Nick Carter's Ghost Story, Pt 3

The mystery continues in this episode.  Is the colonel crazy? Is Millie Stevens behind everything? And who - or what - is actually stealing the jewels? Find out in the next exciting episode!

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Transcript

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Hi, everyone. And welcome again to another episode of forward into the past. I'm JC Renee, your host and narrator. And today we're continuing the mysterious jewel heist case of Nick Carter's ghost story. Dime novels have a long and storied history. Unfortunately some of that history has been very negative, like many other forms of entertainment. Just before the turn of the century. Dime novels and other derivative forms of these stories, like story papers, weekly magazines and thick books were often maligned portrayed as corrupting the youth of America. Dime novels like our streaming services today, television of the past, and of course films and literature of any kind we're separated by genre. Many of the themes used back then for dime novels were frontier stories which eventually morphed into westerns. Stories of the circus stories of the sea and far away Tropic lands. And the early prototype of science fiction stories where young inventors tinkered away with everyday objects and created floating dirigibles and other flying contraptions. But as you can see, most of these stories concerned themselves with other places, other worlds and other realities where the reader could escape to. Of course, there were other styles of stories as well, like the early detective stories, such as Nick Carter or romances where a young shop girl falls in love with a well-to-do man about town, but eventually class differences crush her hopes of a budding romance. But the moralistic tone of the early 20th century was all about keeping kids in line. They saw these stories as dangerous because they were in the accusations of the times. Filling the heads of these children with stories of running away and not listening to their parents. Hmm. That seems eerily like the accusations, the following generation had about rock and roll music. Unfortunately, what this meant was that dime novels were often seen as something shameful, even though the publishers and even the writers of these stories publicly announced that the stories were in fact, quite moralistic and followed the same values that we had as a society back then. Of course. Looking at some of those values today with our 21st century eyes. We can see that they were and still are quite troublesome and in many cases outright wrong. But for the time they were still fairly respectable. In either case dime novels continued to be a huge source of entertainment for many years. In fact, when those children look back at the stories of their youth, they did. So as we do today, with a sense of nostalgia and longing and managed to save most of them in better printed paperbacks. And in some cases, the very wealthy managed to save and donate original story papers, dime novels, and weekly magazines to university libraries for preservation. And it is through these universities that they have been able to digitize the stories for places like project Gutenberg to share with the world. This is one of the reasons why I will always donate some of the money that is provided to me by you, the listener back to project Gutenberg. Save the stories so that we can continue to share them. And now. Back to our main story. Last time. Our Intrepid detective Nick Carter was quietly figuring out who had the motive to steal the deceased. Ms. Levina Richmond's jewels that had been left to Colonel Richmond's daughter, Mrs. Pond. After investigating Mrs. Pond's dressing room. Nick had noticed that something had stolen one of three diamond hairpins from that very room when his back was turned. To make matters, even worse. A few minutes later, Nick and the rest of the guests at the mansion watched, Mrs. Stevens arrive in a carriage with the missing pin. While interviewing Mrs. Stevens about her knowledge of the events at plumber house. Her daughter Millie made a strong case against herself as lead suspect. Where do we go from here? Well, let's find out as we go forward into the past. Once again, with the next two chapters in the strange case of Nick Carter's ghost story. Chapter five Colonel Richmond's night adventure. Of course, Nick questioned the servant. To have failed to do that would have been to throw light upon his real suspicions. She was a tall slender, and rather pretty Irish girl named Annie O'Neill. Her answers to all questions were plain and simple. She told what she had been doing on the previous day while Mrs. Stevens was at lunch. She had not been in the dining room all the time, but had come in twice or thrice when summoned. During the remainder of the time she had been in the kitchen. Nobody had been with her there. When Nick left the house, he rode half a mile back along the road. And then dismounted and sat down under a big tree. In a few minutes, a farmer's wagon came along. A young man who looked like a farm laborer. Was riding beside the farmer. He did not ride far beyond the place where Nick was sitting. In a few minutes, they sat together under the tree. The young farm laborer, was Patsy. I got your message said, Patsy. I took the chance to