The Chase of the Golden Plate

atching the throng as it poured up the wide marble steps. Here was an over-corpulent Dowager Empress of China, there an Indian warrior in full pain

mine," he remarke

came up the walk arm-in-arm, while a Pierrette ran beside them laughing up into their fac

inal. "There are four ge

e a figure which immediately arrested attention. It was a Burglar, with dark lantern in one hand and revolver in the other. A blac

ted the Cardinal. "

real thing," t

beth to pass, then came on up the steps. The Cardinal and the Mikado pass

immediately ar

en Elizabeth!" the grave

n of astonishment on the stolid face. Perhaps it was there because the card had been offered in that ha

Burglar!" h

the Burglar found himself the centre of attention for a moment, while a ripple of laughter ran around. The ent

ed the Burglar and dragged him off to the smoking-room. There the Czar of Russia, who was on such

on a costume like that?" ask

A cleft in the square-cut, clean-shaven chin, visible below the m

ouldn't imagine anything more extraordinary than a

ice didn't see you,

s evidently a good-natured craft

hnical term in my profession meaning jugged, nabbed, collared, run in. It seemed that my fears had some foundati

tte. The Mikado picked up the lantern and flashed the light on and

suggested the Burglar

e Czar. He laid down

real thing, you see, so naturally my revolver is loaded. I think I ought

"I see no reason why it shouldn't be worth while. You might, for instance, make a colle

r; practised a good deal, you know. Just to show you that I am an expert,

a moment in frank astonishment; patted himself all over in sudden trepidation; then laughed she

ld the Czar, "you are what is known as 'eas

Cardinal. "I might have used you a

ghed again and

" he suggested. "Let's go

o you are," urged the Czar. "Your voice

you think you could bribe that stone image who took my card at the door you might try. H

doscopic picture began to move. Stuyvesant Randolph, the host, as Sir Walter Raleigh, and his superb wife, as Cleopatra, lo

ichelieu and a Pierrette; a Clown dancing attendance on Marie Antoinette. The Czar of Russia paid deep and devoted attention

his belt. He was pouring a stream of pleasing nonsense into the august ear of Lady Macbeth, nimbly seeking at the same time to ev

trolled along with a

?" he inquired

to be," was

tip-toes-silly, impractical sort of to

aimed. "You are

" retorted

ng after them a moment, then glanced around the room, curiously, two or three times. He m