Rolfe's hobby was nothing more
exciting than stamp collecting. He was deeply versed in the lore of
stamps, and his private ambition was to become the possessor of a "blue
Mauritius." His collection, though extensive, was by no means of fabulous
value, being made up chiefly of modest purchases from the stamp
collecting shops, and finds in the waste-paper-baskets at Scotland Yard
after the arrival of the foreign mails.
That day he had made a particularly good haul from the
waste-paper-baskets, for his "catch" included several comparatively good
specimens from Japan and Fiji. He sat gloating over these treasures,
examining them carefully and holding each one up to the light as he
separated it from the piece of paper to which it had been affixed. He
pasted them one by one in his stamp album with loving, lingering fingers,
adjusting each stamp in its little square in the book with meticulous
care. He was so absorbed in this occupation that he did not hear the
ascending footsteps drawing nearer to his door, and did not see a visitor
at the door when the footsteps ceased. It was Crewe's voice that recalled
him back from the stamp collector's imaginary world.
Pages:
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362