It serves me right. I didn't
believe in it. But I'm caught at last ... caught ... at last!"
"When he told us he set it every night! Oh, Raffles, what sort of
a trap is it? What shall I do? What shall I bring?"
But his voice had grown fainter and wearier with every answer, and
now there was no answer at all. Again and again I asked Raffles if
he was there; the only sound to reach me in reply was the low
metallic hum of the live wire between his ear and mine. And then,
as I sat gazing distractedly at my four safe walls, with the receiver
still pressed to my head, there came a single groan, followed by the
dull and dreadful crash of a human body falling in a heap.
In utter panic I rushed back into my bedroom, and flung myself into
the crumpled shirt and evening clothes that lay where I had cast
them off. But I knew no more what I was doing than what to do next
I afterward found that I had taken out a fresh tie, and tied it
rather better than usual; but I can remember thinking of nothing but
Raffles in some diabolical man-trap, and of a grinning monster
stealing in to strike him senseless with one murderous blow.
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