Fhe .. Omaha Illustrated
Bee
NUMBER 312.
Entered Fecond Class at Omaha Postoffiee Published Weekly by The Bee Publishing Co. Subscription, 2.r0 Per Year.
JUNE 4. 1003.
,-sifT!Tl(,,f,TIIKll"Wilful Murder"! I ST"ll--ffi7lflT
I Cf.iTi YT7mmmm-, Tjrr CflllD IB "A Brld f"10111 tlie Bu,tl''' "Stl"?fe Storlw," "Dead Men TeU X I B ULTV 1 " IT fel3! mmmmi
. I mmun"J I T"es" ctc" y iiy ch-riM scr,b- s-- J 1 ",,M , J ' HThe Amateur Cracksmanf n
Fourth Raffles Story
OF THE various robberies In which we were both concerned
it la but the few, I fled, that will bear telling at any
length. Not that the others contained details which even
I would hesitate to recount; It in, rather, the very ab
senco of untoward Incident wiichv renders them useless
for my present purpose. . In point of fact, our plans were so craftily,
laid (by Raffles.) that the chances of a hitch were Invariably re
duced to a minim am before we wnt to work. We might be disap
pointed in the market value of our haul, but It was quite the excep
tion for us to find ourselves confronted by unforseen Impediments
or Involved in a really dramatic dilemma. There was a sameness
even la our spoil; for, of course, only the most precious stones are
worth the trouble we took and the risks we ran. In short, our
most successful escapades would prove the greatest weariness of
all in narrative form; and none more so than the dull affair of the
Ardagh emeralds, some eight or nine weeks after the Milchester
cricket week. The former, however, had a sequel that I would
rather forgot than all our burglaries put together.
It was the evening after our return from Ireland, and I was
waiting at my room for Raffles, who had gone off, as usual, to dis
pose of the plunder. Raffles had his own method of conducting
this very vital branch of our business, which I was well content to
leave entirely In his hands. He drove the bargains, I believe. In a
thin but subtle disguise of the flashy-seedy order, and always In
the cockney dialect, of which be made himself a master. More
over, he invariably employed the same "fence," who was ostensibly
a money lender In a small (but yet notorious) way, and in reality a
rascal as remarkable as Raffles himself. Only lately I had been to
the man, but In my proper person. We had needed capital for the
getting of these very emeralds, and I had raised a hundred pounds, on
the terms you would expect, from a soft-spoken gray beard with an
ingratiating smUe, an Incessant bow and the shiftiest old eyes that
ever flew from rim to rim of a pair of spectacles. So the original
sinews and the final spoils of war came in this case'from the self
same source a circumstance which appealed to us both.
But these same final spoils I . was still to see, and I waited and
waited with an impatience that grew upon me with the growing
dusk. At my open window I had played Sister Ann until the faces
In the street below were no longer distinguishable. And now I was
tearing to and fro In the grip of horrible hypothesis a grip that
tightened when at last the lift gates opened with a clatter outside-
that held me breathless until a well known tattoo followed on my
door.
"Ia the darkl" cald Raffles, as I dragged him in. Why, Bunny,
what's wrong?" ' -
"Nothing now yon've come," said I, shutting the door behind
him in a fever of relief and anxiety. "Well? Well? What did
they fetch?"
"Five hundred."
"Down?"
"Got it in my pocket"
"Good manl" I cried. "You don't k-nowwhat a stew I've been in.
fI'U switch on the light. I've been thinking of you and nothing else
for the last hour. I I waa ass enough to think something had gone
wrong I" r
Raffles was smiling when the white light filled the room, but for
the moment I did not perceive -the peculiarity of his smile. I waa
fatuously full of my own late tremors and present relief, and my first
ldlorJe act waa to spill some whisky and squirt the soda water all over
in my anxiety to do instant justice to the occasion.
"So you thought something had happened?" said Raffles, leaning
back In my chair as he lit a cigarette, and looking much amused.
"What should you say if something had? Sit tight, my dear chapt It
was nothing of the slightest consequence, and if all over now. A
stern chase and a long one. Bunny, but I think I'm well to the wind
ward this time."
