"That's the curious part of it! The bags were distributed by a number of men wearing the dark overcoats and uniform caps of the Salvation Army! That's how they managed to get through with the business without arousing the curiosity of the police. I don't know how many of them there were, but I should imagine twenty or thirty. They were through with it and gone before we woke up to what they had done!" Sheard thanked him for his information, stood a moment, irresolute; and turned back once more to the _Gleaner_ office. * * * * * Thus, then, did a strange personality announce his coming and flood the British press with adjectives. The sensation created, on the following day, by the news of the Park Lane robbery was no greater than that occasioned by the news of the extraordinary Embankment affair. "What do we deduce," demanded a talkative and obtrusively clever person in a late City train, "from the circumstance that all thirty of the Park Lane brigands were alike?" "Obviously," replied a quiet voice, "that it was a 'make-up.' Thirty identical wigs, thirty identical moustaches, and the same grease-paint!" A singularly handsome man was the speaker. He was dark, masterful, and had notably piercing eyes. The clever person became silent. "Being all made up as a very common type of man-about-town," continued this striking-looking stranger, "they would pass unnoticed anywhere. If the police are looking for thirty blonde men of similar appearance they are childishly wasting their time. They are wasting their time in any event--as the future will show." Everyone in the carriage was listening now, and a man in a corner asked: "Do you think there is any connection between the Park Lane and Embankment affairs, sir?" "Think!" smiled the other, rising as the train slowed into Ludgate Hill. "You evidently have not seen this." He handed his questioner an early edition of an evening paper, and with a terse "Good morning," left the carriage. Glaringly displayed on the front page was the following: WHO IS HE? "We received early this morning the following advertisement, prepaid in cash, and insert it here by reason of the great interest which we feel sure it will possess for our readers: "'On Behalf of the Poor Ones of the Embankment, I thank the following philanthropists for their generous donations:" _(Here followed a list of those guests of Mrs. Rohscheimer's who had been victimised upon the previous night, headed with the name of Julius Rohscheimer himself; and beside each name appeared an amount representing the value of the article, or articles, appropriated.)_ "'They may rest assured that not one halfpenny has been deducted for working expenses. In fact, when the donations come to be realised the Operative may be the loser. But no matter. "Expend your money in pious uses, either voluntarily or by constraint."