, 1905-11-30

Doullu, Nille /, LOT SIauullIS sui anu
saying nothing, was scientifically fellcd
to the floor.
l cannot have been many moments
without my lenses. When l rccov-
cred them there was a great to do in
the garden, but l had the drawing
room to myself. l sat up. Rosentlall
and Purvis We're rushing about outside.
cursing the Kattirs and nagging ut
each other.
"Over that wall. l tell YER"
81 tell you it was this one. Can't
you whistle for the p~olice?"
"Police be dashed! I've had enough
of the blessed police"
"Then we'd better get back and make
sure of the other rotter."
"Oh, make sure o yer skin. That's
what you'd better do. Jala, you black
hog, if l catch you skulkin'"-
l never heard the threat. | was
creeping from the drawing room OH
my hands and knees. my own revolver
swinging by its steel ring from my
teeth.
For an instant / thought that the hall
also was deserted. was wrong. and
! crept upon Il Kailir on all tours.
Poor devil. l could not bring myself
to deal him Il base blow. but l threat
ened him most hideouSly with my re-
volver and left the white teeth chat
tering in his black head rs l took the
stairs three at Il time. Why i went
upstairs in that decisive fashion. as
though it were my only course. l can
not explain. But garden and ground
floor seemed alive with men. and l
might have done worse.
l turned into the first room / came
to. 1t was u bedroom-cmpty. though
lit up. And never shall | forget how
l started, rs i entered, on encounter
ing h awful villain that was myself
ut full length in IL pier glass. Masked.
armed and ragged. | was indeed fit
carrion for Il bullet or the hangnan.
and to one or the other | made up my
mind. Nevertheless, | hid myself in
the wardrobe behind the mirror, and
there 1 stood shivering and cursing
my fate. my folly. and Rallies most OF
all-Itafiles first and laSt-for l dare
say half al hour. Then the wardrobe
door was flung suddenly open. They
had stolen into the room without Il
sound. and l was hauled downstairs.
an i~gnominious captive.
Gross scenes followed in the hall.
The ladies were now upon the stage,
and at sight of the desperate criminal
they screamed with one accord. In
truth, i must have given them fair
cause, though my mask was now torn
away and hid nothing but my left ear.
Rosenthall answered their shrieks with
u roar for silence. The woman with
the bath sponge hair swore ut him
shrilly in return. The place became
a babel impossible to describe. re-
member wondering how long it would
be before the police appeared. Purvis
and the ladies We're for calling them
in and giving me in charge without de-
lay. Rosenthall would not hear of it
He swore that he would shoot man or
woman who left his sight. He had had
enough of the police. He was not go-
ing to have them coming there to spoil
sport; he was going TO deal with me
in his W way. With that he dragged
me from all other hands, flung me
against Il door and sen Il bullet crash
ing through the wood within an inch
Ey car.
You drunken foo! It'll be murdcr!'
shouted Purvis, getting in the way Il
time.
''Nha' do | care? He's armed, isn't
he? l shot him in self defense. It'll
be a warnin' to others. Will you stand
aside. or dye 4 it yoursclf?"
You're drunk" said Purvis, still be-
US. II saw yOu take a neat
tumb!crful since you comc in, and it's
made you drunk rs u fool. Pull your
self together, Old man. You amt
a-going to do what you'll be sorry for"
'"Then / won't shoot at him. I'll only
shoot roun' AID roun' the begSar.
quite right. o.c fellc-. Wouldn't
hurt him. Great mlshtaic. Roun' and
roun'. TEerc-liEe that
His f-eck.ed pay shot up over Pur-