Reginald Cruden Part 33

"It was hard work to keep from giving him a little unexpected light, for my fingers itched to turn up the gas. However, it was evidently better to wait a little longer and see what he really was up to before we were down on him.

"He lit another match, and this time seemed to find what he wanted, for we saw him put one letter in his pocket and drop all the others back into the box, blowing out his match as he did so.

"Now was our time. I felt a nudge from Waterford and turned the gas full on, while he quietly closed the door and turned the key.

"I felt quite sorry for the poor scared beggar as he knelt there and turned his white face to the light, unable to move or speak or do anything. You'll have guessed who it was.

"'So, Mr Durfy,' said Waterford, leaning up against the door and folding his arms, 'it's you, is it?'

"The culprit glared at him and then at me, and rose to his feet with a forced laugh.

"'It looks like it,' he said.

"'So it does,' said Waterford, taking the key out of the door and putting it in his pocket; 'very like it. And it looks very much as if he would have to make himself comfortable here till Mr Granville comes!'

"'What do you mean?' exclaimed the fellow. 'I've as much right to be here as you have, for the matter of that, at this hour.'

"'Very _well_, then,' said Waterford, as cool as a cuc.u.mber, 'we'll all three stay here. Eh, Cruden?'

"'I'm game,' said I.

"He evidently didn't like the turn things were taking, and changed his tack.

"'Come, don't play the fool!' he said coaxingly, 'The fact is, I expected a letter from a friend, and as it was very important I came to get it. It's all right.'

"'You may think so,' said Waterford; 'you may think it's all right to come here on tiptoe at midnight with a false key, and steal, but other people may differ from you, that's all! Besides, you're telling a lie; the letter you've got in your pocket doesn't belong to you!'

"It was rather a rash challenge, but we could see by the way his face fell it was a good shot.

"He uttered an oath, and advanced threateningly towards the door.

"'Sit down,' said Waterford, 'unless you want to be tied up. There are two of us here, and we're not going to stand any nonsense, I can tell you!'

"'You've no right--'

"'Sit down, and shut up!' repeated Waterford.

"'I tell you if you--'

"'Cruden, you'll find some cord in one of those drawers. If you don't shut up, and sit down, Durfy, we shall make you.'

"He caved in after that, and I was rather glad we hadn't to go to extremes.

"'Hadn't we better get the letter?' whispered I.

"'No; he'd better fork it out to Granville,' said Waterford.

"He was wrong for once, as you shall hear.

"Durfy slunk off and sat down on a chair in the far corner of the room, swearing to himself, but not venturing to raise his voice above a growl.

"It was now about half-past twelve, and we had the lively prospect of waiting at least eight hours before Granville turned up.

"'Don't you bother to stay,' said Waterford. 'I can look after him.'

"But I scouted the idea, and said nothing would induce me to go.

"'Very well, then,' said he; 'we may as well get on with our writing.'

"So we pulled our chairs up to the table, with a full-view of Durfy in the corner, and tried to continue our lucubrations.

"But when you are sitting up at dead of night, with a prisoner in the corner of the room cursing and gnas.h.i.+ng his teeth at you, it is not easy to grow eloquent either on the subject of 'A Day in a Sub-sub-Editor's Life,' or 'Early Rising.' And so we found. We gave it up presently, and made up the fire and chatted together in a whisper.

"Once or twice Durfy broke the silence.

"'I'm hungry,' growled he, about two o'clock.

"'So are we,' said Waterford.

"'Well, go and get something. I'm not going to be starved, I tell you.

I'll make you smart for it, both of you.'

"'You've been told to shut up,' said Waterford, rising to his feet with a glance towards the drawer where the cord was kept.

"Durfy was quiet after that for an hour or so. Then I suppose he must have overheard me saying something to Waterford about you, for he broke out with a vicious laugh,--

"'Reginald! Yes, he'll thank you for this. I'll make it so hot for him--'

"'Look here,' said Waterford, 'this is the last time you're going to be cautioned, Durfy. If you open your mouth once more you'll be gagged; mind that. I mean what I say.'

"This was quite enough for Durfy. He made no further attempt to speak, but curled himself up on the floor and turned his face to the wall, and disposed himself to all appearances to sleep. Whether he succeeded or not I can't say. But towards morning he glowered round at us. Then he took out some tobacco and commenced chewing it, and finally turned his back on us again and continued dozing and chewing alternately till the eight o'clock bell rang and aroused us.

"Half an hour later Granville arrived, and a glance at our group was quite sufficient to acquaint him with the state of affairs.

"'So this is the man,' said he, pointing to Durfy.

"'Yes, sir. We caught him in the act of taking a letter out of the box at midnight. In fact, he's got it in his pocket this moment.'

"Durfy gave a fiendish grin, and said,--

"'That's a lie. I've no letter in my pocket!'

"And he proceeded to turn his pockets one after the other inside out.

"'All I know is we both saw him take a letter out of the box and put it in his pocket,' said Waterford.

"'Yes,' snarled Durfy, 'and I told you it was a private letter of my own.'

"'Whatever the letter is, you took it out of the box, and you had better show it quietly,' said Granville; 'it will save you trouble.'