The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-06-25

myself away. He gave up haggling. He
paid my price as though he enjoyed doing
il. But l felt him following me when
made tracks, though. of course. l didn't
turn round to see"
why not
MY dear Bunny. it's the very worst
thing you can do. As long as You look
unsuspecting they'll keep their distance.
and so long as they keep their distance
you stand a chance. Once show that you
know you're being followed and it's fight
or fight for all you're worth. 1 never
even looked round; and, mind you. never
do in the same hole. l just hurried up to
Blackfriars and booked for High street,
Kensington, at the top of my voice, and
as the train was leaving Sloan square
out I hoped and up all those stairs like
a lamplighter and round to the studio by
the back streets. Well, to be on the safe
side / lay low there all the afternoon,
hearing nothing in the least suspicious
and only wishing I had window to look
through instead of that beastly skylight.
However, the coast seemed clear enough,
and thus far it was my mere idea that
he would follow me; there was nothing
to show he had. So at last marched out
in my proper rig-almost straight into
old Baird's arms
What on earth did you do?"
walked past him as though / had new
er set eyes on him in my life, and. didn't
then; took a hanson in the Kings road
and drove like the deuce to Chaplain
Junction; rushed on to the nearest plat
form without a ticket, jumped into the
first train l saw, got out at Twickenham,
walked full tilt back to Richmond. took
the District to Charing Cross and here L
am. Ready for a tub and a change and
the best dinner the club can give us. L
came TO you first because l thought you
might be getting anxious. Come round
with me and L won't keep you long,
You're certain you've given him the
slip?' 1 said, as we put on our hats.
Certain enough, but we can make as
surance doubly sure" said Raff1es. and
went to my window. where he stood for
a minute or two looking down into the
street.
"All right?' 1 asked him.
"All right" said he, and We went down
arm in arm
But We were both rather silent on the
way. I, for my part, was wondering
what Raffes would do about the studio
in Chelsea. whittier at all events he had
been successfully logged To me the
point seemed one of Immediate import
ance, but when l mentioned 1T he said
there was time enough 20 think about
that. His one other remark was made
after We had nodded dn Bond street, to a
young blood of our acquaintance who
happened to be getting himself bad
name
Poor Jack Rutter~ said Raffies with
a sigh. "Nothing's sadder than to see a
fellow going to the bad like that. He's
about mad with drink and debt. poor
devil. Did you see his eye- Odd that we
should have met him tonight, by the
way: it's old Baird who's said to have
skinned him. BY God, but I'd like to
skin old Baird.''
And his tone took a sudden low fury,
made the more noticeable by another
long silence which lasted, indeed, through
out an admirable dinner at the club and
for some time after we had settled down
in a quiet corner of the smoking-room
with our coffee and cigars. Then at last
L saw Raffes looking al me with his lazy
smile and l knew that the morose fit
was al an end.
II dare say yon wonder what I've been
thinking about all this timer" said he.
i've been thinking what rot it is to go
doing things by halves,'
WELL said /, returning his smile,
that's not a charge that you can bring
against yourself, is it?''
I'm not so sure said Raffes, blow
ing a meditative puff; "as a matter of
fact, / was thinking less of myself than
of that poor devil of Jack Rutter.
There's a fellow who does things by
halves: he's only half gone to the bad.
and look at the difference between him
and US, He's under the thumb of a vii
famous money-lender: we are solvent cit
liens He's taken to drink: were as
sober as we are solvent His pals are
beginning to cut him: our difficulty is to
keep the pals from the door. Enfin, he
begs or borrows, which is stealing by
halves. and we steal outright and are
done with it, Obviously ours is the more
honest course. Yet I'm not sure, Bunny.
but we're doing the thing by halves our
selvesi''
why? What more could we do?' 1
exclaimed in soft derision, looking
round, however. to make sure that we
were not overheard.
What more?" said Rafies. We'll,
murder-for enc thing
"Rotw
"A matter of opinion, my dear Bun
ny; I don't mean it for rot. I've told
you before that the biggest man alive
IS the man who's committed a murder
and not yet been found out; at least
he ought to be, but he so very seldom
has the soul to appreciate himself. Just
think of it. Think of coming in here
and talking TO the men, very likely
about the murder itself, and knowing
you've done IL, and wondering how they'd
look if they knew. oh. IT would be great,
simply great. But, besides all that,
when you were caught hered be a
merciful and dramatic end of you You'd
fill the bill for a few weeks and then
SNUFF out with a flourish of extra spe-
Gals; you wouldn't rust with vile
reDose for seven or fourteen years"