CHAPTER XX.
IN WHICH PHIL IS STARTLED BY THE SIGHT OF A FAMILIAR FACE.
I actually laughed when I heard the bolt of the lock snapped upon me;partly because I thought it was better to laugh over my mishaps than tocry, and partly because the trick of which I had been made the victimwas simply ridiculous. Perhaps, if I had been a boy brought up in thecity, and had never been thrown upon my own resources in times ofperil, I might have taken a different view of the matter. I can easilybelieve that many boys would have been intimidated, and given up themoney and the note. Lynch ought to have known me better, though I hadbeen a lamb at Leavenworth.
I seated myself in the rocking-chair, and looked around the room. Therewas a luthern window in it, which opened upon the roof. A cheerfulcoal fire burned in the grate, and the room was quite comfortable.I examined the silver card box on the table, and the other articlesthere; but I was not much interested in them, and soon gave myself upto a consideration of the situation. Of course the whole trick wasintended to intimidate me; but I positively refused to be intimidated.I supposed my persecutors would soon return, and renew the onslaught.
For my own part, I could not see what they intended to gain, even ifthey obtained the note against Mr. Gracewood. It was stupid of them toimagine that he would give up the money to total strangers. Still theymust have believed he would let them have the gold, for they could nothave taken all this trouble for the seventy dollars which I had. Butit was no use to speculate upon their intentions. The note was safe inmy pocket, and the money at my boarding-house. If I had supposed therewas any possibility of the villains obtaining the former, I would haveburned it on the spot, for I knew that Mr. Gracewood would pay themoney whether there was any legal document to show for it or not.
I rose from my chair, and walked to the door, in order to examine it.This same Lynch had once before locked me into a room, and it waspossible that I might break this door open, as I had done on the formeroccasion. But I found this was a different piece of work from that atLeavenworth. It fitted well in the frame. I tried the handle, and foundthat it was securely locked.
"No use, Phil," said a voice in the entry, which I recognized as thatof Morgan Blair.
It appeared that my late fellow-workman was stationed as a sentinel atthe door to prevent my escape.
"Where's Lynch?" I asked, placing my mouth at the key-hole.
"Down stairs. Are you ready to give up the note?"
"No."
"When you are, let me know."
I made no reply, but walked to the window to see what the prospect wasin that direction. I did not wish to stay in my prison a great while,for I knew that my father would worry about me if I did not returnsoon. I was in the hands of the enemy, and I was afraid that Lynchwould keep me in the room till the middle of the night, and then, withthe aid of others, overcome me, and rob me of the note. I was not sowell satisfied with the situation as at first, when I could realize thepossibilities of the occasion.
The window opened upon a steep roof. I raised the sash very carefully,so that Blair might not know what I was about. But, then, I had hardlya hope of being able to escape in this direction; for I did not see howit was possible for me to descend to the street. However, I should beout of the reach of my inquisitors, even if I passed the night on thecold slates of the roof. I climbed out of the window, and my head swamwhen I looked down the fearful depth below me. I was on the rear slopeof the roof, and beneath me was the back yard of the house.
The darkness rather favored me, for I could not so readily measuredistances, and in a short time I became accustomed to the giddy height,though I thought it best not to look down. Holding on with one hand atthe side of the luthern window, I closed the lower sash, and droppedthe upper one. Grasping the inside of the window-frame for support, Iclimbed up till my feet were placed upon the top of the two sashes.I could then reach the roof of the luthern window. A ledge on thetop of it afforded me a good hold, and I drew myself up, though withconsiderable difficulty, and my breath was all gone when I reached thepoint, exhausted by the violence of my exertions.
I lay where I was a few moments to recover my wind and my strength. Ihad placed the poker on the roof before I ascended, for I was afraidthat I might yet have to fight a battle. I had worked very carefully,so as not to disturb the sentinel at the door of the room; and, so faras I could judge, I had been successful, for I heard nothing of him. Iwas on the top of the luthern window; and, so far as the inquisitorswere concerned, I was safe. I preferred to stay there, though the nightwas quite chilly, rather than in the chamber of Lynch. But if I couldhave my choice, it would suit me better to go home, and sleep in myown bed.
About half way between the luthern window and the ridge-pole of thehouse there was a skylight. The light shone up through it, and Iconcluded from its position that it was used to light the entry whereBlair was keeping guard over the door. Lying down on the slated roof,with my feet resting upon the luthern window, I found I could reach theupper end of the skylight with my hands. I looked through the glassinto the entry below, and saw a gas-light burning there. Under me wasthe door of the gambling-chamber, but Blair was not there. I tried toraise the skylight; but it was secure, and could not be moved. It wasat least fourteen feet above the floor, and the space between the glassand the ceiling of the entry was boxed in, forming a ventiduct for thepassage of the air.
