The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-30

ce,ioe with which R2saesr Gke of their l past relations and E conver- sation in -NngEeNyk dfyfWills foom that l evening; it was question of principle
 with him. and one that like to remem- ! Der. Never give woman away Bun ! n.y." he used to say; and he said 1t again | tonight, but with a heavy cloud upon | him, as though hihs chivalry was sorely | tried.
 That's all right" said l, eff you're not | going to be given away yourself"
 "Th,t's just it, Bunnyl That's just"- | The words were out of him, 1t was too | late to recall them. l had hit the nail upon the head.
 "so she threatened you" I said, "did
 she?
 q didn't say so," he replied coldiy. And she is mated with a clown" pursued
 How she ever married him." he ad- l mitted, lis mystery to me- Tt always is,'' said l, the wise man | for once, and rather enjoying the role. Southern blood?' Spanish"
 shell be pestering you to run off with | her. old chap, said l. | Raffles was pacing the room. He stopped
 in his stride for half second. So she
 had begun pestering him already! It Is wonderful how acute any fool can be in
 
 resumed his walk without 9 syllable, and
 retreated to safer ground. 50 you sent her to Earl Court" I unused aloud, and at last he smiled. ' You'll be interested to hear, Bunny" said he that I'm now living in Seven Dials, and Bill Sykes couldn't hold farth- | ing dip to me. Bless you, she had my | old police record at her fingers ends, but | 1t was fit to frame my nights between | the open park and a thieves kitchen in | Seven Dials. If 1 compared with the one 1 gave her. I had sunk as low as they | did. I divided was decently dressed 1t was | because I had stolen the suit down the | Thames valley beat the night before | last I was on my way back first that | sleepy square. and then her open window | proved too much for me. You should | have heard me beg her to let me push on | to the devil in my own way; there l | spread myself, for l meant every word: but l swore the final stage would be & l six-foot drop.'
 You did lay it on," said I.
 Tt was necessary. and that had It's effect She let me go. But at the last | moment she said she didn't believe l was | so black as I painted myself, and then | there was the balcony scene you missed" So that was all could not help tell l ing him that he had got out of 1t better | than he deserved for ever getting in.
 
 i If I have got out of it." said Rallies, | doubtfully "We are dreadfully near | neighbors. and l cant move in minute, | with old Theobald taking a grave view
 of my case. I suppose l had better lie | low, and thank the gods again for put | ting her off the scent for the time be-
 ing"
 l No doubt our conversation was carried | beyond that point, but it was certainly not many minutes later, nor had we left l the subject, when the electric bell thrill
 ed us both to a sudden silence.
 "The doctor?' I queried. hope fighting | with my horror.
 "It was a single ring" "The last post?'
 You know he knocks, and it's long past l his time"
 The electric bell rang again. but now ! as though 1t never would stop. | You go Bunny" said Raffles, with
 decision. His eyes were sparkling. His | smile was firm.
 What am I to sayT'
 'If it's the lady let her in l It was the lady, still in her evening cloak, with her fine dark head half hid- | den by the hood, and an engaging con- | tempt of appearances upon her angry face She was even handsomer than I 1 had thought, and her beauty of a bolder ] type. but she was also angrier than had anticipated when came 90 readily fo the door. The passage into which 1t open- ed was an exceedingly narrow one. as l have often said but never dreamed of barring this womans way. though not word did she stoop to say to me. was only too glad to hatten myself against the wall as the rustling fury strode past
 me into the lighted room with the open door