The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-02-04
THE AMATEUR
CRACKSMAN
Continued from Page Nine)

nearer-and | didn't know! I had to
chance it. And it didn't creak bit.
1t was far too solid and well hung, and
l couldn't have banged it if l tried; II
was too heavy, and it fitted so close
that l felt and heard the air squeeze
out in my face. Every shred Of light
went ont except the streak underneath
and it frightened. How I blessed that
door!
"'No he's not down there ] heard
as though through cotton wool. Then
the streak went out. too. and in a few
seconds / ventured to open the door
once more and was in time to hear
them creeping to my room.
well. now there was not fifth Of a
second to be lost But I'm proud to
say came up those stairs on my toes
and fingers and out Of that bank
they'd gone and left. the door open
just as gingerly as though my time
had been my own. 1 didn't even for
get to put on the hat the doctors mare
was eating her oats out Of as we'll as
she could with a bit or it alone would
have landed me. l didn't even gallOp
away, but just logged off quietly in
the thick dust at the side Of the road,
though / own my heart was galloping.
and thanked my stars the bank was at
that end Of the township in which l
really hadn't set foot. The very last
thing I, heard was the two managers
raising Cain and the coachman. And
now. Bunny '
But that's not ALP cried.
I'm sorry to say It IS" said Raff1es
apologetically. The thing should have
ended with an exciting chase, know,
but somehow it didn't. suppose they
thought / had got no end OF a starr;
then they had made up their minds
that l belonged to the gang. which was
not so many miles away, and one Of
them had got as much as he could
carry from that gang as it was. But
l wasn't to know all that, and I'm
bsEnd. to say there was plenty Of ex-
element left for me-. Lord, how l
made that poor brute travel when l
got among the trees. Though we must
have made it over fifty miles from
Melbourne, we had done it at snail's
pace, and those stolen oats had brisked
the old girl up to such pitch that
she fairly bolted when she felt her
nose turned south BY Jove, it was
no joke. in and out among those trees
and under branches with your face in
the name. l told you about the forest
OF dead gums? 1t looked perfectly
ghostIy In the moonlight. and l found
it as still as had left it, so still that
/ pulled up there. my frst halt, and
lay my ear to the ground for two or
three minutes, hut I heard nothing,
not 4 thing but the mares below and
my own heart. I'm sorry, Bunny, but
If ever you write my memoirs you
won't have any difficulty in working
up that chase. Play those dead gum
trees for all they're worth, and let the
bullets hy like hail. I'll turn around
in my saddle to see Ewbank coming
up like the wind in his white suit and
I'll duly paint it red. Do it in the third
person, and they won't know how it's
going to end"
But don't know myself" l com
planned. Did the mare carry you all
the way back to MelbOurneY
Every rod, pole or perch. had her
well seen to at our hotel and returned
her to the doctor in the evening. He
was tremendously tickled to hear had
been pushed. Next morning he brought
me the paper to show me what 1 had
escaped at Yea"
Without suspecting anything"
"Ah,' said Raff1es as he put out the
gas That's a point on which I've
never made UP my mind. The mare
and her color were coiucidences-lue
lily she was only bay and I fancy
the condition Of the. beast must have
told tale. The doctors manner was
certainly different I'm inclined to
think he suspected something, though
not the right thing. I wasn't expecting
him, and fear my appearance may
have increased his suspicious"
I asked him why.
Il used to have rather heavy mus
tache," said Rafles. but / lost 1t the
day after lost my innocence"