River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-02-27

my hand my small black leather bag.
which contained little else but some
sandwiches. also my schoolfellow's let.
ter with her address. On entering the
train / still had. so believed, this bag
with me. In my compartment were but
two lady passengers beside myself-two
ladies, evidently mother and daughter.
They never addressed word to me the
whole way down; in fact. / was too
much elated in thinking of the pleasure
of again meeting my father to take
much heed TO this, or think it discour-
teous. | bought a daily paper from
newsboy as the train was leaving
the platform, and / read all the news
most interesting to lady, until / was
at last fain to read the account of a
great bank robbery in London. But this
latter was not much TO my taste. On
changing at York into the 0ldcastle
train / had a compartment entirely to
myself for the rest of the journey, and
so / may say that until meeting you, l
never uttered a word since leaving Lon
don was now beginning TO feel hun
cry, and opened my bag, as thought
for my sandwiches. Judge of my aston
ishment on finding that had appropri-
ated some one else's property. l could
not believe my eyes, excepting in the
similarity of the bag-the same size
and color, though perhaps rather more
shabby. But there was a greater SUR
prise in store for me. for when / turned
out its contents l found it was full of
Bank of England notes. ] did not count
them. l was too frightened at finding
them in my possession. Then thought
of the bank robbery, the account of
which l had just read, and | remem-
bered how at Peterborough, Doncaster,
and York had strange man stared in
at me through the window, and how l
dreaded lest he should enter our car
riage. Possibly he might be a detect
i've, for / saw him again watching me
at the Oldcastle station. You can readily
fancy what my fright must have been"
what have you done with the bag?'
asked Butterworth, in establishment
II booked it at the station" was her
reply. II was only too glad to get rid of
it."
Butterworth soon convinced her that
he would make it all right; that he
knew the police, and that on her friends
arrival at the station later, her identity
could be assured.
Shortly after this she left the table,
as Butterworth thought, to give some
directions to the waiter, leaving him
half-dazed and stupefied by the story he
had just heard recounted. He still sat
on, awaiting his companions return,
wondering the while why her innocent
movements should have been mistaken
for guilt. There was probability that
the man she had observed at the differ
ent stations was the thief, who was HE
ing away from London with the stolen
notes when the young woman had unin-
tentionally appropriated them. How
Butterworth felt rejoiced at the thought
of being able to clear from all suspicion.
Still she came not; and now he began,
for the first time, to feel anxious, and
to query whether, by bordering too
much over this episode of her life, he
had allowed her to escape him. 1t was
shortly afterwards that he discovered
that his watch was missing, and then
again his purse. Yesi evidently his
late companion had robbed him. As
the lady did not return, he left the
restaurant. He was well known TO the
landlord, who did not demur when But
terworth said he would settle the
bill on the morrow. He was, in
deed, too ashamed of what had
transpired to inform any one of his loss.
The following morning, when he made
his appearance at the police station, he
fancied the superintendent looked upon
him with rather suspicious eye. Was
it possible that his misfortune of the
previous evening could already be
known to the police? But not remark
was made. He was about to leave the
Office when a neat parcel and a letter
were placed into his hands. The latter
he quickly opened. 1t contained the
following unwelcome announcement:
SIR am requested by Sir to in
form you that your services are no longer
required. Your money and watch, which
you lost last evening, are now returned.
The superintendent at the Oideastle police
station has instructions TO pay you what is
due-namely, weeks salary.
Your sbedient servant.
"a H."
Butterworth saw it at last; it was a
regular planA and the young lady had
been sent Down to try his detective
powers-some one eviden 'ly from Scot
land Yard. His money was quite cor
rect, and his watch had been carefully
wound up, and right TO a second, on his
comparing il with the Office clock. He
would doubtless have been surprised
had he known that few minutes after
losing his watch and money they we're
in safe-keeping at the police-station. As
may be imagined, he never again APP
piled for q post in the police force.
That he had proved himself united for
the work he did not for one instant dis
pute. / am not certain, however, That
although he lost his appointment.
he did not eventually gain a
wife. One of the Oldcastle police
sergeants informed me few days since
when talking over the affair, that his
business occasioned him to go to Lon
don during the autumn of last year. He
knew Butterworth, of course, and he
also knew-though by sight only-Miss
Jones, as. after the eOntreteD,ps with
Butterwotth, she had called, as was
necessary, at the police station. What
was his establishment to meet the couple
walking along the Strand, in an old
fashioned manner as ~ sible. Butter
worth not only recognized him, but
showed his recognition by blushing up
to the roots of his hair. From this man
| subsequently learned that Miss Jones
was the daughter of man of some note
in the Metropolitan Police, and who
was still an active member of that body;
also that she seemed to have inherited
from him the gift of being able to fol-
low up and detect criminals in a most
extraordinary manner. The cases given
into her hands had hitherto been only
those in which some woman alone was
implicated. When Butterworth had re-
ceived his appointment, the authorities
determined TO test his powers, and hear
ing of his susceptibilities where any of
the fair sex was concerned. had sent
Miss Jones to Oldeastle, at the same
time telling Butterworth to keep her in
view, and TO CLEAN what he could of her
movements. That Miss Jones was the
cleverer of the two, and had not only
worsted her pursuer. but had also Sc
cured some substantial trophies of her
achievements, there can be no two opin-
ions whatever.-William Lucas, in
Leeds Mercury.
Saved by His Little Boy.
A two-and-a-half-year-o child saved