New-York tribune., 1903-06-12

brindled cat made dash past US and Upstairs
It's unexpected charge greatly unsettled Mr.
Trapp
''It daunts mel declare IT do he confded.
hoarsely. But he's been here, anyway; and he
expects US" He waved a hand toward the
hearth. Shall call again? Or what dye say
to getting it over?'
I'm ready" said Z To tell the truth. the In
side OF the chimney seemed more inviting 70 me
than the rest Of the house. I was accustomed
to chimneys.
up we go. Them Mr.. Trap Began 20 spread
his bags. He always used the first personal
plural these occasions-rneaning. no doubt.
that I took with me his moral support The
shafts easy enough. mind-two stories above
this. and all the ues leadin' 10 your left. III be
out in the street by the time you hail"
I hadn't a doubt he would "One week 20
midsummer 1 cried. to hearten me-for we
were both counting the days now between US
and the fishing. He grinned. and up I went
The chimney foul to be sure. but beyond
this I found trouble with it. Perhaps put
more spirit than usual into the job. 70 get it
over: at any rate once past the first ten
dozen feet I mounted quickly Toward the top
the shaft narrowed so that for a while had my
doubts II 1t could be squeezed through; but as
had happened more than once TO me- found on
reaching 1t that the briekwork sheIved inward
very slightly. though furred or crusted with an
extra thick coat Of SCOT below the vent Through
this broke in triumph, sweating from my
haste: and brushing the filth from nv eyes
leaned both arms on the chimney top while
scanned the roofs around for glimpse between
them, down to the street and Mr. Trapp / aid
so az ease, for hue entered the main shaft Tn
u1ediateIy below the stack. which was de-
cidedly dumpy one-in fact. less than five feet
toll
alone but by resting my toes the ridge where
hue and shaft met
Now, as the reader will remember It the
height OF summer. and the day had frightened
considerably since entered the house. The
sudden sunshine set me blinking. and while
cleared my eyes It seemed to that man-a
dark hgure-someth1ng. at any rate, a some
thing great deal too large to be mistaken FOR a
cat-stole from under the gable above which my
chimney rose and. swiftly crossing a patch Of
fiat loaded roof to the right. disappeared around
chimney stack the far side OF it.
1 stopped rubbing my eyes and stared at the
stack 1t was tall one, rising from good
fifteen feet below almost to level with raine
and I could not possibly look over it. Some
thing, felt sure. lurked behind IL. and my ears
seemed to hold the sound Of a soft football I
forgot Mr.. Trapp- By pulling myself a little
higher I could get better views-not OF the
stack, but Of the stretch Of roof beyond IT; no
body could break cover in that direction and
escape me- I took firm grip on the corroded
bricks and heaved on them
Next moment they had given way under my
hands. falling inward. and was falling with
them
kicke out. striving to find again with MY
toes the ridge where the fue Joined the shaft
missed 1t. and went shooting down to the left
through smother of SCOT.
The total faII-or slide. rather-was not a
severe one, after all: twenty feet. perhaps.
though uncomfortable enough for sixty pulled
myself up quite suddenly. my feet resting on a
ledge, which, as I shook the scot of and recov-
cred my wits, turned out to be the upper sill OF
CRATE. Then, growing suddenly cautious when
the need Of caution was over. descended the
next foot two back foremost. as one goes
down ladder. and jumped out into the room
clear Of the hearthstone.
And with that as I turned. a scream rose to
my throat and died there had almost jumped
upon the stretched out body OF man.
Go be continued)