Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-11-11
CAPT, SPENCER'S CARD CASE
CHAPTER I.

!
yincial town f MooItown. He was man
of long experience in his trade, and besides
mechanical skilI, possessed considerable
tas e; 20 the great people Of the Eeighoo;'
hood were accustomed to patronize h;t
sloo, aud secretly congratulated them
SEW, 8 OF being there abs to purchase arti,
cles quite as pr.tty as any they would
have found in B)rd street at o much more
res unable price. 1t was not that David
habituslly kept a large stItk of valuable
gems; but he exhibited very fair display
of the more ordinary articles Of luxury,
and in addition dealt in old china and old
coins of choice kind, which brought al
ditionsl grist to his mill.
David WAS little pugnac.ous, blscz Z
eyed WelsIman, with vastly god opin,
ion of himself, particularly as regarded
his own acuteness and sagacity. Although
engaged in a ale which, m1re than any
otter, ia the peculiar hunting ground CT
ro7ues. it was his proud boast that he had
neJe- o-cs been robbed or defraud d. IL
laughed scornf lily at other less fortuna
rivals who allowed them3elveI to b:
Gseced: and was confident that no swindler
alive was cunning enough to induce him
10 take worthless check in pigment ior
valuable articles, or divert his attentio 4
in order to Ct clpe with tray Of watches
into tie street.
Il can take mans measure Mt a
glancs,n he was wont to tXclsin gre n IL
iouuently. ~ don't believe there's .
rogue alive who could rob me. Several
have tried, but they've only made things
very unpleasant for themselves, without
my b. log OF penny worse.
David was a bachelor and confirmed
woman hater, go his natural sslt-esteem
had never been lessened by hearing few
uncomp 'imentary truths now AID then
from mis- bette: half He had only one
meek little assistant, who deferred t. him
in everything and entirely aCq nlesced IN
his employers estimate OF himset. ANY
stranger WHO eltsred the shop had TO run
the gauntlet Of TIE proprietOr's irquisit;ve
black eyes, for be made q p lint OF being al
wsys there, aud if the new-c lmsr had no
legitimate errand woe bstide him Mr..
Roberts showed lin 10 the door in double
quick TIM.
One fine afternoon in cary summer
David was standing with his usual com
placency bshird his coun'er when a well
dressed young man entered a I'D ashet to
lcok a. some diamond rings. David
pronp ly fetched some, piercing the
stranger with an eye like gimlet as he
examined first one, and then aIother, and
also keeping sharp lookout for any con-
fcdsrate who might be lurking outside
waiting his opportunity to snatch hand
full Of iewelry. But the customer was ev.-
IDENTIFY a psaceable and we'll iisprsed me n.
Der of the community, who finally decidsd
upon a rirg of the value Of ten Ioun1s, and
in payment laid Bank of England note
fer twenty pounds on the counter, with a
request for change.
By this time, reassure1 ss to the honesty
of the strangers intentions, Mr.. Rlte.ts
counted ten soversigns into his palm, and
WHEN he had gone locked the note up in
his cash box with comp'ac arcy. after
having duly taken the number. He was
not 20 lucky as to dispose Of rings worth
ten pluads every day, and he Coogrstula.
tod himself accordingly. The next morn
iny, as the sTeler was making entriss in
hi Ledger, he was disturbed by hearty
voice saying:
81 sag, mate, have you got any pretty
gimc'acks for fellow to give 20 his sweet
healt?'
The new comtr had decidedly nautical
air, and his ga'b all o proclaimed him sea-
fning man. Mr.. RDberts, according to
custom, took his measure at g iace, and
tie1 asked him what he would like.
ale 5 have q lNk at some 2 Nd BROOCHES.
mate. My old uncle's died sni left me a |
his morey, and 1 mean to treat NY P,liy
10 som. thir 9 handsome for once"
The jeweler brought cut a tray of Id
ornaments from the window, from which
tie young sailor after some hasitAt;Oo,
selected a geld arrow, of which the prize
was Oce pound. To pay for it heprodrc d
Bank o. E0gland note TO- tve pounds,
from a Stalskin pouch, end ne was Just
having the charge couuted out TO him,
when there wss q sound out ide as Of q
hsstily-driysn vehicle stoTp!r g at tie deer
and tall, dark man CT about twenty six,
with determined ASPECT, rushsd in and,
witt out a word, seized the sa!loV by the
arm as hs was about to leave the shop.
Gust in time" he exclaimed, eXuit-
sntlY. I've been one too many for you
tbs time, my mau, although you contIived
to oil me so c'everly mora than once be-
fore! What, you want to escape, DO you?
Wait bitn'
With marvellous qu'c%n@s and dext ,rity
he produced pair of handouts from HE
rocket snd snapped them on the wrists Of
his captive. Thsn turning to Mr.. Roberto,
who for once colld only store in am ~
ment, without any OF his usual sang, ffoid,
he asked:
"What has this rascal been buying?"
ga gold broCc5.'
Aud he paid for i with a fvs-pound
metz. didn't he, Nc. II ,Ss9?"
TIE iswelcy in surprise looked into his.
cash box, aad admitted the correctness o.
tbs number
"And have YOU sold anything else lately
to st'a7g. rs who paid in Bank of England
notes ?" continued his qoe,tioner. Pm
a detective, in Dor nit OF the pc -petra.ors
of daring robbery of notes which Italy
occurred at bark in Birmingham. Two
men in broad daylight sratch them be-
fore the very eyes of the cashier, who fortu-
nately rad taken the numbers. TIL fellow
is one Of TIE scoundTels =
81 had a man here yesterday who bought
q diamond ing fer ten pounds and gave
me mole for twenty said ne iewe' e.,
going TO mis- ssfe n f, tch it.
Mote No 54.627!" asked the detective,
consulting bis net book.
Yea" said David. handing him the
note to examine at his leisure.
"Then we have caught one OF tie sloun-