Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-04-12
around to the right Come on. sun

l CtUtu not UllGPrSt3l1 uNtII We came to the corridor leading to the room of galt,. when he turned to nIe for a mo rcnt.
 "A hundred and thirty-ninc yards from this to the open street. said Kaf- feS mot counting the stairs. l sup pose We could do it in twenty seconds, but if we did we should have to jump the gates. No. you must remember to loaf out at slow march, Bunny, wheth CT you like it or not,
 But you talked about a hiding place for a night
 Quite so--for all night We should have to get back. go on lying low and saunter out with the crowd next day after doing the whole show thorough ly."
 What. With gold in our pockets'- And gold in our boots and gold up ] the sleeves and legs of our suits! You leave that to me, Bunny
 l It is none of my business to describe the so called room of gold, with which I, for one was not a little disappont- ed. The glass cases which both fill and line it may contain unique examples of the goldsmth's $ art in times and places of which one heard quite enough in the course of ones classical education, but from professional point of view would as lief have the ransacking of single window i'll the west end as the pick of all those spells of Etruria and of ancient Greece. The gold may not be so soft as it appears, but it cer- tainly looks as though you could bite off the business ends of the spoons and stop your own teeth in doing SO. Nor should I care to be seen wearing one of the rings. But the greatest fraud of all {from the aforesaid stand point is assuredly that very cup of which Rallies had spoken. Moreover. he felt this himself.
 "Why, it's as thin as paper said he, land enameled like a middle aged lady of quality. But, by love. it's one of the most beautiful things l ever saw in my life, Bunny. l should like to have it for it's own sake, by all my gods.'
 The thing had little square case of plate glass all to itself at one end of the room It may have been the thing of beauty that Rallies affected to con sider it. but l, for my part, was ill no mood to look at it in that light. In derneath were the names of the pluto crats who had subscribed for this na- tional gewgaw, and I fell to wondering where their is GOO came in, while Raf- fles devoured his twopenny guidebook.
 "Those are scenes from the martyr dom of St Agnes" said he, :" 'translu cent on relief One of the finest specimens of it's kind I should think it was. Bunny. you Philistine, why can't You admire the thing for it's own sake? It would be worth hay ing to live up to. There never was such rich enameling on such thin gold. and what a good scheme to hang the lid up over it, so that you can see how thin it is. I wonder if we could lift it, Bunny, by hook or crook 7"
 You'd better try, sir" said q dry voice at his elbow.
 The madman seemed to think we had the room to ourselves. knew better, but, like another madman, had let him ramble on unchecked. And here was stolid constable confront ing us in the short tunic that they wear in summer. his whistle on it's chain. but no truncheon at his side. Heavens. how l see him noW-a man of medium size. with a broad, good humored, per spring face and a limp mustache. He looked sternly at Rallies, and Rallies looked merrily at him.
 Going to run me in, officer?" said he That would be q joke-my hat.'
 ''l didn't say as I was, sir" replied the policeman. But that's queer talk for a gentleman like you, sir, ill the British museum" And he wagged his helmet at my invalid, who had taken his airing ill frock coat and top hat. the more readily to assume his present part.
 What cried Rallies, simply say ing to my friend that I'd like to lift the gold cup? Why, so should, off cer. so I should, l don't mind wi.c hears me say so. It's one of the most beautiful things 1 ever saw in all my life
 The constahle's face had already re- faxed, and now d grin peeped under the limp mustachc. II dare say there's many as feels like that sir, said he.
 Exactly, and 1 say what 1 feel, that's all," said Rallies airily. But seriously, officer. is d valuable thili:. like this quite safe in d case like that:'
 safe enough as long as I'm here,' replied the other between grim jest and stout earnest. tafiies studied his face. He was still watching Rallies. and I kept an eye on them both with out putting ill my word.
 You appear to be single handed" observed Rallies "Is that wiser"
 The note of anxiety was capitally caught. It was at once personal and public spirited-that of an enthusiastic savant, afraid for national treasure which few appreciated as he did him. self. And, to be sure, the three of us now had this treasury to ourselves.