The Red Cloud chief., 1885-07-03

renewed ~ t0Ice ! n0O u convey ca -
my room in barracks. and after coming
OF guard placed II for greater security
in the troop store. That evening. before
STABLES" when the orderly corporal
had read ou the duties for the succeed.
ing day. he said. addressing me: ZONES.
you have to attend the Orderly room TO
morrow"
''Why?'' inquired.
''YoV have been reported for neglect.
ing to salute Captain Sir Carnaby jerks
as he passed you while OF sentry this
afternoon" was the corporai's answer.
l said rothing by way Of xcuse This
heinOus charge Was in all probability
true. / believe I might have omitted to
present" to Her Majesty the Queen
herself. il she had passed that afternoon
in her state carriage, so distracted was
l by the engrossing subject of this
valise.
After stables. l left barracks tor my
customary walk. and purchasing acopy
of the Echo from q juvenile news.
vender. l read the particulars Of the
fatality Of the morning. Friends had
identified the body, which was that of q
gentleman named Nixon. who had re-
sided at B~ayswater.
"Nixon! That corresponds with the
initial N on the bag" ! thought to
myself. now perfectly convinced that
the deceased vas the person l had seen
in the morning. l also ascertained
from the newspaper report that a man
had been apprehended on suspicion OF
having attempted to rifle the pockets Of
the clothes Of the drowned man, and
who had been roughly handled by the
crowd. before a policeman could be
procured to take him into custody.
After a moments reflection I decided to
call at the address given in the paper.
in order to arrange about the restOra-
ton of the bag to the relatives of the
deceased.
Reaching the house / knocked softly
at the door, and stated my business to
the domestic who appeared, by whom
! "a shown into a room. and imme-
diately afterward vas waited upon by q
young lady. the daughter of the de-
ceased. who, naturally enough, was
perfectly overcome with grief. l ex-
planned to her in q few words the OBJ
ject of my visit
Il am uncertain whether poor papa
had a valise of that description when he
left this morning." she said; ''but pos
sibly you may recognize him from the
photograph" submitting one she took
from the table for my inspection.
L experienced a strange sense of re-
lief-the features in the photo were
those OF a person bearing no resem-
blance whatever to the individual who
had left his bag in my charge.
The young lady thanked me heartily
for the trouble | had taken in the mat
ter; and | left the house of mourning
and returned to the barracks in a very
mystified state of mind.
Gould the owner of the bag be the
thief who was caught in the act of
plundcring the dead mans clothes?" I
asked myself. but Immediately dis
missed the idea from my mind, as being
absurd and improbable.
Next day l attended the orderly
room, and received a severe admonitlon
from the commanding officer. fortu-
nately for mt. as it happened. Sir Car
naby had been in plain clothes. so my
Otiense in the eye of martial law was Of
\ comparatively venial character. I'm
media,ely afterwards | considered it nv
duty to report the circumstances at
tending the valise to the adjutant, who
in turn communicated with the police
authorities ut Scotland Yard; and that
evening. pursuant to instructions re-
ceived. had the bag conveyed to that
establishment. After l had explained
how it was placed in my charge. it was
opened in my presence by an official.
and was found to contain Just a suit of
old clothes and u few newspapers, but
no documents of any kind, a. stated by
its owner.
After this the bag ceased to interest
rue. as the valucless character of its
contents caused me to speculate less on
the unaccOuntable conduct of its pos
SCISSOR in never returning for it. may
mention that l read an account
in the evening paper regarding
the alleged thief who had been
apprehcnded on the S%erpentine Bank
under the circumstances before alluded
to. by the name Of Judd he had been
taken before a magistrate and remain led
for a week, in order that inquiries night
be made concerning him.
Some time afterwards I was on
Queens guard, Westminster. l had
just mounted my horse and taken up
position in one of the two boxes facing
Parliament street, when = gentleman
opposite me and scanned me
curiously. Addressing me. he said:
Don't you remember me??"
Tnerc was no installing the voice: it
was that of the owner of the bag,
Otherwise. he was greatly altered. As he
had denuded himself of the ~luxuriant
whiskers and mustache which he wore
when l saw him previously.
"What has been wrOng?9' l asked.
"Oh, ] was seized with a tit that
morning when l came out of the water.
and was taken home in an unconscious
state. l have been very unwell ever
and have left my house for the
time to-day. made inquiries at the
barracks about you; and as the soldier
| spoke to seemed to know about the
bag | left with you. he directed me
well. SIR" 1 said. II had quite made
up my mind that you were the gentle
man who was drowned that morning:
and when l discovered my mistake. 1
am almost ashamed to own that l took
you for the man who was apprehended
On the charge Of trying to plumber the
drowned mans clothes"
The gentleman smiled pleasantly and
said: '.Ah! l read about that. And now
70 business. wish to get my bag ut
once. I presume you have it in safe
keeping at the barracks?"
''It's much nearer ut hand."I replied
Just across the street from here's"
md then l told him that it was in the
custody Of the police authorities At