I'
Fhe Omaha Illustrated
Bee
NUMBER 313.
Entered Second Class at Omaha rostofflee Published Weekly by The Bee Publishing Co. Subscription, ?2.50 Tor Year.
.TUNE 11, 1905.
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ADVENTURE
NUMBER
FIVE
....
Fifth Raffles Story
W
I grant
But the
"ELL," Bald Baffles, "what do you make of it?"
I read the advertisement once more before replying.
It was In the last column of the Dally Telegraph, and
It rani
TWO THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD The above sura
mar be earned by any one qualified to undertake delicate mis
sion and prepared to run certain risk. Apply by telegram,
Security, London.
"I think," said I, 'It's the most extraordinary advertisement that
ever got Into printl"
Raffles smiled.
"Not quite all that. Bunny; still, extraordinary enough,
you."
"look at the figure!"
"It Is certainly large."
"And the misslon-and the risk!"
"Yes: the combination is frank, to say the least of It.
really original point is requiring applications by telegram to a tele
graphic address! There's something in the fellow who thought of that,
and something in his game; with one word be chokes off the million
who answer an advertisement every day when they can rnise the
Stamp. My answer cost me five bob; but then I prepaid another."
"You don't mean to say that you've applied?"
, "Rather," said Raffles. "I want 2.000 as much as any man."
"Put your own name?"
"Well no, Bunny, I didn't In point of fact I smell something
interesting and Illegal, aud you know what a cautious chap I am. I
igned myself Olasspool, care of Hlekey, 38 Conduit street; tnats my
tailor, and after sending the wire I went round and told him what to
expect He promised to send the reply the moment it came. I
shouldn't be surprised if that's It!"
And he was 'gone before a double knock on the outer door had
done ringing through the rooms, to return next minute with an open
telegram and a face full of news.
"What do you think?" said he. "Security's that fellow Adden
brooks, the police court lawyer, and he wants to see me instanter!"
"Do you know him.' then?"'
"Merely by repute. I only hope he doesn't know me. He's the
chap who got six weeks for sailing too close to the wind In the Sutton
Wllmer case; everybody wondered why he wasn't struck off the rolls.
Instead of that he's got a nrst-rate practice on the seamy side, and
every blackguard with half a case takes it straight to Bennett Adden
brooke. He's probably the one man who would have the cheek to
put in an advertisement like that, and the one man who could do it
without exciting suspicion. It's simply in his line; but you may be
eure there's something shady at the bottom of it. The odd thing Is
that I have long made up my mind to go to Addenbrooke myself If
accidents should happen."
"And you're going to hhn now?"
j 'This minute," said Raffles, brushing his hat; "and so are you."
"But I came In here to drag you out to lunch."
"You shall lunch with me when we've scon this fellow. Come
on, Bunny, and we'll choose your name on the way. Mine's Glass
pool, and don't you forget it"
Mr. Bennett Addenbrooke occupied substantial offices in Welling
ton street, Strand, and was out when we arrived, but he had only Just
gone "over the way to tlio court;" and five minutes sufficed to pro
duce a brisk, fresh-colored, resolute looking man, with a very con
fident rather festive air, and black eye that opened wide at the sight
of Raffles.
"Mr. Olasspcol?" exclaimed the lawyer.
"My name," said Raffles, with dry effrontery.
"Not up at Lord's, however!" said fhe other, slyly. "My dear
sir, I have Been you take far too many wickets to make any mistakel"
For a single moment Raffles looked venomous; then he shrugged
and smiled, and the smile grew Into a little cynial chuckle
"So you have bowled me out In my turn?" said he. "Well, I
don't think there's anything to explain. I am harder up than I
w lshed to admit under my own name, that's all, and I want that thou
sand pounds reward."
"Two thousand," said the solicitor. "And the man who is not
alove an alias happens to be Just the sort of man I want; so don't
let that worry you, my dear sir. The matter, however, is of a strictly
private and confidential character." And he looked very hard at me.
"Quite so," said Raffles. "But there was something about a risk?"
" A certain risk is Involved."
"Then surely three heads will be better than two. I said I
wanted that thousand pounds; my friend here wants the other. We
are both cursedly hard up, and we go into this thing together or not
ill '
-WORTI1 FIFTY THOUSAND TOUNDS. MY BOY."
iiiiii
at alL Must you have his name, too?
