The Narrow House

to make a move. Since seeking the hiding shelter of that tree he had seen four boys ascend the widow's steps, ring the bell and obt

y drawn at the windows. Sleuth would have given much had he been able to look thro

a single ring at the bell. After a few moments the summons was answere

w tone. "I'm a little late. I presum

ith him in his room," said the gi

onal capacity" his conscience was troubled by the falsehood

carpeted stairs. He heard the maid retire, and the sound of

, listening, Piper heard at intervals a queer, soft, irregular clicking sound. But when he would have taken a peep throu

talking loud, either; they're keeping their voices down. A lot of fellows who get togeth

laced his hand gently on the knob of the door with his ear close to the panel, and, whe

or was

exclaimed. "There's something

the spring slowly to force the catch back in

decided; "I've got to put on a bold fro

, he knocked sof

and after a little Sleuth fancied he h

ocked

he key turned in the lock. The door was opened

t? What's

ve the door a push which flung it wide open. "Thought I'd come r

ted by a shaded suspension lamp. On that table were red, white and blue poker chips and some cards. In each fellow's hand were also the cards which he had held when pla

e house?" exclaimed Osgood, in a man

just said I came round to make you a

Cooper, one of the quartet at the table. "As long as he's here

ltz was scowling darkly and Hooker did not seem exactly pleased; but,

asn't any coin wi

rance rather upset us. I thought it might be Mrs. Cheste

m to be having a rather nice little game," he said, as he ent

. "It's nothing but penny-ante, with a ten-cent limit; j

for money. On this particular occasion, however, he happened to have in his pocket between two and three do

catch a hint of it." So, to the surprise of Springer, he displayed his money, announcing that a ten-cent

come in on the next. You're dealing, Cooper, an

orth of chips, together with some advice about maintaining

hey would regard a little game of this sort, played merely for amusement, as we play it

er than that," broke in Shultz

n. "I'm playing in this game, ain't I? Don't I know what folks around

ould be likely to spread it. That's the way such things leak out; a fellow tells a friend under pledge of secrecy, and the fr

orts to keep the matter quiet had awakened hi

"any one or the whole of you will have the liberty to kick me

n he talks like that," said Spri

as not very popular with the boys of Oakdale. At one time they had regarded his aspirations to become a detective with considerable amusement and had taken no little pleasure in joshing him. But of late his abil

an outfielder on the nine, had seemed to hold him at a distance. And so, when the turn of affairs and the singular behavior of the Osgood clique had seemed to point to sche

of the boys who did not wish it generally known that they were playing pok

ed him a good turn by getting him in with this little gathering of "sports." In these days nearly every fellow who really amounted to anythi

y a fine-looking chap, with his clean-cut face and his curly dark hair, a lock of which had strayed over his forehead. His hands were shapely and well formed, and a rich seal rin

e tread. There was a bookcase, a couch piled with cushions, and heavy portieres hung parted at the entrance to the adjoining bedroom. There were pictures on the walls and many photographs and knick-knacks belonging to Osgood upon the old-fashioned marble mantel, which had been hidden by a d

reak of luck that threw me in with this b

ome, wake up there, Vidocq; you haven't even anted.