The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-28
AN EXCHANGE OF BAGS.

1t happened 70 years ago, and to this
day I am puzzled to know how I ex-
changed bags with a fellow-traveIer
on the train from London to Liverpool
The exchange was made, however. and
ESo exactly alike were the bags that I
supposed I had my own until 1 found
hat my key would not open it. 1 ad-
vertised for the owner of the strange
bas, and for the holder of my own,
and / let six weeks elapse before taking
the bag to a locksmith and having hin
fit a key.
1 had met with no great loss in los
ing my bag, and | gained nothing by
the exchange. Aside from a few ar
ticles of wearing apparel the strange
bag contained only papers. I felt for
q time that / had no right to peruse
these documents, and they had been in
my possession nearly six months be-
fore L brought them out one evening
and spent two hours in their perusaI.
To say that 1 was surprised when /
had finished was drawing it mild.
I was an old bachelor, and am to
this day, for that matter. 1 was also
a barrister, and am not so old but what
l dabble in law a bit yet. The papers
We're carefully prepared legal docu-
ments bearing on the case of Major
Saunders, an English army officer who
had been cashiered in Egypt. They
proved him a great scoundrel, taken al
together, and my opinion was that
some one who had private grievance TO
satisfy had employed a lawyer and a
detective to race the majors record
back for many years and make him
out as guilty of most everything but
murder. I could not recall that / had
ever read or heard of him, and certain
ly had no idea of ever meeting him
face to face. Strange things happen in
this world, however.
On the second afternoon after my
perusal Of the papers I was invited by
a friend to dine with him at his u
The Leisure Hour club was respectable
- A,A E-5 Hha rnnr1T0ffnrn 0f
numbering a good many high rollers
among it's members. There was always
play going on, and it was so high that
more than one man had come to hnan-
cial grief. After dinner 1 was taken
into the card room, and it was there
that I came face to face with Major
Saunders. He had come home from
Egyp and changed his name, and by
avoiding the military clubs had escaped
recognition Indeed, he was posing as
a F-renchman and making no claim to
having been an officer.
You will wonder how I recognized
him. My profession has made me as
observing as a detective. The ape
contained a minute description of the
man-as minute as If he had been a
murderer fleeing from justice. One of
the points was a particular scar on his
face; another was the shape of his nose;
another was a slight limp in his gait;
still another was a finger missing from
his left hand, carried away by the
bullet Of a Dervish. I don't claim to
have recognized him the ome / set
eyes on him. In fact, I had studied
him for an hour before I felt reasonably
sure, and I had written off he des-
cription and submitted it to others,
and more than two weeks had passed,
before I know what the cashiered and
-disreputable officer was masquerading
under another guise. He was not a
member of the club, but simply had
the entree through others, and he could
not therefore he d~tSCin31na0 as A mem
Der.
Before making any o in the mat
ter I set myself to inc out why the
major visited the club at all. I 500
discovered that the high play was the
magnet, and the three of us who watch
ed him like so many hawks were not
long in making out that he was one of
the cleverest card sharperS Of the day
He had been a winner from the first.
but was such a slick one that he had
not been detected in cheating We made
no mistake On him. Not a Whisper
was permitted to get around until We
had the most convincing proof that he
was a cheat and a swindler. Ihen
something was about to be done When
the major took things n his OWE
hands and rendered any step useless.
How he got on to me and the fact
tina I had papers in my possession in
eliminating him is a greater mystery
than the exchange of bags. nave
figured that he might nave
the owner of the bag l opened,
having. perhaps, stolen it from the
rightful owner. Something must nave
been aid in his hearing by some mem
of the club, as he never asked me
concerning the bags. indeed / had not
passed ten words of conversation with
him. In some way that viii never De
lear to me how he came to know OF
suspect that I had the papers and had
1r might recognize him, and he laid ms
accordingly. I had my office az
time on a street of the Strand. 1t
49, ---a mr.
was up four flights and IN the rear, anu
1uite cut off from any other DuIIdlnB.
/ can't saw that [ expected a call from
the mayor. ] can not even say that /
was sure he knew what a whip l held
IN his part. If I had inquired on MS max
ng any move at az II WS = n1FS % S ~
he oIi1b no more. Perhaps this would
been his course had MOI tne pIeAlngs
hat his rascalities were too deeply con
,ealed to be exposed. -
1t was one dark ana 1osgy FeoruaIy
that he appeared in my chambers
With the excuse that he wished 70 consult
ne on a legal matter tier m ane5 5eT's and many
and his friendly deinSaIlot IL siH
threw me off my guard. Al iedss, M ~ ne
,ome in any other manner l shoqld haVe
leen more or less prepared Tor the move
ne finally made
We were talking in a quiet, confidential
way. as LAWYER and client may. and he
sat facing me and not over four rect
when he suddenly crew a knire ana
,pranr al me- What I did in defense was
,ure instinct. 1 was a pretty strong man
lthIctics and 7 rose up and caught him
y. the wrist Of the hand ano,,I holding 1.-THE
ar I've ~ +hree minutes. At the end of
hat time, and without my knowledss
niniItes IN our struggle the knife had
,een turned against him and penetrated
MS abdomen and enot he =" deiiibe-ate ;nten-
ion Of m9Tdering me- seI7 ana a1 perhaps e sos eom-
he ia5- cIasred me after an Investigation
nd held me entirely blameless for the