The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-10-18

eudlung, mao completely driven out OF my
mind all thought of the large sum l had in my
possession. l had left it in my greatcoat
pocket, which was hanging up IN the ball,
| downstairs
Prff! gust of wind came through the
house, rafting the doors and windows; and
then heard door slam, and footstep out
side of some one stealing cautiously away.
Away down stairs I went like mailman,
my one thought to put my hand on that
greatcoat 1t was q brown gTeatcoat with
long tails, and two poe >ets behind, and lit
tie cash-pocket on the left-hand side in front,
and this breast-pocket in which had put the
bag OF money. This pocket wasn't, as is usu-
al, on the left-hand side, but on the right.
There was no other coat hanging OH those
rails, only my wife's waterproof. What a
whoop | made to get hold of that coat
Great heavens! il was gone!
had carefully barred and chained the
| front door before l went to bed-now it was
uniastened. ran out into the street, and
looked up and down. hopeless and bewilder-
ed, 1t was dark, damp night; the lamp at
the corner threw long sckly ray down the
| streaming pavement, but there wasn't a soul
to be seen. EVERYTHING was still, and cold and
dark.
The money was clean gone-yes, it was
| gone. L repeated these words mechanically
to myself, as l crawled up stairs. All the re-
| suits of this loss pictured themselves clearly
| before me-dismissal from the bank; ruin of
all my prospects, utter ruin, in fact! What
could do? to what turn? The blow that
had fallen upon me was so heavy that it had
benumbed my faculties.
Then the thought came to me: Should | 60
to a I'd say nothing at all about it? No
one knew of my having received that money,
not soul but Black, the man who had de-
posted it. I had given no receipt for it, no
acknowledgment. Black had gone to Ameri-
ca hundred things might happen-he
might never return; at all events. here was
respite, immediate relief. 1 could go to the
bank the next morning, hang up my hat as
usual, everything would go on as before. II
Black returned, my word was as good as his.
| The notes and cheques could never be traced
home. But l don't think I retained this
thought long. Do you ever consider how
murh resolution and force of will it takes to
initiate course of crime and deception? I'd
| neither the one nor The other: L should have
broken down at once. L couldn't bava met
that fellows eye and told him had never had
his money.
woke my wife-she'd slept through all
the trouble, MARY said, we're ruin ed
there's been ropb cry"
"a rObberyP' cried she. casping her hands !;
''and are the men gone"
Yes said.
''Oh thank Heaven" she said, s'then
we're safe! Never mind the rest, Jack, as
long as our lives are safe. But there's my
waterproof, Jack !-oh, do run and see if
they've taken that.
Then l told her the story ofthe twenty-five
thousand pounds. She wouldn't believe me
at first; but when she heard the whole story
she was frightened enough. Yet she had wits
abont her more than had.
"You must run off to the town hall, jack"
she said, land set the police to work. They
must telegraph t. all the stations, to London,
! and everywhere! Oh, do go at once, Jack,
this very moment. Every second lost may be
ruin to u.s."
Away went to the town-hall. This was
bis, classic place, with an immense portico
and huge flight of steps; but you didn't 90
into the portico to get to the police Office, but
to the side, which wasn't classical at all, but
of ithe rudimentary style of architecture,
and you went along number of echoing
stone passages before you reached the super
intendent's Office.
When l told the superintendent the story,
"Ah," he said, 81 think know who did that
jjob.''
''Ohr' said 1, show thankful am. Then
you can put yorr hands upon him and get
back the money. l want the money back,
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures mind him. /
wouldn't mind, indeed, rewarding him fo- his
trouble, it l could only get the money back
''Slr!' said the superintendent, severely,
''the police amt sent into the world to get
peoples money back; nothing of the sort.
We aren't going to encourage composition of
felony; and as for putting our hands on
Flashy Joe-for he did the job, mark you
well, what do you think the liberty of the
subject IS for? Where's your evidence ?'
/ was obliged to confess 1 hadn't any;
whereat the superintendent looked at me
contemptuousy.
Now. let's see into this matter.'' said he,
after he'd made some notes on bit of paper.
Chow came they to know you'd got the
money in your coat ?"
l said didn't know.
''Ah, but Know said the superntend-
ent You went to get glass of ale after
you left the bank, you,.g man?"
/ was obliged to confess had done so.
That's how property gets stoen,'' said he,
looking al me severely. And what's more.
you had glass with friend ?--Ah! knew
you had. And perhaps you got talking to
this friend OF yours?"
Eyes. indeed L had.
every well; and mentioned about the
money you'd just took?''
VERY likely"
"Then this Joe, depend upon it, was in the
crib al the time, and he heard you; and he
followed you back to the bank: and YOU
haven't got blinds, but wire-netting over
the window, and anybody outside can see you
counting out the gold and silver.'
"That's true" L said.
eyes: see it ALL" said the superintend-
ent: 'just as Joe saw il. He follows you up
from here to yorder, and he sees you put
your money into your coat pocket, and then
he follows you home, and when all's quiet, he
cracks the crib. Oh, IT'S all in nutshell;
and that how property goes"
"But if you know it's Joe, why don't you
send after him and caJch him ?''
''Oh, We know our own business, sir; you
leave it all to us; we shall have Joe tight
enough, if not for this job, anyhow Tor the
next. Wen give him bit of rope, like"
1 couldn't put any fire into the man, do
what [ could; he was civil. that is for a York
shireman; impassive; he'd do what was
right. I'd given the information; very WELL
all the rest was his business.
So came home miserable, desparing. 1t
was just daylight by this time, and as
opened the shutters, the debris of our feast
was revealed; the lees of the lobster salad
the picked bones Of the chickens, the melted
residuum of the jellies; whilst about every
thing hung the faint smell of sour wine.
sat down amid all this wretched mess, and
leaned my head on my arms in dull, msera-
BILE lethargy. Then [ sprang up, and as
did so l caught sight of myself in the looking
glass. Good Heavens! was this wretched,
hang dog fellow myself? Did few hours
misery change man like this? Why, was
a very felon in appearance; and SO l should
be thought to be. Who would believe this
story of robbery? Why, the police ddn t
believe in it, else they'd have taken differ
ent tone. No; L should be looked upon as
thief by all the world.
Then my wife came down stairs, and with
few touches, restored little order and san
ity, both to outward matters and my mind
She brought me some coffee and an egg and
some bread and butter, and after had eaten
and drunk, didn't feel quite so bad
Jack she said, ''you must go to London
at once, and see the directors Have the
first word. and tell them all about it-all the
particulars. 1t is only little bit of careless
ness, after all, and perhaps they'll look over
it.''
eyes; that's all very well,'' said. But
how am I to getthere? Eve got no money.