The Washington herald., 1914-03-22
Rd BY "Y \
E.W. MORNUNG

Win glass door leading within. IL
was through this glass that Raffles had
first seen the light; and he now pro-
ceeded to take out pane, with the
diamond, the pot of treaclc, and the
sheet of brown paper which we're sell
dom omitted from his impedimenta.
Raffles now inserted his hand, turned
the key in the lock, and, by making a
long arm, succeeded in drawing the
bolt at the bottom of the door. 1t
proved to be the only one, and the door
opened, though not very wide.
What's that?" said Raffles, as some
thing crunched beneath his feet on the
very threshold.
"a pair of spectacles," | whispered,
picking them up. ! was still lingering
the broken lenses and the bent rims
when Raffles tripped and almost fell,
with gasping cry that he made no
effort to restrain.
Hush, man, hush!' l entreated un-
der my breath. Hell hear you"
For answer his teeth chattered-even
his-and ! heard him fumbling with
his matches. No. Bunny; be won't
hear u.s. whispered Raffies, presently; /;
and he rose from his knees and Lit a
gas light as the match burned down.
Angus Baird was lying on his own
floor. dead, with his gray hairs glued
together by his blood; near him a
poker with the black end glistening; in
corner his desk, ransacked, Uttered.
A clock licked noisily on the chimney
piece; for perhaps a hundred seconds
there was no other sound.
Raff1es stood very still, staring down
at the dead, as a man might stare into
an abyss after striding blindly to its
brink. His breath came audibly through
wide nostrils; he made no other sign,
and his lips seemed sealed.
That light" said /, hoarsely; the
light we saw under the door,"
With start he turned to me.
Its true! / had forgotten it. 1t
was in here | saw it first! Some one
has done the job"
He must be upstairs still"
IF he is we'll soon rout him out.
Come onr'
Instead | laid hand upon his arm,
imploring him to refcct-that his enc
my was dead now-that We should GER
tainly be involved-that now or never
was our own time to escape. He shook
me off in a sudden fury OF impatience,
a reckless contempt in his eyes, and
bidding me save my own skin If liked,
he once more turned his back upon me,
and this time left me half resolved to
take him at his word. Had he forgot
ten on what errand he himself was
here? Was he determined that this
night should end in black disaster? As
| asked myself these questions his
match fared in the hall; in another mo-
ment the stairs were creaking under
his feet, even as they had creaked un-
der those OF the murderer; and the hu-
name instinct that inspired him in de-
fance OF his risk was borne in also
upon my slower sensibilities. Could
we let the murderer go? My answer
was to bound up the creaking stairs
and to overhaul Raffies on the landing.
But three doors presented themselves.
The first opened into a bedroom with
the bed turned down, but undisturbed
the second room was empty in every
sense; the third door was locked.
Raffles lit the landing gas.
Hes in there" said he, cooking his
revolver.
His fiat foot crashed over the key
hole, the lock gave, the door flew open,
and in the sudden draught the landing
gas heeled over like a cobble in a |
squall; as the fame righted itself l saw
a fixed bath, two bath towels knotted
open Window covering |
figure-and Raffles struck aghast on the |
threshold.
"Jack-Rutter
The words came thick and slow with |
horror, and in horror l heard myself |
repeating them, while the covering fig
ure by the bathroom window rose grad
ually erect.
Its you'll" he whispered, in amaze
ment no less than our own. ITS you
two! What's it mean, RafflcS? l saw
you get over the gate; bell rang, the
place is full OF them. Then you broke
in. What's it all mean?"
1--WE may tell you that when you tell
US what in Gods name you've done,
Rutterr'
"Doneo What have | done" The
unhappy wretch came ont into the light
with bloodShot, blinking eyes. and
bloody shirtfront. You know-you've
I'll tell you if you like. I've
<illed a robber, jackal, blackmailer,
he cleverest and the cruelest villain un-
1ung. I'm ready to hang for him. I'd
sill him again!
And he looked us ficrccly in the face,