University of Virginia Library

4. CHAPTER IV.

As Jack threw the heavy sack of silver upon the floor, Ellery rose, and
springing towards it with a glad cry, opened the mouth of it, and poured the
contents upon the carpet.

`Eight pieces, Jack! One more than I thought for,' he exclaimed, with
delight. `Ah, my buck, you are as true as steel, or rather, I may say, as a
blood-hound — for put you once on the scent, and you never flinch till you
have fastened your clutch upon your game!' This is a fine prize!' he
added, as he surveyed the glittering pile as it reflected the beams of the
lamp. `How did you manage to get possession of it, and so soon?'

`You see — but first, Master Clow, a tumbler of rum, for I am confounded
dry, and I've had hard work to-night. You see that, Mr. Ellery!' and as he
spoke, he drew up the sleeve of his jacket, and exhibited a deep wound in
his arm. `Who, do you suppose, gave me that?' he demanded, stretching
out his bleeding arm, upon which the blood had partly congealed. `Who,
do you suppose, drew that blood?'

`You have got into a bad scrape, Jack, I fear, in this matter. Was it a
Charley?'

`No — but I'll tell ye,' answered the burglar, in the low, deep tone of a
man whose heart is inwardly glowing with vengeance; and drawing a fragment
of a silk handkerchief down over the gash, that he had removed to display
it, he said, `you see, boss, I found the window, and all, just as you said.
Every thing was dark as a doused glim. The coast being clear, I got over
the iron fence and in among the vines, and so upon the balcony, over which
the plants crept. It was a nice curtain they made, and a Charley might
have passed by without never a guess that Jack Brigs was snugly hid behind
a woodbine, within five feet of his skull-cap. Well, I tries the blinds,
and they comes open like a pair of arms, to welcome me into the house; I
then tries the window, and it gives as easy as if the fixin's was oiled for the
occasion; but, then, in these great houses, I al'ays finds every thing works
still and quiet. No creakin' doors, no squealing windows, nor squeakin'
stairs! All is solid, and as it should be. I considers the risks o' bein' caught
al'ays less in a rich man's dommy than any other! Well, the window slid
up just as soft as if it was my partner in the business, and then I listened
before going in — for you know I had only to walk in as through an open

door. Hearin' nothin', I crept soft, and found myself in the room. I then
closes the curtains to keep from being seen from outside, and then springs
my “darkie.” I then saw by the light of it that all was just as you said;
and there, on the sideboord, stood starin' me kindly in the face, them'ere two
silver waiters. So I walks up, and pockets 'em quietly in my sack, and then
opened the sideboard, and finds all the rest just waitin' for me to take 'em.
I had hardly got 'em bagged, when I hears somebody — when I hears a
hand on the door knob in the hall. I instant douses my glim, and prepares
for a touse if I is discovered. A young lady opened the door, and leaving
it open so that the hall lamp would shine in to give her light, she walks
straight to the sideboord, that stood right in the range of the light from the
hall. I was crouched down at the end of it, seated on my bag, and all in the
dark. She took something from the drawer of the sideboard, and in shutting
it again, dropped her handkerchief. She stooped to pick it up, and saw my
foot sticking out, for I could n't get entirely out of sight. As soon as she
saw this bear she opened her pretty lips, and began a scream — but before
she had got out half a note, my hand was across her ivory castanets, and a
pretty piece of music was spoiled.'

`Villain, did you dare!' cried Ellery. `Tell me, was it Miss Weldon?'

`Yes — the same one I had seen Daily with, and for that reason I did n't
like her; for what he likes, I hate!'

`Did you dare —' and Ellery made a motion to grasp his throat.

`Do n't be in a rage, Mr. Ellery,' answered Jack, coolly and unflinching.
`I did n't harm the girl. I was n't to let her give the alarm, and so bring
the whole house about my ears. You would n't have liked it, if I had been
caught, and told that I was only in your service!'

`You would not have betrayed me had you been taken! But proceed;
I feel as if I could crush you for defiling with your touch the lips of this
lovely girl! Go on, ruffian!'

`Ruffian is a very good word. Breath is cheap, Mr. Ellery; but every
epithet you apply to me in this fashion shall cost you dear!'

`I do not fear you!' answered Ellery, chagrined and vexed beyond
measure that Grace Weldon, whom he jealously loved, should have been
thus in the grasp of this low wretch, whom he despised, while he used him
as his tool. `Go on, and let me hear the end of this quickly.'

