Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-16

significant testimony of his incapa-
bility for details. Such an omission
could never have taken place under the
chieftainship of Number One. Had
that artist in crime been at the head
OF affairs, it is very doubtful whether
should have been allowed to put foot
inside the house at Fassett Square:
nor would the little maneuver by
which l had frustrated the attempt to
wreck Lord Cranthorpe's residence
have been quite so easy of accomplish
ment
] did not forget that Number One
had not failed to discover my pres
ence in the Southend train on the
very first occasion on which | had at
tempted TO personate the dead con-
epirator, nor that he had penetrated
my disguise at glance; and though
the struggle which had taken place be-
tween us that evening had resulted in
his defeat il was lucl- more than skill
hat ha1 constituted me the victor.
The game of chess which was being
played between myself and the Syndi-
cate OF Scoundrels was at present in
my favor, inasmuch as | had sue
oeeded in removing from the board a
queen and two pawns, TO wit Number
One, Number Three and Number
Seven. But as l had only one piece
10 lose, and as the contest became more
difficult and more dangerous as the
number of combatants grew less. |
telt-when l knocked for the second
time at the door of the gypsy wagon
nish 7
TO be both wide-awake and willy were
to come out of the business alive.
had scarcely Joined the party,
which now consisted of five, including
myself, when one of the conspirators.
whom / recognized as Number Two.
held up his hand as a sign that he
wished TO address the meeting.
Those of you who have seen the
morning paper" he said, "will scarcely
need to be told that our number is
now complete. Death has removed
another member of the council since
our last meeting. On that occasion 1
undertook with the assistance of Coun-
slllor Number Three to obtain possess
sion of the dynamite that was con-
cealed at Fassett Square have kept
through some wretched bungling on
his own part, my unfortunate assist
ant lost his life. You have seen in
this mornings papers the account of a
singular occurrence which happened
last night. A man, carrying a coat over
his arm, and walking somewhat hur-
riedly, was observed to stop suddenly
AS If In alarm-and to feel in the
pocket of the coat. The next instant
ne flung the coat from him and started
TO run, but he had not gone three
PAGES before there was a tremendous
explosion. AS the affair happened
somewhat late at night, the man carry
Ing the coat was the only victim. But
according to the newspapers, he was
blown to pieces so literally that iden-
tfteaton is thought to be impossible
Fellow councillors, there is every
reason to suppose that the victim of
the explosion was our colleague Num-
ner Three. i had thought it wise. aft
er securing the dynamite which was
concealed at Fassett Square, to make
TWO parcels OF it, entrusting one to
my collaboration and retaining the
other myself, so that, in the event OF
either or us falling into the hands of
inc police, this council would still be
In possession of sufficient dynamite to
carry out any project which has been
FORMED. Number Three was to have
brought the explosive here tonight.
ehd why he was carting it about the
streets last night / cannot say. The
only supposition l can put forward is
paseo upon the fact that the explosion
occurred quite close to Plantagenet