Anthony Trent, Master Criminal

tory. He was not a quick worker. His was a mind that labored heavily unless the details of his work were accurate. This time he w

ent silences. He would have done well in any line of work where originality was not desired. He knew, from what his circulation manager told him, that Trent's st

e a cigarette and I'll read this right away." Crosbeigh was a nervous

, Hornung, well-there you are!" It was one of his moments of

al money," replied An

beigh reminded him, "you haven't

writing," Trent told him. "It takes me almost a month to w

worker," his e

t a thing in these stories of mine that is impossible? I take the most particular care that my details are correct. When I began I didn't kno

ays for the magazine business. Shot to pieces. If I said what I

Crosbeigh to-day, a man whose trousers were pressed, whose shoes were sh

d. "Whence the prosperity? Wh

turned Crosbeigh with dignity,

ested. But tell me why this sartorial display. Are you

answered, "a man of affairs, a man of million

r whom you have arrayed yourself in all your glory. Who is y

led at the comments his apparel had drawn. "It's the ma

He's no fit company fo

spirit," Cros

it's too strong for you. What is

ren," Crosbeig

n with the stable of steeple-cha

big races," Cro

erous, has everything. Only one thing

of the sober editor consorting with reckless b

ways been friendly. God knows why," the editor said gloomil

r make-up," Trent declared, "which attracts him t

nie' and go up to his dressing-room sometimes. That's a mark of intimacy. My Lord, Trent, but it makes me envious to see with what luxury the rich can live. He has a Japanese valet and masseur, Togoya

u read my lamentations in every sto

t Tudor residence in Devonshire overlooking Exmoor, a town house in Park Lane which is Lond

rs a week," said An

re the hero of your own st

ed on him quickly,

us gets away with enough plunder to

in a story," ret

t as exact and possible a

rked out, with ordinary luck, by any man with an active body, good educati

large sums of money on stage favorites of the moment was not to his taste; but he wanted certainly more than he was earning. Trent had a passion for fishing, golf and music. Not the fishing that may be indulged in on Sunday and week-d

hed by his weekly visit to Van Cortlandt Park. He wished to be able to join Garden City or Baltusro

d-mouthed hired upright so far. Sometimes he had seen himself in the r?le of his hero amply able to indulge himself in his moderate ambitions. It was

king," Crosbei

Trent answered, "and an honest man at forty a

llow and false. He half expected that Crosbeigh would laugh aloud at such a hackneyed sentiment,

acter I created do as much harm to humanity as some cotton mill

answer. Trent swept into his brief case the carbo

going?" the e

red; "I'm going to try and get my driv

course on his Long Island place," Crosbeigh

t exclaimed frowning. "An eighteen-hole private cour

on at Van Cortlandt Park. As a matter of fact he

e was hailed by an old Dartm

thony Trent and had it been possible would have remodeled himself physically and me

ch cordiality, "you look as though th

l went to a hundred and twelve last

ingratiating manner and a disability to perceive snubs or insults when intent on making sal

to sell me this

attan has to offer. Anywhere you say and anything you like to eat and drink." We

three famous and more or less exclu

ted, "otherwise I shall have to cash a

full of money. Why, boy, I own an estate

ully. He had made over three hundred thousand

y place up in Maine

e that Anthony Trent, were he fortunate en

d when an expression of pain crossed the other

"you've got what I want. I know e

d and it's some furniture believe me. There's a grand piano-that would please you-and pic

rand piano when you don't know one school of painting from anothe

huffily. "Why don't you make money i

I suppose," Trent admitted. "It

, two, three, compared with you. Your father was well off and mine hadn't a nickel. You graduated magna cum laude and I had to work like a horse to slide by. You were popular because you made the foo

-with

ot rich yet. But I shall be. I'm out t

mely well dressed man about town to whom

said with admiration in his voice

e was engaged in an argument with the head waiter concerning Chateau Y'Quem. Trent noticed his gesture of

ho's the funny old dodger with him?

ed wise where vintages were discussed and knew not one from another. A well-dressed man paused

he asked when the

listen to private conversati

who spoke is Reginald Camplyn, the man who drives a coach and four and wins blue ribbons at the horse show. Warren asked him to a dinn

ng, too?" Tr

ms, "Sambo," he said. "That's no name for a

ow him," Tr

do it right the other fellow's bound to introduce you.

doing things," repli

ture of despair

why you'll never have a grand piano and

looked at hi

other ways," h

most thirty years old, highly educated, prep school and

will," Tren

would have seen to it that he and Warren left the restaurant together. Some one would be bound to see them. Then, for Weems had an expansive fan

, who can't tell a phonograph from a grand piano than Mr

ting me. You know very well I haven't that magic money making ability you hav

ted. "Common sense,

or a camera and the camera for a phonograph and the phonograph for a canoe and the canoe for a sailing boat and

nd see me in Maine,

asy," Trent assur