The Sunday Oregonian., May 21, 1905, PART FOUR, Page 47, Image 47

"RAFFLES, THE AMATEUR CRACKSMAN'
By E. W. Hornung, Author of "The Shadow of the
Rope," "The Rogue's March," Etc.
No. II A
LONDON was just then talking of one
whose name is already a name and
nothing more. Reuben Rosenthall
had made his millions on the diamond
fields of South Africa, and had come home
to enjoy them according to his lights; how
he went to work -will scarcely he forgotten
by any reader of the half-penny evening
papers, which reveled in endless anecdotes
of his original indigence and present prod
igality, varied with interesting particulars
of the extraordinary establishment which
the millionaire set up in St. John's "Wood.
Here he kept a retinue of Kaffirs, who
were literally his slaves; and hence he
would sally, with enormous diamonds in
his shirt and on his .finger. In the convoy
of a prize-fighter of heinous repute, who
vas not. however, by any means the
vorst element In the Rosenthall menage.
So said common gossip; but the fact was
sufficiently established by the interfer
ence of the police on at least one occasion,
followed hy certain magisterial proceed
ings which were reported witli justifiable
gusto and huge headlines in the newspa
pers aforesaid. And this was all one knew
of Reuben Rosenthall up to the time when
the Old Bohemian Club, having fallen on
vil days, found it worth while to organ
ize a great dinner in honor of so wealthy
an exponent of the club's principles. I
was not at the banquet mysolf, but a
member took Raffles, who told me all
pbout it that very night.
"Most extraordinary show I ever went
t i in my llfo," suid he. "As for the man
himself well. 1 was prepared for some
thing grotesque, but the fellow fairly took
my breath away. To begin with, he's the
most astourding brute to look at, well
over six feet, with a chest like a barrel,
and a groat hook nose, and the reddest
hair and whiskers you ever saw; Drank
like a fire-engine, but only got drunk
rnough to make us a speech that I
wouldn't'havo missed for ten pounds. I'm
only sorry you weren't there, too, Bunuy,
Id chap."
1 began to he sorry myself, for Raffles
was anything but au excitable person, and
rrver had 1 seen him so excited lefore.
Had he been following Rosenthall's ex
ample? His coming to my rooms at mid
night morcly to tell me about his dinner
was In itself enough to excuse a suspicion
whhh was certainly at variance with my
:knot le'cige of A. J. Raffles.
What did he say?" I inquired mechan
ically, divining some subtler explanation
of tnis visit and wondering what on earth
it rould be.
"Say?" cried Raffle. "What did he
jot say? He boasted of his rise, he
bragged of his riches, and he blackguard
ed socloty for taking him up for his monoy
and dropping him out of sheer pique and
jealousy because he had so much. Ho
mentioned names, too. with the most
t banning freedom, and swore he was as
good a man -as the old country had to
.n!iov pace the Old Bohemians. To prove
it he pointed to a great diamond in tho
mrtidlo of his shirt-front with a little lln
f.rr loaded with another just like it.
yfifeh of our bloaied Princes could show
a o?ir like that.' As a matter of fact they
Vixnvd quite woi'dcfiil souos. with a
K-f xtas arp1o gleam to tlicm that must
menu a pot of money. But old Rosenthall
sv.orc he wouldn't take 5O.O00 pounds for
the two, and wanted to know where the
ofj.er man was who went about with -25,-tOO
ir. his shirt-front and another 15,000
on his little finger. He didn't exist. If
he did. he wouldn't havo the pluck to
weai thorn. But he had he'd tell us why.
And boforc you could say Jack Robinson
he had whipped out a whacking great
.evolvor!"
'Not at the table?" .
"At tho table! In the middle of his
speeeh! But it was nothing to what ho
wanted to do. He actually wanted us to
let him write his name in bullets on the
opposite wall to show us why lie wasn't
j'Traid to go about in all his diamonds!
at brute Tunis, the prize-fighter, who
is bie paid bully, had to bully his master
before he could be persuaded out of it.
There was quite a panic for the moment;
one fellow was saying his prayers under
ire" table, and the waiters bolted to a
man."
' What a grotesque scone!"
"Groesque enough, but I rather wish
they had let him go the whole hog and
b!aze away. He was as keen as knives
to show us how he could take care of
his purplo diamonds; and, do you know.
Bunny, I was as koon as knives to see."
