Nick Carter's Ghost Story, Pt 5

And now we arrive at the Finale to Nick Carter's Ghost Story. How are the jewels being stolen? Who is behind this? Is it actually a ghost? Tune in and find out in the last episode of this classic tale of suspense!

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Transcript

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Hi everyone. And welcome back to forward into the past. I'm Jacey your host and narrator, and today we're finishing off the final chapters of the mystery of Nick Carter's ghost story, which was written way back in 1894 exactly as it appeared in the New York Weekly published by street and Smith. And one of the things that fascinates me as a storyteller and history buff is the use of language in whatever story I'm reading. It gives me a clue as to who these characters might've been within their society. Now when I first started reading the Nick Carter mysteries, I approached him as a no-nonsense typical New York detective. But as I did more research and really got to know the character, the evolution of the character's voice became quite clear. As a well-educated high society man in New York, just before the turn of the 20th century. Nick Carter would have had an almost British sounding cadence to his speech. During this time in the United States, we had a very amicable relationship with great Britain. And of course in the late 18 hundreds, both countries were in the midst of the Victorian era. The U S having just ended the civil war. It was a time for redefining who we were as a country and as a society. There was a very strong push by new England to usher in an age of reason and science to the point of trying to demolish any and all forms of light entertainment that didn't fall under the umbrella of quote unquote, proper. One of the major issues they had was in the world of literature. You see. The proper literature was written by authors that had been accepted in both British and American elite. And educated circles. Any other stories were seen as junk. However, because of the industrial revolution, which happened at the same time as Victorian life. The lower classes were becoming more educated and wanted more things to read. Even though they might not comprehend it fully. This is where the dime novels came in to fill that need in the common life. Now true important literature, which was published by legitimate publishers with leather book covers and proper binding. Cost upwards of one to $2, a veritable fortune in those days, especially when one lived in less than adequate surroundings and personal effects were often burgled. Dime novels on the other hand, provided working class folks with simple to understand stories for about five to 10 cents. Quite a bit of difference. Story papers and penny dreadfuls in the UK, provided the same stories and usually a great variety in a weekly format for about the same price. As we've learned. Many of the dime novels had stories that originally appeared in the story papers first and then were compiled into dime novels that were a bit more permanent and could be carried in pockets or pocket books. So as I discovered more and more about class distinctions and styles, The more. I realized that Nick Carter, who was very well off and very well-educated would speak more in line with his British counterparts than he would with the workaday classes, that teemed the streets of New York. And with that I offer to you my dear listeners, the exciting conclusion of Nick Carter's ghost story. In our last episode, our Intrepid detective Nick Carter, disguised himself as one of Colonel Richmond staff in order to gain access to the house without being spotted. While accompanying the Colonel. Nick and his assistant Patsy were confronted by what seemed to be the ghost of Colonel Richmond sister Levina. While trying to capture the person behind what he believed to be a hoax. Nick was hit with a sandbag and knocked out until the next morning. Upon coming to Nick decides upon a plan to convince Colonel Richmond that it is not an actual ghost stealing the jewels. Or else he will succumb to the Colonel's belief in the other world. Who is behind everything? How are the jewels being stolen? And will our hero abandoned his belief that ghosts are not real. Well, let's find out as we go forward into the past. Once again. And finish Nick Carter's ghost story. Chapter nine. The diamond clasp. They then left the room. Nick dispatched Patsy secretly to the Steven's house. Shortly before noon, Colonel Richmond. Horace and Nick took a train for the city. At two o'clock they entered the vault of the safe deposit company. It is a long room below the level of the street. The walls are lined with metal drawers fastened by locks of the most approved pattern. The drawers near the floor