Anthony Trent, Master Criminal

rtment. In accordance with his instructions, Mrs. Kinney retired not later than ten. There might come

ittle of the trepidation he was to experience later when his name was unknown still but his reputatio

ursuit. Its brilliant lighting, its sleeplessness, the rectangular blocks

wall that circumscribed the top of another house such as his but having its entrance on a side street. It would not be hard to get a ke

er-striped and a stealthy hunter by night, and introduced him to Mrs. Kinney. That excellent woman was not pleased. A cat, she asserted, needed a garden. "Exactly," agreed her employer, "a roof garden." So it was that Agrippa joined the household and so

nock upon their door. An affable young gentleman begged permission to retrieve his cat from their ro

mory of a peerless beast about whom they could not talk without tear-flooded eyes. They told

id one of them, "an

in?" the other sist

s open," he

e saloon, he puts the catch back so there won't be the bother of a key. I have complained but the ja

ent established his right to use t

ulstrode's room. He regretted there had been so small an opportunity to investigate the Bulstrode mansion but time had too great a value for him. The black pearl had flung itself at him, and some yale keys and assorted club stationery-these were all he could take. The stationery might prove useful. He had

ined with peculiar care. They were enclosed in a long, b

d read them a

imes his measly thirty-eig

d to lead to progressive deterioration. That there might come a time when he would no longer feel bitterly toward blackmailers. It was part of his punishment, this di

ton begging him on no account to let her husband know she had borrowed money from him. A prominent society golfing girl whose play Trent had a score of times admired for its pluck and skill had borrowed a thousand dollars from Drummond. There was her I. O. U. on the table. Scrawling a line on Drummond stationery in what seemed to be

letters signed "N.G." and written on the stationery of a very

ummond meet the writer in the library of the

nger and spelled

into my secret, I should not have come to you. You know very well that as I am the only son your money is safe enough. I must pay this girl

The writer was obviously afraid that he w

uite beyond my mother's power to get it for me this time. I've been to that source too often and the old man is on to it. E.G. insists that the money in cash must be pa

Drummond had decided to lend "N.G." the

onor as usual. But the result is that when she and her lawyer call at ten on Thursday morning the money will be there. No check for her; she's far too clever, but fifty thousand in crisp new notes. As for me, I'm to re

sort of a scrape with a girl, initials were E.G., who demanded fifty thousand dollars in cash which was to be paid at the resid

r. The elder Guestwick posed as a musical critic, had a box in the Golden Horseshoe and patronized such opera singers as permitted it. Many a time Anthony Trent had gazed on the Guestwick family seated in their compelling box from the modest seat that was his. Guestwick had even written a book, "Operas

too, upheld the Arts. Long ago he had conceived a dislike for Guestwick. He hated me

k's attention to pretty Estelle Grandcourt (née Sadie Cort) has much perturbed his aristocratic parents who wish him to marry a snug fortune and a girl suited to be their daught

atory nature proved it without doubt. He had thus two days in which to make his preparations to annex the fifty thousand dollars. There were difficulties. In these early days of his adventuring Anthony Trent made no use o

his plan hinged. In a disguise such as many celebrated cracksmen had used, he might have gained a kitchen door and learned by what name Guestwick's ma

which had cost Trent two dollars and was thrown asi

as succeeded by a lofty disquisition on music. Later there came revelations of the Guestwick family life with portraits of their various h

ception after the performance is ended. My wide knowledge of music, of singers and

two more at Lenox-Mrs. Guestwick and my daughters talk over what we have heard, criticizing here, lauding there, until a simple repast is served by the butler who al

thamptonshire, England. The Fitzhoskens are immemoriably associated with fox-hunting and the steeple-chase and all Briggs heard there in the way of music were the cheerful rollicking songs of th

ed only of tolerance among a people where money consciousness had succeeded that of caste. But Anthony Tren

large attendance; for tenors may come and go, press agents may announce other golden voiced singers, but Caruso holds his prid

lled him to leave the Metropolitan. He had spent money on a seat not this time for

the impression that, after all, Caruso owed much of his success to her amiable patronage. The two daughters upheld the Guestwick

ting in his sitting-room. He liked these long opera evenings, which gave him the opportunity to rest, as much as he despised his e

's voice. It was not without purpose that Anthony Trent's unusual skill in mimicry had been employed. As a youth

s?" demanded the su

," return

to my instructions," he was comm

something, almost agitation in the usually pla

ou must remain up until a man in evening dress comes to the front door and demands admittance. It will be a detective.

d the Guestwicks had been as well disposed to dogs in the house as had been that hard drinking, reckless Lord Fitzhoske

to me that an impostor might come. Say to the man, 'What is your errand?' I shal

, sir," sa

that, do not admit

the butler

e door of the Guestwick mansion. He was a tall

urdy body between the st

errand?" said

t Mr. Guestwick's rare

urged Briggs

n bed?" the

e," said

re except t

," said Briggs. "We don'

library," the st

the gloves. It was for this reason he was taken into service by the fox-hunting nobleman so that he might box with his lordship every

r orders?" crie

wered, a trace of in

r no phone messages or door bells. My men outside will

e was feverishly anxious to

Briggs began with

e was ordered

ad disappeared. Gotham Gossip had told him so much. It was almost certain that the Guestwicks would not return to their home until half past twelve. That would give him a sufficient time to examine every likely looking

usic and Art. Scrutiny told the observer that behind these steel-bound fake books there was a safe. It was an old dodge, this. If the money for Miss Gr

fashioned safe took less than two minutes. It was amazing that so shrewd a man as Guestwick must be in business matters sh

the tools necessary to his task. As a boy he had been the rare kind who could take a watch apart and put it together again and have n

his muscles. Sinking into a big black leathern chair he contemplated the strong box that was now at his mercy. He allowed himself the luxury of a cigarett

realization that such prospects might never be his. It was the low, pleas

the voice said. There was no t

gown. Over her white arm trailed a fur cloak costly and elegant. And, although the moment was hardly one for thinking of female charms, he was struck by her un