I should give him my real one,
Bunny."
Mr. Addenbrooke raised his eye
brows over the card I found for him;
then he drummed upon it with his fin
ger nail, and bis embarrassment ex
pressed Itself in a puzzled smile.
"The fact is, I find myself In a
difficulty," he confessed at last
"Yours Is the first repty I have re
ceived; people who can afford to send
long telegrams don't rush to the adver
tisements in the Daily Telegraph; but,
on the other hand, I was not quite pre
pared to hear from men like your
selves. Candidly, and on considera
tion, I am not sure that you are the
stamp of men, for me men who be
long to good clubs! I rather Intended
to appeal to the er adventurous
classes."
"We are adventurous," said Raf
fles gravely.
"But you respect the law?"
The black eyes gleamed 6hrewdly.
"We are not professional rogues, If
that's what you mean," said Raffles,
smiling. "But on our beam-ends wo
are; we would do a good deal for a
thousand pounds apiece, eh, Bunny?"
"Anything," I murmured.
The solicitor rapped his desk.
"I'll tell you what I want you to
do. You can but refuse. It's illegal,
but it's Illegality in a good cause; that's
the rlk, and my client is prepared to
pay for it He will pay for the attempt,
in case of failure; the money Is as good
as yours once you consent to run the
risk. My client is Sir Bernard Deben
ham of Broom Hall, Esher."
"I know his son," I remarked.
Raffles knew him. too, but said
nothing, and his eye drooped disap
proval in my direction. Bennett Ad
denbrooke turned to nie.
"Then," said he, "you have .the
privilege of knowing 'one of the most
complete young blackguards about
town, and the fons et orlgo of the
whole trouble. As you know the son,
you may know the father, too, at all
events by reputation; and in that case
I needn't tell you that he is a very
peculiar mad. . Ho lives alone in a
storehouse of treasures which no eyes
but his ever behold. He is said to
have the finest collection of pictures In
the south of England, though nobody
ever sees them to Judge; pictures, fid
dles and furniture are his hobby, and
he is undoubtedly very eccentric. Nor
can one deny that there has been con
siderable eccentricity in his treatment
of his son. For years Sir Bernard paid
his debts, and the other day, without
the slightest warning, not only refused
to do so any more, but absolutely
stopped the lad's allowance. Well, I'll
tell you what has happened; but first
of all, you must know, or you may re
member, that I appeared for young
Debenhara in a little scrape he got into
a year or two ago. I got him off all
right, and Sir Bernard paid me hand
somely on the nail. And no more did
I hear or see of either of them until
one day last week.
The lawyer drew his chair nearer ours and leaned forward, with
a hand on either knee.
"On Tuesdayt of last week I had a telegram from Sir Bernard
I was to go to blm at once. I found him waiting for me in the
drive; without a word he led me to the picture gallery, which was
locked and darkened, drew up a blind, and stood simply pointing
to an empty picture frame. It was a long time before I could get
a word out of him. Then at last he told me that that frame had
contained one of the rarest and most valuable pictures In England
In the world an original Velasquez, I have checked this," said
the lawyer, "and it seems literally true; the picture was a portrait
of the Infanta Maria Terest said to be one of the artist's greatest
works, second only to another portrait of one of the popes in Rome
so they told me at the National Gallery, where they had its his
tory by heart They say there that the picture is practically price
less. And young Debeuham has sold It for 5,0001"
"The deuce be has,'' said Raffles.
I inquired who had bought it
"A Queensland legislator by the name of Craggs the Hon. John
Montagu Craggs, M. L. C, to give him his full title. Not that we
knew anything about him on Tuesday last; we didn't even know for
certain that youug Debenham had stolen the picture. But he bad
gone down for money on the Monday evening, had been refused, and
it was plain enough that he had helped himself in this way fhe had
threatened revenge, aud this was it Indeed, when I huuted hira up
In town on the Tuesday night he confessed as much in the most
brazen manner imaginable. But be wouldn't tell me who was the
purchaser, and finding out took the rest of the week; but I did find
out, and a nice time I've bad of It ever since! Backward and for
ward between Esher and the Metropole, where the Queenslander is
staying, sometimes twice a day; threats, oilers, prayers, entreaties,
not one of them a bit of good!"
"But" said Raffles, "surely it's a clear case? The sale was illegal;
you can pay him back his money aud force blm to give the picture up."
