An African Millionaire

mp in Cloetedorps I never quite knew. But the i

s Colonel Clay is enough to vex the patience of Job-and Job had large losses, too

"all at one fell swoop; not to mention five hundred yoke of oxen, carri

o a Japanese tray-fine antique bronze-work. "There were big transactions

assented, "you never

se; you'd stand some chance of spotting him. But when a man turns up smiling every time in a different disguise, which fits h

xample, better vouched," I acquie

self, for my own advantage. And he arrived with a

. "Introduced to us by the le

point. Charles winced

nt I relax my attention for one day-or even when I don't relax it-I am bamboozled and led a dance by that arch Mme. Picardet, or that transparently simple little minx, Mrs. Granton. She's the

ake sure Amelia was

living soul that comes near me. He shall scan each nose, each eye, each wig, each whisker. He shall be my watchful half, my unsleeping self; it shall be his business to suspect all living men, all breathing women. The Archbishop of Canterbury shall not escape for a moment his watchful regard; he will take care that royal princesses don't collar the spoons or walk

ough the portière, "her ladyship says, will you and Mr. Wentworth remem

! And it's now past ten! The carriage will b

omer! The police of Europe are on the look-out for Colonel Clay. He is wanted in London, in Paris, in Berlin. It is le Colonel Caoutchouc here, le Colonel Caoutchouc there; till one begins to ask, at last, IS there any Colonel Cao

," Charles said. "Wh

sn't particular. Medhurst he's called at home. We call him Joe

lay himself will come instead of him. I've been sold too

in," Marvill

s a rock. "Then se

his nose was depressed, his lips thin and bloodless. A scar marked his left cheek-made by a sword-cut, he said, when engaged one day in arresting a desperate French smuggler, disguised as an officer of Chasseurs d'Afrique. His

, the great diamond king," Ma

," the ma

now me?" Ch

"if I didn't know everybody. And you're easy enou

en!" Charle

tful tone. "I endeavour to suit my dress and behavi

Charles ask

ce. What sort of work? Stolen d

with his eye. "Quite another kind o

r the first time, I detected a lingering trace of A

u to catch him,"

"Isn't that rather a large or

"I can promise you that much. I'll pierce any disguise. I should know in a minute whether he's got up or not. I'm death on wigs, false moustaches, artificial complexions.

ys it. He's my very best hand. Never knew any man like h

"for I never knew any man like Colonel

should be described to the servants as assistant secretary. He came that very day, with a marvellously

s were missing? Why, when Professor Schleiermacher made his bow to assembled science at Lancaster Gate, had we not strictly inquired how far he was personally known beforehand to Sir Adolphus Cordery and the other mineralogists? He supplied us also with several good hints about false hair and make-up; such as that Schleiermacher was probably much shorter than he looked, but by imitating a stoop with padding at his back he had produced the illusion of a tall bent man, though in re

d all the time behind the curtain, and had taken short-hand notes of the whole conversation, as well as snap-shot photographs of the supposed sharper, by means of a kodak. If a fat old lady came to call upon Amelia, Medhurst was sure to be lurking under the ottoman in the drawing-room, and carefully observing, with all his eyes, whether or not she was really Mme. Picardet, padded. When Lady Tresco brought her four plain daughters to an "At Home" one night, Medhurst, in evening dress, disguised as a waiter, followed them each round the room with obtrusive ices, to satisfy himself just how much of their complexion was real, and ho

for whole weeks together. An explanation occurred to us. Was it possible he knew we w

s man, Medhurst." Could she have guessed, what none of the other servants knew, that the man was a spy in search of the Colonel? I was inclined to believe it. And then it dawned upon me that Césarine had known all about the diamonds and their story; that it was Césarine who took us to see Schloss Lebenstein; that it was Césarine who poste

heque to say anything of my nascent suspicions to Charles.

aid to me one day. "Why, Sey, he spies out everything. Would you believe it, when I had that confidential interview with Brookfield the other day, about the new issue of Golcondas, the man was under the easy-chair, though I searched the room b

s under many disguises. He may have built up this thing gradually. Besides, as to my knowing too much, why, of course, a detective always learns many things about his employer's family which he is not supposed to know; but professional honour a

o say," he burst out, "you've been listening to

to listen, and to suspect everybody. If you push me to

urst," he said, "you must never conceal yourself i

hat's quite at your own wish. Though how can I act as an efficient detec

ed a faint Ame

ction. "It's not my fault," he said plaintively, one day, "if my reputation's so good that, while I'm nea

e he produced with evident pride. The first he showed us was a vigne

One word rose to our lips

in, producing another-the photograph of

d, "Von Le

wing us the portrait of a lad

one voice, "Lit

ellent exploit. He replaced them in his

get them?"

