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"However, you'll be paid on your own reckoning, and better, too," I said; and he was thereby consoled. "Now, we must get out of here," I continued. "Take turns by twos in helping Barkhouse. We had better not risk staying here." "Right," said Corson, "and now we'll just take these three beauties along to the station." "On what charge?" growled the man addressed as Conn.
Phillips got here a bit ago, and I think he has something to report." As Phillips had been sent scouting with Barkhouse I thought it likely, and called him to my room. "No, sir, I didn't see Bob for nigh on an hour before I came back. Not after we got to Borton's." "I left him just outside the door," I said. "Then you seen him after I did.
I thanked her as she pressed my hand, and, with no Luella awaiting me by the stair, I took my way down the stone steps, between the bronze lions, and joined Porter and Barkhouse on the sidewalk. "All quiet?" I asked of my guards, as we took our way down the street. "All quiet," said Porter. "You'd better tell him," said Barkhouse. "Oh, yes," said Porter, as if in sudden recollection.
The doors came out of the darkness as the second jet blazed up, but nothing else was to be seen. Suddenly there was a scramble, and something sprang up before my door. Porter and I raised the revolvers that were ready in our hands, but Barkhouse sprang past us, and in an instant had closed with the figure and held it in his arms.
I thanked Mother Borton and pressed her hand, and she held the candle as I tiptoed down the stairs, joined my waiting guards, and went out into the night. The fresh, cool air of the early morning hours was grateful after the close and tainted atmosphere of the den we had left, but I had other things to think of than the pleasure of once more filling my lungs. "Where are Barkhouse and Phillips?"
And he went on to explain that while the Chinese desperado is a devil to fight among his own kind, he does not interfere with the white man. I called my men aside and spoke sharply. "You haven't obeyed orders," I said. "You, Porter, and you, Barkhouse, were to keep close by me to-night. You didn't do it, and it's only by good luck that the young lady and I were not killed.
Brown and Barkhouse were to attend me during daylight, and Fitzhugh and Porter were to guard together at night. And, so much settled, I hastened to the office. No sign of Doddridge Knapp disturbed the morning, and at the noon hour I returned to the room in the house of mystery that was still my only fixed abode. All was apparently as I had left it, except that a letter lay on the table.
Carter with Mr. Horton followed. Corson was waiting for us at the old City Hall. I had arranged with the policeman that he should act as our guide, and had given him Porter and Barkhouse as assistants in case any should be needed. "A fine night for it, sor," said Corson in greeting. "There's a little celebration goin' on among the haythens to-night, so you'll see 'em at their best."
"What was it?" asked Barkhouse, as we stopped on the upper landing and gazed into the obscurity. "I thought I heard a noise," said I. "Who's there?" "It was a rat," said Porter. "I've heard 'em out here of nights." "Well, just light that other gas-jet," I said. "It will help to make things pleasant in case of accidents."
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