The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-05-12


worry: that be has my pearl collar
spotted. and that young ladies will
have their jokesl"
Yes, as | said before. IL was n cheer.
ful, joy-producing situation.
| sat and thought IL over after
Anne's parting shot. when Leila had
founced downstairs. Things were
closing in: gave the situation "a
hours 10 develop. At the end OF that
time Flanagan would accuse me open.
ly OF knowing where the pearls were:
! would explain my silly remark 10
him. and the mine would explode
under Aunt Selma.
| was sunk in detected reverie when
some one came on the roof. When he
was opposite the opening in the tent.
! saw Mr.. HARRISON, and at that mo-
ment he saw me- He paused uncer-
tainly, then he made an evident effort
and came over 10 me.
You are-better today9"
Quite well. thank you"
Il am glad you find the tent use
ful. Does II keep OF the wind?"
1T is quite a shelter"-frigidly.
He still stood. struggling for some
thing 20 say. Evidently nothing came
10 his mind. for he lifted the cap he
was wearing. and. turning away. be-
gan 10 work with the wiring OF the
roof. He was clever with tools: one
could see that II he was a profes.
sional gentleman-burglar. no doubt
he needed TO be. After bit. finding
II necessary 10 climb 10 the parapet,
he took OF his coat. without even a
glance I'm my direction. and fell TO
work vigorously,
One does not need 10 like n man 70
admire him physically. any more than
one needs 10 like racehorse or any
other splendid animal. No one could
deny that the man on the parapet
was a splendid animal: he looked
quite big enough and strong enough TO
have tossed his slender bridge across
the gulf 10 the next roof, without any
difficulty. and coordinate enough 20
have crossed II with a flourish 20
safety
Just then there was n rcnding, tear
ing sound from the corner and NUT
tered ejaculation. looked up In time
90 see Mr. HARRISON throw up his
arms. make a futile attempt TO regain
his balance. and disappear over the
edge OF the roof. One instant he was
standing there. splendid. superb; the
next. the corner OF the parapet was
empty, all that stood there was n
broken. splintered post. and a tangle OF
wires
! could not have moved at FIRST; at
least, II seemed hours before the full
significance OF the thing penetrated
my dazed brain. When ! got up |
seemed 10 walk. TO crawl with leaden
weights holding back my feet
When | got 20 the corner | had TO
catch the post for support | knew
somebody was saying: "Oh. how terri.
ble!" over and over. II was only after
ward that knew IL had been myself.
And then some other voice was say.
ing: Don't be alarmed. Please. don't
be frightened. I'm all right"
] dared look over the parapet final.
ly and instead OF a crushed and un.
speakable body, there was Mr.. Harbl.
son, s.'tingsbout eight feet below me.
with his feet swinging into space and
long red scratch from the corner
Of his eye across his cheek. There
was a sort OF mansard there, with win.
dows. and just enough coping 10 keep
him from rolling of.
II thought you had fallen-all the
way" ! gasped, trying TO keep my
lips from trembling. '1-oh. don't
dangle your feet like that"
He did not seem at all glad OF his
escape. He sat there gloomlly. peer.
ing into the gulf beneath
IF Il wasn't so-er-messy and gen.
orally unpleasant" he replied without
looking up, Il would slide OF and 20
the rest OF the way"
You are childish" I said. severely
See II you can get through the win.
dow behind you. II you cannot. I'll
come down and unfasten IT," But the
window was open. and had chance
20 sit down and gather up the scat.
tered ends OF my nerves. To my sur.
prise. however. when he came back
he made no effort 10 renew our con.
versation. He ignored me completely.
and went 90 work at once TO repair
the damage to his wires. with his back
TO me.
CTO BE Continued