The Burglars' Club: A Romance in Twelve Chronicles

. The mission of the Prince was to invest a distinguished personage with the insignia of the Lion and the Sun in order to mark the Persia

early we approached to a war with Russia as a consequence of the visit, while still fe

dent stands out prominently. It is well that

onth. It was to leave on the 16th. Lord Denton had placed his town h

ed an intimation that his entrance fee could be paid on the 13th by the pro

man in the employ of Lord Denton, called by re

ed to see

how are you

l, thank

reat times, Parker. When

orrow

servants st

sir. The Persians bring

Are you r

s,

ou to let me ta

g pardon, sir," he said, feeling sure

use while the Persians are there. If you will help

t see how I'm to get it. They'd never mistake you for me, sir, though we

Mr. Br

s pretty well left in

taken ill. Tell Bradshaw you can't work, and you think it's something infectious. Tell him that your cousin, James Finny,

aw might kn

I shall shave off my moustache. Anyway, Parker, I'll take

an he came. In his pocket he carried a letter which eventually re

ill, and Mr. Bradshaw says you ca

Par

able ready-made suit, Rivers presented himself at Denton House at

cousin? A pretty mes

's not ver

," said Mr. Bradshaw vengefully

s,

announce

s,

r, and announce

the door, and announced in stentorian acce

you're in the prisoners' box. I 'spect that's where you met h

s ob

who had approached noiselessly, and who now stood rubbing his hands approvi

Bradshaw savagely. "He's sent

e man. "What's your name, and where do you co

sir-from Mr. B

g bays at the Four-in-Hand meets. Attaché at Constantinople, or something. Came into money and left the Service. Wishes he'd

time. Then he fixed his eyes on Rivers' hands. He

tered with "Please, Mr. Bradshaw, there

room, and change into his things at once, and the

ardon, Mr. Bradshaw, who was that

h swelling dignity, "is Mr. Marvell, from Scot

of the Persians. Rivers' chief duties were to attend to the hall door, and to help to wait at meals. He did his work to the satisfaction of Mr. Bradshaw, and never a day passed without M

ushing, James Finny," the little

s trying to find out where the Orde

that it was in one of three despatch b

the 13th. He must purloin it befor

ck the Vizier

ooks all right, and talks despairin' of pains an' shivers. Won't have a doctor,

invalid Vizier, set out for the Alhambra and supper at the C

f behind a curtain, intending to wait till the household was asleep, and then to open the despatch box from his bunch of skeleton keys. He had been there perhaps

up to one of the windows, pulled back the heavy curtain, raised the blind, and lo

ian, replacing the curta

se. The servant withdrew, and the object emerged from its wraps. Rivers kn

izier

nded, and then gav

"I am delighted at last to have the honou

spired me with an intense wish that we should meet. Allah has at last granted the

ely over the portraits of a dozen Dentons, famous in the service of their country. "It is fitting we should me

," said the V

ast pocket, and produced a document. "Here is the draft of our understanding, arranged so far as is possible with three thousand versts between us. Now we mus

rd. "There is no haste," he said. "'Fruit ripe

rror. "This year-the next will do. Our treasury has many

l flaxen. Yet he spoke of money as though it grew on rose trees. Half a million roubles are as nothing to him. He gave that sum for an Italian picture-an old, shabby-looking thing such

ed the Count. "Half they say

this man is rich. He is one of the new kings of the earth. We ha

countless millions-men and roubles. When last I saw his Majesty he said, 'Tell his Excellency the Grand Vizier that I would his wisdom could be added t

d he is generous. His rewards make glad the hearts of poets. He is the joy of t

gleamed, but he

be his when the treaty is signed; five hundred thousand

leaned bac

he flaxen-haired gentleman I met yesterday. The Americans are numbered by tens, your master's subjects by hundreds

to be attacked by Russia, who was prepared to pay for facilities granted. The north-eastern province of Persia was a necessary factor of the scheme, and a railway was to be commenced at once from Astrabad to Meshed. But the most striking part of the plan was the acquisition by Russia of a port in the Persian Gulf. The Isle of Kishm was to be ceded to her.

folded up t

ot," he soliloquised, "that our former negotiations came to a head when the English Mission brought the Garter, and our n

