The Chase of the Golden Plate

s, languorous lassitude which forbade him opening his eyes to realisation. A woman's hand lay on his forehead, caressingly, and dimly he knew that another hand c

o his face and touched the mask, which had been pushed back on his forehead. Then he recalled the ball, the shot, the chase, the hiding in the woods

awake?" asked t

voice and

answered

to envelop him. He waited. Warm lips were pressed to his own, thr

"It was all my fault for letting you expose yourself to danger, but I didn't d

began pro

w," she hurried on. "We must

inute," he responded, and he made

managed to stop the engine for fear those h

d gi

our arm. I took my handkerchief and pressed it against the wound after ripping your coat, then I bound it the

his shoulder a l

Girl went on, "I made you comforta

l!" he sa

stimulant or anything, and I didn't dare to leave you, s

I knocked ou

w; half an h

all right,

e b

f-the one I threw in t

e so! Really, I ha

and there was a trace of astonishment in his

on his feet, then

you can find the bag in the car there

re i

I felt it at my fee

and after a moment a faint muffled clank as of

the Girl. "It's heavy

nd he chuckled. "A fortune, nearly. It'

d with it a moment. She heard the metallic sound again an

ented the Burglar. "By George, I haven't bu

anding, looked down upon the Burglar on his knees beside a heap of gold plate.

what is that

omplacently. "I don't know how much it's worth,

you doin

e was about to look up when the match burned his f

n your possession?

you in the same evening--" He stretched out a hand toward her, but she was not there. He chuck

he counted. "What

t you are doing with that gold plate?" Th

d and rubbed his

to have it fixed!"

this way at this t

eral thousands,

he laughed

stole it?" The words

a harsh word. Still, it's in my possession; it wasn't given t

t hand caressed it idly, lovingly.

d you have?"

urgle and accusing indignation

ou sto

u prefer it

hat point whence came the voice, but the night was so dense

ime and in these circumstances," he went on tauntingly-"lucky fo

e the sta

Burglar sharply, after another sil

moved slightly under his hand. He opened his fingers to close them more

" he commanded angri

ed a tree with undignified fervour. To his left he heard another slight noise and ran that way. Again he struck an obstacle. Then he began to say things, expressive things, burning things from the depths

nerve!" he declared