ride over from the station with that fellow. And I've asked him a few questions about the house where you want me to go on duty. It seems that there's no show to get in there on any pretext. I'll have to camp around on the outside, like a grass eater. That won't hurt you. Patsy, my lad said Nick. The weather's good. You're to keep an eye on the whole household, but on Ms. Stevens, especially. This is the way the case looks at the present. The girl is doing the work on this end in connection with some Confederate concealed in Colonel Richmond's house. Do you understand the game? It's to work the spirit racket on Colonel Richmond until he buys the jewels from his daughter or her husband and gives them to Ms. Stephens. You must watch for the system by which she communicates with her Confederate in Richmond's house. They work the mails, but there must be some quicker means to use in emergencies. Try to snare a letter or get sight of the other party. And be sure not to jump at conclusions, Patsy. I've told you how the case looks, but it may be any other way. I haven't begun to work down to it yet. Nick mounted his horse and Patsy strolled away in the direction of the Steven's house. When the detective got back to Colonel Richmond's, it was well along in the afternoon. He spent the remainder of his day in exploring the secret recesses of the old house. It was indeed a marvelous place. And Nick got a very high opinion of the ingenuity of the man who had designed its mysterious passages. He got little else however. One or two discoveries. He certainly made. They were important as indicating that somebody had recently been in the secret passages. There was nothing to show what that person had been doing in there. But the probability was of course that he had concealed himself in the old part of the house while preparing for his operations in Mrs. Pond's room or while escaping from them. These indications were very vague and did not point to the principal in this affair, that mysterious thief who worked invisibly and by such strange methods. After dinner, Horace Richmond took Nick aside for what he termed a discussion of this ghostly rot. The very devil is in this business, said Horace. The servants are getting scared out of their wits. They all sleep in the old part of the house, you knew. And there isn't one of them who, hasn't some story to tell of what goes on there at night. Some of these yarns are the old fashioned business about sighs and groans and doors opening and shutting without anybody to open and shut them. But under it all, I must say, that there seems to be a basis of fact. There's John Guilder, the Coachman you've seen him. Does he look like a man who can be scared easily? I should say not laughed Nick. He looks to me like a Yankee horse trader who is too intimate with the devil and his ways to be at all alarmed about them. Just so, uh, John Guilder came to me today and told me just as calmly as I tell you the time of day that he'd seen the ghost of Ms. Lavina Richmond. He saw her right in this room where we are now. They had gone to the large dining hall in the old mansion. Horace sometimes used it as a smoking room, but otherwise it was seldom visited except when the house was full of guests and all the old part was thrown open. It was a long and high room finished in dark wood and decorated with moldering portraits in the worst possible style of art. At one end was a gigantic fireplace, which was closed by a screen of boards. He told me, continued Horace. That he was passing through here late last night. Uh, near midnight, he said, And that he saw Lavina Richmond standing just about where you stand now. He came in by that door behind me and she was directly facing him. He says that he did not move or yell or do anything, but just stood staring at her. She paid no attention, whatever to him, but passed across the room and went out by that other door, which opened as she approached and closed after her of itself. Then he ran for his room. He claims that he wasn't scared. Uh, only a bit nervous. You can believe that if you want to. I tell you that he was scared So that he won't get over it in a year. If it wasn't for that, I might think he was lying. But when a man like Gilda quietly invites the footman, whom he's always hated to take half of his bed for a few weeks. It's a sure thing that he seen something out of the ordinary. And the footman, as I learned was mighty, glad to accept the invitation for he's been having a few experiences of his own. Now, Mr. Carter. You and I believe that these things are done by some clever trickster. It may be that some bogus medium who used to get the Colonel's good money away from him wants more of it and is taking this means of driving my uncle back to the fold of true believers. I'm beginning to believe that that may be the fact, but whatever it is, the case is all mighty serious. Here's a nice old man living happily and gradually getting away from this delusion. And he is an agent of the devil trying to drive this old man back to his delusion and make a lunatic of him for that's what the doctor says will certainly happen. I say it's too bad. Not to mention the jewels at all. Now, what are we going to do about it? Catch the rascal said Nick promptly. And catch him mighty quick. Well, I hope you will succeed. I tell you Mr. Carter. I feel toward