, 1905-11-16
~ : Rallies,
49, 6he Amateur
NI2 Craftsman
y HFWA6MfN ~ By E. ". HoRNUNG
By E. w. HoRNUNC

was the simplest matter In the world TO
stand pccping through the laths late
| the street, TO beat twice with my foot
when anybody was approaching and
once when all was clear again. h
noises that evcn | could hear below,
with the exception OF one metallic
crash at the beginning. were indeed
incredibly slight. but they ceased alto
gctllcr ut each double rap from my tee.
and II policeman passed quite half II
dozen times beneath my eyes II Ii
NAN whom | took to be the jewelers.
Waterman oftcncr still during the bet
ter part of an hour that | spent Mt the
window. once. indeed. my heart was In
ny mouth. but only once. 1t was when
the Waterman stopped and pc"rc'l
through the ~peepholc into the lighted
! shop. / waited for his whistle. ! wait
ell for the Gallows or the jail. But ms
signals had been studiousiy obcycd,
and the man passed on in undiStirbcc
serenity. In the end l had Il signal In
my turn and retraced my steps wifi
lighted matches down the broad stairs,
down The narrow ones, across In" area
and up into the lobby where lsn!llcs
awaited me with an outs.rctched hand.
We'll done. my boy said he
.You're the same good man in n pinch
and you shall have your reward. I've
got f1.COo worth If I've got Il penn'oth
Its all in my pockets. And here's
something else found in this locker
very decent port and some cigars
meant for poor. dear Danby's business
friends. Take Il pull. and YOU shall.
I'-~ r,,,l - n,-t
tory. too. and we must have Il wash
and brush up before we go, for I'm rs
black as your boot"
The iron curtain was down, but he
insisted on raising it until l could
peep through the glass door on the
other side and see his handiworli in
the shop beyond. Here w electric
lights were left burning all night long.
and in their cold white rays | could Mt
first see nothing amisS. | looked along
an orderly lane. an empty glass cou
ter on my left. glass cupboards of I'M
touched silver on my right and. facing
me, the filmy black eye of the peep
hole that shonc Ike n stage moon on
the street. The counter had rot been
cmpticd by Rlfllcs. Its contents We're
In the Chubh's safe. which he had Civ
on up ut Il glance. Nor had he looked
Mt the silver. except to hoosc Il ciga-
rcttc case for nc. He had confined
himself entirely to the shop window.
~, N.tS III three compartments, cach
Sc. .fcd for the night by removable
panels with separate locks. lsatilcs
had removcd them Il few hours before
their time. and the electric light shonc
on n corrugated shutter bare as the
ribs of an empty carcass. Every ar
ticlc of value was gone from The one
! place which was Invisible from the lit
tie window in the door. Elsewhere all
was as 1t had been left overnight. Ana
but for n train of manGlcd doors be
hind the iron curtain, Il bottle of wine
and Il cigar box with which liberties
had been taken, n rather black towel
in the lavatory. IL burnt match here
and there and our finger marks on the
dusty bannlsters not IL trace of our
visit did We leave.
Had it in my head for long?" said
Rallies as we strollcd through the
streets toward dawn, for all the world
as though we We're returning from a
dance. NO. Bunny, | never thought
Of it till l saw that upper part empty
about Il month ago and bought Il few
things in the shop TO get the lay of the
land. That reminds mo that | never
paid for them; but, by love, | will to-
morrow. and if that isn't poetic jus
ticc what Is? One visit showed me
the possibilities Of the place. but Il
second convinced me OF its impossl-
blllties without Il pal. So l had prnc-
tically given up the idea when you
came along on the very night and in
the very plight for it. But hero we are
at the Albany. and l hope there's some
fire left, for / don't know how you
feel, Bunny. but for my part I'm rs
cold rs Keats owl"
He could think of Keats Oh his way
from II felony. He could banker for
his lfireSidc like another. Flood gates
were loosed within me. and the plain
English of adventure rushed over
me rs odd as Ice. Rallies was II bur
glar. l had helped him to commit
ont burglary; therefore / was II bur-
glar too. Yet | could stand and warm
myself by his fire and watch him
empty his pockets as though we had
done nothing wonderful or wicked.
My blood froze. My heart sickcnetl.
My brain whirlcd. How | had iked
this villain! How l had admired him.
How my liking and admiration must
turn to loathing and disgust! l waited
for the change. 1 longed TO fee it In
my heart. But 1 longcd II l waited
in vain.
1 saw that he was ealptying his
pockets. The table sparilcd with thc,f
hoard. Rings by the dozen. diamonds
by the score. bracelets, pendants.
algrcts, necklaces, pearls, rublcs, anne
thysts, sapphlrcs IND diamonds al
ways. diamonds in everything. flashing
bayoncts OF light. dazzling me-bllnd-