The evening world. Newspaper, June 10, 1905, Page 10

PO eT ee THE WORLD: SATURDAY EVENING, cm je #on, you may know the father, too, at all events by repu- itloms: and in that case I needn't tell you that he is a very peculiar sal Hives alcne im a storehouse of treasures which no eyes but hid r . He ts said to have the finest collection of pictures in the south , though nobody ever sees them io judge; pictures, fiddles and “are his hobby, and he js wndoubtedly very eccentric. Nor can one pny: that there has been considerable eccentricity in his treatment of his won, “Wor years Sir Bernard paid his debts, and the other day, without the 4 leone warning, not only refused | to d@ eo any more, but absolutely | stopped the lad's allowance. Well, 21 tet you what hav happened; but t of wll you must know, or you | may remember, that I appeared for ) yout Debenham in a little scrape ho ) got eto a year or two ago. I got him ). Off alt right, and Sir Bernard paid me @somely on the nail, And no / more did f hear or see of either of > there wntil one day last week.” | Whe lawyer drew his chair nearer Sure and leaned forward, with a hand (on eaher knee. "On Tuesday of last week I had ‘telegram from Sir Bernard; I was 0 to him at once, I found him for me in the drive; without he led me to the picture gal- » Which was locked and darkened, ¥ wp a blind, and etood simply to an empty picture frame. wae a long time before I could get ‘word out of him, Then at last he id me that that frame had con- Ined one of the rarest and most val- “Wable pictures in England—in the worl#—an original Velasquez. I have this,” said the lawyer, ‘and ft seems literally true; the picture @ portrait of the Infanta Maria said to be one of the artist's works, second only to an- rait of one of the Popes in they told me at the Na- jonal lery, where they had its % lory by heart. They say there that picture is practically priceless. And young Debenham has sold it for thousand pound: i “The deuce he has,” said Raffles, % Einquired who had bought it. _ *& Queensland legislator by the of Craggs—the Hon. John Mon- uu Craggs, M. 'L. C., to give his full ie, Not that we knew anything ut him on Tuesdrv last; we didn't fen know for certain that young bemham had stolen the picture. he had gone down for money on Monday evening, had teen re- and it was plain enough that had helped himself in this way; a had threatened revenge, and this | ‘Was it. Indeed, when I hunted him fm town on the Tuesday night he Sonfessed as much in the most brazen ) Manner imaginable. BuiMhe wouldn't a me who was the purchaser, and ing out took the rest of the week; ; I did find out, and a nice time | Vive had of it ever since! Backward | @nd forward between Esher and the ‘Metropole, where the Queenslander is Staying, sometimes twice day; threats, offers, prayers, entreaties, mot one of them a bit of good! _. “But,” said Raffles, Clear case? The sale was illegal; you | can pay him back his money and ‘force him to give the picture up.” / “Bxactly; but not without an ac- and a public seandal, and that client declines to face. He would \Pattier lose even his picture than have he whole thing get into the papers; ehas, disowned.his son, but he will , Misgrace him; yet his picture he ist have by hook or crook, and ere’a the rub! I am to get it back means or foul, He gives me “blanche in the matter, and I verily believe would throw in a blank Pebeck if asked. He offered one to the Queenslander, but Craggs simply tore ‘I, © it in two; the one old boy is as much character as the other, and between e two of them I'm atymy wits’ end,” “So you put that vertisement the paper?” said Raffles, in the ef tones he had adopted throughout ‘the interview. : “As a last resort. I did.” ton you wish us to steal this } It was magnificently said; the re myer flushed from his hair to his » gollar, he | We Si a nm ie see your stomp! But it's not stealing,” he exclaimed heatedly; ‘it’s recover- ig stolen property. Besides, Sir Bernard will pay him his five thousand Pas soon as he has the picture: and, you'll see, old Crages will be just as loth NO let it come out 8 Sir Bernard himself, No, no—it’s an enterprise, an venture, if you like—but not stealing, “You yourself mentioned the law," murmured Raffles, ‘And tlie risk,” I added, , “We pny for that,” he saic once more, But not enough,” said Raffles, shaking his head. “My good sir, con- ler whut it means to us, You spoke of those clubs; we should not only Pt Kicked out of them, but put in prison like common burglars! It's trie uwre're hard up, but it elmply isn’t worth It at the price, Double your stakes, @ I for one am your man.” ‘ May) Addenbrooke wavered. > “Do you think you could bring it off?” “We could try.” “But you have no''—— eereence? Well, hardly!" i you would really run the risk for four t aun Raffles looked at me. I nodled. Hoteahd pounds? “We would,” said he, “and blow the ords! "It's more than I can ask my client to pay, “Then it’s more than