ry. Do you think one hundred and fifty thousand dollars will be
enough?"

"Well, of course--" I began.

"Why not make my contribution equal to yours and call it an even two
hundred thousand dollars?" he interrupted.

"You overwhelm me," said I. "Of course, if you wish to--"

"And the Raffleshurst common council will appropriate five per cent. of
that amount annually for its maintenance?" he inquired.

"Such a resolution has already been passed," said I, taking a paper from
my pocket. "Here is the ordinance, duly signed by myself as mayor and
by the secretary of the council."

Again that extraordinary woman, to provide me with so necessary a
document!

The millionaire rose with alacrity and with his own hand drew me the
required check.

"Mr. Mayor," said he, "I like the quick, business-like way in which you
do things. Pray present my compliments to the citizens of
Raffleshurst-by-the-Sea, and tell them I am only too glad to help them.
If you ever want a lake, sir, don't fail to call upon me." With which
gracious words the millionaire bowed me out.

* * * * *

"_Two_ hundred thousand dollars, Bunny?" cried Henriette when I handed
her the check.

"Yep," said I.

"Well, that _is_ a good day's sport!" she said, gazing at the slip.
"Twice as much as I expected."

"Yes," said I. "But see here, Henrietta, suppose Mr. Carnegie should go
down to Raffleshurst to see the new building and find out what a bunco
game we have played on him?"

"He's not likely to do that for two reasons, Bunny," she replied.
"In the first place he suffers acutely from lumbago in winter and
can't travel, and in the second place he'd have to find
Raffleshurst-by-the-Sea before he could make the discovery that
somebody'd put up a game on him. I think by the time he is ready to
start we can arrange matters to have Raffleshurst taken off the map."

"Well, I think this is the cleverest trick you've turned yet,
Henriette," said I.

"Nonsense, Bunny, nonsense," she replied. "Any idiot can get a Carnegie
library these days. That's why I put _you_ on the job, dear," she added,
affectionately.

IX

THE ADVENTURE OF THE HOLD-UP

Now that it is all over, I do not know whether she was really worn-out
or by the expert use of powder gave to her cheeks the pallid look which
bore out Mrs. Van Raffles's statement to me that she needed a rest. At
any rate, one morning in mid-August, when the Newport season w