The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 136: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

I say sends it?” ; : 132 Weeks THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. ‘«< Bras-de-Fer took up a heavy poker and bent it double without any seeming effort. | ‘““Why else am I called Iron-Arm? Bah! Listen. You L want to know how I will do it?” ** Monsieur Hastings, here 1 is your money from—who shall «The man of the black mask.” «Good. Monsieur Hastings, here is your money from’ the man of the black mask. q ‘<] throw it on the table. Some of it falls on the floory Like that. See? 4 “‘He stoops to pick it up. I 4 He drew a long, sharp dirk-knife eed his coat, and made . a rapid lunge, as if into the back of a stooping man. | ‘He says ‘oh? ‘That is all. ‘““Ho, ho! You could do it yourself another time.” Even Alphonse was'sickened at the sight of the gleeful brutality of Bras-de-Fer, and waiting only to caution him to be very careful, he hurried away. 3 That night Alphonse was nervous, but he drowned thas in wine. The next night he was happy because the morning papers: had told of the murder of an American artist at No. 27) Rue d’ Artois. j Alphonse celebrated his release by an orgy begun in one . of his favorite cafe-concerts, and designed to end in a more secluded den of vice. 4 ‘He drank his first glass of champagne in silent praise of | the mighty Bras-de-Fer. | His second glass was raised to his lips, and—fell from his | trembling hand. 4 His comrades laughed. They thought it wasaslip. — Pale as death, Alphonse asked to be excused for a few moments, and left the table. 1 Clinton Hastings was. waiting for him. ‘© Ah, my dear brother! I knew I should find you ‘here, and I came at once to reassure you. I Was.so afraid you might believe that paragraph in the paper, and I knew how sad it would make you.” . . What do you want now?” , q Alphonse could hardly speak. «Why, you see that clumsy fellow you sent the money by must have made a mistake, for he only gave me twent y comicbooks com a -