The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-13
bv Unusual II. Luck.
BY. ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.
IATl,HoR OF .NvOLFVl.LE..&

with me-wc struck agreement. AS a
finale, we each put in fifteen thousand
dollars and with the whole sum of thir-
ty thousand dollars. Harris pushed 1ortl
for Europe, while 1 remained behind. aHar-s.
ris visited Lyons; and our complete In
vestment was in a choicest kind of Lyons
silk The rich fabrics were packed in
a dozen trunks-not all alike, these
trunks; but differing, one from another,
so as to prevent the notion as they stood
about the wharf that there was aught
OF relationship between them or that one
man stood owner of them all.
It is not needed to tell Of my partners
voyage of return. Vt was without event
and one may safely abandon it leaving
its relation to Harris, himself, if he be
yet alive and should the spirit him so
| move 1t is enough for the present pur-.
pose to learn that in due time the trunks
holding our precious silkbolts, with Har-7
ris as their convoy, arrived safe i'll New
| York / had been looking for the boats
coming and was waiting eagerly on the
wharf as her lines and her staginss were
run ashore. Our partner, the Inspector,
and who was to enjoy q per cent of the
profits of. the speculation, was named
Lorns He rapidly chalked ok with
his name affixed to the end of each Va
rious trunk. and it thereuDon with the
balance of inspected baggage was prompt
ly piled upon the wharf
There had been a demand for drays. I
remember, and on this day when our silks
came in, / was able to procure but. one.
The ship did not dock until late in the
afternoon. anG at eight O'Clock Of 4 dark.
fogEy April evening. there still remain
cd one of our trunks-thc largest of all,
it was-on the wharf. The dray had de-
parted with the second load for that con-
cealng loft on Reade Street which,. in
Harris absence, I had taken to be used
as the depot of those smuggling opera
tons wherein we might become engaged.
I had made every move with caution; I
had never employed our real names; not
even with the drayman.
AS I was telling, the dray was engaged
about the second trip. This last large
silk-trunk was left behind perforce; pile
it how one might, there had been no
safe room for it on the already overload
ed dray. The drayman had promised to
return and have it safely in our loft
that night.
For myself, was from first to last
| lounging about the wharf. overseeing the
going away Of our goods. Harris, AS
soon as I gave him key and street num-
Der had posted to Reade Street to watch
over the silks reception. Waiting for
the coming back Of the conveying draS
was but a slow. dull business. and was
impatiently at the hour I've named,
| walking up and down on the wharf. cast
ing an occasional glance at the big last
trunk where it stood on end, a bit drawn
out and separated from that common
| mountain Of baggage wherewitll the
wharf was piled. Ole of the general
| inspectors. a man had never seen but
! whom I knew, by virtue of his rank. 10
! be superior to our thall1wieldinE copar-
| cener. Lorns, also paced the wharf and
appeared to bear me company in dis
tant, non-communicative way. This Gus
toms captain and myself. save for an I'M
der inspector named Quin, had the dock
to ourselves. The boat was long III and
most land folk had gotten through thsir
concern with her and wendell homeward
long before There were, however. many
ia ssensers of emigrant sort. still held
aboard the ship.
AS L marched up and down, impatient
for our dray, Lorns came ashore and pre-
tended some business With his superior
officer AS he returned to the ship and
what duties he had still to perform there,
he made a Slight signal to both myself
and his fellow inspector, Quin, to follow
him. / was well known to Lorns, having
had several talks with him, while Harris
was abroad. Quin I had never met; hut
it quickly appeared that he was a conf
dant of Lorns and while without money
interest in our affairs was ready to bear
a helping hand should a. situation COM
mencc to pinch.
Quin and went severally and withal
carelessly abroard ship, and not at all
as though we We're seeking Lorns. This
was to darken the chief who was not in
our secrets and whom we both surmised
to be the cause Of Lor1ls signal.
Once aboard and gathered in a dark
corner. Lorns began at once:
LET me do the talking" said Lorns
with a nervous rapidity that at once en-
| listed the ears Of Quin and myself. Don't
| that last trunk l can tell it by the way
he acts. "A bit later, when I come ashore,
| he'll ask to have it opened. Should he
do so, we're gone, you and me-. This
| last was to me. Then to GUN: do
you see that tall lean Swiss, with the
long boots and porcelaine pipe? He's IN
an ugly mood. doesn't speak English. and
within one minute after You return to The
wharf, he and I will be entansled In a
rough and tumble riot. I'll attend to that
Tho row will be prodigious. The chief
will be sent for TO settle the war, and
when he leavcs the wharf, Qun. don't
wait: seize on that silk trunk and throw
1T into the river There's iron enough
calmpcd about the corners 10 sink 1t; be-
sides it's packed SO tightly it's as heavy
| as lead, and will so to, the bottom like
an anvil Then from the pile pull down
some trunk similar to it in looks and
stand it in its place. Give the new trunk
my mark. as the chief has already read
the name or the trunk. Go GUN; l>rely
on you.
| ..You can trust me, my boy" retortcd
| Quin cheerfully, and turning on his heel.
| he was back on the wharf in q moment,
and apparently busy about the pile OF
baggage.
Suddenly there came a mighty uproar
aboard ship. Lorns and the Swiss, the
latter already irate over some trouble he
had experienced, We're rolling about the
deck in a most violent scrimnage the
Swiss having decidedly the worst of the
| wars. The chief rushed up the plank:
Lorns and the descendant Of Tell and
W;nkelried, We're torn apart: and a double
din of explanation ensued. After tel,
| minutes, the chief was able to straighten
out the difficulty-wllatever its pretend
ed cause might be I know not-for I held
myself warily aloof. being not little
! alarmed by what Lorns had communicat-