Colonel Richmond, all the affection that I would give my own father, if he were alive. And I can't bear to see him driven out of his wits in this infernal way. Have no fear. said Nick. We'll save him. This trickery with the servants may give us a chance to catch our man. They returned to the parlor in the new part of the house. Colonel Richmond was not there. Where is he? Asked Horace anxiously of Mrs. Pond. He has gone to his room. He said that the excitement of this affair had worn him out completely. Horace looked relieved. Nick said that he too would go to his room. He went, but he did not remain long in it. He had a fancy for a quiet stroll around the house on the outside. It would be interesting to know whether anybody entered or left it during the night. One of the secret passages of the old house communicated with a sort of tunnel which had its outer extremity in an old well about 20 yards away. This tunnel had caved in long before, but had been restored by Colonel Richmond who wished to preserve all the old time peculiarities of the place. The inner end of it had been closed by a strong door. So as to prevent anybody who might have the secret from entering in that way. But Nick was strongly of the opinion that it would not keep out the persons who were haunting the house in case they desired to come in. If anybody was going in and out secretly, this seemed to be the readiest way. So Nick had resolved to watch the well that night. A little house with sides of lattice work had been built over it and vines covered it. Nick stealthily, crept into its shadow and prepared for his vigil. But it was not destined to be a long one. He had not been there 10 minutes before he saw a figure hastening along one of the numerous paths, which wound through the grounds. This person evidently wished to avoid observation. And that was enough for Nick. He immediately started in pursuit. He trailed his man to the edge of the Colonel's grounds. During this pursuit, the man kept in the shadow of some trees and Nick had no opportunity to see him clearly. But as the man stepped out into the highway, a Ray of Moonlight fell upon him and Nick recognized him in an instant. It was Colonel Richmond. Why this man should be leaving his own house by stealth and under the cover of darkness was an interesting problem. Nick resolved to know all about it before the night was much older. So he trailed along. The Colonel walked up the highway with rapid strides. About half a mile from the house. He found a carriage standing under the shadow of a tree. Evidently he expected to find it just there for, he immediately jumped into it and the driver whipped up his horse. Nick was unable to see the driver, for the carriage was a covered buggy and had been standing with its back toward him. The horse was evidently a good one, but Nick overhauled him and got hold of the carriage behind. There was no chance for him to ride there, but his grip on the wagon helped him along and he ran about eight miles quite comfortably. His presence so near was entirely unsuspected by the occupants of the carriage. He was favorably situated for overhearing their conversation. But unfortunately they did not say anything. Nick discovered that the driver was a woman, but he could only guess at her identity. At last, they turned suddenly out of the road into the grounds of a private house. The sound of the wheels was evidently heard within and the front door was thrown open, letting out considerable light from the hall. Nick could not go too near that light. So he let go and crept into some shrubbery. The carriage drew up before the door and the Colonel and his companion hurried into the house, leaving the horse tied. The detective failed to obtain a good view of the woman or of the person who had opened the door. The latter seemed to be a servant. When the door had closed, Nick crept up. He maneuvered carefully and discovered that there was somebody sitting in the hall just inside the door. Entrance by that means was out of the question. However he succeeded without much difficulty in entering the house from the rear. He found himself in the kitchen from which he passed into a dining room. This apartment was almost totally dark. Nick felt his way to the side, opposite the kitchen and came to a heavy pair of folding doors. From the other side, came a confused murmur of voices as if many persons were talking in hushed tones. Presently, they became quite still. And then there arose the sound of music. It was a slow and somber strain as from an organ gently played. Nick was crouching against the door among the folds of a curtain, which could be drawn across. Suddenly he heard a slight sound behind him. He turned noiselessly. A white figure flitted across the room. Nick was at one end of the folding doors and the figure pass to the other end and into the corner beyond. There it suddenly vanished. The light was so dim that Nick could not tell exactly what had happened. It certainly seemed as if the figure had gone straight through the wall. About a minute later, another form appeared in the same way. It crossed the room and vanished. Good muttered, Nick. I'll back these ghosts against any that Colonel Richmond can raise in his house. Almost immediately, there was the sound of a voice in the room beyond the doors. Does any person present recognize a departed friend