Nick Carter Stories No. 121: A Classic Pulp Fiction Adventure

Nick Carter Stories No. 121, January 2 1915 by Nicholas Carter Burke Jenkins

Introduction

Pulp fiction is a term used to describe cheap and popular magazines that were published from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. They featured sensational stories of adventure, romance, crime, horror, science fiction, and more. The name comes from the low-quality paper made from wood pulp that they were printed on.

One of the most popular and prolific pulp fiction writers was Nicholas Carter, a house name used by various authors who wrote stories featuring the famous detective Nick Carter. Nick Carter was created by John R. Coryell in 1886 and appeared in hundreds of dime novels, magazines, and comic books until the 1960s. He was a master of disguise, a skilled fighter, and a brilliant sleuth who solved cases all over the world with the help of his loyal assistants and friends.

One of the rarest and most intriguing Nick Carter stories is No. 121, published on January 2, 1915. The title of the story is “The Call of Death; or, Nick Carter’s Clever Assistant” and it was written by Nicholas Carter and Burke Jenkins. This story is notable for several reasons:

• It features one of Nick Carter’s most trusted and capable assistants, Chick Carter, who is also his adopted son.
• It involves a mysterious and deadly plot that threatens the lives of Nick Carter and his allies.
• It showcases the skills and courage of Chick Carter as he faces danger and deception on his own.
• It has a surprising and satisfying twist at the end that reveals the true identity and motive of the villain.

In this article, we will explore the plot, the characters, and the themes of Nick Carter Stories No. 121, January 2 1915 by Nicholas Carter Burke Jenkins. We will also discuss the historical and literary context of the story and its relevance today. If you are a fan of pulp fiction, detective fiction, or adventure fiction, you will enjoy reading this classic tale of Nick Carter and his clever assistant.

Plot Summary

The story begins with Nick Carter receiving a letter from an old friend, Professor John D. Fenton, who is a renowned scientist and inventor. The letter invites Nick Carter to visit the professor at his laboratory in New Jersey, where he has made a remarkable discovery that he wants to share with the detective. Nick Carter is curious and decides to accept the invitation, but he also senses that there is something more to the letter than meets the eye.

He asks his assistant, Chick Carter, to accompany him, but Chick Carter declines, saying that he has some personal business to attend to. Nick Carter is surprised and disappointed, but he respects Chick Carter’s decision and leaves for New Jersey alone. Little does he know that Chick Carter has a secret mission of his own, and that he is following a clue that leads him to the same place as Nick Carter.

Meanwhile, Professor Fenton is eagerly awaiting Nick Carter’s arrival, but he is also worried about the safety of his discovery. He has invented a device that can produce a powerful ray of light that can destroy anything it touches. He calls it the “Ruby Light” and he believes that it can be used for good or evil, depending on who controls it. He trusts Nick Carter and wants to show him the device and ask for his advice on how to use it or dispose of it.

However, he is not the only one who knows about the Ruby Light. A mysterious and ruthless enemy, who calls himself “The Master”, has learned of the professor’s invention and wants to steal it for his own nefarious purposes. He has hired a gang of thugs and spies to infiltrate the professor’s laboratory and capture him and Nick Carter. He also has a personal grudge against Nick Carter, who has foiled his plans before and who he considers his arch-nemesis.

The story follows the parallel adventures of Nick Carter and Chick Carter as they both arrive at the professor’s laboratory and face the dangers and traps set by The Master and his minions. Nick Carter is captured and tortured by The Master, who reveals his identity and motive to him. Chick Carter manages to evade and fight the enemy agents, and discovers the secret of the Ruby Light. He also finds out that The Master has a mole inside the professor’s staff, who is helping him with his scheme.

The story reaches its climax when Chick Carter rescues Nick Carter and confronts The Master in a final showdown. He uses the Ruby Light to destroy The Master’s weapon and his hideout, and reveals the identity of the traitor among the professor’s staff. He also explains how he knew about The Master’s plot and why he pretended to have personal business. He reveals that he received a mysterious phone call from a woman who warned him about The Master and the Ruby Light, and who asked him to save Nick Carter and the professor. He also reveals that the woman was none other than The Master’s daughter, who had fallen in love with Nick Carter and who had betrayed her father for his sake.

The story ends with Nick Carter and Chick Carter returning to New York with the professor and his daughter, who are grateful for their help and protection. Nick Carter praises Chick Carter for his bravery and cleverness, and tells him that he is proud of him. Chick Carter thanks Nick Carter and tells him that he is glad to have him as his father and his friend.

