Two Pinches of Snuff

Chapter I. The

ROBBEEr. " I suppose Roydon will be in Paris by this time ? " said Herr Roth to John Verelst on the Monday morning after the Doctor's departure. " Of course. Wby, he left on Thursday night." O " I thought he might perhaps be stopping somewhere on the way." " I don't think he had any such intention. He took a through ticket — " "Ach Gott! Do you know what I think?" " No ; what do you think, Herr Roth ? " B VOL. " That he won't stay in Paris at all, but go straight on to Manchester and get the money for that bill from his cousin, Mr. Balder." "I don't think he will. Billy Balder is not the man to lend money to anybody — except, of course, to solvent customers on good security." " In that case I fear the bill will not be paid, Herr Verelst. I don't beheve he can raise more than two or three thousand marks on those nick-nacks he fancies so valuable.

I once saw them, and they did not look much worth." " And if the bill is not paid, what then ? " " I shall have it protested, and instruct my lawyers to enforce payment. And that I gave Roydon clearly to under stand." " He knows that non-payment of the bill means a compulsory sale of his books." " Exactly." " You may be sure then the bill will be paid. He will raise the money somehow." "He will try hard, I daresay. But I doubt it. However, we shall soon see. Time will be up in a fortnight. I shall stay in to-day, Herr Verelst ; so you and the others can go out." Business begins early in Dresden, and about noon there is a general cessation of work for the important purpose of restor ing exhausted nature by a copious repast, washed down with libations of lager beer, and followed, in most instances, by a soul soothing smoke.

Altogether an affair of almost two hours, during which time many establishments " shut up shop " entirely, since most people being engaged in eating hardly anybody goes in for shopping. But b Herr Roth, being a banker, could not well comply with this all but universal usage. Customers did occasionally drop in during Esszeit (eating time), especially English and American travellers who had circular notes to change, and were not conversant with Cerman ways, and it would never do for depositors to find the doors closed against them. So it was arranged that there should always be somebody in the bank — somebody competent to answer questions and transact business — either Herr Roth himself, Anspach, Verelst, or one of the senior clerks. But the stayer-in was not allowed to starve ; he had his dinner sent in from a neighbouring Speisehaus, and, as a rule, his enjoyment of it was seldom disturbed by chance callers.

Herr Roth's came from the Hotel de Saxe or the Bellevue, and there Dearly always came with it a long-necked bottle of Niersteiner or other Rhine wine. As Verelst and Anspach left the office on the day in question, the waiter who brought the viands was setting out the table in Herr Roth's room as carefully as he would have doue had it been in the hotel, for the " old man " regarded eating as an important function, and insisted on having everything in proper order. " TVe are going to the Krone," said Jack ; " we shall be back about half-past two." " All right. But don't hurry your selves; three will be quite soon enough," answered the old man, kindly. " Mahl ziet! " (meal-time, good appetite). " Mahlzeit ! " responded the others ; and with that they betook themselves to the Krone restaurant, some seven or eight minutes' walk from the bank.

Anspach and Verelst were by no means the only diners ; they had a score or more of famished companions, who ate as Germans only can, some shovelling in their food with knife and fork alternately ; others cutting up the meat first, and, after laying down their knives, forking it in with their right hands, pretty much as haymakers fork hay into a barn. German table manners are about on a par with those of English colliers or Irish labourers. When the meal was over — and it did not take long — pipes and cigars were lighted, coffee ordered, and while some of the men talked and played cards and dominoes, others played billiards or read newspapers. But talk was the principal distraction ; and Verelst said that he learnt more German in the hour or two he spent at the Krone than during all the rest of the day.

This day he must have made very marked progress, for he practised diligently, making a terrible hash of genders and cases, and heedless of the fact that he was occasionally quite incomprehensible — rather to the surprise of Anspach, a taciturn, middle-aged man, with a bald head and big spectacles, for though Herr Verelst was not often in melancholy mood his spirits were seldom so high as they just then appeared to be. If the cashier had known that Herr Verelst was looking forward to a tete-a-tete with a certain hiibches mddchen (pretty girl) about five o'clock p.m. his surprise would probably have been less. It is possible that he might not have been surprised at all. Jack was popular with the frequenters of Krone — mostly bank clerks and such like — perhaps because he spent more money than they could afford to do — salaries in Germany being miserably low — smoked better cigars, and showed none of that hauteur which is supposed to be a characteristic of Englishmen on their travels.

