to ape
the housebreaker, but also to get the good cunning of a jewel
robber--and yet I knew that the things I had seen warranted me, from my
point of view, in doing what I did, and that desperate means alone were
fit to cope with the situation.

"Now the new work was quick. Being assured that my man slept, I put
back with some cold glue, which was always in my tool chest, the piece
I had cut from the door, and then picked the lock with one grip of my
small pincers. My revolver I carried in the belt at my waist, for my
hands were occupied with a soft cloth and a bottle of chloroform. I had
big felt slippers upon my feet; and went straight to his bed, where I
let him breathe the drug for a few moments, and deepened his light
sleep until it became heavy unconsciousness. In this state I did what I
would with him, and, having no fear of his awaking, I got at his keys
and his jewels, and saw what I wished. There, true enough, were
precious stones of all values: Brazilian diamonds, Cape stones tinged
with yellow, yet big and valuable, the finer class of Indian turquoise,
pink pearls, black pearls--all these loosely wrapped in tissue paper;
but a magnificent parcel such as you would see only in a West End house
in London. I must confess, however, that these stones interested me but
little, for as I delved amongst his treasures I brought up at last a
necklace of opals and diamonds, the first set gems I had discovered;
and as I held them to the lamp and examined the curious grouping of the
stones, and the strange Eastern form of the clasp, I knew that I had
seen the bundle before. The conviction was instantaneous, powerful,
convincing; yet even with my aptitude for recalling names, places, and
things, I could not in my mind place those jewels. None the less was I
assured that the one solid clue I had yet taken hold of was in my
keeping; and, as a quick glance round the chamber told me no more, I
put up the baubles in their case again, replaced the key, and quitted
the chamber. Do not think, however, that I had neglected to mark my
man; every line of his face was written in my mental notebook, every
peculiarity of head and countenance, the shape of his arms, above all,
the mould of the hands, that wonderful index to recognition; and
henceforth I knew that I could pick him from a hundred thousand.

"When I had done with this business, I lay upon my bed, and brought the
whole of my recollection back upon the jewels. Where had I se