The Chase of the Golden Plate

Mr. Randolph, who calmly ignored it, tur

find you alone,"

de as if

d of mine, Mr. Randolph. I don't know what you want to sa

e wanted to climb down someone's throat and open an umbrella. The tone was calm, t

ike to--" Mr.

ore Mr. Hatch, or not at all, as

t twice and waved his hands wi

I have come to request the

as a question bearing broadly on a subject that he wanted to mention,

ate?" asked D

Burglar, took from my house last Thursday ev

losed with a snap and the nails bit into the flesh; the fingers of the helpless right ha

of the fact that Mr. Randolph was fifty years old; Hatch knew it; Mr. R

lph, and tell me abo

ding. "I had not wanted to go this far in the presence of a third person, b

just what makes you think

rvant. He noticed you particularly and read your name on the card. He remembered that name perfectly. I was compelled to tell the story as I knew it to Detective Mallory. I did not m

at please Mallor

for you taking it in any other circumstances. My reticence, it is needless to say, was in consideration of your name and family. But now I want the plate. If it was a prank to carry out the r?le of the Burglar, it is time for it to end. If the fact th

est. Hatch looked at him from time to

last. "Does it happen that you

I have no interest further than to recover the plate. I may say that I called here yesterday, Friday, and asked

ick drily. "Awfu

was listening with all the multi

suggested again impatiently.

eplied Di

ur hours to change your mind. If, at the end of that time, you see fit to return the plate, I shall drop the matter and use my influen

?" Dick dema

I beli

I--" Dick started forward, th

gloves and went out, cl

d, while the right hung down loosely beside him. Hatch was inclined to be sympathetic, for, strange as it may

o?" Hatch asked at last. "

s I said, several things of which I cannot speak, even if it comes to a question-a que

stammered

another word," s