erous to capitalists. If I were to give you the names now, you would refuse to believe me. Therefore, I hold them over discreetly for the moment. One thing, however, I say. I know to a certainty where Colonel Clay is at this present speaking. But I will l

n our profession. If I told you now, you would probably spoil all by some premature action. You are too open and impulsive! I will mention this alone: Colonel Clay will be shortly in Paris, and

lar foresight was justified. For, in another week, we received a second communication, containing other proposals of a delicate financial character, which would have involved the transference of some two thousand pounds to the head of the Parisian firm at an address given. Both these letters Medhurst cleverly compared with those written to Charles before, in the names of Colonel Clay and of Graf von Lebenstein. At first sight, it is true, the differences between the two seemed quite enormous: the P

easurable distance of catching Colonel Clay, and bringin

r reason why the negotiations at this stage should be confidentially conducted. But one never expected from Colonel Clay anything less than consummate cleverness. In the end, it was arranged that we three were to go over to Paris together, that Medhurst w

as to the crime having been perpetrated as well as meditated-in the former case, the penalty would be fifteen years; in the latter, three only. He was in very high spirits. The fact that we had tracked the rascal to earth at last, and were within an hour of apprehending him, was in itself enough to raise his courage greatly. We found, as we expected, that the number given in the Rue Jean Jacques was that of an hotel, not a private residence. Medhurst went in first, and inquired of the landlord whether our man was

uld only put them on in case of violent resistance. We crept up to the door where the miscreant was housed. Charles handed the notes in an open envelope to Medhurst, who seized them hastily and h

e in breathless expectation. Then Medhurst sneezed. We fl

This is Colonel Clay!" he said; "keep him well in charge

es had placed the notes lay on the table before him. He clutched it nervously. "I am at a loss, gentlemen," he said, in an excited voice, "to account

know who you are. We have found you out this time. You are Colon

"Yes, I am Colonel Clay," he answer

never to desert him. "You are Colonel Clay!" he muttered. "You

. "I have done nothing to be ashamed of. What do you m

said. "That sort of bluff won't go down with us. You know very well on

he could in most doubtful Parisian what they were next to do. The Colonel drew him

nnic Majesty," he said. "On what ground do y

The Colonel turned to Charles

e of your clever disguise, I can instantly recognise you. I know your eyes and ears

t you do!" he cried. "This is a raving maniac. I had business just now with Sir Charles Vandrift, who quitted the room as t

cleverness the fellow would even now manage to slip through our fingers. "Arrest him, as you are tol

"I advise you, M. le Colonel," he said, in an official voice, "to come with us quietly for

-and acting the part marvellously

, glancing round as we reached the d

inquired, with a side bow to the Colonel. "He has gone

, I am off now again on the track of Mme. Picardet. She was lodging in the same house. She has just driven away; I know to what place; and I am

d of the landlord, thinking it possible she

ered. "She has just driven off, and monsie

"Marvillier was quite right.

nding some weeks in Paris. He even declared he was known at the Embassy, where he had a cousin an attaché; and he asked that this gentleman should be sent for at once from our Ambassador's to identify him. The juge d'instruction i

nd fumed quite as much as we did, the attaché arrived. To our horror an

ing his hand; "what's up? What

"suspecting everybody": the real Colonel Clay was no common

s Vandrift," he said sulkily. "Though, in fact, there are two o

, after a moment. "I remember hearing him make a speech once at a City di

ied. "This is Colonel Cla

perior smile. "This is Colonel Clay," h

us there was someth

ago, and many times since; and this very day he has tricked me out of

now," he said; "but if it's as apocryphal as what you say he did two years ago, you've

arles cried. "Why, you've got them in y

fore you, and who announced himself as Sir Charles Vandrift. He said he was interested in tea in Assam, and wanted me t

rles murmured, in a tone of relief, beginning to

velope. They proved to be prospectuses of bub

hem there," I cried, "and

Medhurst is Colonel Clay!" he exclaim

olonel interposed. "I have but

We instructed the police that the true culprit was Medhurst, whom they had seen with their own eyes, and whom we urged them to pursue with all expedition. Meanwhile, Charles and I, accompanied by the Colonel and the attaché-"to see the fun out," as they said-called at the Bank of France for the purpose of stopping the notes immediately. It was too late, however. They had been pr

Charles's own dainty note. Last time he wrote it was on Craig-Ellachie pa

s! I told you I knew where Colonel Clay was living-and I did know, exactly. I promised to take you to Colonel Clay's rooms, and to get him arrested for you-and I kept my promise. I even ex

red to give myself the fun of this peculiar mystification. I therefore waited for him to reach Paris, where the police arrangements suited me better than in London. While I was looking about, and delaying operations for his

aintance, this matters little. To say the truth, I begin to feel detective work a cut or two below me. I am now a gentleman of means and leisure. Besides, the extra knowledge of your movements

e her a grudge which I shall never forget. She clearly suspected me. You are much too rich, dear Charl

ABAZON-M

Royal College

tectives themselves, whom I employ to guard me, turn out to be swindlers? Don't you remember that line in the Latin

d at least disproved my su