16 THE BU2vDAT OBEGONIA, PORXLAOT,- JUOT ,11, "RAFFLES, THE AMATEUR CRACKSMAN" By E. W. Hcrnung-, Author of "The Shadow of the Rope," "The Rogue's March " Etc. No. V. Nine Points of the Law ELL.," said Raffles, "what do W you make of It?" I rcad the advertisement once more betore replying. It was In tbo last column of the Dally Telegraph, and It ran: TWO THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD The above sum may be earned by any one qualified to undertake delicate mis sion and prepared to run certain risk. Apply by telegram. Security, London. "I think," said I "it's the most extra ordinary advertisement that ever got into print!" Raffles smiled. "Not quite all that. Bunny; still, extra ordinary enough, I grant you." "Look at the figure!" "It is certainly large." "And the mission and the risk!" "res; the combination is frank, to Bay the least of it. But the really original point is requiring applications by tele gram to a telegraphic address! There's something in the fellow who thought of that, and something in his game; with one word he chokes off the million who answer an advertisement every day when they can ralso the stamp. My answer cost me five bob; but then I pre paid another." "You don't mean to say that you've ap plied?" "Rather," said Raffles. "I want two thousand pounds as much as any man." "Put your own name?" "Well no. Bunny, I didn't. In point of fact, I smell something interesting and illegal, and you know what a cautious chap I am. I signed myself Glass pool, care of HIckey, 23 Conduit street; that's my tailor, and after sending the wire I went round and told him what to expect. He promised to send the reply along the moment it came. I shouldn't be surprised if that's it!" , And he was gone before a double knock on the outer door had done ringing through the rooms, to return next minute with an open telegram and & face full of news. "What do you think?" said he. "Se curity's that fellow Addenbrooke. the po lice court lawyer, and he wants to see me lnstanter! "Do you know him, then?" "Merely by repute. I only hope he doesn't know me. He's the chap who got six weeks for sailing too close to the wind in the Sutton-Wllmer case; everybody wondered why he wasn't, struck off the rolls. Instead of that, he's got a first rate practice on tne seamy side,- and every blackguard with half a case takes it straight to Bennett Addenbrooke. He's probably the one man who would have the cheek to put in an advertisement like that, and the one man who could do it without exciting suspicion. It's simply in his line; but you may be sure there's something shady at the bottom of It. The odd thing is that I have long made up my mind to go to Addenbrooke myself if acci dents should happen." VAnd you're going to him now?" "This minute," said Raffles, brushing his hat; "and so are you." "But I came In to drag you out to lunch." "You shall lunch with me when we've Keen this follow. Come on, Bunny, and we'll choose your name on the way. Mine's Glasspool, and don't you forget it," Mr. Bennett Addenbrooke occupied sub stantial offices in Wellington street. Strand, and was out when we arrived; out ne naa only just gone "over tne way to the court": and five minutes sufficed to produce a brisk, fresh-colored, reso lutc-looklng man, with a very confident. rather festive nir, and black eyes that oponed wide at the sight of Raffles. "Mr. Glasspool?" exclaimed the law yer. "My name," said Raffles, with dry ef frontery. "Not up at Lord's, however!" said the other, slyly. "My dear sir, I have seen you take far too many wickets to make any mistake!" For a single moment Raffles looked vonomous; then he shrugged and smiled, nnd tho smllo grew into a little cynical chuckle. "So you have bowled me out in my turn?" said he. "Well. I don't think there's anything to explain. I am harder up than I wished to admit under my own name, that's all, and I want that thou sand pounds reward." "Two thousand." said the solicitor. "And the man who Is not above an alias happens to be just the sort of man I want; so don't let that worry you, my dear sir. The matter, however. Is of a strictly private aud confidential char acter." And he looked very hard at me. "Quite so." said Raffles. "But there was something about a risk?" "A certain risk is involved." "Then surely three heads will be better than two. I said I wanted that thousand pounds; my friend here wants the other. "We are both cursedly hard up, and we go into this thing together or not at alL Must you have his name, too? I should give him my real one. Bunny." Mr. Addenbrooke raised his eyebrows over the card I found for him; then he drummed upon it with his llnger-nall. and his embarrassment oxprcsscd Itself in a puzzled smile. "The fact is. 1 find myself in a diffi culty," he confessed at last. "Yours is the first reply I have received: people who can