The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-05-10

turned with cheerful smile, and fold
ing up my papers put them i'll my hand,
with the remark that all was right, was
10 ashamed of my late suspicious that |
felt myself blush.
The clerk" he said, has changed my
note at a fair discount, giving me half
gold and the rest in bills on the Bank of
France. By the bye, my lord, suppose
you take few. You may want to use
them before you get your small draft
cashed."
| declined at first, but he insisted so
strongly on my taking and carrying
them, even though / thought might not
want to use them that at first, fearing
longer refusal would hurt his feelings,
consented to put them in my pocketbook
Under the management of my friend
who spoke French as fuently as English
everything got on smoothly, and / soon
found myself transferred from the
steamer to fine hotel-without, as he
had said, having any trouble whatever.
Our passports meantime had been given
up and sent on to Paris, and temporary
ones, as is the custom, had been fur
nished us in place of them.
will pass over the remainder of the
journey with the simple remark that
every moment more and more endeared
me to my agreeable and aristocratic
friend, and the only regret had was in
the fact of being in false position.
which sooner or later he might discover,
to my grief and shame.
M, Enn1lt, D,..s ...- 1900
ports were again demanded, and no
sooner was mine examined than the Off
Ger informed me that | was under arrest
and must come with him. Ny French
was none of the best, but in my surprise
and CONSERVATION | made the best use
of it / could and demanded what was
meant by such proceedings.
You will find that out at your exam
nation was his sharp reply
Then we We're whirled to the office of
a magistrate, and was uncerenoniously
hurried into small, close room, half
filled with police officers, secret agents
and lawyers On the bench sat a small,
withered specimen Of humanity, with
wig ON his head and spectacles on his
forehead.
We'll" he said, jerking down his spec
tacles and taking good stare at me, as
did all the others, what now?'
AS | could understand French much
better than l could speak it, was able
to make out what was said, and to my
utter establishment | now heard myself
accused of being a notorious swindler
and counterfeiter.
What is your name? demanded the
commissary.
Ralph Hodge," said l.
An alias" said one of the police off
GERS. 'On his passport is Robert Beau
fort
"A mistake, then" cried l. THAT is
the name of the gentleman that came
over from London with me. He took
my passport and must have changed it
by mistake"
The officers smiled incredulously and
exchanged glances with each other and
the magistrate, and the latter shaking his
head said it wouldn't do.
MY draft ON Delessert e. Co. will
prove it," exclaimed /, bethinking my
self of that and producing it with trem-
bling eagerness.
The commissary glanced over it and
frowned.
Another mistake perhaps" he said
with ironical bitterness, pointing to the
name of Robert Beaufort.
The truth now flashed upon me. Ny
then was no other than a pro-
fessional villain, who had played upon
my foolish vanity and made me his dupe
and scapegoat tried to make the mag
istrate comprehend the true state of the
case, but he either did not or would not
me.
After good deal of trouble and delay,
however, | managed to get the British
interested in my case, and in
course of time the truth came ont, and
was set at liberty. My money had all
been drawn through long before, and
the villain who had robbed and gulled |
me was safe across the frontier chuck
ling over the arts by which he had de. |
rauded fool.-E. b., in New York |
Ve,CS.