Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-01

only the other day member Of Parliament
was positively arrested on the same charge
the police not knowing who he was, OF
course"
Yes, there have been some queer cases
of mistaken Identity assented the other.
And, really, you can hardly wonder at it.
| have myself made the most absurd mis-.
takes at times, and l suppose that is the
experience of everybody. more or less.
There was case in point This very
evening" eagerly assented the loquacious
old gentleman while the sham Godfrey
Spencer, seeing what was coming, Bit his
lips in futile annoyance without daring to
stop him for fear of exciting suspicion
This young gentleman here was set upon
81 Waterloo Station, in the most Insulting
manner, by a rude person, who persisted
that he was common swindler, and would
hardly be convinced that he was mistaken.
and was accusing an officer in her Majesty's
service OF the most atrocious conduct. For
tunately, Captain Spencer was able TO pro-
duce his card and testify that he was an
officer in the Royal Reds. and SO shake off
the importantly of the fellow
He was so full of the subject that he did
not notice what a change had suddenly
come over the features of the person 10
whom he was talking. The stranger shot
keen glance at the Captain Spencer. y
who, in some embarrassment, was looking
out OF the darkened window, and theu
asked quietly:
You are Captain Godfrey Spencer ofthe
Royal Reds p
" Certainly. Here is my card, said the
imposter, thinking il best TO bIazen it OUT
to the very last.
Stationed at Mudport ?" went on his
questioner in q careless tone
lat Mudport."
Then, Captain Spencer, l am verv
happy to have made your acquaintance.
said the other after short pause, as he
bent down to strike match. And be-
lieve, from what this gentleman was saw
ing, that some foolish person made some
unpleasantness at Waterloo by mistakipg
you for somebody else"
" He actually accused Captain Spencer OF
being common thief eagerly pat in the
talkative old gentleman, delighted TO have
the opportunity of telling the whole story.
He plunged eagerly into the details, repeat.
ing almost word for word what David Rob
erts had said and his auditor listened
without comment but with evident inter
est. Nevertheless, Algernon Mortimer was
truly rejoiced when the train stopped at
Bishopstoke. where he hoped TO shake of
both his companions, as all the passengers
had to alight and change carriages.
Tightly ciutchlng his precious bag, he
followed the others on to the platform, re-
joicing at the thought that Southampton
and the steamer were so near. He turned
away in order to avoid his two late fellow
passengers but the gentleman in the tray
eling-cap contrived to keep near him, at
the same time giving an almost impereept-
ible sign TO policeman.
Suddenly the thief felt his arms cutcbed
from behind in q powerful grasp, and
turning, beheld Nemesis in the shape of a
stalwart officer of justice and the traveller
who had entered the carriage at Basing-
stoke. Between two such powerful men
he felt he had but little chance of escape;
but he determined to maintain an air of
innocence to the last.
What do you mean by this insolence?"
he cried passionately.
Take him in charge, policeman" said
the gentleman in the cloth cap coolly Il
undertake the responsibility of prosecuting
him. He is liar and an imposter. and
will have to explain before the magistrates
why he has thought fit to arrogate to him
self a name and rank to which he has no
right. He is accused of being a swindler,
and he will have to clear himself from that
charge-if he can"
Bat tell you, policeman, this is all a
mistake, and I'm an officer and a gentle
man -
You foolr' contemptuously returned
his fellow passenger. Don't think to
keep up that farce any longer. happen to
be Colonel Mostyn, the officer command
ing the real Godfrey Spencer's regiment at
Mudport, and as | see him every day of my
life, I'm not very likely to be deceived By
a plausible scoundrel who hss borrowed
his name and his card What your object
is, | confess / can't quite see; but there's
some villany in it, and the police shall find
it out"
The convicted cheat hung his head in
terror OF the danger he had incurred. He
was not acquainted with the person of
Godfrey Spencer's commanding officer and
it had never entered his head TO calculate
upon the possibility of some one who knew
the real Captain being the witness of his
own assumption of his name. How he
cursed in his heart the loquacious old gen.
tleman who had brought about his detec
ton at the eleventh hour
" What have you got in that hag?' de-
manded the policeman sternly; and wrench
ing it from him, be forced it open, and
there was revealed small ciamped box
with the inscription:
HORACE TREVOR. X. C. b"
Godfrey Spencer's unclei" cried Colo
mel Mostyn. There's some deep villainy
in all this, that's evident. That box is pal.
pably stolen property. and that alone is
quite sufficient TO warrant the taking you
into custody"