The evening world. Newspaper, June 10, 1905, Page 9

‘Fifth Adventure. NINE. Z PoINTS of the L AW By E. W. HORNV. , BY CHAR ELL,” said Raffles, “what do you make of it?” 1 read the advertisement once more before replying. It was in the last column of the Daily Telegraph, and it ran: £2,000 REWARD — The above sum may be earned by any one qualified to undertake delicate mission and prepared to rv r tain risk. Apply by telegrs SECURIT‘ London. “1 think,” said I, “it’s the most extraordinary advertise- ment that ever got into print!” Raffles smiled, “Not quite all that, Bunny; still, extraordinary enough, I grant you.” Look at the figure!” “It is certainly large.” “And the mission—and the risk!” “Yes; the combination is frank, to say the least of it. But the really original point is requiring applica- tions by telegram to a telegraphic address! There's something sin 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 raise the np: My answer cost me five bob; but then | prepaid another.” “You don’t mean to say that you've applied?” “Rather,” said Raffles. pounds as much as any man,” “But your-own name?” “Well—no, Bunny, J didn’t. In point of fact, 1 smell something interesting and illegal, and you know what a cautious chap I am. I signed myself Glasspool, care of Hickey, No, 38 Conduit street; that’s my tailor, and after sending the wire | went round and told him what 4o expect. He promised to send the reply along the moment it came. 1 shouldn't be surprised if that's it.” And he was gone, before a double-knock on the “IT want two thousand outer door had done ringing through the rooms, to return next minute with an open telegram and a face full of news. “What do you think?” said he “Security's that fellow Addenbrooke, the police court lawyer, and he wants to see me instanter!’’ “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-Wilmer case; everybody wondered why he wasn’t struck off the rolls, Instead of that he’s got a first-rate Praotice on the 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 1 hive long made up my mind to go to Addenbrooke myself if accidents should happt Wd “And 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 seen this fellow. 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 substantial offices in Wellington street, Strand, and was out when we arrived, but he had only just gone “over the way to the court,” and five minutes sufficed to produce a brisk, fresh-colored, resolute-looking man, with a very confident, rather festive air and black eyes that opened wide at the sight of Raffles. “Mr.—-Glasspool?” exclaimed the lawyer. “My name,” said Raffles, with dry effrontery. “Not up at Lord’s, however!’ said the other, slyly. you take far too many wickets to make any mistake!’ 5 For a single moment Raffles looked venomous; then he shrugged and smiled, and the smile grew into a little cynical chuckle, ; “So you have bowled me out in my turn?” said he. ‘Well, 1 don’t think there’s anything to explain. 1 am harder up than I wished to admit under my own name, that’s all, and 1 want that thousand 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 and confidential character.” 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. 1 said 1 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? 1 should give him my real one, Bunny.” Mr. Addenbrooke raised his eyebrowsover the card I found for him; then he drummed upon it with his finger-nail, and his embarrassment expressed itself in a puzzled smite, « “My dear sir, | have seen “The fact is, 1 find myself in a difficulty,” he confessed at last. “Yours is the first reply | have received; people who ca” afford to send long telegrams don't rush to the advertisements in the Daily Telegraph; but, on the other hand, I was not quite prepared to hear from men like yourselves, Cand! and on consideration, | am not sure that you are the stamp of men for me—men who belong to good clubs! I rather intended to appeal to the—er—adventurous classes,” “We are adventurers,” said Raffles 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?” ything,” | murmured, The solicitor rapped his desk. “Tl 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 of failure; the money is as good as yours once you consent to run the risk. My client is Sir Bernard Deberliam, of Broom Hall, Esher.”” “1 know his son," I remarked. Raffles knew him, too, but said nothing, and his eye drooped disapproval in my direction, Bennett Addenbrooke turned to me. “Then,” said he, “you have the privilege of knowing one of the most complete young blackguards about town, and the fons et origo of the whole trouble. As you