Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-06-27

cally denied, it was clear, the charge;
but, alas! he cherished the cDat-at
which the police were making tentative
dives-overmuch for an innocent man
with no secret pockets about him.
His mo. senior, mol" his "Por
dios!" and "Madre de Dios!" and
the rest. were breath wasted At a
sign from the now grim looking officer
two Of the policemen deity seized him.
and in twinkling. Notwithstanding his
resistance. had the thick coat off him
and were probing its recesses. 1t was
he turn Of the bystanders to cry, "Madre
1c Dios! as from pocket upon pocket
-amc watch after watch. until five dozen
lay in sparkling rows upon the deck. l
could see that there were those among
the ships company besides the culprit
who gazcd at me with little favor, but
the eyes Of tho police officer twinkled
with qualification as each second added
to the rich prize. And that was enough
for me.
Still l knew that all was not done vet,
and l watched keenly what was passing.
Sleigh, taken into custody, had desisted
from his disjointed prayers and oaths.
perceived. however. that ho was telling
4 long story, Of which l could make
out little more than tho word I'm
glese" repeated more than once. II
was his turn now. II he had not un-
derstood my French, neither could
| understand his Spanish. And l no
ticed that the officer, as the story rolled
on. looked at mo doubtfully. l judged
that the crisis had come and interfercd.
MAY beg to know. sir. what he says"
| asked courteously.
''1e tells me a strange story, Mr.. Eng
lishman." was the answer; and the
speaker eyed me with curiosity but not
unfavorably. HE says that Morrissey,
the villainous Englishman-your pardon
who was at the bottom Of the affair of
last Sunday, has had the temerity to re-
turn to the scene Of his crime, and is on
this vessel"
l shrugged my shoulders "A strange
story, indeedy" I answered. "But It is
for monsieur to do his duty. I am the
only Englishman on board, as the stew
ard will inform you; and for me, permit
me to hand you my papers. Your pris-
oner wishes. no doubt, to be even with
mel"
Hc nodded brusquely as he took the
papers. That upon which I had counted
happened. The engineer in his rage and
excitement had not made his story plain
No ono dreamt Of his charge being aimed
against another Englishman. No one
knew Of another Englishman. The
steward sullenly corroborated me when
said was the only one on board, and
90 all who heard Sleigh-slightly be-
logged. perhaps, by his Spanish, which,
good enough for ordinary occasions, may
have failed him here-did not doubt that
bis was pure counter accusation pre-
ferred en- revanche.
No doubt the improbability Of Norris
sev's return had some weight with them.
Then my credentials were ample ana II
order. Among them, too, 4 note for 25t
pesetas had somehow slipped, which hat
disappeared when they were handed
back to ME. Need say after this how
1t ended? Or that while the police Off
Ger b owed his courteous, "Adios" to me
and his men gathered up the watches
and the crew scowled, the prisoner wa.
removed by force to the boat fairly foam
ing at the mouth, and screaming out I,
the last horrible threats which my car,
wer, long in forgetting. l walked VI
and down the deck, brazening it out
but very sick at heart.
However, the San Miguel, despite he
engineers mishap, duly left in half al
hour-a nervous half hour to me. Will
a thankful lert l watched the for
crowded hills about Carthagena chang
from brown to blue, and blue TO purpel
behind us, until at length they sanl
down / the distance.
But Offices and men looked coldly
on me; and that evening, at AlmeIia.
took up bag and baggage and left the
San Miguel. l had had enough of tn,
thanks, and more than enoug Oh Of tn,
company, Of my cabin fellow, whom
left where had found them-or nearl,
so-behind the sailcloth. l believe thai
he succeeded il, making his escape; no,
that l have since seen him or heard
from him. But fully month later d
friend of mine staying at the Hotel Dc
Ia Paz, at Madrid, was placed under ar
rest for ssme hours on suspicion of being
Morrissey; SO that the latter must al
that time have been at liberty.
THE END.