Evening journal., 1905-03-27
The Changed Bag
fonrinnLY

remember being at the glove counteE
and laying my shopping bag on thd
counter. Then went tofhapthhRmdl
where there was a lady tor Rhom 4
was obliged to wait before getting
room. bought a pair Of gloves. OPEN
ed my bag and put them An, J did 90
without looking into tpe pag. passed
the lady for whom ! had wnited. She
was standing at the end Of ne counter
had first visited and I remember see
ing bag before her that looked so
like mine that looked down to discov-
er II / had my own bOg In .yny hand
and saw that It was an exact duplicate
Of the one before the lady. I thought
nothing Of this, for they were a very.
common type.
When / got home tossed It into q
closet The next day, before going
out with It. opened it to put In some
samples. was surprised to End in it
a purse containing $40. a few samples
and letter, tie envelope Of which
was missing. Eager to learn what
these things meant, read the letter. It
ran:
Dear Julie-Meet me Thursday after
noon 1.i6) az tho northeast angle OF the
open square. I shall disguise myself aa
an old man. Wear the costume OF an ola
woman. Mary doesn't suspect anythinal
Don't fail. GILBERT.
was petriHed with horror. was
Mary; Gilbert was my lover. The
writing was disguised. but the longer
looked at It the more I was convinced
that It was a bad attempt to conceal
the hand Of Gilbert Merriman. ! glanc-
ed at the clock. / had just half an
hour to get to the place Of meeting.
When / reached the square the clock
IN St. Paul's spire stood at $40. =
walked TO the northeast angle, draw
ing a heavy veil down over my face.
through which / could see. but not be
recognized. / concluded TO cit on one
OF the benches and wait. Several
women came in, but they were all
young and passed on. Five minutes
before the appointed time an old wom-
an came by with a basket Of apples
on her arm. AS she passed me ask
ed n she would sell me one. She held
out her basket for me to choose. but
did not speak. / looked into her face
and felt sure that had caught hy
bird
'.Julief' asked. ll
She gave a repressed shrek.
"You and Gilbert are mistaken in
thinking Mary does not suspect You
must have lost Gilbert's letter. for
Mary has Il and viii be here-perhaps
is here now-to expose you. AS soon
as he comes both OF you follow me. I
viii take you to a place where you
can confer In safety"
"Dear, dear woman, how kind you
arel There he is now. I'll go and tell
him.
An old man. much bent and leaning
heavily on his cane. came in at side
entrance to the square, and the old
woman hastened toward him. They
stood talking excitedly. the man look
ing at me with evident suspicion. The
, woman was apparently begging him
q to do as / had suggested, but be ap
e peared to be Of a different mind. a
2 policeman happened to stroll by, and
q the man called TO him and said some
thing 70 him. and they both started FOL
. me, followed by the woman.
/ began to be frightened.
When they reached me the old mar
called to Julie" to come forward.
'.Is that your bag?' he asked.
''Heavens, yesl l didn't notice II DO
. fore"
r In my excitement at my discovery Of
J the letter on leaving the house had
! snatched up the bag with its conten1
t and there II was hanging to my wzast
{ The old man took It from me and
! opened II.
"Here's your property" he said q
2 the woman, "and here's the tnief. TAX
2 her along, policeman"
] mot unless you'li agree to appeal
; against her"
e The man promised. giving his nam'
e ana address. / was startled TO hea
; him say not Gilbert Merriman, ou
2 George Gilbert. The policeman toc1
the bag and its contents andrgrea
heavens!-marched me to the polio
station.
r The only person IN the WORLD o.
$ whom I could rely TO help me out o
2 the scrape was Gilbert Merriman.
i vowed that / would be tried and con
r victed as a thief rather than send 70
s him. Indeed, they took me to the yer.
o door OF a cell before succumbed
+ one look inside the horrid place wa
o enough.
e "wait," I said. 'T'n send fcs
friend"
It They took me back to the ONCE, CAV
n me pencil and paper, and / wrote
note to Gilbert begging him to com
70 mo at once. The messenger was
long while finding him, and when b
n came / was ready to collapse. new
er shall forget the look Of pained won
y der on his face when he saw me.
what in the world is the meaninl
off,
4, "Oh. Gilbert, I've been very silly
. Yesterday 1 changed bags while shop
Il ping with a woman at a store. Their
G, was a note IN the bag I picked u
le signed "Gilbert" to a girl named Julie
* appointing to meet her in the park.
r went there expecting to catch you. In
stead r.
e Caught a tartar"
q He went to the desk and explaine
- the matter to the inspector Then b