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

We CROPPED our way so slowly up
stairs that l had time to make more
than one note before we reached the
top. The stair was uncarpeted. The
spread fingers of my right hand en-
cOuntered nothing on the damp wall
Those of my left trailed through a
dust that could be felt on the banis-
tiers. An eerie sensation had been up
on me since we entered the house Il
increased with every step we climbed.
What hermit were we going to startle
in his cell?
We came to a landing. The banis-
tiers led us to the left and to the left
again. Four steps more and we were
on another and a longer landing, and
suddenly a match blazed from the
black. 1 never heard it struck It's
fash was binding. When my eyes
became accustomed to the light there
was Rallies holding up the match with
one hand and shading it with the other
between bare boards, stripped walls
and the open doors of empty rooms.
Where have you brought me?" /
cried. ''The house is unOccupledr'
Flush! Wait!' he whispered, and he
led the way into one OF the empty
rooms. His match went out as we
crossed the threshold, and he struck
another without the slightest noise.
Then he stood with his back to me,
fumbling with something that 1 could
not see. But when he threw the second
match away there was some other
light in it's stead and slight smell of
oil. 1 stepped forward to look over his
shoulder, but before l could do so he
had turned and flashed a tiny lantern
in my face
What's this?" gasped. "What rot
ten trick are you going to play?'
Its played" he answered, with his
quiet laugh.
+ "On me%
/ 'I'm afraid so, Bunny
! "Is there no one in the house, then"
''NO one but ourselves
; $50 It was mere chaff about your
: friend in Bond street who could let Us
have thatmOneyT'
mot altogether It's quite true that
|
Dandy"
! 'The jeweler underneath"
what do you meanP' 1 whispered,
! trembling like a leaf as his meaning
| dawned upon me- Are we to get the
money from the jeweler"
"Well. not exactly"
"What, then?"
1.-THE equivalent-frOm his chop"
There was no need for another Ques-
ton. l understood everything but my
] own density. He had given me a dozen
) hints, and ! had taken none. And
there 1 stood staring at him in that
empty room, and there he stood, with
his dark lantern, laughing at me.
"a burglar!' gasped. ''You-you"
81 told you lived by my wits"
"Why couldn't you tell me what you
were going to do? Why couldn't you
trust me? Why must you lie?" de-
manded, piqued to the quick for all
my horror.
81 wanted to tell you" said be. 81
was on the point of telling you more
than once. You may remember how
you have probably forgotten what you
said yourself. didn't think you meant
/ it at the time, but 1 thought I'd put
you to the test. Now see you didn't,
and 1 don't blame you. l only am to
blame. Get out of it, my dear boy, as
quick as you can. Leave it to me.
You won't give me away, whatever
else you do"
Oh, his cleverness, his fendish
cleverness! Had he falleD back on
threats, coercion, sneers, all might have
been different even yet. But he set
me free to leave him in the lurch. He
would not blame me. He did not even
bind me to secrecy. He trusted me.
He knew my weakness and my
strength and was playing on both with
his masters touch.
'Not so fast" said l. did put
this into your head, or were you going
to do it in any caseT
''Not in any case" said R.afies. Its
true I've had the key for days, but
when l won tonight L thought of
chucEing it, for. as matter Of fact,
it's not a one man JOB"
"That settles it. I'm your man."
"YoU mean it,"
"Yes-fOr tonight"
Good old Bum y!' he murmured,
holding the lantern for one moment to
my face. The next he was explaining
his plans and wa nodding, as though
we had been fellow craeksmen all our
days.
Il know the SHOP" be whispered,
because I've got a few things there.
1 know this up per part too. It's been
to let for a month. and got an order
to view and took cast of the key be-
fore using it. The one thing l don't
know is how to make a connection be-
tween the two. At present there's
none. We may make it up here, though
1 rather fancy the basement myself.
II you wa it a minute I'll tell you"
He set lais lantern on the floor, crept
to a back window and opened It with
scarcely a sound. only to return: shak-