afford to send long telegrams don't rush to the advertisements in the Daily Telegraph; but, on the other hand. I was Hot quite prepared to hear from men like yourselves. Candidly, and on consideration. I am not sure that you are the stamp of men for me men who be long to good dubs! I rather Intended to appeal to the er adventurous classes.' gravely. "But you respect the law?" The black eyes gleamed shrewdly. "We are not professional rogues, if that's what you mean," said Raffles, smiling. "But on our beam-ends we are; we would do a good deal for a thousand pounds apiece, eh, Bunny?" "Anything!" I murmured. The solicitor rapped his desk. "I'll tell you what I want you to do. You can but refuse. It's illegal, but it's illegality in a good cause; that's the risk. and my client Is prepared to pay for It. He will pay for the attempt. In case of failure; the money is as good as yours once you consent to run the risk. My client is Sir Bernard Debenham, of Broom Hall, Esher." I know his son," I remarked. Raffles knew him. too, but said nothing. and bis eye dropped disapproval in my di rection. Bennett Addenbrooke turned to ie. "Then." said he, "you have the privi lege of knowing one of the most complete young blackguards about town, and the fons et orlgo of the whole trouble. As you know the son, you may know the father, too, at all events by reputation; and In that case I needn't tell you that ho is a very peculiar man. He lles alone in a storehouse of treasures which no eyes but his ever behold. He is said to have the finest collection of pictures in the South of England, though nobody ever seem them to Judgo; pictures, fid dles and furniture are his hobby, and be is undoubtedly very eccentric. Nor can one deny that there has been considerable eccentricity in his treatment of his son. For years Sir Bernard paid his debts, and the other day, without the slightest warn ing, not only refused to do so any more, but absolutely stopped the lad's allow ance. Well, Til tell you what has hap pened: but first of all you must know. or you may remember, that I appeared for young .Debenham in a little scrape he got into a year or two ago. I got him off all right, and Sir Bernard paid me hand somely on the nail. And no more did I hear or see of either of them until one day last wcek."- Tho lawyer drew his chair nearer ours and leaned forward, with a hand on either knee. "On Tuesday of last week I had a tele gram from Sir Bernard: I was to go to him at once. I found him waiting for me In tho drive; without a word he led me to the picture gallery, which was locked and darkened, drew up a blind, and stood simply, pointing to an empty picture frame. It was a long time before I could get a word out of him. Then at last he told me that that frame had contalnod one of the rarest and most valuable pic tures In England in tho world an orig inal Velasquez. I have checked this." said the lawyer, "and It seems literally true; the picture was a portrait of the Infanta Maria Teresa, said to bo one of the artist's greatest works, second only to another portrait of one of the Popes In Rome so they told me at the Na tional Gallery, where they had Its his tory by heart. They say there that the picture Is practically priceless. And young Debenham has sold It for 526.000!" "The deuce he has," said Raffles. I Inquired who had bought It. "A Queensland legislator by tho name of Craggs the Honorable John Montagu Craggs. M. L. C. to give him his full title. Not that we knew anything about him on Tuesday last; we didn't ever know for certain that young Debenham had stolen tho picture. But he had gone down for money on the Mondaj evening, had been refused, and It was plain enough that he had helped himself In this way; he had threatened .revenge, and this was It Indeed, when l hunted him up in town on the Tuesday night, he confessed as much in the most brazen manner Imag inable. But Jie wouldn't tell me who was the purchaser, and finding out took the rest of the week; but I did find, out. and a nice time I've had of it ever jlnce! Backward and forward between Esher and the Metropole, where the Queens lander is staying, somotimos twice a day; threats, offers, prayers, entreaties, not one of them a bit of good!" "But," said Raffles, "surely it's a clear case? The sale was illegal; you can pay hlm back his money and force him to give- tho picture up." "Exactly: but not without an action and a public scandal, and that my client declines to face. He would rather lose even his picture than have the whole thing get into the paper: he has dis owned his son, but he will not disgrace him; yet his picture he must have by hook or crook, and there's the rub! I am to get it back by fair means or foul. Ho gives me carte blanche in the matter, and I verily believe would throw in a blank check if asked. He offered one to the Quconslander, but