The Equinox (Volume I, Number VIII)

THE EQUINOX various precious pieces ofsilwer and gold, china and the like—HE fond/es and admires these, puts them back, lochs up, crosses to cache with utmost furti’zteness, opens same, pulls out sac/ks of gold coin, plays with them] MARTIN. They'll never discover old Martin Meyer’s cache, Iwarrant. Oh, the beautiful gold! When I was a young man I was fond of the kisses of beautiful women; did ever a pair of lips touch me as softly as the soft bright gold? [Laughs softly and gladly] How it trickles over my hands! Sweetest caresses ever I knew, and not a pennyweight rubbed off the beautiful minted money {or it all. Ah! [HE listens] Nothing! Nothing! But I mustn't be caught like this: old Martin Meyer must be very careful [HE replaces the sachs, and closes the cache. Then goes to hett, undresses, <gets in, aayusts a large night-cap, and puts out the lights] [Loud/y] Good-night, Jack ! the doors always open : if you hear robbers, run in, my lad, and serve ’em as you served that brute of a Bagstock. ]Αεκ. [Of—very sleepy] Good—night. All right, Father, never fear. MARTIN, Good—night. JACK. [Of—fainter] God-nigh’l [MARTIN composes himself to sleep A pause. Then the door slowly, slowly opens. Audience can see JACK crouching behind andpushing in with infinite caution. HE carries a dark lantern. This goes on for a long while; at last he warilyputs his head in, withdraws it, and again puts it in slightly advanced, with I36