`I did n't hurt her mouth — but said to her in her ear, “Hush, and be
quiet, and I will release you. I am a burglar, and have all your father's
silver in my sack. I must get off, not only in safety, but with my booty.
Make one motion towards giving the alarm, and I will take your scarf
mantle and tie it about your head, and fasten you to the marble column of
this sideboord. Be peaceful, and you shall be unharmed.” “I will,” she
said, as well as she could; and I took my hand from her mouth. I then
shut the door and locked it, and told her to keep quiet until five minutes
after I was out of the window. I then opened my glimmer, and took a good
look at her face — and, confound me, if I ever saw such a beauty. I could
have kissed her —'

The burglar instantly found a hand firmly grasping his throat, and his
words choked in their utterance.

`Villain — base, infernal brute!' cried Ellery, fiercely, and with a single
effort of his arm, he flung him staggering across the room. Brigs drew his
knife, and leaped towards him, his eyes glaring like a tiger's. The slight
bandage upon his wound was burst by the strain of the sinews as he grasped

his weapon, and the blood gushed out, and bathed his wrist and hand in
gore. At the bloody sight, more than from fear of the knife that he held
gleaming in his hand, Ellery started back, and retreated against the wall.
The burglar's arm was raised to strike the blow, and then suddenly fell
nervelessly by his side, and the knife dropped from his relaxed grasp to the
ground.

`Another time, Mr. Ellery! You have the advantage of me now, for the
blood has weakened my arm, and made its strength no more than a child's.
I would have killed you; for I have pride, if I am a villain — and like not
to be called hard names. You had best pick your words more carefully, or
you and I must have a reckoning, and I swear to you when it comes it shall
be a bloody one!'

`Be at peace, gentlemen,' said Clow. `You are both of service to one
another. It is natural Mr. Ellery should have some feeling about this matter
of your laying hands on Miss Weldon, as I know he is interested in her
as much as your enemy Daily is.'

`Is that true, Mr. Ellery?'

`It is, Brigs. Daily is my rival — therefore I am his enemy!'

`That alters the case. If you can defeat him in this affair, I am your man
to help you! But I did the young lady no harm. She stood perfectly
quiet, and looked very firm and calm, though pale as a white statue of some
of the marble goddesses I've seen in great houses. She met my gaze steady,
and without fear, and, blast my eyes, if I did n't feel a sort of respect for her,
so I said, kindly,

` “Well, miss, you are a fine girl, and no mistake. You do not seem to be
afraid, and understand what you ought to do without any compulsion. I
hope you will say I treated you civilly. My card I should be happy to leave
with you, but I dare say you will excuse me, as I do n't happen to have my
card case about me. Good night, miss!”

` “Good night, sir,” she said, as sweet and quiet as ever was, and her
voice never trembled no more than mine did, and she eyed me so steady-like,
that I verily believe if she had had a pistol she would have had the courage
to try to take me prisoner before I could leave the house. “Good night,
miss,” said I. `I am sorry to leave you. Five minutes I give you to keep
silence, and then you may open music with a full choir! She smiled, confound
her, pale as she was, and I was half a mind to give her a —'

`Dare to breathe that word!'

`Well, then, I did n't follow out my mind, and shouldering my sack, I
made for the window, and got out, closing it after me. I reached the side-walk
in safety, and then prepared to make tracks; for I knew I should soon
have the hue and cry. I pulled off my shoes, so that I could have the advantage
of not being heard, and started down the court. I went kind of
slow at first, for I thought, as I was getting over the fence, I saw a man on
the opposite side of the street. I was n't wrong. I had hardly gone ten
paces, when he crossed over, and walked very rapidly after me. Now, says
I, if I run I'm gone; for he 'll be sure I'm what he suspects, and then, ho!
for rattles, shouts, and Charlies! So I walks on at a round pace, taking long
strides, without seeming to hasten. He came nigher and nigher, and I
stretched on, hoping to get under the dark shadows of the Franklin arch before
he came up with me, intending to turn and throttle him if he was pursuing
me. As I passed underneath a lamp, I turned to see his face, and who
do you suppose it was?'

`Daily.'

`You 've guessed. It was he, and he had in his hand a flute.'

