Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-09-11
A JEWELLERS STORY.

tnat was returning to England, having
taken the steamer at Dublin for HOLY
head. Business had taken me to Ire
land-I am jeweler-and it had beer
necessary for me to visit a branch of m,
own firm, in Dublin. / was bringing
back certain valuable jewels which re
CURED esetting-dIamonds of prea
value, and some other things of less i'm
portance, but still valuable.
found all the passengers talking or
one subIect-the terrible and appalling
wreck which had occurred only three
days before, off Moelfra, on the Angle
sea coast. No less than 446 lives were
lost that night when the Royal Charter
was totally wrecked. She was screw
steamer commanded by Captain Taylor.
A large sum Of money 600, 900 OF
GSOO, 900 in goll-was lost also, it was
supposed; but have since heard tina,
some of the gold has been recovered. ]
am silent man, habitually, and the awe
I'D the voices ri my fel ow passengers
struck me forc.hly; but | had another
reason, as will presently appear, in re.
membering my journey from Dublin to
London on this occasion.
carried the jewels which | have al
ready mentioned IN small black hand
bag, and SO long as | knew that it was
safe, was free from care. Arriving at
Holyhead, | took my seat in an empty
hrst-cass railway carriage. just as the
tram was moving off, however, a gentle
man suddenly got in He sat down
nearly opposite me, so hal good OBJ
portumty OF observing his appearance.
L noticed that he was young, apparently
not more than four-and-twenty, that he
had broad black band round his hat.
and that on his face waro traces OF
recent sorrow, almost, i'll fact, of agita-
ton. He seemed relieved Mt having
caught the train; and being, like my
self, quite disincincd for conversation.
our journey proceeded in silence.
My bag lay beside me, and quite under
my eyes. | was tired after my crossing.
and fell into Il sort of doze. On waking
l instantly glanced at my bag. There il
lay, quite safe. My companion, how.
ever, had moved his seat We stopped
ut Chester, and here | thought l would
get out and walk about little, as we
had ten minutes to wait took my bag
and got out. On my return to the train
there was my companion apparently
asleep. got into the carriage without
disturbing him, and we continued our
journey. At Crewe, our next stopping
place, he got out, and didnot come back,
| was very tired now, and fell into a
sound sleep with my hand holding the
handle of my black bag | did not wake
until | reached London, then getting
into the first hanson ! saw, and still
carrying my precious bag, of which J
was heartily tired, L drove home. On
my arrival, with method which | sup
pose is habitual to a man in my trade, /
instantly went to the safe in which |
keep valuable jewels, unlocked it, and,
depositing the bag on table, / opened
1T. Imagine my dismay at finding that,
instead Of my diamonds, it contained
some rusty bits of iron and wooden de-
bris. My bag was gone; this other bag
had been cleverly substituted for it-so
cleverly indeed that even the weight as
well as the appearance had been Judged
| put the affair into the hands of the
police. giving them exactly every partic-
ular rs ! have written it. The bag was
lost.
II.
A wear after the events narrated
in the last chapter, | was again travel
ing ON the line which takes passengers
to Holyhead. 1t was in the beginning
of October as well as remember.
] Travelled first-class, my usual GUS
tom when / have long journey before
me. During the year not a sign had
been given of the missing bag or the
jewels, but | had not really despaired
yet of recovering it and them, for 1 had
certain unaccountable feeling about
the whole thing; that there was some
mystery about it, felt sure.
Regularly every Wednesday in every
week | had called at Scotland Yard, and
always had the same answer, Nothing
yet, sir. The reward had offered was
sufficient to insure certain interest,
and the police, | firmly believe, were as
keen in the matter as could wish.
On this October morning in 1860 |
Travelled with a lady who was in deep
mourning. The day was chilly, and she
wore several wraps, but, getting warm
in the carriage, she presently threw aside
fur cloak ho was wearing, and my
eye was instantly attracted by hand
some brooch She had ON, in which was
portrait,
Without ap, aug to do so, and with
n sudden lecl.u of interest and curios-
ity for which alnnot account, man.
aged to get al .nr view of the portrait.
1t was the tle II the young man who
had travelled "A me the year before
when l lost ~. bag. | was so certain
of this that | / solved not to continue
my journey uAul | had acquainted the
police with this fact.
The train stopped at Crewe, the place
where remembered the young man left
the train on our mp journey the previous
year. Here the lady alighted-I did
also. A carriage awaited her mt the sta
toni secured n fly, and, directing the
driver to follow the carriage, | discov-
cred where the lady drove to. Her own
house, evidently. She appeared to be
in excellent position, and to be quite
wealthy
was not deferred by this discovery,
for felt | could not he mistaken about
face which, though | had certainly no.
ticed it only in a casual way at the time.
had nevertheless been stamped upon
my mind and connected in such n man
ner with the loss to me of several thou
sands of pounds.
| went TO the police station, told them
what / had seen and what my suspicious
were. They listened attcntlvelv to what
l said, and told me that must be mis-
taken; that the lady in question was
we'll known. the widow OF an officer who
had died just after coming into large
property in the county, She had had
two sons. One had been in the navy,
and had lost his life in the wreck of the
Royal Chartcr about year previously.
The Other was expected home every
day, and had been away almost ever
since the end of last October
1t was impossible, they said, to make
inquiries III such direction. Il-satis-
fed and disappointed. | found myself
compellel 20 leave matters as they were;
but ON my return TO London I wrote to
the head oi the police once more, and
reiterated my convictions so forcibly
that he evidently was impressed by what
/ said. The result of my letter came,
after brief acknowledgment from the
Inspector, in the visit of gentleman
four days alterward.
III.
Twas standing in my shop 1t was q
dull morning in November, and the
visitor who came in spoke first to my
assistant, who referred him to me, ant
then in moment / recognized my
fellow-passenger. Not wishing to make
everything quite pubic, / led the wa,
to the inner room I reserved TO mysel