And Raffiles leant toward me with a
lv, slow smile that made the hidden
meaning of his visit only too plain to me
at last.
"So you think of having a try for his
diamonds?"
He shrugged his shoulder..
"It is horribly obvious, I admit. But
yes. I have set my heart upon tlrem. To
"e quite frank. 1 have had them on my
conscience for some time; one couldn't
hear so much of the man and his prize
lighter, and his diamonds, without feeling
it a kind of duty to have a go for them;
but when it comes to brandishing a re
volver and practically challonglng the
world, the thing becomes inevitable. It
is simply thrust upon one. I was fated
to hear that challenge. Bunny, and I. for
nc. must- take It up. I was only sorry I '
tuidn t get on my hind legs and say so
-veri nd there."
""Well." I said, "I don't see the necessity
as things am with us; but, of course, I'm
jour man."
My tone may have been half-hearted. I
did my best to make it otherwise. But
it was barely a month since our Bond
street exploit, and we certainly could
have afforded to behavo ourselves for
some time to come. We had been getting
along so nicely: by- his advice I had
scribbled a thing or two; inspired by Raf
fles. 1 had even done an article on our
own jowcl robbery: and for the moment I
was quite satisfied -with this sort of ad
venture. I thought we ought to know
when we were well off, and could see no
point in our running fresh risks before
we were obliged. On the other hand, I
was anxious not to show the least dispo
sition to break the pledge that I had
given a month ago. But It was not on
ny manifest disinclination that Raffles
fastened.
"Necessity, ray dear Bunny? Does the
writer only write when the wolf is at the
door? Does the painter paint for bread
alone? Must you and I be driven to
c rime like Tom of Bow and Dick of Whlte
'hapel? You pain me, my dear chap: you
needn't laugh, because you do. Art for
art's sake, is a vile catchword, but I con
fess It appeals to me. In this case my
motives are absolutely pure, for I doubt
if we shall ever be able to dispose of such
peculiar stones. But If I don't have a
r.r for them after tonight I shall never
w able to hold up my head again."
His eye twinkled, but It glittered, too.
"We shall have our work cut out," was
all I said.
"And do you suppose I should be keen
on It if. we .hadn't?" cried Raffles. "My
r fellow, I would rob St. Paul's Cathc
. ! if I could, nut-1 could no more scoop
a till -when, the shopwalker'wssn't looking
han-I could bag the apples out of air old
woman's basket. Even that little busl
c s last raonth -was a. sordid affair, but
1 was necessary, and I think its strategy
Costume Piece
redeemed It to some extent. Now, there'3
some credit, and more sport, in going
where they boast they're on their guard
against you. The Bank of England, for
example, is the ideal crib; but that would
need half a dozen of us with years to give
to the job; and meanwhile Reuben Rosen-
thall is high enough game for you and me.
e know he's armed. We know how Billy
Purvis can fight. It'll be no soft thing. I
grant you. But what of that, my good
Bunny what of that? A man's reach
must exceed his grasp, dear boy, or what
the dickens is a heaven for?"
"I would rather we didn't exceed ours
just yet," I answered, laughing, for his
spirit was irresistible, and the plan was
growing upon me, despite my qualms
Trust me for that," was his reply; "I'll
see you through. After all. I expect to
find that the difficulties arc nearly all bn
the surface. These fellows both drink
like the devil, and that should simplify
matters considerably. But we shall see.
and we must take our time. There will
probably turn out to be a dozen different
ways In which the thing might be done,
and we shall have to choose between
them. It will mean watching the house
for at least a week. In any case: It may
mean lots of otheithlngs that will take
much longer; but give me a week and I
will tell you more. That's to say If
you're really on."
"Of course I am." I replied indignantly.
"But why should I give you a' week? Why
shouldn't we watch the house together?"
'Because two eyes arc as good as. lour
and take up less room. Never hunt in
I couples unless you're obliged. But don't
you look offended. Bunny: there'll be
J plenty for you to do when the time comes,
I that I promise you. You shall have your
share of the fun. never fear, and a pur
ple diamond ail to yourself If we're
lucky."
