The Washington herald., 1914-03-22
"What on earth did you do?"

to Clapham Junction; rushed on th'
nearest platform, without a ticket
jumped into the first pain saw, go
out at Twickenham, walked full til
back to Richmond, took the District te
Charing Cross, and here am! Read!
for tub and change, and the bes
dinner the club can give us. camt
to you first because l thought yor
might be getting anxious. Come round
with me, and l won't keep you long,"
You're certain you've given him the
slip? / said, as we put on our hats.
Certain enough; but we can make
assurance doubly sure" said Raffles,
and went to my window, where he
stood for minute or two looking down
into the street.
"All right?" asked him.
"All right" said he; and We went
downstairs forthwith, and so to the
Albany arm in arm.
| But we were both rather silent on
the way. Rafles' one remark was made
after we had nodded Gin Bond street,
to young blood of our acquaintance
who happened to be getting himself a
bad name.
Poor Jack Rutterp said he, 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 George, but I'd
like to skin old Baird"
And his tone took a sudden low
fury, made the more noticeable by an
other long silence, which lasted. indeed,
throughout an admirable dinner at the
club, and for some time after we had
settled down in quiet corner of the
smoking-room with our coffee and
cigars. Then at last l saw Rafies look
ing at me with his lazy smile, and
knew that the morose fit was at an end.
Il daresay you wonder what I've
been thinking about all this time?"
said he. I've been thinking what rot
it is to so doing things by halvesr"
WELL" said l, returning his smile,
that's not charge that you can bring
against yourself, is it?"
I'm not so sure" said Raff1es, blow
ing a meditative puff; "as a matter of
fact, | was thinking less of myself than
of that poor devil of a Jack Rutter.
There's 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
villainous money lender; we are SOL
vent citizens. 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
selvesp
why? What more could we do?" l
exclaimed in soft derision, looking
round, however, to make sure that we
were not overheard
what more?" said Rafles. "Wcll,
murder-for one thing"
"Rotp
"a matter OF opinion, my dear
Bunny; l don't mean it for rot. I've
told you before that the, biggest man
alive is the man who's committed
murder, and not yet been found out
at least he ought to be, but he so very
seldom has the soul to appreciate him
self. Just think of it, But, besides
all that, when you were caught there'd
be merciful and dramatic end of YOU.
You'd fill the bill for a few weeks, and
then snuff out with a flourish of extra
specials; you wouldn't rust with a |
vile repose for seven or fourteen years."
Good old Raffiesp' l chuckled. Go
onw
81 mean il"
"You know very well that you
commit a murder whatever
else you might do
Il know very well I'm going to COM
NIT one tonight
He had been leaning back in the sad
dle-bag chair, watching me with keen
eyes sheathed by languid lids; now he
started forward, and his eyes leaped to
mine like cold steel from the scabbard.
They struck home to my slow wits
their meaning was no longer in doubt.
|, who knew the man, read murder in
his clenched hands. and murder in his
locked lips, but hundred murders in
those hard blue eyes.
"Baird?" faltered, moistening nv
lips with my tongue.
"Of course"
But you said it didn't matter about
The room in Chelsea:"
Il told lie"
Anyway you gave him the slip aft
erwardw |
THAT was another. 1 didn't III