The San Francisco call., 1908-11-08
@6e EXPLOITS @
RAFFLES HOLMES 5sq
@be Adventures Of tie Grand Pans
By e]ohn Kendr'ck Bangs. s::;;++:::

T aIfa pleasant afternoon. and my temper
was hardly improved by the vain effort had been
making a the slen-
derer wedge OF my person far enough into the back
platform or subway train 70 be satisfactorily carried up
town The rush hour begun, and, common with
about thousand other weary tOiers, was anxious
TO get from that section OF the city that is iden
titled with up that speak
OF pleasure and OF The fact that the cubic
fly OF pretty rapid sequences trains fell short by
nearly so Of the would be cubic contents made
this difficult operation, been hustled and
3Ostled and pushed punched and mauled by the
surging of humanity until I in
what aunt mine used to "a frame OF mind
and it not pretty by any OF means.
At least dozen trains that UNDER normal conditions
might have caught pulled OF station and
as far as could see, nearer the goal Of my
desires than when had started Even my vocabulary
Of epfthet which pretty extensive one. based
the suppressed profanity long line OF ancestral
oergymen and by 10 of pretty steady
application TO the buffers OF golf yergng
exhaustion. I beginning that If I
not successful in reaching the desired standing
room should have give UP characterizing the
agement OF the subway hopeless Job. And just
familiar voice from somewhere behind broke
n upon my meditatons.
20 thunder. Jenkinsl" Let's take cab"
The word thunder" but this Is
story OF today. and references. veed or other
wise. the place Of future punishment would be out
Of keeping.
7 turned about as quickly as I could considering
how firmly wedged IN between coal HEAVIER
and a blonde young person wearing Fluffy Rufhes
hat and discovered that It friend Billie Mars
Of Athenaeum club who had offered the attract
i've suggestion. and reply was immediate.
'T'l go you. Billie" said Il in much of
hurry wait for rapid transit"
same here" he. 4 get home in time
to come down again tomorrow-though the Lord only
knows why should. There's nothing doing my line"
Billie. by the way bond broker.
IF It wasn't for playing craps ONCE boy
couldn't earn my lunch money" added.
with difficulty ebOwed our out Of the crowd
and boarded front of the Equitable build
ing and north.
Glad caught you" said Billie lit cigars
Anything hand for tonght?"
40" said My famfly's down Atlantic City"
Lucky man" said Billie. Mines Palm Beach
Can't raise money enough to get EN- home-but say,
why don't up and spend the night with me?
Jim Donnelly and Tommy Mitchell are coming. Wen
nice little home dinner and few rounds with
the pasteboards afterward What say? It be darned
sight pleasanter than hanging round the club"
Billie" said I gravely 7 you very much.
there's one thing I'll do. long live"
"Oh. come. now, man." he demonstrated. What's
the matter with you? haven't anything against
DonneIly or Mitchell. you?"
They the salt of the earth" answered
"oh, then, me. it?" said Billie looking at
IN establishment
Yes it's you"
"wen, with why won't you come? What have
I done?" he asked.
Nothing" said Il haven't said that wouldn't
come"
Then what the devil is the thing you won't he
demanded.
Decline Of your invitations" with a grin.
Driver" cried Marsden. leaning of the cab win
dow, stop at Stewards. I owe two dry Martins
and swing" added, he pulled his
head in, and wen cash UP right now"
That was how came to be Billie Marsden's house
that eventfuI night adventure OF the grand
piano occurred instead weeping the club like
v1rtuous grass and later going my lonely
the side to nope away the dreary hours
Of the early
Dinner was served at o'clock. a good
AGarsden. in spite the lack huency the bond
market is good nver-I say IS not HAs-and doubt
much II better feast than that which spread be-
fore the night could furnished
by Mr.. Delsherrico's famous $4,000 chef 1t
.narkahly well served by butler, whose
was never observed but who it that II anything
repenishng the replenishee ala not have 70
mind anybody Of the Indeed unobtrusively
this particular the functions of his Of
fee the served did not notice
him AL when the words "Cognac chartreuse,
sir9" upon my frankly startled The
voice had q strangely familiar sound and when 1
glanced up the immovabe countenance of the man
who spoke them that in his eye that gave
decided sensation.
The possessor Of that eye was none other than my
old Raes Holmes. the of the great detective
Sherlock Holmes. who. the reader remember had
married the daughter Of that past Of roguery,
A J. Rsfaes
FOR heavens sake" muttered, under breath.
scotch soda, sir? Yes sir" his immediate
response going the well furnished sideboard. he
got It. and with a hand steady as the Glib
raltar filled my glass.
Here a pretty indeed play mighty few
favorites friends and when find two of
them ptted against each other in fair dis
asid nd fight
out but it must a fair game. The question imme-
diately in my mind whether this SUCH
Was my Rafhes Holmes in that house to practice
some bit Of vilainy. which my friend Billie