Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-30
CHAPTER XIX.
FISTS AND FINGER-NAILs AND HoB-
 NAIL BOOTS.

 as sawdust doll
 "How are you, Number Seven? he said with feeble smile. Excuse my not getting up to receive you. I have to move an arm or leg all of piece like pump-handle, and even then vince and sometimes squeal aloud with pain. How do I look, do you think?"
 Like stuffed Guy Hawkes. on a barrow" would have been my answer, had felt called upon to adhere to the truth. As it was, I answered cheerful ly that he was looking bit chippy, but that day or two would no doubt set him on his legs.''
 "Set me on crutches you mean, don't you?n he groaned. "Oh! what maul- ing I've had! The voice of the peo- pie may be the voice of God, but how about the peoples fists and finger nails and hob-nail boots? How did you get on?"
 T should have got on well enough" replied, ruefully, If only could have got off But I couldn't. The people saw mo switch the light off, and two or three of them strolled up to inter- view me after"
 "Ah!' he said, trying to screw him. self round the better to see me, and grinning hideously, but whether from pain or from qualification at finding fellow-sufferer I could not say. "Ah! so you, too, have been interviewed by the people, have you? And how did you fare at their hands?"
 "It wasn't their hands I objected to so much as their feet' I said. Tear ing ones clothes off ones back and bashing at ones head with half bricks and sticks may have been only their playfulness But when it came to knocking poor devil down and danc- | ing on his stomach, not to speak of kicking him in the ribs, why, then I began to feel that there was such a thing as having too much of the peo- l pie"
 "I believe you," he groaned. There l is such thing, and I've had it--Lord l knows However, there's one consola- ton. We did the devils out of their I 95000, though wouldn't go through such an experience again for e500,000. Your shares in that writing-desk on l the table there You'll find bunch of keys in the top pocket of those I trousers hanging at the foot of the bed. I The little keys the one. Open the desk and take out the parcel with a big seven upon It."
 I obeyed, and found, little to my surprise, but greatly to my satisfac- I tion, that he had not misled me. ] There, sure enough, was parcel marked seven containing no less a sum than G1,000 in gold and small bank notes
 After l Tad expressed what he ap- l peared to consider unnecessary thanks, I asked him whether our fellow con spirators were upstairs .
 'No,a he said fe1vently, they're gone, thank goodness. They were restless to be off as soon as they had pocketed the money; and as the hue and cry about the murder in the shed has blown over. let them go-one at time, of course. But talking of the i money, I must warn you, as warned them, not to let any one notice you're flush of cash, either by paying it into a bank or by blueing it too prominent I ly. That sort of thing always arouses suspicion, and has led to the discovery of many a crime
 Have they gone for good, then?v asked.
 I More likely for bad" he laughed. Crime, like poverty, brings one into strange company. How you, and, for the matter of that, how came to row Tn such galley I can't think. I don't know anything about you personally, Number Seven, for Number One, who l put you up for election to the council, didn't take me into his confidence on the subject: but I fancy, as I've said 1 to you before, that you were meant for gentleman"
 Even had there been no note of sn- terrogation- as of one inviting confi- dence-in his voice, should have taken the last part of his sentence less as an involuntary compliment than as an intentional draw to lead me to talk about myself. Piqued apparently by my non-committal reply of You're very kind" he changed the conversa- l tion abruptly.
 A meeting of the council is to be held here to-day week at five in the afternoon. Until then need not bur den you with my company as I have \ nothing further to discuss If you choose to remain here until then as my guest, you are at liberty to do so. Or you are at liberty to go. Which is it to be-stay or go?"
 i Under the circumstances I felt that it had better be "go," and said SO
 Quite SC" he assented curtIy. "The social attractions of Heath cottage are not, am aware, great, especially wh en the host Is laid on his back To-day week, then, we shall have the honor of welcoming you again. If you will come down by the same afternoon train, lubbock will meet you with the trap. The time and route by which the other two are coming have been arranged. wish you speedy recovery from your hurts Good-day!" I T wish you the same" I said, and so we parted.
 (To Be Continued.)