★ 1 ★::A Gentleman of Leisure
Jimmy Makes a Bet
The main smoking-room of the Strollers’ Club had been for the last half-hour, and was now nearly full. In many the Strollers’, though not the most magnificent, is the in New York. Its are those of the Savage Club—comfort without pomp—and it is over after eleven o’clock at night mainly to the Stage. Everybody is young, clean-shaven, and full of conversation—and the a purely professional note.
Everybody in the room on this July night had come from the theatre. Most of those present had been acting, but a number had been to the opening performance of the latest better-than-“Raffles” play. There had been something of a that season in to the public more across the than they might have done in life. In the play which had opened tonight Arthur Mifflin, an man off the stage, had been for a series of which, performed in the theatre, would have him from a of the Strollers’ or any other club. In dress, with a on his face, he had open a safe, and to a large amount, and without a of the window. He had a through four and up a of with a revolver. A large audience had complete throughout.
“It’s a all right,” said somebody through the smoke.
“These ‘Raffles’ plays always are,” Willett, who played fathers in comedy. “A years ago they would have been to death of on a with a hero. Now, it to me, the public doesn’t want anything else. Not that they know what they do want,” he mournfully.
The Belle of Boulogne, in which Willett the role of 8Cyrus K. Higgs, a Chicago millionaire, was slowly away on a diet of free passes, and this possibly him.
Raikes, the character-actor, the subject. If Willett once got started on the of the ill-fated Belle, would impossible. Willett, the of the public, was purely a artiste.
“I saw Jimmy Pitt at the show,” said Raikes. Everybody interest.
“Jimmy Pitt? When did he come back? I he was in England?”
“He came on the Mauretania, I suppose. She this morning.”
“Jimmy Pitt?” said Sutton, of the Majestic Theatre. “How long has he been away? Last I saw of him was at the opening of The Outsider, at the Astor. That’s a of months ago.”
“He’s been in Europe, I believe,” said Raikes. “Lucky to be able to. I wish I could.”
Sutton the off his cigar.
“I Jimmy,” he said. “I don’t know any one I’d be. He’s got much more money than any man, a professional plute, has any right to. He’s as as an ox. I shouldn’t say he’d had anything than in his life. He’s got no relations. And he isn’t married.”
Sutton, who had been married three times, spoke with some feeling.
“He’s a good chap, Jimmy,” said Raikes. “Which he’s an Englishman——”
“Thanks,” said Mifflin.
“How’s that? Oh, pardon, Arthur; I keep that you’re one, too.”
“I’ll a Union Jack on my tomorrow.”
“It’ll you,” said Raikes. “But about Jimmy. He’s a good chap, which—considering he’s an Englishman—is only what you might have expected. Is that better, Arthur?”
“Much,” said Mifflin. “Yes, Jimmy is a good chap—one of the best. I’ve him for years. I was at and Cambridge with him. He was about the most popular man at both. I should say he had put more on their again than the men in New York put together.”
“Well,” Willett, the of The Belle had soured, “what’s there in that? It’s easy to do the 9philanthropist act when you’re next door to a millionaire.”
“Yes,” said Mifflin warmly; “but it’s not so easy when you’re thirty a week on a newspaper. When Jimmy was a on the News there used to be a whole of just on him. Not an occasional dollar, mind you, but on him—sleeping on his sofa and to breakfast. It me mad. I used to ask him why he it. He said there was else for them to go, and he he see them through all right. Which he did, though I don’t see how he managed it on thirty a week.”
“If a man’s to be an easy mark——” Willett.
“Oh, stop it,” said Raikes. “We don’t want Jimmy here.”
“All the same,” said Sutton, “it to me that it was lucky that he came into that money. You can’t keep open house for on thirty a week. By the way, Arthur, how was that? I it was his uncle.”
“It wasn’t his uncle,” said Mifflin. “It was by way of being a of sorts, I believe. Fellow who had been in love with Jimmy’s mother years ago. Went to Australia, a fortune, and left it to Mrs. Pitt or her children. She had been some time when that happened. Jimmy, of course, hadn’t a of what was to him, when he got a solicitor’s letter, him to call. He rolled round, and that there was about five hundred thousand waiting for him to it.”
