first characteristic sign of life.

I had called at the Albany for the fiftieth time, and returned to
Piccadilly in my usual despair, when a street sloucher sidled up to
me in furtive fashion and inquired if my name was what it is.

"'Cause this 'ere's for you," he rejoined to my affirmative, and
with that I felt a crumpled note in my palm.

It was from Raffles. I smoothed out the twisted scrap of paper,
and on it were just a couple of lines in pencil:

"Meet me in Holland Walk at dark to-night. Walk up and down till
I come. A. J. R."

That was all.! Not another syllable after all. these weeks, and the
few words scribbled in a wild caricature of his scholarly and
dainty hand! I was no longer to be alarmed by this sort of thing;
it was all. so like the Raffles I loved least; and to add to my
indignation, when at length I looked up from the mysterious missive,
the equally mysterious messenger had disappeared in a manner worthy
of the whole affair. He was, however, the first creature I espied
under the tattered trees of Holland Walk that evening.

"Seen 'im yet?" he inquired confidentially, blowing a vile cloud
from his horrid pipe.

"No, I haven't; and I want to know where you've seen him," I replied
sternly. "Why did you run away like that the moment you had given
me his note?"