Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-02

w ttOA! WHOA!
When they saw what had happened,
the fellow dressed like a brewer rushed
in pursuit of the runaway, calling
Whoa! whoai" as he went, and the
other fellow, though he did not join
in the chase, walked slowly after him
to witness the result.
Here was my chance. l had strolled
along in the opposite direction from
that in which the horse was going, and
the two men, having eyes only for the
runaway. had not looked my way at all
Treading on tip-toe, so as not TO be
heard, | stepped softly back, and
crouching down almost on all tours
when | reached the gate. | scrambled
along the pathway and into the house,
banging the door after me as l en-
tered.
In less than half a minute the door
was tried. and then l heard some one,
whom took to be Number Three. NUT
tering an oath 10 himself under his
breath. Soon after. there was the rum
bic of the returning van. and putting
my ear 10 the key-hole. could just
catch what was said by voice which
l recognized as that of Number Two.
What are you standing there for,
without a hat. you fool? Anybody
would think You wanted To attract at
tention. Why don't you open the door
and get inside?"
81 can't" was the reply. 1.-THE door
blew to while was looking after you,
and the keys inside But you've got
:. -
mStter."
Yes, it will, for my duplicates at
home" was the angry answer
You've made a pretty fine mess OF it,
after all the trouble I've been at. to get
an entrance and 10 arrange about the
dray, Well, we can't get 1t without
a key, and. what's more, you can't
stand here bareheaded. or we are sure
10 be noticed You'd best go some
where and get hat. In the meantime
I'll get rid of the dray 1--WE can't bring
it here twice in the same day., and get
my key anu meet YOU at the corner OF
the square. We shall have to open
the barrel and take the stuff away in
bits, instead of In the lump, and it will
be risky Job too. Now then. come
along. We've no time to lose"
Once they were gone began to ex-
plore the house from the top down.
wards In a cupboard of the front
bedroom I found packet OF plans
and papers, which / commenced to
overhaul Some of them puzzled me
not a little, so much so that l must
have spent more time porting over
them than I was aware Of, for the two
conspirators had not been gene very
long before | heard a latchkey turn
in the lock downstairs.
1--WE must look slippy about it," said
voice, which l recognized as that OF
Number Two. Its lucky | hadn't tar
10 so TO get rid OF the dray and TO get
the other key. We'd better 80 down in
the cellar at once"
In another moment L heard their
footsteps upon the stairs that led TO
the basement, so | slipped softly down
INTO the hall, where | could still catch
the sound of their voices.
Number Two was speaking. Come,
hurry up with those TOOLS" he was
saying. The police are pretty sure to
keep an eye upon the place still. The
only wonder is that they haven't lett
some one in charge. Good God! what's
that?"
And then | heard another and a
deeper voice
Move step, either of you, and
fire. They have left some one in charge.
Will you surrender quietly or shall"
! The next instant there was the re-
M y,l .tEa:.
noise and 4 cry.
, l waited 10 hear no more.
I'm better out of this than in it, and
for several reasons" 1 said TO myself.
My explanation wouldn't satisfy
either side, IL / were called upon to
make il. IL the Syndicate of Scoun-
drels sets to know I've been playing
the spy on them, there would be an
other vacancy in the council, for the
villains would never rest till they'd
poisoned, or drow ned, or knitted, or
dynamited me. And | don't know that
l should find myself altogether popular
with the police if | had to tell them
my story. Besides which, they
mightnt believe it, and, for all know,
/ might find myself in the dock along
with the other two. So I'll leave you to
settle your little difference among
yourselves, gentlemen"
One can think in three seconds what
cannot be written down in thirty The
report of the pistol Vas still ringing
in my ears as j opened the door, and,
stepping out, walked away at a pace
which, though it was not so rapid as to
attract notice, was, l can promise you,
smart Very glad | was TOO when /
had turned the corner of the square,
but it was not until | found myself in
a crowded thorouS hfare, and | knew
that had put good 500 yards between
myself and the place. that 1 began to
Slacken.
The evening papers had no more
eager reader than that night, and il
was with no little CONSERVATION that I
saw the following announcement in a
late edition:
"A tragic discovery was made this
| afternoon at SO Fassett Square, Dals-
! ton, the house in which a quantity of