The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-02

3, which l heard even as l watched them
out of the corner of each eye.
1t was hot weather, as 1 have said. but
the perspiration on my body seemed al
ready to have turned into a skin of ice
Then 1 caught the faint reflection OF
my own face In the casing OF the freseo
and 1t frightened me into some semblance
of myself as Raffles Joined me with his
hands in his pockets. But my fear and
Indignation were redoubled at the sight OF
him, when a single glance convinced me
that his pockets were as empty as his
hands, and his mad outrage the most
wanton and reckless of his whole ca
reer.
| "Ah, very interesting, very interesting
but nothing to what they have in the
museum at Naples or in Rompeii itself.
You must go there some day, Bunny. I've
good mind to take you myself. Mean
while-slow march-the beggar hasn't
moved an eyelid. We may swing for him if
you show indecent hastep'
Wei | whispered. wei"
And my knees knocked together as we
came up to the chatting attendants. But
Raffles must needs interrupt them to ask
the way to the Prehistoric Saloon.
"At the top of the stairs
Thank you. Then we'll work round
that way to the Egyptian part
And we left them resuming their pro-
vidential chat
Il believe you're mad" I said bitterly
as we went through hundred and
thlrty-nine yards wasn't it2 Then 1t can't
be more than hundred and twenty
now-not as much. Steady. Bunny for
! Gods sake. Its slow march--for our lives"
|. There was this much management. The
rest was our colossal luck. A hanson
was being paid off at the foot of the
steps outside and In we jumped. Raj
fes shouting ''Charing Cross''' for all
Bloomsbury TO hear.
We had turned into Bloomsbury street
without exchanging a syllable when he
struck the trapdoor with his fist.
"Where the devil are you driving us?''
"Charing Cross, sir"
II said Kings Crossl Round you spin
and drive like bla2es or We miss our
trainl There's one to York at 1875. adj
ded Raffles as the trapdoor slammed;
well book there, Bunny, and then We'll
slope through the subway to the Metro
politan, and to ground via Baker
street and Earl's Court"
And actually in half an hour he was
seated once more in the hired carrying
chair, while the porter and l staggered
up stairs with my decrepit charge, for
whose shattered strength even one hour
in Kew Gardens had proved too much.
Then and not until then, when we had
got rid of the porter and were alone at
last did | tell Raffles in the most nervous
English at my command frankly and
exactly what | though of him and of his
latest deed Once started, moreover, l
spoke as | have seldom spoken to living
man, and RaEles, of all men, stood my
abuse without a murmur, or rather ne
sat 1t out too astounded even to take OIL
his hat though | though his eyebrows
would have lifted it from his head.
But 1t always was your internal way,
| was savagely concluding. You make
one plan and you tell me another
mot today Bunny, | swear!
you mean to tell me you really DID
start with the bare idea of finding a place
to hide in for a mighty"
''Of course | did"
at was to be the mere reconnoitre you
pretended?'
.There was no pretense about Bunny
"Then why on earth go and do what
you did?'
1.-THE reason would be obvious to any
one but YOU" said Raffles, still with no
unkndly scorn. 1T was the temptation
of minutes-the final impulse OF the
fraction of a second, when Roberto saw
that | was tempted, and let me see that
he saw it, It's not a thing | care to do,
and | sha'nt be happy till the papers tell
me the poor devil is alive. But knock
ont shot was the only chance for us
them
"Why? You don't get run in for being
tempted, nor yet for showing that you
are!"
but / should have deserved running
in IL | hadn't yielded TO such tempta-
ton as that Bunny. II was a chance in
a hundred thousand, We might go there
every day of our lives and never again