The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-01-21

where the wind can be raised"
"At 2 O'Clock in the mornlngP'
Eyes"
''But how-but where-at such an
hOur?"
''From a friend of mine here in Bond
street"
''He must be very intimate friend"
"Intimate's not the word 1 have
the run of his place and a latchkey
all to myself"
you would knock him up at this
hour of the night?"
of he's in bed"
"And it's essential that should go
in with you?"
Absolutely"
''Then l must, but I'm bound to say l
don't like the idea, Rallies"
do you prefer the alternative?' ask
ed my companion, with a sneer, mo.
hang It, that's Unfair he cried apollo
getically in the same breath. Il quite
understand It's a beastly ordeal. But
it would never Go for you to stay out
side. 1 tell you what, you shall have
a peg before we start-just one
There's the whisky, here's a siphon,
and I'll be putting on an overcoat
while you help yourself"
Well, l dare say l did 80 with some
freedom, for this plan Of his was not
the less distasteful to me from it's ap-
parent inevitability. I must own, how
ever, that it possessed fewer terrors
before my glass was empty. Mean
while Raffles rejoined me, with a COW
ert coat over his blazer and a soft felt
hat set carelessly on the curly head he
shook with a smile as passed him the
decanter.
"When we come back,"l said he.
''WOrk first, play afterward. Do you
see what day it is?" he added, tearing
a leaflet from a Shakespearean calen-
dar as l drained my glass; March
ID. The ides Of March, the ides Of
March, remember Eli, Bunny, my
boy? You won't forget them. will you p
And, with a laugh, he threw some
Goals on the fire before turning down
the gas like a careful householder So
we went out together as the clock on
the chimney piece was striking 2.
Piccadilly was a trench of raw white
fog. trimmed with blurred street lamps
ana lined with a thin coating of ad-
hesive mud. We met no other way
farers on the deserted fiagstOnes 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, !"
laughed Raffles as we passed on. Poor
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 ALP
We had turned into Bond street and
had halted on the curb few yards
J down on the right. Raffles was gaZ-
ing up at some windows across the
road windows barely discernible
through the mist and without the glim-
] mer of a light to throw them out. They
were over a jewelers. shop, as 1 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.
Z crfrv
urged. Surely the morning will be
/ time enough"
''Not a bit Of it," said Rallies 81
have his key. Wen surprise him
Come along"
And, Selling my right arm, he hurried
! me across the road, opened the door
with his Iatchkey and in another mo
ment had shut it swiftly but softly
! behind us. We stood together in the
dark. Outside, a measured step was
approaching. We had heard it through
the fog as we crossed the street. Now
as it drew nearer, my companions
I fingers frightened on my arm.
TT may be the chap himself" he
whispered. Hes the devil of a night
bird. Not sound, Bunny! Well star.
tie the life out of him. All"
The measured step had passed with
out a pause. Raffles drew a deer
breath, and his singular grip of M
/ slowly relaxed.
BE still; not a sound" he contin
ued in the same whisper. wen take {
rise out of him wherever he is. Slip of
your shoes and follow me-"
Well. you may wonder at my doins
so, but you can never have met A. J
Raffies. Half his power lay in a con
ciliating trick Of sinking the com
mander in the leader. And it was I'm
possible not to follow one who LEI
with such a zest. You might question
but you followed first. So now, whel
1 heard him kick of his own shoes,
did the same and was on the stairs a
his heels before 1 realized what an ex
traordinary way was this OF approach
ing a stranger for money in the dea'
of night. But obviously Rallies ant
he were on exceptional terms Of in
timacy, and / could not but infer tina