The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 21 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARGOSY 320 Still puzzling over the matter, Brad started down toward the dining room. On the stairs he met Mrs. Hollis. ‘‘Is Dr. Hope away ?” he asked. ‘‘ Yes,” was the answer. ‘‘ He left this morning for New York. He said he would be back this evening, sure.” Brad thought he detected light immediately. ‘‘ T have it," he said to Perry, as they passed on. ‘‘ Dr. Hope, of course, intended seeing Mr. Parker in New York, and he has, no doubt, some business matter that he wants to talk to me about. “The only thing I can’t uaderstand is why he should have to see me late tonight. Still, of course he kriows best about that.” The school building was situated about one hundred yards back of the Hall, and was connected with the latter by a board walk, which was completely protected and inclosed by a long wooden shed, in order that the students could readily pass from one building to the other in all kinds of weather without wrapping up. At the Hall end the shed joined the door of the lavatory, or large washroom, which was filled with stationary wash- stands and numbered lockers, in which the boys kept balls, bats, rackets and other sporting materials. At the school house end the shed opened upon the large piazza that skirted the front of the building. In this structure Dr. Hope had an office, where he was often at work at night, so that it was no special cause of surprise to Bradley that he should be summoned there. It was close upon eleven o'clock, and Perry Landon was in bed and asleep when Brad, who had spent the evening quietly reading, rose to go down to the school building. Rememberiny that the night was cold, he put on his hat be- fore leaving his room, and then, turning down the gas, he stepped into the hallway. Everything was quiet about him. The boys had all retired, and the lights, with the exception of asmall gas jet at the head of the stairs, had all been ex- tinguished. He was making in that direction when it oc curred to him that he could avoid passing the other rooms and the chance of disturbing the sieeping inmates, as well as reach his destination more readily, by going down the back stairs, which led directly into the lavatory. Brad therefore changed his course, and, making the least possible noise, he walked to the rear of the hall and de- scended the back stairs. e After passing down the two nar- row winding flights, he found himself at the lower door. Gropirg around in the dark for a few moments, he found the knob, and, opening the door very softly, stepped down into the lavatory. A low fire was burning in the large stove which stood in the center of the room, and. by the dim light it shed, Brad made his way to the outer door, which opened upon the shed passageway. This he found fastened, but the bolts were easily slid back, and a few seconds suf- ficed to open the door. A cold chill from the passageway struck him, and Brad instinctively shrunk back and buttoned up his coat more tightly before venturing ot. At this moment a strange and unexpected sound arrested him. Holding his breath, he inclined his head forward and listened attentively. First came a gentle clink, clink, clink ! then the noise of a sliding drawer, and then that curious clink again. Brad was unable at first to make out from what di- rection the sounds came. but in a few seconds the matter was solved by a sudden flash of light that shot across the ground glass window between the lavatory and the pantry adjoining. The light came from the interior of the pantry, - and flashed fitfully to and fro. On seeing this, Brad at once experienced a sense of relief. ‘It is probably one of the servants clearing up things, or putting the silver away.” he said to himself. It seemed a very late hour, however, for such a proceeding ; so Brad, in order to assure himself, tiptoed cautiously forward, and slowly raising the lower sash of the ground glass window an inch or two, stooped down and peered through. Involuntarily a gasp of amazement escaped him at the sight that met his eyes. (Zo be continued.) A SHOP ON WHEELS.* BY WALTER F. BRUNS. CHAPTER XXVI. THE CAPTURE. HE heavy reports of the guns echoing through the house, and the:rapid shooting withoat, drowned what noise he would make, besides keeping the occupants busy ; and selecting a suitable position, he began operations. He worked unceasiugly for the greater part of an hour, and then crawled cautiously back, panting and nearly ex- hausted. “That is hard work,” he said, ‘‘and that pick is awful clumsy to work with. I have got one rock very near out.” ‘*Let me try,” said Chub; and Hart not replying, he dropped to the ground and began to do as Hart had done. During all this time the firing had not ceased, and from the number of shots one would think a sham battle was in progress. Chub found that Hart had centered his work upon one good sized rock, from which the mortar had been carefully chipped away. He inserted the point of the pick in the crevice, and throwing some of his hundred and seventy five pounds of humanity on the handle, was rewarded with a crunching noise and found himself flat on his back, while the stone rolled over the ground. ‘Careful, there,” he heard Hart say sharply. Now that he had more of a show with the pick, the next Stone left its long resting place in rather an unceremonious manner. In no more time than was consumed by Hart, an opening was made large enough to admit the passage of a large man. Chub took one look in at the Egyptian darkness, a hasty sniff at the peculiar odor coming through the opening, and scrambled back to where Hart and the two men were stand- ing in the darkness. ‘It is finished,” he said simply. ‘ All right,” returned Hart quickly. ‘* Murphy !” A man came up, indistinguishable in the dark but for the bandages around his throat. . _* Take three men and watch the outside. We are going in. They may make a break to get away, but don’t let any escape.” ‘I won't,” replied Murphy yrimly. thing for this cut in my neck.” When Murphy and his three men were posted, Hart gath- ered the remaining three around him and said - ‘*] will take the lead. Come one at a time, and wait until the one ahead of you is through before you start. See that your weapons are properly loaded. Are you going, young man?” ‘* Yes, sir,” replied Chub. ‘* Here is a pistol. Now we number five. They are still one ahead, but that one is a woman. Are you ready?” ‘‘ All ready,” was the low response, and dropping on his hands and knees, Hart crawled rapidly toward the hole in the foundation. ‘‘T owe ’em some- *Begun in No. 428 of THE ARGOSY. SS} GOMM(GDOO COLL