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

L had not wasted the two or three
days that interviewed between the last
council meeting and the great pageant,
Tor In the wide, deep under-pocket of
the cape which I wore over my even
| ing dress l was carrying a celluloid
Dali OF the same pattern as that which
had been shown to us in the gypsy
wagon by Number Two. It had not
| been difficult matter to discover the
/ maker OF these articles. From him l
| obtained one of the same color as that
in the possession of Number Two, and
had filled it with sawdust and sand. in
| the hope that 1 might find an oppor-
tunity for substituting it for the dead
ly weapon with which Number Two
intended, as he put it, to snuff out the
entire royal family at one wipe"
The reader may be inclined to ask
| il 1t is not curious that success SO
often attended my little stratagems for
he spelling of the conspirators' plans.
but l can assure him that it is sur
prisingly easy 20 fool knave. No one
is so capable of being tricked as YOUR
trickster, for he is so accustomed to
suspecting everybody that he has long
ago lost the God-given instinct which
warns an honest man when to be on
his guard. | would rather any day
set my wits against a knave's than
against an honest mans. Your knave
is SO busy in fooling you that he has
eyes only for his own plans; whereas
the honest mans eyes are upon YOU
all the time, and you get no chance to
| spy out the weak places in his armor
a r..11-
was more than possible might find
no opportunity of effecting the change
of balls-my sand and sawdust-stuffed
plaything for Number Two's deadly
bomb-in which case I had made ND
my mind to inform the police of the
devilry which was Matching. and to
have the villainous thing removed
without an hours delay.
But, being by no means DESTROYS of
making a police commissioner my
father confessoS, | was determined to
do my best to Illustrate unaided the
proposed assassination; and so long
as one can keep ones nerve and ones
presence OF mind, it is surprisingly
easy, as | have said, to induce a rogue
to tumble into the trap which one
has laid for him.
The sound of my three raps had
scarcely died away before the door
was opened by Number Two, who
looked at my expanse of shirt-front
and carefully tied white bow with an
unconcealed sneer.
That's nice costume to come
through these crowded streets in" he
said. Been dining with your relative
the king of Ireland? You Irishmen
are all related to kings, aren't you?"
NO." l replied, wondering how he
had discovered my nationality, for.
having been educated in England. I
haven't the least suspicion of brogue:
1T was one of your royal relatives
the king of Darkness. He sent his re-
membranes, and hopes soon to see
you settled for good in his establish
ment'
He laughed, and when the door was
closed said: That's not half so press
ing an invitation as you and are go
ing to send to the royal family of En-
gland. Come along up on the roof,
and let's get to business"
UP on the roof we went accordingly,
and looked upon the parapet and saw
below me, in the garish glare of the
Examinations, the vast and packed null
utudes, that. with elbows and Shout
ders at work wedged their way along,
grinning. gaping, singing, and cheering
good-naturedly, in spite of their per-
spring bodies and dust-choked Threats.
Then lifted my head and looked up
to the vaster and voceless multitude
n 70 oh
whole scene seemed to me like part of
some strange dream-drama.
Now, my friend. we must be very
careful" said Number Two, ''for if by
any chance you stumbled and kicked
against this thing, or l should let it
drop, there wouldn't be enough of
either of us left for our own mothers
to identify us by at the inquest
AS he spoke he put down the bag
which he had been carrying. and open
Ing 1t carefully, took out with both
hands the red celluloid ball which he
had exhibited to us in the wagon.
The end of the wire rope support
ing the festoons is fastened to the We
netian niasts-not to the house, after
all" he said. but watched my time
a couple of nights ago when no one
was passing, and tossed ball of stout
black thread-the end of which l Sc
cured here-over the middle of that
farther festoon. Then | went out in
TO the road and tossed the ball round
and round the feStoons several times,
till 1t was firmly caught in the deco
rations, and then | chucked the ball
mp on this roof again. 1t took me a
Ions time to arrange it, for people
were constantly passing, but by watch
Ing my opportunity managed the
business all right. So now we have a