Craggs simply tore it in two; the one old boy is as much a character as the other, and between the two of them I'm at my wlu end.' "So you put that advertisement In tho paperr said Raffles. In the dry tones he had adopted throughout the interview "As a last resort. I did." "And you wish us to steal this picture?" It was magnificently said; the lawyer nusned from nis hair to His collar. "I knew you were not the men!" he groaned. "I never thought of men of your stamp! But it's not stealing." he exclaimed heatedly; "it's recovering stolen property. Besides, Sir Bernard will nay him his five thousand as soon as h has the picture; and. you 11 see. old Craggs will be just as loth to let It come "A REAL. GENUINE. TWIX-BCREW., DOOBLE-FCXXELED. COFFER-BOTTOMED OLD MASTER." -I WANT SM POUNDS AS XCCK AS ANY MAN." out as Sir Bernard himself. No. no It's an enterprise, an adventure, if you like but not stealing." "You yourself mentioned the law," murmured Raffles. "And the" risk." I added. "We pay for that." he said once more. "But not enough." said Raffles, shaking his head. "My good sir, consider what It means' to us. You poke of those clubs: we should not only get kicked out of them, but put in prison like common burglars! It's true we're hard up, .but It simply isn't worth it at the price. Dou ble your stakes, and I Her one am your man." Addenbrooke wavered. "Do you think you cwM brlag It oft?" "We could try-" "But you have no" "Experience? Well, hardly!" "And you. would really run the risk for four thousand pounds?" Raffles looked at me. I nodded. "We would," said he. "and blow the odds!" "It's more than I can ask my client to pay," sold Addenbrooke. growing firm. "Then It's more than you can expect us to risk." "You arc in earnest?" "God wot!" "Say three thousand If you succeed! "Four -is our figure. Mr. Addenbrooke." "Then I think it should be nothing if you falL" "Doubles or quits?" cried Raffles. "Well, that's sporting. Done!" Addenbrooke opened his lips, half rose, then sat back in his chair and looked long and shrewdly at Raffles never once at me. "I know your bowling." said he. reflect ively. "I go up to Lord's whenever I want an hour's real rest, and I've seen you bowl again and again yes, and take, the best wickets In England on a plumb pitch. I don't forget the laKt Gentleman and Players; I was there. You're up to every trick every one. ... I'm in clined to think that if anybody could bowl out this old Australian . Damme. I believe you're my very man!" The bargain was cllnchrd at tho Cafe Royal, where Bennett Addenbrooke in sisted on playing host at an extravagant luncheon. I remember that he took his whack of champagne with tho nervous freedom of a man at high pressure, and have no doubt I kept him in countenance j by an equal Indulgence: but Raffles, ever an exemplar in suui uuiicis, was mure abstemious even than his wont, and very poor company to boot. I can see him now. his eyes In his plate thlnklng-"-thinking. I can see the solicitor glancing from him to me in an apprehension of which I did my best to disabuse him by reassuring looks. At the close Raffles apologized for his preoccupation, called for an A, B. C timetable, and announced his Intention of catching the 32 to Esher. "You must excuse me, Mr. Adden brooke." said he, "but I have my own Idea, and for the moment I should much prefer to keep It to myself. It may end in a fizzle, so I would rather not speak about it to either of you Just yet. But speak to Sir Bernard I must, so will you write me one line to him on your card? Of course, if you -wish, you must come down with me and hear what I say; but I really don't see much point in it." And as usual Raffles had his way. though Bennett Addenbrooke showed some temper when he was gone, and I myself shared his annoyance to no small extent. l could only tea mm tnat it was in the nature of Raffles to be self-willed and se cretive, but that no man of my acquaint ance had half his audacity and determlna tion: that J, for nty part, would trust him through and through, and let him gang his own gait every time. More I dared not say, even to remove those chill mis givings with which I knew that the law yer went his way. That day I raw no more of Raffles, but a tolcgram reached me wrien I was dress ing tor dinner: "Be in your rooms tomorrow from noon and keen rest of day dear. RAFFLES." It' bad been cenl off from Waterloo at So Raffles was back In town; at an ear lier stage of our relations I should have hunted him up then and there, but now I knew better. His telegram meant that he had no desire for my society that night or the following forenoon; that when he wanted me I should sec him soon enough. And see him I did. toward 1 o'clock next day. I was watching for blm from my window In Mount street, when he drovo up furiously in a hansom, and jumped out without a word to