Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-26

IN Tax lONh AhlA Aaltat may AfC
two. In that case thcy'u be top &2I
bottom, ana we shall have two fresh
holes 10 make. is the door opens i'll
ward. 1t won't open two inches as it
is"
l confess l did not feel sauSuae
about the lock picking. seeing that one
lock had bafflcd us already and ms
disappointment and imp&.icuce u,.st
have been a revelation L. ugc h.,.
stopped 10 think. Tlc truth i l.st
was entering into our noCariUuS Un cg-
taking with an iuyolu-lry zeal ut
which I was myself quite unconscious
ut the time. The romance ana tn Ia peril
of the whole proceeding held ne S-cI-
bound and entrauced. Ny moral sense
ana my sense OF fear were stricken by
common paralysis. And there /
stood, shining my light and holding
my vial with kceuCr interest than I
had ever brought TO any honest avoca-
ton, And there kuclt \. J. Ra.Ecs.
with his black hair tumblcd and the
same watchtul. quiet. determined half
smile with which l hal seen him send
down over after over in Il county
match.
At last the chain Of holes was COM
plete. the lock wrenched out bodily AMI
and 4 splendid bare arm plunged up To
the shoulder through the aperture aud
through tie bars OF the iGCn gate be
You'd.
Now" whispered Rallies. 'if there's
only one lock it'H lie in the middle
JOY, Here it is, Only let me pick it,
and were through at last
Al l,.1r n 81
was selected from the bunch. AMI then
back went his arm TO the shoulder 1t
was brcathlcSs moment I heard the
heart throbbinG in my body. the very
watch ticking in my pocket and ever
and anon the tiuklc-tiukle of the slclc-
ton key. ThCu-at laSt-there came u
single uumistakabIe click. In another
minute the mahogany door and the
iron gate yawned behind us. and Raj
fleS was sitting ON an office table. wip-
ing his face with the lantern throwing
4 steady beam 10y his side
We were now in bare and roomy
lobby behind the shop. but separated
thereCUom 10y an iron curtain. the very
sight of which filled me with despair.
Ranles however. did not appear in the
least depressed, but hung up his coat
and hat on some pegs in the lobby be
fore examining this curtain with his
lantern.
That's nothing" said he after a min
utc's inspection. Wen he through
that in no time, but there's 4 door ON
the other side which may give us trou-
BILE"
Another door" 1 Croaned. And
how do you mean TO tackle this thing
"Pry it up with the jointed Jimmy.
The weak point of these iron curtains
is the leverage You can get from he
low. But il makes noise and this is
where you're coming in, Bunny. This
is where l couldn't do without you. l
must have YOU overhead 10 knock
through when the streets clear. III
come with you and show a light
Well. YOU may imagine how little
liked the prospect OF this lonely vigil
and yet there WAS something very
stimulating i'm the vital responsibility
which il involved. Hitherto l had been
mere spectator. Now / was 10 take
part in the game. And the fresh eN-
element made lie more than ever in
sensible to those considerations of con
science and OF Sdicty which We're al
ready as dead nerves in my breast.
So | took my post without a murmur
in the front room above the shop. The
fixtures had been left for the refusal
of the incoming tenant, and fortunate
" for US they included Venetian
blinds, which We're already down. 1t
was the simplest matter in the world To
stand pcepiug through the laths into
Il So
when anybody was approaching and
once when all was clear again. The
noises that even | could hear below,
with the exception of one metallic
crash at the beginning. were indeed
incredibly slight. but they ceased alto
gether at each duuble rap from my toe,
and a policeman passed quite half
dozen times beneath my eyes and the
man whom l took to Ice the jewelers.
Waterman Oftcner still during the bet
ter part Of an hour that l spent at the
window. once indeed, my heart was i'm
my mouth. but only once. II was when
the Waterman stopped and pcrred
through the peephole into the lighted
shop. / waited for his whistle I wait
Ell for the gallOws or the Jail. But my
signals had been studiOusly uheycd,
and the man passed on in uudisturhcd
serenity. In the end / had signal iu
NY turn and retTaccd my steps with
lighted matches down the broad stairs.
down the narrow ones, across the area
and UP into the lobby where Rallies
awaited ne with an outstretched hand.
We'll done. my boy SAID lac
You're the same good man in "a pinch.
and YOU shall have your reward I've
got Il 100 worth il I've got "a peun'oth
It's all in NY pockets. And heres
something else found In this locker
very decent port and some cigars,
meant for poor. dear Danby's business
friends Take pull. and YOU shall
light up presently. I've found a lava
tory. too and We must have "a wash