Part 28 (2/2)
The disappointhed
”No, old fellow, love's young dream and so forthto get a clew--perhaps soood! No earthly good! Brown sees her safe to the house and then coarden roller and cliusted, envious, lacking inforht I s, and have a ith them A coil of rope and a sack--those shall be our only tools While Brown is talking we'll try to slip the sack over his head and tie him up I don't think the lady will scream, for it seeainst Billy, the Turkish governht
(I still feel sure she is not Miss Arkwright, but a ht inBrown's presence to herand she _does_ scream and help comes, we must bolt to the wall and clear out at once If we succeed, we'll have a talk with her and try to find out soaed his head nervously
”Of course, Mr Wild, I'm as ready for adventure as I ever was But--but this is a serious business It--it reed Tony; ”but I don't think it need if we're smart
Anyhoe reat adventure If we're cute about the sack business I think I can ht You would have to hold the lady”
”B-but----”
”She's awfully pretty ”
”That is no induces, none of your 'perversions!' I don't forget anything Howa beautiful anarchist!”
”I am not an old man yet, Mr Wild,” said Robert with some heat ”You misunderstand me I love romance and can take an interest--a detached interest, of course--an appreciative and artistic interest in a pretty wo of is the law But, since you put it like that, I will co a smile ”Don't let your interest be too detached, old boy, or she et away into the house Grip her firmly by the wrists”
They spent the rest of the suiven his word Mr Hedderwick scorned to withdraw, though it was plain that he did not relish the prospect of a night attack
Tony, in addition to the lantern, procured some rope and a sack frohtly by way of explanation
”_To put the morths in!_” repeated Glew in a dazed fashi+on ”To put the MORTHS in! TO PUT THE----”
He was still repeating the formula when the adventurous pair set out
It was a quarter past ten, thirty minutes before the odd-job man ont to meet the lady of his heart They reached The Quiet House in some ten minutes, and then skirted the wall for a short distance, till Tony stopped with a whispered ”Here we are!” It was in a bridle-path that they found theh Shereling Tony crouched down behind a convenient cluht you up the wall,” he said softly ”When you get to the top, hang by your hands and drop quietly down There's soft grass ten feet beneath you As soon as you're up I shall put out the light, for I know the way by heart now”
With a resentful obedience Robert observed the big nails that had been driven into the brickwork by the a hi security of The Happy Heart--but loath to plead his years or cowardice, Mr Hedderwick put his foot on the lowest spike, grasped one above his head, and began the ascent To an active boy it would have been a trivial feat; to an elderly adventurer it was full of pain, and in spite of an heroic spirit he was , however, forbade the refusal of the adventure: curiosity or shali him ever upward, shone like a beacon of proht spurred hi across the top of the wall that he reflected on a change of si hie failed
”Mr Wild!” he whispered despairingly, ”I'ht?” said the cheering voice of his fellow crian to follow, rope, sack and lantern coiled over his shoulders
With a groan of resolution Robert wiped the sweat of fear froround
Tony joined hi a little quickly from the climb Without a word he walked cautiously forward, Robert close behind, until they reached a thicket of elder-bushes Into the heart of this they crept, ed they were so placed as to be secure from observation, themselves able to observe, they halted ”May as well sit dohispered Tony; ”quite likely we shall have to wait a bit” He spread the sack upon the ground and the two of the their knees
The night, most luckily, was fine There was no hint of rain, and little deas falling There was no ht only served to display the i threateningly on theainst the dark background of the sky it reared its bulk above thehthoulish fancies, prosaic fears of the police, a child's dread of the dark and all its goblins It was so silent, powerful, unknown
Mr Hedderwick's flesh crept with a chill that was not climatic, and instinctively he huddled closer to his companion