CHAPTER XXI.

CURLY JOHN, THE BANK THIEF.

Mike Grinnel's place in Rivington Street was at that time one of those

monstrosities which were permitted to exist within the limits of New

York City nobody knows how. During the day and the early part of the

evening it was to all appearances merely an ordinary saloon, and if a

stranger were passing it he would regard it as a likely place to enter

if he required refreshment.

But when the hours deepened into the night, the place gradually assumed

more and more the aspect which might be labeled dangerous. Men and women

drifted in together and talked in low tones at tables arranged along the

side of the room, and as the time continued toward midnight, and passed

it, the air of respectability gradually disappeared until it was

entirely gone.

By eleven o'clock the place was usually thronged by people who seemed to

know each other in a furtive sort of way, and who sometimes would call

others by name across the room.

At one o'clock the front doors were closed and locked; the curtains were

tightly drawn so that not a ray of light was permitted to escape into

the street, blinds were pulled up to make this fact doubly secure, and

this was when the place really began to live and thrive in its true

character. Then also was when Mike Grinnel himself came out of his

shell, and assumed personal charge of the affairs of the place; for Mike

Grinnel had a reputation among the crooks and thieves who were his

customers, and if an incipient row started at any time among his guests

he had only to look with his frowning brow in their direction to quell

it.

The way into this dive of Grinnel's after the legal hours, and when it

was supposed to be closed, was, strangely enough, through a house from

the other side, and of course it followed that only the initiated--those

who were known to the man at the door--could pass.

When Nick Carter and his first assistant left the house that particular

Sunday night to go to Mike Grinnel's, the principal question was how

they were to get inside the place at all.

Nick had no doubt in his mind whatever that if Black Madge were in town

that she would be one who would most certainly visit Mike Grinnel's dive

Sunday night, for that was the red-letter night of the week at that

place among the inhabitants of the underworld.

He knew that she would feel perfectly secure against intervention there.

He knew that she would have perfect confidence in the espionage which

Mike Grinnel exercised in his place for the safety of his customers,

for it was his boast that no thief or criminal of any sort had ever been

arrested in his place and taken from it by the officers.

And, therefore, Nick felt sure that if he could but gain admission and

Black Madge were in the city, which he did not doubt, he would find her

there.

To enter a place of this kind one must be actually introduced; that is,

vouched for by some frequenter of it. It will not suffice for one to

apply at such a place, and state merely that he knows so-and-so and is

all right; he will be turned down hard. But Nick Carter was never

without resource in a matter of this kind, and, therefore, when he left

the house with Chick, instead of going directly to Mike Grinnel's they

took their way to police headquarters, where, as he knew would be the

case, he found the inspector.

"Inspector," he said, "I noticed in the paper yesterday morning that

Curly John had been arrested by one of your men and brought to

headquarters on suspicion of being connected with that Liverpool bank

robbery three months ago."

"That's correct," said the inspector. "Do you know anything about the

case?"

"Not a thing in the world," said Nick, laughing; "but I want to use

Curly John. I want to use him very badly. I want you to lend him to me

for to-night, if you will."

The inspector could only stare his amazement. He had known Nick Carter a

good many years, but never before had he received a request of this kind

from him.

"I guess you will have to say that again, and say it slow, Nick; I don't

think I understand you."

The detective laughed heartily. Then he began at the beginning and told

first about the letter he had received from Black Madge containing the

threats, and then one by one related the incidents that had happened to

him and to his household during the week that was past. In conclusion,

he said:

"Now, inspector, I am convinced that if Black Madge is in the city of

New York, she is now at this very moment seated at one of the tables at

Mike Grinnel's place. I want to go there to find out. If she is there I

want to know it. If she is there and I can manage to find out where she

goes when she leaves there, that is all I care to know to-night."

"But how can Curly help you?" asked the inspector.

"Curly can help me in this way: I know something about his reputation

and his career. I came across him once several years ago in reference to

an old case of mine with which he had nothing to do, but concerning

which he gave me some valuable information. I found that Curly John was

all right at that time, and, as people of his profession regard it,

pretty much on the square. I want you, if you will, to ring the bell

and order him brought up here and let me talk to him."