you can expect ns to risk.” “You are in earnest?” "God wot!” “Say three thousand if you succeed!" be. “Four ia our figure, Mr, Addenbrook whe “Then I think it should be nothing if 5 Ay tted or quits?” cried Ramos, nbrooke opened his lips, half rose, then sat back s chair g Jong and shrewdly at Ralliles—never once ae Rlachiasehalrgnd “I know your bowling,” said he reflectively, “I go up to Lord's whe if FT wan* an hour's real rest, and I've seen you howl! again and again Ay take tho best wickets in England on a plumb pitch. I don't forget the h. Gentleman and Players; I was there. You're up to every trick every pone, © © * I'm inclined to think that if anybody could bow! out this old Auntraiian * * © Damme, 1 believe you're my very mani’ * © © The bargain was clinched at the Cafe Royal, where Bennett Adde poke insisted on playing host at an extravagant luncheon, 1 rememb At he took his whack of champagne with the nervous freedom of a man % high pressure, and have no doubt 1 kept him in countenance by an equal dilgence; but Raffies, ever an exemplar in such matters, was mor 2 tu even than lis wont, and very poor company to boot, I can see him bnow, his eyes in his plate—thinking-—thinking. I can see the solicitor flancing from him to me in an apprehension of which I did best to dis- mutnine bim by reassuring looks, At the close Raffles apologized for his pre- icupation, called for an A, B.C, timetable, and announced his intention of Atohing the 3.02 to Esher. ‘ou must excuse me, Mr, Addenbrooko,” said he, “but I have my own and for the moment | should much prefer to keep it to myself, It (end in a fizzle, so 1 would rather not speak about it to either of you yet, But speak to Sir Bernard I must, so will you write me one line yA on your card? Of course, If you wish, you must come down with ine ear what I say; but I really don't see much point in it.” id as wstial Raffles had his way, though Isennett Addenbrooke showed per when he was gene, and | myself shared his annoyance to no extent. £5 could only te)! him that it yar tn the nature of Raffles to led and secretive, but thet no man of my acquaintance had halt and determination; thet I, fer my part, would trust him d through, and let him gang his own gait every tire. More I Bay, even to remove these chill misgivings with which I knew \ BY % sald Addenbrooke, growing ou fall,” “Well, that's sporting, Done!" that the lawyer went his way. ‘That day I saw no more of Raffles, but a telegram reached me when I was dressing for dinner: “Be in your rooms to-morrow from noon and keep rest of day clear, RAFFLES,” It had been sent off from Waterloo at 6.42, So Rafiles. was back in town: at an earlier stage should have hunted him up then and there, but now I knew better, of our relations 1 His “He stood simply pointing to an empty picture frame.” “I knew you were not the men!" he groaned. “I never thought of men telegram meant that he had no desire for my society that night or the fol» lowing forenoon; that when he wanted me I should see him soon enough, And see him I did, toward 1 o'clock next day, I was watching for him from my window in Mount street, when be dvove up furiously in a hansom, and jumped out without a word to the man. I met him next minute at the ates, and he fairly pushed me back into my rooms, ve nunutes, Bunn he ariel, ‘Not a moment more.” And he tore off 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 ull I tell you all I've done, 1 settled my plan of campaign yes- terdvy at binch, The first thing was to get in with this men Cr nly cant break into a place like tbe Metropole, it's got to be done from the in- side. Problem one, how to get at the fellow, Only one sort of pretext would do—it must be something to do with this blessed pleture, so that 1 might see where he'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 second representative of tho other old chap, and it was thinking how I could go that made me such # bear at Janch, But I saw my way before ve got up, If I could only lay hold of a copy of the picture J might k leave t@go und compare it with the original, So cown 1 went to Esher to find ont if there was a copy In existence, and was at Broom Hall for one hour and a half yesterd, afters noon. ‘There was no copy there, but they must exist, for Sir Bernard hime self (there's ‘copy’ there!) hus allowed & couple to be made the pics ture has been in bis possession, He hunted up the the rest of the evening I spent in hunting up the painters themselves; their work had been done on commission; one vopy had gone out of the country, and Iya still on the track of the other.” “Then you haven't seen Uraggs yet?” en him and made friends with him, and, If possible, he's the funnier old cuss of the two; but you should stidy ‘em both, TF took the bull by the horns this morning, went in and lied like Anan nd it was just as well I did—the old ruffian sails for Australia by tosmorrow’s boat, 1 told him a man wanted to sell me a copy of the celebrated