are the largest. They are perhaps a foot square as seen when closed. Near the top of the room. They are much smaller. A movable metal step ladder stands ready for the convenience of those who wish to reach the boxes on the upper tiers. The space in the middle of the room is railed off and there sits a guard day and night. This is ours, said the Colonel advancing toward one of the larger drawers. I placed the diamond clasp on the very top of the pile of jewels within. It was in a case of its own. Nick turned to speak to the officer in charge. He questioned him regarding the possibility of any person taking anything from the boxes. He asked, especially about the custody of Mrs. Pond's jewels. Colonel Richmond and Mrs. Ponds have the two keys necessary for the opening of the drawer. Said the official. Yes said Colonel Richmond speaking over his shoulder to Nick. I told you all about that. And I explained how the second key happened to be in my possession instead of Mrs. Pond's. True said Nick apologetically. That was not what I was asking about. At that moment, he heard the click of the drawer as it was pulled open. Here, wait for me. He cried. I should see everything. As he stepped forward, Horace Richmond was just closing the little case, which had held the diamond clasp. The Colonel was turning away. I am deeply disappointed. He said, The clasp is there. As the Colonel walked away with bowed head, Nick turned to Horace. The young man's face was a study. He looked as if he had seen a graveyard full of ghosts. Nick Carter. He whispered. This is dreadful. What. Hush! I had to fool him. I positively had to, or he would have gone crazy. He poured the words into Nick's ear in an excited whisper. I made him think the clasp was in the box, but it isn't. I substituted another piece. The clasp is gone. What shall we do? He showed Nick the box. It contained nothing. Horace had removed the piece, which he had used in the deception. Good heavens cried Horace. He heard me. He pointed to the Colonel who stood like one who has been struck upon the head. Go on. He cried, rushing toward them. You deceived me. Well, they searched the drawer and the clasp certainly was not there. Horace explained how he had deceived the Colonel by quickly putting another piece of jewelry into the little case when he found it empty. I am clever at slight of hand said he or I could never have worked it. I just flashed it before your eyes Uncle and made you think that you saw the clasp. Forgive me. I thought it was the best. I will forgive you Horace. Said Colonel Richmond gently. But now you must believe and you too, Mr. Carter here is proof positive. They locked the drawer and left the vault. In the antechamber, Nick turned to Horace. I suppose you'll want to knock my head off when I tell you what I now propose to do said the detective. But I think it ought to be done. What is it? asked Horace. I think you ought to be searched. Exactly my own idea said, Horace. It is only fair to you. Proceed. Nick searched him. The diamond clasp was not found. Horace certainly did not have it. I hope you're satisfied. He said to Nick, you know, perfectly well that I have had no opportunity to dispose of it. There wasn't much chance in that vault. Nick laughed. I should say not. He replied. I'm afraid we shall have to fall back upon the theory of the Colonel. No theory cried he, but the living truth. And now proven before you both. But let me ask Mr. Carter, why you suspected my nephew of taking the clasp. I didn't. Replied Nick promptly. I searched him in order to remove every possibility. Well, surely he would have had no motive of such an action. None that I can see said Nick with perfect sincerity. They proceeded at once to Mrs. Steven's house. It was about seven o'clock when they arrived. They drove up from the station and on the way picked up Patsy. During the remainder of the drive, he was busy communicating with Nick in their sign language. Ms. Stevens is in her room, said, Patsy. She has had a doctor with her almost all the time. He refuses to say anything. I believe upon my soul that I shot her last night. Annie O'Neill the servant answered the bell. She ushered them into the parlor and said that Mrs. Stevens was in the room of her daughter who was quite ill. Annie went upstairs to summit her mistress. A minute later, the party below heard a scream. Then Mrs. Stevens appeared. She was very pale. In her hand, she held a small object wrapped in paper. I have just found this upon my daughter's pillow. She said, I have not removed the paper, but I know instinctively what's within. It is another jewel. I am equally sure of it. Cried the colonel, open the package, Mrs. Stephens. Oh, my hand trembles so, the lady began. Don't open it now said, Nick, wait a moment. I have a suggestion to