The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-10-29

every moment now, were not diminish
ed. | detected Il peculiar flavor, slight
but unmistakable, i'll the whisky-a
tHStc which ought by no means tc
have been present. Making sure that
| WAS unnbs erved. | poured good
three tOurths of the contents OF the
glass into a spittnou under the table
| Then | waited for futher develop.
meuts. Presently heard some one
coming along the passage, and the
next moment the worthy landlord
again entered the room.
"Ah, | see you know what's what.
sir, he exclaimed, rubbing his hands
gleetully together, as he looked at the
| empty glass. Let me get you another
| Though | says it, You won't get a
better drop of the genuine aboard your
own ship.
Il pretended to be very drowsy,
and mumbled some reply, which
| still further deceived the fellow; and
| then, making as if would rise, | fell
back and uttered deep snore
AHA. another bird in the metz /
heard the old william mutter, in
| gratitied tone, and one with feathers
worth plucking, too. He's safe enough
already, but
He slipped from the room, and.
cautiously opening my eyes again, |
looked YEARLY around, feeling GER
tain nov that the mystery of the
seven would very soon be cleared up.
Il was congratulating myself on the
fact that my ideas were all working
out so clearly, when suddenly | was
startled by an event for which l was
altogether unprepared, and which
made me speedily see that my posi-
ton was just IA little more dangerous
than had anticipated.
The armchair il which | was sit
ting, together with the table in front
of me, and half the flooring of the
room, in fact, was sinking.
''Spriugiug from my seat, | leaped
forward and scrambled on to the fixed
portion Of the floor; and, rising to my
feet, gazed down with mingled inter
'sJ and establishment into dark,
,ainp-slaelling vault.
"DeeIniEg it high time TO quit the
apartment, found that the door was
locked from the outside. Atthe same
time saw ray Of light flash across
lie darkness below, and then a volley
# furious Caths greeted my ears,
whi@h told plainly enough that the
tht Shdll iou al eauS pteh uls-
covered.
Beck TO the parlor, Jake. rough
voice savagely exclaimed. Il told |
you we was too hasty, and that lie |
wouldn't be gone eff sound YETI
The gam"'s up and we're done for |
it if we let's that cove give us the Slip |
beard the landlord say. But mind |
10 noise Knives are Quieter than |
bullets. and we've got TO use them |
now. or else be eternaiiy ruincdn
Then some door was loudly bang
ed, and Ill was silent again The
words had caught were quite alarm
ing enough, and showed how really !
critical my position was, but with
sort OF grim satisfaction | now waited |
TO greet the gang.
They were good enough to keep
ne i'll suspense but very few seconds,
tor an instant later the door was
burst rather than thrown open, and
the landlord followed by two power
fully built, scowling ruffians rushed
to draw back with eXecra-
tons as they caught sight of the dull,
black barrel of service bulldog
itvelled at them.
Fore ng matters bit, | fired one
chamber III the air, which was the
signal "grCed upon with my men
should | require their aid in any
"GentI, men, | said quietly; I'll
trouble on, if you don't wish to be
rid He'd, 10 keep Il respectful distance.
Allow he 10 introduce mYsetf-De
tective Ser& cant Nichols, WHO is in
tiniteIy obliged for the novel and in
teresting mechanism you have rather
Fremat urely shown him. Ab,' add
ed, with a sense of relief, as | per-
ceiv4d two familiar faces, you see
how useless resistance would be, for
here are II couple OF my own men, ac-
also by two other guar
diaDs of The peace. Their presence
will no doubt prevent Us from ell
gaging in hostilities. And now, in
stead of being your prisoner in the
vault below, | must trouble you all to
consider yourselves my prisoners
The excitement was intense for a
while, but it was soon over, for the
rutfianS became as meek as lambs
when they saw that their precious
game was ended. And whatever OBJ
jecIions they may have had to chang
ing their quarters to the nearest po-
lice station, they did not press them.
Yes, concluded the eX-detective,
Il won Il fair amount of praise over
the affair. What was more to the
poiut, promotion came in due time,
and other rewards followed as mat
Ter OF course"