New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-12-18

uoor over tne pit Is now PRACTICAL
e finished It's too complicated to dc
0 scribe, but Stingaree has only t
: march into the bank and stick 1t up
and the man behind the counter ha
] only to touch lever with his foot 70
the villain to disappear through tn
floor into prison it'll take him all BIZ
, time to break. On Saturday the cash
Ter and the clerk are coming to dinner
: and before we sit down they are TO b,
shown everything"
This was but fraction Of one o
the long letters which Fergus dispatch
ed by nearly every mail His con
science pricked him as he took his let
ter to the post. and he had 1t regis
tered on no other score.
On Saturday the bank closed at |
o'clock. The staff We're to return and
dine at 7. the kings birthday falling
on the same day for a sufficient pre-
text AS the hour approached Fergus
made the distressing discovery that his
friend and host had anticipated the
festivities with too free a hand. Mac
bean was not drunk. but he was per-
ceptibly blunted and blurred, and Fer
gus had never seen the pale eyes SO
watery or the black skull cap so much
on one side Of the venerable head. The
lad was genuinely grieved. A whisky
bottle stood empty on the laden board.
and he had the temerity to pocket the
cOrkscrew while Macbean was gone to
his stOrerOom for another bottle. A
| solemn search ensued and then Fergus
was dispatched in haste for new
cOrkscrew.
"An' look slippy." said Macbean, ..or
Wen have old Donkin here before We
get back
Not for another three quarters of an
hour" remarked Fergus, looking at
his watch.
ANY minuter' retorted Macbean.
with ribald epithet. Il invited Don
kin. in confidence to come a good half
hour airly. and ri tell We for why
Donkin must ken, but I'm none so sure
yon other impident young squirt
His tongues too long for his mouth
Donkin or | could always be behind
'AS NCNiIei' al 10 lIhtt
his opeenion before tellin' any other
BODY
Fergus took his departure by the pri- |
vate entrance, hurried till he was out
OF sight and then idled shamelessly un- |
der the trees. He was not going on
for new cOrkscrew. He was going
back to confess boldly where he had
found the old one
Fergus glanced over his shoulder saw
Donkin hurrying and hurried himself
in order to take up a good position for
seeing the cashiers face. He was In
the middle Of the treacherous floor be-
fore he perceived that it was not Mac
bean in the half light behind the coun
ter, but good looking man whom he
had never seen before.
Didn't know l was invited, chi?
said the stranger, putting up a single
eyeglass. Don't believe it perhaps?
You'd better ask Mr. Macbeanv'
And before it had occurred to him to
stir from where he stood agape the
floor fell from under the feet of Fer
gus. his body lurched forward, and
came down fiat and heavy on the hard
earth eight feet below And in the
clinging velvet darkness the young
man heard groan.
"Is that yourself. Fergy?" il
"And are you there, Mr. MacbeanY'
Mon, didn't it shut just fine!'' J
Its Stingaree," said the old man,
drawing a breath through his teeth. {
''Of course it is IL
Il never breathed it to a SOUL" e
mo more did l."
Fergus spoke with ready confidence, S
md yet the words left something on {
lis mind. 1t was something vague t
)ut haunting; something that made
him feel instinctiyely unworthy Of the L
Kindly. accomplishing tone which had
annoyed him but moment before. II
mo bones broken. FergyT'
'None that l know Of"
II doubt I've not been so lucky. I'm
hinkin' It's a rib by the way it hurts
o breathe"
Fergus was already fumbling In his
'ocket. The matchbox opened with
lick. The match scraped several times
q vain. Then at last the scene sprang
ut as on the screen of magic lantern.
md to Fergus it was very white old
nan, hunched up against the muddy
vail, with blood upon his naked scalp
nd beard and both hands pressed to
Is side; to the old man a muddy face
trcken with Mortified concern and a
latch burning down between muddy
ngers. but to both such a new view i
nd version Of their precious hole that +
ne corners Of each mouth were witch
lg as the match was thrown away.
Fergus was fumbling for another
hen a step rang overhead, and at Il
lie sharp exchange of words which Is
9th underground expected Fergus IL
anne on all tours to the ola mans side, rs
nd together they sat gazing upward Ii
ito the pail of impenetrable Grape. IE
You internal villain!'' they heard IL
'onkin roar, and stamp his feet with ID
lch effect that the floor opened, and IL
own through the square Of light came |E
lie cashier feet first IE