Infanta Maria ‘Teresa of Velasquez, thot Vd been down te the supposed owner of the picture, only to find that he had just sold it to hin, You should have seen his face when Licld him that! We grinned all round his wicked old head, Did old Debs cnhem aanit the sale?’ says he; and when 7 said he had he ehuckled to himeelt for about five ainutes, Ie was so pleased that he did just what I hoped he would do; he showed me the t pletnye—Inckily, Ht isn't by any merns a large one—also the cage he's got it in, Tts an tron map-ease, fn which he brought over the pling of his land in Brishe he wants to know who would suspect it of containing an Old Master, too? But he's had tt fitted with anew Chubb lock, and 1 managed to tke an interest in the key while he was gloating oyer the canvas, J had the wax in the palm of my hand, and T shall make my duplicate this afternoon Raffles looked at his watch and jumped upy saying he had given me @ minute too much ty the way, to-nfeht!” he added, “you've got vo dine with bim at the Metropole "Yes: don't look so seared, Both of us are Invited—I swore you were dining with me, 1 accepted for us both; but I shan't be the His clear eye was upon me, bright with meaning and with mischief, 1 implored him to (el! me what his meaning was. “You will dine in his private sliting-room, sud RaMfles; “it adjoins his bedroom, You must keep him sitting as long as possible, Bunny, and talk- ing all the time!" In a flash I saw his plan, “You're going for the picture while we're at dinner?” “T am,” “If he hears you!” “He shun't.” “But if he does!” JONE 10, 1905. And ! fairly trembled at the thought. “Tf he does,” said Raffles, “there will be a collision, that's all. Revolyer would be out of place in the Metropole, but I shall certainly take a life-pre- server,” “But it’s ghastly!” Leried, ‘To sit and talk to an utter stranger and to know that you're at work in che next room!"" “Pwo thousand apiece,” said Ratles, quietly, “Upon my soul, I belleve I shall give it away “Not you, Bunny, I know you better than you know yourself.” He put on his coat and his hat. \ ‘What time have I to be there?” T asked him, with a groan. “Quarter to olght. ‘There will be a telegram from me saying I can't turn up, He's a terror to talk, you'll have no dtfeulty in keeping the ball rolling; but head him off his picture for all you're worth, If he offers to show it you, yeu must go. He looked up the case elaborately this after- noon, and there's no carthly reason why he should unlock it again in this hemisphere “Where shall I find you when T get away?" “LT shall be down at Esher, [hope ta catch the 9.65," “Rut surely Tecan see you again this afternoon?” T erfed In a ferment, for his hand was on the door. “I'm not half coached up yet! I know I shall make a mess of it!” Not you,” he said again, “bat I shall if 1 waste any more time, I've got a deuce of a lot of rushing about te do yet. You won't find me at my rooms. Why not come down to Esher yourself by the last train? That's it down you come with the latest news! Tl tell old Debenham to ex- pect you; he shall give us both a bed, By deve! he won't be able to do us too well if he's got his pleture.”” "if!" 1 eroaned as he nodded his adieu; and he left me limp with ap- prehe! on, sick with fear, in a per Tectly pitiable condition of pure stage-fright. For, after all, T had only to act my part; unless Raffles failed where he never did fail, unless Raffles, the neat and noiseless, was for once clumsy and inept, T had to do was indeed to “smile and smile and be a illain.’ T practised that smile half the afternoon. I rehearsed putative s in hypothetical conversations, I dipped in a book it the club, And at 7 nd T was making my bow to a somewhat elderly man with a small, bald head and a retreating brow. “So you're Mr, Reffles’s friend?” saidghe, ov ing me rather rudely with his light, small eyes, "Seen any- thing of him? xpected him early to show me something, but he's never come.” No more evidently had his tele- gram, and my tronbies were begin- ning early. I said I had not seen Raffles since 1 o'clock, telling the truth with unction while I could; even as we spoke there eame a knock et the door; it was the telegram at lest, and, after reading it himself, the Queenslander handed it to me, } out of town!” he gram- bled iden’ iMness of near re!a- tive! Wh t near relatives has he got?” 1 knew of none, and for an In- stant I quailed before the perils of in- I had and vention; then L replied that never met any of his people, again felt fortified by my vernel “Thought you were bosom ? said he, with (as T imagined) a gleam of suspicion in his crafty little eyes, “Only in town,” s “T've never been to his plac “Well.” he growled, “I suppose It can't be helped. Don't know why he couldn't come and have his dinner first, Like to see the deathbed I'd go to without tay dinner; it's a full-skin billet, {{ you ask me. Well, must just fine withour him, and he'll have to buy his pig in a