An African Millionaire

ndrift was a small lawyer in Cape Town, I had the (qualified) good fortune to marry his sister. Much later, when the Vandrift estate and farm near Kimberley developed by degrees into

ery picture of a sharp and successful business genius. I have only known one rogue impose upon Sir Charles, and that one rogue, as

o the charming vegetation and pellucid air on the terrace at Monte Carlo. We are so fond of scenery. That delicious view over the rocks of Monaco, with the Maritime Alps in the rear, and the blue sea in front, not to mention the imposing Casino in the foreground, appeals to me as one of the most beautiful prospects in all Europe. Sir Charles has a sentimental attachment for the place. He finds it restores and freshens him, after the turmoil of London, to win a few hundreds at r

tural powers. Now, it is a peculiarity of my able brother-in-law's that, when he meets with a quack, he burns to expose him; he is so keen a man of business himself that it gives him, so to speak, a disinterested pleasure to unmask and detect imposture in others. Many ladies at the hotel, some of whom had met and conversed with the Mexican Seer, were constantly telling us strange stories of his doings.

éance?" he asked of Madame Picardet, the lady to whom t

"but for the good of humanity. I'm sure he would gladl

st live. I'd pay him five guineas, though, to

the lady answered. "Oh no; I

him five pounds to give a private séance at once in my rooms, without mentioning who I am to him; keep the name quite quiet. Bring him ba

e black pupils, and a finely-chiselled close-shaven face, like the bust of Antinous in our hall in Mayfair. What gave him his most characteristic touch, however, was his odd head of hair, curly and wavy like P

séance at once in a friend's rooms; and my principal wishes me to add th

e with impressive Spanish politeness. His dusky olive cheeks wer

nce and confound a sceptic (for that your friend is a sceptic I feel instinctively), I chance to have no engagements at all this evening." He ran his hand through his fine, long hair reflectively. "Yes, I go," he continued, as if addressing some

rther on, as if not noticing to what place I had brought him. Then he drew himself up short, and gazed around him for a moment. "Ha, the Anglais," he said-and I may mention i

ndrift. Not quite the sort of man (as the City of London knows) to be taken in by hoc

was in evening dress, but a red sash round his waist gave a touch of picturesqueness and a dash of colour. He paused for a moment in the m

"You are the host. My s

ellows have to be quick-witted, you know, M

st of them with surprising correctness. "His name? His name begins with an S I think:-You call him Seymour." He paused long between each clause, as if the facts were revealed to him slowly. "Seymour-Wilbraham-Earl of Strafford. No, not Earl of S

tly for confirmation. A

she murmured gently; "and I was wondering, as you spoke, w

maintained the reality of the relationship, there was one link wanting to complete the pedigree. He could not make sure that t

harles interrupted, comin

prevent it from bursting. "Africa," he said slowly, as the facts narrowed down,

He seems really to do it. Still, he may have fou

ll he reached the door, he didn't even

e a furtive gleam in it. "Would you like me to tell you the num

Charles said, "while I p

olding it all the time in his own hand, but letting his guests see t

Then he took the envelope in his hands and gazed at it fixedly. "AF, 73549," he answered, in a slow tone

it there himself; and then I changed it back again. In point of fact, I rememb

e can see through a box." She drew a little gold vinaigrette, such as our grandmother

ws with the effort of seeing into the box: "one, an American five dollars; one,

assed it round. Sir Char

uttered, half to hi

essive voice. "A sign that will convince you! Very well: you have a letter in your left wai

e only answered, very testily and evasively, "No, thank you; I won't trouble you. The exhibition you have already given us of your skill in this kind

ced somewhat anxiously

s and sanctities. If it were not so, I might dissolve society. For which of us is there who could bear the whole truth being told about him?" He gazed around th

gent man, a company promoter. He had in his bag some documents-some confidential documents:" he glanced at Sir Charles. "You know

in high finance," Sir

strictly private, I respect, of course, the seal of confidence. That's all I wish to say. I hold it a duty, b

some acerbity. Then he whispered in my ear: "Confounded cle

to divine this wish, for he inter

ined from reading your name on the brain of any one present-would you mind my turning down this lamp just a little? ... So! That will do. Now, this one; and this one. Exactly! that's right." He poured a few grains

y writing your name there." And he indicated a place in the centre of the card

name without knowing why. "What do you want with it?"

and then to burn it. After that, I shall show you your own name

didn't mind giving it. He wrote his name in his usual firm clear style-the writing o

from the other side of the room.

