler Switch. -117--Nick Carter on Time. -118--The Train Robber’s Wind-up. -119--A Murder in the Park. -120--Nick Carter’s Mouse Trap. -121--A Trio of Blackmailers. -122--A Millionaire Fraud. -123--A Dead Man’s Hand. -124--The Fate of Burglar Joe. -125--Nick Carter’s Best Six Hours’ Work. -126--The Heir of Doctor Quartz. -127--A Startling Theft. -128--Nick Carter’s London Mystery. -129--The Eye of Fire. -130--The Meerschaum Pipe. -131--The Path of a Bullet. -132--Three Brass Balls. -133--The Doctor’s Tenant. -134--The Golden Blackmailing Case. -135--Nick Carter’s Fair Play. -136--The Pricks of a Needle. -137--Two Little Girls in Blue. -138--The Great Fur Mystery. -139--The Five Kernels of Corn. -140--The Check in the Grave. -141--The Head of a Lizard. -142--A Personal in the Herald. -143--Nick Carter in Court. -144--The Crime of the French Cafe. -145--The Man Who Stole Millions. -146--The Writing on the Mirror. -147--Nick’s Special Train. -148--Wanted for Murder. -149--The Man with an Extra Finger. -150--The Case of the Burned Ear. -151--The Stolen Race-Horse. -152--The Face at the Window. -153--A Bite of an Apple. -154--Nick Carter’s Ghost Story. -155--A Fatal Knot. -156--The State Street Bond Robbery. -157--The Photograph Clew. -158--Laundry List No. 4575. -159--The Stolen Railroad Train. -160--The Violet Ink Clew. -161--Nick Carter at the Wheel. -162--‘Frisco Jim’s Fatal Error. -163--A Lead Pipe Cinch. -164--The Hip Ling Secret Society. -165--The Coroner Outwitted. -166--The Broken Arm. -167--After the Badger Gang. -168--The Pullman Plot. -169--The Little Glass Vial. -170--The Wooden Finger. -171--Nick Carter’s Sub-Treasury Express. -172--The Acquia Creek Train Robbery. -173--Nick Carter Under the Knife. -174--Nick Carter after the Cook Gang. -175--Nick Carter and the Forest Fires. -176--The Texas and Pacific Express Robbery. -177--The Beautiful Shop-Lifter. -178--The Great Life Insurance Fraud. -179--The Counterfeiter’s Gold Tooth. -180--Pardoned by the President. -181--The Cook Gang at Blackstone Switch. -182--Tracked to Union Station. -183--Safety Deposit Vault No. 39. -184--Who Answered the Personal? -185--Ida, The Woman Detective. -186--The Passenger in the Lower Berth. -187--One Against Twenty-One. -188--Discharged from Custody. -189--The Tramp’s Password. -190--A Crime by Telephone. -191--The Doctor’s Dangerous Experiment. -192--The Hole in the Bank. -193--The Cipher Letter. -194--Saved from the Flames. -195--The Mystery of the Yellow Cab. -196--The Man with the Big Head. -197--Run Down in Toronto. -198--The Wizard of the Cue. -199--A Swindler in Petticoats. -200--Nick Carter’s Quick Work. -201--Blackmailed for Thousands. -202--A Million Dollar Check. -203--Nick Carter’s Name at Stake. -204--Nick Carter in Philadelphia. -205--A Confession by Mistake. -206--Old Thunderbolt Locomotive. -207--Nick Carter’s Double Header. -208--Nick Carter Before the Mast. -209--The Tyburn T. -210--A Man with Four Identities. -211--From Hotel to Prison Cell. -212--Nick Carter’s Double Game. -213--’Mid Flying Bullets. -214--Nick Carter in Boston. -215--Worse than Murder. -216--Brockwell, the Counterfeiter. -217--Nick Carter on the Wheel. -218--Patsy’s Clever Capture. -219--Check 777. -220--Patsy and the Mountain Outlaw. -221--Three Thousand Miles by Freight. -222--Patsy Among the Nihilists. -223--The Thirteens’ Oath of Vengeance. -224--Patsy’s Fight with the Professor. -225--The Fate of Doctor Quartz. -226--Patsy in Russia. -227--Package “17A.” -228--Patsy in England. -229--Nick Carter’s Greatest Peril. -230--Patsy at Home Again. -231--The Great Detective Defied. -232--Patsy in the William Street Den. -233--Patsy on the Terry Murder Case. -234--The Little Giant’s Task. -235--Patsy and the Diamond Mystery. -236--Brought to Bay at Last. -237--Patsy Breaks the Record. -238--Nick Carter’s Celebrated Case. -239--Patsy’s String of Fish. -240--The Little Giant on Deck. -241--Patsy Under Arrest. -242--Young Hercules, Nick Carter’s Assistant. -243--Patsy in Paris. -244--Nick Carter in San Francisco. -245--Patsy Before the Alamo. -246--Nick Carter in Chicago. -247--Patsy at Thompson Ranch. -248--Nick Carter’s Mysterious Case. -249--Patsy’s Strangest Case. -250--Mad Madge, the Queen of Crooks. -251--Patsy at Cripple Creek. -252--A Dead Man’s Grip. -253--Patsy’s Bag of Game. -254--Nick Carter in Kansas