And suddenly I saw that his collar was limp, bla hair matted, bis
boots thick with dust
"The police?" I whispered, aghast
"Oh, dear, no; only old Baird."
"Balrdl
"It waa"
"Then how came he to chase you?"
"My dear fellow, Til tell you if yon give me a chance; It's really
nothing to get in the least excited about Old Baird has at last spotted
that I'm not quite the common cracksman I would have him think
me. So he's been doing bla best to run me to my burrow."
"And you call that nothing?"
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"It would.be something If. he had succeeded; but he has still to ously, ours is the more honest course. Yet I'm not sure. Bunny, but
do that. I admit, however, that he made me sit up for the time be- we're doing tbingB by halves ourselves!" ,
lng. It all comes of going on the Job so far from borne. There was the "Why,1 what more could we do?" I exclaimed, in soft derision,
old brute with the whole thing in bis morning paper. He knew it must looking round, however, to make sure that we were not overheard.
But wasn't it Baird who took the emeralds?"
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have been done by. some fellow,-ho could pass himself off for a gentle
man, and I saw bis eyebrows go up the moment I told him I was the
man, with the same old twang that you could cut with a paper knife. I
did my best to get out of it swore I had a pal who was a real swell
but I saw plainly that I had given myself away. He gave up haggling.
He paid my price as though he enjoyed doing it But I felt him follow
ing me when I made tracks; though, of course, I didn't turn to see."
"Why not?'
"My dear Bunny, irs the very worst thing you -can do. Aa long
as you look unsuspecting they'll keep their distance, and so long as
they keep their distance you stand a chanre. Once show that you
know you're being followed and it's flight or fight for all you're worth.
I never even looked round, and mind you never do In the same hole.
I Just hurried up to Blackfrlar's and booked for Hih street Kensing
ton, at the top of my voice, and aa the train was leaving Sloane Square
out I hopped and up all those stairs like a lamp lighter, and round
to the studio by the back streets. Well, to be on the safe side, I lay
low there all the afternoon, hearing nothing in the least suspicious
and only wishing I bad a window to look through instead of that
beastly skylight However, the coast seemed clear enough, and thus
far it was my mere idea that he would follow me; there was nothing to
show be had. So at last I macbed out in my" proper rig almost
straight into old Balrd's arms!"
"What on earth did you dor
"Walked past him as though I had never set eyes on him In my
life; and didn't then: took a hansom In the King's Road and drove -like
the deuce to Clapham Junction; rushed on to the nearest plat
form without a ticket, jumped into the first train I saw, got out at
Twickenham, walked full tilt back to Richmond, took the District to
Charing Cross, and here I am! Ready for a tub and a change and
the best dinner the club can give us. I came to you first because
I thought you might be getting anxious. Come round with me and
I won't keep you long."
"You're certain you've given him the Blip?" I 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 a minute
or two looking down into theslreet
"All ritfht?" I asked him.
All right" said he, and we went downstair forthwith and so to
the Albany arm in arm.
But we were both rather silent on the way. L for my part
waa wondering what Raffles would do about the studio in Chelsea,
whither, at all events, be had been successfully dogged. To me the
"Well, murder for one thing.
"What more?" said Raffles.
"Rot!"
"A matter of opinion, my dear Bunny; I don't mean it for rot
I've told you before that the biggest man alive ia the man who's com
mitted a murder and not yet been found out; at least, he ought to be,
but he so very seldom has the soul to appreciate himself. Just think of
it! Think of coming here and talking to the men, very likely about the
murder Itself, and knowing you've done It and wondering how they'd
look if they knew. Oh, It would be great simply great! But besides
that when you were caught there'd be a 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
6even or fourteen years."
"Good old Raffles!" I chuckled.' "I begin to forgive you for being
In bad form at dinner." . . .
"But I was never more earnest in my life."
"Go on!" .
"I meau it."
"You know very well that yon wouldn't commit a murder, what
ever else you might do."
