CHAPTER XIII--MUGGS--GREAT LITTLE MAN
Verbeck felt Faustina grow limp in his arms, and he waltzed her to aposition near the wall and the door. Howard stepped over to them.
"You--you----" Faustina was trying to speak.
"Don't say a word," Verbeck whispered. "I understand everything. Thereis no danger for you. I have destroyed all the notes you wrote and thecheck Howard gave."
"But----"
"Thank Heaven I was in time! I almost failed to save you!"
"To save me----"
"Careful--whisper! Step closer, Howard. I, too, was almost caught inthe Black Star's trap. I discovered his hiding place and took himprisoner. I knew his gang would have to be caught if ever he was to beconvicted, and so I tried to play a lone hand against him. Muggswarned me--he had a hunch, he said. While the Black Star was keptprisoner I played his part, issued orders, got all of the gang to behere to-night, then informed the police to take them in."
"You----" Howard began.
"Careful--act naturally! I gave you and Faustina orders, too, notknowing. Then the Black Star told me what I had done, tried to get meto let him go free. And I rushed to that house where he had hisheadquarters and destroyed the letters and Howard's check. Nobodyknows you were involved except the Black Star and myself, and theBlack Star cannot prove anything. And that Chicago partner of his, youmay be sure, will remain away. You'll never be bothered. I've savedyou--but I had a narrow escape."
"Oh, Roger!" Faustina whispered. "And--almost--I thought that you werethe Black Star. I recognized the ring and your hand--and Howard watchedthat night and saw you go home at four o'clock in the mor----"
"I was afraid of that," Verbeck said.
"I didn't--really--mistrust you," she said. "But it--it looked sopeculiar. And so we came here to-night--but we talked it over first,and decided we'd not steal. I couldn't do it, dear, and neither couldHoward. And you must not blame Howard too much about that check. Hewas young, thoughtless--it has been a great lesson to him. They reallystole the money from him, and he got it back from them. We intendedgoing to the corner--at midnight--no matter what happened. We expectedthe worst--but we couldn't steal."
"My girl!" Verbeck breathed.
There was more commotion in the lobby. Some of the dancers werewalking in that direction, and Verbeck led Faustina there, with Howardon her other side, in a manner as natural as possible.
The Black Star's men and the woman wore handcuffs. Detectives weretaking jewels from them, gems they had stolen in the last hour or so.One of the men already was cursing the Black Star aloud, swearing thatthe Black Star had betrayed them and declaring he would telleverything he knew. Verbeck was thankful he had gone to the house anddestroyed the letters.
"There were to be eight men and two women," he heard a captain say."We're one man and one woman shy."
"I saw another woman with the red ribbon on," spoke up one of thedetectives. "Maybe I'd recognize her if I saw her again."
"We'll have all the exits guarded, and you can look----"
Verbeck whirled to Faustina.
"We've got to get out of this quick!" he said. "That man may have seenyou, may recognize you. If we get out now we are safe, for if he sawyou on the street afterward in different clothes he'd never recognizeyou. And nobody would suspect Faustina Wendell. But right now it wouldbe dangerous for him to see you."
"What can we do?" Howard asked in sudden alarm.
"Quiet! Act naturally, for Heaven's sake. Come with me to the door.You came in the electric?"
"Yes," Faustina said.
"Get all our things in the check room, Howard--as naturally aspossible, remember--and meet us at the door----"
Already he was leading Faustina toward the nearest entrance. Thecaptain of detectives was rushing there to go on guard immediately.Howard came from the check room, and Verbeck put Faustina's wrap overher shoulders.
"Wait a minute there!" It was the captain of detectives who called tothem. "I want to see you before you go---- Oh, 'tis you, Mr. Verbeck?You and your young lady and her brother? Go right along, sir. We'retrying to catch a crook or two--we want to watch all who leave. Sorryto have bothered you, sir----"
"That's all right, captain," Verbeck said. "I hope you catch yourcrooks." He lifted his hat and led Faustina out into the corridor,Howard following. They went out into the softly falling snow and theblur of thousands of electric lights to safety.
They started toward the corner where the electric had been left. Butbefore they reached it Verbeck halted in surprise, and with anexclamation of unbelief on his lips. Muggs was running toward him.
"May I speak to you a minute--boss?" he asked.
Wondering, Verbeck excused himself and stepped to one side.
"I've got the Black Star in the car across the street, where it'sdark," Muggs said. "I gave him a crack on the head and threw him onthe floor of the car and put a robe over him--but he's liable to cometo any time."
"How----"
"For the love of Mike, boss, hand the devil over to the police and getrid of him. I've still got that hunch!"
Verbeck hurried back to the others.
"Get in the electric and wait for me at the corner," he directed."I'll be only a minute or so."
As they started on, Verbeck followed Muggs across the street. He knewexactly what he intended doing; there would not be any waste of time.
"We'll act on that hunch of yours right now, Muggs," he said. "Driveto the entrance of the hall."
In a moment they were there. Verbeck went inside and called thecaptain of detectives to him.
"Bring a couple of your men and come out here," he said. "I've got theBlack Star for you. Yes--come along! I'm the man who caught him,captain, and did the telephoning to the chief."
The captain and two others followed Verbeck to the curb. The BlackStar was groaning, but not yet conscious.
"Take him away," Verbeck directed. "I've got to escort my fianceehome, and she's waiting in a car at the corner. This is Muggs, my man.He'll follow out to my fiancee's home with the car, and I'll driveright back in it to headquarters and tell you the story. Watch thatman, captain--he's a smooth customer. Muggs--you understand?"
"Yes, sir," said Muggs.
He stepped aside with Verbeck as the officers carried the Black Stararound the corner to a patrol wagon--the Black Star was wearinghandcuffs.
"The police followed me back up in town," Muggs explained. "I couldn'tget away by running, so I tricked 'em. I went to the union depot--timefor a bunch of trains to be due, you see, and a big crowd there. I gota lead on 'em and whirled around the corner and stopped my car among abunch of others--got out and was standing on the walk looking innocentand picking my teeth when the cops rushed by. They went on past thedepot--supposed I had gone that way. Easy! Then I started up again toget back near the hall. Remember that dark space near the middle ofthe viaduct, where so many holdups come off? Just as I got there I sawMr. Black Star sneaking along with a suit case in one hand. Stoppedthe car and smashed him on the head with a wrench before he knew it!Threw him in the car and covered him up--see? Easy!"
Verbeck's hand gripped that of Muggs for an instant, and then hehurried to join Faustina and Howard.
"We've got the Black Star, too," was all he said. "I'll have to runback to police headquarters after I go home with you, and tell themall about it. And I'll explain the entire thing to both of youto-morrow morning. I suppose you'll kiss me now, Faustina, even ifHoward is looking? You wouldn't, you know, when you suspected me ofbeing the Black Star."
Although she was driving the car, Faustina ran the risk of collisionby taking her eyes off the street long enough to do as Verbeck wished.
Then, satisfied, he settled back in the seat beside Howard.
"One thing," he said, "I shall do. After this I'll pay more attentionto any hunch Muggs may get. Great little man--Muggs!"
The Black Star: A Detective Story Page 13
