The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-01-16
you call II. it will have to be a plot

NHAo cNAt win thNaos Ia ~ az hAAN
members would like me TO think out
a plan or two I'm ready { o do ii. But
you've dealt out the cards in this lit.
tie game of yours. and now you'd besl
play your hand out. All the same
and to show that ii isn't funk thai
keeps me out of it, I'm quit. ready 70
act as your assistant in this jubilee
business, and TO share whatever risk
you run in it,"
1T is quite true that | ought to have
an assistant" replied Number Two,
coldly. THE wire rope which | have
to undo will be very heavy, and | shall
need some one 10 hold it for me while
| thread the ball; for if by any chance
the thing slipped out of my hand the
result would be too previous to be
pleasant, But if you will pardon my
saying so, | would rather that some
other member than yourself volun-
teered to assist me. You have already
expressed your disbelief in the sue
cess of my project; and it does nos
do to have half-hearted workers in
such a business. We are already half
way to victory when every one con-
cerned is confident of success, and,
conversely, we are halfway to a fail
ure when one of the workers antici-
pates breakdown. Besides, though |
am not very superstitious, something
tells me that your presence on the
occasion would bring us Ill luck. Is
any other member of the council will
ing to assist me in the great blow |
am about 10 striker
Here was my chance.
Il am | said.
AS | spoke | stepped forward and
raised my right hand in military
salute-why, | cannot think, unless the
whole thing seemed to me less like real
life than a melodrama in which [ was
sustaining a part. The action, how
ever, appeared to please him.
That's good" he said. "A soldier,
too, and accustomed to act under or
ders without asking questions. Your
NUMBER"
Number Seven" | replied, prompt
ly, as if on parade.
"All right, Number Seven. Here's
the exact address of the house in ques-
ton. Can | count on your calling
there at nine o'clock sharp on the
evening before the jubilee?"
you can. sir" | said.
"All right. Remember. Nine o'clock
sharp the night before the show. Give
three single knocks and III open the
door to you myself. That's all | need
say to you now, | think"
Taking this as my dismissal, sa-
luted in silence and stepped back.
Then Number Two turned to the rest
of the company again. There is one
point that | ought to bring to your
notice. gentlemen" he said. TT was
a rule Of our late chiefs that the coun-
Gil never met in the same place twice.
This is the second time that this
wagon has been t~rysting-place, and
though | have no reason to suppose it
is not perfectly safe, / think we should
do well to make a change. There is
a disused shed in some brick-fields adj
joining the cemetery at Marlborough.
The town is fairly near London, and
there are three different lines of rail-
way. Let us arrange to meet there
the night after the jubilee. If the lit.
tie surprise packet which | have ar
Hanged for the queen and the royal
family achieves its purpose, and | re-
ceive no personal injury and can slip
away in the confusion, | shall be at
the shed at midnight the day after to
meet you. Ii | am either killed or
taken you'll have read about it in the
papers, and must make your arrange
ments for the conduct of the business
without me. One thing | can promise
you-that should | be taken, your Sc
cret will be safe with me. Were | to
be captured red-handed in an attempt
assassinate the queen on the n
day Of all days when the poor fools
who call themselves her loyal subjects
will consider her person as sacred, the
chances are ten to one that | get
on the spot. But even if the
police can prevent that, and get mt
safely away, 10 power on earth can
save my neck from the hangman. And
rest assured that | shan't try to save
I by playing my comrades false, Who
,ver turns traitor, | shan't. We meet
again, fellow-councillors, at Tar
borough, at the place | have told you
If, and at midnight on the day after
he jubilee. Don't fail to turn up
Dunctually on the night before, Num-
Ter Seven. l shall need your assist
,nce. | think that's all; now we can
this meeting and get to bed"