The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-06-02

Going back at once to the town Of
Buckingham, I provided myself with
short bit of rope, a little bulFs-eye Lam
tern, a small screw-driver, and a nice
bit Of beef chemically adapted for the
soothing Of troublesome dogs. / then
dressed, disposed of these things neatly
in my coat pockets, and went to the
doctors to dinner. In one respect, For
tune favored my audacity. 1t was the
sultriest day of the whole season.
surely they could not think of shutting
up the second floor back windows to-
night!
Alicia was pale and silent. The love-
ly brown eyes, when they looked at me,
said as plainly as In words, I'VE have
been crying a great deal, Frank, since
We saw you last" The little white
fingers gave mir a significant squeeze
and that was all the reference that
passed between US to what happened
in the morning. She sat through the
dinner bravsly, but, when the dessert
came. left US for the night, with a
few shy, hurried words about the ex-
cessive e of the weather being too
much for her. 1 rose to open the door.
and exchanged a last meaning look
with her, as she bowed n went by
me. Little did L think tina 1 should
have to live upon nothing but the re-
membrance of that look for many
weary days that were yet to come.
h doctor was in excellent spirits.
and almost oppressively hospitable. We
sat socially chatting over our claret
till past 5 O'Clock. Then my host
turned to his desk to write a letter be-
fore the post went out, and 1 strolled
away to smoke a cigar in the garden.
~Second-1oor back windows all open,
atmosphere as sultry as ever, garden
ers pruning-ladder quite safe in the
tool-shed, savage mastiff in his kennel
crunching his bones for supper. Good.
Inc dog will not be visited again to-
night; l may throw my medicated bit
OF beef at once into his kennel. r
acted on the idea Immediately; the dog
seized his piece of beef; I heard a snap.
a wheeze, a choke, and a groan-and
there was the mastiff disposed of. in
side the kennel, where nobdy could find
out that he was les till the time came
for feeding him the next morning.
I went ack to the doctor; we had a
social glass of cold brandy and water
together; I lighted another cigar, and
took my leave. My host being too
respectable a man not to keep
early country hours. 1 went away, as
usual, about ten. The mysterious man
servant locked the gate behind me. |
: sauntered on the road back to Bark
/ ingham for about five minutes, then
struck off sharp for the plantation,
lighted my lantern with the help of my
cigar and a birthstone match of that
~barbarous period, shut down the slide
n ro{N 81 IL e.
1t was formidably high, and gar
nished horribly with broken bottles:
but it was also old, and when / anne
to pick at the mortar with my screw
driver, I found it reasonably rotten
with age n damp.
| removed four bricks to make foot
holes in different positions up the wall.
1t was desperately hard and long work,
easy as it may sound in description
especially when I had to hold on by
the top of the wall, with my fiat opera
hat laid, as a guard, between my hand
and the glass, while 1 cleared a way
through the sharp bottle-ends for my
other hand and my knees. This done,
my great difficulty was vanquished:
and 1 had only to drop Iuxuriously into
a flower bed on the other side of the
wall.
Perfect stiffness In the garden; no
sign of a light anywhere at the back Of
the house; first-floor windows all shut:
s~econd-floor windows still open. I
fetched the pruning ladder; put it
against the side of the porch; tied one
end of my bit of rope to the top round
of it; took the other end in my mouth,
and prepared to climb to the balcony
over the porch by the thick vine
branches and the trellis-work.
I reached the balcony over the porch
in safety, depending more upon the
tough vine branches thar the trellis-
work during my ascent. My next en-
ployment was to pull up the pruning
ladder, as softly as possible, by the rope
which l held attached to it. This done,
l put the ladder against the house
wall, listened, measured the distance to
the open s~econd-foor window with. my
eye, listened a~gain-and, finding all
quiet, began my second and last as
cent. The ladder was comfortably long,
and I was conveniently tall; my hand
was on the window-sill-I mounted an
other two rounds-and my eyes were
level with the interior of the room.
Suppose any one should be sleeping
there!
1 AlSl1iAGd at liz WlitbOW allClllANCAy
before 1 ventured on taking my lantern
out of my coat pocket. The night was
so quite and airless that there was not
the faintest rustic among the leaves in
the garden beneath me to distract my
attention. / listened. The breathing of
the lightest of sleepers must have
reached my ear, through that intense
s%tillnes, if the room had been a bed
room, and the bed were occupied. I
heard nothing but the quick beat of my
own heart. The minutes of suspense
We're passing heavily laid my other
hand over the windowsill, then a mo-
ment of doubt came-doubt whether [
should carry the adventure any fur
Their. 1 mastered my hesitation direct
ly-it was too late for second thoughts.
Now for it," / whispered to myself,
and got in at the window.
To wait, listening again, in the dark
ness of that unknown region, was more
than 1 had courage for. The moment
I was down on the floor, l pulled the
lantern out of my pocket and raised
the shade.
ITO BE Continued Tomorrow
JENKINS'S VIRTUES DISCOVERED.