Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1907-03-09
The PurSer'S
Confidence
BY HUNTLEY WEYMAN
Copyrighted by f. G. PARCELS
By HUNTLEY WEYMAN


Ly.E ever pcrprtratCd on London
jrW"lry house. Lady Stanton was
looking at II diamond tiara and being
waited on by one Of the partners when
a gentleman louugcd forward famil-
iarly addressed her and. picking up
the tiara. walked out of tie store with
it. The act was so audaciD,s that he
was given time to mix with tie throng
In the street and get safely away.
1t was jewclry house that had
never been robbed before. an ! the de
ciSion was Immediate to spare no eX-
pcuSe to run the rObber down. The
ease was given to the police with Il
grand reward attached, and Scotland
Yard put its best detectives at work
Two or three private agencies took up
the trail for the reward there was in il.
ana when Il clcW seemed to lead to
Paris Il French detective prepared to
follow it, From some line of reasoning
not made public all the officers came to
an agreement that the robbcr was an
American and that he would seek to
get away OH the Blue Star liner Mon
arch. The press didn't say ANYTHING
about trails but four of the detectives
followed their noses Mt least and Sc
cured passage on the Monarch Had
one of the male passengers come to
them half an hour before sailing and
admitted that he was the robher and
held out his hands for the bracelets
none of the four would have sailed. As
il was. no one came forward. and they
trlt it duty to make the voyage to
New York and keep an eye on every
fellow passenger They knew nothing
of each others pre- tcnce in an official
way. If any one of them WAS to give
his confidence to any one. the purser
W" the man to unboSom to. and it was
not | ng hrfo"e he bad a call 1t was
S"otlHnd Yard man. He was wear
ing false side whiSkcrS and passing
himself of rs Il retired English retail
.cr who was making the trip to see
h. sister In New York
II think | have n clew already" he
said rs the purSer promised to respect
III, confidence and assist him In any
WHy he could. There is Il Frenchman
aboard calling himself Dubois He
speaks EnTlsh passnbly we'll and
claims to be going over In the inter
rStS of the wine business. but he isn't
f1olinc Inspector Saunders a little bit
He's my man or don't know crook
when see one"
The next burst of confidence came
from Dubois. He identified himself as
belonging to the Paris bureau and
'CCcd:
FIST! 1t was easy enough | pick
ed him out from the 800 passengers al
most at a glance. He is an English
man and claims to be n retired grocer,
ana I shall give him rope until we
rNach quarantine on the other side
should he suspect me and try TO jump
overheard hope may have your as
>iStancc."
Mr.. Dubois was asSurel that the
purScr and all the other officers of the
boat stood ready to lend justice all
possible assistance, and he then made
WY for il detective from private
London agency. The man wore false
stomach and wig md used the Ian
..aShirc dialect. He introduced himself
,S John Stone and asked for the purs
cr's confidence ut once,
i've got him right between my
thumb and finger, this way" he naid
With n grin. The trail led me as
straight as turnpike, | cant ask the
Monarch to turn back, OF course. but
FL have the darbies on the fellow as
soon as we sight Sandy Hook. Lord,
but it was dead easy! He calls himself
French name and tries to disguise his
English, but any child could spot him
off. Help me to keep IN eye on Du-
bo5 and there will be something in it
for you"
The purser smiled lnwardly and gave
his promise. He thought there We're
Dthers to come. and he was not mis-
taken Mr. Hiram Wilkinson next in
troduccd himself rs being from a pri-
vate Liverpool agency. He had wig
and goggles and was trying to talk
through his nose and be taken for
New Englander He felt that he had
come TO the right party In coming to
the purser, and he didn't shut his
mouth until his secret was out.
ITS the fcller as calls hiSSelf stone"
he whispered Il spotted him the in
Stant he came up the gangplank. but
daSn't tackle him on sight. | am max
ing the voyage to play my fish. I'll
bet pounds to shllingS | make him
trap hiSself i'll less than three days.
He claims to have a brother in the
butcher business at Albany, but of
course that's all in your eye"
You think he's the man?" Queried
the purser in an absent way as he be
gan to see the humorous side of the
situation.
Say, now, take good long look at
him yourself. He looks the thief from
head to heel. Haven't you noticed his
ucrvouSneSS? He's afraid he's been
followed He'll make n fight OF it
when we sight the American coast, but
Cll have the irons on him before he can
say Jack Robinson. Mum is the word,
and you will get your whack of the re-
ward"
There was no fifth detective aboard
to ask the purser for his confidence
and assistance, but after day or two
Mr.. Abijah AbsalOm Barnes, as he
gave his name, asked the official to
take charge of package for him.
TITS only some gimcracks I've been
buying abroad" he explained. ''but
Martha md thp children will be look