The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-26

tinued backwards and forwards, back wards and forwards, within few yards of us. Finally there was a creak from a chair, and tile footsteps ceased Then key clicked in a lock. and T heard the rustic of papers
 Sc far I had not dared to look out but now l gently parted the division of the curtains in front of me and peeped through. From the pressure of Holmes shoulder against mine, knew that he was sharing my obser- vations. Right in front of us, and all most within our reach, was the broad, rounded back of Mlverton. It was evident that we had entirely miscal- culated his movements, that he had never been to his bedroom, but that he had been sitting up In some smok- ing or billiard room in the farther wing of the house, the windows of which we had not seen. His broad, grizzled head, with it's shining patch of badness, was in the immediate foreground of our vision. He was leaning far back in the req leather chair, his legs outstretched, long, black cigar projected at an angle from his mouth. He wore semi-mili- tary smoking jacket, claret-coloured, with a black velvet collar. In his hand he held a long, legal document which he was reading in an indolent fashion, blowing rings of tobacco smoke from his lips as he did so. There was no promise of speedy de- parture in his composed bearing and his comfortable attitude
 felt Holmes hand steal into mine and give me a reassuring shake. as if to say that the situation was with in his powers, and that he was easy in his mind. I was not sure whether he had seen what was only too ob- vious from my position, that the door of the safe was imperfectly closed, and. that Milverton might at any mo- ment observe it. In my own mind I had determined that if I were sure, from the rigidty of his gaze, that it had caught his eye. I would at once spring out, throw my great coat over his head, pinion him, and leave the rest to Holmes. But Milverton never looked up He was languidly interest ed by the papers in his hand, and page after page was turned as he fol- lowed the argument of the lawyer At least. I thought, when he had finished the document and the cigar he will go to his room but before he had reached the end of either, there came remarkable development, which turned our thoughts into quite another channel
 Several times I had observed that Nlverton looked at his watch, and once he had risen and sat down again, was a gesture of impatience- The idea, however, that he might have an ap- pointment at so strange an hour never occurred to me until faint sound reached my ears from the veranda outside. Milverton dropped his papers
 f,, 1,te ohp fr Q was repeated, and then there came gentle tap at the door. Miverton rose and opened 1t.
 Well" said he, curtly, you are nearly half an hour late"
 So this was the explanation of the unlocked door and of the nocturnal vigil of Milverton. There was the gen tie rustic of a womans dress. l had closed the slit between the curtains as Milvertop's face had turned in our direction, but now l ventured very carefully to open it once more. He had resumed his seat, the cigar still protecting at an insolent angle from the corner of his mouth. In front of him, in the full glare of the electric light, there stood a tall slim, dark, woman. veil over her face, mantle drawn round her chin. Her breath came quick and fast, and every Inch of the 1.-the figure was quivering with strong emotion.
 "Well" said Milverton, you've made me lose good nights rest. my dear. I hope you'll prove worth it. You couldn't come any other time eh?"
 The woman shook her head.
 well, if you couldn't you couldn't. If the Countess is a hard mistress. you have your chance to get level with her now Bless the girl. what are you shivering about? That's right. Pull yourself together. Now, let us get down to business He took note- book from the drawer of his desk. You say that you have five letters which compromise the Countess ,d'Albert. You want to sell them.