! On the whole, however, tills conversa
tion left me less than lukewarm, and I
j still remember the depression which came
j upon me when Raffles was gone. I saw
j he folly of the enterprise to which I had
committed myself the sheer, gratuitous,
unnecessary folly of it. And the para
doxes in which Raffles reveled, and the
frivolous casuistry which was neverthe
less half sincere, and which his mere per
sonality rendered wholly plausible at the
moment of utterance, appealed very little
to me when recalled In cold blood. I ad
mired the spirit of pure mlsehW in which
he seemed prepared to risk his liberty and
his life, but I did not find It an infectious
spirit on calm reflection. Yet the thought
of withdrawal was not to be entertained
for a moment. On the contrary. I 'vas
impatient of tne delay ordained by Bar-
lies; and, perhaps, no small part of my
secret disaffection came of his galling de-
termination to do without me until the
last moment.
it made it no better that this was char-
acteiistic of the man and of his attitude
towurd me. For a month we had beon. I
suppose, the thickest thieves In all Lon
don. and yet our Intimacy was curiously
Incomplete. With all his charming frank
ness, there was in Raffles a vein or ex
pricloiid reserve which was perceptible
enough to be very irritating. He had the
instinctive soeretiveness of the inveterate
criminal. -He would make mysteries of
matters of common concern: for example.
I never knew how or whero he disposed
of the Bond-street Jewels, on the proceeds
of which wo were both still leading the
oulward lives of hundreds of other younjr
foiiow about town. He was consistently
mysterious about that and thcr details
oC which it senr.ed t nie thl I had si I-
itdy tvtrticd tlw light ! know every-
thing. I could not but remember how he
had led Jne Into my first felony by moans
of a trick, while yet uncertain whother he
could trust me or not. That I could no
j longer afford to resent, but I did resent
i.hls want of confidence in me now. I said
nothing about It. but it rankled every
day, and never more than In the week
that succeeded the Rosenthall dinner.
When I met Raffles at tho club he would
toll me nothing: when 1 went to his rooms
he was out. or pretended to be.
One day he told mo ho was getting on
well, but slowly: it was a more tlokllsh
game than he had thought; but when I
began to ask questions he would say no
more. Then and there, in my annoyance.
I took my own declfion. Since he would
tell me nothing of the result of his vigils,
1 determined to keep one on my own
account, and that very evening found my
way to the millionaire's front gates.
The house he was occupying is, 1 be
lieve, quite the largest in. the St. John's
Wood district. It stands in the angle
formed by two broad thoroughfares,
neither of which, as it happens. Is a 'bus
route, and I doubt If many quieter1 spots
exist within the four-mile radius. .Quiet
also was the great square house, in Its
garden of grass plots and shrubs; the
lights were low. the millionaire and his
friends obviously spending their evening
elsewhere. The garden walls were only
a few feet high. In one there was a side
door opening Jnto a grass passage; in the
other -two live-barred, grained and var
nished gates, one at either cna of the
little semi-circular drive, and both wide
open. So still was the place that I had
a great mind to walk boldly In and learn
something of the premises;. In fact, I was
on the point of doing so when I heard a
! hind me. I turned" found and S I the
dark scowl and the dirty clinched list of
a dilapidated tramp.
"You fool!" said he. "You utter idiot!"
"Raffles."
"That's- It." he whispered savagely, "tell
all the neighborhood give me away at
the top of your voice!"
With that he turned ln back upon me
rmd shambled down tho road, shrugging
i his shoulders and mutterng to hlmscir as
! thoush 1- nad refund him Almt A tvc
niomcnts I stood astounded. Indignant.' at
loss: then I followed him. His feet
traKed. his knees gave, his back was
bowed, his head kept nodding: It was the
gait of a man SO years of age; Presently
I he waited for me midway between two
' Lampposts. As I came u: he wan llehtinc
rank tobacco In a cutty pipe with an evil
smelling match, and the flames showed
me the suspicion of a smile.
lou must forgive my heat. Bunny, but
! it really was verv foolish of vou. Here am
j I trying every dodge begging at the door
one night hiding In the ohrubs the next
doing every mortal thing but stand and
stare at the house as you went and did.
I It's a costume piece, and in you rush, in
j your ordinary clothes, f tell you they're
1 on the lookout for us night and day. It's
J the toughest nut I ever tackled!"
j "Well." said I, "If you had told me so
1 before' I shouldn't have come. You told
me nothing."
He looked hard at me from under the
broken brim of a battered billy-cock.
"You're right." he said at length. "I've
been too close. It7 become second na
ture with me when I've anything on. But
here's- an end of it. Bunny, so far as
3ou re concerned. I'm going homo now.