Jimmy Pitt had now definitely Love, the Cracksman, as a of conversation. Everybody present him. Most of them had him in his newspaper days; and though every man there would have than admit it, they were to Jimmy for being the same to them now that he a cheque for a as he had been on the old thirty-a-week basis. Inherited wealth, of course, not make a man or more admirable; but the man not always know this.
“Jimmy’s had a life,” said Mifflin. “He’s been nearly in his time. Did you know he was on the stage he took up newspaper work? Only in companies, I believe. He got of it, and it. That’s always been his trouble. He wouldn’t settle to anything. He Law at the ’Varsity, but he it up. After he left the stage 10he moved all over the States without a cent, up any odd job he get. He was a waiter once for a of days, but they him for plates. Then he got a job in a jeweller’s shop. I he’s a of an expert on jewels. And another time he a hundred by three against Kid Brady, when the Kid was the country after he got the away from Jimmy Garwin. The Kid was a hundred to anyone who last three with him. Jimmy did it on his head. He was the best of his weight I saw. The Kid wanted him to take up seriously. But Jimmy wouldn’t have to anything long in those days. He’s one of the of the world. He was happy unless he was on the move, and he doesn’t to have since he came into his money.”
“Well, he can to keep on the move now,” said Raikes. “I wish I——”
“Did you about Jimmy and——” Mifflin was beginning, when the Odyssey of Jimmy Pitt was by the opening of the door and the entrance of Ulysses in person.
Jimmy Pitt was a man of medium height, great and of him look than he was. His was square and slightly; and this, with a of and a pair of very much like those of a bull-terrier, gave him an air of which his character. He was not aggressive. He had the good nature as well as the of a bull-terrier. He also possessed, when stirred, all the bull-terrier’s determination.
There were of welcome.
“Holloa, Jimmy!”
“When did you back?”
“Come and down. Plenty of room over here.”
“Where is my boy to-night?”
“Waiter! What’s yours, Jimmy?”
Jimmy into a seat and yawned.
“Well,” he said, “how goes it? Halloa, Raikes! Weren’t you at Love, the Cracksman? I I saw you. Halloa, Arthur! Congratulate you. You spoke your piece nicely.”
“Thanks,” said Mifflin. “We were just talking about you, Jimmy. You came on the Mauretania, I suppose?”
“She didn’t the record this time,” said Sutton.
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A look came into Jimmy’s eyes.
“She came much too quick for me,” he said. “I don’t see why they want to along at that pace,” he on hurriedly. “I like to have a of the sea air.”
“I know that sea air,” Mifflin.
Jimmy looked up quickly.
“What are you about, Arthur?”
“I said nothing,” Mifflin suavely.
“What did you think of the to-night, Jimmy?” asked Raikes.
“I liked it. Arthur was fine. I can’t make out, though, why all this is being at the of the cracksman. To judge by some of the plays they produce now, you’d think that a man had only to be a successful to a national hero. One of these days we shall have Arthur playing Charles Peace to a house.”
“It is the tribute,” said Mifflin, “that pays to brains. It takes to be a successful cracksman. Unless the is about in your cerebrum, as in mine, you can’t hope——”
Jimmy in his chair and spoke calmly, but with decision.
“Any man of ordinary intelligence,” he said, “could into a house.”
Mifflin jumped up and to gesticulate. This was heresy.
“My dear old son, what absolute——”
“I could,” said Jimmy, a cigarette.
There was a of and approval. For the past weeks, the of Love, the Cracksman, Arthur Mifflin had the peace at the Strollers’ with his on the art of burglary. This was his big part, and he had himself in it. He had read up the of burglary. He had talked with detectives. He had his views to his Strollers, the and of a till his audience had rebelled. It the Strollers to Jimmy, of his own initiative, and not to be of having been to the by themselves, with a on the expert’s five minutes of their meeting.
“You!” said Arthur Mifflin, with scorn.
“Me—or, rather, I!”
