Cogswell Polytechnical College - Cogswell Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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54 THE COGSWELL On the dresser lay the chamois bag, and beside this several rings andlbrace- lets. jack backed away and then made quite a little noise as if coming up the stairs. He knocked on the door and in a minute or so Lord Norfolk opened the door, yawning. . f'VVhat do you want? he said. You woke me up. My head, how it aches ! Throw up your hands ! cried jack, and he drew his automatic from his Pocket. Lord Norfolk obeyed, but as he threw them up he managed to knock his own revolver from his pocket so that it fell on the Hoor beside his feet. He stooped to pick it up, but Jack halted him by saying, Let that be- Keep your hands up. I'll tend to that, and jack made a quick grab for the pistol. Here was the lord's only chance. Like a flash he sent a powerful left into Jack's jaw and made a quick getaway. The blow only stunned Jack for a moment. He rose, snatched his gun and, half staggering, ran after the fugitive. There were a number of cars outside, one of which had kept the engine running all evening. It was a big Stutz and built especially for racing. Lord Norfolk made a dash for the car and in a minute was traveling sixty miles per hour down the wet street. Jack just reached the pavement in time to see Norfolk make his getaway. He glanced quickly over the remaining cars and noticed a Mercer runabout at the end of the line. At the point of a gun the chauffeur drove furiously after the Stutz. They swerved from side to side, skidded around corners and hit all the high spots in the road. The cutout on the Mercer was open, the exhaust roared and roared through the pipe. They were gaining. Only two blocks separated the two cars. As the Stutz was nearing Broadway it skidded half a turn and then hit the curbing of the sidewalk. There was a terrible crash and the spokes of the rear wheel were demolished. The driver was unable to move the car, and, as jack was but half a block behind, Lord Norfolk ran down the street and dodged into a beautiful house. jack was paralyzed. It was the house of Eleanor Forbes! Eleanor Forbes was about to retire. She had turned out all the lights in the living room and had reached the staircase when she saw the figure of a man with bent head coming toward her. She tried to scream, but she icouldn't. She felt as if she were being choked. At last she stammered, VVhat do you want? VVho are you ?,' Sister! Eleanor! She took one look at him and then she fell in a half stupor. Her brother took her in his arms and whispered, Save me! Save me! H631-P The bell is 1'iI1g'iHg'! Listen! some one is pounding on the door! Eleanor recovered her self-possession and released herself from him. You.? You? That's what you are, is it, when we thought you were working in the Vlfest? You'cl better go. Oh, don't, for God's sake, don't! Haven't you any feeling for me. Y . Cant you hea1 them pounding on the door? Hide me ggmewlqeye and fell them no one came heref' VVhat have you been doing?

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THE COGSWELL 53 the breeze coming through the open window. He stooped to pick it up, but as his lingers were about to seize it he hesitated. Then he jumped up, skipped around the room with his hands in his pockets and whistled a merry little tune. At last he shouted, I've got it at last! Ray! Ray! Ray! Now I can work. Gee, l've been a boob not to think of that before. Here I've been playing the piano all week and the idea never entered 1ny head. His plan was to hire out as an entertainer. He was a wonderful pianist, especially in the playing of ragtime. ,llc would play lor the dances and in that way gain entrance to the houses without creating the least suspicion. He could observe thinfrs closelv and detect auv little thine' that miffht UO wrong. 5 H f 6 b b He grabbed his hat and cane and banged the door behind him. In an hour he was back. lle had obtained the chance he wanted, He was going to play dance music at Mrs. XYestl1all's party the following Friday evening. It was arranged that another pianist should play classical music between dances. This would give .lack an opportunity lu make observations during the intermissions. Friday night came. .lack armed himself and hastened to Mrs. NVest- hall's. He was rather early and none ol the guests had arrived. He man- aged to get one of the servants to take him around the house, saying that its antiquity and richness had made him very curious to see it. He observed everything very closely and felt sure that he would be able to prowl around without getting lost. By this time the guests had arrived and the dance began. The evening progressed and everything went on smoothly. About ll :3O, just after lack had rendered a most popular rag, Lord Norfolk. one ol the most distin- guished guests, walked over toward the piano with his partner, Miss Mears. He was extremely warm and pulled out a handkerchief from the rear pocket of his trousers to mop his brow. .-Xs he did so he unconsciously lifted a piece of chamois just above the pocket. lt was invisible to the unsuspect- ing, but j'ack's alert eye noticed it. He did not give it a second glance, but turned slightly so as not to create the slightest suspicion. XVill you excuse me, Miss Mears, for a few momentsi saic Lore Norfolk politely. 'Tve danced so much I have a terrible headache, and I think if I could lie down for a few moments the pain would be greatly alleviated. Certainly, but don't be long. You have the one after the next with at i 1 me. Lord Norfolk had already gained the staircase and, taking two steps at a time, he reached the second floor. jack wanted to follow him, but he couldn't-he had to play. He shortened the next da11ce considerably and then sauntered out of the room in the most unconcerned manner. Vtfhen he came to the second floor he listened closely. For several minutes he could hear nothing and then suddenly he heard a slight click as if the cover of a watch had been closed. The sound came from an adjoining room and lack hastened quietly to the door and peeped through the keyhole. Wfithin he saw Lord Norfolk stooping to pick up a small wrist Watch from the floor.

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THE COGSWELL 55 I haven't time to talk about that now. Oh, they're breaking the door in, and he shook lrightlully. Tell me. XYell, he faltered, l have been burglarizing for the last two or three months, trying to get enough money for my wifes doctor bill. I ani known as the Society llurglar. Uh, what a fool lfve been. If I get-- Oh, you'll save me. wou't you? I think you had better leave. Oh, no! You wouldn't do that. and he grabbed her tiny hand plead- ingly. You have heard! I Here they come! For lJad's sake, hide me! No! I If my wife should know and my baby boy grow up and found that his father was a- Go into that room until I call yon, and she drew the curtains behind him. NYhere is he? Eleanor. where did he go? My, how pale you look. He must have frightened you, but we'll get him. Perhaps he is in there, and -lack moved toward the room where Lord Norfolk was hiding. Eleanor, trying to act calm and unconcerned, said: Hxxvllilll is the matter with you, -Tack? XX'hat are you looking for? lYhy-er-haven't you seen him? The burglar? The Society Burglar ! IYhy, of course not, and she laughed merrily. But he came in here not more than live minutes ago, and I've been trying to get in ever since. Yes, I notice that the door is broken, and I think you have a nerve breaking into my house at such an hour looking for a burglar. But I thought-I- You didn't see any one come here. No one has been heref, .Tack started down the stairs. I-Ie wheeled suddenly and yelled: XYho is in that room ? Lord Norfolk had incautiously stepped on the hardwood floor and it had squeaked slightly. . IVhy-why-th-that's-th-Iohn, our butler, and Eleanor turned pale as death. IN'hoever it may be, said Jack sternly, 'KI give him just Hve seconds to come out- I thought so. Put up your hands. You're quite a man, coming to play on a woman's sympathy, and jack slipped the handcuffs on roughly. And as for you, Eleanor, well, I won't say itg it would choke me. Colne on, you coward, follow me ! Don't Jack, don't take him awayf, Eleanor sobbed bitterly, he's-he's my brotherf' jack released his gripg then he tightened it again. You lied to me oneef' I swear it! Oh, God, believe me, and have mercy upon us!',