chimney hole, but God only knows how glad I was to discover the open
door to my own room again. There were matches there on the table, but
my hand trembled so I struck three before the wick of the lamp caught
fire. When I ventured to look out again, holding the light so as to
see, the hall was desolate. I tiptoed across, and listened at her
door; there was no sound within.




CHAPTER XIII

I GET INTO THE GAME

I crept back, closed the door behind me, and sat down facing it. My
hand shook as I lit a cigar. This was becoming serious, a ghastly
tragedy, in the playing of which I scarcely knew my part. The whole
affair had seemed so simple at first, almost humorous. The earliest
impression being that it was no more than a good joke. I was willing
enough to be an instrument for keeping certain unknown institutions out
of a legacy bequeathed them by a crazy man, and saving the property to
his rightful heirs. Why not? especially as the very administrators
themselves considered it the proper thing to do. Of course a technical
crime was involved--I must pretend to be another, even forge that
other's name, but for no criminal purpose. I was merely paid for the
risk assumed, and it was easy money. Perhaps the years of rough life I
had led had blunted my sensibilities to large extent--had left me less
capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, yet, not until Mrs.
Bernard had so unexpectedly voiced her doubt did I so much as suspicion
I was being made a catspaw of for a criminal end. I was not willing to