The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-04-03

IHNG
iallcn and be lying beneath it. stunned
dead perhaps; the sapeIs IN his hand
The clock hands moved on toward
wen ~ eity-liNe minutes past. The
cieaNlns came from the stairs again. ex-
actlN, TO the listening ear. like the soft
sound nl cautiously mounting step
rom The cupboard came a curious loud
tlcN and then a series OF rending cracks
d made Essex start guilty. and swear
AtlE Nncer hrs breath. he again turned
toward ihe window and. rs he did So
O1usHt ne sound OF hurrying feet lie
ni-" The curtain and lt3aa a IL Alb se
Inc upro2r Of the night he heard the
NYlSh. f,AUlaf lnud % the lect OI Il run
nef. rushing onward through the storm.
'lil tn"f. across the CLEAN of a lamp, a
G~t X inquire shot, with mead down, flying.
&c dropped the curtain and waited,
immense lViief at his heart. In a mo-
mint hc heard the footsteps stop at the
safe. 1GrtiNe5y ascend tae stairs of the
t"v terraces. and then the stealthy graf
lnS o. the door. lie silently pushed open
lis OWE door that the light might guide
TIE ascending man, ana he heard Har-
icy loud breathing as he crept up.
The thief rose up out OF the gulf of
darkness like an apparitiou OF terror. He
dropped into d char. his face gray, white
and pinc..ed. the sound OF has rasping
lreaths. drawn with pain from the bot
tom Of his lungs. filling the room. He
was Incapable OF speech, and Essex.
pouring him out whisky. was forced to
take the glass from his shaking hand
and hold il TO his lips. From his soaked
clothes and the cap that crowned his
head. like q saturated wooden rag. water
streamed But the rain had not been
able TO efface from his coat a caking of
mud that half-coNerod one arm and
shoulder. and there was blood on one of
his hands. lie had evidently fallen.
Have you got it2" said Essex, putting
the glass down.
The other nodded ard let his head sink
on the chairOack
I'm dead lac gasped. hut done it,"
here Is IL. Give II 10 me.
The man made a faint movement Of
assent. but evidently had hoU force
enough 10 produce the puper and lay
limp in the chair. LsscA Wltching him
mPatiently. Presently he .-.., Feeble
hand out Tor the Glas, anC lrtnH again.
The rafting loudmoss OF .4s Ter athing
moderated. Without laoNiHs lead he
turned his eyes GA Essex ana Ia;
I'm most killed N atl sho.-s up.
fell coming down the tree. some way-i
dDHt know how 1ar--5ut / got il all
right She fought like a wildcat. tried TO
burn it-bUt I got IL. Then she hollered
and man ans wered. knew il was a
mans voice. and j made dash for the
winder only jest in time. / N cut some
where's"
He raised the hand with the blood on it
and funDled at his coat sleeve. The
other hand was smeared with blood from
the contact.
Like a pig." he said in low voice.
and pulled out rag OF a handkerchief
which he tried TO push up his sleeve;
I'm cut somewheres all right, but L
don't know where"
Give me the paper and take your
things off You're dripping all over
everything" said Essex. extending his
Harvey sat UP.
i dunno now 1 done it," he said: how
/ got down. The man WAS right on my
heels. When ] fell i saw him. pullin
her up on her feet saw that through
the winder. Then 1 riz up and l went
Fje 7aS stirred his handkerchief IN his
sleeve by this time. and now put his
bloody, treTnulous hand into the outer
breast pocket OF his coat. AS the hand
fumbled about the opening be said:
Il didn't stop TO look no more nor take
no risks. / wanted TO git away from
thar and 1 can tell you lit out. and"
r erveless inquire stiffened, . look of ami
NAL terror came into his eyes.
Where is it?' he almost yelled star
iDR AT Essex
How The devil should I know, Where
did YOU put It? Isn't il there2"
Essex himself had SUDDENLY paled- He
trembling figure Of his partner, his eyes
fiercelv Intense.
1T amt here" cried Harvey. his hand
clswing about in the pocket. 1T amt
there On Lordy. Lordyi I've lost it,
It's gone IT fell out when ] came of the
4 rec. ] fell I told you / fell Didn't
tell you ] fell2' he shouted, as if he had
He rose up. his face pasty white,
wringing his hands like a woman. There
was something grotesQue and almost
overdone in his terror. but his pallor and
the fear in his eyes were real:
Lost it, cried Essex. No more of
those lies Give me the paper. you dog.
Don't you hear me say ] amt got it,
Amt told you fell? When ! Jumped
for the tree / jest smashed il down into
my pocket. / had TO have both hands to
climb. And I suppose / amt pressed IT
I'M tight enough. God. man. it was ten
=, On, i'm rF- n Inst
.wo minutes"
Essex drew closer. his mouth tight. his
ewes fixed with Hereby compelling
gaze on the wretch before him.
Don't think YOU can make anything
by. stealing that paper Give IL up; give
il up now, I've got you here, and II
know what you've done with II before
you leave or you'll never leave at all.
Il lost it, and that's what | done with
Il. If you want it, come on with me
now and look round under that tree.
from the branch to the ground? Look at
my hand" he held up his arm, pulling
he muddy sleeve back from the blood
stained wrist.
moving You were gone nearly an hour.
Where. have you hidden it?'
Nowhere. IT took time had TO
clim up careful. cause she had a light
burning. and / thought she was awake.
Why can't you believe me- What can
do with IL alOney
You can blackmail Mrs. Shackleton
veil enough alone. Give me that paper,
" tell me where you put it. or, by God,
III kill yout"
Rear OF the man that owned him gave
Carney the air of guilt He backed
iway in. an access Of pallid terror, shout
ng:
ne2 II took time-it took timei Amt
told YOU I feIl2 Look at the mud; and
EEL. feel in my pocket" He seized on
hem ard tore the insides outward. I'm
-ellin' you the whole truth. | amt got
where is IL then? You'll tell me
vhere you've hidden IL. or"
Essex made a sudden leap forward
md caught the man by his neck-cloth
md collar In his blind alarm Harvey
vas given fictitious strength. and he tore
limself loose and rushed for the door.
gssex's hat coat and stick lay on the
able Without thought or premedita-
ion their owner seized the cane-a
,eavy nalacca-by the end, flew round
he table. and as Harvey turned the
Ioor handle, brought the knob of the
oaded cane down on the crown Of his
ead-
II struck with a thud and sent the
yater squirting from the saturated cap.
he thief without cry or word, spun
ound. waving his hands IN the air, and
hen fell heavily face downward For
moment he ouivered, and once or
,,,f,.e made q conclusive movement, then