News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-10-04
: ~r'Tr p 1 -''-'''-. = - '-'-''---
s u Raffles,
IGSS1A F.! Ole Amateur
Sss2>lD| Craftsman
" EA0lWl&fW@ ~ E.. w. HoRNUNG
By e. w. HORNUNG


| up my hat. l blundered to my feet.
| would have gone without a word,
but Rallies stood between me and the
door
where are you going" said he.
CHATS my business" l replied. 81
won't trouble you any more"
Then how am | to help your
81 didn't ask your help"
"Then why come to me|
"Why, indeed? l echoed. Twill you
let me pass"
"NsE until you tell me where you are
going and what you mean to do"
Cant you guess" l cried. And for
many seconds we stood staring in each
others eyes.
Have you got the pluckY said he,
breaking the spell in tone so cynical
that it brought my last drop of blood
to the boil.
"You shall see," said l, as l stepped
back and whipped the pistol from my
overcoat pocket. "Now, will you let
me pass or shall do it here?'
The barrel touched my temple and
my thumb the trigger. Mad with ex-
element as | was, ruined, dishOnored
and now finally determined to make an
end of my misspent life, my only sur
prise to this day is that did not do so
then and there. The despicable salts
faction of involving another in ones
destruction added it's miserable appeal
to my baser egoiSm, and had fear or
horror flown to my companions face
l shudGer to think l might have died
diabolicolJy happy with that look for
my last impiouS consolation. IL was
the look that came instead which held
my hand. Neither fear nor horror was
in it, only wonder. admiration and
such measure of pleased expectancy
as caused me after all to pocket my
revolver with an oath.
You devil" | said, Il believe you
wanted me to do it,
Not quite" was the reply, made
with a little start and a change of col
or that came too late. "To tell you the
truth, though, l half thought you
meant it, and | was never more fasci-
mated in my life | never dreamed you
had such stuff in you, Bunny. No, I'm
hanged if l let you go now And you'd
better not try that game again, for you
won't catch me stand and look on
second time. We must think of some
way out of the mess. | had no idea
you We're a chap of that sort. There,
let me have the gun"
One of his hands fell kindly on my
shoulder, while the other slipped into
my OvcrcOat pocket, and | suffered him
to deprive me of my weapon without
murmur. Nor was this simply because
RatiIes had the subtle power of making
himself irresistible at will. He was
beyond comparison the most masterful
man whom | have ever known. vet my
acquieScence was due to more than
the mere subsection of the weaker ma
ture to the stronger. The forlOrn hope
which had brought me to the Albany
was turned as by magic into an almost
staggering sense of safety. Rafles
would help me after all. A. J. Raffles
would be my friend. 1t was as though
all the world had come round sudden
ly to my side. SO far therefore, from
resisting his action, caught and clasp
ed his hand with a fervor as uncon-
trollable as the frenzy which had pre-
coded it,
God bless your! l cried "Forgive
me for everything I will tell you the
truth. l did think you might help me
in my extremity, though l well knew
that l had no. claim upon you. Still,
for the old schools sake-the sake of
old times-I'thought you might give me
another chance. If you wouldn't l
meant to blow out my brains, and will
still if you change your mind"
In truth l feared that it was chang
ing, with his expression, even as l
spoke, and in spite of his kindly tone
and kindlier use of my old school nick
name. His next words showed me my
mistake
"What boy it is for jumping to con-
illusions! l have my vices, Bunny, but
backing and filing is not one of them.
Sit down, my good fellow, and have a
cigarette to soothe your nerves. / in
sist Whisky? The worst thing for
you. Here's some coffee that l was
brewing when you came in. Now
listen to me. You speak Of another
chance What do you mean? Anoth-
err chance at baccarat? Not if 1 know
it. You think the luck must turn.
Suppose it didn't We should only
have made bad worse No, my dear
chap, you've plunged enough. Do you
put yourself in my hands or do you
not? Very well, then you plunge no
more, and 1 undertake not to present
my check. Unfortunately there are
the other men, and still more unfortu-
nately Bunny, I'm as hard up at this
moment as you are yourself"
1t was my turn to stare at Raffles.
"You? / vociferated. "You hard up?
How am l to sit here and believe that?'
did 1 refuse to believe it of youT
he returned, smiling. "And with your
own experience do you think that be-
cause a fellow has rooms in this place
and belongs to a club or two and plays
little cricket he must necessarily