The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-10


) too soon the lights OF Foikstone came
an sight. The engines were reduced [,
half speed The Princess OF Wales was
Drought alongside the harbor pier. Their
| GLADYS ran below TO find mamma. And
the three crossed the gangway togetn-
sr. As they walked toward the. plat
FORM, Mrs. Erskine VIII spered some
ihing TO her daughter. who said u
n"Oh, Mr.. Pinnlfer mamma and / are
going into the waiting room. Do YOU
mind going on TO the custom house
we VIII Join you there in few min
| utes"
shan't / walt for you here?" asked
Pinnifer.
oh. no. Please not she replied.
we shall come out on the other side,
straight into the custom house
very Well. dearest" said Richard,
pLessihg her hand. II appears that Lo-
,harIo INA had made great strides during
the crossing.
90 he went on into the custom house.
ne foikstone luggage was brought in.
hnaru was asked 10 point out his
whlch he did-his own portmanteau and
~ ~ Two belonging TO the Erskines,
WI ch were labeled in his name. Gladys
"ai ner mamma had not yet appeared.
| thlng 10 declare sir?" asked the
examining official.
ard gayly. 90
| me man unstrapped one Of the Frs
49,, l.e portmanteaux. Hilloai These were
'ot idues apparel-shirts trousers and
ahu-sood heavens, In the twinkling
~ an eye the man had uncarthed six
over his face.
SO that is what you call having
i.vthlng To declare?" he remarked drily.
ioW many more OF 'em are there in
tne other portmanteaux?"
i-l-don't know I-I-know noth-
ing ABOUT them" gasped dismayea ard
pJis,ianilhous i''i,,, Richard. They're not
An! or course not. They never are.
HtiWays gets In by acciaent." sneered
.rc Vmcei, unstrapping The second
tErskine) port.nanteau.
More mems clothes. and oh,-banr
II ail'-three more boxes of cigars ana
SIX potties OF French brandy.
,r,,i. nesS amt yours, either, | suppose"
casm. '''"s s"'
NO they're not. ] swear they're
not cried the appalled, Mr.. Pennifer.
peglnlng 10 realize what he had been
MADE the victim OF INSCRIPTIONS SNUG
slels' These portmanteaux belong 10
tNo lddles. i had them labeled as mine
just TO oblige them"
And he hurriedly related the circum-
stances of which the reader is already
informed.
The man laughed incredu,ously.
'ouldh you make up a better tale
than that! he said ironically. Ladies.
indeed! I've opened ladies' luggage for
htteen years, but I've never found em
contain shirts of this description To
say nothing OF coats, trousers. and
socks. No. no, sir: ii won't wash"
'Do--do You doubt my word-con-
found you" exclaimed Mr.. Pinnifer i'm
dignified wrath. "The-the ladies will |
be here In minute; and-and when |
they come, and-and explain matters. |
youll have to apologize, or I'll report |
you
When the ladies come" retorted the |
official, 'Ill apologize with pleasure"
His tone implied that he knew the la
dies would never come. Pinnifer was
now beginning 10 fear the same thing.
He thought he saw their game. If the
luggage had passed the custom house
safely they would have claimed IT, |
Otherwise, he was to be left 10 bear
the bTunt. He had been shamefully
fooled. He ground his teeth and
stamped In mortified rage.
Come sir said the official after
they had waited a few minutes. DO |
You think it worth while To keep up this (
pretense? You're fairly caught. Hadnt
YOU better pay up ana avoid further
lnpleasantness?'
II won't pay, tell YOU" stormed
Pinnifer. I'm the victim of a hoax.
The ladies are somewhere about. I'll
20 and find them"
mo. sir. Not such a nat" laughed
he man, laying his hand on Richards
lrm. I'VE don't lose sight OF you till
'ou've paid up. Now, then--what do
'ou mean TO do?"
II shan't pay" perstted Pinnifer.
Very well. sir. Wen see"
Thereupon he beckoned to the chief
fiicial-an imposing gentleman in gor-
eous uniform who was strolling about
he room. The latter came up.
What is it?' he demanded sharply.
His subordinate stated the facts.
,ichard told his tale. The other pas
engers looked on nightly amused. or |
curse. no one believed the unfortunate |
ictim of the Ersklnes. And. certainly
is story did sound tremendously far
as he had no means
hatever Of proving it.
The upshot Of u all was that. In ad-
ition to having the cigars and brandy :
pnfiscated. he had TO pay treble duty
\ them-beng assured that II he re-
lsed to do so he would be locked up
nj taken before the magistrates the
ext day-thereby increasing the
mount for which he was Fable by sub
anttal fines and costs.
And so he was forced IN bleed TO the
Inc OF e26 i7s 3d.. which left him less !
ian E2 OF the monev-Sophies money 1
with which he had proposed IN do 4
mself SO well for the rest Of his holi-
~. He never saw the Ersk'nes again c
or did he manage 10 trace them. But !,
had to return hCme next dav en-
ged and mortified beyond EXPRESSION. 4
Part Of the truth he told his wife.
Jt rot all. He omitted all mention nf
. affaire with GLADYS. However. this
n lssion had - known twas quite
pernuous: for Sophie had already
on arurised of vervthing in letter .
IN her old friends. the Erskines
III whosA 'rdial co-oDera ton ehe had |
1tcted this well-merted punishment
har selfish brute OF a husband
nth