The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-20


Tn the captain I said. In what way
can serve you, madam
You have packet for Mrs. Fleetwood,
And suppose 1 have 1 said. L don't
know who sent it, and 1 haven't the honor
OF knowing Mrs. Fleetwood. Are you Mrs.
FIeetWood2
No. she said; I'm Mrs Fleetwood's
maid. and she wants mat racket most
particular; 1 considered a bit, and then
asked what was in the parcel. She said
It was hat and some other things, and
she blushed when she mentioned the other
things. OF course l didn't believe that;
how she'd drive out of the dock gates with
a box full of dutiable articles on the front
seat Of the droschky. had a reputation
with the Russian customs, and l wasn't
gong to risk 1t for people I'd never heard
Look here I SAID. at last. if your
mistress likes to come down and give me
proper explanations, I'd be glad to get
quit of that box. TILL then, it stays where
she drove away in a huff
We'll, after I'd seen the agents and
steamer from the Nicholas Bridge back
here There was rather a pretty girl on
board. Her dress wasn't anything to
boast Oft was almost in rags-and she
hadn't anything on her head but an old
shawl / suppose 1 looked at her pretty
hard. and 1 saw her cycling. me, and just
before we got to the landing stage she
came over and spoke to me in English.
That rather surprised me, for there aren't
I. Z
startled me still more when she asked me
if could tell her where the Mary Bacon
lay. But told her And then she said:
I want to see the captain.
. Well l said. you see him..
On! Then You have a package for
me. I'm Mrs. Fleetwood
Now 1t wasn't reasonable to suppose
that the maid would come down in a
droschky dressed up to the mines, and
that the mistress would come down in
threepenny steamer without a hat. So I
was very standoffish, and told her she
couldn't take that box ashore unless l
knew something more about it, But she
only laughed, and when we came along
side she was across the sangway before
could stop her.
q Anyhow, you'll let me look at it,? she
said.
q You con look as much as you like,
said and showed her the way down here.
didn't come below myself for was
rather annoyed. 1t was some time before 1
began to get uneasy. But when it came
to a quarter of an hour and twenty min
utes ] thought it as well to look after my
little lady, and when came below found
the saloon empty and the box gone. There
was only one way out, and I'd had my
eye on that all the time You'd hardly be-
lieve 1t. but the explanation never occur
red to me till my lady came up the COM
panion in one of the finest dresses ever
set eyes on. and a hat to match
% Thank you, Captain she said. I
don't want the box. You can keep that.
And how do you like my dress? I've got
two evening ones under this. and some
other things as we'll And this parasol.'
She opened it and stuck it behind her hat
and laughed in my face. Wen pitch the
disguise into the Neva for safety, she
s.of course she'd been in one of the
sleeping berths changing. But before l
could think of anything to say she nad
skipped over the gangway and prodded
one of the droschkX drivers with her para
sol. And the most annoying part of 1t
had the least acquaintance with the own
ers Don't you call that presuming?"