make. And at any rate, we all know what is within. Colonel Richmond. I suppose it is useless to plead with you further. Quite useless. Said the Colonel. Millie shall have all the jewels. I am determined to buy them of my daughter and make the transfer at once. Well, I am beaten, said the detective. The case has gone against me. But I will still try to help you. I wish to call your attention to the legal aspects of this case. They may surprise you, but before going further, I think you should know them. You will not accept my authority if I state the facts as they are. Mrs. Stephens. Is it not true that you have one of the judges of the Supreme court as your neighbor? Uh, yes. Judge Lorrimer is our next neighbor to the south. Will you kindly send your servant to his house? Or perhaps. He glanced at Horace. All right. I'll go. Said Horace. I know the judge. But I don't see what you are driving at Mr. Carter. I want to persuade Colonel Richmond to get the law in the case before he goes further. He should consult an authority about the transfer before he makes any more promises, which may or may not be legally good. I think it a good idea said Colonel Richmond, Horace. Go over to the judge's house. During the interval while he was gone, very little was done. Mrs. Stevens sat holding the package and apparently deeply moved. She several times declared to Colonel Richmond that she did not wish her daughter to get the jewels in such a way. And that she was still convinced that human beings had planned and executed the whole strange series of robberies and surprises. If it should prove said, Nick, that this is a conspiracy. Do you wish any arrests? He turned toward the Colonel as he spoke. If it does said the Colonel with a smile. You can arrest me. It won't. But I am serious. So am I. Of course if there had been a crime. I would not shield the guilty parties, whomever. They might be. At that moment, Horace returned with judge Lorimer, whom he had met walking just beyond Mrs. Stevens grounds. I have tried to explain the case to him. Said Horace, but he said he doesn't understand how any legal complications can arise. We will try to make that clear presently said Nick. Mrs. Stephens. Open that package? No, wait a moment. You are agitated. You should have a glass of water. Permit me to ring. He put his hand upon the bell cord. As he did so, Mrs. Stephens opened the package, the article within rolled out upon her lap. It was not the diamond clasp, but an ordinary pocket knife of large size. Why Nick it's yours. Cried Patsy. So it is. Responded the detective, but this is a diamond clasp. He drew the Relic of the third crusade from his pocket as he spoke and handed it to the Colonel. At that moment Annie O'Neill appeared at the door in answer to the bell. And now said Nick, while the others stared in wonder, we will consider the legal points involved. Judge Lorimer. Here are the necessary blank forms. Please grant me warrants for the arrest of Horace Richmond and Annie O'Neil for criminal conspiracy. Chapter 10, some clever tricks explained. No sooner had Nick uttered these words than a loud cry rang through the house. Instantly Millie Stevens appeared upon the threshold of the parlor. Horace. She cried. Tell me it is not true. You have not done this. Certainly not he exclaimed. It is an absurd slander. Carter, you will be sorry for this. The girl looked straight into Horace's face for an instant. Then she uttered a moan. He is guilty. She cried. I can read it in his eyes. And I loved him so. She sank upon the floor at her mother's feet. Oh mother, she said. This is a just punishment for me. You told me, I must give him up. You read his heart. But I secretly accepted his love. I received letters in which he begged me to keep our love a secret. And in which I should have read a confession of guilt. And all the time he loved me only because he thought that I should have a fortune in gold and diamonds. You have stated the case exactly said Nick. When he thought that you would inherit all those jewels, he made love to you. Heaven knows that your own attraction should have been enough. But they were not for him. When the jewels went elsewhere. He was probably on the point of giving you up. I judge that from certain letters of yours in that Telegraph cipher, which I found in his room. Then he wormed his plan for making you rich. He managed the robberies at the house with the aid of John Gilder and one or two of that spiritualistic gang, whom he smuggled into the house. He did everything to increase his uncle's delusion. It was he who put Colonel Richmond. Again, in the hands of that medium. I supposed that after that affair was all over said, Mrs. Stephens. Both the Colonel and I had disapproved of it. Annie O'Neil said Nick turning to the servant. A full