The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-12-05
THE MISSING VAIISE.

L was returning to Petersburg, after an
absence Of some weeks AS our train
stopped at Twiss a young man got in,
who, while not particularly shy looking
had the air of big school boy out for q
holiday. In taking his place in the com
partment he first, with great care, put
in the netting q leather valise, which
evidently contained something precious,
as he scarcely took his eyes off it during
the first hour of the journey.
You know how tediously monotonous
a railway is-one quickly tires looking
through the window of the coach at the
straight line of road flying past in the
midst of plains of a wearying sameness
of aspect-and to relieve the tedium of
the long, uneventful journey the passen-
gers naturally began to chat and ex-
change opinions and condolences,
prompted alike by ennui and curiosity,
and our young man would have found it
difficult matter to escape from his
share of Interrogation. His great anx-
iety lest any accident should happen to
his valise was SO apparent to all that
one of the passengers remarked on it to
him in a jocular way.
He reddened little and replied: 'sIt
is true, / do feel anxious, for / am
traveller for large jewelry establish
ment and am held responsible for o large
sum, the value of some diamonds in that
valise, which I am charged to deliver in
Moscow"
This answer astonished me not little,
confess. The first principles of pru-
duce should have counseled him to con-
ceal the nature of these valuable arti-
eles. 1t seemed to me that he was de-
cidedly a novice in his business, thus to
disclose before SO many strangers the
fact of his having fortune in his pos
session. | do not know why-for his
explanation was plausible-but felt a
distrust of him, and set myse If to watch
his movements from that time on. There
was an affectation Of too much calm in
his manner, thought.
During the chatter and pleasantly
common among fellow travellers, when
people talk without considering what
they say, the conversation turned upon
wonderful cases of theft and diamond
robberies, and, little by little, instances
were cited wherein the skill and rapidity
of the theft were marvellous.
The young jeweler was advised to
keep a sharp lookout for his diamonds.
Was not Gen. Somaronoff recently q
victim to the cleverness of robber, who
actually distracted bundle of rubles
from the inside pocket of his coat?
"Oh." said the young man, II am not
uneasy; am used to this sort of thing'
Ia statement which did not believe.
| could not help feeling he was not ac-
customed to tho charge of gems Of such
great value; he had the face of a child,
with child's soft, sweet, innocent ex-
preston, unfamiliar with care or re-
sponsibility of any kind.
On reaching Kiln we all got out to
stretch our legs by stroll on the plat
form, and the young jeweler, evidently
not wishing to make himself remarka-
BILE, followed our example, taking his
valise in hand as though unwilling to
part with it for an instant. AS the passen-
gers crowded toward the door he was
pushed violently forward by some one in
the throng. At the same moment the
conductor appeared and refused to allow
us to leave the carriage. The train was
behind time, he said, and instead of the
usual stoppage at Kiln halt of merely
minutes limit was made. While he
spoke the locomotive whistled for the
train to proceed.
As we regained our compartment in
somewhat struggling order the young
jeweler uttered cry of fright, which,
notwithstanding all effort at control,
was one of agony.
Il have been robbedr' he cried.
It was true. Some bold operator, who
from an adjoing compartment had over
heard our conversation and been allured
by what he thus learned, had attempted,
with success, the robbery of the jewels.
They were gone-the thing was donel
The young man still held in his grasp
the handles of his valise, which had been
adroitly cut, and in the pressure of the
crowd he had not felt the loss of weight.
He gazed around with an indescribable
expression of terror. His despair was
truly pitiable, and it was as much
through sincere sympathy for theunfort-
innate youth as the excitement of an in
cident thus breaking the tiresome jour
ney that the passengers surrounded him
with extreme interest and curiosity.
The theft had been accomplished with
surprising skill and rapiditY- and each