`He was going to serenade Grace — the low upstart! I have heard that he
has done that thing before. Let us hear! I hope you gave him his deserts
when you discovered who he was,' said Ellery, vindictively.

`I saw he was coming on faster and faster, the more I tried to keep ahead
of him. But when I discovered who he was, I shortened my pace, for I was
then close to the arch. He came up with me just as I got under it. You
know all is dark there. I dropped my sack, drew my knife, and turned upon
him all at once.

` “So, Daily, we have met again,” said I. “As this meeting is of your
own seeking, take the consequences!”

` “Jack Brigs; it is thou,” he said, just as coolly as if he had met an old
friend, and I had presented him my open palm, instead of a knife grasped in
it. “I thought it was you. You have been breaking into Mr. Weldon's
house, villain! I saw you climb from the window. Put up your knife,
reffian! I do not fear you! Surrender at once; for you know I am your
master.'

`When he said this, I felt all the blood in my body boiling at my fingers
ends. I gave a cry like a tiger, and sprung on him. He struck aside my
knife with his flute, which broke into half a dozen pieces with the contact.
The knife grazed his clothes on his left side, and I fell against him from the
failure of the stroke which I meant for his heart. He closed with me, and
taking me by the neck, threw me backward, and knocked my head against
the stone lining of the arch, till I saw stars as thick as sparks from a locomotive.
I made out to seize his arm in my teeth, and then he released his
hold of my throat to plant me a blow between the eyes. I now fought mad,
and somehow I fell, and he on top of me. All this while I held my knife in
my grasp, and was trying to shorten it, so as to put it under his ribs. But
he saw what I was at, and kept me from it. I now tried, as we lay on the
ground struggling, to pass my hand over his back, and put the point in between
his shoulders. I came near doing it, when he pressed his knee upon
my elbow, and deadened it so, I could n't stir a muscle. Then, somehow, he
reached the knife, and got it from me, and then sprung to his feet. Well,
the upshot of it was, in trying to get my knife, he put it into my arm. This
I did not like; and if ever there was a madman, it was me when I felt my
blood was drawn. I howled like a Spanish bull, and went at him as if I had
been the devil. I threw him down by main force, and as he fell my knife
fell, and rebounded some distance. I was about to leave him and get it, and
finish him, for I saw he was hearly senseless, when I saw three men coming
down towards the arch. I had only time to catch up my sack and fling it
across my shoulders — pick up my knife — leave Daily as he was, and take
care of myself, which I had hard work to do, as I soon heard the music of
rattles, and in the direction of the arch. I soon reached here in safety, and
there is the end of my story. If I have n't earned my thirds, Ellery, it is
not my fault! Another tumbler of rum, Mr. Clow, for my arm pains me.'

`That is not your fault, Jack! You have done well. I can almost forgive
your insult to Miss Weldon for your affair with Daily. Between you
and I, Jack, that young gentleman must be taken in hand, and done for, unless
you have already fixed him!'

`No, I only stunned him. If I had got my knife in time, he would never
have played on the flute again!'

`I am glad, on the whole, you didn't kill him. It would have made a
great noise, and, besides, I have a better plan in my head for wreaking our
vengeance upon him. You shall know it soon, Jack. Now, Clow, let us
see how much I am to have on this.'

`Three hundred and twenty-five you asked for.'

`Yes, but Jack must have his thirds also; for I want every dollar of this
for my draft, you know. Weigh the silver, and let me have five hundred.'

The mulatto opened a mahogany case on one side of the room, and displayed
a pair of scales within. Into one of the balances he placed the pieces
of plate, after ascertaining that they were solid silver, and carefully weighed
them,—Ellery and the burglar looking on. Clow finding their value a sufficient
equivalent for the sum desired by Carlton, he closed the case, and
took from a drawer of his secretary ten notes of fifty dollars each, and
placed them in his hand. Three of these Carlton gave to Jack; and, in a
few moments afterwards, took his leave. Jack remained to have his wound
dressed by Clow, who was a skilful leech, as it would have been a betrayal
of his share in the night's adventures for the wounded burglar to have gone
to a surgeon. No sooner had Brigs had his wound dressed, and had also
left, than Philip Clow, the mulatto, wrapped himself in a blue cloak, and
concealing his features with the cape, sallied forth, and took his way towards
Washington street, cautiously, as he went by the street lamps, guarding his
features from the observation of those he met.