the man. I met him next minute at the lift gates, and he fairly pushed me back Into my rooms. "Five minutes. Bunny!" he cried. "Not a moment more." And he tore oft his coat before flinging himself Into the nearest chair. "I'm fairly on the rush," he panted: "having the very devil of a time! Not a word till I tell you air I've done. I set tled my plan of campaign yesterday at lunch. The first thing was to get In with this man Craggs: you can't break into a place like tho Metropole. it's got to be done from the Inside. Problem one, how to get at the fellow. Only one sort of pretext would do It must be something to do with this blessed picture, so that I might sec where ht'd got It. and all that. Well, I couldn't go and ask to see It out of curiosity, and I couldn't go as a sec ond representative of the other old chap. and It was thinking how I could go that made me such a bear at lunch. But I. saw my way before we got up. If I could only lay hold of a copy of the pic ture I might ask leave to go and compare it with, the original. So down I went tq Esher to find out if there was a copy Jn existence, and was at Broom Hall for ono hour and a half yesterday afternoon. There was no copy there, but they must exist, for Sir Bernard himself (theres 'copy there!) has allowed a couple to be made since the picture has been in his possession. He hunted up tho painters' addresses, and the rest of the evening I spent In hunting up the painters them selves: but their work had been done on commission; one copy had gone out of tho country, and I'm still on the track of the other." "Then you haven't seen Craggs yet?" "Seen him and made friends with him, and. if possible, he's tho funnier old cuss of the two; but you should study 'cm both. I took the bull by the horns this morning, went In and lied like Ananias, and it wan just as well I did the old ruffian sails for Australia by tomorrow's boat, I told him a man. wanted to sell me a copy of the celebrated Infanta Ma ria Teresa of Velasquez, that I'd been down to tho supposed owner of the pic ture, only to find that be had Just sold it to him. You should have seen his face when I told him that! He grinned all round his wicked old head. 'Did old Deb enham admit the sale?" says he; and when I said ho had he chuckled to himself for about five minutes. He was so pleased that he did Just what I hoped he would do; he showed me the great picture luckily. It Isn't by any means a large one also the case he's got It In. It's an iron map-case, in which he brought over the plans of bis land in Brisbane: he wants to know who would suspect it of containing an Old Master, too? But he a had It fitted with, a new Chubb lock, and I managed to take an interest in the key while he was gloat ing- over the canvas. I had the wax In the palm of my hand, and I shall make my duplicate this afternoon.' Raffles looked at his watch and jumped up, saying- he had given me a minute too much. "By the way." he added, "yon've got to dine with me at the Metropole to night "I?" "Yes; don't look so scared. Both of us are Invited I swore yon were dining with me. I accepted for us both; but I shan't be there." . - His clear eye-was upon me, bright with meaning and with mischief. I Implored him to tell me .what his meaning was. "You will dine fn his private sitting- room, said Rafflec "It adjoins his bed roots. You -Mt k- Mm sfttlac as loss. as possible, Bunny, and talking all the time: In a flash I saw his plan. "You're going for the picture while we're at dinner?" "I am." "It he hears you!" "He shan't." ' "But if he docs?" And I fairly trembled at the thought. "If he docs." said Raffles, "there will be a collision, that's all. Revolver would be out of place in. the Metropole. but I shall certainly take a life-preserver. "But It's ghastly!" I cried, "To sit and talk to an utter stranger and to know that you're at work In the next room!" "Two thousand apiece," said Raffles, quietly. "Upon my soul, I believe I shall give It away!" "Not you. Bunny. I know you better than you know yourself. He put on his coat and bat. "What time have I to be there?'- I asked him. with a groan. "Quarter to eight. There win be a tele gram from me saying I can t turn up He's a terror to talk; you'll have no dlf- hlra, ana he'll have to buy hl3 pig In a poke, after all. Mind touching that bell? Suppose you know what he came to see rae about? Sorry I snant see mm again, for his own sake, I liked Raffles took to him amazingly. He's a cynic lim cyn ics. One myself. Hank Dad iorra ox nis mother or his aunt, and I hope she'll go and kick the bucket." I connect these specimens ot nis con versation, though they were doubtless de tached at the time, and interspersed wun remarks ot mine here and there They filled the Interval until dinner was served, and they gave mo an Impression of the man which his every subsequent