Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-10-10

he had placed his overcoat on chair
Holmes laid out two drills, jimmy
and several skeleton keys. For about
half an hour Holmes worked with con-
centrated energy, laying down one tool,
picking up another, handling each with
the strength and delicacy Of the train
ed mechanic. Finally heard click, |
the broad green door swung open, and |
inside I had a glimpse Of a number of |
paper packets, each tied, sealed and
inscribed. Holmes picked one out, but |
it was hard to read by the Pickering |
fire, and he drew out his little dark
lantern, for it was too dangerous with
AIilverton in the next room to switch |
on the electric light. Suddenly 1 saw
him halt, listen intently, and then in
an instant he had swung the door Of
the safe to, picked up his coat stuffed
his tools into the pockets and darted
behind the window curtain, motioning
me to do the same.
1t was only when 1 had joined him
there that 1 heard what had alarmed
his quicker senses. There was noise
somewhere within the house. A door
slammed in the distance. Then con-
fused, dull murmur broke itself into
the measured thud Of heavy footsteps
rapidly approaching. They were in the
passage outside the room. They paused
at the door. The door opened. There
was sharp snick as the electric light
! was turned on. The door closed once
more, and the pungent reek Of strong
Lott 1,pr 70 mil
the footsteps continued backward and
forward, backward and forward, with
in few yards of us. Finally there
was creak from a chair, and the foot
steps ceased Then Il key clicked in
lock, and heard the rustic of papers.
So far had not dared to look out,
but now 1 gently parted the division
i Of the curtains In front Of me and
peeped through. From the pressure of
Holmes shoulder against mine knew
that he was sharing my observations.
Right in front of us and almost within
our reach was the broad, rounded back
of Milverton. 1t was evident that we
had entirely miscalculated his move
ments; that he had never been to his
bedroom, but that he had been sitting
up i'll some smoking or billiard room
in the farther wing Of the house, the
windows of which we had not seen.
ing patch of badness, was in the i'm
mediate foreground Of our vision. He
was leaning far back in the red leather
chair, his legs oustretehed, long,
black cigar projecting at an angle from
his mouth. He wore semimilitary
smoking jacket claret colored, with
black velvet collar. In his hand he
held long legal document, which he
was reading in an indolent fashion,
his lips as he did so.
felt Holmes hand steal into mine
and give me a reassuring shake, as If
to say that the situation was within his
powers and that he was easy in his
mind. I was not sure whether he had
seen what was only too obvious from
my position, that the door Of the safe
was imperfectly closed and that Mil
verton might at any moment observe
1t. In my own mind had determined
that if We're sure from the rigidity Of
his gaze that it had caught his eye 1
: would at once spring out, throw my
greatcoat over his head, pinion him
and leave the rest to Holmes. But Mil
verton never looked up. He was Ian
guidly interested by the papers in his
hand, and page after page was turned
as he followed the argument of the
lawyer. At least, thought, when he
n ho6 Anfc hn
cigar he will go to his room, but before
t he had reached the end of either there
4 came a remarkable development which
9 turned our thoughts into quite another
4 channel.
4 Several times I had observed that
Milverton looked at his watch, and
Q once he had risen and sat down again
;, with gesture Of Impotence. The idea
however, that he might have an ap
: pointment at so strange an hour never
q occurred to me until a faint SOUND
g reached my ears from the veranda out
side. Milverton dropped his papers ant
g sat rigid in his chair. The sound wal
8 repeated, and then there came a gen
q tie tap at the door. Milverton rose ant
i opened it.
81 "Well," said he CURLY, "you are near
9 ly half an hour lete.',
So this was the explanation Of tn
IT unlocked door and of the nocturna
& vigil Of Milverton. There was the gen
q closed the slit between the curtains a
IS Milverton's face had turned in our d.
rection, but now ventured very care
E fully to open it once more. He had re
sumed his seat, the cigar still project
l. ing at an insolent angle from the col
u ner Of his mouth. In front Of him, 1
% the full glare Of the electric light, Their
stood tall, slim, dark woman, We
over her face, mantle drawn roun
IT her chin. Her breath came quick an
e, fast, and every inch of the 1.-the fgur
II was quivering with strong emotion.
CT "Well," said Milverton, "you'v
Or made me lose good nights rest, N
II dear I hope you'll prove worth
You couldn't come any other time
~ chr?
y, The woman shook her head.
ST "Well, If you couldn't you couldn
re If the countess Is hard mistress yc
Us have your chance to get level with h.
Is now. Bless the girl. what are "
as shivering about? That's right. Pr
US yourself together Now let us g
to down to business" He took not
e. book from the drawer Of his des
nd "You say that you have five lette
Nv which compromise the Countess d.
n bert. You want to sell them. l wa
nd to buy them. So far SO good. 1t on