The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-09-22

3. u sSsss
Posed by hyrle Bellew
My Cod You're bleeding like pig P
end of the passage. Sing out if therss
anything you want. Your luggage
hasn't turned up yet. by the way, but
here's a letter that came this morning.
mot for mcT
Eyes. Didn't you expect oneT
81 certainly did not
"'Well, here it is
"And as he lit me to my room |
read my own superscription of the
previous day--to W L Rallies!
Bunny, you've had your wind
bagged at footer, dare say. You
know what that's like? All | can say
is that my moral wind was bagged
by that letter as | hope, old chap, |
never yet bagged yours. | couldn't
speak. l could only stand with my
own letter in my hands until he had
the good taste to leave me by myself.
Wv. f. Rallies. We had mistaken
each other for w. f. Rafiles-for the
new manager who had not yet arrived.
Small wonder we had conversed at
cross purposes. The only wonder was
that we had not discovered our mutual
mistake How the other man would
have laughed! But IL could not
laugh BY Jove, no, it was no laughing
matter for me! | saw the whole thing
in a flash, without tremor, but with
the direst depression from my own
single point of view Call it callous
if you like, Bunny. but remember that
l was in much the same hole as you've
since been in yourself and that / had
counted on this - +. RafIles even as
you counted on = j. thought of the
man with the W. G. beard, the rider
less horse with the bloody saddle, the
deliberate instruction that had put
me off the track and out of the way
and now the missing manager and the
report of bushrangers at this end. But
! simply don't pretend to have felt any
personal pity for man whom l had
never seen. That kind of PHYS usual
ly cant, and, besides, all mine was
needed for myself.
81 was in as big a hole as ever. What
the devil was l to do? l doubt If l
have sufficiently impressed upon you
the absolute necessity Of my returning
to Melbourne in funds. As matter
of fact, 1t was less the necessity than
my own determination, which l can
truthfully describe as absolute.
Money l would have, but how-but
how Would this stranger be open to
persuasion-if l told him the truth?
No; that would set us all securing the
country for the rest of the night Why
should tell him? Suppose left him
to find out his mistake, would anything
be gained? Bunny, | give you my
word that | went in to dinner without
definite intention in my head or one
premeditated lie upon my lips. might
do the decent natural thing and ex-
plain matters without loss of time. On
the other hand, there was no hurry. l
had not opened the letter and could
always pretend l had not noticed the
initials. Meanwhile something might
turn up. l could wait little and see.
Tempted already was, but as yet the
temptation was vague, and its very
vagueness made me tremble.
bad news, I'm afraidr said the
manager when at last l sat down at
his table.
"A mere annoyance answered.
do assure you-on the spur of the mo-
ment and nothing else. But my lie
was told; my position was taken.
From that moment onward there was
no retreat BY implication, without
realizing what / was doing, had al
ready declared myself w. f. Rallies;
therefore W. #. Ratfles l would be in
that bank for that night. And the
devil teach me how to use my lieu
Again he raised his glass to his lips
/ had forgotten mine. His cigarette
case caught the gaslight as he handed
it TO me. l shook my head without
taking my eyes from his.
"The devil played up" continued
Raffles, with a laugh. Before tasted
my soup had decided what to do.
had determined to rob that bank in
stead of going to bed and to be back
In Melbourne for breakfast IL the
doctors mare could do It. would tell
the old fellow that l had missed my
way and been pushed for hours, as
easily might have been, and had never
got to Yea at all. At Yea. on the other
hand, the personation and robbery
would ever after be attributed TO a
member Of the gang that had waylaid
and murdered the new manager with
that very object. You are acquiring
some experience In such matters, Bun
ny. / ask you. was there ever a bet
a.. - IL