The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-05-13

it be done?" gasped. "You don't sup
pose for a moment Usher would al
low it. even if l."
Certainly not!" He got up and
leaned over the table impressively.
'I'm not fool. Usher won't know-no
one need know, unless you like to tell
them. Leave that to me. We're much
of size; l shall go, roughly made up
as yourself; and more-I'n forfeit an
other $40 if anyone finds out. There!
I've made it my business to find out just
where you dress, and where the prop
critics are. You think I'm
fooling. Here, turn round and count
just SOL"
He whipped up a small bag. And
we'll, l was that taken aback by his man
ner that turned away, as he directed
till a voice made me spin round in
credulously.
"'While he sleeps! My lord, I have
risked my mere life over and over again
at your bidding, but you ask me to risk
my precious soul. 1t must be done9
There is no one else? Then-then I
must obey. Give me the gold; now the
lamp; and now-unless my arm fails
me, by dawn madam shall be free to
marry whom she will. He shall sleep
the sleep that knows no waking!'"
The fawning voice, the gesture, the
hypocritical conjunction, the whole
make-up-it was my own Grips. the
valet. to the life. I stood fairly stag
gered. Clearly enough, he had the part
by heart; only my simple consent was
needed. And, before realized it, he
had taken that in way that could
never afterwards properly understand,
much less forgive myself for.
"That good enough?" He pulled off
the gray wig. 'Think you risk much
challenge anyone in that house to find
out. Come! Let me play Cripps this
evening, and-there, I'll make it thirty!
The moneys down."
Thirty pounds dangled before man
earning just 40 shillings week! The
temptation was as strong as it was ex'
traordinary, and 1 suppose my fingers
closed over the notes. At any rate, my
substitute for the occasion was at the
door. I recollect his final words as he
went out:
$50 should think! Then you'll have
night off, and I'll have night on
and no one will be the wiser. Five
o'clock--I've barely three hours. Oh,
shall manage. I've thought it out.
Good night, Mr.. Rodney. We shall
crack our sides over this some day, you
and T."
He was gone. I lit the lamp, and
there I sat, trying hopelessly to fathom
the man and his motive. More than
once was on the point of rushing after
him, but-G3o! lingering those fas.
cinating notes, the time simply flew by
UNDECIDED. 1t must have been near seven
o'clock when the sight of Mollie in the
doorway made me start up uncomfort.
ably.
"That you, Alec? Good gracious
you'll be late! A gentleman been to see
you on business? Why, you're as pale
as possible. Showing him in here, too!
The room hasn't been touched for g
fortnight was going to turn it out
thoroughly tomorrow! How annoy.
ing-it always happens so! just look
at the dust here, thick as possible!
What in the world must he have thought
of mel"
Should I tell her? She had turned
up the light and seized duster. A mo-
ment more and the table at least would
have shone. But something caught
Mollie's eye, and arrested the sweep OF
her arm.
"Well, I declare! Look at that!"
She was pointing to the distinct imprint
of two hands on the mahogany, made by
my visitor when he leaned across to me-
Just reminds me of that man Woburn
-Usher's stage manager out in Mel.
bourne. Horrid fellow! Went off with
all our months salaries-and then tried
to shoot Usher because he wouldn't
take him back. Deserved to starve out
there! The same finger, too, believe
That's funny!"
Yes, it was funny; at least, as ]
stopped, I know my pulse had quickened
before 1 fairly gasped that the querest
most Hateful coincidence had come
about that night. There were the marks
of all the fingers save one-the second
finger of the right hand was missing.
Why, where had land then of sud-
den it flashed back to me. The man out
side the theater that night had been
minus that digit, and Gavin Usher.
I snatched at Mollie's arm as
she went to obliterate the marks, and
peered down close again. Yes! My
blood famed hot. Next moment had
caught down my hat and was at the
street door, deaf to Mollie's startled
call back. looked at my watch as /
ran. Ten past scven-only cab would
do it. Two minutes later was rafting
westward, my brain in giddy whirl, q
hand gripping each window frame
tightly, my one hazy idea being that
Hunt-or Woburn-had wanted to play
Cripps that night with purpose.
Twenty minutes to eight as sprane
out at the stage door and hurried along
the passage. The orchestra was already
tuning, and there was hustle every
"Heie' AAoW ~ mig ~ Gnu LOT me naQ
not paused to think. T meant to 20
straight to Usher and tell him the truth,
happen what might; but as the sheerest
luck would seem to have it, there was
my double. made up ready, coolly read.
ing newspaper in corner by the
limelight mans ladder.
THANK goodness! Out of it'll" I
painted, going close. "You can stared
don't know your game, but know you
now. You don't play Cripps here to.