"That's easy," said the inspector, and he did as requested.

Five minutes later when Curly John entered the room he paused when he

was just inside of the door, and fixed his eyes intently upon Nick

Carter, and then, with scarcely a glance at the inspector, who had

summoned him, he addressed himself directly to the detective.

"I know you," he said. "I remember you perfectly well, Mr. Carter, and I

wouldn't be afraid to bet that it was you that sent for me right now. I

hope you've come to get me out, for I give you my word that I know no

more about that Liverpool crib-cracking business than you do, and that's

what they're holding me for just now."

"Curly," said Nick, "you gave me some assistance once in a case I had

after I assured you that you would not betray a pal in doing it, and

that I would do a certain favor for you afterward. Did I keep my word

with you?"

"You kept it for fair, Mr. Carter. I ain't forgot it, neither."

"Well, Curly, I have come here to-night to get you to do another favor

for me, but first answer me one question."

"All right, sir. What's that?"

"Do they let you in at Mike Grinnel's Sunday night prayer meetings?"

"They sure do, Mr. Carter."

"If you were at liberty at this minute, isn't that the first place you

would point for?"

"That's about the size of it."

"And you would have no trouble in getting inside?"

"Not the least in the world."

"If the inspector will consent to let you go will you take me there--me

and this young man beside me, who is my assistant--on condition that I

make you a solemn promise that I will make no arrest while there; that I

will in no way interfere with Grinnel's business, or with any of his

customers who are there, and that unless you reveal the fact yourself it

will never be known that I was inside the place?"

Curly John scratched his head in perplexity.

"That's a pretty big contract you ask of me, Mr. Carter," he said.

"What's the game?"

"The game is, Curly, that I am very anxious to find out if a certain

person is in the city. If that person is in the city that person will be

at Grinnel's to-night, I know."

Curly scratched his head some more.

"And suppose, Mr. Carter, that person is at Grinnel's to-night, what do

you expect to do to that person?"

"To use your own words," replied Nick, "not the least thing in the

world."

"Then what do you want to go there for?"

"I have already told you that. I want to find out if that person is in

the city."

"Are you giving me this on the square?" asked Curly John.

"Absolutely on the square."

"And you won't make any trouble?"

"Not a particle of trouble of any kind."

"You nor that chap over there who is with you?"

"Neither of us. You have my word for that."

"Well, what about what's to come after it? Do you intend to follow that

person down and do the arresting afterward?"

"I will promise you, Curly, that there shall be no arrest of any kind or

of any person arising out of the visit to Grinnel's place to-night

within twenty-four hours from this moment."

Curly scratched his head a third time very intently and seriously, and

at last asked:

"Don't any of them coves over there know you, Mr. Carter?"

"I suppose," said Nick, smiling, "that every one of them knows me, and

that many of them know Chick as well."

"And so that's Chick, is it? I have heard about him. Well, now, Mr.

Carter, let me ask you this: You just now said that unless I told it,

not a soul would know that you were there at that place to-night if I

took you there. Now, how do you reconcile that with the fact that they

all know you?"

"In this way, Curly: That I shall ask you to wait here a few moments

after you give your consent, while Chick and I step into the next room

and make some alteration in our appearances with things that the

inspector will loan me from his cabinet."

Curly sneered.

"Oh! this is a disguise business, is it? Well, Mr. Carter, do you think

that the guns down there at Grinnel's are such blamed fools as not to

see through a racket of that kind?"

"Oh! I can fool them, all right," said Nick, "if you consent. Now,

Curly, I have given you a promise once before in my life, and lived up

to it literally. I have made you one now, and I will live up to it

literally. The inspector will let you go and will send for you in case

he should want you again. You get your liberty, and I get what I want.

And now, Curly, it's up to you. Will you do it?"

"Yes, by thunder, I'll do it! Go into the next room and get ready. When

you're ready, I am. And I will introduce you and Chick there as a pair

of old pals of mine from the other side of the water."