I remembered whole
days that I had spent, whole books that I had read, here in this
favorite fastness of my boyhood. The dirty little place, with the
dormer window in each of its four sloping sides, became a gallery hung
with poignant pictures of the past. And here was I leaving it with my
life in my hands and my pockets full of stolen jewels! A superstition
seized me. Suppose the conductor came down with me ... suppose I
slipped ... and was picked up dead, with the proceeds of my shameful
crime upon me, under the very windows

...where the sun
Came peeping in at dawn...

I hardly remember what I did or left undone. I only know that nothing
broke, that somehow I kept my hold, and that in the end the wire ran
red-hot through my palms so that both were torn and bleeding when I
stood panting beside Raffles in the flower-beds. There was no time for
thinking then. Already there was a fresh commotion in-doors; the tidal
wave of excitement which had swept all before it to the upper regions
was subsiding in as swift a rush downstairs; and I raced after Raffles
along the edge of the drive without daring to look behind.

We came out by the opposite gate to that by which we had stolen in.
Sharp to the right ran the private lane behind the stables and sharp to
the right dashed Raffles, instead of straight along the open road. It
was not the course I should have chosen, but I followed Raffles without
a murmur, only too thankful that he had assumed the lead at last.
Already the stables were lit up like a chandelier; there was a staccato
rattle of horseshoes in the stable yard, and the great gates were
opening as we skimmed past in the nick of time. In another minute we
were skulking in the shadow of the kitchen-garden wall while the
high-road rang with the dying tattoo of galloping hoofs.

"That's for the police," said Raffles, waiting for me. "But the fun's
only beginning in the stables. Hear the uproar, and see the lights!
In another minute they'll be turning out the hunters for the last run
of the season."

"We mustn't give them one, Raffles?"

"Of course we mustn't; but that means stopping where we are."

"We can't do that?"

"If they're wise they'll send a man to every railway station within ten
miles and draw every cover inside the radius. I can only think of one
that's not likely to occur to them."

"What's that?"

"The other side of this wall. How big is the garden, Bunny?"

"Six or seven acr