Henry C. Rowland

“ Chu-Chu, John, the danger to my life—all of this was nothing. Edith thought that I had broken my word to her. Edith thought that I had stolen her pearls.
My friend, have you ever been tempted? Not tempted by gold, or a woman or the lust for revenge—but by something that is far deeper than life or death, or the hope of heaven? Have you ever been tempted until your very soul is wrung and tortured and screaming in pain? Mere death is a joke to this; the love of life is the longing of a child fora stick of candy in comparison. Edith to lose faith in me? ”

“ If I had not felt this quality in you I would never have given myself the trouble to go to you and ask for Miss Dalghren's pearls. We have much in common, Count. We are both gentlemen born and to some extent the victims of circumstance. My own career as a criminal was cut short because it conflicted with my personal honour. Now, my career as an honest man is apt to be cut short because it conflicts with my former career as a criminal. Chu-Chu will certainly kill me unless I am so fortunate as to kill Chu-Chu first. ”

“ Fight it out with Chu-Chu. I hope you kill him.” He scowled again, and his handsome face underwent a lightning change from that of the polite man of the world to the criminal, which lies so near the surface in every professional thief.
“I have had enough of Chu-Chu,” he snarled.
“Then why not back my own play?” I asked quickly.
“No. That could not be done. It would be bad for the organisation. You are, after all, an outsider, and Chu-Chu is one of us. He has no friends, but a great many admirers. Few men will work with him after having had the opportunity to observe his methods. ”