Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-08-29
Gales anb Skftrbfs.
THE WRONG UMBRELLA.
Continued from yesterday. )

such a minute account of the delivery OF
the parcel that it became the gentleman S
turn to be staggered and to doubt his own
convictions, The lad described the house
the hail, the clean-shaven foetman so
clearly and accurately that his narrative
bore AN unmistakable impress of truthful
ness. The gentleman, could, therefore,
only suggest the possibility of Prince hav-
ing mistaken the number of the house. and
the things being accepted as present by
the persons who had thus received them
by mistake. But even this .supDosition
which, as afterward proved to be altogeth-
er wrong did not account for the most
mysterious feature in the case-how the
things had been ordered and by whom.
1t was clear TO MIR. Ward that the gentle
man before him and the BUYER of the
present were two distinct persons. Of no
facial resemblance but the new Mr.. Whit.
more having in his Impotence to be gone.
drawn from his pocket a gold watchewith
the peculiar black dial already described.
a fresh shade of mystery was cast over
the case.
IL have seen that watch BEFORE" he
said. 1.-The man who ordered the things
wore Just such watch as that. | saw il
when he was leaving. And ne wore a
diamond ring very like that which you
wear. had it in my hand for few mo-
ments, and 1t bore his initials inside.
The gentleman looking dOubly surpris
ed, drew from his finger the ring in quest
ion and placed 1t in the jewelers. hand.
The initials S. w were there inside. ex-
actly as he had seen them on the ring OF
the mysterious representative.
Ibid you ever lend this ring to any
one?" he asked in amazementt
Never and what's more, it is never
off nv finger but when | am asleep" was
the decided reply; aud then he listened
patiently while Mr.. Ward related the
whole Of the circumstances attending the
selection Of the articles No light was
thrown on the matter by the narrative. but
the gentleman who had before been some
what angry and impatient now sobered
down and showed sufficient interest to ad.
wise Mr.. Ward to put the case in our hands
promising him every assistance in his pow
err to get at the culprit. This advice was
acted upon, and the next day was col.
lecting the facts which have already re-
corded had no idea of the lad Price
being involved in the affair. but
nevertheless thought proper to make sure
of every step, | began by taking him
out to the Crescent and getting him to show
me the house at which he delivered the
parcel He conducted me without a mo-
ment's hesitation to the right house. !
rang The bell. and when the door Wa S
opened by clean shaven footman, Price
rapidly identified the various features OF
the hall. He failed, however. to identify
the footman as the person who had taken
the parcel from him. | was not disap-
pointed. but rather pleased at that circum-
stance. had begun to believe that the
footman, like the purchaser, was Il "dou-
BILE" Being now on the spot, | asked to
see Mr.. Samuel Whitmore, and being
shown up. began to question that gen
tleman as to his whereabouts on the dav
of the purchase. That was matter not
easily settled. Mr.. Whtmore's time was
his own and one day was so very like
another with him that he frankly told me
that to answer that question was quite be-
yond his power.
BY referring to Mr.. Wards account, how
ever. we got the exact day and month OF
the purchase, and the mention of the month
Iuckened tho gentleman memory. The
day had been one OF many days spent in
the same manner. for he had been two
weeks confined to bed by illness. He
could not give me the exact date, but
guessed rightly that his medical man
would have better idea, and, getting
that gentleman's address, l soon found
beyond doubt that Mr. Samuel Whitmore
had on the day of the purchase been con
fined to his own room, and so i'll that his
life was in actual danger.
"Some of his friends may have person.
ated him for a lark - was my next thought
but few inquiries soon dispelled that idea
None of Mr.. Whitmore's friends had beer
near him during his illness. and to com
pete the PRESERVATION it was necessary that
they should have had his ring and watch
which, he declared, had not been out OF
his possession,
The discovery OF these facts narrowed
down the inquiry considerably. they al
seemed to focus toward that invisible and
mysterious iootman who had taken in the
parcel.
There is a great deal in name. The
lad Price had used the wood "footman'
in describing the servant. probably be-
cause he had a vague idea that any one
opened door. 1t had never struck him
to ask if there was any other man servant
in the house. and it might not have struck
me either if | had not seen another
valet-busy brushing his young masters
clothes in a bedroom close to the apart.
ments in which we conversed.
who is that brushing the clothes -
asked of Whitmore. The coachman p
''Oh, no; the coachman does not live in
the house while we are in town; that's nv
valet"
"And what does he do,''
ATTENDS me, gets my clothes, helps me
to dress, looks after everything. and
serves me generally"
docs he ever answer the door bell -
Really, | could not say" was the an
swer. somewhat YEARLY given. "but you
may ask him.
The gentleman. l could see. had sover
eign contempt for me and my calling. and
was impatient to see me gone, but that o.
course did not disturb me in the least.
had the valet called in. and in reply tc
my question he gave me to understand
very clearly that answering the door-bel
"was not his work." but lay entirely be-
tween the footman and the tablemaid.
Surprising they were both out of the
way. and you were near the door when
the bell rang, would you not answer it b,