I could write pages of affectionate warning on this one theme, but

(alas!) I am not permitted to improve--I am condemned to narrate.

My wealthy relative's cheque--henceforth, the incubus of my

existence--warns me that I have not done with this record of violence

yet. We must leave Mr. Godfrey to recover in Northumberland Street, and

must follow the proceedings of Mr. Luker at a later period of the day.

After leaving the bank, Mr. Luker had visited various parts of London

on business errands. Returning to his own residence, he found a letter

waiting for him, which was described as having been left a short

time previously by a boy. In this case, as in Mr. Godfrey's case, the

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handwriting was strange; but the name mentioned was the name of one of

Mr. Luker's customers. His correspondent announced (writing in the

third person--apparently by the hand of a deputy) that he had been

unexpectedly summoned to London. He had just established himself in

lodgings in Alfred Place, Tottenham Court Road; and he desired to

see Mr. Luker immediately, on the subject of a purchase which he

contemplated making. The gentleman was an enthusiastic collector of

Oriental antiquities, and had been for many years a liberal patron of

the establishment in Lambeth. Oh, when shall we wean ourselves from the

worship of Mammon! Mr. Luker called a cab, and drove off instantly to

his liberal patron.

Exactly what had happened to Mr. Godfrey in Northumberland Street now

happened to Mr. Luker in Alfred Place. Once more the respectable man

answered the door, and showed the visitor up-stairs into the back

drawing-room. There, again, lay the illuminated manuscript on a table.

Mr. Luker's attention was absorbed, as Mr. Godfrey's attention had been

absorbed, by this beautiful work of Indian art. He too was aroused from

his studies by a tawny naked arm round his throat, by a bandage over

his eyes, and by a gag in his mouth. He too was thrown prostrate and

searched to the skin. A longer interval had then elapsed than had passed

in the experience of Mr. Godfrey; but it had ended as before, in the

persons of the house suspecting something wrong, and going up-stairs to

see what had happened. Precisely the same explanation which the landlord

in Northumberland Street had given to Mr. Godfrey, the landlord in

Alfred Place now gave to Mr. Luker. Both had been imposed on in the same

way by the plausible address and well-filled purse of the respectable

stranger, who introduced himself as acting for his foreign friends.

The one point of difference between the two cases occurred when the

scattered contents of Mr. Luker's pockets were being collected from

the floor. His watch and purse were safe, but (less fortunate than Mr.

Godfrey) one of the loose papers that he carried about him had been

taken away. The paper in question acknowledged the receipt of a valuable

of great price which Mr. Luker had that day left in the care of his

bankers. This document would be useless for purposes of fraud, inasmuch

as it provided that the valuable should only be given up on the personal

application of the owner. As soon as he recovered himself, Mr. Luker

hurried to the bank, on the chance that the thieves who had robbed him

might ignorantly present themselves with the receipt. Nothing had been

seen of them when he arrived at the establishment, and nothing was seen

of them afterwards. Their respectable English friend had (in the opinion

of the bankers) looked the receipt over before they attempted to make

use of it, and had given them the necessary warning in good time.




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