dly. The Seer was really begi

hat envelope," th

e a lamb, placed

. "See-it crumbles into ashes," he cried. Then he came back to the middle of the room, close to the green light, rolled up his sleeve, and

through it. It's like that ghost-book. Your ink was deep green; your light was green; you made me loo

eer replied, with a c

it," Sir Char

s this one also a complementary colour?" He held his other arm out. There, in sea-green letters, I read the name, "Charles O'Sullivan Vandrift." It is my brother-in-law's f

hollow. I could guess he didn't care to continue the séance. He could see through the ma

vant turned them. "Shall I say coffee a

nences! And, I say, don't you think you'd better suggest at the same time that

ss, so to speak. He accepted a partaga with a very good grace, sipped his coffee in a corner, and c

ame Picardet again, in a neat tailor-made travell

Madame Picar

archly. "Florence, or Rome, or somewhere. I've drained Nice dry-like a sucked

he train de luxe for Paris. However, a man of the world accepts what a lady tells him, no matter h

ght, and to compare the cancelled cheques with Sir Charles's counterfoils. On this particular occasion I happened to observe what I can only describe as a very grave discre

to Self or Bearer, for 5000 pounds, signed by Sir Charles, and evidently paid across th

h you haven't entered." And I handed it to him without comment, for I thought it might have been drawn to settle some littl

ve a long low "Whew!" At last he turned it over and remarked, "I sa

heque. "How do you

don't mind the five thou., but to think the fellow should ha

now it's the

hape of the last flourish. I flourished a bit like that in the excitem

ckens did he manage to transfer it to the cheque? This look

aken in by any of his silly occult tricks and catch-words; but it never occurred to me he was going to victimise me financ

e manage i

I only know those are the words I wr

n't protest

no; it's my own

emanly Frenchman, much less formal and red-tapey than usual, and he spoke excellent English with an Amer

ng our story, "you've been victimised

el Clay?" Sir

ossess an india-rubber face, and he can mould it like clay in the hands of the potter. Real name, unknown. Nationality, equally French and English. Address, usually Europe. Profession, former maker of wax figures to the

his desk and

red. "Except, perhaps, as to the neck

a bland-looking young man, with no expression worth mentioning. "There's the Colonel in his simple disguise. Very good. Now watch me: figure to yourself that he adds here a tiny patch of wax to h

curves of the pencil, and a shock of

ugh," I objected, looking close; "and the man in t

ly-innocent appearance. Well, you leave this affair to me, gentlemen. I'll see the fun out. I don't say I'll catch him for you; nobody ever yet has ca

ench office-holder, M. le Commis

," he continued, in French, with the utmost dignity, "I shall devote the resources of this of

the bank, with a full description of the suspected

ur hotel. "Well, gentlemen," he said, "I am

the Seer?" Sir

back, almost horrifi

nly human! Arrested him? No, not quite. But tracked out how he d

ke of it?" Sir Charle

d of the idea that when monsieur your secretary went out to fetch Se?or Herrera that night, Se?or Herrera didn't know to whose rooms he was coming. Quite otherwise, in

im," my brother-i

say, or his sister-stopping here at this hotel; a certain Madame Picardet. Through her he induced several ladies of your circle to attend his séances. She and they spoke to y

ll now. That designing woman sent round before dinner to say I wanted to

name ready painted on both his arms; and he had m

heque. Well, ho

red whom we recognised at once as the chief clerk in the Foreign Departm

ssary said, showing it to him, for we had hande

eks since-" th

your séance," the C

e of Sir Charles Vandrift's London banker. He said he had a sum to pay in to your credit, and asked if we would forward it for him. I told him it wa

," Sir Charl

dred pounds, signed by a first-rate name, and asked us to pay it in on her behalf to Darby, Drummond, and R

from London," the Commissary put in. "Also, that on the same day on which

ign the cheque?" Sir Charles cried.

ar card from his pocket. "Was t

ly! A fa

e Commissary turned it over, and showed a piece of paper pasted neatly over the back; this he tore off, and there, concealed behind it, lay a folded cheque, with only the place where the signat

lope before my eyes,"

couldn't substitute one envelope for another between the table and the fireplace witho

ith him," Sir Charles said, with a slight sigh of relief. "The next thing will

s we call him in French. He is as slippery as an eel, that man. He wriggles through our fingers. Suppose even we caught him, what could we prove? I ask you. Nobody who has seen him once can ever s

et," Sir Charles answered,