The Man Who Lost Himself

k and gloves, presented him with a letter that had arriv

er twelve. He stated that he had an appointment wi

the letters that he had not opened that morning. He had forgotten these. Here was a mistake. If he wish

ncing at the contents, which for the

ear old Boy" from a female who signed herself "Julie," an appeal from a begging letter writer,

was the one he had just

n on poor pap

dn't. There's a fiver under the papers of the

hest

eant for him, and was written by Rochester, written probably on some bar coun

au indicated, raised the papers i

wer, placed the note in his waistcoat

ords rang in his ears just as t

nge in the mind of Jones. He had Rochester's permission to act

all day. He felt that power had come to him with permissio

o it-if

nes was a man of that sort, a new and great idea always came to him on the crest of a wave of energy; t

n finally, stand on the pinnacle where Fate had placed

much pressed by circumstances; that did not frighten

iled, meet the difficulties that had dest

on was una

ith amazement the story of British credulity expressed in the Tichborne Case. How Arthur Orton, a butcher, scar

his own positi

olutely un

gar box, chose a

t he could pretend he had injured his thumb-that excuse would last for some time. "There's one big thing about the whole business," said he to himself, "and that is the chap's eccentricity. Why, if I'm shoved too hard, I can pretend to have lost my memory or my wits-there's not a blessed card I haven't e

ifty, a tubby man, dressed in a black frock coat, covered, despite the summer weather, by a thin black overcoat with silk facings. His face was evil, thick skinn

rd ann

. S.

ermyn

own to himself, announc

p instinct for men, wel

thout rising from his chair; the servant

ll of a pole cat, so did Jones' nature at the

on it. Then he turned, went to the door and o

ut th

"have you got t

tion might have asked, and

imply s

bout to take a seat, remained standing, clasping th

gave me an appointment for t

as

ere waiting for me-well, here I am now,

on't give it to

ed Voles taking his seat, "not so long as there

the other, "we don

in it and vitality-altered in fact. But he suspected nothing of the truth. Passed as good coin by Voles, Jones had nothing to fear from

talk about this money. Couldn't you take

"I must have the two thousa

nd he began preparing the toast on which to

roy it. If the worst came to the worst, if whatever crime Rochester had committed were to be pressed home on him by Voles, he would declare everythi

indeed have been a weak fool not to have grasped this nettle and torn it up by the roots

see here, let's make an end of this. Now

les. "You know that w

ounds out of me, and the two to-night will make ten. Seems a good pr

od deal more than that," said Vo

er. It really did not matter a button to Jones, he stood ready to face murder itself, armed as

inish this business. Have

ok right enough-wha

you-bring out your cheque book, y

gh, he took the cheque book from

r out a

er. "What on earth are you getting

r, "it will only cost you a penny, and

rection of the other, hesitated, th

e it on t

ced it on

pen and ink. He pushed a chair to th

te me out a cheque for

wn with a laugh-it was

't?" sai

the other. "I've no time for su

he bell,"

a moment. The jungle beast, that hears the twig crack beneath the foot of the man with t

ervant appeared, it was

bring in an officer-a

my L

door

. Jones walked to the door and lock

I'm going to squeeze you, and

o-you're going to-" said Voles.

make you go

ol, I'll smash you," said Voles. "Here,

you squeal," said Jones, "but

hat. Then, facing Jones, he rapped with t

ers to-morrow morning, and intimidation on top of that. Over and above those there's the papers. I'll have no mercy-those papers go to Lord Plin

that Rochester was some horrible form of criminal had weighed upon him. It had seemed to him that no man would pay such a huge sum as eight thousand pou

s nonsense-take that key out of your pocket and open the door. You always were a fool, but this is beyond fo

. A cruel hand it was, hairy as t

looked

that's the plain truth. I'm going to cut you open, and show your inside to the British Public. They'll be so lost in admiration at the sight, they won't bother abou

came to

from his pocket a

here, my Lord,"

o come in,"

od now by the table, hat in hand, looking ex

his helmet and was carrying it by the chin strap. He had no bludgeon, no

ed you in for the purpose of giving

" crie

charge of him. He rushed forward with arm

go outside one moment, leave me with his lordship. I will

him off, glancing f

; disgust, such as he might have felt towards

at eight tho

ahead of him. Voles was the first great difficulty, and lo, it seemed, that he was about not only to destroy it, but turn it to a profit. He did n

icer," said he t

down and write," said h

Then he flung the pen down. Then he picked it up, but he did not write. He waved it between finger and thumb,

l of Rochester for the sum of eight t

d it A.

aid he, "and now one thing more, I must have those papers to-morrow

ok a sheet of note paper, wh

"I will dictate.

put th

ll the papers of yours in my possession. I confess to having held those papers over you for the purpose of blackmail, and of hav

A. S.

arl of R

as the

and three times his master went to the door, the rattle of

read it over, blotted it, and pu

eight o'clock to your home for the papers. I will not use this le

Voles. "For God's