The Cairo bulletin., 1912-03-09
CHAPTER X.
A Nocturnal Intrinsic,

A Nocturnal Intrusion.
"Oh, but say, les impossible. yot
know" And I stared at jenkins In
credulously.
He grinned foolishly. Il know, sir:
but he's in 'em, just the same. and
must say they do at loysiy--just easy
like"
by Jove!" I gasped help1essly.
Then the jolly things must be made
of rubber. that's all! Why. look here,
he weighs over three hundred
pounds. you know."
Jenkins head wagged sagaciously.
Il think that's how it is, sir; It's Won
derfui what they do with rubber now;
my brother wears rubber cloth band
age that amt NO bigger round than
my arm when !t's OF Of him, and
he
Dare say" / said slsepily as I fell
back upon my pillow. Good night,
jenkins; hope you'll get enough sleep
to make up for the other night"
Jenkins sighed az he punched out
the light. Thank you. sir-and good
night" he murmured.
How long I slept ! cannot tell, Al
they say In stories, you know; but I
was brought jolly wide awake By q
light that shone through the bed
rooms open door. For II there's one
thing win wake me quicker than
everything else It's light In the room
at night. Fact Ia, always want 1t as
black as sthe what's-its-name cave, or
else can't sleep. And this light
came from the small electric stand on
the writing-desk | could tell that by
the way 1t shone.
And Just then the little silver gong
In there chimed three, Jolly rum
hour for anybody to be up unless
they were having some fun or were
sick. So / raised my head and called
softly:
'Jenkins-er-Billings!"
No answer. Reluctantly I swung
out and stepped within the next
room. Not q soul there. by Joyel
Then I moved over to Billings door.
which was wide open for GOODNESS.
like my own. / could not see the
Swallowed alcove In which the bed
was placed, and 80 stood there hest-
tating, hating awfuily to risk the pos
sibility OF disturbing him, don't you
know. And Just then my eyes, rang.
ing sleepily across the room toward
the private hall. were startled by the
apparition Of an open doorway.
Startled, all right And yet, by
Jovs. was in such jolly fog, Just
stood there, nodding and batting at 1t
for full minute before could tako
1t In.
What I call davtlish queer" / de-
cided. walked over and stuck my
head out into the dark hall.
Billings! Jenkins!" whispered.
BY Jove, not word! Everything
as silent az the tomb!
didn't like 1t bit--so mysterious,
you know. Besides, dash it, the thing
was getting me all walked up! just
knew II once | got excited and thor
oughly awake, It would take me near
ly ten minutes to get to sleep again.
And, by Jove, just then the excite
ment came, for got hold OF the fact
after had stared at It while. that
the door of my apartment opening
into the outer corridor was standing
ajar. Why. dash 1t. 1t was not only
standing. 1t was moving. Then sud
denly the broad streak Of light from
the corridor widened under the i'm.
pulse Of treshening breeze. and the
door swung open vita bang.
And then heard my name spoken.
BY Jove, had been standing there
with my mouth open. bobbing my head
like silly dodo; but, give you my
word, I was suddenly wide awake as
jolly owl wagon!
Away down the corridor, by the
mail chute, man was standing read
Ing framed placard. Nothing partic-
ularly remarkable in this, but as the
door banged he turned his head
sharply and CALCULATED:
Dammit! Now. that win wake
Lightnutp
was surprised, because couldn't
recall ever having seen him before:
yet, standing az he did under the light,
I had opportunity for devilish good
view.
He was heavy set old party, rather
baldish, with snowy mutton chops and
beefy complexion that was jolly we'll
tanned below the hatband line, YOU
know. The kind of old boy you size
UP as one of the prime feeder sort
and fond OF looking on the wine when
1t Ia Oporto red Had something Of
the cut of the retired India colonies
one sees about the Service clubs in
London--straight as lamp post still,
! but out OF training and In devilish
need Of tapping--that sort Of duck.
you know! a
/. What q respectable-looking old par,