! and I want you to follow me; but for
heaven s sake keen your distance, and
don't speak to me again until I speak to
you. There give me a start." And he
was off again, a decrepit vagabond, with
his hands In his pockets, his elbows
squared and frayed coat-tails- swinging
raggedly from, side to side.
I followed him to the Finchley Road.
There he took an Atlas omnibus, and I
sat some rows behind him on the top.
but not far enough to ?ape the pest of
his vile tobacco. That he could carry
his character sketch to such a pitch he
who would only smoke one brand of cig
arettes! It was the last, least touch of
the insatiable artist, and it charmed
away what mortification there still re
mained In me. Once more I felt the fas
cination of a comrade who wan forever
dazzling one with a fresh and unsuspected
fact of his character.
Aj we neared Piccadilly I wondered
what ho would do. Surely he was not
going Into the Albany like that? No. he
took another omnibus to Slnane street. I
sitting behind him as before. At Sloanc
street we changed again, and were pro
i entiy Jn the long lean artery
of the
asotr to
Kings Road. I was now all
I know our destlnaton-. nor was I kept
j many-more minutes in doubt Raffles got
t down. I followed. He crossed the road
I and disappeared up a dark turning. I
pressed after him, and was in time to
see his coat-tails as he plunged Into a
still darker flagged alley to the right. He
was holding himself up and stepping out
like a young man once more: also. Jn
some subtle way. he already looked less
j disreputable. But I alone wart there to
see him: the alley waft absolutely desert
ed and desperately dark. At the further
end he opened a door with a latcji-kcy.
and It was darker yet within.
Instinctively i drew back and heard
j him chuckle. We could no longer see
each other.
! "AH right. Runny! There's no hanky-
i pinky this time. Tlic are studio, my
! rHmd". and T'm no oftV.t lawful ten.ints. '
j Indeed. In a not here iniuutf v,o wre if
A Mly nin with sklghu eaelt. drciw-
' '"g cupboard, platform and every other
' adjunct sav tlx firno of actual labor,
I The first thing I saw, as Raffles lit the
gas. was its reflection in hit? rllk hat on
' Pss benide the rest of his normal
, garments.
"Looking for the works of art?" con-
tlnuod Raffles, lighting si elgarctto and
beginning to divest himself of his rags.
"I'm afraid you won't find any. but
there's the canvas I'm always going
to make a start upon. I toll them I'm
looking high and low for my Ideal
model. I have the stove lit on prln-
clplcs twice a week, and look in and
leave a newspaper and a smell of Sul-
Uvans how good they are after shag!
Meanwhile I pay my rent and am
good tenant in every way; and It's
a ver useful little plcd-a-terre -there
HE ACTDAIXY- WANTKD US TO LET HIM WRITE
is no saying how useful it might be at
a pinch. As it is. the billycock comes
In ana tho topped goes out. and no
body takes the slightest notice of
either; at this time of night the chances
are that there's not a soul Jn the build
ing except ourselves."
"You never told me you went in for .
dlsgulses." said I, watching him as he
cleansed the grime from his face and
hands.
"No, Bunny, Tve treated you very
shabbily all around. There was really
no reason why I shouldn't havo shown
you this place a month ago,' and yet
there was. no point in my doing so, and !
circumstanccs are Just conceivable in s scnthall: the house itself was shut up.
which it would have suited us both for , thanks to the outrageous libertine next
you to be in gonulnc ignorance of xnv 1 door, who, by driving away1 tire neigh
whereabouts. I have something to : o01. t180 Kont far towards delivering
sleep on, as you perceive, la case of hlmslf Into our hands. Practically se-
need, anil, of , course, my name Is not
Raffles In the King's Road. So you will
f c lht e m,sht bolt further and
: rare w0"Se-
i , "Meanwhile you use the place as a
dres3lng-room?"
"It's my private pavilion," said Raf
fles. "Disguises? In some cases they're
half the battle, and it's always pleas
ant to feel that, if the worst comes to
the worst, you needn't necessarily be
convicted under your own name. Then
they're Indispensable in dealing with
tae fences. 1 drive ull ray bargains in
the tongue and raiment of Shoredltch.
If I didn't there'd be the very devil to
pay in blackmail. Now, this cupboard's
full of all sorts of toggery. I tell the
woman who cleans the room that It's
for my models when I find 'cm. By the
way, I only hope I've got something
that'll fit you, for you'll want a rig
for tomorrow night"
"Tomorrow night!" I explalmed.
