The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-11-15

sibly have been made. The man in
the other berth had substituted his
clothes for mine
When / was finally in condition to
rush up the gangway-I need hardly
say without finishing my toilet, for ]
was in my (or the other man's) shirt
sleeves---I found that most of the 9TH
er passengers had LEFT the deck.
though small group OF officers were
standing on the shore side Of the ves-
sci, engaged in earnest consultation.
The heads of couple of Ouch police.
men, distinguished from the others by
their curious, low crowned helmets,
lowered above the group, and / ut
once rushed toward them, thanking
the lucky chance that had brought
them on the spot.
tBave you got him?" shouted, no
doubt cutting q curious enough figure
In the blue shirt and short trousers
thst my friend OF the night before had
been considerate enough to lend me.
"It looks as if we have" said one of
the ships officers, glancing at me
with singular expression, that I
could not at all understand, in his
eyes. "Blue shirt and light trousers
dark mustache-that's all right,
isn't it, officer?" he said, in Dutch, to
one of the policemen.
'But where is hep" asked, in sur
prise, looking from one to the other.
"The fellows taken practically every
thipS-watch, chain, money, clothes.
Lets have look at the other
things" said ona of the policemen,
ignoring my question altogether nnd
turning to meet the steward, who was
stumbling up the ganGway under the
weight Of the clothes that ! had left in
the cabin. Blue shirt, light irons.
ers, dark mustache, astrachan over.
coat, soft felt hat" he muttered,
checking off the items with cable
gram he held in his hand "And he
speaks Dutch pretty we'll. but with
foreign accent. Yes, my friend, I'm
afraid we shall have to take charge of
you for the present, in spite of your
clever little ruse. Just put the rest of
your things on, please, and come
along quietly"
''But what's the meaning OF all
this?" / asked, in bewildermcut, as
the handouts were clicked on directly
/ had finished dressing. ".i man steals
my clothes and my money. ana you
lock me up for it, and allow him to
escape. Is that the way things are
usually managed in HolIand?"
"Youll see how things are managed
in Holland where diamond thieves are
concerned, quite soon enough, sir"
said the man curtly. evidently an
noyed at my tone. "Any explanations
or excuses you can give later on; IN
the meantime perhaps you will accom-
pany us quietly
eyes, and in the meantime this gen
tleman is Eurrying Off rs fast as trains
! can carry him to some out of the way
Z corner o. Europe" I grumbled, but
resistance was worse than useless, and,
! followed by small crowd of stolid
! urchins, we made our way along the
/ tree lined Bompjes to the police sta.
! ton.
: Here short interview with a fiery
; faced and fierce mustached Off cial told
: me the nature o. my supposed offence,
! but did not IN any way improve my
prospects Of release. Tho object os
my cabin companion wcs now quite
! clear TO me, though ali my explana-
tions with regard to the change OF
clothes were smiled at by The officials,
who evidently thought them very
! clumsy excuses. l was accused of be-
ing concerned in large diamond rob-
berry, and was supposed to have been
travelling to Amstei dam in order to
make use of my knowledge Of fprecious
stones in disposing Of the spo;ls among
the "fenccs" in the town.
The actual thief was confidential
clerk to large :irm Of diamond mer.
chants in London; MS ESCAPE with the
booty had nocn noticed few hours
after MS departure from town, and full
particulars of his clothing and general
appearance had been cabled to Rotter-
dam, with instructions to detain him
on the arrival OF the boat. But my
Triend" had foreseen some difficulty
of this kind, and had laid his plans ac-
! cor6innly