Dangerous Deeds; Or, The Flight in the Dirigible

by the men working round the planes. There was much slapping down of cards and a great deal of laughter from three of the players, while the fourth poured forth a steady stre

wrence gathered that one

wild panic, yet he could not leave the game. He kept hoping for a turn in the bad luck which pursued him and played on, cursing his luck, the cards, the unsteady light, and his partners themselve

they merely kicked the table over

one of them, peering out

oon big as the dial of the clock at Nurembe

pine. He held his breath for the answer, whil

tantly that I have neglected all else. But there is no haste. No haste whatever, with their broken dirigible and w

ght?" he said. "A knock-out

I opened the door, after seeing that every servant in the place was sleeping sweetly, and there he sat and he saw

e had looked over his papers, and there was a live feel to the flesh. You should have struck to kill. T

e was so careless with that dirigible, leaving it there in that hangar for all the world to see. And advertising it for traffic! Now as soon as it is in shape again, I must deface our dirigible with just th

the Chief?" asked

," said the oldest man, "but he won't take

ut at the other side of the plane, and although the hangar was pitch dark except where the dim light above the group of men made it possible for them to see, Lawrence did not like to feel that th

he knew that the big door of the hangar had silently swung open. He hear

aid the four, and the newcome

cies. I am plain Mr. Smith. Such a good, honest name and a good, honest man! You know I travel for a

the men, and Mr. Smith sat

you infernal blockheads leave it ope

Mr. Smith," said the oldest man

eason for shutting i

as he fumbled for it, and selecting another, the man lighted it and commenced to smoke. His

l sure that he would not turn at any moment and say, "Come out of your hiding place, Lawrence Petit!" He felt himself grow cold all over. Once a rattlesnake had crawled over his foot and he had stood like a statue waiting for the deadly thing to creep away without being stirred to anger, and the sam

he others should stoop to pick it up, they might easily discover him. As the oldest man commenced to tal

und, then Smith lowered his hand and said, "Go on! I was sure I heard something, b

enths of it and nine-tenths of your eyesight, you wil

port. Did you discover anything at all at the

to bed with just enough dope in their food to insure them a good night's sleep. Then we went outside to look things over, and I went downtown and ran right into the gentleman. So I dogged him, and he went into the Army and Navy Club, and I came back. I wal

" asked Smith as

switched on a light and went through everything in two minutes. There is

used the newcomer. "Yo

was alive,"

n of illness or anything else. I remember especially noticing that Hamilton Ridgeway would lay the corn

. "It was such a crack that

led Smith. "We must find out more about thi

t was why the butler asked me to supper in the serva

field. Say you have been off because you were sick. And put down a note of every scratch and dent and seam on that dirigible of theirs so you can repro

men, if this thing goes through, it will

n of covetousness went

her stroke of work. If we fail, it will mean death. Fail? Why, you won't dare to

ed snake ready to spring. The men listened in silence. Lawrence w

o is working in the dark. Here we are working and plotting, killing if necessary, all on the promise o

onds in New York? Did I even send them to Amsterdam for recutting before showing them to you, and weighing them up? Was there

t it would give us a good deal more interest if w

f I should get a tap on the head myself some ni

is true. What if anything should rea

f honor that the riches are buried here, ri

d a straining forward

and incidentally bury me after you have finished. No, the treasure-ah, such treasure, glittering, golden, jew

he l

the oldest man agai

ly fair," he repeated. "Besides, you might like to go and look at the beautiful strong old casket that holds the jewels and treasure. Wel

sputtered th

ll me that I do. And this is the truth. Your treasure and mine is in the Treasury Building

tand," said the

head. Do my bidding, you hands and feet, and all will be well. Millions, remember; millions, and

of discovery, the group, led by the rattlesnake, passed out the