poke after all, Mind touching that bell?” Suppose you know what he came to see me about? Sotry I shan't see him again, for his own sake. I Mked Raffles—took to him amazinely, e's a cynic. Like cynies, One myself. Rank bad form of his mother or his aunt, and I hope she will go and kick the bucket.” I connect these specimens of his conversation, though they were doubt- less detached at the time, and interspersed with remarks of mine here and there, They filled the interval until dinner was served, and they gave me an impression of the man which his every subsequent utterance confirmed, It was an impression which did away with all remorse for my treacherous presence at his table, Ile was that terrible type, the Silly Cynic, his aim a stic commentary on all things and all men, his achievement mere vulgar yerence and unintelligent sei Ill-bred and ill-informed, he had (on his own showing) fluked into fortune on a rise in land; yet cunning he pos- sessed, as well as malice, and he chuckled till he choked over the misfor- tunes of less astuté speculators In the same boom, Even now I cannot feel much compunction for my behavior by the Hon, J. M. Crages, M. L. C But never shall I forget the private agonies of the situation, the listen- ing to my host with one ear and for Raffles with the other! Once I heard him-—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 curs tained, I could have sworn I heard him once. 1 spflt my wine and laughed al the top of my voice at some coarse sally ot my host's. And I heard noth- ing more, though my ears were on the strain, But later, to my horror, when the waiter 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,” he sald. “Must have been mistaken * « * cmagination * * * gave ine quite a turn. Raffles tell you treasure I got in there?” as the picture at last; up to this point I had kept him to Queens- price’ hieeuen Ces ay ARRANOEMENT ar Kresge Beseaw, “I’ve got it!’ I cried. land and the making of his pile. I tried to get him back there now, but in yuin, Ife was reminded of his great, ill-gotten possession. I sald that Rafles had just mentioned it, and that set him off, With the confidential garrulity of a man who has dined too well, he plunged into his darling topte, and I looked pust him at the clock, It was only a quarter to ten, In common decency I could not go yet.’ No there I sat (we were still at pert) and learnt what had origiuvally fired my host's ambition to possess what he was pleased to call a “renl, genuine, twin-screw, dowble-funnelled, copper-bottomed Old Master; it was to “go one better” than some # Pose rains mT c fj, “Worth fifty thousand pounds, my boy!” legislator of pictorial proclivities. But even an epitome of his monologue would be so much weariness; sulfice It that it ended inevitably in the ig vitation I had dreaded all the evening. “But you must see it, Next room, This way.” “Isn't it packed up?” I inquired hastily, ‘Lock and key. That's all,” “Pray don’t trouble,” I urged, “Trouble be hanged!” said he. ‘‘Come along.” And all at once I saw that to resist him further would be tu heap suse piclon upon myself against the moment of impending discovery, I there- fore followed him into his bedroom without further protest and suffered him first to show me the iron map-case, which stood in one corner; he took a crafty pride tn this receptacle, and I thought he would never cease descant- ing on its Innocent appearance and its Chubb's lock, It seemed an inter- ininable age before the key was in the latter. Then the ward clicked, and my pulse stood still, “By Jove!" I cried next instant. yas was in its place among the maps! ‘Thought it would knock you,” sald Craggs, drawing it out and unroll- ing tt@for my benefit. “Grand thing, ain't 1t? Wouldn't think it had been painted two hundred and thirty years? It has, though, my word! Old Johnson's face will be a treat when he sees it; won't go bragging about his pictures much more. Why, this one's worth all the pictures in Col- ony o' Queensland put together, Worth fifty thousand pounds, my boy—and I got it for five!” He dug me in the ribs and seemod in the moo? fer further confidences, My appearance checked him, and he rubbed his hands. “If you take it like that,’ he chuckled, “how will old Johnson take It? Go out and hang himself to his own picture-rods, I hope!” Heaven knows what I contrived to say at last. Struck speechless first hy my relief, I continued silent from a very different cause, A new tangle of emotions tied ny tongue, Raffles had failed—Rafiles had failed! Could I not succeed? Was ft to late? Was there no way “So long,” said he, taking a last look at the canvas before he rolled it ap—‘so long till we get to Bris- bane.” The flutter I was-in as he closed 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 board,” 4 For the last time! If I could but send him out to Australia with only its logithmate contents in his pre- cious map-case! If T could but ste ceed where Raffles had failed! We returned to the other room I have no notion how long he talked, or what about, Whiskey and soda- water became the order of the hour, I scarcely touched it, but he drank copiously, and before 11 I left him incoherent. 