it said. Then Colonel Richmond's voice arose, hoarse and trembling with emotion. Aunt Levina. He said. Tell me what you wish me to do. I will obey you. Absolutely. I thought so chuckled the detective. The Colonel has come to attend a spiritualistic seance. Chapter six. A Roundup of spook artists. It began to look very much as if Horace Richmond's theory was correct. Certainly the Colonel had fallen again into the clutches of bogus mediums. It might be that the whole plot was directed to that end and that the transfer of the jewels to the Stevenson's was only to be an incidental result of the plot. Yet, so long as Ms. Stephens unusual conduct remained unexplained. It would not do to go upon this theory. One of the principle things that Horace Richmond employed me to do said Nick to himself. Was to break up his uncle's belief in spiritualism. I guess that this is a first chance to do that. He softly crept to the corner where the gliding figures had disappeared. There as he expected. He found one of those movable panels, which the bogus mediums prepare so cleverly. His experience of such affairs taught Nick exactly what he should find in the other room. There must be a little cabinet in the corner covering the other side of the sliding panel. The medium might be in it, or she might be sitting blindfold just by the door, but the cabinet was certainly not empty. Two figures had gone into it as Nick had observed. One of these was doubtless playing the part of aunt Lavina. The other must be waiting to appear in some other role. Nick listened. He could hear the colonel questioning the supposed spirit. The replies were put in that silly and mysterious language, supposed to be appropriate to visitors from the other world. The meaning of them. However, was plain enough. Colonel Richmond was commanded to restore the jewels to Millie Stevens. This point was made. So exceedingly clear and his promise was demanded in such stringent terms that Nick was no longer able to doubt that the interests of the Stevenson's were being very carefully attended to by these spook compellers. In view of the facts already known it was hardly possible to reach any other conclusion than that Millie Stevens had hired this medium to do the whole job. That it was being done to the Queen's taste, Nick was forced to admit. Yet he couldn't help being sorry to believe that such a charming and beautiful girl as Millie Stephens should be mixed up in such a dirty business. He waited till Colonel Richmond had completed his solemn protestations and then suddenly slid the panel and passed through. There was another person in the cabinet who was of course instantly aware of Nick's entrance. But the place was so dark that at first, the bogus ghost did not know that Nick was not one of the regular company of spirits. He had a chance to get his bearings before the discovery was made. The shade of aunt Levina was just retreating toward the cabinet, making that absurd series of nods and gestures, which such spirits always use. Nick could see this performance through an aperture in the side of the cabinet. He instantly leaped out and grappled with the spook. Then there was an uproar. The whole room was in indescribable confusion. Somebody turned up the light. For an instant Nick grappling with the spirit saw Colonel Richmond. The Colonel had not been given a private seance. Possibly he had not desired it. He had come with a dozen other victims of the same delusion. He had been given a seat a little in the rear. Before him as, is usual was a row of persons who were in the game. The space where the spirits appear is always encircled by such a line as a guard against possible attempts at exposure. Of course, everybody in the room was on his feet. Some of the front row, people were rushing upon Nick. Others had crowded around Colonel Richmond so closely that Nick was afraid. He might not fully see the exposure of this fake. The person whom Nick had seized was not a woman as might've been expected, but a man. He was of short stature, but surprising strength. Even in the mighty arms of the detective, he managed to struggle vigorously. And for a moment prevented Nick from tearing away the white and ghostly wrappings, but a complete exposé could not have been long delayed. In spite of the odds against him. Nick was certain to come out ahead. He called out to Colonel Richmond. Look, look at this. It's a man. Just at that instant, a tall man who had been standing beside the female medium and acting as master of ceremonies, seized an ornament from the mantlepiece and hurled it, not at Nick as the detective expected, but at the lamp in the corner of the room. This lamp had been turned up by one of the timid believers, as soon as the row began. The missile, which the spiritualistic bouncer hurled was well-directed. It smashed the lamp into fragments and the room for a minute was dark. Then another light flashed up. The broken lamp had set fire to the window. Curtains. The scene hadn't been what one would call peaceful before, but it had been nothing at all to what it became when the fire leapt up. Pandemonium broke loose. Doors and windows were burst out and everybody rushed toward the outer air. Among the last to emerge was Nick. He held the bouncer in one hand and the ghost of aunt. Lavina in the other. Both of them were very badly used up. When the detective