. "I know very well I'm going to commit one tonight!"
He had been leaning back in the saddleback chair, watching
me with keen eyes sheathed by languid lids; now he started for
ward, and his eyes leapt to mine like cold steel from the scabbard.
They struck home to my slow wit; their meaning was no longer in
doubt I, who knew the man, read murder in his clenched hands
and murder in bis locked lfpa, but a hundred murders In those hard
blue eyes.
"Baird?" I faltered, moistening my lips with my tongue.
"Of course." . .
"But you said it didn't matter about the room in Chelsea!"
"I told a lie."
"Anyway, you gave bim the alip afterward."
"That was another. I didn't. I thought I had when I came up
to you this evening; but when I looked out of your window you re
member, to make assurance doubly sure there be waa on the op
posite pavement down below."
"And you never aald a word about UP
"I wasn't going to spoil your dinner. Bunny, and I wasn't go
ing to let you .spoil mine. But there be was, as large aa life, and,
of course, be followed us to the Albany. A fine game for hiin to
P'aji a game after bis mean old heart; blackmail from me, bribes
from the police, the one bidding against the other; but ie shan't
play it with me, be sha'n't live to, and the world will have an ex-
our trail that some more Immediate and less cold blooded way of
dealing with hiui might result from a sudden encounter between
the money lemler aud myself. 1 would not warn hrm of hi danger,
but 1 would avert tragedy at all costs. And when no such en
counter had taken place, and Raffles and 1 were fairly on our way
tQ Wtllfwlen. that l think, waa still my honest resolve. I would
not break my word if I could help it, but it wns a comfort to feel
that 1 cobld break it if I liked, on an understood penalty. Alas! I
fear my good inteutlons were tainted with a devouring curiosity
and overlaid by the fascination whNch goes baud in hand with hor
ror. 1 have a poignant recollection of the hour It took us to reach
the house. We walked across St. James' park (I cau see the Hghta
now, bright on the bridge and blurred In the water), and we had
some minutes to wait for the last train to Willesden. It left at
ll:i!l. I reinemlier, and Raffles was put out to find it did not go on
to Kent.al Rise. We had to get out at WlUesden Junction and walk
on through the streets into fairly open country that happened to
be quite new to me. I could never find the house again. I remem
ber, however, that we were on a dark footpath between woods and
fields when the clocks began striking 12.
"Surely," said I, "we shall find him in bed and asleep?" (
"I hope we do," said Raffles, grimly.
"Then you mean to break iuT"'
"What else did you think T
I had not thought about It at all; the ultimate crime hnd mo
nopolized my mind. Beside It burglary was a bagatelle, but one to
deprecate, none the less. I saw obvious objections; the man was au
fait with cracksmen and their ways; he would certainly have fire
arms, and might be the tlrpt to use them.
"I could wish nothing better," said Raffles. "Then It would be
man to man, and devil take the worst shot. You don't suppose I
prefer foul play to fair, do you? But die he must by one or the
other, or It's a long stretch for you and me."
"Better that than thlsr
"Then stay where you are, my good fellow. I told you I didn't
want you; and this Is the house. So, good night."'
I could see no house at all, only the angle of a high wall rising
solitary In the night, with the starlight glittering on battlements of
broken glass, and in the wall a4all, green gate, bristling with spikes
and showing a front for battering rams In the feeble rays an out
lying lamp-post cast across the new made rond. It seemed to me a
road of building sites, with but this one house built all by itself, at
one end; but the night was too dark for more than a mere impres
sion. Raffles, however, had seen the place by daylight and had come
prepared for the special obstacles; already he was reaching up and
putting champagne corks on the spikes, and In another moment he
had folded his covert coat across the corks. I stepped back as he
raised himself and saw a little pyramid of slates snip the sky above
the gate; as be squirmed over I ran forward and had my own
weight on the spikes and corks and covert coat when he gave th
latter a tug.
"Coming, after all?"
f' "Rather!" ... v
, "Take care, then; the place is all bell wires and springs. Iff no
soft thing, this! There stand still while I take off the corks."