confession from you is what we now require. It may save you from prison. We know that you managed the affair from this end. It was you who put the jewels where they were found after they had been given to you by Horace. It was you Catch her! This last exclamation was addressed to Patsy. The girl was wavering as if she would fall. Before Patsy could reach her. She sank, sobbing to the floor. She proceeded to pour out an incoherent confession in which little was clear, but the name of Horace Richmond and the fact that the girl loved him still. I've been waiting for this said Horace with a brutal sneer. Trust the woman and lose the game. Well, it's all up. I loved you, Millie, but not enough to marry you without the jewels. So I schemed for the transfer and I have failed. It was Annie O'Neil whom followed you last night, Patsy. said Nick. Now, who was the man? John Gilder. Gasped the terrified girl. And you played the ghost. Yes, sir. But how about my shooting asked Patsy, how does Annie O'Neal happen to be alive? Uh, huh, read that from chick. Said Nick producing a paper. He's made some discoveries in the Colonel's house today while we were all away. He's found the ghost. It seems that this girl was inside of a hollow dummy. She stood over a trap door. Just as soon as she had shown her face, she dropped the veil and went through the trap. The dummy still continued to stand there and you shot at it. Two of your bullets flattened on it's steel braces. The rest went through. John Gilder flashed the light. When he turned it off, the dummy was hauled down through the trap and hidden in a place that neither you nor I found Patsy. Colonel Richmond seemed to be in a trance. Uh, but the mysterious force, he said at last. The injury to yourself and your assistant. How do you explain that? It was done by John Gilder swinging a sandbag on a string at the end of a pole, which he poked through one of the panels. It couldn't be seen in that dim light and it made a fearful weapon. It's a wonder that he didn't knock our heads off. I thought that I heard something whiz, muttered, Patsy. And yet I heard her voice this morning said the Colonel, she said consent. No, she didn't. I said it. I rejoined Nick. I'm something of a ventriloquist. How was the affair managed at the safe deposit vault? Ask the Colonel after a pause. Why, Horace took the clasp out of the box and put it in your pocket. You really saw it. Only he made you think afterward that you didn't. After I searched him, he picked your pocket and got the clasp. Then he wrapped it in paper. I picked his pocket to make matters even, and substituted my knife. Similarly wrapped up. When we got to this house, he gave the knife to Annie O'Neill who put it on Ms. Stephen's pillow when she went upstairs to call Mrs. Stephens. You have not explained the robberies at my house. Said Colonel Richmond. I'll do that over there. Is the rest of it clear. Has anybody a question to ask. Nobody spoke. Annie O'Neil said, Nick. I'll leave here in Patsy's charge. Horace Richmond. Come with us. Horace looked ugly for a moment. And then he calmed down and sullenly complied with Nick's order. Judge Lorimer begged to be of the party in order to see the explanation of the mysterious robberies of which he had heard. Two hours later, they all stood in Mrs. Pond's room. The essential part of this matter, said Nick. Was this door, which appeared to open and close of itself. I saw that at a glance and made a secret investigation. It is done by electricity. There is a magnet in the casing, which is powerful enough to swing the door to after which the same magnet pushes this little bolt. Which looks like an ordinary screw into position, and that holds the door, but not very steadily. You may say that this should have given me the criminal at once, but it didn't. You see. This electromagnet works whenever the current is turned into the wires. Horace was clever enough to have the wires lead all over the house. A connection with the electric light wires furnishing, the current can be made in almost every room of the house. Of course. I suspected Horace at once because his room was directly overhead. In fact, the two are connected as you see by a ventilator in the form of a pipe with a grated opening in each room. The grating here you see is open. But bless me. Exclaim judge Lorimer. No thief could have come through such a place. Why it isn't six inches square. Ah, step in here in a minute and see said, Nick, and then he called out all ready chick. The whole party had by this time gone into Mrs. Pond's sitting room. Nick said hush and pointed to the ventilator. Most of the party could see it through the door. Instantly there appeared a mass of green feathers and then Horace Richmond's parrot fluttered. Noiselessly down into the room. For a minute