"Oh, Bunny, Bunny, Bunny! What a stupid you are! Never! As Miss Pratt-Robinson," she replied. "From this I earn fifteen dollars a week. The sources of the material I send him--well--do you see now, Bunny?" "It is growing clearer," said I. "You contemplate paying the rent of this house with its contents, is that it?" "What beautiful intelligence you have, Bunny!" she laughed, airily. "You know a hawk from a hand-saw. Nobody can pass a motor-car off on you for a horse, can they, Bunny dear? Not while you have that eagle eye of yours wide open. Yes, sir. That is the scheme. _I am going to pay the rental of this mansion with its contents._ Half a million dollars' worth of contents means how long at twenty-five hundred dollars a month? Eh?" "Gad! Henriette," I cried. "You are worthy of Raffles, I swear it. You can be easy about your rent for sixteen years." "That is about the size of it, as these Newport people have it," said Mrs. Raffles, beaming upon me. "I'm still in the dark as to where I come in," said I. "Promise to obey my directions implicitly," said Henriette "and you will receive your share of the booty." "Henriette--" I cried, passionately, seizing her hand. "No--Bunny--not now," she remonstrated, gently. "This is no time for sentiment. Just promise to obey, the love and honor business may come later." "I will," said I. "Well, then," she resumed, her color mounting high, and speaking rapidly, "you are to return at once to New York, taking with you three trunks which I have already packed, containing one of the most beautiful collections of jade ornaments that has ever been gathered together. You will rent a furnished apartment in some aristocratic quarter. Spread these articles throughout your rooms as though you were a connoisseur, and on Thursday next when Mr. Harold Van Gilt calls upon you to see your collection you will sell it to him for not less than eight thousand dollars." "Aha!" said I. "I see the scheme." "This you will immediately remit to me here," she continued, excitedly. "Mr. Van Gilt will pay cash." I laughed. "Why eight thousand?" I demanded. "Are you living beyond your--ah--income?" "No," she answered, "but next month's rent is due Tuesday, and I owe my servants and tradesmen twenty-five hundred dollars more." "Even then there will be three thousand dollars over," I put in. "True, Bunny, true. But I shall need it all, dear. I am invited to the P. J. D. Gasters on Sunday afternoon to play bridge," Henriette explained. "We must prepare for emergencies."