The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-03-19
Copyright, 1899, by Herbert S. Stone & Co.
XXI.
THE MAN WHO WAS BLACK
BALLED."

ANNNN 4 - - "NS . - 49,
able for the failure of Mr.. Hubbock's
little scheme?
have been a member of the Ishmael
club for 10 years, and have twice
served upon the committee. When
Number Two informed us that he was
Mr.. Richardson Hall, | knew at once
that | had heard the name before, and
had on n occasion COMPOUNDED it
with Roland Hill. What that occa-
sion was, however, | could not recall
until Number Two's sneering and lying
allusion to the Ishmaelites gave me
the cue. Then | recollected that when
was on the committee of the club, a
Mr.. Richardson Hall had twice con
trived TO get himself proposed as a
member. The first time he was sum-
marily rejected on the qualification
rule" and SO did not even face the pre-
liminary stage of being up" for cleo
ton. Twelve months after he became
a candidate for the second time, and
on this occasion he was apparently de-
termined to succeed, for he made the
support u bNSI1 luSiilpCiJ WIN nv
he was on speaking terms, a personal
favor, and indeed left no stone I'm
turned to attain his end, and so man
aged 10 squeeze through the prelim-
mary qualification scrutiny. When,
however, the committee met for the
final consideration of candidates, Mr..
Richardson Hall was for some reason,
which no doubt was good, promptly
blackballed.
This fact, while 1t accounted for the
sneers with which Hall had alluded
to the club, made me all the more re-
solved to checkmate Mr.. Hubbock's
little demonstration.
Rather than that the guest of a
club, of which | am a member, should
come to harm under its roof, | de-
cided-should every other means fail
to make known to the police the whole
story of my connection with the syn
dictate. But | was reluctant to resort
TO so extreme a measure unless COM
PEELED, and as | thought saw my way
to a simpler solution of the difficulty,
| went to work accordingly. To find
the instrument-maker at Geneva to
whom the terminate gong had been
entrusted, in order that a musical box
might be placed inside, was easy
enough. 1t was easy enough, too
thanks to the thousand pounds which
| had recently pocketed-to persuade
him to supply me with a duplicate
gong. The duplicate was to resemble
the original in every way, and, like
the original, it. was to contain a mu-
steal box, which, when wound up,
would, at the expiration of ten min
utes. play God Bless the Prince of
Wales!"
What was not so easy was the sub
stitution of my musical box for the in
fernal machine with which lubbock
had promised to replace the original
gong. That he would not effect the
change until Immediately before din
ner | knew, so that | had practically
only a few minutes in which to ac-
complish my task.
While the rest of the members were
in the reception chamber waiting the
arrival of the prince, | made my way
to the dining-room, with the gong
which | had procured in Geneva under
my cloak, and under %pretense OF look
ing where my seat was placed, began
to examine the tables. But as. the
walters were coming and going the
whole time, no opportunity offered for
making the exchange, finding which,
| determined to take the bull by the
horns: so boldly walking to the head
of the table, | lifted the gong, and
began turning 1t round and round, as
if curious to learn the mechanism.
No one but walters being in the room,
and they, | suppose, hesitating to in
terfere lest they should be rebuked
for insolence to a member, | strolled-
the gong still in my hands-towards
the window. as If to avail myself OF
the light. Then turning my back for
a moment, | contrived to effect the ex'
change; and placing the musical box
on the table, | left the club with Hub
books Internal machine under my
cloak, and having taken the thing to
a place of safety, returned in time to
be present at the dinner.
I was present also next morning at
the meeting, when lubbock had hoped
TO receive the congratulations OF his
fellow-conspirators Why the expect
ed explosion had not taken place is
no mystery to the reader: but Hub
books mystifcation and modification
were equally great.
To have to report utter, If ~unaccount'
able failure was humiliating enough;
but the smiling ~incredulity with which
Number Two refused to accept any
other explanation than that Hubboci
had become furried, and in his haste
had placed the wrong machine on the
table. added UNNECESSARILY to the pool
mans wrath. Grinnirg with impoten'
rage and irritation, he again and again
declared that the failure was fas to nc
mistake of his.
He might as well have talked to :
brick wall.
my good lubbock, my excellent
lubbock, it is quite unnecessary fol
you to excite yourself about the mat
ter" said Number Two, smiling I'm
perturbably. Amy of us might have
done as you did. Outwardly he tive
machines-the musical box and tins
bomb-were exactly alike, and as the
walters were no doubt ~inconvenienti,
near at the time, 1t was quite $ tc
make the mistake. The muddle is un'
fortunate, very unfortunate, but very
natural, and we all admit you did YOU
best"
II tell you | didn't middle thf