Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-02-10
MARrNsBURe W. VA. SATURDAY FEBRUARY TO-

shut you may expect to be rather
coldly treated"
!" Well, blast the letters" ex-
claimed angrily 9 I can see they
are going to DESTROY half the pleas
ure of my visit to the coast"
1t was part of my plan to stop
over in Denver for month to visit
some friend. Yelverton, also, made
brief stay in that place, and We
occupied adjoining apartments inthe
same hotel. Once when he happen
ed to be In my room, / had occasion
to look for something in my trunk,
and came upon the hated bundle
Of letters.
Here are those Internal docu-
ments,7 / remarked, tossing the
bundle over to the table near where
he stood. He picked it up, felt Of
its thickness, and then gave sar-
donic laugh.
"You are certainly in for it, my
boy" he said, and he put the letters
back on the table amid a pile of
newspapers and magazines.
Before his departure, which took
place the next day, Yelverton
made me promise that I would tele-
graph him when I left Denver, so
that he might meet me on my arri-
val at the coast. promised it un-
hesitatingly for / was satisfied that
his friendship would bring opportu-
mites not to be sligbted.
When, at the end of a month, /
was ready to start, I telegraphed to
Yelverton and proceeded to pack
my trunk. While doing this / mo-
ticed that the bundle of letters was
not in their accustomed place. I
looked again. They were not there
nor where they in any part of the
room. went immediately to the
clerk and told him my story. The
head ehambermaid was called and
after brief examination / was sat
isfied that my letters were burned.
The girl who had at first had charge
of my room had been discharged be-
cause of her reckless habit of burn
ing up things she found around the
rooms and there was no doubt that
the bundle had been destroyed by
her. I found it difficult to express
my joy at this intelligence. The aw-
full incubus which had been weighing
down my spirits had been suddenly
removed and breathsd again. When
took the train that night it was
with light heart and 1 continued
my journey in high spirits, like q
prisoner who had just secured his
freedom.
Yelverton had advised me to stop
over at Sacramento and visit the
Capitol and other points of interest.
adopted the suggestion. The train
got into Sacramento in the morning,
and was driven to hotel. / wrote
my name on the register, and asked
for room for one day. The clerk
whirled the book around and glanced
at the name, and said:
"All right, Mr.. Bon-why are you
Mr.. Bonworthy? Elliott Bonworthy
of Cleveland"
"Well," I said with some dignity,
"what did you imagine | wrote that
name for-amusement?"
His tone and manner surprised me.
1t was evident, however, that my
cool answer had disconnected, for
his hand shook as he penciled the
number of the room after nay name,
and his voice trembled as he called
up the bell boy. Ten minutes later,
just as I was completing hasty
toilet, there was knock at the door,
and in an answer to a scome inn the
clerk entered followed by tall min
itary man. When the door was
closed, the CLERK motloned his hand
toward me, and nodded.
"What is it?" / asked.
do / understand !" said the mill-
tary man, "that you acknowledge
your name to be Elliott Bonworthy?.
"Of course I do" I answered
somewhat angrily.
"Well, like his nerve" said the
military man, to the clerk, and the
clerk grinned at me.
"Say," continued the military nan
have you any friend in this town."
"No, / had several letters Of intro.
duction to some"
The clerk gave a loud, derisiye
laugh.
ssThat settles it, Bill" he said 10
his companion: "You had better run
him in. You can take him down to
the city on the afternoon.train.n
aWhat does this mean" I ex,
claimed.
Bill produced a paper from his
pocket.
s1t means that you are under ar
rest" said he, ION the charge Of OBJ.
tanning money under false pretense.
We know all about your letter ofin.
| PRODUCTION scheme; it may have
worked all right in San Francisco
but it won't go here. Now, just
come along quietly, and there won't
be any trouble; Otherwise