The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-30

| hiSAA Win l4Idl Strange ana yet Ia
miliar feeling that something was
wrong. He sat upright in bed and list
! ened for a moment. The heavy dark
ness, hemmea IN by the low walls and
ceiling Of his room, seemed to bear
down upon him and deaden his sense OF
/ hearing.
/, 1t was only after a determined ef-
fort that he could hear the familiar
ticking of the old-fasbiOned clock upon
| the mantel which seemed TO be run
! ming races with the same sound that
came, though muffied, from his watch
under the pillow.
Everything seemed as usual. but still
he sat listening, straining his eyes in
vain to see. A faint smell as of heated
! metal gradually became apparent, but
the sense of presence other than his
own made itself felt.
Who's t-there?" he called The tri-
| fling impeachment in his speech came
not from fear but from habit.
There was sudden flash and then
the steady, unwinking glare of dark
lantern, and tall figure rose suddenly
from crouching position in the farther
corner of the room.
by JOvei" it said, its JasOn-it's
little Bunny Beckwith. Don't shoot,
old man. Don't you know me?''
I can't very well shoot replied ia
, son. because my revolver is down
stairs I'm the drawer OF the library ia
BILE; and your vojre is familiar, but
can't quite recall ust let me t-turn
on the electric light. viii you? That
lantern is rather binding
He CROPPED for a second on the wall
at the side Of his bed. found the switch.
hs ID cd h
a soft light. The stranger carefully
shut off his lantern and removed a
small black mask that fitted closely to
the upper half of his face.
He was a tall man; the bold. strong
outlines of his forehead and the long
strong curve of jaw We're animated by
a pair Of eyes which were always
glancing restlessly about seeming to
see everything at once and resting on
nothing very long. Beckwith stared at
him curiously.
Give me q moment" he said. land l
am sure to remember you. Why, you
are-it can't Bottom LOTing?"
Tom it is" was the answer.
though not exactly the Tom that you
knew so many years ago. If you will
recOllect, 1 was top of our class my
junior year"
Yes, yes" Tejoined the other: what
funny old world it is. to be sure
He sat staring at the visitor, his
| hands elasped round his knees, his hair
tossed and rumpled, and an expression
of amazement in his round. blue eyes.
only" he coptinued, you ought TO
wear that mask thing over the other
part of your face. That jaw of yours.
Tommy, is t-too prominent TO be easily
forgotten"
The two men stared at each other re-
/ aectively, seriously; then a look of
amusement began to grow about the
corners of Beckwith's mouth.
= FecOllect," he went on, our last
meeting. You had secured girl /
wanted for SEINE very particular social
function. and I was distinctly angry.
But my grudge against you was
drowned in the little supper we had
! that evening, when we swOre eternal
friendship and wept loudly on being
| forcibly parted for the night"
THAT was nearly twenty years ago,
said Loring, thoughtfully. and our
foregathering tonight is-well, differ
| emit" He stood at the side of the bed
| looked down at BeckWith. You We're
always such a confiding little chap,
Beck" he said, finally. Whenever I've
thought of you I've remembered the
time that three of us got YOU TO wall;
seven miles in that bad storm by tell
ing you some beautiful and elaborate
piece of fiction abOut-WelI. I've for
gotten what it was about; but you were
easy, Beck
y was" assented Beck, cheerfuily:
but what of it? Come downstairs
and let me give you something to eat.
We can t-talk better then"
He threw back the covers and
touched one foot gingerly to the cold.
I h.a gFtf I i'm
gently back on the pillows.
IF it's all the same to YOU" he said.
well stay here. Not that I'm aVerse
to prowling about other peoples houses
In the night, but I'm not used to being
escorted by my host. Besides, I'm not
hungry"
"Oh! very well. Just t-toss me a pipe,
will you? There are cigarettes and ito
baccO on the table. Light up, Tommy,
and make yourself at home. And IL
you viii open that cupboard over there
you will find something more substan-
tial than smoke"
Loring foraged until he had found the
| tobacco. but shook his head at the con-
tents of the cupboard.
Not just now" he said though |
| won't deny that a man usually talks
better with a glass in his hand. Here 5
your pipe, Beck; now let's be sociable.
He sat down on the edge of the bed,
tucked under his elbow the pillow Beck
with gave him. and lit a cigarette.
The smoke curled uD in light, thin
clouds.
Would you mind t-telling me-" said
Beckwith. as he examined critically the
carving on his pipe-'Pm consumed
with curiosity to lmow-how you came
to be a--a-yOu are one. aren't you?
Il am a fuil-hedsed house breaker,
at your service answered Loring, po-
Iitely. why? oh, / don't know-I
just drifted this way. My talents seem
10 lie IN this direction"
"And-was it an accident that YOU
happened upon my place t-to-night?"
mot entirely. l heard that you were
to be alone, and determined to pay
you a visit though I didn't count on
your receiving me. You awo1e too
soon. Beck--in another minute ! should
have left you
what would you have left me?"
asked Beckwith, ironically. My watch.
for instance? T-that, at least, I have
safe under my pillow"
Lorin@ smiled.
81 have have only your purse he
said, your studs and a small pack
age which you were careless enough
To leave on the table. and which looks
as If it might have come from jew
eler."
1T did" said Beckwith: its a ring
that / got for my wife's birthday.
She's coming home tomorrow"
He smiled slightly as he thought Of
the solid old family plate and Jewels
safely locked up in the library below
Sorry I can't give il back said
Loring. but ! need the money"
There was a pause. The smoke was
floating in misty layers above and
around them. Loring looked euriously
around the room. which was not much
larger than a ships cabin, and fur
nished with utmost Dlainness.
Ii was. In fact the onlX oasis of sim-