The San Francisco call., 1905-06-11

Rnnaes is destined to achieve as
widespread fame I'm his own peculiar
line as did Sherlock Holmes I'm n to-
tally different sphere, for Rafies and
Holmes are exact oppOsites i'm view,
character and career.
While sherlock Holmes exercised his
wonderful powers toward tho detection
of crime RaffIes is represented as n
man of unusual intellect and of high
birth and breeding who has sunk TO
employing his undoubted genius to en-
able him to live bS his wits
The third adventure of Rafnes-"Le
Premier Pas.--vfH appear next week.
Copyright. 1892, by Charles Scribner's
Sons)
ONDON was just then talking OF
one whose name is already a name
and nothing more. Reuben Rosen-
thau had. made his millions on the
diamond fields of South Africa, and had
come home TO enjoy them according to
his lights; how he went to work viii
scarcely be forgotten by any reader of
the half-penny evening papers, which
reveled in endless anecdotes of his origi-
nal indigence and present prodigality.
varied with interesting particulars Of the
extraordinary establishment which the
millionaire set up in st. Johns Wood.
Here he kept retinue Of Kafflrs, who
were literally his slaves; and hence he
would sally. with enormous diamonds in
his shirt and on his fingers, in the convoy
OF a prize fighter Of heinous repute. who
was not however. by any means the
worst element IN the Rosenthall menage.
So said common gossip. but the fact was
sufficiently established by the interfer-
ence OF the police on at least one occa-
sion, followed by certain magisterial pro-
ceedings which were reported with justi-
fable gusto and huge headlines in the
newspapers aforesaid. And this was all
one knew Of Reuben Rosenthau up to the
time when the Old Bohemian Club, hav-
ing fallen on evil days. found It worth It's
while to organize great dinner in honor
Of so wealthy an exponent Of the clubs
principles I was not at the banquet my
self, but member took Raf1les, who told
me all about it that very night.
Most extraordinary show ever went
70 IN my nfe," said he. "As
for the man himself - well, L was
prepared for sopethins grotesque,
but the fellow fairly took my
breath away. To begin with, he's the
most astounding brute to look at, well
over feet, with a chest like a barrel.
and great hook nose and the reddest
hair and whiskers you ever saw. Drank
like a FIRE engine, but only got drunk
enough to make US a speech that I
wouldn't have missed for ten pounds.
I'm only sorry you weren't there. too,
Bunny. old chap"
I began TO be sorry myself, for Raj
hes was anything but an excitable person,
and never had I seen him so excited be-
fore. Had he been following Rosenthalrs
example? His coming TO my rooms at
midnight merely to tell me about his din
ner was in itself enough to excuse a sus-
picion which was certainly at variance
with my knowledge Of A J. Raffies.
" nat OlO ne say lIqlli6O me
chanically. divining some subt : explana-
ton of this visit and wondering what on
earth it could be.
'-Say?" cried Rafles. what did he not
say, He boasted of his rise. he Dragged
OF his riches, and he blackguarded society
for taking him UP for his money and
dropping him out Of sheer pique and jeal-
ousy because he had so much. He men
ing freedom. and swore he was rs good
man as the old country had to show-pace
the Old Bohemians- To prove it he
pointed TO a great diamond in the middle
of his shirt front with little finger load
ed with another just like it Which of
our bloated princes could show a pair
like that? As matter OF fact they
seemed quite wonderful stones, with
curious purple gleam 10 them that must
mean a pot of Foney. But old Rosen-
thall swore he wouldn't take e50OGO for
the two. and wanted to know where the
other man was who went about with 25, 900
in his shirt front and other 250OO on mis-
little Singer. He didn't exist. If he did,
he wouldn't have the plucA to wear them
But he had-he'd tell US why. and before
you. could say Jack Robinson he had
whipped out whacking great revolverr
mot at the tabIe?"
AT the table! In the middle Of mis-
speech But it was nothing to what he
wanted to do. He actually wanted US to
let him write his name in bullets on the
opposite wall TO show US why he wasn't
afraid to go about in all his diamonds.
That brute Purvis the prizeLghter. who
is his paid buily, had to bully his master
before he could be persuaded out of it.
There was quite panic for the moment:
one fellow was saying his prayers under
the table, and the walters bolted to a
man"
What a grotesque scenew
"GrotesQue enough, but I rather wish
they had let him go the whole hog and
blaze away. He was as keen as knives
TO show US how he could take care of
his purple diamonds; and, do you know.
Bunny, ! was as keen as knives to see."