The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-06-14

and my heart sprnng Into my mouth. but
I could have laughed when ! realized that
u wns the cat. A fire was burning In this
new room, and again the mir was heavy
with tobacco smoke. Holmes entered on
| tIptoc. waited for me to follow. and then
| very gently closed tho door. We were In
| Milvcrton's study. and n rortiere ut the
| farther side showed tho entrance 10 his
bedroom.
II was n good IRE. and tho room was
Illuminated by u. Near the door i saw
the CLEAN OF an electric switch. but 10
i was unnecessary. even II Il had been safe.
4 20 turn u on. A; ono side OF the fireplace
/ was n heavy curtain which covered the
! hay window we had seen from outside. On
| the other side was the door which COM
municated with the ycranda. A desk stood
In the center. with a turning chair OF shin
! inE red leather. Opposite was largo
bookcase. with n marble bust OF Athene on
tho top. In the corner. between the
| bookcase and the wall there stood tall.
| green safe. the frciight flashing back from
l the polished brass knobs upon Its face.
| Holmes stole across and looked ut 80. Then
| he crcpt 10 the door Of the bedroom. and
stood with slanting head listening Intent
/ ~. No sound came from within. Mem
while Il had struck me that II would bo
| wisc TO secure our retreat through the out
| cr door, so Z examined a. To my amaze
ment. a was neither locked nor boltcd. i
| touched Holmes on the arm. and lie turned
| his masked face In that direction. i saw
him start. and he was evidently as sur
priscd as !.
II don't like a." he whispered. putting
his lips TO my very ear. Il caat quit.
make u out. Anyhow. we have no time
| TO lose"
Can do anything
Eyes, stand by the door. II you hear
! anyone come bolt Il on the inside. and wc
can &c; away as we came. II they como
| the other way we can get through ;hc
door " our Job Is done. or hide beb nd
these window curtains II u Is not. DO
| you understandy
I nodded and stood by the door. Ny nrst
feeling % fear had passed away. and
thrilled now with a kcencr zcst than
had ever enjoyed when we were the de-
tenders OF the law instead 81 its defiers.
The high object OF our mission. the con-
seriousness that u was unsclfiSh and chivnl-
roua. thu ylllaInous character OF our OPP
poncni all added to the sporting interest
OF the adventure. Far from feeling guilty.
I rciolcoa and cxultcd In our dangers.
with . glow OF admiration watched
, uolmes unroiling his case OF instruments
and choosing his tool with the calm. scien-
tific accuracy OF surgeon who performs
delicate operation. i knew that the
opc ning OF safes was a particular hobby
with hifn. and understood the Joy which
, Il gave him TO be confronted VITA this
green and gold monster. the dragon which
held I'm It's nav tho regulations OF many
fair ladies. Tuning up the cuffs Of his
dress coat-he had placed his overcoat on
n chair-Hoimcs laid out two drills, a
Jimmy and several skeleton keys.
stood nj the center door with my eyes
giancin; at each OF tho others. ready for
any emergency. though. indeed, my plans
were somewhat vague as TO what should
do II We were interrupted. For half an
hour Holmes worked with concentrated
energy laying down one tool. picking up
another handling ca-'h with the strength
and delicacy OF the trained mechanic.
Finally / head a click. the broad green
door swung open. and inside j had q
glimpse of a number OF paper packets.
each tied. sealed and inscribed. Holmes
picked ono out. but IL was hard to read
h. the filckc-inE IRE. and he drew out his
little dark lantern. for II was too danger
Gus. with Milvcrton In the next room. 10
switch on the electric light Suddenly I
saw him halt. listen intentiy. and then IN
an instant he had swung the door OF tho
safe 20, picked up his coat. stuffed his
tools into the pockets. and darted behind
the window curtain. motioning me to do
the same.
IL was only when had Joined him there
that heard what had alarmed his quick
or senses. There was a noise somewhere
within the house. A door slammed In tho
distance. Then a confused. duh murmur
broke itself into the measured thud OF
heavy footsteps rapidly approaching. They
were In the passage outside the room.
They paused at the door. The door OPP
encd. There was n sharp snick as tho
electric light was turned on. The door
closed once more. and the pungcnt rcck
OF a strong cigar was borne TO our nos
trilS. Then the footsteps continued back
wards and forwards. backwards and for
wards. within n few yards of Us. Finally
there was "A crcak from a chair. and the
footsteps ceased. Then a key clicked In a
lock. and I heard the rustic OF papers.
SO far I had not dared TO look out but
now I gently parted the division OF the
curtains I'm front OF mo and peepcd
through. From the pressure OF Holmes
shoulder against mine. l knew that he was
sharing my observations. Right I'm front
OF US. and almost within our reach. was
the broad, rounded back OF Milycrton. IL
was evident that we had entirely miscal-
culated his movements. that he had never
been to his bedroom. but that he had been
sitting up In some smoking or billiard
room In the farther wing OF the house. the
windows OF which we had not seen His
broad. grlzzlcd head. with It's shining
patch OF badness was In the immediate
far back In the red leather chair. his legs
outstrctched. "A long. black cigar project
Ing at an angle from his mouth. lie wore
n semi-militEry smoking jacket. claret-
colorcd with n black velvet collar. In
his hand he held long. legal document
which he was reading In an indolent FASH
ion. blowing rings OF tobacco smoke from
his lips ms he did so. There was no prom
Use OF n speedy departure In his composed
bearing and his comfortable attitude.
I felt Holmes hand steal into mine and
give mo a reassuring shake. as II to say
that the situation was within his powers.
and that he was easy In his mind. I was
not sure whether he had seen what was
only too obvious from my position. that
the door OF the safe was impcrfectly closed
and that Milvcrton might at any moment
observe IL. In my own mind I had de-
tcrmincd that n I were sure. from tho
rigidity of his gaze that II had caught
his eye. I would nj once sprin. out, throw
my great coat over his head. pinion him.
and leave the rest 90 Holmes But Milver-
ton never looked up. He was languidly
interested by the papers In his hand. and
page after page was turned as he fol-
lowed the argument OF the lawyer. Al
least, I thought. when he had finished
the document and the cigar he will
20 10 his room. but before he had reached
the end Of either. there came q
remarkable development. which turned