City. -255--Patsy’s Millionaire Partner. -256--Mysterious Mail Bag Robbery. -257--Patsy and the Suburban Mystery. -258--Young Hercules in Mexico City. -259--Patsy’s Journey to Boston. -260--Ninety Miles an Hour. -261--Patsy in Baltimore. -262--Nick Carter in St. Louis. -263--Patsy in St. Louis. -264--Nick Carter in Baltimore. -265--Patsy at the Sea Shore. -266--Nick Carter in New Orleans. -267--Patsy in a Canter. -268--Three Times Dead. -269--Patsy’s Queer Advice. -270--The Great Jewel Robbery. -271--Patsy in Chicago. -272--The Fourfold Murder. -273--Patsy’s Supposed Failure. -274--The Letters on the Floor. -275--Patsy and the Double Shuffle Club. -276--Nick Carter On His Mettle. -277--Patsy in Philadelphia. -278--Nick Carter in Jeopardy. -279--Patsy’s Long Disappearance. -280--The Gold Brick Swindlers. -281--Patsy’s Live Wire and the Way it Worked with a Visitor. -282--Nick Carter on the Bowery. - - - Any of the above list of Nick Carter stories will be sent by mail, - postpaid, on receipt of price (five cents) by the publishers, - - STREET & SMITH, New York. - - - - - NEW NICK CARTER LIBRARY - -Thirty-two Pages. Price, 5 Cents. Illuminated Cover. - - THE LATEST AND BEST LIBRARY OF DETECTIVE STORIES. - - -Trim Carter, son of the famous “Chick Carter,” is the leading character - in these fascinating stories, and his adventures form the most - interesting tales of detective work ever written. - -_=Back Numbers always on hand.=_ _=Price, post-paid, Five cents each.=_ - - - 1--The Gold Mine Case; or, How Chick’s Son Became a Detective. - - 2--Trim’s Race Across the Ice Fields; or, Hunting a Criminal with a - Team of Dogs. - - 3--Trim and the Swedish Swindler; or, Bilk-You’s Career in Alaska - Society. - - 4--Trim Among the Esquimaux; or, The Long Night in Frozen North. - - 5--Trim Among the Bushmen; or, Searching for a Lost Gold Mine in - Australia. - - 6--Trim’s Double Header; or, Snaring Human Game with Decoys. - - 7--Trim on the Safety Valve; or, Taking Long Chances with Death. - - 8--Trim’s Troublesome Tiger; or, How His Prisoner Escaped the - Gallows. - - 9--Trim in Cape Town; or, The Man with a Strange Limp. - - 10--Trim in the Diamond Fields of Kimberly. - - 11--Trim in the Wilds; or, Hunting a Criminal on the Dark - Continent. - - 12--Trim Changes Cars; or, Taking Big Chances for a Quick Capture. - - 13--Trim in the Main Shaft; or, Hunting Criminals a Thousand Feet - Underground. - - 14--Trim Shoots the Grain Chute; or, A Surprise Party on Board the - Falcon. - - 15--Trim’s Round-up in Detroit; or, A Long Chase Ended in a Hurry. - - 16--Trim’s String of Clews; All Tied by the Same Knot. - - 17--Trim in Cincinnati; or, Following a Bogus Case. - - 18--Trim’s Secret Mission; or, A Green Countryman in Town. - - 19--Trim’s Cold Bath; or, Trapping a Criminal in the Bay. - - 20--Trim’s Chase after a Murderer; or, Caught in the Air. - - 21--Trim in the Cigar Store; or, A Lively Wooden Indian. - - 22--Trim in Mexico; or, Breaking up a Secret Society. - - 23--Trim in the Crescent City; or, A Break in the Levee. - - 24--Trim’s Run of Luck; or, A Case Concluded Ahead of Time. - - 25--Trim’s Combination Case; or, Two Clients After the Same Man. - - 26--Trim on the Road; or, A Leave of Absence that Turned out Gold. - - 27--Trim in Kansas City; or, The Detective’s Experiment in Second - Sight. - - 28--Nick Carter at the Track; or, How He Became a Dead Game Sport. - - 29--Trim in the Dark; or, A Long Road that has no Turning. - - 30--Nick Carter’s Railroad Case. - - 31--Trim’s Electric Machine; or, The Man Who Had Charge of the - Office. - - - STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK. - - =For Sale by all Newsdealers.= - - - Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: - - regard to Lackawana=> regard to Lackawanna - - nearly ever one=> nearly ever one - - call at the pace toward=> call at the place toward - - drecting his steps=> directing his steps - - understood by the deetctive=> understood by the detective - - instead of the silk tile=> instead of the silk tie - - your everylasting fortune=> your everlasting fortune - - Steve poked the due=> Steve poked the dude - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NEW NICK CARTER WEEKLY; NO. -28. *** - -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. 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