I could write pages of affectionate warning on this one theme, but
(alas!) I am not permitted to improve--I am condemned to narrate.
My wealthy relative's cheque--henceforth, the incubus of my
existence--warns me that I have not done with this record of violence
yet. We must leave Mr. Godfrey to recover in Northumberland Street, and
must follow the proceedings of Mr. Luker at a later period of the day.
After leaving the bank, Mr. Luker had visited various parts of London
on business errands. Returning to his own residence, he found a letter
waiting for him, which was described as having been left a short
time previously by a boy. In this case, as in Mr. Godfrey's case, the
handwriting was strange; but the name mentioned was the name of one of
Mr. Luker's customers. His correspondent announced (writing in the
third person--apparently by the hand of a deputy) that he had been
unexpectedly summoned to London. He had just established himself in
lodgings in Alfred Place, Tottenham Court Road; and he desired to
see Mr. Luker immediately, on the subject of a purchase which he
contemplated making. The gentleman was an enthusiastic collector of
Oriental antiquities, and had been for many years a liberal patron of
the establishment in Lambeth. Oh, when shall we wean ourselves from the
worship of Mammon! Mr. Luker called a cab, and drove off instantly to
his liberal patron.
Exactly what had happened to Mr. Godfrey in Northumberland Street now
happened to Mr. Luker in Alfred Place. Once more the respectable man
answered the door, and showed the visitor up-stairs into the back
drawing-room. There, again, lay the illuminated manuscript on a table.
Mr. Luker's attention was absorbed, as Mr. Godfrey's attention had been
absorbed, by this beautiful work of Indian art. He too was aroused from
his studies by a tawny naked arm round his throat, by a bandage over
his eyes, and by a gag in his mouth. He too was thrown prostrate and
searched to the skin. A longer interval had then elapsed than had passed
in the experience of Mr. Godfrey; but it had ended as before, in the
persons of the house suspecting something wrong, and going up-stairs to
see what had happened. Precisely the same explanation which the landlord
in Northumberland Street had given to Mr. Godfrey, the landlord in
Alfred Place now gave to Mr. Luker. Both had been imposed on in the same
way by the plausible address and well-filled purse of the respectable
stranger, who introduced himself as acting for his foreign friends.
The one point of difference between the two cases occurred when the
scattered contents of Mr. Luker's pockets were being collected from
the floor. His watch and purse were safe, but (less fortunate than Mr.
Godfrey) one of the loose papers that he carried about him had been
taken away. The paper in question acknowledged the receipt of a valuable
of great price which Mr. Luker had that day left in the care of his
bankers. This document would be useless for purposes of fraud, inasmuch
as it provided that the valuable should only be given up on the personal
application of the owner. As soon as he recovered himself, Mr. Luker
hurried to the bank, on the chance that the thieves who had robbed him
might ignorantly present themselves with the receipt. Nothing had been
seen of them when he arrived at the establishment, and nothing was seen
of them afterwards. Their respectable English friend had (in the opinion
of the bankers) looked the receipt over before they attempted to make
use of it, and had given them the necessary warning in good time.