Several of them had served in the late war, and sometimes, when they were fighting their battles over again, he would stand a bottle or two of wine. This he did on the present occasion, and there is no telling how long the talk would have gone on if Anspach, a little before three, had not touched Verelst on the shoulder, and reminded him that it was time to be going. And then there was a general dispersion, for the others, like themselves, had to be back at their re spective offices by three o'clock. " Ja wohl ! " (the German equivalent of "all right"), says Verelst; "let us be going. The old man may want to go out, and he is so good that it would be a shame to keep him waiting." They reach the bank together, but Jack goes first up stairs — quickly, as he generally does, Anspach, who was rather rheumatical, following slowly.

Herr Roth is not in his room, and, rather to Jack's surprise, nobody is visible in the outer office. Still more to his sur prise, the big safe is wide open. " I say, Anspach — " he calls out. " Good heavens ! what is that ? " And he stops short, breathless, para lyzed, almost fainting with horror, for there, on the other side of the counter, lies, all in a heap, the body of Herr Roth, with a face like death, his grey hair dabbled with blood, and a stream of it wellin g from a terrible wound in his head. " Murder ! It is murder ! " exclaims Anspach. " Somebody has killed the master and robbed the bank ! " " Fetch a doctor and the police this instant, Anspach," says Verelst, recovering his presence of mind. " But, stay, I hear footsteps on the stairs. It's the other fellows coming back. Let one fetch a doctor and another inform the police ; but charge them both on their lives to tell no body else, or we shall have the place full of peoplo.

And he is not perhaps dead, after all. I think I can hear him breathe. Bring some water out of the other room and a table napkin, and — yes, the table cloth. "We cannot move him until the doctor comes, but we can do something." Verelst has hardly spoken when the things asked for are brought, and, making a cushion of the table-cloth, he places it tenderly under Herr Roth's head, and then bathes it with the water. " Poor old man ! What fiend has done this?" cries Jack, as tears of pity run down his cheeks. " If I had him here — if I only had him here ! Poor old man ! Poor Helenchen ! And Frau Roth ! It will break her heart." In a few minutes comes a doctor, followed at a short interval by several policemen. The doctor kneels down and examines the wounded man's skull. " It is a fracture, and a bad one," he says, "made with some blunt instrument."

" But he is not dead; he breathes." " Yes, but I fear he will never speak again. However, we must do our best. Send to the nearest hotel for a mattress and pillows ; and when his wounds are dressed, we must have an ambulance, and transport him either to the hospital or his own home." " His wife is an Englishwoman, and I am sure she would like to have him under her own care." "As you think best. But somebody should prepare her. Turn the head a little on this side — there, gently. How did it happen? I don't quite under stand." Jack tells him, in a few words, all he knows. " What have they taken ? Ah, here come the gendarmes. Perhaps they will be able to find the villains. They cannot be far." The first proceeding of the police was to post a man at the door to keep out the curious, who were already gathering in the street below.

The other gendarmes then began to make inquiries, in which they were assisted by a man in plain clothes, whom Jack took to be a detective, and who arrived, a few minutes later, together with a second surgeon.

Chapter II. An Ordeal

"Is this the work of a thief, and, if so, what has he stolen ? " was the first ques tion that presented itself' Anspach kept his provision of cash for the day in a strong drawer — fitted with a patent lock, under his own desk. The drawer opened without difficulty, showing that it had not been tampered with, and the cash was found to be intact. Attention was then directed to the safe, which, as has already been mentioned, stood wide open. The keys — Herr Roth's keys, for Anspach had the other — were in the lock. It seemed clear, then, that the safe had been opened by himself. For what purpose ? In the upper part of the strong box were placed the more important books of account. In the lower part were two large iron drawers, in which the securities and a reserve of cash were kept. Anspach unlocked the receptacle con taining the cash.

That, like the cash in his own drawer, was intact. But the security drawer, though closed, was not locked, and the moment it was opened Anspach expressed the belief that some of the securities it ought to contain had been abstracted. To compare those that remained with the list in the " securities book" was the work of a few minutes. " It is as I thought," says Anspach ; all the Stadt Obligationen (municipal bonds) are gone, and they are payable to bearer, and as negotiable as a bank-note." " How much ? " asks the detective. "About 20,000 marks" (1000Z.). " Have you the numbers ? " " Surely. Here they are," putting his hand on the book. " Let us have a list of them at once, please — half a dozen lists. We must notify every bank in the town of the robbery without a moment's delay, so that if the thieves attempt to negotiate the bonds they may be detained."

