Under His Thumb — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

74 UNDER HIS THUMB? sued a more prudent course. But curiosity impelled him to hasten in pursuit of the figure. : He did not speak, and he advanced noiselessly. He saw the figure reach the stairway leading to the basement, and pass down out of sight. The boy would have followed had he not, in passing over a latticed hatch opening into the basement, caught a gleam of light from below. Instantly he closed his own lantern, and stooping, peered down through the opening. He saw a man’s figure pass under the hatch, com- ing from the stairs. He saw a lantern hanging from a hook, and another man seated under it eating a lunch. $teve could scarce repress an exclamation of amazement as he recognized the two men. For the one eating was George Dyer, the foreman, and the other was Clarence Blain. Dyer sprang to his feet as the latter confronted him. ‘So you—you have come,’’ he huskily gasped. “Got your message, and of course I was curious to know what you had to say,’’ Blain answered, with his accustomed drawl. For a wonder he was sober, and had been from the hour of his unique encounter with the detective. ‘*Did you come alone?” “TL intended to. But I’ve a notion that there’s been a ghost or something following me ever since [came _ inside. Beastly lonesome here at night, isn’t it?”’ ‘Since the crime, yes. But I shall get used to it, — I guess. I must haunt the premises at night for the present, until this mystery is cleared up.”’ “5 ‘Is that what you wished to tell me? *Pon my word, you took a heap of trouble——”’ “Wait, and hear me,’’ Dyer interrupted. ‘comicbooks.com —