"It requires swift foot."
Timon of Athens.
"Fly now, for your life fly," whispered Quirk, eagerly, to Clinton, as,
rid of Arthur, they pursued their way through the thick darkness and
pelting storm. "If the cry of that white-faced stripling has roused
Wilkins, we're as good as lost, unless we outstrip him; for I'd about as
soon have a dozen blood-hounds at my heels as him."
They sped on in silence--only now and then stopping to change hands with
their heavy load--until they once more stood at the door of Clinton's
house. Here, placing their booty upon the ground, Clinton lifted up a
trap-door, concealed just under the steps leading up to the front
entrance. With Quirk's assistance, he placed the bags of goods, one by
one, in a sort of cellar, rather large than deep, thus made on account
of the thinness of the soil, and closely stoned and cemented, in order
to be perfectly dry. Closing the door cautiously, once more, Clinton
locked it, placed over it some broken bricks, loose earth, and tufts of
grass, so as effectually to conceal it, then crept out, and rubbing the
dust from his clothes, prepared to enter. Quirk went in with him, and
they seated themselves in the little back-room, which they had left two
short hours before.
"A capital haul for one night," said Clinton, triumphantly, flinging off
his great-coat, and drawing his chair to the grate, where a cheerful
fire was burning, rendered necessary by the dampness.
"It isn't the first thing of the kind you were ever engaged in, Clin?"
"You know better," returned the other, with an easy confidence, but at
the same time a grave look crossing his features.
"Believe me, I don't want to pry into private matters, but I couldn't
help wondering to-night, as we came along, if this pretty little wife of
yours knew the secret of your outgoings and your incomings."
"No, thank Heaven!" replied Clinton, with more earnestness that one
would have deemed him capable of. "No, she hasn't a suspicion of such
things."
"Glad of it," said Quirk, "she's happier; but I say, old boy, havn't you
sometimes regretted the faithfulness to a poor girl which has deprived
you of your inheritance, and forced you upon such deeds as to-night for
a living?"
"No! My faithfulness to Marion has made a better man of me in some
respects than otherwise I ever could have been, though it may have made
me worse in others. I have in her a noble and excellent wife, with all
the sterling good qualities, which, had I married a fashionable woman, I
could never have found. As for my inheritance, I would care little had I
but some honest trade by which to live--but that my father thought too
plebeian to be introduced in the education of _his fashionable
son_--however, if I can pick his clerk's pocket of a few more bank
deposits, with my part of our spoils to-night, I'll do. I'm not always
going to be so bad. If my life is spared till this business is settled,
I shall spend the rest of my days in Havana. Even with the memory of my
crimes in my heart, I believe I can be happy with such a treasure in my
bosom as Marion. My father's pride has been my curse--my sins be upon
his head."
"And if you're found out in this business, what do you think will be
done?"
"Oh, I shall be bought up, without doubt. The old man's spirit could
never brook to have it said he had a child in prison committed for
burglary."
"Well, 'tis as well to be cautious; for I fear that young Pratt knew
you, and he'll tell all he saw, I'll be bound. Reckon though if he knew
he had a brother in the scrape he'd be tongue-tied. I have tried to turn
suspicion on Jeff, the negro. I picked his pocket of a knife and a
handkerchief, and threw them down there somewhere. I 'spose the boss
would almost be tempted to string him up if he thought him guilty;
however, a nigger more or less is nothing--but when it comes to such
valuable members of society as you and I, caution is necessary." Here
Quirk laughed coarsely.
"I'll wear whiskers awhile; that'll be disguise enough for me," said
Clinton. "All that worries me is Arthur Pratt's proceeding--hope he's
been good pluck."
"Never fear him; he's a little too conscientious yet awhile to be much
of a b'hoy, but he'd be ashamed to show he couldn't do as well as the
best of us. If that nigger didn't wake up when he went in we're safe
enough in that quarter."
"Have as little to say to him as possible, to-morrow, and remember to be
duly surprised at the news of the burglary."
"Trust me for that; I shall take proper care of our interests, I assure
you."
"As for the disposal of the goods, that, I suppose, comes entirely upon
my shoulders. I think I will dispose of this lot to Talbot; he is the
best paymaster, and the first dark night I will get them away from here.
After that, call for your dividends. If you are by any odd chance
arrested before that, remember your oath--don't implicate anybody. Honor
among thieves, you know."
"Aye, aye," returned Quirk, drinking deeply of some wine which stood
upon the table. "You'll live long if you wait for me to hang you. Good
night."
"Good night."
They shook hands and parted, and Quirk hurried away to his lodgings, in
order to be able to say that he had occupied his own room, etc., etc.,
in case of trouble. As he strode away, a strange little figure enveloped
in a long coat and a tattered old shawl, the better to protect it from
the weather, appeared from the shadow of an adjoining building, and
swung himself along between his crutches, muttering to himself: "Hih!
hih! get the reward for these thieves--watch the papers _I_ will--know
all about 'em--get the reward, hih! hih! hih! hih!" and the darkness
swallowed him up as it had done him who had gone before.