4nd the last train for Esher was the 11.50 out of Waterlco, I took a hansom to my rooms. I wis back at the hotel in thirteen minutes, I walked upstairs, The corridor was emp! I stood an in- stant on the sitting-room threshold, heard a snore within, and admittgd myself softly with my gentleman's own key, which it.had been a very simple matter to take away with me, Craggs never moved; he was stretched on the sofa fast asleep, But not fast enough for me. 1 saty urated my handkerchief with the chloroform I had brought, and I laid it gently over his mouth, Two or three stertorian breaths, and the than was a log. I ramoved 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. 1 took some whisky and soda-water before I went. The train was easily caught—so easily that I trembled for ten minutes in my first-class smoking carriage—in terror of every footstep on the plat- foem, in unreasonable terror till the end. Then at last I sat ack and lit a cigarette, and the lights of Waterloo reeled out behind, Some men were returning from the theatre. I can reca}\ their conver- sation even now. They were disappointed with the piece they had seen, It was one ofthe later Savoy operas, and they spoke wistfully of the days of “Pinafore” and “Patienc One of them’ hummed a stave, and there was an argument as to whether the air was out of ‘Patience’ or the “Mikado.” They all got out at Surbiton, and I was alone with my triumph for a few intoxicating minutes. To think that I had succeeded where Raffles had failed! Of all our adventures this was the first {n which I had played a commanding part; and, of them all, this was infinitely the least digcreditable, It left me without a conscientious qualm; I had but robbed a robber, when all was said. And I had done it myeelf, single-handed— ipae egomet! I pictured Raffles, his surprise, his delight. He frould think a ttle more of me in future, And that future, it should be different. We had two thousand pounds apiece—surely enough to start afresh ns honest men— and all through me! In a glow I sprang out at Esher, and took the one belated cnb that was. waiting under the bridge, Ina perfect fever I beheld Broom Hall, wi he lower story still lit up, and saw the front door open as I climbed the steps, ‘Thought it was you,” said Raffles cheerily, “It’s all right. There’s a bed for you, Sir Bernard's sitting up to shake your hand.” His good spirits disappointed me, But I knew the man: he was one of those who wear their brightest smile in the blackest hour, I knew him too well by this time to be deceived, “I've got it!" I cried in his ear, “I've got it!” ‘Got what?” he asked me, stepping back. “The picture!” i “what?” ] “The picture, He showed it me, You had to go without it; I saw thaty) So I determined to have it. And here it is,” *A) “Let's see,” said Raffles grimly. I threw off my cape and unwound the canvas from about my body, While I was doing so an untidy old gentleman made his appearance in the hall, and stood looking on with raised eyebrows. “Looks pretty fresh for an Old Master, doesn't she?” sald Raffles, His tone was strange, I could only suppose that he was jealous of my success, ‘So Craggs sald, I hardly Jooked at it myself.” ‘Well, look now—look closely, By Jove, I must have faked her better “It's a copy! “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 you 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, T did not look at him: I turned to Sir Bernard Debenham, and to him I told my story, hoarsely, excitedly, for {t was all that I could do to keep from breaking down. But as I snoke I became calmer, and T finished in 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 aa though we were going to turn burglars for a living ‘ “T trust you won't” sald Sir Bernard, smiling, “for you are rartainty. two very daring young men. Let us hope our friend from Queensland will do as he sald, and not open his map-case till ‘he gets back there. He wll find my cheque awaiting him, and I shall be very much surprised if he troubles any of us again,” Raffles and T did not speak till I was in the room which bad bean pres pared 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 donne of a hurry, and didn’t know that I should ever get what I worted in tima and that's a fact. But it serves me right that you should hove pone om 4 undone one of the best things T ever did. As for your handiwork, olf ches jad won't mind my saying that I didn’t think you had {t In you, In uture?’— “Don't talk to me about the future!” I cried, “I hate the whole thin-! I'm going to chuck {t un!" 4 “So am J,” sald Raffles, “when I’ve made my pile.” m END.) 4 ‘ext Saturday—Gth Raffles Adventure, “THE GIFT OF THE EMPEROR ‘There will be thirteen Adventures in all, a complete:Story every Saturday,