The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-06-15

! door, and closed 1t behind us. Putting out
| my hand l felt several coats hanging from
| the wall, and l understood that I was in
| a passage. We passed along 1t. and Holmes
! very gently opened door upon the right
hand side. Something rushed out at us
| and my heart sprang into my mouth. but
I could have laughed when i realized that
1t was the cat. A fire was burning In this
new ROOM and again the air was heavy
with tobacco smoke. Holmes entered on
| tiptoe, waited for me to follow. and then
very gently closed the door We were in
| Miverton's study. and a portiere at the
| farther side showed tho entrance to his
| bedroom.
1t was good fire, and the room was
| illuminated by it. Near the door l saw
| the CLEAN of an electric switch, but 1t
! was unnecessary, even If 1t had been safe.
| to turn 1t on. "A; one side of the fireplace
| was heavy curtain which covered the
! bay window we had seen from outside. On
| the other side was the door which COM
! municated with the veranda A desk stood
| in the center. with turning chair OF chin
| ing red leather. Opposite was a large
bookcase, with marble bust of Athenc on
tho top. In the corner, between the
bookcase and The wall. there stood a tall.
| green safe, the fireligh, flashing back from
tNe nOllSncu DIlSS KNOBS upon It's lace.
Holmes stole across and looked at it. Then
he crept TO the door of the bedroom, and
stood with Slantlns head listening lntent-
ly No sound came from Within. Mean
while it had struck me that it would be
wise to secure our retreat through the out
err door. so ] examined it. TO my amaze
Inent, it was neither locked nor boltcd. L
touched Holmes or the arHl and he turned
his masked face in that direction. saw
m e evidently r.
prised as l.
II don't like IT, he whispered. putting
his lips to my very ear. II cant quite
make it out. Anyhow. we have no time
to lose"
Car do anything
Yes, stand by the door. II you hear
anyone come bolt it on tho inside. and we
can get away we came. If they come
the other way. we can get through the
door if our job is done, or hide behind
these window curtains il Il Is not Do
you understands
nodded and stooc by the door. My first
feeling o. fear had passed away, and 1
thrilled now with keencr ZeSt than l.
had exc! enjoyed when We We're the de-
Tenders of the law instead Of its detiers
The high object Of our mission. the con-
seriousness that II was unseltish and chvai-
rous. the villainous character of our OPP
of the adventure. Far from feeling guilty.
! rejoiccd and eXuted In our dangers.
With glow of admiration l watched
Holmes unrolline his case of Instruments
and choosing his tool with the calm scien-
titic accuracy of Il surgeon who performs
a delicate operation. ! knew that the
opening of safes was a particular hobby
with him, and l understood the JOY which
it gave him to be confronted with this
green and gold monster, the dragon which
held in its nav the regulations of many
fair ladies. Turning UP the cuffs of his
dress coat-he had placed his overcoat On
q chair-Holmes laid out two drills, n
jimmy and several skeleton keys.
stood at the center door with my eyes
glancing at each of the others. ready for
any emergency. though. indeed. my plans
were somewhat vague as to what 1 should
do If we were interrupted. For half an
hour Holmes worked with concentrated
energy, laying down one tool picking up
another. handling each with the strength
and delicacy of the trained mechanic.
Finally 1 heard a click the broad green
door swung open, and inside I had a
glimpse of = number of paper packets.
each tied. sealed and inscribed Holmes
picked one out, but it was hard to read
b. the Pickering fire, and he drew out his
little dark lantern, for it was too danger
Gus, with Milverton in the next room, to
SWITCH OH inc electric llSnC. suddenly l
saw him halt, listen intently and then in
an instant he had swung the door Of the
safe to, picked up his coat. stuffed his
tools into the pockets. and darted behind
the window curtain, moHoning me to do
the same.
I was only when I had joined him there
that heard what had alarmed his quick
er senses There was a noise somewhere
within the house. A door slammed in the
RI iSf mr. Thnn
broke Itself into the measured thud of
heavy footsteps rapidly approaching. They
were in the passage outside the room.
They paused at the door. The door OPP
ened. There was sharp snick as the
electric light was turned on. The door
closed once more, and the pungent reek
of a strong cigar was borne to our nos
trils. Then the footsteps continued back
wards and forwards. backwards and for
wards within few yards of u.s. Finally
there was creak from chair and the
footsteps ceased. Then a key clicked in a
lock, and heard the rustic OF papers.
So far I had not dared to look out. but
now gently parted the division of the
curtains in front of me and peeped
through. From the pressure of Holmes
shoulder against mine, knew that he was
sharing my observations. Right in front
Of us, and almost within our reach was
the broad. rounded back of Milverton. 1t
was evident that we had entirely miscal-
culated his movements, that he had never
been to his bedroom, but that he had been
sitting up i'll some smoking or billiard
room In the farther wing Of the house, the
windows of which we had not seen His
broad, grizzled head. with its shining
patch of badness, was in the immediate
foreground of our vision. He was leaning
far back in the red leather chair, his legs
outstretched, Il long, black cigar project
ing at an angle from his mouth. He wore
semi-military smoking jacket, claret-
colored, with black velvet collar. In
his hand he held long. legal document
which he was reading in an indoent fash
ion, blowing rings of tobacco smoke from
his lips as he did so. There was no prom
Use of a speedy departure in his composed
bearing and his comfortable attitude.
felt Holmes hand steal into mine and
give me reassuring shake as IL to say
that the situation was within his powers.
and that he was easy in his mind was
not sure whether he had seen what was
only too obvious from my position, that
the door of the safe was imperfectly closed
and that Milverton might at any moment
observe It, In my own mind had de-
termined that II were sure, from the
rigidity Of his gaze. that it had caught
his eye. would at once spring out, throw
my great coat over his head, pinion him,
and leave the rest to Holmes. But Milver-
ton never looked up. He was languidly
Interested by the papers in his hand, and
page after page was turned as he fol-
t.vrvo = 4, 80 ~, ~,