Morris tribune., 1880-11-04

tered some five or six sovereigns- -but
no Bocket.boOk. Upon the Colonel's re-
quest, ne then examined all of his pock-
cts. The search was futile.
strange! incomprehensible Gould l
have lost it or been robbed9" muttered
the Colonel audibly, perplexed and pro.
volced. "What o'clock is it9 he sudden
ly asked.
Twenty minutes to fve."
Good; 1t is time enough. You must
make yourself serviceable to me once
more, my dear Mr.. Green, and act as my
secretary. You know | cannot use my
right hand. Will you have the goodness
to write few lines for me to my wife9"
With these words the Colonel stepped
to the jewelers. desk, on which lay some
writing paper printed with the name of
the trm. Taking sheet, he placed it
before the ieweler, saying: "This will
do; my wife knows that am here" He
then dictated, and the jeweler wrote:
my DEAR WIFE: Have the good
ness to send me at once g1, 500 through
the bearer. You know where the money
is kept. I am In immediate need of it;
therefore do not detain the messenger,
who is trustworthy person Your affec-
tionate huscadd, JAMES GREEN"
Thank you," said the Colonel, after
perusing the epistle. Michael" he cried,
stepping to the door, and calling the
groom, stake this letter, rice home as
fast as 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 drove of. -
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 inefect-
ually.
81 have always regarded the fellow as
honest and trustworthy said the Colo
mel, ''and have on several occasions in
trusted him with large sums of money,
though, it is true, never with as much as
this time. Fifteen hundred pounds may
have proved too great temptation for
him." Pulling out his magnificent gold
watch, he continued: II will wait Just
seven and half minutes longer, for that
is exactly the time it takes him to drive
hlther 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
cab,' he said, in the greatest impatience.
II shall go home myself, and will return
within half an hour"
The cab was soon at the door.
"Quick to Leicester Squarel'' cried
the Colonel to the coachman. "a half
crown extra, if you will drive we'll"
The cab drove off as rapidly as the
horses could go. The goldsmith In the
mean time 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; but the
jeweler felt no anxiety, for had he not
still the service and deposit of e10O.
Tired of waiting at last, he closed his
shop at half after nine and went home.
His wife, who had been long ex
pecting him, had grown sleepy, and was
slumbering peacefully on sofa. An
open letter lay in her lap. Mr.. Green
stepped lightly to her side, intending to
wake her with kiss, when his eyes fell
upon the letter.
"What is this9" he cried, dumbfound-
ed, as he recognized his own handwrit-
ing and the letter which he had just
written for the Colonel.
The reader can readily guess the sequel
and the connection.
True, there existed Colonel Green
who had served in India and the Crimea,
who had been wounded at Balaklava,
who had rented the house in Leicester
Square, and who possessed consider
able fortune; hut alas he was not the
Colonel Green who had ordered the sill
yer service. Heaven knows by what
means the sharpers had gained knowl-
edge of all the facts and circumstances
upon which they constructed their ad-
mirably ingenious plan.
The man who personated groom, OF
course, was an accompllce, and the letter
which Mr.. James Green had poRned for
the pseudo ColoHel James Green was de.
livered by him to the jewelers. wife, who
did not hesitate minute to deliver to
him the 81, 500 because she recognized
her husbands handwriting upon the
paper stamped with the name of the jew
elry firm. Who the sly rognes were never
came to light.