The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1910-05-06

strong?" he said, interrogatively.
"Yes, I am both"
"It is fine thing to have so per-
feet physique" said the old French
man, rather plaintively. Nobody
would like to meddle with you"
"I don't think they would" said
Arthur, smiling. "Only, Of course,
one may be one against numbers"
"True. I wish I was strong like
you," he went on; "and I wish my
life were of as little value as yours.
Stay! I did not mean that. Do not
be offended"
81 am not in the least offended,
said Arthur. laughing. my life can
certainly not be considered the least
valuable just now. I hope to make it
so in time"
"Ah, yes, doubtless, of course you
will; but meanwhile?"
meanwhile it does not matter"
"Certainly. How we'll :'ou speak.
I have a box, little box. 1t contains
papers of no value to any one but
myself; to others useless, but to me
inestimable. I went into your room
just now. 1t was a mistake. Iwould
not have intruded for the world, but
I am a man of quick observation.
could not help seeing you had there
strong cupboard with good lock,
a firm. new lock: mahogany cup
board"
"Yes," said Arthur, cit is so.
There is a stout old wardrobe there.
I hang my coats in it."
"There is nothing of the kind in
my room," said Monsieur Rigaud.
"Nowhere to put my little box. And
the housemaid looked at it so much.
What sort of woman is that house
maid?"
GA very good servant, I believe"
said Arthur, carelessly. "The SER
wants all are good here"
at is a small favor to ask" said
Monsieur Rigaud. THAT box, might
I leave it in your charger"
with pleasure" said Arthur.
"You shall lock it up there yourself"
"You are strong, you are young"
said Monsieur Rigaud, admiringiy;
"and those whose lives are of small
value live longest and in most safety.
You are sure it will in no way de-
range you?"
"By no MEANS" said Arthur. who
could not help inwardly laughing at
the naive rudeness of the old French
man.
"Then let us lose no time" said
Monsieur Rigaud, leading the way
upstairs.
He brought in his box, a black
dressing case or dispatch box of
strong leather, strapped and double
strapped and fastened with a Bramah
lock- He put it in Arthur's cupboard
and nestled it among his boots in the
farther corner. He then locked the
cupboard and deliberately placed the
key in his pocket.
But STOP" said Arthur. "Let me
at least get all the clothes 1 want to-
morrow morning."
Monsieur Rigaud gave up the key
very reluctantly, and Arthur good
naturedly bundled out his clothes,
and, relocking it, returned him the
key. They went downstairs and
found their host and hostess ready
for dinner.
Arthur slept soundly that night,
very soundly, as his vigorous health
and clear conscience enabled him to
do. But about o'clock he awoke
suddenly with the odd sensation that
there was some one in the room.
Arthur had plenty of presence of
mind. He made no movement, but
lay perfectly still, and through a
chink in the curtain surveyed what
was passing in his room.
The shutters were Enclosed and
the moon shone in, making brilliant
white square on the ground, as If Il
sheet had been laid on the floor; be-
yond the square of light it was black
darkness, only the dim outline visible
of the big mahogany wardrobe with
it's door open.
Some one was moving with a most
unnatural stiffness of movement.
Straining his eyes Arthur fancied he
could make out something person
sitting on the floor; but the complete
outline was broken by the open door
of the wardrobe. He held his breath
and watched more closely.
Good Heavens." he thought. $50
it was not a delusion of the old fell
lows after all. His box was valuable,
and some blackguard is after it."
He was just about to spring; out OF
bed when he was arrested in time
Into the square of moonlight, for ono
brief instant, came a hand; the light
cleaned on it, and he recognized al
once the long, lean fingers, with their
sharp, claw-like tips slightly hooked
downward. 1t was the old man him,
self.
The tension of Arthur's feelings re-
laXed into something like contempt
and even a little amusement for the
present. He was careful not to move,
he was afraid of frightening Mon
sieur Rigaud into some kind of fit.
But the sight soon became grotesque,
almost CHASTITY. The old mans face
came luIO JuS L. nS IHlHp lOOhSu
nose, the sharply defined black shad-
ows cast on the ground, the old, claw
like movement of the hands, seemed
to Arthur as if he were watching a
creature half-vulture, half-human.
Then came the sound of his voice,
the low whisper of a man counting
zone, two, three, four" and so on.
Arthur could not see what he was
counting; that was within the black
case; but it was something the old
man loved, for his fingers fOndled it,
his face leered and gloated over it.
It seemed interminable, for the count
ing went on up to hundreds, even
further, when suddenly the close
struck 8, and Monsieur Rigaud start
ed so sharply that something in the
black box jingled and ratified. He
hastily thrust in a mass of cotton
wool that he gathered up from the
darkness beside him, thrust it in