Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-08-09

| LnS uluSSula OK A>ApaSS Va
itself. You must go there some day,
Bunny. I've a good mind to take you
myself. Meanwhile-slow march-the
beggar hasn't moved IN eyelid. We
may swing for him If you show In
decent haste"
I'VE" l whispered. We"
And nv knees knocked together as
we came up to the chatting attendants.
But Rafles must needs interrupt them
to ask the way to the prehistoric sa-
loon.
AT the top Of the stairs"
Thank you. Then We'll work round
that way to the Egyptian part"
And we left them resuming their
providential chat.
II believe you're mad" l said bit
terly as we vent.
"A hundred and thirty-nine yards,
wasn't it," said Rat1es. Then it can't
be more than a hundred and twenty
now-not as much. Steady. Bunny, for
Gods sake. It's slow march-for our
lives"
AHNAN - AhiS hoNA
The rest was our colossal luck. 4
hanson was being paid off at the foot
of the steps outside, and in we jumped,
Rallies shouting ''Charing Cross" for
all Bloomsbury to hear.
We had turned into Bloomsbury
street without exchanging a syllable
when he struck the trapdoor with his
fist.
Where the devil are you driving
u.s."
"Charing Cross, sir"
II said Kings Cross! Round you
spin and drive like blazes or we miss
u train. There's one to York at
1885" added Rafles as the trapdoor
slammed. Wen book there. Bunny.
and then We'll slope through the sub
way to the Metropolitan, and so to
ground via Baker street and Earl's
Court"
And actually in half an hour be was
seated once more in the hired carry
ing chair. While the porter and l stag
gered upstairs with my decrepit charge,
for whose shattered strength even one
hour in Kew gardens had proved toe
much. Then, and not till then. when
we had got rid OF the porter and were
most nervous English at my command,
frankly and exactly What | thought Of
him and of his latest deed. Once start.
ed, moreover, l spoke as l have seldom
spoken to living man. and Rafies. of
all men. stood my abuse without a
~astOunded even to take off his hat.
though l thought his eyebrows would
have lifted it from his head.
But it always was Your Internal
way" was savagely concluding. You
make n plan and you tell me an.
other
Not today. Bunny, l swear."
you mean TO tell me YOU really did
start with the bare idea Of finding a
place to hide in for a night"
"Of course did"
cit was to be the mere reconnoiter
you pretended:'
There was no pretense about it,
Bunny"
Then why on earth go and do what
you did,"
The reason would be obvious to any
n but YOU" said Rafaes. still with
no unkindly scorn. 1T was the temp
tation of a minute. the final impulse
Of the fraction OF a second. when Ro-
berto saw that ! was tempted and let
me see that he saw It. Its not a thing
l care to do, and l shan't be happy til!
the papers tell me the poor devil is
alive. But a Knockout shot was the
only chance for Us then
"Nhy? You don't get run in for be
ing tempted nor yet for showing that
you are"
But should have deserved running
in if l hadn't yielded to such a tempta.
ton as that, Bunny. 1t was a chance
in a hundred thousand. We might 60
there every day of our lives and neve
again be the only outsiders in the
room. with the billiard marking John.
ME practically out of earshot at one
and the same time. 1t was q gift from
the gods. Not to have taken it would
law tSSh Lying II Tie iuCe VI 1IONi
dence."
But you didn't take it." said !. You
went and left it behind"
I wish I had a kodak for the little
smile with which Rafies shook his
head, for it was one that he kept for
those great moments of which our 70.
cation is not devoid. All this time be
had been wearing his hat tilted q little
over eyebrows no longer raised. And
now at last knew where the gold
cup was.
1t stood for days upon his chimney
piece, this costly trophy whose ancient
history and final fate filed newspaper
columns wen in these days of jubilee
and for which the flower of Scotland
Yard vas said to be seeking high anG
low. Our constable. we learned, haC
been stunned only, AMI from the no
ment that ! brought him an evenins
paper with the news Raftles' spirit:
rose to a height inconsistent with his
eQuable temperament and as unusua
in him as the sudden impulse upor
which be had acted with such effect