The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

: > 2 tet ry +> ee A oF oe SF oN Ft 4 ee Ie ee ere La eT Swe ¥ -_ a . rik ig USAR Tag) MD aD ae oi Wd. eps AY. Nite >i ia) Ne mY yy Dre ee EAM in ore Bl Tahe a sm) z hee 4 “ep % < a ea Ay Se | ot wicks ep ee ’ i t oS Ts Bae . ; + “ Re . 4g he ae oe tune ; oF) i eb i te f , gia? | ~ : ’ ‘ bs - + bn 2 . - 7 ‘*No; you will stay here. ‘You will take this paper and read it. It will tell you just what you are to do. Do exactly as it says, and you may aiterward go to Paris.” ‘‘ But-I may be suspected here.” ‘‘ Not if you do as the paper says.” “Ts that all?” ‘No. Take this knife and use it to open the strong box with. When that is done, take this piece of paper and pu . it to the table with the knife.” «Then you expected me to open the strong box?” 'T'ete-de-Fer was stupefied. Bras-de-Fer shrugged his shoulders. _ That evening when the mayor met Tete-de-Fer, the lat- ter warily watched for a chance to take the former off his uard. i The former watohad the latter in the same way. The difference was that Tete-de-Fer knew he was watched, while the mayor was quite unconscious that he was sus- pected. The mayor entered into conversation. ‘“T do not like coming out so late at night.” © ‘“Bah! what difference does it make?” ‘If my wife should know it, I would be accused of all sorts of things.” ‘* Will she not know when you go to bed?” “‘ No, for I sleep in my own room.” . ‘¢ Are you afraid she will hear the latch-key? You carry the latch-key, I suppose?” Tete-de-Fer asked this very carelessly, but he waited eagerly for the reply. 6 Yes, but I do not use it. I know a trick worth di of that. I have a ladder hidden under the wall, and I get into my window by it.” ‘You old rascal, you are used to being out late.” ‘¢ He, he!” giggled the mayor. ) “Your window, then, must be at the back of the houer” ‘“‘Itis. But now let us see about this money. Will five hundred do?” ‘‘One thousand. Nothing less,” ‘© Well, here it is, then.” He was holding the haft of his knife in a firmer orasp when T'ete-de-Fer knocked him over the head with a club, It was his way of saving trouble, THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. : LOT a —s (@) com ibooks-co