Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-10-18

OctoOer'
1t was impossible, they said, to make
inquiries in such direction. lll'satls-
fed aud disappointed, | found myself
compelled to leave matters as they
were; but Oh my return to Louden
wrote TO the head of police once more,
and l reiterated my convictions so
forcibly that be evidently was impress
ed By what 1 said. The result OF my
letter came, after a brief acknowledg-
meut from the inspector, in the visit OF
a gentleman four days atIerward.
III.
I was standing in my shop; it was a
dull morning in November, and the
visitor who came in spoke first to my
assistant, who referred HIM to me, and
then IN moment l recognized my
fellow-passenger. Not wishing to make
everything quite public, l led the way
to the inner room | reserved to myself,
and handed the gentleman a char. He
was too excited TO sit down, but be-
gan his story at once.
'You remember the day l Travelled
with you from Holyhead, sir,' said be.
Perfectly l replied, l have too
good reasons to remember IT,
80 have l. 1 had been on the
Anglesea coast all the night before
searching for some relic, perhaps the
body OF my drowned brother. l had
only twenty. four hours, aud was oblig-
ed to hurry back, with only a few bis
Of wood and iron gathered from the
wreckage which strewed the beach (;
these l put into a small black Bag
"A black bag9 SAID 1; mad you a
black bag
Listen said the gentleman. Il
saw that you had one, and | remarked
that it was like mine-so much so that
at Chester, where you got out and
did not. you may remember you took
my bag with you Instead of your o*n.
[ iclt sure you we're coming back, for
you had left your coat and um )rella IN
The carriage, so | did not follow You
Yes sad |, getting excited, but
that does not account
Wait a moment said the gentle
man. 1 know perfectly well what you
would say: it does not account for my
not advertising your bag, or making
some sort of sign all this time
quite so; you will understand presently
how it happened
sat down aud begged hin to do the
same.
when got out At Crewe, took, as
supposed, my bag. When | reached
home l found that my poor mother,
HON | had LETT in the most utter grief
and prostrallon at my brolner's dealh.
had not rallied at all. | told our doc
tor, who was there, that my search Tor
any personal relic Of my brother had
been frultless, but that | had few
bits OF iron and wood from the wreck
The doctor advised me 10 say moth
Ing 10 her about l.; not to tell her even
that [ had these sad relics. l put the
bag just as it was lCto cupboard in
my own room aud locked ii up. That
very day 1 had to leave England. l
had business engagement which took
me 10 Australia. III had broken the
engagement it would have involved my
mother IN considerable pecuuiary loss.
She knew had to go, and as she did
not urge me 10 stay, and as my sister
and her husband were with her, and
could take care of her, l left the house
that very day, and jOurneysd back
north 10 Liverpool. just in time to
catch my steamer, bound for Mel
bourne.
Il only returned yesterday morning.
The first thing l heard after greeting
my mother was, Where is The bag you
brought with you from Moelfra p
'In my room,' said.
Get it for me, said she.
without another word, though |
wondered how she had heard Of 1t, |
went to my room, unlocked the cup
board, found the bag just as I mad lef:
If, and took it down stairs.
Il was just going TO open it, when,
10 my still further surprise, my mother
said, Are you quite sure that this Is
your bag, Arthur
L looked at her in astonshment.
We'll, mother l said, i am as sure
as a human being can be Of anything
Did you open ii after you came
home, dear? thought for moment.
and then said, No / am certain did
not. | could not bear it,
Then said my mother, be prepar'
ed for surprise. think that you
will find tlat you have some one else's
bag
Il did not answer, Tor | was trying
to unlock the bag. 1t is very odd /
said, my key won't open it,
MY mother rang the bell, and in
walked the Inspector Here my lisi-
Tor ceased speaking, aud walked has
lily to The shop door. he beckoned to
some person sealed IN handsome cal
close by. 1t was my friend, the In
spector of Police at Crewe. He con-
tinued the story. But Grst he placed
on the liable my "black bag.O There,