dropped them on the lawn, they made no attempt to rise. Some of the medium stool pigeons were beginning to get their wits together and were making preparations for putting out the fire. Nick yelled to them and pointed to a line of garden hose on the lawn. There was a head of water in this pipe and with the aid of its stream, the fire was extinguished. The detective did not assist. He turned his attention to discovering what had become of Colonel Richmond. The Colonel had disappeared. The carriage in which he had come, was gone. Doubtless, the person who had driven him over had hustled him into the carriage at the earliest possible moment. A shrewd move. Muttered, Nick. And a bad one for me. However, I've got this gang cornered and if they've been doing the job at the Colonel's house, their operations are over. There was an excited group of people by the main door of the house. In the midst of them stood the medium, a fat and coarse woman who Nick had seen before in the same crooked business. Those around her were the real believers in spiritualism who had come to the show. They had witnessed the exposure and were ready to mob the medium. Nick took his two prisoners to this group. He tied them securely and then turned to one of the dupes. Why don't you have these people arrested. He whispered Charge them with taking money under false pretenses. Good said the man there's a warrant for some of them already. I'll get the Constable who lives over across the fields and he'll put them all in. A half hour later, the whole gang was under arrest and on the way to the nearest lockup. The detective felt that his evenings work was not in vain. Whatever might be the facts about the connection of this gang with the affair at Colonel Richmond's. It was a good thing to get them all out of the way. The Colonel's presence among them prove that they were the spiritualistic crowd, which was after him. Their removal would simplify matters. Moreover the Colonel's presence and his questioning of the spook, show that any theory connecting him with the disappearance of the jewels was wrong. It was evident that he had asked the questions in all sincerity, believing that he was really in the presence of his aunt's spirit. He could hardly be crazy enough to do that. Supposing that his lunacy had led him to abstract the jewels. Having witnessed the arrest of the gang. Nick procured a horse and drove rapidly toward Colonel Richmond's house. He arrived there at about half past 11. O'clock. There was a light in the parlor and through the open window, Nick beheld an unusual scene. The Colonel Mrs. Pond and Horace were present. Mr pond was not in the house. He had returned to New York. Besides the persons named. There were in the parlor, nearly all of the servants connected in any way with the establishment. It looked as if the Colonel was holding court. One of the servants seem to be giving testimony. The expressions on the faces of the others showed deep interest and superstitious terror. Nick had no doubt about what was going on. The Colonel was getting to the bottom of the ghost stories. There must have been more manifestations that night. The detective was in doubt whether to enter the house in his own character. Finally he decided not to do so. He disguised himself in the character of John Gilder, the Coachman who was not present in the parlor. It seemed best to gain access to the room from an entrance toward the old part of the house, instead of from the main hall. So Nick passed around the corner of the house. As he did. So he was aware of a dark figure crouching in the shadow. He instantly grappled with it. And the figure was not less prompt in grappling with him. The struggle was very brief. It ended with Nick on top and no harm done. The detective instantly leaped to his feet again. Patsy! He exclaimed. What brings you here? Is the Colonel really done with contacting the spirit world. Was Ms. Millie Stevens really behind the fake seance. What information does Patsy have to assist the case? And exactly who or what is stealing the jewels. Find out next time on the next episode of Nick Carter's ghost story available here at forward into the past. Hey gang. As always, I want to give a huge shout out and a plethora of thanks to the tireless volunteers out of project Gutenberg. Their efforts have made access to this and other public domain stories possible. Now remember I will always donate $1 back to project Gutenberg for every cup of coffee donated in support of this show. By following the links on the podcast website or the information page for the podcast show on whichever platform you're using. Just follow the link that says support the show and it will take you to my, buy me a coffee support page. And remember if you like the show. Tell your friends. If you don't like the show, tell me. You can send me a message through our website at forward, into the past podcast.com. Remember, you can always send a message, leave a voicemail, give a review of the show, read the blog for more behind the scenes info. Or sign up for the upcoming mailing list, which will have upcoming story titles for the rest of the year. All of that, and more is available on the website. And once again, that's forward into the past podcast.com. Well gang, once again. Thanks for listening. Keep sharing the stories and be a good human. Bye for now.