utter ance confirmed. It was an Impression which did away with all remorse for my treacherous presence at his table. He was that terrible type, the silly cynic, his aim a caustic commentary on all things and all men, his achievement mere vulgar Irreverence and unintelligent scorn. Ill- bred and ill-formed, ha had (on nis own showing) fluked Into fortune on a rise- In land: yet cunning he possessed. as well as malice, and he chuckled till he choked over the misfortunes of less as tute speculators in the same boom. Even now I cannot feel much compunction ror my behavior by, the Hon. J. M. Craggs, M. I. C. But never shall .1 forget the private agonies of the situation, the listening to my host with one ear and for Raffles with the other! Once I heard blm though the rooms were not divided by the old- fashioned folding doors, and though the door that did divide them was not only shut but richly cur tained. I could have sworn I heard him once. I split1 my wine and laughed at the top of my voice at some coarse sally of my host's. And I heard noth ing more, thougn my ears were on tno strain. But later, to my horror, when the waltcy- had finally withdrawn. Craggs himself sprang up and rushed to his bedroom without a word. I sat like stone till he returned. "Thought I heard a door go." ha said. "Must have, been mistaken Imagination . gave me quite a turn. Raffles tell you priceless treas ure I got in there?" It was the picture at last; up to this point I had kept him to Queens land and the making of his pile. I tried to get him back tnere now. but in vain. He was reminded of his great. Ill-gotten possession. I said that Raf fles hud Just mentioned It, and that set him off. With the confidential garrulity of a man who has dined too well, ho plunged Into his darling- topic. and I looked past him at the clock. It was only a quarter to ten. In common decency I could not go yet. So there I sat (we were still at port) and learnt what had originally fired my host's ambition to possess what he was pleased to call, a "real genuine, twin-screw, double-funneled. copper-bottomed Old Master;" It was lo "go one better than some rival legislator of pictorial proclivities. But even an epltomo of his monologue would be, so much weariness. Suffice it that it ended inevitably in tho in vitation I had dreaded all the evening-. But you must see It. Next room. This way." "Isn't it packed up?" I Inquired has tlly. "Lock and key. Thats all. "Pray don't trouble," I urged. "'Trouble be hanged!" said he. "Come along. And all at once I saw tnat to resist him further would be to heap sus picion upon myself against the mo ment of. impending discovery. I there fore followed him Into his bedroom without further protest and suffered hln: first to show me the Iron map case, which stood in one corner; ne took a crafty pride In this receptacle. and I thought he would never ccaje descanting on its innocent appearance and its Chubb's lock. It seemed an Interminable age before the key was In tho latter. Then the ward clicked nnd my pulse stood still. "By Jove!" I cried next instant. The canvas was In its place among the maps. 'Thought it would knock you, said Cragg.?. "Jrawlng it out and unrolling: It for my benefit. "Grand thing, aln It? Wouldn't think It had been paint ed 220 years? It has, thougn, my word! Old Johnson's face will be treat when he sees It; won't go brag King- about his pictures much more. Why. this one's worth all the pictures In Colony o Queensland put together. Worth 30.J00 pounds, my boy and cot it for five!" He dutr me in the ribs, ana seemed in the mood fcr further confidences. My annearance cneciteu mm. ana no rubbed his nanus. "If you take It like that, ne chuckled, "how will old Jonnson take it? Go. out and . hang hlmseit to nis own clcturc-rods, I hope! Heaven knows what I contrived to Acuity In keeping the ball rolling; but head him off his picture for all you're . last struck speechless first by ..V. is V, ffa-r, tr okAv If vntl OQ V" I J . .. . - mv reller. l continued suont irom worth. If he offers to show It you, say you must go. He locked up the case elab orately this afternoon, and there's no earthly reason why he should unlock it again In this hemisphere' Where shall I find you when I get away?" I shall be down at Esher. I hope to catch the 3:55." "But surely I can see you again this afternoon?" I cried in a ferment, for his hand was on the aoor. "I'm not half coached up yet! I know I shall make a mess of it!" "Not you," Jie said again, "but I shall It I waste any more time. I've got a deuce of a lot of rushing about to do yet, lou won't find me at my rooms. Why not come down to Esher yourself by the last tram? Thats it down you come with the latest news! I'll tell old Debenham to expect you; he shall give us both a bed. By Jove! he won t be able to do us too well If he s got his