or two, it ran around the floor. Then it flew up onto the dressing table, seized a small gold bar pin in its beak and flew back into the ventilator pipe. A nice trick said the detective. I believe it took you some time to teach the bird that. About a year. Growled Horace that bird was well-trained before. Is it all clear, said, Nick. Perfectly. said the Colonel, but how did you get at it? Simply enough. There was only one way into this room when those robberies were committed. And the parrot was the only living thing in the house that was small enough to go through that pipe and intelligent enough to do the trick. You see, Horace had trained the bird to pick up bright objects. And especially articles of the color gold and to go up and down that pipe. Then he schemed to have your daughter come here. The rest was easy. He waited till she was in the farther room and then close the door between by the electrical device. Immediately, he sent down the parrot. The bird were so well-trained that he required only a minute or two to secure something. Of course. It was not always something of value. There were probably a dozen failures where the bird brought back nothing or some useless object that glittered. I suspected the bird. And so put chick on that lay. As you see. He has got the creature to work very well. Now Colonel, what more can I do for you? What shall be done with the prisoners? Nothing. I will not prosecute. I guess we can hush it up if you say so responded Nick. By the way. There's one thing that I want to explain. I mean, the strange appearance of that diamond pin in the box on the occasion of Mrs. Steven's first visit. It was not the real pen, but a duplicate. Which had been prepared in advance. Horace had put up that game as a finishing touch for his uncle. Mrs. Pond had forced Horace to go for me, but he wouldn't be scared out. He played the game right under my nose. Annie O'Neil had the duplicate pin. She opened that box while Mrs. Stevens was calling to her daughter as she testified and put the duplicate into it. Then she wrapped it up just as, before. So I won't have to give up the jewels. Said Mrs. Pond. I'm afraid you will said Nick. The queerest part of the story is to come. Chick has found a later will by miss Levina Richmond. It is undoubtedly genuine. And where do you suppose it was found? The strangest of all places. In Horace Richmond's room. She died there, responded the Colonel. She must have hidden the will during her last illness. It is strange to think of Horace Richmond, struggling with that parrot. And putting up his elaborate schemes while the document, which would have given him all he wanted was hidden in his own room. Horace Richmond's face at that moment. was an amusing spectacle. So was Mrs. Ponds. Nevermind daughter, said the Colonel. It is better so. I will make good the loss to you. And so ends Nick, Carter's ghost story in a most natural manner. Nobody was ever punished for the affair. Even the gang of mediums and healers whom Nick had rounded up were released after their night in jail. Because on sober second thought their dupes were ashamed to complain against them. Well gang that wraps up another exciting story from the case files of Nick Carter, master detective. As usual, I would like to thank the tireless volunteers at project Gutenberg. It's only through their work and effort that I am able to share these amazing stories with you all. I would also like to take this time to remind you to become a supporter of the show. By doing so you allow me to donate some funds back to project Gutenberg, to be able to continue saving these wonderful tales of suspense and so many other stories as well. I'd also like to thank you. The listeners and the supporters of the show for simply being there and sharing this journey with me. I never thought that I'd be producing tails like this and gaining a worldwide audience, but that's exactly what's happened. And well, I'm humbled and honored that you are taking time out of your busy lives to listen to me, weave these yarns for you. It's a dream come true for me and I am eternally grateful and thankful for your continued support. And well-wishes. Next story coming up is the last story in the trilogy. The mystery of St. Agnes hospital written in the year 1900. Exactly. As it appeared in street. And Smith's weekly story paper, the New York weekly. And after that. Well, it's coming up on spooky season. Halloween folks. And I'm thinking about sharing some ghost stories with you all. The kind that used to be told around glowing campfires or a crackling fireplace stories that haven't seen the light of day in many years. Ah, Ah, ah, ah, Well, that's all the time I have for now gang. As always. Thanks for listening. Keep sharing the stories and. Be a good human. Bye for now.