Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-27
MISTAKEN IDENTITY.


room of Dieppe hotel, young man in
vited me to join him in game, | con
sented, and we played for an hour or SO
after which we went up to his room
smoked, and played piquet. He re-
marked while playing that we looked SC
much alike we might be taken for broth
ers. | had not especially remarked the
likeness between us till now, but it was
not very great. The similitude merely
consisted in both Of us wearing a rather
long red beard, and hair the same color;
but, then, his eyes were blue, mine gray
and be had scar over his left eye. Still
one of us must have been taken for the
other at distance. RRwfss
We played till midnight, and / left
him, going to my room; but an indescri
bable feeling came over me, and could
not sleep. / tossed about my bed, then
got up, lit cigar, and sat at my win
dow, looking down on the Qua Henri
Quater," smoking. eris.
1t had just struck two from the church
of st. Jacques, when i saw a carriage
driyeup to the door, and three men get
out and enter the hotel. III wondered
where they could have come from in a
carriage at that time of night. l sal
smoking and thinking, when light tap
came to my door; | unlocked it; it was
my friend with whom had been play.
ing billiards. He had valise in his
hand, and appeared in q hurry, bat not
the least excited.
They have just sent carriage for
me-my father is not expected to live
till morning; take care of this for me
until tomorrow, he said, leaving the
vslise in my room.l IN kh-Ca
All this passed so quickly / had not
time to think, and he had passed down
stairs, and l did not dream of following
him, being undressed. went back to
the window and saw the carriage drive
off rapidly. Then said to myself,
why did he not take the valise with
hin, as he had carriage2" but then, l
thought, he had needs travel quickly,
and did not wish to be bothered with
luggage. / was not long smoking and
thinking when another rap was at my
door. | opened it, and a tall, military
looking parsonage walked in, while
another had come in my window from
the balcony. | was handcuffed almost
before had time to speak; then another
gentleman walked in. The tall gentle
map said. "Sir, you are arrested on
the charge of:murder; so please keep as
quiet as you can" oV .Hltl i
I / nearly tainted. The idea Of my be-
ing arrested as a murderer j sank into
a chair while one of them said to me: (:
"Im glad you fetched your luggage
With you, sir; much obliged to you; for
YOU We saved us heap of trouble. Whya
we've been following that leather valise
at the door for the last few days; but
we always come up with our game.
THAT is not my yalise," said; that
belongs to a gentleman down stairs.
"See here, young man" said the tall
detective, the less you say about that
the better. You may tell us what you
like now; but you'll DO contradichng
yourself by and by" ~
." But tell yop it is not mine; l am
not a murderer; and | protest against
the arrest and outrage upon my liberty,
| said. The other detective interrupted
me. AH.
@Young man. said be, its a pity
you were not brought up to the law busi-
ness; YOU would have made a tirstcclass
shyster. Well give you a chance to
talk to the judges when we get back 70
Paris, but you cant talk to US
In the meantime the tall detective had
forced open the valise, and after some
searching found three diamond studs,
very ike those had seen on the young
man in the gambling saloon. ] felt my
self growing pale. YI /
al say, Henri, l thought we we're on
the right TRACK" he said; let us search
him now" T.. t-.fN ua.y
They then eommenced TO search my
clothes, took out everything from my
pockets, and at last came TO the watch.
Young man, Tn afraid it will go
hard with you, he said.
tried to explain, but it was oil no
use. They made me dress myself, took
everything they could 6pd belonging to
me in the room, and I was marched
down stairs between them. They brought
me into the parlor OF the hotel, and two
of them STAYED with me, while the other
went out TO see il the carriage was ell
right. as he said. A sudden thought
struck me. said that was the young
mans carriage-he only left me the va.
lise. The detective only smiled. / told
bim what had passed, and how / had
seen the carriage driven away. A
thought seemed also to have struck him.
The detective who went after the car
riage now camein; the other whispered
something hurriedly to him, and he went
quickly out again.
After this / was brought up stairs 10