m somewhat less desirable. That is, my rooms
were broken open during my absence, over night on a little canoeing trip to
Henley, and about everything valuable in my possession was removed,
including the truly regal pepper-pots sent me by his Majesty the King of
Spain, that I had carelessly left standing upon my sideboard.

"Until last week," the General continued, "nor hide nor hair of any of my
stolen possessions was every discovered, but last Thursday night I accepted
the invitation of a gentleman well known in this country as a leader of
finance, a veritable Captain of Industry, the soul of honor and one of the
most genial hosts imaginable. I sat down at his table at eight o'clock, and,
will you believe me, gentlemen, one of the first objects to greet my eye
upon the brilliantly set napery was nothing less than one of my lost pepper-
pots. There was no mistaking it. Unique in pattern, it was certain of
identification anyhow, but what made it the more certain was the cipher
'A.R. to C.C.'"

"And of course you claimed it?" asked Dozyphrase.

"Of course I did nothing of the sort," retorted the General. "I trust I am
not so lacking in manners. I merely remarked its beauty and quaintness and
massiveness and general artistry. My host expressed pleasure at my
appreciation of its qualities and volunteered the information that it was a
little thing he had picked up in a curio shop on Regent Street, London, last
summer. He had acquired it in perfect good faith. What its history had been
from the time I lost it until then, I am not aware, but there it was, and
under circumstances of such a character that although it was indubitably my
property, a strong sense of the proprieties prevented me from regaining its
possession."

"Who was your host, General?" asked Tickletoe.

The General laughed. "That's telling," said he. "I don't care to go into any
further details, because some of you well-meaning friends of mine might
suggest to Mr.--ahem--ha--well, never mind his name--that he should return
the pepper-pot, and I know that that is what he would do if he were familiar
with the facts that I have just narrated."

It was at about this point that the gathering broke up, and, after our
cigars, Holmes and I left the club.

"Come up to my rooms a moment," said Raffles, as we emerged upon the street.
"I want to show you something."

"All right," said I. "I've nothing in particular to do this afternoon. That
was a rather interestin