The same
moment I hear a step in the front hall.
"I see ole Mac start but he does not stop. He kom right
downstairs, and I step back behind the curtain ontil I find a
door vich I push. I dare not svitch on my light but presently I
feel the cold edge of a bath with my hands. I stay there and
vait. Oi, oi, oi, how shall you belief vot I tell?"
He broke off trembling.
"Go on, Barney," said the detective, "can't you see the gentlemen
are waiting?"
The Jew resumed, his voice sinking almost to a whisper.
"It vos quite dark behind the curtain but from the bathroom,
through the open door, I could just see ole Mac standing with his
back to me, a-holding the curtain. He must haf shlip in there to
watch the other who vos komming opstairs. Then... then... I hear
a step on the stair... a little, soft step... then ole Mac he
open the curtain and cry 'Who are you?' Bang! the... the... other
on the stairs he fire a shot. I see the red flash and I smell
the... the powder not? The other, he does not vait... he just go
on opstairs and ole Mac is lying there on his back with the blood
a-trickling out on the oil-cloth. And I, vith my bag on my back,
I creep downstair and out by the back again, and I ron and ron
and then I valks. Gott! how I haf walked! I vos so frightened!
And then, at last, I go to a policeman and gif 'myself op!"
Barney stopped.
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