Middletown transcript., 1900-10-27
look at me. How did the other man

| AoNA ob mt hoW uIV Lu6 OIu6E u1dn-
] age to bolt?"
! Wen, l was waiting for you at
! Crewe, according to your instructions,
1 and l spotted our man immediately,
4 though | was rather surprised at your
absence. However, I thought you'd
turn up presently, so 1 followed him
| when he left the carriage.
''The beggar went to the booking of
flee and took a ticket for Glasgow.
Then 1 kept my eyes skinned, for I
knew that something had gone wrong.
He hurried back to the carriage, and
our friend here then left him. / didn't
bother about him, though, thinking he
was an ordinary passenger; and as our
man commenced to pace up and down I
waited over at the bookstau to see
what would happen. AS you hadn't
turned up I knew he had managed to
play some trick on you, and deter
mined not to let him out of my sight.
Then the bell rang, and in he
jumped, closing the door behind him.
I waited half a second for the guards
right away!' and then I made a rush
and followed my man. But the beggar
had gone!"
Through the other door?"
Eyes. 1 was too late to follow him,
and then, just as I spotted you under
the seat, and tumbled to the whole
plan, in comes our friend here and de-
livers himself up like lamb"
By this time 1 had begun to see that
there was a mistake somewhere, and
that I was in very awkward predica-
ment. I turned hot alb over and q
funny feeling crept down my spine.
Gentlemen" said I, "I'm afraid
there's been terrible mistake"
"Yes," growled the man named
Burt, "and you'll jolly soon find it out,
too. Look here, what's your name?"
I told him, adding that l was travel
ing to Belfast on business
Drop it, and own up" said he.
Come, you may as well tell US where
you've put the swag."
"Swag! What swag? I can assure
you, gentlemen, know nothing of this
business"
"You know how to chloroform
chap" said the other.
"It was the detective, not l." re-
piled, in dismay.
'The detective! Who on earth are
you talking about?"
"Who?-my friend, who's gone. The
detectivei"
Look here, young man, you're either
very deep or a big fool Do you know
that we are detectives and that your
precious friend whom you have assist
ed to escape was Burnside?"
''Burnside!" I repeated, horror
struck. Visions of prison cells and
crowded courts and my name in the
papers began to float before my eyes.
/ had been fooled utterly and COM
pletely.
'''Yes, and you'll precious soon have
to answer for 1t, too"
1t was in vain that 1 explained; they
wouldn't listen to me. Then l sudden
ly remembered the newspaper in my
pocket.
"There," said I, "if you don't believe
me, look at that!"
They took the paper and examined |
it, with evident surprise. Then Burt |
looked up.
"Look here, we'll want to see into |
this affair. If this yarn of yours is
true, and you're genuine traveller,
show us your credentials. Open your
bag there!"
1 picked up what I thought was my
bag, and then started back in dismay.
"Why, this isn't mine, it's the detec-
tive's-I mean Burnside's."
The detectives jumped to their feet
and laid hold of the bag. 1t was locked,
but in a trice they had forced it open
and from its depths drew fat moroc-
co-leather case. Pressing the spring.
Burt released the lid, and a blaze of
dazzling light met our eyes.
'Wen, I'm blessed!" said Burt. Hes
gone off with the wrong bag. These
are Lady As diamonds!"
1t was true enough. I remembered
having moved my bag under the oppo-
site seat, and Burnside in his haste
must have mistaken it for his own, to
which it bore strong resemblance.
The detectives fell back on the seat
and began to laugh.