Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31


realize you were, going to India. ] was out
there for years The old Rajputana? Why,
know the purser we'll I'll come and see you on
and have a chat with him. No doubt shall
be able to get you number Of little extra at
tentions."
It seemed to Osbert as he crawled back to
the shelter of his Cromwell road bed room,
that Fate was being altogether too rough with
him. Obviously, II Sir Masterman Petherick-
Soames intended to come down to the boat
to see him of, 1t would be madness to attempt
to sail. On the deck Of q liner under the noon
day sun the general must inevitably penetrate
his disguise. His whole scheme Of escape must
be cancelled.
0SBERT ordered two pots of black coffee,
~ tied a wet handkerchief round his fore
head, and plunged once more into thought.
It was getting on for dinner time before he
finally decided upon a plan He had been
wrong, he saw, in thinking Of flying to foreign
chimes. The only real refuge was London
suburb. Any momentary within might lead Sir
Masterman to pack a suitcase and take the next
boat to the Far East but nothing would ever
cause him to take tram for Dulwich, Crickle-
wood Winchmore Hill, Brixton, Balloon or
Surbiton.
Osbert decided to wait till late at night, then
90 back to his house on South Audley street,
pack his collection of old jade and a few other
necesSares and vanish into the unknown.
1t was getting on for midnight when creep
ing warily to the familiar steps, he inserted his
latchkey in the familiar keyhole. He slipped
swiftly into the dark hall and closed the front
door softly behind him.
It was at this moment that he became aware
that from under the door of the dining room
at the other end Of the hail there was stealing
q thin stream Of light. For an instant this
evidence that the house was not, as he had sup
posed, unoccupied, startled Osbert considerably.
Then recovering himself, he understood what
III
OF leaving as he had been told to do, must be
taking advantage Of his employers presumed
absence from London to stay on and do some
entertaining.
Osbert, thoroughly incensed hurried to the
dining room. On the table were set out all the
materials, except food and drink, Of . coy
little supper for two. The absence Of food and
drink was accounted for, no doubt, by the fact
that Parker and-Osbert saw only too good rea-
son to fear-his lady friend were down in the
1arder fetching them. So this was the sort of
thing that went on the moment his back was
turned was it?
There were heavy curtains hiding the win
dow and behind these he crept 1t was his in
tention to permit the feast to begin and then
stepping forth like some avenging Nemesis to
confront his erring manservant
He had not been waiting long when there
came to his ears the sound Of footsteps outside
He softly removed his wig, his nose, his
whiskers and his blue spectacles. There must
be no disguise to soften the shock when Parker
found himself confronted. Then, peeping
through the curtains, he prepared to spring.
Osbert did not spring. Instead, he shrank
back like a more than ordinarily difhdent tor
toise into his SHELL and tried to achieve the
maximum OF silence by breathing through his
ears. For 1t was no Parker who had entered,
no frivolous lady friend, but a couple Of plug
uglies of such outstanding physique that Bash
ford Braddock might have been the little
brother Of either Of them.
Osbert stood petrifled. He had never seen .
burglar before, and he wished, now that he was
seeing these, that it could have been arranged
for him to do so through telescope.
He was thankful that, when the breath
which he had been holding for some 30 seconds
ut length forced itself out in q loud gasp, the
noise was drowned by the popping of a cork.
In these days. when almost every body is on
some sort Of diet, it is rarely that one comes
across the old-fashioned type Of diner who does
not worry about balanced meals and Galleries,
but just squares his shoulders and goes at 1t
till his eyes bubble Osberts two guests plainly
belonging to this nearly obsolete species
The first keen edge of his appetite satisfied
by about three pounds Of ham, beef and NUT
ton, the burglar who sat nearest to Osbert was
able to relax and look about him.
Mice little crib this Ernest" he said
ri" replied his companion.
Must have been some real swells In here
enc time and another."
"R!"
"Baronets and such, wouldn't be surprised"
"Ri" said the second burglar, helping him
self to more champagne and mixing In q little
port, sherry, italian vermouth, old brandy and
green Chartreuse to give it body.
The first burglar looked thoughtful Talking
of baronets" he said. "a thing I've often won
dered is-well, suppose you're having dinner,
See?"
FRI"
well would q baronet's sister 60 In before
the daughter Of the younger son Of o peer?"
The second burglar finished his drink and