The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-23


 other impostor the doctor A fresh un- trammelled start was fascinating idea to me, though two was company, and three in our case might be worse than none. But | did not see how we could hope, with our respective handicaps. to solve problem which was already the despair of Scotland Yard
 Suppose I have solved it., observed Rallies. cracking a walnut in his palm.
 How could you?' I asked without be- lievsng for an instant that he had.
 T have been taking the Morning Post for some time now"
 rWell?'
 You have got me a good many odd numbers of the less base society papers,
 'I can't for the life of me see what you're driving at"
 Rallies smiled indulgently as he crack. ed another nut.
 That's because you've neither observ- ation nor imagination. Bunny and yet you try to writel Well, you wouldn't think 1t, but I have a fairly complete 1 list of the people who were at the vari- ous functions under cover of which these different little coups were brought off" I said very stolldly that I did not see how that could help him. It was the only answer to his good-humored but self satisfied contempt; 1t happened also to be true.
 Think" said Rallies in a patient voice When thieves break In and steal said I, upstairs. I don't see much point in discovering who was downstairs at the time'
 Quite" said Raffles-"when they do break in'
 But that's what they have done in all these cases. An upstairs door found screwed up when things were at their height below; thief gone and jewels with him before alarm could be raised. Why the tricks so old that I never knew you condeseend to play it.'' Not so old as 1t looks" said Rallies, choosing the cigars and handing me mine. "Cognac or Benedictine, Bunny?' Brandy" I said coarsely. Besides" he went on. the rooms were not screwed up. At Dorchester House. at any rate. the door was only locked and the key missing. so that 1t might have been done on either side" "But that was where he left his rope ladder behind himi" I exclaimed in triumph, but Rallies only shook his head. "T don't believe in that rope ladder, Bunny. except as a blind" 'aThen what on earth do you believer 'That every one of these so-caed burglaries had been done from the in- side by one of the guests; and, what's | more, I'm very much mistaken if haven't spotted the right sportsman" I began to believe that he really had, l there was such a wicked gravity in the | eyes that twinkled faintly into mine. raised my glass in convivial congratula- tions, and still remember the somewhat anxious eye with which Rallies saw 1t | emptied.
 TT can only find one little name" he | continued, that figures in all these lists, and it Is anything but likely one at | first sight. Lord Ernest Belvlle was at I all those functions. Know anything about l him. Bunny?''
 Not the Rational Drink fanatio?" ''Yes"
 That's all I want to know" | Quite" said Rallies; land yet what | could be more promising? A man whose | views are so broad and moderate and SC widely held already (saving your pres | ence. Bunny) does not bore the world
 with them without ulterior motives. So far so good. What are this chaps mo l tives? Does he want to advertise him.
 self? No. he's somebody already. But | Is he rich? On the contrary, he's as poor | as a rat for his position and apparently | without the least ambition to be anything | else. Certainly he won't enrich himself | by making a public fad of what all sen l sb1e people are agreed upon as 1t Is 1 Then suddenly one gets ones own old | idea-the alternative profession. My ] cricket-his Rational Drink! But 1t Is no use jumping to conclusions. I must | know more than the newspapers can tell me. Our aristocratc friend is forty and unmarried What has he been doing all | these years? How the devil was l to | find out?''
 How did you?' I asked, declining to | spoil my digestion with a conundrum, as
 1t was his evident intention that l should.
 'Tnterviewed himw and Rallies smil- | ing slowly on my engagement. ''You-interviewed him?" l echoed l 'sWhen--and where?"
 Last Thursday night. when, if you re-
 member. we kept early hours because | felt done. What was the use of telling | you what had up my sleeve, Bunnyl | It might have ended in fizzle. as 1t still
 may But Lord Ernest Belville was ad- dressing the meeting at Exeter Hall.
 waited for him when the show was over dogged him home to King Johns Man sion and interviewed him in his own rooms there before he turned in."
 My Journalistic jealousy was piqued tc | the quick. Affecting a sckepticisn I did not feel (for no outrage was beyond the
 pale of his impudence) inquired dryly which Journal Rallies had pretended tc | represent. It is unnecessary to report | his answer could not believe him with | out further explanation.