" You think there were two, then ? " says Verelst. " That's my opinion. Robberies of this sort are almost always worked by at least two. There was one very like it some time ago at Leipzig. The cashier of a money changer's office had been left alone during the dinner hour. Two men came in and offered a bond, or som3thing or another, for sale, and while the cashier's attention was engaged with one of them, the other struck him down, and then they helped themselves to all they could lay hands on and made off." " Were they caught ? " " The same day. The cashier was only stunned, and could give a description of the villains and particulars of the stolen property immediately, and the thieves were dropped upon while trying to change som e foreign notes, not more than two hours after they were stolen."

" What I cannot understand is why the villains did not crib more while they were at it," puts in Jack; " they have not even taken all the securities ; and in that other drawer, of which the key hangs in the safe, there are 60,000 marks in gold and notes, and it would not have been a very difficult matter to force Anspach's drawer and take thelot." Au Ordeal. 17 " You forget, sir, that in robberies of this sort time is everything. Somebody might come in ; the thieves might be met on the stairs. You may be sure it was an affair of a very few minutes. On some pretext or other the villains got poor Herr Roth to open the safe and show them these bonds, and then, while one held him in talk, the other broke his skull with a blow from behind. Then the bonds were swept off the counter, and they made away with all speed."

" There you are mistaken," interposes one of the doctors. " The position of the body and the nature of the wound render it almost certain that Herr Roth, when struck down, was standing with his face to the murderer. It is likely enough, though, that he was stooping, for the force of the blow has been received by the parietal bone ; the frontal is hardly involved at all." vol. 11. c " I am surprised at that," says the detective, thoughtfully ; " are his hands hurt at all ? When a man sees a blow coming he instinctively raises them to defend his head and face." " They are not touched," answers the doctor, with a glance at Herr Roth's hands. " There is not a scratch ora mark of any sort on them." '■' Strange ! As you say, he must have been standing close to the counter when he fell, and if he was in a position to see the blow coming, he would surely step back to avoid it, or at least raise his hands.

Do you think he will be able to answer a few questions— soon ? It is very important for the ends of justice that he should." "Not a doubt of it, Herr Detective," answers the doctor, drily. " But Herr Roth will be in no condition to answer questions for many a day to come — if ever. What say you, Herr Colleague ? " (to the other doctor, one of the first surgeons in Dresden). The answer is to the point. " He may go any moment." " In that case there is no chance of getting a description of the murderers," says the detective, regretfully. "At any rate not to-day, Herr Detec tive," answers the first doctor, sarcastically. " You will have to try some other means." "The lists, the fists : are they ready, Herr Anspach ? " asks the detective, without noticing the doctor's answer. " Here they are : six of them," says Anspach.

The detective takes two copies himself, and despatches two of the gendarmes and two of the clerks to various banks and money-changer's offices, with instructions to inform them of the robbery, and order c anybody to be detained who should offer the stolen bonds for sale, or attempt other wise to negotiate them. " I shall go to several places myself," he adds. I only hope we shall not be too late. It must be a good hour, perhaps two, since the crime was committed." By this time the mattress had comej and the doctors suggested that Verelst should go at once to Schiller Strasse to prepare Frau Roth for the arrival of her wounded and, as he believed, dying husband. Jack complies, of course, but it is with a heavy heart, and as the droshky takes him at a fast trot over the Old Bridge and up the Haupt Strasse, he feels that he would a hundred times rather have ridden in the desperate cavalry charge at Mars-le-Tour, which one of the fellows at the Krone had just described to him, than face Frau Roth with the evil tidings of which he is the bearer.

He is rather glad Helenchen is away ; her presence would make his task still more painful. Poor Helenchen ! Why does he always think of her as " poor Helenchen " ? And then he remembers for the first time his intention of going to Halbe Gasse. But that is nothing now. He will try to call at the Ashleys later on and tell Leah what has befallen. The droshky arrives all too soon before the banker's house. The maid, who answers Jack's summons, tells him that Frau Roth is in the garden. He goes there, and finds the poor woman busy among her flower beds, and looking very happy and cheerful. Mathilde is in the summer-house, dressed up, and reading the inevitable French novel. " Good-day, Frau Roth. " Good-day, Herr Verelst," says the lady, seeming rather surprised; she did not expect to see Herr Verelst at that hour, particularly as Helenchen is away.

