The Catspaw.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14221, 11 June 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Catspaw.

I had just k-fjt my brother Gregory, and was wuilting up the stiady aiue or lt-gent-etreei, iintu my attention was arretted by a lady a little way ahead ot me. bne was tail besona the ordinary, anci moved \wth uie iithe grace wuien. oniy conies ot a peiiectly proportioned Dody. Also, she was drc&Acd entirely m black, even tier face being hidden beneath a heavy veil of tne same sambre colour.

Uradulyy i caught her up, and was about to pass her, when something tell Irom her hand. The next moment it was lying at my leet—a little steel purse Unit glittered in the sun. I fctooped to pick it up, and had just grasped it, when a hand, swarthy, dirty, and short-nailed, dived towards if. As 1 stiaigutened 1 found nrjself face to lace with a flashly-dressed little Jew, who looked at uie in no very friendly manner.

"That ain't yourn," he said, insolently

"Nether is it yours," I answered, moving towards the purse's rightful owner. To my surprise, he accompanied me.

"l'ardon me," I said, as I reached h.r. "but I believe this is your purse." She tinned sharply, almost hastily, and there was a perceptible pause whilst she glanced quickly from mo to the Jew and back again. "Thank you very much," she said at last, in u clear, sweet voice. "I am very much obliged to you. I cannot think how 1 could have been so cureless." And with a little how of dismissal she turned and resumed her

l'rescntly 1 caught sight of her i again. '.l'ii my surprise, my friend' of the dirty hands was still with her, and from h.s occasional gesticulations evid. ntiy explaining something. Sudden-j ly it'dawned upon me that the drop- J ping of the purse had been no accident after all. The idea suggested in- J terest:ng possibilities, and "'hen, a moment later, the pair turned into a' i'iishionable tea shop, I promptly followed. I Stiolling carelessly down the room, I I discovered them seated at a table at, the further end, and, choosing a seat which gave nic a good view of them I sat down to await developments. They were still deep in conversation, but thi< time it was the lady who talked whilst the little Jew listened gravely. Suddenly he laughed an' 1 brought his hand down on his knee with a resounding lap. 'isy Jimmy, if that doesn't beat all. 'Madam, you're a tip-topper and no mistake" The words rang loudly down . t'le i room, turning every head towards the. i speaker, and I saw his companion touch his arm sbarnlv. At th" touch he seeded to sIT-'nk visibly, and thence forward, • likened in sileiK-e unt : l she had finHipd. Then he r-ise. bowed aw'-wnrdly. and 'eft the nlneo. ~<V>r a few mim-tes nftev th'R de- : his r"*"nn"'on e"t id'"on f,h" tnhWWb with " cloved forpfWrer. intprnipt'nc he-«-lf on-'e or twice to raise her head and gaze

thoughtfully in my direction,. At last she to come to some decision, . lor ,l.al<ihg out a curd cas»> and pencil, •sb,> wrote rapidly on a. 'card. -Then, calling j, ir ),(,[. filic passed my (.ahie dcliheratoly dropp.d the card upon it. So surprised was J hy her action that it was not until she had reached the .street and disappeared that J. thought of examining it. It contained a name and address:—

Mile. Katinka Stephanoff 10 Netley Mansions, N.E. Between the name and address WU hastily written :

'lt you are the man I take you to * he help mo. Call at this address tonight, at eight o'clock. I shall expect you i ( ' or your manhood's sake, don't tail me." ;

I sat fitn.ni] K at tins remarkable appeal, probably the most astonished ltn.n in London that afternoon. What did it mean? AYhy ],., d sho appealed to me, a total stranger? For a while my thoughts travelled no further. Then the necessity of arriving at some decision presented itself. Prudence suggested tliat I should ignore it- curiosity that r should follow the matter ".». . In the end curiosity triumphed, lor I was young, and the spice of mystery in it appealed to me irressis.i'-,, p ',' fc tllß f ' anl in my pocket, with the ploasiint feeling that I was aiiout to do something more than ordinarily foolish.

Kifdit o'clock saw me outside Netley Mansions a vast. fom-s«.uare pile of flats sheathed in staring red brick. No 10 I found, lurked half way up the first block. In resnonse to mv rfnz a. imnt .«.,!<! opened the door '•ls Miss Stephanoff at home?" I asked.

In the half light T could see her scrutinising me Iceonlv. "Have you an appointment with' Jier, sir; she is very busv." 'Yes. for eudit "oYlcck." • At this she stewed inside and ushered me into a little sittingroom. It was unoccupied: but almost on my entry a door owned and a slim, girlish figure appeared framed in the doorivav.

I knew her at once hv her lithe carriage for my lady 0 f the blade vein, though her sombre outdoor garb had given place to a dainty evening gown, and the veil to a dimpled. rm'schevio-us face; grey eyes from which looked the innocence of childhood; and a mouth made for laughter, and smiling upon me even as I gazed. For a moment f. 10 stood thus, perhaps conscious of the picture .she made. Perhaps making sure that I was the one to whom she made the anpenl. Then she stepped forward and held out a. little hand. "It was good of you to pome. If you only knew how I have been wondorng—and hoping." IT-r wonderful voire rang in my ears, thrilling i„p through; the delightful flattery of her words intoxicated me so that I Iwdly knew what I was say-