"Why. what do you mean to do?"
"The trick," said Raffles. "I Intend
ed writing to you as soon as"I got back
to my rooms, to ask you to look me up
tomorrow afternoon; then I was going
to unfold my plan of campaign and
take you straight into action then and
there. There's nothing like putting
the nervous players In first; it's the
sitting with their pads on that upsets
their apple-cart; that was another of
my reasons for being so confoundedly
close. You must Iry to forgive me.
I couldn't help remembering how well
you played up last trip, without any
time to weaken on It beforehand. All
I want is for you to be as cool and
smart tomorrow night as you were
then; though, by Jove, there's no com
parison between the two cases!"
"I thought you would find It so."
"You were right. I have. Mind yon,
I don't "say this will lie the tougher
job all around; we shall probably get
in without any difficulty at all; it's the
getting out again that may flummox
us. That's the worst of an irregular
household." cried Raffles, with quite a
burst of virtuous indignation. "I as
sure you. Bunny, I spent the whole of
Monday night in the shrubbery of tne
garden next door, looking over the
wall, and, if you'll believe me, some
body was about all night long! I don't
mean the Kaffirs. I don't believe they
ever go to bed at all poor devils! No.
I mean Rosenthall himself, and that
pasty-faced beast. Purvis. They were
up and drinking from midnight, when
they came In. to broad daylight, when
I cleared out Even then I left them
sober enough to slang at each other.
By the way. they very nearly came to
blows In tho grd?n-nvlthin a few yards
of me. and I heard something that
might be useful and make Rosenthall
shoot crooked at a critical moment.
You know what an I. D. B. Is?"
'"Illicit diamond buyer?"
"Exactly. Well, it seems that Rosen
thall was one. He must have let It
out to Purvis in his cups, nyhow. I
heard Purvis taunting him with It. and
threatening him with the breakwater
at Cape Town, and I begin to think our
friends are friend and foe. But about
tomorrow night: there's nothing subtle
in my plan. It's simply to get in while
these fellows arc out on the loofc. and
to lie low til they come hack, and
longer. If possible, wc must doctor the
whisky. That would simplify the whole
thing, though It's not a very sporting
' KHmc to play; still, wc must remember
J Rosenthall's revolver; we don't nam
j him to sign his niinn on us. With, nil
' tho-se Kaffirs about, however., it's ten
' to one on the whisky .and x hundred
one am Inst f. if wr gt looking for
I R-, A brush with the heathen would
j p6u crarymin.t It t?fu nd more. Be-
i sides, there are the ladies "
j "The deuce there are!"
"Ladies with an i. and the verv
! voices for raising Cain. I fear, I roar
the clamor. It would be fatal to us.
! Au contraie. if wc can manage to stow
i ourselves away unbeknowns. half the
. battle will be won. If Rosenthal! turns
, in drunk. It's a .purple diamond aplooe.
, If he sits up sober, it may be a bullet
, Instead. Wo will hope "not. Bunny;
' and all the firing wouldn't be on one
j side: but It's on the knees of the gods."
And so we left It when wc shook
hands in Piccadilly not by any means
as much later as I could have wished.
i jtames wouici noi sisk me u nis rooms
I tl... t nlnkl T T ..U I.. .t it .. . 1
to have a long night before playing
" cricket and other games. His final
HIS NAME IN BULLETS ON THE OPPOSITE
I word to me was framed" on the same
principle.
"Mind, only one drink tonight, Bun
! ny. Two at the outside as you valuo
your life and mine!"
! I remember ray abject obedience, and
! the endless, sleepless night it gave me.
and the roofs of the houses opposite stand-
Ing out at last against the blue-gray Lon
don dawn. I wondered whether I should
ever see another, and was very hard en
myself for that HttlC expedition which I
had made on my own willful account.
It was between S and 3 o'clock In the
evening when we took up our position in
the garden adjoining that of Reuben Ro-
Y t'fffgp--
- . h
i cure from surprise on that side, we could
I watch our house under cover of a wall
Just high enough to see over, while a fair
max gin of shrubs in either garden afford-
ed us additional protection. Thus en-
trenched, we had stood an hour, watching
a pair of lighted bow-windows with vague
shadows flitting continually across the
blinds and listening to the drawing of
corks, the clink of glasses and a gradual
crescendo of coarse rolces within. Our
luck seemed to have deserted us; the
owner of tho purple diamonds was dining
at home and dining at undue length. I
t bought it was a dinner party. Raffle
diffored: in the end we proved right.