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“You! Why, you couldn’t into an egg unless it was a one.”
“What’ll you bet?” said Jimmy.
The Strollers to up and take notice. The magic word “bet”, when in that room, had failed to add a to life. They looked to Arthur Mifflin.
“Go to bed, Jimmy,” said the of cracksmen. “I’ll come with you and you in. A nice, cup of tea in the morning, and you won’t know there has been anything the with you.”
A of rose from the company. Indignant voices Arthur Mifflin of having a yellow streak. Encouraging voices him not to be a quitter.
“See! They you!” said Jimmy. “And rightly. Be a man, Arthur. What’ll you bet?”
Mr. Mifflin him with pity.
“You don’t know what you’re taking on, Jimmy,” he said. “You’re a century the times. You have an idea that all a needs is a mask, a chin, and a dark lantern. I tell you he a education. I’ve been talking to these fellows, and I know. Now, take your case, you worm. Have you a knowledge of chemistry, physics, toxicology——?”
“Of I have.”
“Electricity and microscopy?”
“You have my secret.”
“Can you use an blow-pipe?”
“I travel without one.”
“What do you know about the administration of anaesthetics?”
“Practically everything. It is one of my hobbies.”
“Can you make soup?”
“Soup?”
“Soup,” said Mr. Mifflin firmly.
Jimmy his eyebrows.
“Does an make bricks?” he said. “I the rough, work to my of assistants. They make my soup.”
“You mustn’t think Jimmy’s one of your common cracksmen,” said Sutton. “He’s at the top of his profession. That’s how he his money. I did that story.”
“Jimmy,” said Mr. Mifflin, “couldn’t a child’s money-box. 13Jimmy couldn’t open a sardine-tin.” Jimmy his shoulders.
“What’ll you bet?” he said again. “Come on, Arthur; you’re earning a very good salary. What’ll you bet?”
“Make it a dinner for all present,” Raikes, a person who in the of life, when possible, to his personal profit.
The was well received.
“All right,” said Mifflin. “How many of us are there? One, two, three, four. Loser a dinner for twelve.”
“A good dinner,” Raikes softly.
“A good dinner,” said Jimmy. “Very well. How long do you give me, Arthur?”
“How long do you want?”
“There ought to be a time limit,” said Raikes. “It to me that an expert like Jimmy ought to be able to manage it at notice. Why not to-night? Nice, night. If Jimmy doesn’t a to-night, it’s up to him. That you, Jimmy?”
“Perfectly.”
Willett interposed. Willett had been to his all the evening, and the was a little in his speech.
“See here,” he said; “how’s J-Jimmy going to prove he’s done it?”
“Personally, I can take his word,” said Mifflin.
“That be h-hanged for a tale. Wha-what’s to prevent him saying he’s done it, he has or not?”
The Strollers looked uncomfortable. However, it was Jimmy’s affair.
“Why, you’d your dinner in any case,” said Jimmy. “A dinner from any would as sweet.”
Willett with obstinacy.
“Thash—thash not point. It’s of thin. Have thing square and ’bove-board, I say. Thash what I say.”
“And very to you being able to say it,” said Jimmy cordially. “See if you can manage ‘Truly rural.’”
“What I say is this. Jimmy’s a fakir. And what I say is, what’s prevent him saying he’s done it when hasn’t done it?”
“That’ll be all right,” said Jimmy. “I’m going to a with the Stars and Stripes in it under the carpet.”
“Thash shfactory,” said Willett, with dignity.
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“Or, a idea,” said Jimmy, “I’ll a big J on the of the door. Well, I’m off home. Anybody my way?”
“Yes,” said Mifflin. “We’ll walk. First nights always make me as as a cat. If I don’t walk my off I shan’t to sleep to-night at all.”
“If you think I’m going to help you walk your off, my lad, you’re mistaken. I to home and go to bed.”
“Every little helps,” said Mifflin. “Come along.”
“You want to keep an on that man Jimmy, Arthur,” said Sutton. “He’d sand-bag you and your watch as soon as look at you. I he’s Arsène Lupin in disguise.”
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