Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1895-02-20

l
twenty-five"
She fired up.
| "You don't have no kiss. mister" sh,
says, ''and if you want me to help 20,
you must hand over the coin. You ken
do better, anyway"
tell you, Eshe fairly surprised me
assure you, to look at her, you't
think she was as quiet girl as ever
wore shoes. She kept her eyes-bright
black eyes she had-fxed on my face
and seemed almost to enjoy the corner
she'd got me in.
turned the matter quickly over in
my mind. After all, knew needn't
really trouble about the second pay
ment. / should be clear away before
she had chance to see whether put
1 it there or not.
IAN right, miss" says, don't
'aggle; and don't bite q feAler's cad
half OFF. Here's the thirty pound.
What time shall come up?"
She told me that at half-past eight
| the duke would be having dinner, and
that she would leave the window Of
the duchess dressing-room open. l
might find a ladder in such place,
and, when got in, l should find the
jewels in such place. and some loose
notes and gold in such place, and
was to leave the thirty pounds for her
on ledge in the chimney. And if any
of the other servants caught me, why,
so much the worse for me, and if they
did not, so much the worse for them
She shook hands pleasantly and weEt
off towards the court.
l felt inclined to shake hands with
myself, too. knew that there was
good twenty thousand pounds worth
of stuff for me if could only get
quiet quarter of an hour there.
You may believe me when say was
there that evening to the minute. just
as neared the mansion had a nasty
feeling that the maid might have
given me away. You can never be
sure Of women. But when saw the
window open of the duchess dressing
room, and found the ladder and every
thing ready, knew it was all right.
"She's girl after my own heart"
said to myself when got in the room.
"And I'll be after hers when it's all
over"
Its risky work, you know. No
matter how easy things are, you al
ways have queer sort of nervousness
unless you're drunk, and then, of
course, you're liable to make mistakes.
None of the servants was about; they
might have been dead for all the
trouble they gave me.
don't think ever had quite such
an easy job in all my life. This"
said to myself, this is better than
your hard work any day. Honesty
may be the best policy, but what do you
make out of it? Eth? Do you make
hauls of sackfuls of jcwclry and money
by honesty? Do you make enough in
ten minutes to keep you for years, and
drunk every day of your life, by hon
esty? No." said to myself q had got
the sack nearly fulD, ''if you want to
get on in life, if you really want to
have a nice little income and a life of
have turn at"
There was q swish of skirts near the |
bed. l turned my lantern on the
place, my heart in my mouth, my re-
volver in my hand. can tell you ] |
was pleased to see that it was only my
girl. l dropped my Colt back into my
pocket She was smartly dressed, and
looked quite the lady.
"Got everything, mister?" she in
quired. ''Got everything?"
''Well. not abslootly everything" I
''but as much as l can
carry. I'm just off,"
"Have you put my thirty sovereigns
IN the chimney she asked. Lord,
she had head for BUSINESS, that girl.
'sReclzon I'll take them now," she
said, calmly holding out her hand. Il
guessed you'd go and forget"
counted out the money and handed
it over, and shouldered my bag.
''Good-by, MISS" I whispers; "see
each other again soon, hope"
awful good of you to say that" she
said. Feel as though 1 kent let you
30 now" Her hand went to the side
If the wall. We're getting on so So
cable and pleasant and friendly like"
can't tell you how it made me feel
when heard her talk like that.
would have proposed to that girl on
5he spot if l hadn't been so busy. Only
there's a time and a place for every
hing, | always say, and just then
wasn't the time to go caHoodling about
with girls.
Of course this is the worst of them
once they get mashed on you, there's
40 getting rid of them without row.
went to her to give her kiss and
yood-by. She gave a little scream.
''Stop right there!" she cried. stop
light there, mister, or you're dead
man,
She leveled shining little pocket
pistol at my head, the other hand still
PRESSING against the wall. There was
! sound Of hurried footsteps on the
anding; the door opened and mus
,ular young fellow in evening dress
'ushed in. He was followed by several
servants.
My dearest Deborah!'' lie cried.
Then he sprang upon me and nearly
.hoked me.
/. Here, let go!' screamed. where's
he duchess? Where in IS the
duchess? Lemme go, can't We? want