San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-02

o. tempt 70 ITdnSlnule one OF IlOSe magic
3 pieces Of paper into gold would infallibly
bring him within the clutches Of the law. 1t
did not occur to him that escape with the
pocGet-bOOk was pure impOssibility. 1t
did not even occur TO him that in the cir
cumstances his project was open to the
charge Of being trifle shabby.
! lie experienced in the contemplation of
his plan the glow natural to the inventor Of
a great idea; and ii absorbed all his thoughts.
I When Lawrence talked to him, Chi Lung
always looked ont for the sign Of the pocket
books presence, and his yellow fingers
would itch and Jingle and jump as he
thought of the treasure the simple oblong
prOtrusion of the cloth of the coat indicated.
When he walked about the chateau in the
wintry sunshine he was keen to discover
Lawrence's chamber, and it was not long
| before the young man nodded at him from
window. After that he looked for him
regularly there, and Lawrence, in. his West
ern mind, got to fancy that the Oriental
liked him, ami would take the trouble to
open the window to offer him a verbal sa-
lutte.
There were two doors to Chi Lungs gran
airy chamber, and one of them was secured
on the inside by two bolts which shot into
Withdrawing these bolts, which were rusty
with long disuse, he discovered that the door
opened upon a stout permanent ladder, with
hand-rail running down one side Of It.
The top step of this ladder had rotted away.
but the rest were still sound enough to bear
man Of his weight. ho ascertained this
fact practically, and once or twice at night,
when the door which communicated with
the corridor was locked, and the house was
plunged in silence, he had got down into
the open, and had prOwled about the build
ing to consider burglarIOus ways and means.
On one occasion he had ventured out too
early, and had been compelled to hide from
the people who were still moving about
He had no means of aScertaining the hour,
and in his lonely waiting was likely to over
estimate the rapidity Of the flight of time.
When Lawrence left him it was barely dusk
outside but in Chi Lungs chamber It was
dark. In the high windows the sky glim-
mered white for long time after the En-
glishman's departure, and Chi Lung lay up
on his bed and watched 1t as it slowly dark
ened. When it had grown so somber that
he could scarcely see the window bars against
1t, somebody brought him his soup, quite
cold by this time, q liberal bunch of bread,
and lamp. He felt that he had aforetime
been treated with greater consideration.
The difference between hot soup and cold
was more than difference Of temperature
to his mind. The cold soup meant cold well
come.
He was quite fit to set out upon his travels
again, and he expected to receive his march,
ing orders very soon. In the meantime could
he by any means secure that gold mine of a
pOcket-boOk? He burned and itched and
ached TO be at ito have it in his fingers.
He had no more conjunction, conscience,
foresight or reflection than a kleptomaniac
ape would have had.
The night having arrived, when he con-
cluded to possess himself of Lawrence's
pocket-book, he drew back the rusted bolts,
and stole down the widowed steps outside.
The night was filled with moonlight, and
was extremely SILENT and when he had crept
cautiously round the front of the Chateau
he saw two lights, one in the open doorway
of the hall, and the other dozen yards
nearer to him in that grOund-fOOr chamber
in which Olivia and Arthur had been used
to sit at their painting. Moving with ex-
IRENE slowness and caution, he crouched
along by the wall until he was beneath this
Illuminated window, and then clawing the
cold sill with both yellow hands, he lifted
his head and peered into the room. 1t was
empty, as far as he could see. He peered
and crOuched, holding himself in readiness
to duck, if necessity should arise. All on
sudden the very passion of greed illumin-
ated his face, and he arose and stood up
right unconsciOusly. The pOcket-book-he
knew it again, he was certain of it-lay up
on the table. He did not lose all his fears
or all his caution, but this unexpected sight
of the prize made him bold, and he shook
the window to see if it were fastened. 1t
tDGs fastened, but it was rickety beyond be-
lief in a house generally so well appointed,
and when he laid a stronger hold upon it,
and pulled at it with both hands, it yielded
perceptibIy with sound as of rotten wood
tearing apart. He tugged again, and again,
until what with his efforts and emotions, the
sweat stood upon his forehead, and his gar
ments chung damply to his limbs. Sudden
ly the widow gave way, and he fell back
ward on the grass, but recovering himself
at once, gIared right and left, and with q
Beating heart climbed into the room, and
with single stride clutched the book.
At that second voice fell upon his ear,
and quickas thought he blew out the lamp,
and falling on his hands and knees, crawled
night. He could see nothing, but he could
hear steps approaching on the firm carriage
drive of beaten schist. He stretched out a
hand on either side and drew the folding
windows close. Half minute later, in the
broad solemn light, two figures came into
view, and he knew them for those of Law
renee and Olivia.
CHAPTER VIII.
''She heard me. She heard me-" sang
Lawrence's heart within him. "She heard
me, and she is not displeased."
He had need neither of food nor wine just
then. He was content when he coald steal
glance at her. As for Olivia, that strange
gaze which had so strangely affected her,
had ceased to be puzzle. 1t needed no
translation, for she herself had learned the
language in which it spoke. Her heart also
had an inward song of its own. THE
sweetest maiden under the blue skies. The
loveliest and the best" His thoughts Of her.
When supper was over she escaped from
the room, and a little while later Lawrence
escaped also.
ut is a lovely night" he said, II shall
walk for little while"
II hope you will return with a recovered
appetite" said the old lady. "When you
come back you shall have little supper laid
out for you. You have eaten nothing"
Lawrence protested gayly against second
supper, and took his way. He ran down
the broad oaken stairs eager for the open
air, and to be alone with his new hopes and
fancies. When he came to the rOomy en-
trance hall, he paused for second. There
was Olivia with a shawl Of aeecy wool about
her head and shoulders, standing in the