The San Francisco call., 1905-08-13

Ing lhS briet course OF a EeCeHS
season. Raid after raid was made upon
the smartest houses in town. and within
a few weeks more than one exalted head
had been shorn Of fits priceless tiara. The
Duke and Duchess of Dorchester lost half
OF the portable pieces OF their historic
plate on the very night OF their Graces
almost equally historic costume ball. The
kenworthy diamonds were taken in broad
daylight during the excitement Of a char
liable meeting on the ground floor, and
the gifts Of her belted bridegroom 10
Lady May Paulton while the outeTeair
as thick with q prismauc shower Of
confetti. IL was obvious that all this was
lhe work OF no ordinary thief, and per-
haps inevitable that the name of Raffies
should have been dragged from oblivion
by caIlous disrespecters OF the departed
and Enrea asoning apolOgists for the po-
zoe. These wtseacres did not hesitate TO
bring p dead man back 10 life, because
they knew cf 10 living one capable Of
such fests. X is their needless and in
,-nnseQuent calunlnies that the present
iaper is partly intended to refute. AS a
matter OF fact. our joint innocence in this
risttcr was only exceeded by our com
iaoa envy. and for z long time. like the
Al OF the world, neither Of US had the
-..Shtcst ciew 10 the identity OF the per-
san who was following in our steps with
such Irritating results.
Il should mind less" said Raffes, 'if
the fellow were really playing my game.
But abuse OF hospitality was never one
Of my strokes, and IL seems to be the
only shot he's got. When we took old
Lady Melrosc's necklace, Bunny, we were
not staying with the Melroses, IL you
recollect."
We were discussing the robberies for
-hc hundredth time, but for once under
conditions more favorable TO animated
.0nveTsation than our unique ctrcum-
~tances permitted in a fat We did not
nflen dine out. DR.. Theobald was one
iupediment. the risk Of recognition was
another. But there were exceptions,
when the doctor was away or the pa
tient defiant. and on these rare occasions
we freQuented a certain unpretentious
restaurant in the Fulham quarter, where
the cooking was plain but excellent and
the cellar a surprise. Our bottle of SO
champagne was empty to the label when
the subject arose, TO be touched by
Rafhes in the reminiscent manner In
dicatcd above. I can see his clear eye
upon me now, reading me, weighing me.
But ] was not so sensitive to his scrutiny
q the time. His tone was deliberate, cal
culating preparatory: not as l heard ii
then. though head full of wine. but as
tween that moment and this.
Excellent flletr' said I grossly. so
YOU think this chap is as much in society
a $ we are. do you?'
preferred not TO think so myself.
We had cause enough for jealousy with
out that. But Raffles raised his eye
brows an eloquent half inch.
LAS much. my dear Bunny? He is not
only in it, but Of II; there's no compari-
son between US there. Society is in rings
like q target. and We are never in the
bullseye. however thick you may lay on
the inki I was asked for my cricket
haven't forgotten ii yet But this fell
lows one Of themselves, with the right
of eutree into houses which we could only
enter in q professional sense. That's
obvious unless all these little exploits
are the work Of different hands, which
they as obviously are not And it's why
I'd give $500 10 put salt on him to-
night"
Not you" said as I drained by glass
In festive incredulity.
But ] would my dear Bunny. Waiter
another half-bottle Of this" and Raffies
leaned across the table as the empty one
was taken away. 4 never was more Sc
lious i'm my life" he continued below his
breath Whatever else our successor
may be, he's not dead man like me or
a marked man like you. II there's any
truth in my theory he's one of the last
people upon whom suspicion is ever like
IL 10 rest: and oh. Bunny, what partner
he would make for you and me-"
Under less genial influences the very
idea of a third partner would have filled
my soul with offense, but Raf1es had
chosen his moment unerringly and his ar
cuments lost nothing by the flowing ac-
compartment Of the extra pint They
were. however. quite strong in them
sel-es The gist Of them was that thus
fsr We had remarkably little 10 show for
what Rafies would call 'our second in
iin.rs. This even I could not deny. We
had scored few long singles, but our
hest slsots" had gone straight 10 hand
and We were playing a deuced slow
came Therefore we needed a new part
l,er-snd the metaphor failed Rafies. II
mad served its turn. l already agreed
with hinl IN truth ] was tired or my
false position rs hireling attendant ana
had long fancied myself an object of sUs-
uicion 10 that other impostor, the DOCTOR
a FRESH. untrammeled start was tas-
cinating idea TO me, though two was com
Danv and three in our case might be
worse than none. But ] did not see how
We could hone with our respective handi-
cars. to solve a problem which was al
ready tho despair Of Scotland Yard.
..Surposc ] have solved ii, observed
How could you?" ] asked. without
believing for an instant that he had
Il have been taking the Morning Post
for sorfe time now.
Weir
you have got me a good many odd
numbers Of the less base society papers
Il can't for tho life Of me see what
you're driving at"
RafIcs smiled indulgently as he
cracked another nat.
That's because you've neither obser-
walton nor Imagination. Bunny-and yet
YOU try 10 write. We'll. you wouldn't
think II. bui 7 have fairly complete
lis; % the people who were at the vari-
ous functions under cover OF which
thcse different little couPs were
lroUght OF"
I said ve"y stolidly that I did not
see hoN that could help him. IL was
the only answer TO his good -hunlored
ltit self satisfied contempt; 1t happened
also 70 be true.
Think" said Rafies in n patient
voice.
When thieves break in and steal"
said I. upstairs, I don't see much point
ia discovering who was downstairs at
;he time"
Quite" said Ranies-"when they do
break in"