ious persons
are inclined to connect with misfortune. To show, however, that I do not
harbor such childish ideas, I purposely made the time of that length,
and, to-night, at the decisive moment, we are thirteen." Here he paused
a moment, and one might have noticed that several persons quickly
counted those present to test the fact. Continuing, he said: "The
superstition in connection with thirteen at dinner is a well-defined
one, and the supposition is that one of the number will die within the
year. I offer as a toast, therefore, 'Long life to all present--who
deserve it.'" The last clause after a slight hesitation, made a decided
effect. However, the toast was drunk in silence.

"As some present may not entirely understand what my wager was, I must
explain that thirteen months ago to-night I was in a Pullman sleeper
with my friend, Mr. Randolph. Mr. Barnes here had just accomplished a
neat capture of the criminal Pettingill, who has since been convicted.
The papers were praising him, and Mr. Randolph did so to me in glowing
terms. I ventured the assertion that detectives run down their prey
largely because the criminal class lack intelligence sufficient to
compete with their more skilled adversaries. I offered to wager that I
could commit a crime within a month and not be detected within a year
thereafter. The amount was to be a thousand dollars, and was accepted by
Mr. Randolph. I stipulated for conviction, though had I been arrested
within the stated period and convicted afterwards, I should have
considered that I had lost the wager. That is why I awaited the arrival
of Mr. Barnes so anxiously. I had not seen him for some time, and it was
possible that at the last moment he might be prepared to arrest me upon
evidence that would later convict me. However, gentlemen, I have escaped
both arrest and conviction, yet I committed the crime as wagered."

"You must prove that," said Mr. Randolph; "and, according to our
agreement, it must have been a crime which was much talked about!"

"Quite right, my friend, but I shall be able to demonstrate all that. By
a curious coincidence a robbery was committed on the very night and upon
the same train upon which we made our wager, whilst another robbery was
committed almost at the moment when the stipulated month expired. Thus
two crimes transpired within the time allowed me, and with both of these
my name has been connected in the mind of the detective, Mr. Barnes.
Now, that you