The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-26

the One?" he said.
"You see the three"
"a little bold, eh?" he said.
which was his way of saying he
considered thing to be too dan
gerous to be thought of.
ITS all right" l answered. IVA
terman's away; and there are one
hundred shoguns in the collection,
instead of twelve, as we thought
Besides. the man who has charge
don't know a shotgun from shot
gun. l have a customer in Munich
for the two smaller ones, and an
other in Brussels for the big one
Ashton looked his relief. I'M
screwed the false bottom of the
cuspidor and placed them therein.
1--WE will retire now" said l
starting for the light.
Better put your letter away"
and Ashton pointed to a letter that
lay on the floor
ITS not mine"
Eyes, it came out with the sho.
guns" he declared positively.
picked up the envelope 1t was
sealed, but no addressed.
Il can't account for this" said /,
opening it.
read it aloud, and as | proceed
ed, my wonderment grew, and Ash
ton sat agape.
Gentlemen: Having known for
some time the prediction which
you have for the beautiful and valu-
able in the way of anything antique
and knowing also the deft per-
suasiveness with which you have
coaxed some of the most valuable
gems of antique art from almost
every collection in the land and
successfully disposed of them,
feel myself called by the duty
which one connoisseur owes an
other to inform you that you have
thus far missed the most unique
| collection in the world. | deprecate
your methods, but | admire your
| taste; that taste is your safeguard.
| have no fear as tC the outcome.
| You can be trusted before such a
| collection. You cannot carry it all
| away, and not being able to do
| that your own innate sense of the
| beautiful will prevent you from
| breaking the collection by the TAX
| ing of single piece. In the light
of such revelation you will GER
| tainly forgive an anonymous COM
| munication. l inclose the diagram
of the three floors at 1873 Moring-
side place. The collections ,as you
see, at the top"
| smiled the smile of superior
and all lighting celebrity.
"a bait" said |, zone of Had
den's."
MADDEN is a good chief" unused
Ashton, "but he never wrote that
letter. It's too deuced literary for
Hadden. Hadden would have said,
There's bunch of stuff at 1873
MOrningside place, gents; wade in
and help yourselves.
knew that he spoke truthfully,
and | was silent. rs
where did you get that letter."
he asked
I'm trying to think"
Lets see; we Kept out of every
body's way going, and the streets
were deserving coming. Where was
there a crowd? Oh, yes, remem-
Der, in front of the Obsidian cary
ings, there where the corridor mar
rowed. There was quite respect
able crush there, you recollect, Yes,
it must have been in front Of the
Obsidians."
tried to conjure from that scene
some unusual face or suspicious ac-
ton, but failed.
"Do you recall anyone brushing
roughly against your" he asked.
| shook my head.
Lets sleep over it," I said, and
climbed into bed.
thought | had been asleep for
hours, when some one moving
about Weakened me.
as that you, Ashton" | asked.
ut Is. I'm a bit sick and must
get the air"
What time is it?' I asked.
Ten minutes after g." he an
swered, and went down the stairs.
1t was in the evening of the same
day. and | was at my Covington
road cottage, when | saw him
again.
you have had bad night OF It"
| observed, as we seated ourselves
in my tiny front room.
81 was a bit done up till got the
morning air. Ashton replied.
"You took a long whiff of it." |
remarked, crustily.
Yes. and incidentally sue
ceeded in satisfying my curiosity as
to very important matter"
"What's that ?" l asked inter-