The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-10

after all. But l see that the enemy's
preparations have gone SO far that we
cannot risk the presence of a light.
And, first of ALL we must choose our
positions. These are daring men, and
though we shall take them at disad-
vantage they may do US some harm
unless we are careful. | shall stand
| behind this crate and do you conceal
yourself behind those. Then, when l
flash a light upon them. close in swift
| ly. If they fire. Watson have no COM
junction about shooting them down"
l placed my revolver, cooked, upon
the top of the wooden case behind
which l Crouched. Holmes shot the
slide across the front of his lantern
ana left us in pitch darkness-such an
absolute darkness as 1 have never be-
fore experienced. The smell of hot
metal remained to assure US that the
light was still there. ready to flash
out at a moments notice To me, with
my nerves worked up to a. pitch of
expectancy, there was something de-
pressing and subduing in the sudden
gloom, and in the cold, dank air of the
vault.
'They have but one retreat"
whispered Holmes THAT is back
through the house into Sake Coburg
Square. ] hope that you have done
whas / asked of you Jones?"
Il have an inspector and two Off
GERS waiting at the front door,
Then we have stopped all the
holes. And now we must be silent
and wait"
What a time it seemed! From COM
pairing notes afterwards it was but an
hour and quarter, yet it appeared to
me that the night must have almost
gone and the dawn be breaking above
us. My limbs were weary and stiff,
for / feared to change my position,
yet my nerves We're worked up to the
highest pitch of tension, and my hear
ing was so acute that / could not only
hear the gentle breathing of my COM
pani0ns but ] could distinguish the
deeper, heavier in-breath of the bulky
Jones from the thin, signing note of
the bank director From my position
l could look over the case in the di-
rection Of the floor suddenly my
eyes caught the glimmcr of a light.
At first it was lurid spark upon
the stone pavement Then it length
ened out until it became a yellow
line, and then. without any warning or
sound, a cash seemed to open and a
hand appeared. a white, almost wom-
anly hand which felt about in the
center of the little area of light For
a minute or more the hand. with it's
writing fingers, protruded out of the
fOOf i hCn It was Withdrawn as sud-
denly as it appeared, and all was
dark again save the single lurid spark
which marked a chink between the
stones.
It's disappearance, however, was but
momentary. With a rendinF. tearing
sound, one of the broad. white stones
turned o.pr upon its side. and left
a square. gaping hole. through which
streamed the light of a lantern. over
the edge there ~eeped a. clean-cut-
boyish face, which looked keenly about
it, and then. with q hand on either
side of the aperture, drew itself
shoulder-high and waist-high, until
one knee rested upon the edge. In
another instant he stood at the side
of the hole. and was hauling after him
a companion. 1.-THE and small like him
self, With q. pale face and a shock of
very red hair.
ITS all clear" he whispered
Have you the chisel and the bags.
Great Scott! jump, Archie, jump,
and I'll swing for it,
Sherlock Holmes had sprung out
and seized the intruder by the collar
The other diyed down the hole, and
Continued on Page Six.)