Vizier--" began the Russian sententiously. Then

e to his feet as a tall, richly-dressed

e abruptly, "whom have y

, and instinctively he endeavoured to cover

rescription, Vi

ivid, but the Vizier rega

id, "permit me to present hi

izier is far from well. He has, no doubt, concealed the fact from you, but he was too ill to accompany me this evening to the hall of music. Hence my surprise at finding

ere the Vizier to break down. I hope I have not hastened that end." He again bowed profoundly to the Prince,

the Prince when they were a

off and I are old friends by correspondence. We had never

-day as being in Petersburg. I left you in bed, full of toothache and indigestion. I return unexpectedly, an

produced it, and the

e dark; yet all the time it was I who did the work. Was it his Majesty the Shah who played at billiards and cards with the English? Was it you who fought them at lawn tennis. Bah! I laugh at the thought. But I played at all. I lost my money at cards and billiards, and I suffered defeat at lawn tennis till the perspiration rolled down me, and m

lieve that I have acted for what I th

d the Prince. "How much plu

r Royal Highness," he said, "is nothing ever

E TREATY, WENT TO THE DESPATCH BOXES, A

useless declamation. You may as well know my terms at once. The

zier g

es!" he exclaimed.

ary questions. These are my terms. Arrange with Moranoff to-morrow, or take it from your own profit-I ca

ll betr

young man haughtily. "You understand me, I hope. Here is

ong that Rivers, behind the curtain, was stiff and weary. And there was the V

f them. His body intervened between Rivers' view of them, but the watcher followed his movements a

e curtain for some time. At length he stepped out, turned on his portab

s lifted out the middle one, and essayed to open it with his keys, but in vain. Then he tried the bottom one-that containing the Persian Order-but with no better success. The box would have t

d court defeat. Which box was he to take-the one that held the Order of the Lion

r of national importance that the Foreign Secretary should see the draft of the treaty. The Earl of Ancoats was hard to convince of anyone's dishonesty. His own honour was so untarnished that he refused to believe less of others. He had declined to

ew up the blind and waited. The red-coated sentry passed

was his

led out to the passing hansom. The man pu

t it, and he must open it at once. I will see him in the morning about it. Here's a sovereign. If Lord Ancoats

closed the window, and drew the blind. He then pulled a chair behind the curtain,

to John Parker, who turned up in good healt

ancy in the household. He drove straight to the Albany, and then to Eaton Squar

s, producing the despatch box from a

LE VELVET CUSHION, WAS THE GLITTERING O

ns itself,

tesman drily. "What do

w treaty between R

en

there on a purple velvet cushion was the

was stu

g else?" he asked

ame into possession of this, and why you sent it to

not reassuring, but Rivers p

Count Moranoff visited the P

you kn

t with him the draft of a treaty supplementing the last one. It had chie

ats, "that's a bold

e one, and I sent it here so that your lordship could read the treaty for yourself. I deeply

e do s

rnt themselves on his brain. He recited the terms without h

room. "It is an unfortunate situation. I think we shall be able to meet the political side of it, but the investiture takes place at Windsor to-mor

t was as much luck as a

ere at Den

ther business," s

oo closely what that other business was. You have rendered a service to the S

that the Viz

on

mber he now had in his possession what

s at Denton House by

s watched h

Club meet to-night

pardon," sta

e, Rivers, and leave it. Its existence, you see, is known to some of the outside world. As a friend I warn you that you will be watched to-night. Don't spoil your career. Why did you

amed. "I'd jump

I am still your debtor. Now about this box? You migh

e forward, please." And the little detective whom Rivers had

ve met before?" s

too astonis

I beg pardon-Mr. Birket River

orily, Marvell," said Lord Ancoats. "The box should

ok pleased, but signall

my lord,"

door, and a clerk appeare

. "Rivers, next week, remember. I am much

tary for Foreign Af

ive took u

me into this matter, Mr.

t for at once. As a matter of fact, I opened the box for his lordship. You're sure you wouldn'

rvell," Rivers laughed; "but I'm

. Sooner or later," he said, as he walked to the

ical remarks the i

eremony Prince Ali Azim and the Vizier had a private interview with the Secretary of State for

rtunity to assure the House that the paramount influence of England in the Persian Gulf would be maintained at any

as so effective and complete was owing to the action of Mr.