Bismarck tribune., 1879-09-26


mony 50 clear, magistrate might have
slx months' i'm risonments and, indeed,
had the thief ben personof the lower
order, it would probably have been her
fate to be conviatcd summarlly. But it
turned out thata Pounceforth -Keane was
the real name of the elegant shophfter,
whose husband svas q person mevings as-
reporters say, s.ia the best ranks Of So
fciety.n y Mr.. Poanceforth Keane was sent
for, and arrived breathless in q han
som from one lof the best clubs in
Pail Mall. At lie sight of him his wife,
who had been locked up for an hour
in q police cel, wept profusely, and
Mr.. p. 4. was himself, much agitated
He asked for q remand, and rendered
bail, saying he should produce medical
evidence to the effect that his wife had
lately suffered severely in health. The
magistrate "a tinid man, who had grown
up daughters to harry, and was terribly
afraid Of society 4l-stammered something
like an apology, and readily acceded to
the application br bail. So very soon
Mrs. Pounceforth- -Keane tottered out OF
court weeping like victim, on her hus-s
bands arm; and Mr.. Pottridge walked
away with the shopman and ciyil-spoken
mercer. All three were crestfalien, as if
they had committed a blunder. ''This
will be very bad affair to mt" grum-..
bled the mercer. 81 would have lost .
hundred yards ofIlace sooner than appear
in court against ! lady like this"
..Well, but she is thief, cried Mr..
Pottridge, rising himself and speaking
with spirit. "What harm can she or her
friends do you3'
care you quitetsure you saw her steal
the things9'' asked the merce gloomily.
"Besides, surprising she did put them
in her pocket, she says that she told my
shopman TO send her the bill" .,a
Sim hanged If fshe did, calculated the
shopman indignantly. 9lss,.5 4.
.Silence, sir" answered the mercer
with a stern 1rown. s.If this be really
case of theft you are self condemned, for
you ought to have kept your eyes about
you. For some time past have noticed
that you have been very negligent in
business"
The shopman collapsed; as for Mr..
Pottlidge he trudged back to his hotel,
feeling half inclined to go and ask Lord
Beaconsfeld what he ought te do. The
case had been adjourned Tor week, so
he travelled back to Smallborough in the
evening, and by the time he reached his
native town he had worked himself up
into a state of contempt for the mercer
and the metropolitan stipendary, who
seemed to draw q distinction between
well-dressed and addressed plunaerers.
Meeting Mr.. Bungs, the brewer, near the
railway station. he gave him an account
of what bad happened, and was hardened
TO with sympathy until he mentioned
the name of Pounceforth Keane; then
Mr.. Bungs purscd up his lips. ''Why,
bless me, that's the cousin of Lord Keyn-
sole: brother in law of our Lord lieuten-
-ant!''
"What difference does that make2"
stammercd Mr.. Pottridge, like man who
feels sure of his ground.
ooh, nothing, except that don't see
why lady of that sort should commit
robberies,' responded Mr.. Bungs.
Further down the street, Mr.. Pottridge
who was rubbing his pate in rather vlo-
lent perplexity, encountered Mr.. Dott,
the banker, whose daughter Lucy he
loved. 'Pounceforth- Keancr ~ exclaimed
Mr.. Dott, as soon as he had heard the
groccr's story. "Why, Lord Keynsole,
his cousin, banks with u.s.
"Well, but come. Dott," retorted Mr..
Pottridge impatiently, ''is that reason
why Mrs. Pounceforth-Keane shouldn't
be dishonest jade9'
"No, but think the whole thing i'm
probable,' answered the banker, "and |
confess l should be sorry if anything un-
pleasant happened to Lord Keynsoles
family" s+ ...455s51I. &
Mr.. Pottridge was not in a very good
humor when he went to bed that night.
A magistrate himself, he knew what
shifts are often made to withdraw we'll
connected offenders from justice, and SO
far as he was concerned he would have
cared little had an appeal been made to
HIM, ad n,isericordiunn, to acknowledge
that he had, perhaps been mistaken in
fancy1ng that he saw Mrs. PIX. pocket
some lace and handkerchiefs. But Mr..
Pottridge could not bear to be pooh.
phoed at or threatened with unpleasant
consequences if he did his duty. He was
an alderman, grocer with blameless
conscience, and he feared no man. Feel
ing that his character for veracity and
common sense were at stake be resolved
to give his evidence against the wife Of
Lord Keynsole' cousin with no more hesi-
tation than if he were the commonest
jail bird.
From that date, however, things be-
gan to 60 wrong somehow with Mr.. Pot
fridge. 1t seemed as though his long
luck had forsaken him. On the morrow
of his adventure in London, Mr.. Chuck
leworth, who was Lord Keynsole's legal
adviser, passed him in the street with
out nodding. and later in the day Mrs.
c.. sent stiff note begging that MIR.