(Frau Roth had quite made up her mind that it would be a match.) When she looks at Jack a second time her surprise becomes fear, then terror, for his face is pale with suppressed excitement, and his whole bearing shows that some thing very serious has happened. " What is it, Herr Verelst? " she cries. " What has gone wrong ? Has Hermann been fighting again, and is he — is he — ? " "No," says Jack, rather glad of the respite this mistake affords him; "I don't think Hermann has been fighting, and I believe all is well with him." " It is Helenchen, then. There has been an accident at Meissen — the railway — or, perhaps she is ill." Jack shakes his head. " Oh, it is [my dear husband, then ! he is ill — he has — tell me what it is, dear Mr. Verelst ; tell me what it is — the worst — or I shall die — (clutching both his hands) — the worst, Mr. Verelst, the worst !

" " I will tell you the worst, dear Frau Roth, but you must prepare for a great shock. The bank was robbed while we were away at dinner, and your husband is very badly hurt ; but, as I hope, not fatally." " Oh, you are not telling me the worst, Mr. Verelst ! " wails the stricken woman. " He is dead. Mathilde ! Mathilde ! thy father is dead ! " " No, no, I assure you he is not dead. They are bringing him home. You must make a room ready for him — if possible on the ground floor. He will require a great deal of care and attention. An ambulance had been sent for when I left, and I daresay he will be here in an hour." " Thank Heaven, my Heinrich is not dead, and while there is life there is hope ! Yes, we will prepare a room, and he shall have every care and attention. He is not so very badly hurt, Mr. Verelst ?

You think he will live ? " " I hope so," answers Jack, evasively. "There are clever surgeons in Dresden, and I am sure everything will be done for him that can be done." " Oh ! " cries Frau Roth, again plunged into the depths of despair by this cold comfort, " what shall I do if my Heinrich dies ? He has always been so good and kind, Mr. Verelst : so good and kind. We were married when I was barely eighteen, and could speak scarce a word of German, and he not much over twenty ; and he has never spoken a cross word to me all my life. We were so happy, and now they have killed him, — he who was so good to everybody, and never did an unkind act." Here she was so much overcome that Verelst had to put his arm round her and lead her into the house. Mathilde behaved better than he had expected. She threw aside her French novel and her affectation, and for once in her life became quite natural.

" Oh, dear mother, don't let us despair ! " she says. " The dear father still lives, and, please Heaven, he will be spared to us for many long years. And don't you hear what Herr Verelst tells us, that we must get a room ready ? It would never do for him to come, hurt as he is, and for us not to be prepared." This seemed to rouse Frau Roth, though it was very little they could do in the way of preparation. But it was something to think they could, and then she asked Jack to tell them about the robbery, which he did as far as he was able, answering a multitude of questions. Then he asked if he could do anything for them. He was anxious to return to the bank to give what help he might, and learn if anything had been heard of the miscreants who had so cruelly used Herr Roth. "If you would kindly telegraph to Helenchen we should be so much obliged," says Frau Roth, drying her tears.

" And put it as gently to her as you can, dear Mr. Verelst ; it will be a terrible shock for the child ; her father is everything to her ; and — could you let Hermann know ? He will be very sorry." " Certainly. You are sure there is nothing else you would like me to do ? " " I think not. Stay, there is one thing. If it would not be too much trouble for you, I should be so much obliged if you could meet Helenchen at the station and bring her home. There is a train from Meissen about six o'clock ; tell her to come by that. You will, won't you, Mr. Verelst ? I shall never forget your kindness." Jack would rather not have met Helenchen, but a request so pathetically put it was impossible even to think of refusing. He promises to do as Frau Roth wishes, and then, jumping into the droshky, hurries back to the office.

Chapter III. Another Ordeal

When Verelst got back to Streu Gasse he found the door of the bank beset by an excited crowd, through which he had some difficulty in making his way. Herr Roth was still alive, and the doctors were now of opinion that he might linger some time, possibly several days, but they had little if any hope of his restoration to consciousness. His wound had been dressed, and he lay quite still on the mattress, breathing stertorously, like a man in an epileptic fit. An ambulance had been ordered from the infirmary, and the appliances for carrying him downstairs — which owing to the banker's weight, would be a difficult and delicate operation — were already on the spot. " It will be ticklish work," said one of the doctors. " The least accident might be fatal ; but the Herr Banquier is a man of immense vitality, and I think we shall get him safely home.

