A Woman at Bay

eation of his disguise; so also had Ten-Ichi; and the soap and scrubbi

e so thorough, for his own particular person and features were

to a dirty brick-red; and he had put spots on his face, and the back of his hands, with nitrate of silver, so that the spots burned into the skin. No soap and water could remov

mself in a secluded place near the railway tracks, and he had rolled himself in the coal dust around the track, griming t

ciently discolored, and altogether he so thoroughly looked his part that H

d with Chick and Ten-Ic

long ago been mentioned in her presence by the chief of the Paris police. It had come to her in a flash

bout his assistants. She knew their names as well as if they were followers of her own-and when Handsome, in menti

ll three of his assistants into the woods with him in search of her. One, she thought, would have to be left behind to look after the business, and, therefore, she

the cottage, and when he stood before Madge she l

you thought to deceive me, d

y, and, after a mo

r them, but it serves as a lesson to others. Step inside the house. Take him inside, Handsome. Let the oth

in the room together

that I know

ed-and he

upon the floor unde

ndsome did not know that till now. He did not know that Dago John, who went with him

Handsome, his fi

t Nick Carter has been among them. Let them wreak their vengeance upon this fellow, and upon the other-that little Jap. As for Nick Car

not ask it," replied Chick. "I am not

yourself, or

n say will have the least effect upon my

Tell them who he is, and that they may do as they please with him. I think the quicksand bog would be as good a

her, and hold her as a shield; but even as he attempted to do so, the floor beneath him sank under him for the depth of two feet, and before he could recover

and borne away a captive-to w

after them. "Let my hoboes take him with them, along wi

appeared with Patsy in tow, only t

l have to give a pretty straight account o

there, so I would. I had me doubts about the bunch from the beginning, ma'am, when they came a-sneakin' up to me fire, and eatin' of me grub; and when that other gazabo dropped from the trees, sure,

are you, Pat?" she as

ller didn't have the common dacency to get on his feet ag'in when it was over. He jest stayed there, so he did, and thinkin' that somebody would be axin' questions of me, I lit out. Ye

ought yo

n' it. They weren't purty to look at when Handsom

here in search

. That

you here t

ll of the papers said that he was to be found around here somewhere, and that the divil himself couldn't catch

er hear of

ave

see

id t

do you think, if you

him wid these two eyes as plain as I see y'r own

his way

he pulled aside the rug again, and, having raised the trapdo

having passed through a partition by opening a heavy oak

re stretched wide apart, and each was held in position by an iron chain on either side of him. A ring of these cha

, while he returned her fierce look with a half smile-for he had en

ard the detective, but before she

ot stain on his skin; I can see that; and he is disguised in other ways, ma

softly rubbed he

ly, "do you know this m

tood perfectly well that Patsy had some well-defined

some time. It is only the worst criminals, like yo

ay with a tos

r from the cellar room, and up the narrow

ill be watched for a long time, and at the first break you make you will be knifed

one, she turn

ight to-night, come here to the cottage, for I want you to help me to carry the bod

all you chuck

rst. It will be only a dead body that we will have to carry, but I don't want the men to

id Handsome; and he

staples from the wall and stood upon his feet. The fact was that he had already succeeded in loosening them when he heard the approach of Mad

that were still fastened to his wrists, and the

and in Madge's eagerness and haste in fastening him there she had negl

time to spare, and that he and his thre