The San Francisco call., 1905-08-20

most agreeable way of getting there.
In a week or ten days Raff1es was to
write to me at the Richmond postoffice,
but for at least a week / should be
on my own" 1t was not an unpleas-
ant sensation as i leaned back in. the
comfortab bic hansom, and rather to one
side, in order to have a good look at
myself in the beveied mirror that is
almost as great an improvement in
these vehicles as he rubber tires.
Really | was not an looking youth,
If one may call ones self such at the
age of 30 I could lay no claim either
to the striking est of countenance or
to the peculiar charm of expression
which made the face of Raff1es like no
other in the world. But this very dis
tinction was In itself a danger. for its
impression was indelible. whereas /
might still have been mistaken for a
hundred other young elbows at large
in London Incredible a S 1T may appear
to the moralists, 1 had sustained no ex-
ternal hallmark by my term of inn
prisonment, and l am vain enough to
believe that the evil which l did Had
not a separate existence in my face.
This afternoon, indeed. / was struck by
the purity of my fresh complexion, and
rather depressed by the general inno-
cence of the visage which peered into
mine from the little mirror. My straw
colored mustache. grown in the fiat
after a protracted holiday again pre-
served the most disappointing dimen-
sions, and was still invisible in certain
lights without wax. So far from dis
corning the desperate criminal who has
done time once, and deserved 1t over
ind over again, the superior but super
fetal observer might have imagined
that he detected a certain element of
folly in my face.
At all events it was not the face to shut
the doors of a first-class hotel against
me without accidental evidence of more
explicit kind. and it was with no little
satisfaction that ! directed the man to
drive to the Star and Garter. j also told
him 10 go through Richmond Park,
though he warned me that IT would add
considerably TO the distance and his fare.
1t was autumn, and * struck ME that
the tints would be fine. And | had
learned from Rsffies to appreciate such
things, even amid the excitement of an
audacious enterprise.
II | dwell upon my appreciation of this
occasion 1t is because, like most pleas
ures, it was exceedingly short-lived.
was very comfortable at the Star and
Garter, which was so empty that | had
a room worthy of a prince, where | could
enjoy the finest of all views Gin patriotic
oplulOn) every morning Wn1le i sndNeu-
] walked many miles through the noble
park, over the commons of Ham and
Wimbledon, and one day as far as that
Of Esher, where / was forcibly reminded
of a service we once rendered to a dis
tinguished resident In this delightful To-
cality. But it was on Ham Common, one
of the places which Raffies had mentioned
as specially desirable, that l actually
found an almost ideal retreat. This was
a cottage where | heard. on inquiry, that
rooms were to be let in the summer. The
landlady, motherly body of visible ex-
cellence, was surprised indeed at receiv-
ing an applica ton for the winter months
but / have generally found that the title
of author claimed with an air, ex-
plains every little innocent irregularity
OF conduct and appearance, and even re-
quires something of the kind to carry
convictions to the lay intelligence. The
present case was one in point, and when
l said that / could only write in room
facing north, on mutton chops and milk
with a cold ham in the wardrobe In case
of nocturnal inspira ton. to which | was
liable, my literary character was estab-
lished beyond dispute. / secured the
rooms, paid a months rent in advance at
my own request and moped in them
dreadfully until the week was up and
Raffles due any day. ] explained that
the Inspiration would not come, and
asked abruptly If the mutton was New
Zealand.