es, I have set my heart upon
them! To be quite frank, I have had them on my conscience for some
time; one couldn't hear so much of the man, and his prize-fighter, and
his diamonds, without feeling it a kind of duty to have a go for them;
but when it comes to brandishing a revolver and practically challenging
the world, the thing becomes inevitable. It is simply thrust upon one.
I was fated to hear that challenge, Bunny, and I, for one, must take it
up. I was only sorry I couldn't get on my hind legs and say so then
and there."

"Well," I said, "I don't see the necessity as things are with us; but,
of course, I'm your man."

My tone may have been half-hearted. I did my best to make it
otherwise. But it was barely a month since our Bond Street exploit,
and we certainly could have afforded to behave ourselves for some time
to come. We had been getting along so nicely: by his advice I had
scribbled a thing or two; inspired by Raffles, I had even done an
article on our own jewel robbery; and for the moment I was quite
satisfied with this sort of adventure. I thought we ought to know when
we were well off, and could see no point in our running fresh risks
before we were obliged. On the other hand, I was anxious not to show
the least disposition to break the pledge that I had given a month ago.
But it was not on my manifest disinclination that Raffles fastened.

"Necessity, my dear Bunny? Does the writer only write when the wolf is
at the door? Does the painter paint for bread alone? Must you and I
be DRIVEN to crime like Tom of Bow and Dick of Whitechapel? You pain
me, my dear chap; you needn't laugh, because you do. Art for art's
sake is a vile catchword, but I confess it appeals to me. In this case
my motives are absolutely pure, for I doubt if we shall ever be able to
dispose of such peculiar stones. But if I don't have a try for
them--after to-night--I shall never be able to hold up my head again."

His eye twinkled, but it glittered, too.

"We shall have our work cut out," was all I said.

"And do you suppose I should be keen on it if we hadn't?" cried
Raffles. "My dear fellow, I would rob St. Paul's Cathedral if I could,
but I could no more scoop a till when the shopwalker wasn't looking
than I could bag the apples out of an old woman's basket. Even that
little business last month was a sordid affair, but it was necessary,
and I think its strategy redeemed it to some extent. Now there's some
credi