The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-30

o ~
blue velvet. Punctually at the stipulated
time in the afternoon, Col. Green on.
tered the shop, his elegant cabriolet with
the blooded horse remaining before the
door in care of the groom.
The officer stepped into the coun,;no.
, room, and Mr.. Green, swelling with
pride, removed the velvet cloth from the
service. The Colonel, though usually .
quiet man, declared that it surpassed hi:
most sanguine expectations, and greatly
insisted upon paying the entire fl.5O6,
and also upon the jeweler retaining the
deposited 600 as douceur for the sat.
isfaction he had given.
"fOu owe me no thanks, nv dear
Mr.. Green,' warmly said the Colonel r.
the delighted goldsmith. "Give me
your hand, and again receive nv heart.
felt acknowledgment for this superb
masterpiece"
The jewelers. beaming countenance
on grasping his namesake's hand "can
be better imagined than described
"Now to business said the Colonel
"Be sokind as to take out nv pocket.
book and count off your 1900, for
90 not wish to tarry a moment before
showing your chef d'vu,ye to nv wife. ~
The Jeweler fastened to comply. He
took from the officers breast coat-pock-
ct a card-case, a set of ivory tablets and
a silk purse, through whose mesi es
gilttered some five or six sovereigns-
but nopocket-book. Upon the Colonel's
request, nc then examined all of his
pockets. The search was futile.
Strange! incomprehensible! Could
l have lost it or been robbed?" NUT
tered the Colonel, audibly, perplexed
and provoked. "What O'Clock is it?'
he suddenly asked.
"Twenty minutes to five"
"Good; it is time enough. You
must make yourself serviceable to me
once more, my dear Mr.. Green, and act
as my secretary. You know l can not
use my right hand. Will you have the
goodness to write few lines for me to
my wife?'
| With these words the Colonel stepped
tothe jewelers. desk, on which lay some
writing paper printed with the name of
the firm. Taking sheet, he placed it
before the jeweler, saying: "Ihis will
DO; my wife knows that am here"
He then dictated, and the jeweler
wrote:
My DEAR WIFE: Have the goodness to send
me at once II 800 through the bearer. You
know where the money is kept am in i'm
mediate need of it; therefore do not detain
the messenger. who is II Trustworthy person.
Your afectionate husband,
JAMES GREEN.
"Thank you," said the Colonel, after
perusing the epistle. "Michael," he
cried, stepping to the door and calling
the groom, "take this letter, ride home
as fast you can, and return at once to
this place with that which my wife will
give YOU"
The groom took the letter, bowed,
and quickly rode off.
Fifteen minutes, half an hour, nearly
an hour passed away, and Michael did
not return. The Colonel waxed impa-
tient, and wished that he had gone in
person for the money. The jeweler es.
sayed to tranquilize him but ineffectu-
ally.
IL have always regarded the fellow
as honest and trustworthy" said the
Colonel, "and have on several occa-
sions intrusted him with large sums of,
money, though, it is true, never with as
much az this time. Fifteen hundred
pounds may have proved too strong
temptation for him." Pulling out his,
magnificent gold watch, he continued:
IL wait just seven and half minutes
longer, for that is exactly the time it
takes him 10 drive hither from Leicester
Square,"
The seven and a half minutes were
gone, and the groom had not come.
The Colonel could contain himself no
longer.
"Do me the favor, Mr.. Green, to call
a cab," he said, in the greatest impa-
tience. III shall 60 home myself, and
will return within half an hour"
The cab was soon at the door.
"Quick to Leicester Square!" cried
the Colonel to the coachman. "A hall.
crown extra If you will drive we'll"
The cab drove off as rapidly as the
horse could 90. The goldsmith, in the
meantime, had the service packed up,
and waited for his patrons return. The
clock struck six, seven, eight, nine. The
Colonel did not come. Something un.
usual must have detained him; bat the
jeweler felt no anxiety, for had he not
still the service and deposit Of 4lOO?
Tired Of waiting at last, he closed his
shop at hali-after nine and went home.
His 'wife, who had been long expecting
him, had grown sleepy, and was slum-
bering peacefully on 4 sofa. An open
letter lay in her lap. MIR. Green step
ped lightly to her side, intending to wake
her with kiss, when his eyes fell upon
the letter.
"What is this7'' he cried, dunn.
founded, Is he recognized his own hand
writing and the letter which he had just
written for the Colonel.
The reader can readily guess the Sc.
Quel and the connection.
True, there existed Col. Green who
had served in India and the Crimea, and
had been wounded at Balaklava, who
had rented the house in Leicester
Square, and who possessed a considera.
bic fortune; but, alas? he was not the
Col. Green who had ordered the silver
service. Heaven knows by what means
the sharpers had gained knowledge of
all the facts and circumstances upon
which they constructed their admirably
ingenious plan.
The man who personated groom, of
course, was an accomplice, and the let
ter which Mr.. James Green had penned
for the pseudo Col. James Green was
delivered by him to the jewelers. wife,
who did not hesitate q minute to deliver
to him the f1,5OO, because she recog.