picture." "If!" I groaned as hq nodded his adieu; and he left me limp with apprehension, aide with fear, in a perfectly pitiable con dlttbn of pure stage-fright. For. after all. I had only to act my part; unless Raffles failed where he never did fall, unless Raffles the neat and noise less was for once clumsy and inept, all I had to do was indeed to "smile and smile and be a villain." I practiced that smile half the afternoon. I rehearsed putative narts in hyoothetlcal conversations. I irot up stories. I dipped in a book on Queensland at the club. And at last It was 7:43, and I was making my bow to a somewhat elderly man with a smau, oaid head and a retreating bow "So you're Mr. Raffles' friend?" said he, overhauling me rather rudely with his light, small eyes. "Seen anything of him? Exoected him early to show me something, but he's never come." No more evidently bad his telegram, and mv troubles were beginning early. I said I bad not seen Raffles sice 1 o'clock, telling the truth- with unction when I could: even as we spoke there came knock at the door; it was the telegram at last, and, after reading it himself, the Queenslander handed it to at "Called out of town!" he grumbled. "Sudden illness of near relative! What near relatives has he got?" I knew of none, and for an instant I quailed before the perils of Invention; then I replied that I Ji&d never iet any of his people, and again felt fortified by my veracity. "Thouxht you were bo sera pals?" said he. with, (as I imagined) & gleam of arcs pldon in bis crafty little eyes. "Only In town.' said I. "I've never been, to his place." "Well." he growled. "I sappose it can't be helped. Don't knew why he celdn't come and have hi dinner first. LHte to see the deathbed I'd go to wttfeettC sty dinner: it's a full-ski billet. K yoa sek jm. Jl'elL xwut Jwt dte .wKJMvt very different cause. A new tangle of emotions tied my tongue. Raffles had failed Raffles had failed! Could tint succeed Was It too late? WaJ them no way? So long." he . said, taking a last irvnlc at the canvas before he rolled it iit "so lonir till we get to Brisbane, Tho flutter 1 was in as no ciosea the case! "For the last time." he went on. as his keys jingled back into his pocket. "It goes straight into the strong-room on hoard." For the last time! If I could only send him out to Australia with only Its legitimate contents in his precious mao-case! If I could but succeed where Raffles had failed! We returned to the other room. have no notion how long he talked or what about- Whisky and soda-water became the order of the hour. I scarce ly touched it. but he drank copiously, and before It I left him incoherent. And the last train for Esher was the 11:30 out of Waterloo. I took a hansom to my rooms. I was back at the hotel 1n 13 minutes. I walked upstairs. The. corridor was empty: I stood an instant on the sit ting-room threshold, heard a snore .within, and admitted mysWf softly with my gentleman's own key. wnJc'n It had been a very simple matter to take away with me. Cruggs never moved; he was stretched on the sofa fast asleep. But not fast enough for me. I saturated my handkerchief with the chloroform I had brought, and I laid it gently over Is moutn. Two or three stertorous breaths, and the man was a log. I removed the handkerchief; I ex tracted the keys from his pocket. In less than five minutes I put them back, after winding the picture about my body beneath my Inverness cape. I took some whisky and soda-water b fore I went. The train was easily caugnt so easily that I trembled for ten minutes In my first-class smoking carriage In terror of every footstep on the plat form. In unreasonable terror till the end. Then at last I sat back , and lit a cigarette, and the lights of Waterloo reeled out behind. Some men were returning from the theater. I can recall their conversation even now. They wore disappointed with tho pleco they had seen. It was one of tho later Savoy operas, and they spoko wlsfully of the days of "Pinafore" and "Patience." One of them hummed a stave, and there was an argument as to whether the air was out or pa tience" or the "Mikado. They all got out at Surblton, an I was alone with my triumph for a few intoxicating minutes. To think that I had succeed ed where Raffles had failed! Of all our adventures that was the first in whlcn I had played a commanding part; -and. of them all. this was Infinitely the least discreditable. It left me without a con scientious qualm; I had but robbed a robber, when all was said- And I had dono It myself, smgie-nanaea ipse egomet! . T nlctured Raffles, his surprise, ms ae- llght. Ho would think a little more ot me In the future. And mat iuiure, it suoum be different. We had 2000 aplece-surely enough to start afresh as honest men and all through me! Tn a clow I sprang out at Esher, and took the one belated cab that was waiting