Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-07-04
O1tT Selected ,StOjy.
A Thief in a Steel Trap.
BY ~ lTfEI.Rl.ET.

y
pale complexion. Il huge. carefully -waXed
, Jcity mustaclc. aad lie wore lis thick
coarse black hair somewhat long. Hi
dress was striking. although of fine blacl
!. material and fashionable make. But
: doubtless. the ''lolul'' effect was produce,
by t. long cape" the Haunting red neck
tie. and the broad-brimmed, llicturosurI
hat he always Wore. He exhibited alst
his prodi9lous diamonds too protu>cly fol
good taste The cane lie carried wa,
unique its gold head being shipped precise
~ Ike a small pistol. Altogether tie tau
ensemble OF this pretentiouS person WA.
decidedly STACEY"
rs watched him, one of the un,lc,
Walters OF tie hotel came w'iist,nc tc
the small reccption-room behind NE. Thi.
waiter WAS called Matthew sparks. and
especially dislikcd him. lie was Ginning
rs an Indian, and as tllkativc anl nro
,cSquely polite a. negro. and loved mon
cy like miscr. While he was rs full oi
pranks and tllnny jcsts as Il court fool ol
the clown OF a circus.
"Maiihcw." called to this un,.ersiZcd
5utioon Of sixteen. He reared his heel, in
the air. attempted IA waltz on Ills hands.
turned Il SOmersiult and landed on his feet
by my side.
What can | % tor you. SIR" he asked.
with a courtesy that was laughably like
that of trained monkey.
WHO is the gentleman wonder. with
the ncck,c and the bro#d-brmmed hat -
"WEcrr. SIR lie asked. innoccntly.
looking cvc;t here except in the direction
indicated yainly. until had cleared his
vision by tllc magical touch of silver
when lie became as communicative is
. could wish.
20. that f,ller?-lonls Ike one of the
pictures on the bill-pOst yonlpr. don't h':''
and my comic and SortIid informant grin
ned and loo,cd wise
is he IN actor" demanded. inpatient
ly.
BLESS me. no. Hes the Count-Coun;
Pedro Colnmbo. Hes 4 teller vino docs
natl!n' bat travel and spend money. And
his diamonds. Q, lor'. worth ti.irty
thousand dollaGs-I heard Linn say they
We're
This was MI the information / could OBJ
tain from the promising young Yankee
waiter. and it seemed without Il dc ibt
correct, rs | soon discovered that lie
Couni'S magnificent, diamonds. his appar-
ent extravaganza with money. and his evil
dent ignorance of American customs.
made the gossip of ilIc hotel.
why" said tie cltlh to me one morn
ing. 1.-The Count is probably the richest
man in the country. He has \ large estate
in Mexico and mines in South America.
He lives high, 100. He has the best
rooms. the best wines. and most costly
dinners. He makes odd mistakes occa-
sionally-"elS on the wrong floors and in
to the wrong rooms. and scarcely can
speak or understand a word of English.
He came on rom New York and by some
mistake his trunks were sent the wrong
way. lie is kept here waiting for them
just then the subject Of his remark,
came into The Office. His hair was in lis
order. he wore neither coat nor ve.r and
his suspenders were flying behind his
heels.
Il have been robbed. Sce.'' he cried in
his broken English, Xhioiting his wrist
bands and shrt-t,ont. from which hi,
stue' and buttons had seemingly been
roughly torn awa.,. And then gcsticulat-
inc violently r.d mutterin@ Spanish curses.
he deinandcf. TO see the proprietor. who AT
once tame in TO hear the complaint Of the
distin"' hshed and unfortunate guest. The
Coui.t's complaint was somewhat like this
Iic,was sure he was in Il land Of thieves
MS trunks probably had been stolen. and
all the money he had in them as well as the
letters of credit. lie WAS in Il strange
place. and nc couldn't pay his board. and
now he was robbed of all that he had that
was worth security. and lie would he put
in the streets or perhaps in prison. But
lac would 20 10 Washington. he woald see
! the Minister OF Spain or somebody. and
the scoundrels who had taken advantage
Of his ignorance should hang-yery high.
too.
In vain the landlord assured him that he
should be kindly treated until his missin"
property should be recovered which likely
would soon be-the Count only rolled out
big Spanish oaths. and franiic;.lly waved
his arms. and pointed TO the place his lost
diamonds had adorned. and groaned and
muttered that they would kill him if he
stayed in this diabolcal country - the
beasts. the villains. the assassiRs." The
proprietor was greatly disturbed. and
finally persuaded the high-mind d Count
to accept fifty dollars rs a loan and not to
hesitate to ask for more if he should need
it. and somewhat appeased, the guest went
ont of the Office.
Z 81 am sorry for the Count observed
the landlord to me. land doubt If he ever
recovers anything he has lost. For some
time a gang of thieves has been working
between here and New York. and scarcely
a hotel has escaped. In several instances
checks for baggage have been taken with
other things. and of course when the
checks were presented at the proper places
the baggage had been given up to the
thief. And Doctor. don't mind telling
YOU that the Count was not the only loser
last night. At least five OF my transient
quests were robbed of money and jewel
ry."
"A detective would be good fellow TO
have around" ventured TO say.
IL shall telegraph to New York for one
immediately" a0@ rf.~