The evening world., 1905-07-01

Then where is he now?'
Talking to another attendant just outside. II you listen you'll ha
hem for yourself"
mind l even questioned whether they were in the corridor through which
we had come. To me ii sounded as though they were just outside nj cor
you mean the fellow with the billiard u who was here when we
came in?" pursued Rafes.
That wasn't a billiard cue, 1t as a pointer" the intellEeh; oncer
.t ought to be a iavelin," said Rallies nervously. 1T ought to b. a
roleaxe! The public treasure ought to be better guarded than this l
shall write to the Times about it. You see if DON'T
All at once. yet somehow no 81 suddenly as to excite suspicion, Raj
ns had become The elderly busyhody with nerves; why could not for ne
life Of me imagine. and the policeman seemed equally at sea.
"Lor' bless YOU. sir" said he. I'm all right Don't you oother your
head about me"
But you haven't eve got a truncheon'"
Not likely to want n either. You see Sir. it's early as yet. In a
few minutes these here rooms will fill up, and there's safety in numbers as
they say"
"oh, it will fill up 500 will it,"
ANY minute now. sir
1T isn't often empty as long as this sir. It's the jubilee. suppose"
Meanwhile what if my friend and had been professional thieves?
WHY. we could have overpowerod you in an instant. my good fellow"
THAT you couldn't. leastways not without bringing the whole place
We'll. | shall write to the Times all the same. I'm a connoissour in all
this or of thing, and won't have unnecessary risks rn with the nations
property. You said there was a attendant Just outside. but he sounds to
me as though he were at the other end of the corridor, I shall write to-
day."
For a n instant we all three listened and Rallies "A right Then /
saw two things in n glance. Rallies had stepped a few inches backward
and stood poised upon the ball OF each foot his arms half raised, a light in
his eyes. And another kind of light was breaking yer the crass features
Of our friend the constable.
the whistle chain IN his chest The whistle few out. but it never reached
ss ws There wore courlc of sharp smacks like double barrels dis
charged all but simultaneously, and the man reelod against me sc that
could not help catching him MS he fell
"Weu done. Bunny! I've knocked him out-Tve knocked him out!
h Run o ITO the door n Sc" II the attendants nave heWd anything mo
N take them o If they have
Mechanically | did as was told. There IA no time for thought. still
less for remonstrance or reproach. though my surprise must AVE been
W. more complete than that of! the constable before Rallies knocked the
sense out of him Even in my utter bcwidcrment. however the insunc
tive caution of the real criminal did not desert me. ran to the door, but
! sauntered through it to plant myself before a Pom2eian fresco in the
corridor, and there were the two attendants sul gosipng outside the fur
Their door; or did they hear the dull crash which heard even as watched
& them out OF tho corner OF each eve,
II as hot Gather. as have said but the persphaion OF my body
e seemed already to have turned into a skin of ice. Then caught the fMn
s. reflection of my own face in the casing of he feNo and II frightened m
Fl Into some semtlance of myself as RaHos ioncd me with his hands n hi
! pockets. But my fear and Indignation were redouhled at the sight of him
81 when a single glance convinced M that his packets were AS empty as hi
hands and his mad outrage the most wanton and reckless Of his whole
II areer.