Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-05-24
By E. w. HORNUNG

" " AHI lililI III
diameter and fitted it to 4 small but
very strong steel brace. Then he
took Off his covert coat and his blazer.
spread them neatly on the top step.
knelt on them, turned nm his shirt
Guns ana Went to work With brace and
bit near the keyhole. But first Ne oiled
the bit to minimize the noise. and this
be did invariably before beginning :;
fresh Mole and often in the middle OF
one, 1t took thirty-two separate Dor
ingS 10 cut round that lock.
noticed that through the first circu-
lar oriice Ratles thrust Il foretin->r:
then as the circle became an eve"
frightening oval he got his hand
through up to the thumb. and l hear.
him swear softly to himself.
Il was afraid so"
what is -"
An iron gate on the other side..'
How on 1rth are we to get through
that?' l asked in dismay,
"Pick the lock. But there may be
two. In that case they'll be top and
bottom, and we shall have two fresh
holes to make. as the door opens in
ward. 1t won't open two inches us it
is"
l confess l did not feel sanguine
about the lock picking, seeing tina oAr
lock had baffied US already. ana my
disappointment and Impotence must
have been q revelation to me had !
stopped to think. The truth Is that |
was entering into our nefarious IN 'cr-
taking with an involutary zeal OF
which l was myself quite unconscious
at the time. The romance AMI the peri!
of the whole proceeding held ne SPELL
bound and entranced. Ny moral sense
and my Il of fear Were stricken by
n common paralysis. And there l
stood, shining my light ana holling
my vial With a keener interest ,h4n
had ever brought to any honest avoca-
ton. And there knelt y. J. Raliles,
with his black hair tumblel and the
same watchful, quiet, determined half
smile with which l had seen him send
down over after over in a county
match!
At last the chain Of holes was con-
plete, the lock wrenched out bodily an
and a splendid bare arm plunged UP Il
the shoulder through the aperture anl
through the bars of the iron gate be
You'd.
"Now," whispered Rafles, IF there's
only one lock it'll be in the middle.
JOY. Here it is. Only let me pick it.
and were through at last
He withdrew his arm, a skeleton key
was selected from the bunch, and then
back went his arm to the shoulder. Ii
was a breathless moment. heard the
heart throbbing in my body, the very
watch ticking in my pocket and eve,
and anon the tinkle-tinkle of the skele,
ton key. Then-at last-there came q
single unmistakable click. In another
minute the mahogany door and the
iron gate yawned behind US, and Raj.
fes was sitting OF an Office table, wip,
ing his face, with the lantern throwing
a steady beam by his side.
We were now in Il bare and roomy
lobby behind the shop, but separated
therefrom by an iron curtain, the very
sight Of which filed Inc with despair
Raties, however, Gid not appear in the
least depressed. but hung up his coat
and hat on some leSs in the lobby be
fore examining this curtain with his
lantern.
''That's MJtling.' said lie after a min
ute's inspc. Oh. "NeIl be through
that in ~ tine but there's a door OF
the other siGc which may give us trou
BILE"
another Goor,,' l groaned. "AnC
how 90 YOU mean to tackle this thing"
"Pry it up with tie jointed Jimmy
The weak. point Of these iron curtains
is the leverage YOU can get from be
low. But it makes q noise, and this i:
where you're coming i'll, Bunny. Thi:
is where / couldn't do without you.
must have you overhead to KNOCK
through when the streets clear. III
come with you and show a light"
Well, YOU may imagine how little
liked the prospect Of this lonely vigil
and yet there was something very
stimulating in the vital responsibility
which it involved. Hitherto l had bcel
a mere spectator. Now l vas to take
part in the game. And the fresh eX
element made me more than yer in
sensible to those considerations Of con
science and of safety which were al
ready as dead nerves in my breast.
SO l took my post without q murInul
: in the front room above the shop. The
fixtures had beef left for the refusa
: of the incoming tenant, and fortunate
ly for US they included Venetian
blinds, which were already down. l
, was the simplest matter In the world t.
stand peeping through the laths int
the street, to beat twice with my foo
when anybody was approaching ant
once when all was clear again. Thu
noises hat wen l could hcar below
y with the exception OF one metallic
J crash at the beginning, were indeei
incredibly slight, but they ceased alto
' gether at each double rap from my toe
and q policeman passed quite half
dozen times beneath my eyes and tn
' man WHOM ! took to be the jcwclclI
i Watchman oftcner still during the bet
Ter mart ar an lOuI. that Sppnt nt fin