If I could have opened the skylight, it would have been hardlyprudent for me to drop down fourteen feet upon a hard floor, with theadditional peril of encountering my enemies in going down the stairs. Icould not see Blair, and I concluded that he had heard me, in spite ofall my precautions, and had gone to procure the aid of Lynch. Whetherthis view was correct or not, I decided to act upon it, and increasethe distance between myself and my persecutors. Grasping the upper partof the skylight, I dragged myself up to the point where I had placed myhands. Here I paused to breathe again.
While I was waiting I heard voices through the skylight. Lookingthrough the glass, I saw Lynch and Blair, the latter unlocking thechamber door. I immediately concluded not to rest any longer, andlaying hold of the ridge-pole, I drew myself up, and took a seatastride the saddle-boards. The block extended as far as I could see inthe gloom of the night. With my hands upon the saddle-boards, I hoppedalong like a frog till I was satisfied that I was out of the reach ofany pursuers. But I began to be very anxious to reach _terra firma_once more, and I continued to hop till I came to a four-story blockwith a flat roof. This was hopeful, and passing from the steep slope Ifound myself in a very comfortable position.
I could discover no signs of any pursuers behind me; and I concludedthat the inquisitors were not enterprising enough to follow me inthe perilous track I had chosen. Pleasant as was my present locationcompared with the slippery sides of the slated roof, I was not disposedto spend the night there. But I did not think it safe to jump down intothe street, for I knew that the pavement could stand the shock of sucha descent better than I could. On one of the roofs there were plankslaid down, and places for lines, and I concluded that it was used fordrying clothes. At every house I found a scuttle, and some of themwere not fastened; but I did not like the idea of being captured as aburglar, and sent to the station-house to remain over Sunday. I walkedto the end of the block, where a cross-street interrupted my furtherprogress in that direction.
Between the several tenements which composed the block there were brickwalls rising about a foot above the flat roof. They were the dividinglines between the houses. I observed that the house at the corner ofthe cross-street occupied as much space as three of the others, andwas planked all over, with stanchions for clothes-lines. I concludedthat the building was used for a purpose different from the others. Iwent to the front, and looked down into the street. There were a coupleof gas-lamps before the door, and people were constantly arriving anddeparting. I satisfied myself that the house was a hotel.
In the rear of the roof there was a kind of crane, with a couple ofropes reaching to the gro
und. I reasoned that the apparatus was usedfor hoisting up baskets of clothes. I also found a scuttle door, whichwas not fastened, and I began to consider whether I should go down bythe rope or by the stairs. I did not like the idea of dangling in theair fifty feet from the ground on the one hand, or of being capturedas a thief on the other. If I went down the rope, it might drop me insome back yard, where I might be liable to suspicion if discovered. Onthe whole, I concluded that the stairs were the safer expedient, and Icarefully opened the scuttle door.
The steps led down to a well-lighted entry; and, having satisfiedmyself that no one was there, I descended, taking the precaution tohook the door behind me, which some careless servant had neglected todo, though I was not disposed to blame her for the neglect. Passingdown the steps, I came to a long entry, from which opened on each sidethe sleeping-rooms. The stairs were at the other end, and I walkedas lightly as my thick boots would permit through the hall. At thestairs I heard the sound of voices on the floor below, and I paused. Iconcluded that the upper floors were used for sleeping-rooms, and thatno one would remain long in the entry. Presently I heard a door open,and then the sound of footsteps on the stairs below. As all was stillagain, I ventured to descend the steps to the next hall.
I had hardly reached this floor before a gentleman came out of oneof the rooms; but he passed me, and went down stairs without takingany notice of me. I was now on the third story, and must descend twomore flights in order to reach the street. I was not a thief, andthere was no stolen property upon me. But men in white jackets werealways whisking about in hotels, as I had observed at the Planters'.I determined to be ready with an answer if any of these fellowschallenged me, and to tell the whole truth if I was detained.
I had hardly reached this conclusion before a waiter in a white jacketconfronted me, looked at me suspiciously, and demanded my business.
"Where is Mr. Rockwood?" I asked, using the name most familiar to me.
"That's his room over there, where the door is open," said he, pointingtowards the other end of the hall, and then continuing on his way upstairs.
I walked in the direction indicated, intending to rush down stairs assoon as the waiter was out of hearing. I went as far as the open door,and looked into the apartment. A gentleman sat in an arm-chair, readinga newspaper. A glance at him startled me more than anything that hadever occurred to me before.
That gentleman was Matt Rockwood, it seemed to me, dressed in his bestclothes. He glanced from his paper into the entry, as I paused there.The face, the expression, the white beard,--everything about him wasMatt Rockwood.