Henry C. Rowland

“ All the criminality in me came blazing out.
“I'll wring Ivan's snipe neck, you cat!” I growled, “and I'll skin Chu-Chu with his own knife. Do you think you can scare me with your mob o' yellow crooks? Scare 'Tide-water Clam'? Do you think there's an ounce of scare in 'The Swell'? Did you think so when I stepped in front of you and took the bullet you would have got? You're up against an American, you slut, and, crook or no crook, he's good for you and your dago bunch.” ”

“ On meeting Miss Dalghren by chance at the Billings' dinner he had sent a word to Chu-Chu to get on the job. It was even possible that Chu-Chu himself had been at the dinner, for as M. de Maxeville, clubman and officier de la légion d'honneur, he went a good deal in Society. Chu-Chu might have left early, and have been in or about the Cuttynge's house when Miss Dalghren got home. Miss Dalghren had said that after playing the harp Ivan had brought her a glass of orangeade which had a queer taste, as if from some liqueur. ”

“ I was firmly convinced that Ivan would never have played me such a trick but for Léontine's influence. There is a professional etiquette observed between thieves of the highest class, just as there is between swell members of other professions; and although it is not always strictly adhered to, there was in this case a strong obligation to me. As to the location of the pearls, I was sure that they were now in Léontine's possession, having been first turned over to Ivan by Chu-Chu and then delivered to Léontine by Ivan, that she might dispose of them in England or elsewhere. ”

“ I snarled. “I'll twist his hairy neck for that—and you can tell him so for me.”
“Chu-Chu takes good care of his neck. But you see, Frank, you are outclassed. Better come back to the fold, my little boy.”
“You think so, do you?” I answered quietly. “Well then, my dear girl, let me tell you something. If you think that you are going to play me for a sucker, you're wrong. I'm either an old pal or I'm an honest citizen. If I'm the first, hand over those pearls. If I'm the honest citizen, then look out for squalls.”
Léontine was silent for a moment. ”

“ Ivan laughed, then shot me a curious look.
“Did you think that I'd give them back?” he asked.
“I was sure of it,” I answered.
His face cleared, then clouded again. “I'll have a bad time with Léontine,” he said, “and a worse with Chu-Chu. But Chu-Chu can go to the devil. I've had nearly enough of Chu-Chu. He wanted to go after the other string—Mrs. Cuttynge's. But I flatly forbade that. I knew that Chu-Chu would never go out of the house without killing somebody. An unusual man, Mr. Clamart. He is purely criminal, with absolutely no saving grace of soul. He would rather kill than not. ”

“ A big, dark, silent house which I knew to contain treasure appealed to me in much the same way that a dangerous gold country might appeal to the prospector. I never stole from poor people, and there has never been a time when I would not have filled a position of trust, such as that of cashier in a savings bank, with scrupulous honesty. ”

“ I am telling you the truth. Of course, a consistent thief doesn't consider the sentimental side. But there were other things to be considered in this job, principally myself.”
Ivan stared at me for a moment in silence. His face was set and he tugged at the waxed end of his black moustache.
“What makes you think that I managed the affair?” he asked.
I made a tired gesture.
“That's too easy,” said I. “You took out Miss Dalghren at the Billings dinner. You probably doped her drink. Then you set Chu-Chu on the job. I'm not altogether a fool.”
Ivan's handsome face relaxed. ”

“ Such rows, after all, are food and drink to women of the Léontine sort; they love the excitement, and like to rouse the dominant male in the man on whom their fancy happens to rest. But I thought she would have some blue finger-marks on her shoulders the following day.
She slipped the note into an envelope and handed it to me unsealed.
“Here, Frank,” she said, “take this note to Ivan. He never wanted to take up the job and he will be quite content to give you back your old pearls. I'll have to make it right with Chu-Chu, though. He did his part, poor man.” ”

“ I have been a successful thief for a good many years. The profession interested me not only from its money profit and excitement but also from the purely artistic point of view, I enjoyed exercising my wit and skill against the difficult problems presented, and have always been fascinated by the interest of the stalk. ”