urniture, or you'll
pay for it," growled the clerk and went away. It chanced that actors
occasionally stopped at the hotel and practised their parts. Shelley
knew of this, hence the excuse he gave for the noise made in rendering
Dick a prisoner.

As soon as the clerk had retired Cuffer and Shelley both paid their
attention to Dick, and with great rapidity they went through his
pockets, stripping him of his watch and chain, and twenty-four dollars
and a quarter in money. They also took a small diamond scarf pin and a
ring set with a valuable ruby. In one pocket Cuffer found several
letters and he likewise appropriated these.

"Not such a bad haul," was the thief's comment.

Of course, Dick did not submit willingly, but with a gag in his mouth,
and his hands and feet tied tightly, he could do but little. As soon as
the men had taken his things from him, they shut the closet door upon
him and locked it. A few minutes later all became quiet, showing that
they had left the room.

The closet was small and stuffy and in this warm weather made Dick
perspire freely. But without waiting to make certain that the men were
really gone, he commenced to work upon his bonds and the gag in his
mouth.

It was no light task and it was a good quarter of an hour before he got
one hand loose. Then he freed his other hand and undid the troublesome
gag, which had all but smothered him, and then unfastened his feet.

He was still a prisoner in the closet, the door of which was an
old-fashioned one and thick. But by bracing his feet against the back
wall, Dick got a firm hold and soon his shoulder on the barrier caused
it to bend and creak. Then the lock gave way and the door flew open
with a bang.

A glance around the room showed that the men had flown, and for good,
for two valises which had stood in a corner were missing.

Dick leaped to the hall door, only to find it locked from the outside.

"They must have gone that way," he reasoned, after a look out of the
window, and then he rapped on the door loudly.

It was several minutes before anybody answered his summons. Then an
ignorant looking chambermaid appeared.

"Phot does yez want?" she demanded, in a strong Irish brogue.

"I am locked in. Let me out," answered Dick.

After some fumbling, the chambermaid found her key and unlocked the
door. She gazed at Dick in some surprise, for she saw that he was
excited.

"Sure, I didn't know yez had that room," she said.

"Did you