Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-29

NulSho' OpShSu huc uuOI anu DuuNltu
himself in.
Bonsfield was annoyed and Lamo-
rock Disguised; but IA the intruder
was profuse in his apologies, and il
was too late to mend matters, they
had to accept the situation with the
best grace they could. After the lapse
of quarter OF an hour he had talked
their reserve away, aud proved him
selfso amusing companion that they
all became quite friendly; and then
Lamorock, who had grown suddenly
amiable, pressed the others into
accepting IA cigar apiece. The Jolly
faced intruder was not to be outdone
in hospitality. He opened his hand.
bag, and with merry wink produced
n flask Of curacao, which tho intense
cold made particularly acceptable to
them all. Lamorock, indeed, found
the liquor SO delicious that lie took
two glasses. Before they got half
through their cigars he noticed with
suspicion that the conversation began
TO slacken, aad that his companions
showed disposition to 60 To sleep.
Bonsheld was the first TO succnmb
to coincidence, and Lamorock even
began to feel sleepy himself. He
fought against tho seuaation by get.
ting up TO admire the colored photo.
graphs beneath the hat.rails and by
trying to Tx his attention upon the
passing scenery. He opened his cigar
case, counted aud examined the con-
tents, and looked puzzled. lie was
apparently satisfied that he not given
himself one OF the drugged cigars, for
he pulled vigorously away at his
stump. hoping that it would help to
keep him awake. He once thought
that the fumes of his companions
cigars might be affecting him, and
opened both windows. But he found
the cold mir had no effect. The in.
truder also began to look as if he
would soon follow Bonsfield's example.
He vainly tried TO look wide awake,
but his lids would droop heavily, his
head would sink down upon his chin,
and lie would then pull himself
together by a supreme effort and try
to sit up straight.
Their respective struggles to keep
awake, however, grew more and more
feeble until the pair finally collapsed
in their corners, and slept as If they
would never wake again.
When the train arrived at Swinton
junction the guard discovered them
all asleep, aud after trying in vain To
rouse them up, the conviction dawned
upon him that it was foul play. The
three patients were taken out and re-
moved to the hospital, arrangements
being made by the police that on their
recovery all three should be detained
in custody pending Investigations. So,
when they had been brought round to
consciousness, they were taken to the
police station.
Harry Bonsfield easily established
his identity, and was set ut liberty;
but the information that the police OBJ
tanned about his companions, the
reyolvers they found in both their
overcoats, two tell-tale cigars, and two
equally damning cigar stumps, the
remnants OF curacao in the flask and u
very suspicious false beard, all these
incidents led to their arrest, trial, and
subsequent conviction.
Scotland Yard keeps the flask rs a
for it has two compartments
from which the contents can be drawn
nj the will of the owner by u slight
pressure ON a secret spring. Both
contained curacao; but f.
what was left of one sample was found .
to be drugged while tho other was
pure.
The iovial gentleman, like Lamorock,
had had his Imagination fired by the
accounts that the newspapers gave of
the great pink diamond. He had
vormed it out of clerk in Messrs.
Bonsfeld's Office that the junior part.
Ter was taking it up to town, and he
thought the opportunity for which he
iad waited so long had at length ar
'ived. Tearing away to his lodgings,
re had provided himself with u hask
md a revolver, and was just in time
o catch the train. When the whole
acts were roveaedin the police court,
he natural astonishment of Lamorock
md the jolly gentleman was past de-
cription. II beat even that of Harry
3onsiield. All the three actors in this
Gene are now firmly convinced that
me Of the incalculable elements con-
rolling mans destiny is sheer luck. -
london Sun.