Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-06-16
CHAPTER xvII-contInued.

81 got the window catch open with
penknife-it was old and loose. l went
over the whole room that night and
again on another highland found
nothing ] did discover a little strong
box in the top drawer Of the dresser.
1t lay wide open. 1t had a curious
lock. In that. was sure. he would
put the Jewels II he ever wanted to
move them. There was no sign of the
bill of sale. 1t occurred to me. then.
that Captain Hanska might be carry
ing 1t on his person. I knew him to
be a very sound sleeper-he had boast
ed to me Of that, and he proved 1t by
sleeping through fire at his hotel
when he was in Port of Spain. So
did dangerous thing. Without speak
ing to Juan. ! went down the fire es-
cape at two O'Clock in the morning of
a night when Captain Hanska was at
home. and looked through his pockets.
l even examined all the papers In his
wallet by the light of the electric
.orch. But it was not there. Juan.
when ! told him, was angry with me
for taking such a risk. He made me
promise never to enter the room
again unless Captain Hanska was
away.
And then we found that we must
act quickly, or lose our property for
ever. Juan was watching Captain
Hanska, following his movements
very closely. That day-the day and
night when everything happened-the
captain visited jeweler in Maiden
Lane-I think you call 1t. He stayed a
long time From there he went to
safe deposit bank. When he came out.
he had a package in his pocket-Juan
could see his coat bulge. Juan was
afraid that he would 60 straight back
to the jeweler and make the sale; and
then our last hope would have been
gone. Instead, Captain Hanska went
to a cafe and sat alone q long time,
drinking. When he left that place, he
returned to Mrs. Moore's. And the
shape of his pocket showed that he
still carried the package.
1T was plain to US that the package
contained the Jewels. and that he in
tended to dispose OF them at once
probably the next morning. That night
the Jewels would be in his room-and
It was our last chance. Juan came to
see me Just after dinner. We talked 1t
all over, and made our final plans. In
the first place. 1t seemed best for
Juan to do the work himself am a
woman, and very weak with grief and
illness. / could do nothing in case I
was discovered. Though Juan had
never been in the roor could tell
him exactly where tc iook-there
seemed no doubt that Captain Han
ska was keeping the strong-box for
that very purpose.
Then we considered another thing
how we should both get away. At
first we decided that I should leave
the house early, and that Juan. after
getting the Jewels, should follow me.
But he did not dare to make the at
tempt before one or two o'clock in the
morning, when Captain Hanska would
surely be asleep-even the heaviest
sleepers sometimes lie awake long
time after they go to bed. Mrs. Moore.
we knew. was very watchfuEshe was
afraid of burglars and she had a habit
of running to her door whenever any
one entered or left during the night.
She would know that had gone out:
II Juan left at one or two in the morn
ing, Mrs. Moore would take alarm.
knowing as she did that I was out OF
the house. Being nervous and igno-
rant, she was likely. we felt, to seize