The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-25

2 y :
other in his stiIfest Jack-in-office man
ner.
Seeing the fellow was hopelessly OBJ
tuse, I resolved to hold my tongue IN
til we got to the station. There I should
soon be able to set matters right. Still
il was annoying that ] should be found
IN possession Of property that was not
mine. I racked my brain in trying to
remember If the clothes I had ON or
those in the Gladstone had on them any
name or mark to identity their rightful
9 owner. But the effort was made in vain.
Indeed I probably had not noticed
whether the clothes were marked or not,
. for 1 had been too preoccupied and too
fatigued to think of the matter
At the station, in presence of the in
spector, I made my statement, explain
ing how the Gladstone bag had come
1ntO my possession. I could see that not
a word OF it was believed Then a mi
mute description of James Penneouiclze
was read out, and with it my own per
sOnal appearance, / regret to say, exact
" tailed. Another piece Of damnatory
evidence was that the frieze coat wore
was marked inside one OF the sleeves
with the initials J. F.
Worst Of all, the Gladstone bag was
turned out IL my presence, and other ar
ticles of attire were discovered to be
marked with the same letters, and to
my utmost astonishment and dismay the
bag itself was ripped open and found TO
have false bottom. In it was concealed
a mass of jewels, brooches, necklaces,
rings sparkling with diamonds and 9TH
er precious stones. At sight of this
treasure the detective who had arrested
me, his colleague Campbell and the in
spectOr showed a profane glee.
~,
all "You are James Pennequicke, and
On the night of Dec p you distracted
these from Northside Hall, near Car
Isle. =
asseverated my innocence, declaring
that until that moment L was even ig-
nOrant that the jewels were in the bag.
THE fellow who went off with my
Gladstone bag may have stolen the
stuff. . I said Indignantly. but I know
nothing of it. My name is Angus era
ham, and 1 never heard Pennequicke's
name until this morning -
$50 you say, - remarked the detect
i've drily, bat your description fits to
r. You re wearing clothes that be-
long to Pennequicke, and you are found
to be III possession of stolen goods. You
will be detained IN custody until in
quiries can be made =
And il this enlightened country I, an
innocent and peaceable citizen, was
marched off and consigned to a fireless
cell, there to mediate on the cussedness
of things i'll general and my own i'll
fortune III particular
Can it be wondered at that I have ev-
er since disliked Christmas and its cant
phrases of hilarity and mutual good
will2
In the solitude of my cell meditated
on the most advisable course Of action
I could adopt under the circumstances.
I asked for and obtained writing ma
terials and wrote several letters-one
to Annie at Tighnobruaich She was
an only daughter and mOtherless, so to
her as my hostess that should have been
was addressed an apology for my non
appearance. The second letter was to
Mr.. Macpherson, Annie's father. an
old friend of my fathers. To him I
wrote a detailed account Of my misad-
venture and begged him to recommend
me a respectable solicitor in Glasgow.
A third letter was to q ''Dal' of mine
at the Inner Temple, whom I entreated
to come and identify me with as little
delay as possible.
That done, I felt easier in my mind,
and when night came, in spite Of the
discomfort of my surroundings, 1 was
able to snatch a few hours sleep.
My appearance at the police court
next morning was the next incident in
my tale of woe There had been no an
swer to either of the letters I had sent
to Tighnabruaich, and to my disgust my
story did not obtain the credence in
court had counted on. L was remand
ed for a week that further inquiries
might be made
Sullen and dispirited, 1 returned to
my cell Late that evening Mr.. Mac
pherson and friend OF his, one Mac
gOwan, a big limbed Scotchman, prac-
ticing as a solicitor in Glasgow, appear
ed on the scene. To them I recOunted
my adventure. Mr.. Macpherson seemed
to be immensely tick1ed thereat and
laughed until the tears came into his
eyes at the sight I presented dressed in
the burglars frieze coat. If he had not
been Annie's father, 1 should have ex-
pressed the indignation I felt But I
put a check on myself and reminded
him that my situation for the coming
week would be somewhat unpleasant.
Tut, my lad Mcgowan and L viii
see to that, . he replied. III prove
that you are Angus Graham, and you
shall bring an action for damages
against Campbell if you like. As for
the jewels, mark my words if they
don t win you friend worth having. "
What do you mean?'' asked sharp
~
why. don t you know who lives
at Northside Hail. Carlisle?"
/ muttered a surly negative
why, old Lady Mereswell, my late
wife's aunt and Annie gOdmOther-
Shes wealthy, she's eccentric. and she's
as fond of her jewels as she is of her
rea e