Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-30
CHAPTER XIV.

AFtssSG I'm EACa Ot OUR ROChETS.
you have seen my man lubbock.
Wen, am venturing to propose that
he be elected to fill one of the three
vacancies on the council. 1t seems to
me. when an outsider gets to know as
much as, under the imperative cir
Sumstances, we could not prevent Hub
book from knowing about our bust
peSs-that one of two things must
happen. That person must either be
more committed-must, in fact, be
not oaiy an accessory to what we have
done OF propose doing, but must be
our actual accompliee-or else we must
protect ourselves from the possibility
Of that person doing us mischief or of
turning informer by taking the one and
only effectual way of shutting his
mouth. lubbock has been with me
FOR four years, and / can go bail for
bis trustworthiness. I've sounded him
and find him ready and eager to be
elected He will be a distinct acquisi-
eion TO the council, for an ADLER fellow
or a man Of more resource I don't
know. Are you or are you not willing
that he should join us? I don't want
20 force my candidate upon you against
POUR own Judgment or your will, so
n any OF you have anything to say
On the matter l hope you will not hes
tate 10 speak out"
IAN I've got to say" said Number
Six, lis that I'm glad to hear that the
chaps ready to become one of us.
don't fancy having people knowing as
much about me as he does. unless they
are all in the same boat What do you
say. mates?"
My colleague and myself asserting
TO this view, lubbock was summoned
and informed of the decision of the
council. He was short, squat man,
the grosSness of whose appearance did
not prepare one for his apish imitation
OF fine speech and fine manners. His
lumpy, bridge1ess nose, deep-set, pry-
ing pigs eyes, coarse-grained and
pimply complexion, and huge mouth,
that when he grinned stretched al
most from lobe to lobe of his tapping
eleRaant-ears, seemed ludicrously out
Of keeping with his mincing way of
speaking. Being always self-conscious
tn regard to his superiority, and anx-
ioHs TO impress everyone with his
aloofness from the common and "h"-
less herd, he accentuated the aspirate,
and the "t' in such words as often"
as aggressively as if they were testi-
Monials to his own education and
breeding. The effect of this was height
ened by his habit of introducing into
his conversation-nom matter how irrele-
vanuy-any grandiloquent phrase or
high-sounding word which he had
picked up, and probably only imper-
fectly understood.
am happy, gentlemen, to be thus
honored," he said, with series of
stately bows. cit has from time i'm
memorial been my hearts wish to be
q member OF some such honorable So
eiety. But have for long entertained
grave apprehensions C'grave apprehen-
sions," l may remark, was a phrase
which had appeared-apropos of the
health Of some distinguished invalid
In the papers that morning), yes, 1
have, l repeat, for long time enter
tanned grave apprehensions that
shoald never find myself thus favored,
and thank you from all my heart"
Spoken like an orator of one of
the good old immoral times" said
Hall. slapping lubbock on the back
Nov. if you'll sit down, I've got one
or two matters of business that I'd like
to put before the council of which you
are now a member"
There was nasty gleam in Hub
books little eyes, which told me that
the fact of his being ridiculed was
neither lost upon nor relished by him,
but with a smile which displayed an
expanse OF false teeth, reminding me
Of the keyboard of 4 piano, he bowed
affectedly and relapsed into seat.
Gentlemen" our host went on, 81
think that the time has come when 1t
rs no longer desirable nor feasible for
as to attempt to conceal our identity
from each other. 1t is possible-per-
haps probable, II l speak my mind
chat the woman who betrayed us has
informed the police that We are all
dressed and disguised alike. But even
were IL not so, now that we are all
Arown together in this way, 1t seems
30 me childish TO keep any further
senblance of secrecy. Personally am
not, and never was, very keen ON dis
g1sSe. That sort of thing may, and
efoen GOES pass muster in the street,
or hi the presence of people who have
no cause for looking at the disguised
persau too closely. or for suspectinx
Atn 10 be other than he seems. But
pcastieal as false hair and false beard
may he for ordinary purposes, OF for
sseeiving Strangers am bound to adj
nsk that l never yet met the criminal
whose abilities for making up were
% wonderful that he could enter un-
Suspected into conversation with any
enc who had reason to be suspicious. I
Anve read of such criminals in books.
where you have to take the authors
wood for 1t that the thing happened
as yvu are told il happened, and have
HeeA them in melodramatic plays.
whore the person who is supposed to
es Mpeaetrably disguised is placed far
enough away from the audience to
uaantain the delusion. But, as far as
my experience goes, practiced GRIM