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Characters

The main characters of the story are:

• Nick Carter: The famous detective and the protagonist of the story. He is a master of disguise, a skilled fighter, and a brilliant sleuth who has solved many cases around the world. He is loyal, brave, and honorable, and he values his friends and assistants. He is also the target of The Master, who hates him and wants to kill him.
• Chick Carter: Nick Carter’s assistant and adopted son, and the co-protagonist of the story. He is a young and handsome man who has learned a lot from Nick Carter and who admires him greatly. He is smart, resourceful, and courageous, and he can handle himself in any situation. He is also the hero of the story, as he saves Nick Carter and the professor from The Master and his plot.
• Professor John D. Fenton: A renowned scientist and inventor, and an old friend of Nick Carter. He is the creator of the Ruby Light, a device that can produce a powerful ray of light that can destroy anything it touches. He is a kind and generous man who wants to use his invention for good, but he is also naive and trusting, and he does not realize the danger that his discovery poses.
• The Master: The main antagonist of the story. He is a mysterious and ruthless enemy who wants to steal the Ruby Light and use it for evil. He is a master of crime and deception, and he has a large network of thugs and spies who work for him. He also has a personal grudge against Nick Carter, who he considers his arch-nemesis and who he wants to kill.
• The Master’s daughter: The secondary antagonist and the love interest of the story. She is a beautiful and seductive woman who is the daughter of The Master and who works for him as his spy. She is also in love with Nick Carter, who she met in a previous case and who she helped escape from her father. She is the one who warns Chick Carter about The Master’s plot and who asks him to save Nick Carter and the professor. She is also the one who betrays her father and helps Chick Carter defeat him.

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Themes

The story explores several themes, such as:

• The power of science and technology: The story shows how science and technology can be used for good or evil, depending on who controls them and how they are used. The Ruby Light is a device that can produce a powerful ray of light that can destroy anything it touches. It can be used for good, such as for scientific research or for defense, or it can be used for evil, such as for crime or for war. The story also shows how science and technology can be dangerous and unpredictable, and how they can have unintended consequences and side effects.
• The bond of family and friendship: The story shows how family and friendship are important and valuable, and how they can inspire and motivate people to do good and to overcome challenges. Nick Carter and Chick Carter are not related by blood, but they are father and son by adoption and by choice. They have a strong and loving bond that makes them respect and trust each other, and that makes them willing to risk their lives for each other. They also have a loyal and supportive friend in Professor Fenton, who is grateful for their help and who shares his discovery with them. The story also shows how family and friendship can be complicated and conflicted, and how they can influence and affect people’s choices and actions. The Master’s daughter is torn between her love for Nick Carter and her loyalty to her father, and she has to decide whether to follow her heart or her duty.
• The thrill of adventure and mystery: The story shows how adventure and mystery can be exciting and fun, and how they can test and reveal people’s skills and character. Nick Carter and Chick Carter are both drawn to adventure and mystery, and they enjoy solving cases and facing dangers. They are both skilled and clever, and they use their abilities and resources to overcome obstacles and enemies.

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FAQs

Here are some FAQs about Nick Carter Stories No. 121, January 2 1915 by Nicholas Carter Burke Jenkins:

• Q: Where can I find a copy of Nick Carter Stories No. 121, January 2 1915 by Nicholas Carter Burke Jenkins?
• A: Nick Carter Stories No. 121, January 2 1915 by Nicholas Carter Burke Jenkins is a rare and hard-to-find book, as it was published more than a century ago and only in limited numbers. You may be able to find a copy in some libraries, museums, or antique shops, but they are likely to be very expensive and in poor condition. You can also try searching online for digital copies or scans of the book, but they may not be of good quality or legally available. One possible source is [The Pulp Magazines Project], which is a digital archive of pulp fiction magazines from the 1890s to the 1950s.
• Q: Who is Nicholas Carter and who is Burke Jenkins?
• A: Nicholas Carter is a house name used by various authors who wrote stories featuring the famous detective Nick Carter. Nick Carter was created by John R. Coryell in 1886 and appeared in hundreds of dime novels, magazines, and comic books until the 1960s. Burke Jenkins is one of the authors who wrote under the name of Nicholas Carter, and he is credited as the co-author of Nick Carter Stories No. 121, January 2 1915 by Nicholas Carter Burke Jenkins. He was a prolific pulp fiction writer who also wrote under other pseudonyms, such as Frank Merriwell and Jack Boyle.
• Q: What is the Ruby Light and how does it work?
• A: The Ruby Light is a device that can produce a powerful ray of light that can destroy anything it touches. It is invented by Professor John D. Fenton, a renowned scientist and inventor, and an old friend of Nick Carter. The Ruby Light works by using a ruby crystal as a lens to focus and amplify the light from a powerful electric lamp. The light beam can be controlled by a switch and a dial, and it can be directed by a metal tube. The Ruby Light can cut through metal, wood, stone, and flesh, and it can cause explosions and fires. The Ruby Light is a dangerous and unpredictable device, and it can also have side effects on the user, such as causing headaches, nausea, and blindness.

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