Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-20
Copyright. 1899. BY Herbert S. Stone Co


cottage. and as there was nothing In
my dress to attract attention, and I
had no reason to believe that / was
known personally to, or wanted by, the
police, thought my safest plan would
be to go boldly ahead.
After | had walked a mile or so.
met blacl-bearded man dressed as if
for bicycling and wearing cloth cap.
= Can you tell me-" he said, politely,
which is the shortest way to house
called Heath cottage, in the occupation
Of Mr.. Hall?"
NO" l replied, 81 can't"
Then you are a stranger in this
neighborhood?" he asked.
I'm a stranger to YOU" said. curt
ly, resenting his inquisitiveness.
/ 81 see. Then when you said lust
now that you couldn't tell me my way
to Heath cottage, you meant that you
didn't want to-"
IF you like" 1 answered. Take Il
either way. It's none OF your BUSH
ness"
"Oh, yes, it is" was his off-hand re-
ply. Il happen to be a police officer,
you see, and l shall have to trouble
you to return with me as far as Tar
borough"
Then he burst into laugh. Don't
upset yourself, Number Seven. l only
wanted to satisfy myself that the dis
guise was all right, and it certainly
seems to be so, since you didn't recog-
ntze your chief and late host"
You took me by SURPRISE" l said,
feeling and looking rather foolish,
and gave me bit of fright into the
bargain 1 recognize You now easily
enough. But to meet you coming in
this direction and in a disguise was
enough to deceive any one How on
earth did you manage it in the time T!
You haven't been into the cottage
again, surely?"
Easiest thing in the world. nv dear
fellow" he said, lightly. My motto
is, Always be prepared for an emer-
gency- When you saw me last, some
20 minutes ago, was wearing a pep
per-and-salt coat and trousers. But
my clothes are all made with two sides
TO them. There's nothing unusual
about this coat. is there, except that it
Is buttoned close, as all my coats are.
But IL you turn it inside out, it would
be pepper-and-salt again instead of
blue serge. l always wear stockings
instead of socks, and the arrangement
or my own by which l can change
trousers into knickerbockers is simple,
and works so well, that think of pat
enting 1t one day. The beard and the
cap carry in my pocket, so made a
dressing-room of the first secluded
place | came to. and here I am, very
much at your service.
Now look here, Number Seven" he
went on, changing his tone abruptly.
slipped across the fields TO intercept
you because I want \ word vita zee.
This council is getting a CHASTITY farce.
You and / and lubbock can work to-
eether all right, but the other two are
simply deadheads. Perhaps it's my
fault l begin to realize that | was
mistaken in thinking l could handle
the team as Number One did. That
man was positive genius. His orga n
lZing power was marvellous. The six
or us worked together under him like
oarsmen in boat There was no
waste effort. He used the whole of
us, and put out his men when he had
any little scheme on. like a captain
placing his team in the cricket field.
Now everything's changed. One or
two of us bring the brains and do the
work, and the rest just look on, and
take no risk nor part in the business
except sharing the profits. It:l not
like the same thing it used to be. You
weren't member of the syndicate In
those days. Then ii was power in the
world. Then things were planned and
carried out on a big scale. Number
one was a genius and worked the six
or US, for what we were worth, SO that
we were all like so many wheels in one
Dig perfectly acting machine Now we
are Just gang of vulgar criminals.
with nothing in common between us
either in mind or methods except that
we share the plumber alike The syn
dicate has gone to pieces since the
chiefs death. 1 thought / could stem
into his shoes, and take it up and carry
at on from the point he left it at; but
I've found out my mistake by now, and
can see no good and precious lot of
danger in our hanging together any
longer.
But I'm going to make just one
more attempt TO carry a big scheme
through, upon the lines the chief used
10 go upon, so that each member of
the council bears his part. If It fails.
1 shall chuck it, and retire from the
syndicate altogether. You and | and
lubbock could run the show better
without the other two men than with
them. and there'd be only three instead
OF five to share the profits I fancy
you'll see your way to join US, and to
throw those two fools over That's all
have to say to you, and I'm going
now But think 1t over, and If you feel
inclined to stand In with us, put a
Hover of some sort in your button