Page:Guy Boothby - The Beautiful White Devil.djvu/257

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PLOTTING AND PLANNING.
247

with printing of all colours of the rainbow. It read as follows:


ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
MANCHESTER.
Lessee, . . . . . . . . . . Mr. William Carrickford.
For Ten Nights Only,

Commencing Saturday, June 20th.

Mr. Maximillien Stragaus' World-renowned Standard Company, in the intensely exciting Prison Drama,

"SAVED BY A WOMAN'S PLUCK."

Detectives—Police—Bloodhounds—Real Horses and Real Prison Vans.

Sole Manager and Proprietor, . Mr. Maximillien Stragaus,
Secretary, . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Fairlight Longsman.


"There! what do you think of that for a poster?"

"Very startling," I answered. "But I must reiterate my former remark, that I do not understand in the very least degree what it has to do with us."

"Why, look here, it means that to-morrow morning we go to that coachbuilder I was speaking of and give him an order for a prison van. Incidentally we will show him this poster, and state that, owing to change of dates, we must have the van delivered this day week. Don't you see? If we hadn't something to show, he might suspect; this poster, however, will set his mind completely at rest, and, at the same time, be an excuse for haste. Now, do you understand?"

"I do, and I must say I admire your wonderful resource. What next?"

"Well, the next thing will be to obtain two police