( "Mm'? Stepanoff." I stammered, surely you knew I would come—that I was entirely at vour service ?" "How could I?" SJie smiled bewildenngly. "I could only hope. Bufc now that my hope has been justified, sit down and let me tell you what th« service is I dare ask of you." She sank into a chair, waving me to another. For a few moments she waa silent, her chin supported on her hand her eyes fixed on the carpet. At last slip looked up. "I shall have to ask you to take ft great deal on trust," she said, with » wistful smile, "and there may bo danger." Again she stopped. "Go on," I said, briefly. "My father is a Russian a—dream«r —believing in the near salvation of hi* downtrodden countrymen. A number of confidential letters, written to friends, in which hb explained hit views and plans very fully, have fallen into the hands of a 'villain, who threat, ens. unless certain demandsi of his nr« complied with, to deliver them to the Russian _ Embassy. You may guess how s»rioits such an action would ho when I tell you that my father is still in Russia—a bedridden invalid. So this afternoon I met the man by appointment, hoping to prevail upon him. to abate his demands. But he was adamant, and in the end I had to agree to his terms. Oh, if only I w«r« a man!" Sh" stopped, with heaving breast and flashing eyes, overcome by her feelings.

I "PIo is coming to-uight with the letters," she wont on more quietly. "When ho leaves lie will have in his possession a small parcel. I want you to take it from liini at all costs—at all costs. T)o not bring it back h"re pnsb it to this address." She drew from her breast a slip of paper. "I do not want him to think 1 have recovered it; there are reasons that I cannot, I dare not. explain. T know I am asking j much, asking for service, and, for what) ' is pprhans harder, trust, for you must promi r -e nip not to seek to know mora than I have told you, at least for tho pr sent." 1 She leaned towards me, her eyes son'rhing my face anxiously. "Will you do this for me?" ''l hivi- p.l:'"t'v pledged my word. Miss Stcnhanoff," I answered, "but if it will give yo'i any satisfaction, I will do so now that I have heard your story." ; "How can I thank you?" she cried, gratefully. | "Hv tilling me how to recognise tha I rascal who is blackmailing you." I "He is the man you saw with mo th's afternoon," she answered, eagerly. "He will come in a cab, hut will w- Ik back —at len't part of the way. • I will s:e to that." I Fo.r a little while longer we e n Mitt'-d, and then she rose, none too willingly, it seemed to me ; and my heart warmed at the thought. "I am af-nid that T must ask you to go, now. He may bo here at any moment; and it would not do for him to find you with me." I rose reluctantly, and a minute later found myself in the street. Walking to a sheltered corner that commanded a good view of the entrance to the block, I began my vigil. 1 had been there little more than a 'quaitdi- of an houn, a fourwheeler drove lumberingly up, and my friend of tho afternoon alighted. In his hand ho carried a large brief bag, which, bv the wav, seemed to be 50me...1...4. '!',..„ „,. •(!,..„„ ,v,;.,„+.n«

what weighty. Two or three minutes Inter the maid who had admitted m» i came out and paid the cabman, who I drove off. It must hare been quite, an hour before T saw my quarry come slinking ! out of the building with a square pari eel in his hand. He seemed surprised I and not a little put out at finding the , cab gone ,and even made a. movement j as though to return to the flat. flunking better of it, however, he turned j rind walked away. The sunset still I lingered in the sky, and I bad no diffii culty in keeping him in sight. Mv only fear was that ho might find a cab, and so escape before I could tackle him. At last., however, w,e entered a quiet square .and I ranged alongside.' He looked round apprehensively. "Yes, I'm nfraid T reallv must trouble you for that parcel," I said, in answer to his look. H» turned on me savagely. "So that's the game, is it " hj» snarled. "T though as much when I saw the I'-.ib was gone. Rut it's not I coming: oft" this tii»c, cully, see!" 1 He slipped bis disengaged hand behind him, and T ,?a\v the gleam of steel : but he "vns fraction of a seerr.'! too late. My fist shot out. finfl citoliin'r him on the angle of the ]«\v, + i..-.liWl b.im haekwnrd= with a era" I '. :T waited for him to rise: Wf- )m ,}\,\ i>"t stir, j ml 'hemline over Idm, I fh ■H*"t be was stunned. Wit'> n ""i"'<r H'">"e roi'nd v O f>nke SU'T that T w<< I .'"«Tispr"-"('. T nicked un the 1 , and made the best of my way out of the

aqunre. As li!«k would have it. I met an empty hansom within :i fe.\ yards pi itjjanrj """a? quirkiy at my chambers. pot, ;i.'-little- pleased with my>Hf.

The next, tnnrllillcr I despatched tillparcel to its destination, and then. feeling somewhat- itjest.'.oss. marie my way to Met ley Mansions .telling myself that Mis,- Hephanoit woidd bo anxious to hearjthe result of my efforts on her behalf. But I had my trouble for my pains;. No answer came to my repeated knocks, and 1 turned away feeling strangely disappointed. I called again in the afternoon, with no better result. A third visit- on the_ following afternoon was equally disappointing. After that I gave tip in disgust On returning to my chambers one evening a week later. I found a letter awaiting me. Enclosed -with it was a newspaper cutting, containing an account. some ten days old. of a mysterious robbery of some £'o(V)0 worth of jewellery in the West End. I read ir through wonderingly. and then turned to "the letter +-o see if u threw anv light on the matter. It did. "D?ar £ir. —Thank you so much for forwarding the iev.-o I *. As you will Dee from the enclosed newspaper cutting, their owner.-hir> might under certain circumstances have hron disputed with me—a fact of which our mutual friend the -Tew trek >;;>! advantapxwren barsainiiii' aed r>: vin~ for them. Now, Tmw-r-vrr. T think T may consider them .is honestly mine—p. gift from may Tar. p. devoted friend. —Very gratefullv vonrs. Wenrmne.fr." "—From the '\Pnl! Ma'l Magazine."