"Exactly; but not without an action and a public scandal, and
that my client declines to face. He would rather lose even his pic
ture than have the whole thing get into the papers; he has disowned
his son, but he will not disgrace blm; yet his picture he must have by
hook or crook, and there's the rub! I am to get it hack by fair means
or foul. He gives me carte blanche In the matter, and I verily believe
would throw In a blank check if asked. He offered one to the
Queenslauder, but Craggs simply tore it in two; the one old boy is as
much a character as the other, and between the two of them I'm
at my wits' end."
"So you put that advertisement In the paper?" said Raffles, la the
dry tones be had adopted throughout the Interview.
"As a last resort. I did."
"And you wish us to steal this picture?"
It was magnificently said; the lawyer flushed from his hair to his
collar.
"I knew you were not the men!" he groaned. "I never thought
of men of your stamp! But it's not stealing," he efflclalmed heatedly;
"it's recovering stolen property. Besides, Sir Bernard will pay hlni his
,
Nine Points of Law
By E. W. HORNL'NO.
Author of "The Shadow of the Rope," "The Rogue's March."
"A Bride from the Bush," "SUngaree Stories," "Dead Men Tell No
Tales," etc.
(Copyright 1S?9 by Charlo Scrlbner's Bon.)
' ' I H I. ! I fcjii
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I f A 1 1 im v fees? MMMlMli
Tf T i Ii'lTttA, M- 1 u
HE STOOD SIMPLY POINTING TO AN EMPTY PICTURE FRAME."
fivo thousand as soon as he has the picture; and, you'll see, old Craggs
will be Just as loth to let it come out as Sir Bernard himself. No, no
It's an enterprise, an adventure, if you like but not stealing."
"You yourself mentioned the law," murmured Raffles.
"And the risk," I added. . .
"We pay for that" be said once more.
"But not enough," said Raffles, shaking his bead. "My good sir,
consider what it means to us. You spoke of those clubs; we should
not only get kicked out of them, but put in prison like common
burglars! It's true we're hard up, but it simply lsu't worth it at
the price. Double your stakes, and I for one am your man."
Addenbi'ooke wavered. ,
"Do you think you could bring it off T
"We could try."
"But you have no"
"Experience? Well, hardly!"
"And you would really run the risk for 4,000 V
Raffles looked at me. I nodded.
"We would," said he, "and blow the odds!"
"It's more than I can ask my client to pay," said Addenbrooke,
growing firm.
"Then it's more than you can expect us to risk."
"You are In earnest?"
"God wot!"
"Say three thousand If you succeed!" (
"Four is our figure, Mr. Addenbrooke."
Then I think it should be nothing if you fail."
"Doubles or quite?" cried Raffles. "Well, that's sporting.
Done!"
Addenbrooke opened his lips, half rose, then sat back In his
chair aud looked long and shrewdly at Raffles never once at
me.
"I know your bowling," said he, reflectively. "I go up to
Lord's whenever I want an hour's real rest, and I've seen you
bowl again and again yes, and take the best wickets in Eng
land on a plumb pitch. I don't forget the last Gentleman and -Players;
I was there. You're up to every trick every one.
" I'm inclined to think that if anylody could bvl out
this old Australian ' Damme, I believe you're my
very man!"
The bargain was cllnch'-'d at the Cafe Royal, where Ben
nett "Addenbrooke insisted on playing host at an extravagant
luncheon. I remember that he took his whack of rhampagne
with he nervous freedom of a man at high pressure, and have
no doubt I kept bitn in countenance by an equal indulgence; but
Raffles, ever an exemplar in such matters, was more abstemious
even than his wont aud very poor company to boot I can
see him now, his eyes In his plate thinking thinking. I can
sop the solicitor glancing from him to me In an apprehension of
which I did my test to Jlisahuse him by reassuring looks. At
the close Raffles apologized for his preoccupation, called for an
A. B. C. time table, and announced his Intention of catching the
3;02 to Esher.