The garden was very small and new, with a grass plot still in
separate sods, but a quantity of full grown laurels stuck Into the raw
clay beds. "Bells in themselves," as Raffles whispered; "there's noth
ing else rustles so cunnlne old beast!" AJid we gave them a wide
berth as we crept across the grass.
"He's gone to bed P
f "I don't think so, Bunny. I believe he's seen us."
"Why?"
"I saw a light." . , .
' "Where?"
"Downstairs, for an Instant, when I"
His whisper died away; he had seen the light again, and so bad I.
It lay like a golden rod under the front door and vanished. It
reappeared like a gold thread under the lintel and vanished for good.
We heard the stairs creak, creak, and cease, also for good. We neither
saw nor heard any more, though we stood waiting on the grass till
our feet were soaked with dew.
"I'm going in," said Baffles, at last. "I don't believe be saw us at
Tlr" xoliit betuied one of immediate importance, but when I mentioned ''tortioner the less. Walter! Two Scotch whiskies and sodas. I'm
It be ald there was time enough to think about that. His one
other remark was made after we had nodded in Bond street to a
young blood of oar acquaintance who happened to be getting him
self a bad name.
"Poor Jack Rutter!" said Raffles, with a sigh. "Nothing sad
der than to see ajellow going to the bacMlke that He's about mad
with orink and debt poor devil! Did you see bis eye? Odd that
we should havo met him tonight by the way; it's old Baird who'a
atd to have skinned him. By God, but I'd like to skin old Baird P
And bis tone took a sudden low fury, made the more noticeable
by another long silence which lasted, Indeed, throughout an admir
al. It diner at the club and for some time after we bad settled down
iu a quiet corner of the smoking room with our coffee and cigars.
Then at last I saw Raffles looking at me with his lazy smile, and I
knew that the morose fit was at an end. .
"I dare say you wonder what I've been thinking about all this
time," said he. "I've been thinking what rot it is to go doing things
by halves!"
"Well," said I, returning bis smile, "that's not a charge that
you can bring against yourself, is it?"
"I'm not so sure," said Raffles, blowing a meditative puff; "as
a matter of fact I was thinking less of myself than of that poor
devil of a Jack Rutter. There's a fellow who does things by
halves; he's only half gone to the bad, and look at the difference be-
off at 11, Bunny; it's the only thing to be done."
"You know where he lives, tbenP
"Yes, out Wlllesden way, and alone; the felloWa a miser,
among other things. I long ago found out all about him."
Again I looked round the room; it was a young man's club, and
young men were laughing, chatting, smoking, drinking, on every
hand. One nodded to me through the smoke. Like a machine I
nodded to bim, and turned back to Raffles with a groan.
r "Surely you will give him a chancer' I urged. "The very sight
of your pistol should bring htm to terms."
"It wouldn't make bim keep them."
"But you might try the effect."
"I probably shall. Here's a drink for you, Bunny. Wish me
luck."
"I'm coming, too."
"I don't want you."
"But I must come!"
An ugly gleam shot from the cteel blue eyes.
"To Interfere?" said Raffles.
"Not I."
"You giva me your word?" t
"I do."
"Bunny, If you break It"
"You may shoot me, tooP
"I most certainly should," said Raflles, solemnlr. "So toii
c
UC DROVE THE BARGAINS IN THE COCKNEY DIALECT.
tweeu us; he's under the thumb of a villianous money lender; we come at your own peril, my dear man; but, if you are coming well,
are solvent citizens. He's taken to drink; we're as sober as we are the sooner the better, for I must stop at my rooms on the way."
solvent. His paU are beginning to cut him; our difficulty Is to keep Five minutes later I was waiting for him at the rieeadilly eu-
the pal from the door. Entln, he bogs or borrows, which Is steal- trance to the Albany. I had a reason for remaining outside. It
ng by balves, and we steal outright. and are done with it Obvl- was the feeling half hope, half fear that Angus Baird might be on
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i
by trrA.it! mtittr
RAFFLES
SUCCEEDED IN DRAWING THE BOLT.