Whor-te gratod In the drive, h arriage
unit oalr stood at the ittep; there was a
jtampd from tlo Ulning-rooni. and tilt
loud voices died away. t6 burnt forth
prrwnily front the porch.
I.ot me make our position perfectly
clear. Wc were ovor the wall, at the
sldo of tho house, but a few foot from
j the dining-room windows. On our right.
one angle ot tne nuiiding cut tne oacic
lawn In two diagonally; on our left,
another angl- Just permitted us to see
the Jutting steps and tho waiting car
riage. Wo Rosonthall come out
saw the glimmer of his diamond." before
anything. Then came the pugilist; then
a lady with a head of hair like a bath
sponge; then another, and the party was
complete.
Raffles ducked and pulled mc down in
great excitement.
"The ladle." are going with them," he
wblsnorod. "Tills Is groat!"
"That's hotter still."
WALL.
"The Gardenia!" the millionaire had
bawled.
"And that's best of. all. said Raffles,
standing upright as hoofs and wheels
crunched through the gates Rn4 rattled
off at a fine speed.
"Now what?" I whispered, trembling
with excitement.
"They'll be clearing away. Yes, here
come their shadows. The drawing-room
windows open on the lawn. Bunny. It's
the psychological moment. Where's that
mask?"
I produced it with a hand whose trem
bling I tried in vain to still, and could
have died for Raffles when he made no
comment on what he could not fall to
notice. His own hands were firm and' cool
as he adjusted my mask for me and then
his own. . .
"By Jove, old ooy" he whispered chcer-
"""""" ' """f ""' ' ---------------T
i 1 TOOK THE XTAIRa THREE AT A TIjrK.
I
I . . 4
about tho greatest ruffian
These masks alone will dor.n
j a nigger. If we meet one. But I'm glad
J I remembered to tell you not to shave,
J You'll pass for Whltechapel if the worst
! comes to the worst. and you don't forg'et
to talk the lingo. Better sulk like a mule
: if you're not sure of it. and leave the
fJaloguo to me. but. please our star?, there
j will be no need. Now. are you ready?"
"Quite."
j "Got your gag?"
i "Yes."
"Shooter?"
Yos."
"Th-'n follow me."
In an instant wv were over the wall. In
another on the lawn, behind the hqu?c.
There was no moon. The very stars In
their courses luyl veiled themselves for
our benefit. I crept at my leader's heels
to some French windows opening upon a
shallow veranda. He pushed. Thcy
ylelded.
"Luck again." he whispered; '.'nothing
but luck! Now for a light."
And the light came!
A good score of electric burners
glowed rod for the fraction of a second,
then rained merciless white beams Into
our blinded jcyest. When we found our
sight four revolvers covered up. and be
tween two of them the colossal frame of
Reuben Rosenthall shook with a wheezy
laughter from head to foot.
"Good evening, boys." he hiccoughed.
uiad to see yo at r.ist. Shift foot or
finger, you on the loft, though, and you're
a dead boy. I mean you, you greasor!"
he roared out at Raffles. "I know you.
I've beeu waitin' for yon. I've been
watchln you all this week! Plucky smart
you thought yrrsclf. didn't you? One
j day boggln', next time shammln tight,
i and next one o them old pals from Klm
j berlcy what never come when I'rr. In.
But you left the same tracks every day,
you buggina an the name tracks every
l night, all round the blessed premises."
"All right, guv'iior." drawled Raffles;
"don't excite. It's a fair cop. Wo don't
, weat to know 'ow ybu bmng It orf. On'y
don't you go for to ) shoot, 'cos we int
awmed. s'hclp me Gord!"
"Ah, you're a knowln one," said Rosen
thall. fingering his triggers. "But you've
struck a knowin'cr."
"Ho. yuss, we know all abaht thet! Set
a thief to ketch a thief ho. yuss."
My eyes had torn themselves from the
round black muzzles, from the accursed
diamonds that had been our snare, the
pasty pig-face of the over-fed pugilist,
and the flaming checks- and hook nose
of Rosenthall himself. I was looking be
yond them at the doorway filled with
quivering silk and plush, black faces, with
eyeballs, wooly pates. But a sudden sil
ence recalled my attention to the mil
lionaire. And only his nose retained its
color.
