The San Francisco call., 1905-06-04


But when he threw the second match
away there was some other light in its
stead and a slight smell of oil. I
stepped forward to look over his shoul-
der. but before 1 could do so he had
turned and flashed a tiny lantern in my
face.
What's this2" 1 grasped- What rot
ten trick are you going TO play?"
ITS played" he answered. with his
quiet laugh.
ON me?"
I'm afraid so, Bunny"
is there no one in the house. them"
No one but ourselves.
so it was mere chaT about your
friend in Bond street. who could let
US have that money!"
Not altogether It's quite true that
Dandy is a friend of mine"
"Danby2'
The jeweler underneath"
What do you mean?" I whispered,
trembling like leaf as his meaning
dawned upon me. Are we TO get the
money from the jeweler?"
Well. not exactly"
What then
The equivalent-from his shop"
There was no need for another Ques-
tion. l understood everything but my
own destiny. He had given me a dozen
hints and I had taken none. And there
1 stood staring at him. in that empty
room, and there he stood with his dark
lantern. laughing at me.
a burglar" 1 gasped. "You-you,"
I told you I lived by my wits"
Why couldn't you tell me what you
were going TO do? Why couldn't you
trust me? Why must you lie?' I de-
manded, piqued TO the quick for all my
horror.
Il wanted TO tell you.'' said he. 81 was
on the point of telling you more than
once. You may remember how sounded
you about crime. though you have prob
ably forgotten what you said yourself
I didn't think you meant IL at the time,
but I thought I'd put you to the test.
Now see you didn't, and 1 don't blame
you. 1 only am 10 blame. Get out of it,
my dear boy. as quick as you can; leave
it to me. You won't give me away. what
ever else you do.'
Oh. his cleverness, His fiendish clever
ness. Had he fallen back on threats. CO.
ercion, sneers, all might have been diff
ferent even yet. But he set me free to
leave him in the Iurch. He would not
blame me. He did not even bind me to
secrecy; he trusted me. He knew my
weakness and my strength, and was play
ing on both with his masters touch.
Not so fast" said I. did 1 put this
into your head, or were you going to do
Il IN any case2'
Not in any case.'' said Rafies. Its
true I've had the keys for days, but
when I won tonight I thought of
chucking it; for. as matter of fact.
it's not one-man job"
THAT settles it. I'm your man."
you mean it?"
"Yes-for tonight"
Good old Bunny" he murmured,
holding the lantern for one moment TO
my face; the next he was explaining
his plans. and was nodding, as though
we had been feilow-cracksmen all our
days. (
u know the shop" he whispered, be
cause I've got few things there. I
know this upper part too; it's been to
let lOI q month"; anu i ROl Oh OlACt
to view and took cast OF the key
before using il. The one thing I don't
know is how TO make connection be-
tween the two; at present there's none
We may make 1t up here, though /
rather fancy the basement myself II
you wait minute I'll tell you"
He set his lantern on the floor, crept
70 back window and opened It with
scarcely a sound; only to return. shak-
ing his head. after shutting the window
with the same care.
THAT was our one chance" said he:
"a back window above a back window;
but it's too dark to see anything, and
we daren't show an outside light Come
down after me to the basement: and
remember. though. there's not soul on
the premises. you can't make too little
noise. There-there-iisten to that"
It was the measured tread that we
had heard before on the hagstones
outside. Rafles darkened his lantern,