Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-08-09
AGAIN."

Why did ] ever rush into print os The
apparent champion Of anarchism and
bombs? Why did subsequently attempt
TO %repudiate the insinuation and Try TO
throw ridiculo on tho Russian and Lon
don police? why, after my recent dis
Comfture over that dog license business,
do ! appear again before the public?
"Conceit," / think / hear you say,
''mere vanity and o morbid thirst after
notoriety." 1t may be SO, but just at
present / am constrained to admit that
these are not the feelings which pre-
dominate in my bosom. On the contrary,
I feel sufficiently humble to apologize
for my very existence and am only
driven to my present course by the feel
ing that a recital Of my latest expert
ence may provo a warning to those Of
my fellow creatures who, by persisting
in a reckless waste of ink, hope to at
tain to fame.
How was / to know there was q real
Inspector Belville at Scotland Yard?
And-but, there, I had better begin at
the beginning. It was about a week aft
81 the appearance in n prominent jour
nal Of my t7le, describing u attempt
Il refer to brother George and myself
to personate a couple of designing an
arohists, and the subsequent recoil Of
the scheme on our own heads, that sat
meditating in my rooms. George and
tho terrier, the cause Of all the trouble,
were out for a stroll. 1 was revolving
in my mind the CHASTITY failure Of that
silly enterprise, and wondering whether
i should ever meet that inspector Of dog
licenses again, when / heard a knock at
the door.
My worthy landlady soon appeared
with q neatly engraved card, bearing
the following legend: "John Belville,
Inspector, II. M. Criminal Investiga-
ton Department, Scotland Yard, S. W."
"Jehosophatl" l family murmured,
there's a nice affair. This is the genu.
inc article, and l am a lost man. You
will observe my nerves had not yet re-
covered from the recent shock they had
sustained, therefore, when the owner Of
the card entered the room, 1 must, to
put it mildly, have looked disconnected.
"Er-sit down, inspector. Glad to
see you, I'm sure-unexpeoted honor.
Anything l can do for your" ] concluded,
with a miserable attempt ct light heart
edness.
Memories Of the aspersions L had, in
my story, cast upon the officer Of this
namo (then only existing in my imagi-
nation) crowded in upon me, and 1 felt
exceedingly low as the representative Of
the law took the chair / indicated.
you were perhaps not altogether un-
prepared for my visit, Mr.. Timbs-Mr.
Reginald Timbs?' queried tho inspector
improssiyely, and l felt his eyes look
ing through me.
well " / replied, somewhat nerv-
ously, II can't say that / expected you,
because-no offense intended, inspector
~ had no idea that Scotland Yard was
happy in the possession Of the profess
sional services Of a gentleman Of your
name"
"Then how came you, sir, may l ask,
to make mention in this widely read
periodical''-and here ho held out tho
familiar green ooger-''of my namef''
That's easily explained, " 1 said. II
invented it."
do you seriously expect me 10 be-
lieve thatf" rejoined the august official.
'Have l been connected with the yard
for five and twenty years, and well be-
fore the public nearly the whole Of that
time, and tlien TO be told that John Bel
vile IS not knowng' and the worthy in
spector began to get warm.
well, / can only assure you, " / re-
piled.
Assurance, " interrupted the little
man. for no was not of an imposing
height. Il dare say you have plenty OF
that, but it won't do for me. No, sir,
II spells damages in my case.
YES, but look here. you know, " said
J. returning to the charge, "it's no
affair Of mine. Ihad no idea You existed
in the flesh but, in any case, it seems
to me your remedy is against tho pub.
fisher Of the paper, l don't pretend to
be well up in tho law Of libel, " / con-
tinued, ''but have always understood
the paper is responsible. Hadn't you
better SEQ Tit-aheml the proprietors OF
the weekly which has taken your nano
in vaing I understand they kept o fight
ing editor on the premises for such
cases.
Here smiled awintry smilo and felt
rather better.
u don't want to DO instructed ia tho
law, thank you, was the lofty reply.
II know what ! ana about. It Is quito a
different matter when your namo APP
pears as the author. and that you viii
find out presently. However, that mat.
ter may keep. ] have another and much
more important reason for calling. " and
here the Inspector eoughod o~minously.
Ny spirits dropped again, and / q
poricnced a slight return Of the Siberian
rbain gang feeling.
"IAf apartment considers. resumed.
the inspector that o man who aeows