If you or I got a crack on the skull like that, Herr Verelst, it would almost certainly finish us at once. The Herr Amtsrichter (examining judge) wants to speak to you, I think." The Herr Amtsrichter, a serious and self-important looking little man, attired in black broadcloth, was the magistrate charged with the investigation of the crime, and with a view to the preparation of his report he wanted to ask Jack a few questions and put down his answers. This was very soon done, for Jack had, unfortunately, little to tell that could throw light on the affair. When he had finished answering, Verelst reversed the process, and asked the Herr Amtsrichter whether anything like a clue had been found. "As you say," returned the magistrate, " something like a clue ; but nothing more, I fear. The bonds were negotiated, as it it would appear, within half an hour of the robbery.

At any rate, before three o'clock." "Where?" " At Kleinstein and Oxenhorns'." Kleinstein and Oxenhorns were the largest private bankers in Dresden, and made dealing in town-bonds and similar securities one of the specialities of their business. They were buying and selling them all day long. About the time mentioned by the Amtsrichter, and just as the clerks returned from dinner, a man came up to the counter and offered for sale a number of municipal bonds — as afterwards transpired the very same that had just been stolen. The thief must have gone straight from Roth and Son's to Kleinstein and Oxenhorn's. There was nothing either in his manner or appearance to excite suspicion. So far from showing fuss or excitement, he was remarkably cool, wrangled about the price, counted his money with care, and detected a mistake in the statement which is always, in such circumstances, given to a seller.

As for the man's appearance, the clerk who served him could say provokingly little. There were several customers waiting at the time ; he was very busy, and there being nothing out of the way, either in the man's manner or his looks, he had taken hardly any notice of him. The clerk believed the man was dark, and could . 32 swear that he wore spectacles ; more than that he was unable to say. Practically no description at all, for albeit fair men in Dresden probably out number the swart, there are, nevertheless, a few thousands of the latter; and a great minority, if not an actual majority of both, being shortsighted, the wearing of spectacles was not precisely a dis tinction. To look for a myopic man of dark complexion was about as promising a quest as trying to find a needle in a truss of hay.

" How did the fellow take his money ? " asks Jack ; " won't that afford a clue ? " The Amtsrichter shakes his head. " The fellow knew what he was about. He took his money in gold and Reichsbank notes, which, being payable everywhere, may circulate for months before they are returned to headquarters. If he had taken local notes, there would have been a chance of tracing them, perhaps. In my opinion, Herr Verelst, we have to do with a very clever gang of sharpers." " A gang ? " " Yes, a gang. I have ascertained that a fellow was seen hanging about the door between two and three ; no doubt on the look-out, and ready to warn his con federate of approaching danger." " What was he like ? " " He wore spectacles ! " says the magistrate, with a grimace ; " as if all Germany did not wear spectacles.

It seems to me, Herr Verelst, that some people have no eyes, since whether they are spectacled or not they see nothing. Why, I never pass a man in the street whose face and general appearance I could not minutely describe twenty-four hours afterwards." vol. 11. d " You forget that everybody is not a distinguished police magistrate, and a keen observer like you, Herr Amtsrichter," returns Verelst, gravely (though he was far from believing the great man's boast), " and I am sure if anybody can trace the villain, you can." " We will do our best, Herr Verelst, — we will do our best ; and albeit for the moment appearances may not seem very promising, I have a strong impression that we shall succeed in the end," answers the other, with a gratified smile. Though a " grave and reverend signior," he dearly loved a compliment.

" Well," says Jack, warmly, " I am not a rich man " (here the Herr Amstrichter, who believes that all Englishmen are rich, smiles incredulously) — " I am not a rich man, but I would willingly give two thousand marks to have the miscreants caught who have so nearly killed poor Herr Roth, and twice as much to see them hanged." " Yet you say you are not rich ! To the Amtsrichter two thousand marks (200Z.) seems an immense sum; it represents his official salary for a whole year. " But we do not hang people in this country. We behead them." " Well, to see them beheaded, then." " I do not think there is any likelihood of the murderers in this case being be headed, Herr Verelst. Capital sentences are seldom passed in Germany, and still more seldom carried out. The punishment of death is reserved for exceptionally atrocious crimes, and this, save as touching the clever way in which it has been perpetrated, and the so-far seeming absence of clues, presents no exceptional d features; certainly none of exceptional atrocity."