Anthony Trent, Master Criminal

Faulkner whose white stone mansion looked across the Park from his home. But whereas Trent's house faced east, the

king house on Broad Street bearing the Faulkner name but it did not look for n

The second wife, a young woman of less aristocratic stock, eschewed pearls, holding the theory that each one was a tear. She wanted flas

bout his mode of life. He had been half a year collecting information about the Carr Faulkners, the style in which they lived, the

t. For three months he had worked in the shop where they were made and his general inborn mechanical skill had been aided

ed into the Carr Faulkner mansion. Riding up Madison avenue in a trolley car lat

d on a grand piano in Mrs. Carr Faulkner's boudoir and the water h

r'n a wet hen,

"and that was inlaid like all the other things in her room.

down-right ordinary. You should have heard what she said about me over the 'phone when she told the piano people to send a tuner up, and me stand

nd cauti

ou may want to lose your job bu

went methodically through the lists of the better known piano makers. There was one firm wh

" he began when the number was given to him. "Ha

a man right aw

osed secretary. "We are giving a small dan

wer. "A valuable instrument might be extensi

fidential. He dr

ed, but it's a serious thing if a dance that Mrs. Faulkner gives is

uld be better for him to sell a new instrument. It would not surprise him if this affable secretary

returned. "At what hour s

ter ten," said the obli

an servant that Mr. Jackson of Stoneham's would call at half past

hat you can't come

strument," he reminded her,

ollar. Mrs. Kinney always washed these, and many a criminal has had his identity proved by his laundry mark. Trent, like a wise man, admi

ld be of the imported species. He hoped so. He found that they were m

s bishop-like Austin, cold, severe, aloof. There was Guestwick's man, the jovial

had rather fine features and was admired of the female domestics. His dignity forbade him to indulge in

oice," said the butle

hom he had sat on the car would recognize him. Or if th

n the third floor. A little electric, self-operated

f you or me," said t

splaying her famous jewels she had seemed a vision of loveliness to the gazing far-away Trent. Here in he

son?" she demand

ook at the piano,

ackson," she said

. Trent blamed himself for not

dignity, "we understood it was a cas

ed at hi

kill," she retorted acidly. "You have come at a singu

e room. The butler ga

up with that all d

ds it I don't know

on a mere piano t

dug Trent in the ribs with a f

There's another gentleman leaves another club on the same Avenue and gets here as a rule at six and leaves in time to avoid the master." The butler leaned forward and whispered in the tuner's ear, "She's crazy about him. The only man who d

y to do his own work while the family dined and he did not want to be see

interpreted his i

he's a French count, or says he is. I've made a mistake in scorning foreign languages," the butler admitte

ng tuned. When Mrs. Carr Faulkner came into the room she beheld an earnest young man delving among the pi

ch damaged?" she

not," h

need not s

soon as possi

t he was years older than his wife. He was, probably, a wealthy roué who had coveted this beautiful woman and bought her in marriage. In high society it was often that way, he mused. Family coercion, per

as not the sort of thing Mr. Jackson would have done but then Anthony Trent was a head tuner as he had explai

sing to her feet came to his

a little sheepishly, "we alway

uer, Borwick, Grainger, d'Albert and Hoffman and you dare to try! It was impertin

lt more insulted in his life. He had not for a moment suppos

never a word. She seemed to be listening. Trent heard a sound that might have been the openi

inded Trent of a snake's. As a man who knew men Trent determined that the newcomer wa

ery quickl

his?" he

s," she answered i

ig doing here at t

t he plays so well. I had to stop him when he began the Liebestod. It affects m

way," the m

look suspiciou

not respond to the affection

d as he took a seat at her side. "I am only a tempor

ruel to me yesterd

on her, eyes that could, when he willed it, glow wi

cried almost tearfully

is easily within your power to perform you

she complained. "You no lo

ungry dogs? Unless I pay by to-morrow it is finished

r interest than the man gazing from behind the piano. From an escritoire she took a package wrapp

ed. "I have told you that unless I have fifteen

said, smiling, "open your cigare

andsome now that the dark face was wreathe

h kisses. When he attempted to rise and go to the

find the twenty bills each wrapped in the cigarette

tender reproach and sought

s not immediately possible. The click of the little ele

elevator now. Somebody has told him." She looked about her in despair

ano looked up with polite surprise at the tall man who flung himself almo

, "do you hear. I will give you mon

cause he was conscious of fear but because he saw himself suitably rewarded for his efforts. He felt a note thrust into his hand but this was not

ell first of all upon t

this?" h

dly perceptible b

belongs to t

ossible from the Stoneman. All the king's horses and all the king's men could not put tha

very courteous and kind

in the hall for a few minutes until I hav

y. "I'm just going to dress for dinn

I left my club half an hour earlier t

it?" she s

eal to Trent. It mirrored kindliness and good breeding, and reminded him in a subtle way of his own

had to say to his wife. It might concern him vitally. It was possible that inquiry at Stoneman's might have informed Faulkner of his trickery. While this was improbable Trent was not minded to be car

t is always the husband who learns last. Don't protest," he added. "I know too much. I know fo

t you mean," she

is not of a noble French family at all. He is a French-Canadian and was formerly a valet to an English officer of tit

ve it," she cr

y. The whole scene wa

ve it," he s

you do," she fl

for him just the

him at all," she said, a trace of

it one way or another within a few minute

to hear his despicable history told to the woman who was his victim. As for the woman she was defiant. She would probably elect to follow a scoundrel who had fascinated her and leave a man behind whose good name she h

my train leaves in twenty minutes-I live out in Long Island-

looking piano tuner, she decided, and now his tragedy was plain. He who had no doubt

the job to-mo

moment she and her husband spent in this room a

you go?"

rmitted himself

t the raiment d'Aucquier had thrown carelessly over a

this interruption. He could not underst

ed, "that the man merely wants to

o the defer

he chair and took the garment. At the do

trimony were so decided. He startled that functionary by thrust

ds he was suspicious. "I don't understand this." He observed that the affability which

ner. I'm a detective and I came here after that

er breat

" he said simply. "I'd

and piano I was supposed to repair. Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner are both in the room but he doesn't know Jules is th

ed with anticipation. "Where are you going?" he

rol wagon," sai

ll you be?"

no time," Trent an

ttes. At first he thought he had been fooled for the

had expended her trouble. Each one contained a new