Indeed, when I hunted
him up in town on the Tuesday night, he confessed as much in the
most brazen manner imaginable. But he wouldn't tell me who was
the purchaser, and finding out took the rest of the week; but I
did find out, and a nice time I've had of it ever since!
Backwards and forwards between Esher and the Metropole,
where the Queenslander is staying, sometimes twice a day;
threats, offers, prayers, entreaties, not one of them a bit of
good!"
"But," said Raffles, "surely it's a clear case? The sale was
illegal; you can pay him back his money and force him to give the
picture up."
"Exactly; but not without an action and a public scandal, and
that my client declines to face. He would rather lose even his
picture than have the whole thing get into the papers; he has
disowned his son, but he will not disgrace him; yet his picture
he must have by hook or crook, and there's the rub! I am to get
it back by fair means or foul. He gives me carte blanche in the
matter, and, I verily believe, would throw in a blank check if
asked. He offered one to the Queenslander, but Craggs simply
tore it in two; the one old boy is as much a character as the
other, and between the two of them I'm at my wits' end."
"So you put that advertisement in the paper?" said Raffles, in
the dry tones he had adopted throughout the interview.
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