The Monitor-register., 1896-07-17
THE LOST TRUNK.

Come up to my quarters. have some
thing to show you, and-no joking
need your advice"
IF you will take it, it will be for the
first time,'' laughed the good natured
Courtney.
"Lead on, and don't lose any time in
relieving this suspense. Pm not fond of
riddles. you know"
why, yesterday, l dropped into the
sale-roOm at a London station. You
know they sell off the uncalled-fo lug
gage at intervals, and a sale was just
going on. A number of the boys were
there, and we each commenced to bid for
a trunk. / selected rather a small one,
and-here VIZ are! Come right in, and
view the burden of my woes"
He led the way into a pleasant apart
ment, and pointed to a small leather
trunk which stood in the middle of the
room.
"Open it ii you a to-" he said.
"1've had enough of the onfounded
thing. It's full of women's stuff, and
what do you suppose l can do with it +? l
haven't an aunt or cousin in the wide
world"
"Keep it till you're married, Fred.
These seem to be good olothes," said
Courtney, popping into the box, and lift
Ing dainty garments with a half reverent
touch, in spite of his laughing face.
"Humph! The idea of such advice from
you! Why, old boy, l shall not marry
for ten years-ive anyway-and I'm not
going to risk keeping these things here
and being taken for a lady burglar. Mrs.
Gaffrey would find them in spite of
everything-smell murder in the air, and
hunt around for the skull bones. No,
I'll dump the trunk in the river; that's
what I'll do"
"Pshaw! You're too sensible for that.
These things cost money-lots of it l
imagine-and you paid something for
them in the bargain. You might sell
them to the second hand-nO, I've a
better scheme than that. Go through the
trunk systematically, find out the owners
name and address, there are surely letters
or something-and write to her, offering
her the whole thing for a reasonable sum-"
"Do an act of charity, and yet turn an
honest penny. Any one would know you
are Scotch. But l must go back to the
store, and-here, you have all the time
there is; suppose you go through it for
me ?-All l ask is that you will keep
Mrs. Gaffrey out. Fare-dieul" And off
he went.
Courtney laughingly locked the door,
but the smiles o left his face as he
proceeded with his task. He wondered if
the little battered trunk had been lost in
some of the dreadful catastrophes he had
read of; he imagined the owner %killed--and
her body as we'll as luggage unidentified
in the horrible excitement.
They were girlish things-dainty wells
and ribbons, ginghams, silks and snowy
linen. He fingered over a small, worn
slipper, and felt a thrill akin to that
awakened in Cinderel:A's prince.
mo clue YET" he murmured.
perhaps there are letters in this box.''
It's catch was bent, but he wrenched it
open. and out 1ew-his W photograph
He sat down plump in a box of lace
and stared. On the other side were his
initials, and a date he had been trying for
three years to forget, "June 3, 1890"
"Nell Burr's trunk!' he exclaimed.
"Oh, my little girl, what has happened to
you! Maybe some one-No, here are
your initials on this belt buckle, and
your gloves we're No. 6. and this slipper
would just fit your little foot"
The young man grew excited and rap
furious over each article; presently he
lifted a package of letters from one
corner.
"Myown-and they express the greatest
happiness life ever brought me. They
are like the leaves that futter down In
the November rain. l wonder why she
kept them. How many there are!'
christening the cord, he turned the
letters over and found many of the
envelopes scribbled upon by a familiar
hand. There were items jotted down to
be remembered in answering, and scraps
of poetry which had long since reached
his eye and been ever since cherished
in his memory. Upon the last one-ior
they were all numbered-was witten in
ink this girlish confession CAL. Courtney,
l love you, but will never marry one so
Inconsistent"
Resting his head OIL the empty tray in
silence, he exclaimed:
81 was q fOOl-a cOnsummate fuoli-
and now, perhaps, she is dead"
A noise outside aroused him, and in a
bewildered way he surveyed the gar
ments strewed on every side, and gazed
mournfully at the beautiful hat through
which he had run one foot and the box
of laces he had unconsciously used for a
cushion. Fred would be coming in a few
minutes. He began repacking the things
with ruthless haste, and slowing the
letters in his own pockets, was lying
lazily on the couch reading the paper
when his chum entered.
"Well," he or led, "what my stery did
you unearth ?"
N mystery at ALL" was the deliberate
answer; 'but the stuff as you call it, is
worth something, and would be n regular
gold mine to a girl. I've a notion to buy
it from you and present it to my sister.
What will you take ?"
"Oh, come! You're just doing that to
help me out. know you're a benevolent
old heart. No. I'll follow your first
advice. and hunt up the owner. 1t would
be quite romantic, and besides. you limited
that l might make a shilling or two by it.
You found her name and address there
didn't you?
Eyes," AL reluctantly answered; l
found her nam and address, but it is
hardly likely you could find her after SO
many years. You know, they keep lug
gage a good long time before it is Sold"
"Im not sure about that" said Fred,
'I've thought abont it all the morning,
and the idea grows on me. twill be rare
fun to try anyway. What did you say
the name wasp"
"But no doubt ibis girl was killed
luggage is seldom lost except by some
such accident, and-maybe she is an old
woman"
Fred laughed immoderately.