"What d'ye mean?" he whispered with
a hoarse oath. '"Spit it out, or, "by Christ
mas. I'll drill you!"
"Whort price thet brikewatcn?" drawled
Raffles coolly.
"Eh?"
Rosenthall's revolvers were' describing
widening orblfs.
"Whort price thet brikewater old I.
D. B.r . .
"Where in hell did you get hold o that?"
asked Rosenthal!, with a rattle In his
thick neck, meant for mirth. :
"You may well arst." says Raffles. "It's
all over the plice w'cre I come from'
"Who can spread such rot?"
"I dunno," says Raffles; "arst tho gen
tleman on yer left; p'r'aps 'e knows."
The gentleman on his left had turned
livid with emotion.' Guilty conscience
never declared Itself in plainer terms.
For a moment his small eyes bulged like
currants .in the suet of his face; the
next, he had pocketed his pistols on a
professional Instinct, and was up'on us
with his fists.
"Out o the light-out o' the light!"
yelled Rosenthall In a frenzy.
He was too late. No sopner had the
burly pugilist obstructed his fire than
Raffles was through the window at a
bound while I, for standing still and
sayjng nothing, was scientifically felled
to the floor.
I cannot have been many momenta with
out roy senses. When I recovered them
there was a 'great to-do In the 'garden,
but I had the drawing-room to -myself.
I sat up. Rosenthall and Purvis were
rushing about, outside,, cursing the Kaffirs
and nagging at each other.
"Over that wall, I tell yer!"
"I tell You It was this one.' Can't you
whistle for the police?"
"Police be damned. I've had- enough of
the blessed police." '
"Then we'd better get back and make
sure- fit .the', other rotter."
"Oh. made sure o' yer skin. That's
what you'd better do. 'Jala, you black
hog, if I catch you sknlklnV . . -.
. 1 never, heard the' threat. I. was creep
ing from the drawing-room -on my hands
i ily, "you look
1 1 ever sawF T
and knees, my own revolver swinging by
Its steel ring from my teeth.
For an instant I thought that tha hall
also was deserted, I was wrong, and I
crept upon a Kaffir on all fours. Poor
devil, I could not bring myself to deal
him a base blow, but I threatened him.
most hideously with my revolver, and left
the white teeth chattering In his black:
head as I took the stairs three at a
time. Why I went upstairs in that de
cisive fashion, as though It were my only
course. I cannot explain. But gardsn
and ground floor seemed alive with men,
and I might have done worse.
I turned Into the first room I cams
to. It was a bedroom empty, though lit
up: and never shall I forget how I started
as I entered, on encountering the awfsU
villain that was myself at full length in
a pier-glassl Masked, armed and ragged.
I was Indeed fit carrion for a bullet or
the- hangman, and to one or the other I
made up my mind. Nevertheless, I hid
myself In the wardrobe behind the mir
ror: and there I stood shivering and
cursing my fate, my folly, and Raffles
most of all Raffles first and last for I
dare say half an hour. Then tho ward-
rooe aoor was nung suaaeruy open: .ney
had stolen Into the room without a sound;
and I was hauled downstairs, an Ignomi
nious captive.
Gross scenes followed in tlva hall: the
ladles were now upon the stage, and at
sight of the desperate criminal thcy
screamed with one accord. In truth I
must have given them fair cause, though
my mask was now torn away and hid
nothing but my left ear. Rosenthall. an
swered their shrioks with a roar for
silence: the woman with the bath-sppnge
hair swore at him shrilly In return: the
place became a Babel impossible to de
scribe. I remember wondering how long"
it would be before the police appeared.
Purvis and the ladles were for calling
them In and giving me in charge without
delay. Rosenthall would not hear of it.
He swore that he would shoot the man or
woman who left his sight. He had had
enough of the police. He was not going
to have them coming in there to spoil
sport: he was going to deal with me in
his own way. With that he dragged mo
from all other hands, flung me against
a door, and sent a bullet crashing through,
tho wood within an Inch of my ear.
"You drunken fool! It'll be murder!"
shouted Purvis, setting in the way a sec
ond time.
"Who do I care? He's armed, isn't he?
I shot him in self-defense. It'll be a warn
ing to others. Will you stand aside, or
d'ye want It yourself?"
