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When it opened again, Mallory's voice said, "Close that light," adding, "Is anything the matter, Mr. West?" "No," replied Harvey. "We're keeping an eye open. I see your men know their business. Have you had any trouble?" "Everything is quiet. Do you care to come in?" Harvey responded by entering, with Mattison following.
"And then being naturally angry that any man should presume to propose for the last time, she proceeded to be 'perfectly horrid' to him. Go on, Miss Mathers. That's as far as you'd got." "I I told him you won't tell anyone?" "No." "I told him I'd decided to marry Jim Mattison." "Ah " said Terry. "Now we're getting at it!
"First-class. Better let me go, I know the combination." Mattison stood at the foot of the ladder, and steadied it while Harvey stealthily climbed to the window. Drawing himself into the passage, the receiver set to work on the vault lock. He turned the knob very slowly, guarding against the slightest noise, but the faint light that came through the window was not enough to bring out the numbers.
"See here, West," said Mattison, when they were fairly around the corner, "wasn't that a little hasty? It wouldn't hurt to keep the man out of the way." "No, I don't agree with you. What McNally has done so far will be upheld by his judge. And another thing, Mattison; just at present, it isn't to our interest to get an investigation under way. We're going to do the same thing ourselves."
Waiting until the sound died in the distance, the two stepped to the walk, looked hastily toward each corner, and ran across the street. Once in the station alley, they paused again. "Look!" said Harvey, pointing; "he left the ladder." Sure enough, a light ladder reached from the ground nearly to a second-story window, which stood open. "Well, here we are," Mattison whispered. "How do you feel?"
Polly turned upon him with a flash of gray eyes. "I was going to tell before the trial. I didn't know the inquest made any difference. I would have told the coroner the morning he came to take my testimony, only he brought Jim Mattison with him as a witness, and I couldn't explain before Jim." "That would have been awkward," Terry agreed. "Polly," said I, severely. "This is inexcusable!
As is likely to be the case with the baby of a large family, Polly was thoroughly spoiled, but that fact did not in the least diminish her charm. Report had it, at the time of my arrival, that after refusing every marriageable man in the county, she was now trying to make up her mind between Jim Mattison and Radnor.
"I am innocent," said Radnor, brokenly, and without another word he prepared to go. Mattison drew some hand-cuffs from his pocket, and Radnor looked at them with a dark flush. "You needn't be afraid. I am not going to run away," he said. Mattison dropped them back again with a muttered apology. I went out to the stable with one of the men and helped to saddle Jennie Loo.
"And now," said Mattison, rising, "I suppose the first thing, is to see about Radnor's release, though I swear I don't know yet what was the matter with him on the day of the crime." "I believe you have the honor of Miss Polly Mathers's acquaintance? Perhaps she will enlighten you," suggested Terry. A look of illumination flashed over Mattison's face. Terry laughed and rose.
We had both examined them more than once before, and we saw nothing now but what had already appeared. We straightened up and shook our heads. "They're the prints of bare feet," said Mattison, stolidly. "But I don't see that they're any different from any other bare feet." Terry handed him the ruler. "Measure them," he said. "Measure this one that's flat on the ground.
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