The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-01-17


man hunts, drives and drinks and that
my income permitted any extrava-
ganee.
There was high play at houses in
town and country as well as at the
clubs, and took care that l must be
urged before taking a hand, AT hint
from Charles, | invariably refused my
winnings from women and never left
the table without making n handsome
donation TO some private charity. l
had been pursuing this policy for
year or so, and our bank account had
waxed fat, when $4,000 worth of dia-
monds were stolen from house in
which | was a guest. Charles was
with me in his proper position, but |
had no suspicious Of him until our re-
turn home. Then it was certainty in
stead of suspicious He had cribbed
the diamonds and disposed of them for
one-third of their value, and he divided
fairly with me. / felt 1t my duty to
warn him from his evil ways, and
when had ceased lecturing l hoped l
disappointed in this, however, 1t
wasn't fortnight before he plundered
a second house and handed me nearly
E10O0 as my share Of the swag. See
ing that he was bent on following his
own way, / had no more TO say, nor
when he handed me a bag Of gold or
roll of notes did l express curiosity.
| must. except two or three special
occasions. however, one night after
my return from a club and while sat
waiting for my valet TO put me TO bed
he came. running upstairs in vulgar
haste. tossed package under the sofa
with careless hand and was out of his
street and into his house clothes and
pulling off my CATERS before my sur
prise would permit me to speak. | had
opened my lips to reprove him for what
| considered his loss of dignity when
there came an imperative knock at the
door, and Charles promptly opened it
to admit brace of detectives. They
glanced from him TO me and around the
room and seemed not little astonshed
Gentlemen. l am honOred by your
call. whoever you are" | said as
pointed to the decanters and cigars on
the sideboard
I'VE were pursuing thief, and we
were sure he entered here one or
them explained.
a thief in the rooms of Sir James
BURDEN. cried my valet in astonish-
t,,opt sopJ fp1fouatfon
"Oh-ah-a thousand pardons, Sir
James"
But we must search the rooms" in
sisted Charles.
by no means. We must be mis-
taken. We beg a thousand pardons,
Sir James, and trust you will have no
complaint to make against as"
When Charles had bowed them out
and returned to my undressing look
ed at hEn in all sternness and said:
rs it possible that l am mistaken in
your
Not at all. Sir James, he calmly
replied. II lifted a box out Of cab,
but a couple Of detectives saw me and
gave me a close run for it. When you
are in bed we viii see what is in the
box"
The contents consisted of bonds and
jewelry. and l remember my share
was a generous one. l warned Charles
that could not keep a dishonest valet
about me under any circumstances,
but as he appeared contrite 1 did not
press the matter further just then.
Again 1 gave 4 delicious little dinner
TO a party of six friends. Charles was
very much to the front in that little
affair." and | must say that his selec-
tions OF wine and game were most adj
mirable. / do not think I could have
bettered them myself. He also served
Us With such. care ard style that every