"You ro drunk." said Purvis, still be
tween u. "I saw you take a neat- tum
blerful since you came in, and it's made
you drunk as a Tool. Pull yourself to
gether, old man. You ain't a-going to do
what you'll be sorry for."
"Tnen I won't shoot at him. I'll only
shoot roun an roun' the beggar. You're
quite right, ole feller. Wouldn't hurt him.
Groat mishtake. Roun an roun. There
like that!"
His freckled paw shot up over Purvis
shoulder, mauve lightning came from his
ring, a red flash from his revolver, and
shrieks from tho women as the rever
berations died away. Fome splinters
lodged In my hair. v S
Next instant the prizoffivhtcr disarmed
him: and I was safe from ,ba-&-tt out
finally doomed to the decpfsea. A police
man was in our midst. Me had entered
through the drawlng-roofn window; he
was an officer of fsw wordVand creditable
promptitude. In a twlnfvfing he had tho
handcuffs on my wrisU. while the pugi
list explained the situation and his patron
reviled tho force and it representative
with impotent malignjty A fine watch
they kept: a lot of good :8ey did: coming
in when all was over 1d the wholo
household might havo bori murdered In
tht I- iteVp. "itie ofiicor snlydelgned to
notice him as he marched mc off."
"We know all about you. sir." said ha
contemptuously, and he refused-the sov
ereign Purvis offered. "You will be see
ing mo again, sir. at Marylcbone."
"Shall 1 come now?"
"As you please, sir. I rather think the
other gentleman requires you more, and E
don't fancy this young man means to give
much trouble."
"Oh. I'm coming quietly," I said.
And I went.
In silence we traversed perhaps a hun
dred yards. It must have been midnight.
We did not meet a soul. At last I whis
pered: "How on earth did you manage it?"
"Purely by luck." said Raffles. "I had
the luck to get clear away through know
ing every brick of those back-garden
walls, and the double luck to have tbeso
togs with the rest over at Chelsea. The
helmet is one of a itection I made up
at Oxford: here It goes-, over this wall,
and we'd better carry the coat and belt
before we meet a real officer. I got them
once for' a fancy ball ostensibly and
thereby hangs a yarn. I always thought
they might come in useful a second time.
My chief crux tonight was getting rid
of the hansom that brought mc back. I
sent him off to Scotland Yard with ten
bob and a special message to good old
Mackenzie. The whole detective depart
ment will be at Rosenthall's In about half
an hour. Of course, I speculated on our
gentleman's hatred of the police another
huge slice of luck. If you'd got away,
well and good: If not. I felt he was the
man to play with his mouse as lonj as
possible. Yes. Bunny, It's been more of a
costume piece than I intended, and we've
come out of it with a good deal less cred
it. But, by Jove, we're jolly lucky to
have come out of it at alii" (Copyright,
1903. by Charles Scrlbners Sons.)
Why Negroes Rarely
Commit Suicide
POLICE statistics from various cities
of the country show that the number
of negroes who commit suicide is very
small, and now some of the wise men of
the Nation are trying to figure out wny
such is the case, says the Washington
Post, It is really astonishing, by the way,
how many persons there are in the coun
try who apparently have nothing to do
but to draw conclusions and form theories
from a cold-blooded statement of facts.
One of these theorists Is convinced that
the negro does not commit suicide be
cause, the- troubles of the world sit lightly
upon him and he does not take to heart
the annoyances and worries that drive
his more cultured arid sensitive white
brother to shunt the ills we have by flee
ing to others that we know not of. Still
another savant declares that self-destruction
is- a form of bravery and that the
negro is a coward: that he thlnka more
of his body than he does of his soul.
A festive newspaper man out West of
fers another explanation by saying that
it is hot necessary for the negro who
wants to die to kill hinisplf. All he has to
do Is to put on his noisy clothes, attend
a."pahlah" .social and .try to monopolize
the belle of the ball. Some jealous rival
will do the rest
All of these theories, however, are easily
exploded when- observation Is brought to
'play. All physicians .wilV: tell-you that
few men commit suicide . without first
thinking the matter over very seriously.
That's what naves the negro. When ho
sits down to think it over he goes'to sleep
and forgets It.
3Iodem Catechism.
New YorkSun .
Sunday Scnool Teacher Now. " Ethel,
who were our first parents?
. Ethel I don't remember: my mamma,
was married six times and my papa five,
"but I think the first ones were Smith.