under the bridge. In a perfect fever I beheld Broom Hall, with the lower story still lit up. and saw the front aoor open as I climbed the steps. Thought it was you. said Jttauie3 cheerily. "It's all right- Theres a Deo for you. Sir Bernard's sitting up to snaKo your hand." His good spirits disappointed me. But I knew the man: he was one of those who woar tha briehtest smiles in tne piacKct hour. I knew him too well by this time to be deceived. "I've got It!" I cried in -bis car. i. ve got it!" t , Got what? ne asicea me, burpyiug back. "The picture!" "What?" "Tho oleture." He showed it me. You had to go without it: I saw that. So 1 determined to have It, And hero it is." "Let's see." said Raffles gnmiy. T threw oft my capo and unwound the canvas from about my body. While I wna dolnsr so an untidy old gentleman made his appearance in the hall and stood looking on with raised eyebrows. Ixoks pretty iresn xor an oiu nusier, doesn't she?" said Raffles. His tone was strange. I could oniy suppose that he was Jealous of my suc cess. So Craggs said. I hardly looKed at it myself." Well, look now look cioseiy. ay Jove, I must have faked her oeuer man x thought!" "It's a copy!" I cried. "It's the copy," he answered. "It's the copy I've been tearing all over the. country to procure. It's the copy I faked back and front, so that, on your own showing, It Imposed upon Craggs, and might have made him happy for life. And yqu go and rob him of that!" I could not speak. "How did you manage it?" inquired Sir Bernard Debenham. "Have you killed him?" asked Raffles sardonically. I did not look at him; I turned to Sir Bernard Debenham, and to him I told my story, hoarsely: excitedly, for It was all that I could do to keep from breaking down. But as I spoke I became calmer, and I finished Jn mere bitterness, with the remark that another time Raffles might tell me what he meant to do. "Another time!" he cried instantly. "My dear Bunny, you speak as though we were going to turn burglars for a living!" "I trust you won't," said Sir Bernard, smiling, "for you are certainly two very daring young men. Let us hope our friend from Queensland will do as he said, and not open his map-case till he gets back there. He will find my cheque awaiting him. and I shall be very much surprised if he troubles any ot us again." Raffles and I did not speak till T was in the room which had been prepared for me. Nor was I anxious to do so then. But he followed me and took my hand. "Bunny." said he, don't you be hard on a fellow! I was In the deuce of a hurry, and didn't know that I should ever get what I wanted In time, and that's a fact. But It serves mo right that you should have gone and undone one ot tha best things I ever did. As for your handi work, old chap, you won't mind my say ing that T didn't think you had it in you. In future " "Don't talk to me about the future!" I cried. "I hate the whole thing! I'm going to chudk it up!" "So am I." said Raffles, "when I've i made my pile.' WHY DO YOU SUFFER? When the Great Chinese Doctor c. gee wo can cure you of any ailment by his powerful and harmless Chinese herbs and roots, which are un known to medical science ot this country. His wonderful cures throughout the United States alone tell the story. Thousands of people are thankful to him for saving their lives from OPERATIONS Tk.n -tirhv it vnurself stiffer? This famous doctor knows the action of over 500 different remedies that be has successfully used in different diseases. feljaw.las. estImoIaI from rrell-kaoira people tell ot tke ttoh derful cKratlvc po-nrer of ature oim berbs aad rootat Thomas Walsh. Tenth and Everett streets, city, cured of stomach trouble, two years' standing. Miss Helene Enberg, 606 Vancouver avenue, city, suffered many years with dyspepsia of the stomach and lung trouble, and was said by doc Tors to have Incurable consumption. 1 am thankful to say. after five months' treatment of Dr. C Gee Wo's remedies. I have fully regained my health and strength- I recommend all that are sick to go and see hlm. Saved from operation: Mrs- Theresa George, 705 Fourth street, city T had suffered from inflammation of the womb and ovaries and female weakness, and tried many doctors, but all said I would die if 1 did not kave an operation.- I tried Dr. C, Gee Wo's remedies as my lasti resource sad am thankful to say that after four months' treatment I was entirely cured. , . . . .. t , -r rr. He sruarantees to cure aiiirtu. iunams, .umci., luij , uuus uuuiis, inatism. Nervousness. Stomach. Female Trouble and all private dls- RheuxBatlsra. Nervousness. "Hundreds of testimonials. Charges moderate. If you ars. slck with any of the abeve testimonials, then call and see him, Pa&ents out of" the city write for blank and circulars. Inclose stamp. Address. The C. GeeWo Medicine Co A1rZ.6i girwr ui Xlii AMm: Itmig to a? eer. ft