The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-03-13
THROUGHOUT the entire
- ~ course of my criminal career,
which has included all sorts

most humiliating Of these repulses IL
the lines that follow.
Early in September, 1885, / found
myself sitting in my den In ST. Giles
discussing the state Of our mutual
finances with Ted Basting, my oldest
chum and partner Basting was in
clined TO take a pessimistic view OF
the situation. and he puffed savagely
at his glowing clay as though concen'
trating all the bitterness Of his emo
tions on the tobacco which burned
therein.
"Heverythin's played out and hover
done" he remarked in a gloomy tone,
"and that's the bloomin' truth. Blow
me IL / don't feel like joinin' the per-
lice force unless somethin' turns up be-
fore I'm much holder"
"My dear Ted" ] remarked, with n
smile which could not repress, sure
ly you would not disgrace your family
In that mannerY
"Well. guv'nor, dunno. A copDer's
life amt arf bad when e 'appens to
get old OF a good beat, with plenty O.
cooks and pork-pies in tow But
there, wot's the good o. talkin' abaut
slch luxuries when it only makes my
mouth water to think OF 'em without
satisfying the vacancy just below my
belt?"
81 quite agree with You" / replied,
"but / fancy that | am on the verge OF
effecting coup which will bring us In
sufficient to remove the vacancy for
evermore, or rather, TO fill ii up salts
factorily. What do you say TO sccur-
ing twenty thousand pounds worth Of
jewelry from Stoner's, the big Bond
street firm? How would that suit your
book?"
He leaned back and peered at me
cynically.
"'Twould suit me down to the
ground, guv'nor," he answered, "but
the question is, 'ow do you propose TO
work the jobW
"By a means which is simplicity IT.
SELF" l returned slowly. land If you
will listen for n few minutes l think
you will agree with me that the plan
is not only workable, but almost GER
tain of success"
'All right. guv'nor; fire away and
hunfold your tale, as the song scz," he
muttered, with grin. And, thus en-
couraged, / proceeded to explain my
scheme.
81 propose to take q suite Of rooms
at the Hotel Recherche | began,
speaking in a slow. deliberate voice, so
that he might follow my meaning,
"and when l have secured the apart
I'm gorgeous clothing and pay visit TO
Messrs. Stoner Il Sons"
'Werry good" he muttercd. land
wot then?"
"Then / shall ask TO he shown some
specimens of their best work. | shall
explain that my wife is lying in n
somewhat delicate state of health mt
the hotel, and that she desires me to
choose some stones for her. After
some deiberation shall 90 OH to point
out that / would prefer my wife TO
view the things for herself, and that |
would suggest their sending an assist
ant with large assortment to the ho.
tel during the afternoon"
II see" he replied. nodding his large
head; "and when the chap comes round
with the stuff you'll just knock him on
the head and scoot with the swag
Ha, ha, haw and here the worthy Eel.
low laughed long and loud.
Your surmise is perfectly correct
except In one detail" l made answer
q .hnI L., Il IA. A.
you elegantly suggest, but shall admin
lister TO the gentleman mild sedative
In the form of a dose of chloroform
which will render him quite harmless
until we have made good our escape e
the Continent. Or. rather. l shall leave
to you the task of drugging our frient
whilst l divert his attention in some
manner or other And now, if there IL
any weak spot in the schenN which
you have noticed let me know"
low are you goin' to dispose of tn,
stuff" he asked, as he eyed me mar
rowly.
Nothing will he easier. Our frien,
Groby, at Amsterdam. will discoun
the stones for us, after deducting hi
usual inGnitesimal profit of four hun
dred per cent"
Basting smiled approvingly.
A week later | drove up TO the Hotc
Recherche in n hanson. accompanie,
by some baggage i'm the shape of
trunk containing large consignment
OF stones, portmanteau wherein ther
reposed few necessaries OF the toilet
and lastly my faithful associate. TIE,
Basting, who. garbed In black. repre-
sented n valet TO the life. Assumin
what Is known rs "lordly" manner
engaged n couple of sleeping apart
ments for Basting and myself. togcthe
with an elegant sitting room adjoinin,
The suite In question formed one Of tn
most expensive In the hotel. but thg
detail did not trouble me at all. seein
that did not contemplate waiting fC
the presentation of the bill.
We lunched In the great hostelr,
my chum. of course, taking his meal ;
the servants table, aud directly II
elaborate rejection was concluded
nttired myself i'm n gorgeous froc
coat and silk hat. and. hailing n hai
som which was passing the hotel, WI
driven rapidly to Bond street
Messrs. Stoner * Sons establishmel
was a huge doublefronted shop. CO.
tanning more wealth in the shape
precious stones than any other hal