The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-06-04

grated horribly in a little tiled ve- randa with a glass door leading with in It was though this glass that Raf- fles had first seen the light and he now proceeded to take out a pane, with the diamond, the pot of treacle and the sheet of brown paper which were seldom omitted from his imped- imenta Nor did he dispense with my own assistance, though he may have accepted it as instinctively as it was proffered. In any case, it was these fingers that helped to spread the treaele on the brown paper and press ed the latter to the glass until the diamond had completed its circuit and the pane fell gently back into our hands.
 Rallies now inserted his hand, turned the key in the lock, and by making long arm succeeded in drawing the bolt at the bottom of the door. It proved to be the only one and the door opened, though not very wide
 Whats that?" said Rallies, as something erunched beneath his feet on the very threshold.
 "A pair of spectacles.' I whispered. picking them mp. I was still finger ing the broken lenses and the bent rims when Rallies tripped and almost fell with a gasping cry that he made no effort to restrain.
 Hush man,-hushr' I entreated under my breath. Hell hear you!
 For answer his teeth chattered- even his-and l heard him fumbling with his matches. "No, Bunny; he won't hear us," whispered Rallies, presently; and he rose from his knees and lit a gas jet as the match burned down.
 Angus Baird was lying on his own floor, dead, with his gray hairs glued together by his blood; near him poker with the black end glistening; in a corner his desk ransacked, lit- tered A clock licked noisily on the chimney piece: for perhaps hundred seconds there was no other sound.
 Rallies stood very still, staring down at the dead, as a man might stare into an abyss after striding blndly to its brink. His breath came audibly through wide nostrils, he made no other sign, and his lips seemed sealed.
 That lightls said hoarsely; the light we saw under the doorr'
 With start he turned to me.
 'Its truel l had forgotten it. It was in here I saw it firstt'
 He must be upstairs stilln'
 If he is we'll soon rout him out. Come on,''
 Instead I laid a hand upon his arm, imploring him to refieet-that his en- emy was dead now-that we should certainly be involved-that now or never was our own time to escape. He shook me off in a sudden fury or impatience.- reckless contempt III his eyes, and. bidding me save my
 1, turned his back upon me- and this time left me half resolved to take him at his word Had he forgotten on what errand he hifself was here! Was he determined that this night should end in black disaster? As asked myself these questions ms match fared in the hall; in another moment the stairs were creaking un- der his feet, even as they had creaKed under those of the murderer; and the humane instinct that inspired him in defiance of his risk was borne in also upon my slower sensibilities. Could we let the murderer go? My answer was to bound mp the creaking stairs and to overhaul Rallies on the land ing.
 But three doors presented them selves: the first opened into bed room with the bed turned down, but undisturbed; the second room was empty in every sense; the third door was locked N Rallies lit the landing gas.
 Hes in there" said he. cooking ais revolver, Do you remember how we used to break into the studies at school? Here goes,''
 His flat foot crashed over the key hole, the lock gave. the door flew open, and in the sudden draught the landing gas heeled over like cobble