Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/164

154 had gotten up. Even sending the porter for a policeman had not excited any curiosity.

Ned resolved to make his escape if possible. He thought he could slip past Cassidy's door and down the stairs before Bill would return with a policeman. He got upon the bed and looked over the partition into Cassidy's room. The proprietor was putting on his shoes and had his back to the door. There was a light at the far end of the corridor, illuminating it dimly.

Ned took off his own shoes, and, carrying them in his hand stepped to the door of his room. He stole softly into the corridor and was about to slip past Cassidy's room when the door of the apartment opposite his opened just a crack and a hoarse voice whispered:

"Hey, cully! If youse wants t' make a gitaway, go de other way an' down de back stairs. Youse kin slip around through de alley an' inter de street 'fore de cop comes. I heard what youse said and ye sounds honest, an' dat's more'n ye kin say fer a lot in dis joint. Quick, some one's comin' up de front stairs!"

Then, before Ned could thank his unknown friend, the door was shut. Ned could hear Cassidy getting up from the chair on which he had