"Xou must excuse me, Mr. Addenbrooke," said be, "but X
have my own idea, and for the niojnent I should much prefer
to keep it to myself. It may end in a fizzle, so I would rather
Dot speak about it to either of you Just yet But speak to
Sir Bernard I must, so will you write me one Hue to him on
your card? Of course. If you wish, you must come down
with me and hear what I say; but I really don't see much
point in it"
And, as usual. Raffles had his way, though Bennett Ad
denbrooke showed some temper when he was gone, and I
myself shared his annoyance to no wunll extent. I could
only tell him that It was In the nature of Raffles to be self,
willed and secretive; but that no man of my acquaintance
had half his audacity and determination; that I, for my rart,
would trust him through and through, and let him gang his
own gait every time. More I dared not say, even to remove
those chill misgivings with which I knew that the lawyer
went his way.
That day I saw no more of Raffles, but a telegram
reached me when I was dressing for dinner:
"Be in your rooms tomorrow from noon and keep '
rest of day clear. RAFFLES.
It had been sent off from Waterloo at 6:42.
So Raffles was back In town; at an earlier stage of our
relations I should have hunted him np then and there, but
now I knew better. His telegram meant that he bad no
desire for my society that night or the following forenoon;
that when he wanted me I should see him soon enough.
And see him I did, toward 1 o'clock next day. I was
watching for him from my window in Mount street when
ho drove up furiously in a hansom and Jumped out without
a word to the mau. I met him next minute at the lift gates,
and he fairly pushed me back Into my rooms.
"Five minutes Bunnyl" he cried. "Not a moment more."
And he tore off his coat before flinging himself Into the
nearest chair.
"I'm fairly on the rush," he panted; "having the very
devil of a time! Not a word till I teU you all I've done. I
settled my plan of campaign yesterday at lunch. The first
thing was to get In with this man Oraggs; you can't break
Into a place like the Metropole, it's got to be done from the
inside. Problem one, how to get at the fellow. Only one
sort of pretext would do it must be something to do with
this blessed picture so that I might see where he'd got It and
all that Well, I couldn't go and ask to see it out of curiosity,
and I couldn't go as a second representative of the other old
chap, and it was thinking how I could go that made me such
a bear at lunch. But I saw my way before we got up. If
I could only lay hold of a copy of the picture I might ask
leave to go and compare it with the original. So down went
to Esher to find out if there was a copy In existence, and was
at Broom Hall for one hour and a half yesterday afternoon.
There was no copy there, but they must exist for Sir Bernard
himself (there's copy there!) has allowed a couple to be made
since the picture has been in his possession. He hunted up
the painters' addresses, and the rest of the evening I spent in
hunting up the painters themselves; but their work had been
done on commission; one copy had gone out of the country,
and I'm still in the track of the other." ,
"Then you haven't seen Craggs yet?"
"Seen him and mado friends with him, and, If possible,
he's the funnier old cuss of the two; but you should study 'eni
both. I took the bull by the horns this morning went In
and lied like Ananias, and it was Jnst as well I did the old
ruffian sails for Australia by tomorrow's boat I told blm a
man wanted to sell me a copy of the celebrated . Infanta
Maria Terest of Valasquez, that I'd been down to the sup
posed owner of the picture, only to find that he had Just sold
It to him. You should have seen his face when I told him
that! He grinned all round his wicked old head. "Did old
Debenham admit the sale??' says he; and when I said he had
he chuckled to himself for about five minutes. He was so
pleased that he did Just what I hoped he would do; he showed
me the great picture; luckily, it isn't by any means a large
one also the case he's got it in. It's an iron map case, in
which he brought over the plans of bis land In Brisbane; he
wants to know who would suspect It of containing an old mas
ter, too? But he's had it fitted with a new Chubb lock, and
I managed to take an Interest in the key while be was gloat
ing over the canvas. I had the wax in the palm of my hand,
and I shall make my duplicate this afternoon."
Raffles looked at bis watch and jumped up, saying he had given
me a minute too much.
"By the way," he added, "you've got to dine with him at the
Metropole tonlghtl"
"I?"
"Yes; don't look so scared. Both of us are Invited I swore you
were dining with me. I accepted for us both; but I shan't be there."
His clear eye was upon me, bright with meaning and witl mis
chief. I Implored him to tell me what his meaning was.
"You will dine In his private sitting room," said Raffles; "it ad
Joins bis bedroom. You must keep blm sitting as long as possible.
Bunny, and talking all the time!" v
la a flash I saw his plan.
"You're going for the picture while we're at dinner?"
"I am."
"If be hear? you!"
"He shan't"
"But if he does?" ."".
i And I fairly trembled at the thought. '
"If he does," said Raffles, "there win be a collision, that all
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