Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-05-17

and lined with a thin coating Of adj
hesive mud. We met no other way
farers on the deserted fagstones and
were ourselves favored with a very
hard stare from the constable Of the
beat, who, however, touched his helmet
on recognizing my companion.
"You see, I'm known to the police"
devils! They've got to keep their wealth
er eye open on a night like this. A fog
may be a bore to you and me, Bunny,
but it's a perfect godsend to the crimi-
nal classes, especially SO late in their
season. Here we are, though, and I'm
hanged if the beggar isn't in bed and
asleep after ALL
We had turned into Bond street and
had halted on the curb a few yards
down on the right. Rallies was gaZ-
ing up at some windows across the
road, windows barely disccrnible
through the mist and without the glim-
mer Of a light to throw them out. They
were over Il jewelers. shop, as | could
see by the peephole in the shop door
and the bright light burning within.
But the entire upper part with the
private street door next the shop, was
black and blank as the sky itself.
Better give it up for t3ni@lt," |
urged. Surely the morning will be
time enough"
"Not & bit of it, said Haillcs. ~
have his key. Well surprise him.
Come along"
And, Selling my right arm. he lure
me across the road, opened the door
with his ~latchkey and in another no
ment had shut it swiftly but Soft!!y
behind us. We stood together In ti.c
dark. Outside, a measured st"Y VA:
approaching. We had heard it THROUGH
the fos as we crossed the street. Now.
as it drew nearer, my companions
fingers frightened on my arm.
ut may be the chap himself" he
whispered. He's the devil of a night
bird. Not a sound, Bunny. Wen star
tie the life out Of him. Ah!'
The measured step had passed with
out a pause. Rafles drew a dccp
breath, and his singular grip of me
slowly relaxed.
BE still; not a sound" he contil.
ued i'll the same whisper. We'll tike q
rise out of him wherever he is. Slip OF
your shoes and follow me-"
Well, you may wonder at my doing
SO, but you can never have met A. J.
Rallies. Half his power lay in IL CON
ciliating trick Of sinking the com
mander In the leader. And it was i'm
possible not to follow one who led
with such a zest. You might question,
but you followed first. SO now, when
| heard him kick off his own shoes. |
did the same and was on the stairs at
his heels before I realized what an ey.
t~raordinary way was this Of approach.
ing a stranger for money in the dead
Of night. But obviously Rallies and
he were on exceptional terms Of in.
timacy, and l could not but infer tina,
they were in the habit of playing prac
tlcal jokes upon each other.
we CROPPED our way so slowly up
stairs that l had time to make more
than II note before we reached tho
top. The stair was uncarpeted. The
spread fingers of my right hand en-
countered nothing Oh the damp wall
Those of my left trailed through 9
dust that could be felt on the bauis
ters. An eerie sensation had becn ND.
on me since we entered the house. II
increased with every step we climbed
What hermit were we going to startlt
In his cell!
we came to q landing. The banis
tiers led us to the left and to the lefr
again. -Four steps more and we wer,
on another and u longer landing, anl
suddenly n match blazcd from The
Diack. never heard it struck. Its
Hash was binding. When my eve,
became accustomed to the light thrr,
was latlilcs holding up the match witt
one hand and shading 1t with the othrl
between bare boards. stripped wall.
anu the open doors OF empty rooms.
'Nhcr" have You brought me-"
cried. 'Thc house is unoccupled."
"ll'sh. Waite" he whispered, and h,
led the way into one of the empty