Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-29

hope even to Langdon. He, too, gifted
with certain power OF vicious ren-
sonlng. saw that this new ally might
prove useful. But he was afraid of
| such bold utterances and hoped to
achieve his purposes without binding
himself even tacitly to the commission
| Of a crime, for Mason not only looked.
but talked, murder.
81 think | had better co." he said
suddenly. Your brandy is too strong
for my head, Grenier. Call and see
me in the morning"
The astute rogue whom he address
ed raised no objection to his departure.
lie instantly embraced Langdon's att-
tude in his wider horizon.
| Yes" he agreed. "lct us sleep on 1t.
We will all he better able to discuss
matters more clearly tomorrow"
Thenccforth the fat in Shaftesbury
avenue became "A spiders web into
which the nics that buzzcd around
| Philips life were drawn one by one,
squeezed dry of their store of informa-
tion and cast forth again Unconscious
OF the plot being woven against their
master.
Within n month Grener knew An
sons habits, his comings and golngs,
ais bankers. his brokers, many of his
| investments. the names of his chief
employees. the members of his yachts
crew, the topography Of his Sussex es-
! tate. Nothing was too trivial, no de-
tail too unimportant. TO escape note
undecipherable to others and niche
in re.cntire memory.
He made friend Of one Of Philips
| footmen by standing treat and listen
ing reverently to his views on the next
days racing. lie persuaded one kitch'
ell maid in Park lane and another al
Fairfax Hall that he had waited all his
| life to discover a woman he could love
devotedly. 1t was n most important
discovery when he unearthed in n din
gy hotel the man whom Philip had dis
missed for tanmring with the locked
portmanteau From this worthy he first
heard of the quaint adjunct to the be-
longings Of the young millionaire. and
judicious inquiry soon revealed that
there was hardly servant in Philips
employ who did not credit the Glad
stone bag with being the repository Of
the millionairc's fortunes.
Ordinary people will credit any non
sense where diamonds are concerned.
Even an educated criminal like Victor
Grenier believed there might be some
foundation for the absurd theory which
found ready credence among the do
mestics.
lie never made the error Of planning
a burglary or adroit robbery whereby
the bag might come into his possession.
II 1t did contain diamonds, and espc-
cialy if It contained unique specimens,
1t was absolutely useless to him. But
his vitals yearned for Anson's gold,
and the question he asked himself in
every unoccupied moment was how he
might succeed in getting some portion
OF 1t into his own pocket.
One day a quaint notion entered his
mind, and the more the thought of it
the more it dominated him. He was
tall and well made, If slim in figure,
and his face had never lost the plastici-
ty given it by his stage experience.
He had only heard Philips voice
once, but his features and general ap
pearance were now quite familiar to
him, and he undertook a series Of en-
periments with clothing and makeup
to ascertain II he could personate An
son sufficiently we'll to deceive any one
who was not an intimate acquaintance
Soon the idea became mania. and the
mania absorbed the mans intellect
To be Philip Arson for day, a week
) What would he not give for the power
One evening when Jocky Mason en-
tered Greniers apartments he started
baCk, with an oath. as a stranger ap
preached him in the dim light and
said:
"Well, Mason. and what do you
WANT
The eX-burglar and man slayer seem
= ed to be SO ready to commit instant
murder that Grenier himself was
alarmed.
"IIold hard, old chap he said in his
natural voice. II am only trying ar
experiment on you
What tomfoolery is this?" shouted
the other, gazing at him with the sus
picious side glance of discounted
dog which has been startled by som,
person familiar to 1t in ordinary guise
but Incorporating In outre garments.
"a mere pleasantly, l assure you
.. Good heavens. man. how you mus
hate this fellow Arson If you are 81
ready to STAY him at sight. From you
own story. he only acted rs ninety-nin
people out Of n hundred would hav,
done In helping the cop"
"What I want to know is why YOU
> are playing tricks on me. l won
! stand 1t. I'm not built that way"
Now. Mason. be reasonable. Can
!. u ask anybody else If resemble Phili
Arson when made up to represen
y him.
' perhaps not, hut you ought to hav
warned me. Besides, ! am worried to
+ day"
u "What has happened now"
II II went to report myself at South
u wark police station. Who should fin,
y. \ esA