The Masked Woman by Johnston McCulley

Author:Johnston McCulley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery, crime, detective, sleuth, zorro
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2011-07-12T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER X

The Robbery

At four o’clock that afternoon, Sambo entered the lounging-room where Slade, Marget and Wilger were playing cards and announced that their presence was desired by Mme. Madcap in the parlor on the floor below. They tossed the cards aside and followed Sambo through the hall, down the stairs, and to the parlor where Mme. Madcap sat at one end of the long table waiting for them. “Red” Riley and the professor were sitting near her.

“The time has come for business,” Mme. Mad­cap said. “Tonight, we shall enter and loot the residence of Miss Dorcas Darcan. It is just off Fifth Avenue. I’ll give you the address later. When I un­dertake a thing, I ascertain all facts that may help me. So-called criminals would make fewer mistakes and suffer less incarceration if they would do the same. Knowledge is an excellent thing. Always know all about your prospective vic­tim, and then you will not be surprised and caught because some minor detail was overlooked.

“Miss Dorcas Darcan is a rich orphan. She has been educated abroad. Her father left her a large fortune, and she purchased the splendid house we are going to visit tonight and made her home there.

“Before we start, I shall give you a plan of the house and outline the course we are to follow in taking care of the servants and securing the loot. I will take command and give such further orders as may become necessary.

“There is a safe in the library. In the safe there will be some money, of course, as a sum is kept there for current expenses. There will be some negotiable bonds, too. I intend to get a string of pearls from Miss Darcan; I know where she keeps them in her boudoir, and they are said to be worth about $20,000. I expect this haul to net $30,000 at least. Go back now, play cards, eat dinner, and wait for me to send for you.”

Commencing at ten o’clock that evening, Mme. Madcap called for them one at a time, issued final instructions, and sent them on their way.

At one o’clock, Mme. Madcap was at the rendezvous and the limousine was in the alley, its lights extinguished. The others of the band were crouch­ing in the darkness against the alley wall.

They went inside and found themselves in a small garden. Mme. Madcap called Slade and Brute Wilger to her.

“There is the garage,” she said. “Here is a du­plicate key to the side door. Enter that way, pass through to the chauffeur’s room, and make sure that he is bound and gagged. Use no more violence than is necessary.”

From the limousine, Sambo had taken small, stout ropes and materials for gags, and he supplied the men. In a few minutes they returned from the chauffeur’s room, their work ac­complished.

Mme. Madcap took out another key and un­locked the door, and they slipped into the house and made their way toward the servants’ quarters.

“The butler’s room!” Mme. Madcap whispered, pointing to the door.

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