The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-02-18

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him, though the rooms were not d. (
vided by the old fashioned folding
doors, and, though the door that did
divide them was not only shut. but
richly ourtained, could have sworn
1 heard him once. spilled my wine
and laughed at the top Of my voice
at some coarse sally OF my hosts,
and 1 heard nothing more, though my
ears were on the strain. But later. to
my horror, when the waiter had final
" withdrawn. Craggs himself sprang
up and rushed to his bedroom with
out a word. I sat like stone till he
returned.
Thought 1 heard a door go" he
/ said. Must have been mistaken
imagination-gaVe me quite a turn
Rallies tell you priceless treasure I
! got in there?"
1t was the picture at last Up 70
! this point / had kept him TO Queens,
| land and the making OF his pile I,
! tried to get him back there now. but
In vain. He was reminded Of his
great i'll gotten possession. said
that Rallies had just, mentioned it,
and that set him of. With the con-
fdential gcrrulity OF a man who had
dined too we'll he plunged into bis
darling topic, and 1 looked past him
at the clock. 1t was only a quarter
to 10.
In common decency I could not 20
yet, so there 1 sat 1--WE were still att
port and learned what had originally
I Z
what he was pleased to call real.
genuine, twin screw, double funneled.
copper bottom old master" 1t was to
"gO one better than some rival legis,.
iator OF pictorial prOclivities. But even.
an epitOme of his mOnOlOgue would.
be so much WEAKNESS. Suffice It that
it ended inevitably in the invitation
had dreaded all the evening.
But you must see it. Next room.
This way
Isn't it packed up?' inquired has
lily.
Lock and key. That's all"
pray don't trouble" I urged.
Trouble be hangedr' said he.
."Come along"
And all at once I saw that to re-
sist him further would be to heap sus-
piciOn upon myself against the mo-
ment Of impending discovery. 1 there
fore followed him into his bedroom
without further protest and suffered
him first to show me the iron map
case, which stood in one corner. He
took 4 crafty pride I'm this receptacle,
and ! thought he would never cease
decanting on its innocent appearance
and its Chubb's lock. 1t seemed an
interminable age before the key was,
in the latter. Then the ward clicked,
and my pulse stood still.
by JOver' cried next instant.
The canvas was in its place among
the maps q.
Thought it would knock YOU" said
Craggs. drawing it out and unrOlling TT
for my benefit. Grand thing. ain't.
it? Wouldn't think It had been paint
ed go years? 1t has, tbough-my word,l
Old JOhnsOn's face will be a treat
when he sees it; won't go braggings
about his pictures much more. Why
this ones worth all the pictures in
the colony O. Queensland put together;
"OAAu ADprOOOt NY IVY -cilAu Bot IL
for iveF'
He dug me i'm the ribs and seemed.
in the mood for further condolences.
My appearance checked him, and he{
rubbed his hunds.
eff you take It like that" he
chuckled. how viii old Johnson take
It? Go ont and hang himself to his
own Oictt1re rods I bOuer5
Heaven knows what l contrived to
say at last. Struck speeches. first BY
my relief. I continued silent from a
very different cause. A new tangIe Of
emotions tied my tongue Rafies had
failed, Raffies had failedl Could not
succeedl Was it too late? Was therai
no way?
80 long" he said, taking last look
at the canvas before he rolled It up,
80 long till we get to Brisbane
The hutter 1 was in as he closed the
easel
For the last time he went on as
his keys Jiugied back into bis pocket
1T goes straight into the strong room
on board"
For the last timei II I could bot
send him out to Australia with only tn
legitimate contents in his preciouHi
map case, II / could but succeed
where Rafies- had failedi
We returned to the other room. I.
have no notion how long he talked or
what about Whisky and soda water
became the order Of the hour. 1 scarce-i
y touched #, but he drank copiOusly,i
and before II left him incOherentd
And the Lass train for Esher was thst
II 80 out Of Waterloo.
l took a hanson to my rooms. III
was hack at the hotel in thirteen miRst
Ites. walked upstairs. The corr
Tor was empty. stood an instant on
me sitting room threshold heard
;nOre within and admitted myself
softly with my gentleman's own key,
which it had been a very simple matteEi
70 take away with me.
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