The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-10-09
He had seen nothing. I explained
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with that poor outlawed note of Har
ringford's among other more or les'
valuable papers.
My chance acquaintance expressed hi!
sympathy in well-sounding words, bu
all at once he appeared to have grow1
cold toward me. Perhaps he expected
should want to borrow money of him
for money I should certainly need il
getting away from the Falls. I still haC
my hctel bill to pay. and I could not
very we'll travel by rail for nothing.
We had already exchanged cards, anc
I had ascertained that his name was
Eastmore-that he was a reporter, o.
something of the sort, for a Buffalo
paper. I thought young man OF his
experience ought to be able to give me
good advice, if nothing else, and
begged him tell me what to do.
"Have you any friend in town thai
you can call on for assistancea" he asked
"Not one" said and added, with
out thinking how he would cit, "You
are the orly acquaintance have here
except the hotel folks"
He laughed and looked embarrassed.
"That's bad |" he said. 81 would be
glad to lend you little if I had any tc
spare, but I haven't. Perhaps the hoteI
folks will help you, if you can convince
them OF the truth of your story"
A horrible suspicion flashed across my
mind. T might pass for an impostor.
"The truth of It'll" exclaimed.
"Why, I had my pocket-book right
here, with twenty dollars in it And
what motive could I have"- In my
bewilderment 1 could not finish my
question.
"Of course you had your pocket:
book" he answered, with smile {; SAND
mind, don't say you have any motive
fer making false pretension. But the
world is full of impostors, who are al
ways inventing excuses for borrowing
money or for omitting to paw their bills.
Hotel keepers have to deal with such
characters pretty often, and we can't
blame them for being a triae suspicious
of men who have lost their pocket
books -
He mnst have been impressed by the
Mortified look I gave him, for he imme'
diately went on:
"Of course am as much convinced
that you lost your pocket-book in the
way you say IS if I had seen it go over
the falls. But even if I had seen it, ]
never saw the money in it-though
don't understand me to say that I have
any doubt of that either. I am only
stating tho case as it might look to othe,
people, if yon didn't carry such an hon.
est face about with you."
"Thank you for so mnch!' l said,
bitterly; for now T perceived by some
thing in his look and tone which he
could not hide, that in his own mind,
my story stood sadly in need OF con-
frmation.
Icouldn't blame him, however. I'm
posters are in the majority among
smooth-tongued people in want of assist
ance; and the worst of their sin is that
they throw discredit upon honest peo-
pie who have been really unfortunate.
was destined to find that out to my
sorrow.
Iielt that the first thing to be done was
to make my case known to my landlord,
and went back to the house. 1 told
him, in as cool and business-ike way as
could, what had happened, and asked
him to trust me for the amount of my
bill.
Eastmore went with me, and I hoped
he would say something to corroborate
my story; but he was very cautious. He
stood at my elbow, little behind, and
suspect there was something in his face
which did not help my cause.
The landlord, short, stocky, red
visaged, wall.eyed Irishman glanced over
his shoulder with the one good eye he
had, and seemed to receive intelligence
to my disadvantage.
I turned quickly. don't think East.
more had made signal, but he had not
concealed his incredulity. found then
that I might better have gone alone to
the landlord.
81 don't know anything about your
losing your pocket book" said the Irish
man, after hearing me out. eff you
have no money, you must get some. My
business is to keep a hotel, and 1 can't
furnish guests with board and lodging Tor
the fine stories they may tell.
The words stung me, but I managed
to reply calmly :,
"T don't ask you to do any such
thing. I shall pay you every cent l owe
you. But have lost my money, and
can't very we'll afford to stay here until
I receive more"
Then it occurred to me that that was
lust what he would like to have me do,
he could hold my valise for security,
and my bill would be increasing, so
added
81 shall be obliged to leave your
house, anyway. If you will let me take
my valise, T think I may get passed
over the railroad; and promise to send
you the two dollars I owe you as soon as
T reach Utica"
He smiled.
"What time is it2" he asked. 1 took
out my watch and told him. "Thats
good-looking turnip," he said. "Leave
that, and you may t1ke your baggage.
The watch had been my fathers.
wouldn't have trusted it in his hands on
"No thank you !" I said, and put ii
back into my pocket.
He saw that I distrusted him, end be.
came abusive.
"You're swindler!" he cried. "I've
heard CT you before, How many
pocket-books have you lost this week.
i've cat here that could eat them all,
and lick her chops for more. Ah!"-he
shook his fist at me angrily-''I'm the
wrong man Tor you to try your little
confidence game on, If you come into
my house again without the money" he
shouted after me as I was turning my
back on him Indignantly, "I'll have You
arrestedl I'll have you in the lockup!
think T was never so angry in my
life: but what is the use of arguing with
a wild beast? L held my tongue, and
walked out OF his miserable hotel with.
out my baggage. I had been poorly
accommodated there, and his charge,
after all, was extortion almost as much
rs I should have had to pay in those
days at frst-class house.
/ should have found no fault with that,
and would gladly have sent him the
money if he would have let me Oft; but
to feel that I had been imposed upon as
we'll as insulted increased my in.
dignation.
Eastmore followed me out, and spoke
some words intended to appear sympa'
thizing; but I had no patience with the