Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-22

1t was 8 o'clock in the evening when
the sound of horses hoofs were heard
without, and in few moments 4
young man in riding costume, bespat-
tered with mud, hurried into the house.
Miss Hastings, wondering who could
be coming in such a hurry, met him in
the hallway.
Clarence Paget, where did you come
fromT'
Amy, the bailiffs are after me for
debt. I'm in the tolls of the money
lenders, and if they get me I'll be shut
up within stone walls, and Lord knows
if I'll ever get out"
"Oh. Clarence"
Il don't know whether to ask you to
hide me here or to go on farther. They
know I'm on the road and may know
of my relations with you. l fear they
will search the house. If | could get q
disguise it would be better for me to
go on
Miss Hastings pondered. Then, tell
ing her lover to wait a bit. she went
away. Presently she returned bearing
suit of mans clothes. She had direct
ed her maid to go into the room occu-
pied by the stranger and purloin his
apparel. Giving them to Paget, she
sent him upstairs for a change. and
when he returned he was arrayed in q
suit in which Scotch cap and plaid
waistcoat were conspicuous. Then, TAX
ing parting kiss, he left the house.
The next morning the visitor of the
night before found in his room. instead
of his own clothes, n riding suit. There
was nothing for him to do but put it
on, and. having done so, he went
downstairs TO be met by Miss Hastings
with an apology for having appropriate
ed his clothes. though she did not ex
plain why. She dropped couple of
guineas in his hand. He pocketed them
and departed.
The man had not gone an hour when
| a messenger came with 4 note from
Clarence Paget announcing that he had
been arrested. but not by the bailiffs
who We're after him for debt. He had
met a party coming from the opposite
| direction, who, seeing him dressed in a
| Scotch cap and plaid waistcoat told
Hill ludI HS Was Tic tIty NtLC
| looking for and arrested him for high
way robbery. For heavens sake" the
| note concluded, "let me know to whom
| the cap and waistcoat belong"
Miss Hastings was appalled,. Unwit-
tingly she had got her lover into a
more serious trouble than imprison-
| ment for debt. She sent out manserv-
| ants to find the visitor, but no trace of
| him could be found.
The case of the crown versus Clar-
| ence Paget excited n great deal of at
| tention. y bishop had been riding in
his carriage on the highway when he
| was stopped and robbed by man
wearing a Scotch cap and plaid waist
| coat. Paget, dressed in his borrowed
| costume, was taken before the bishop
| and identified as the man who had
| robbed him.
There was one chance for Paget
That was the testimony of Amy Hast
| ings and the servant who had changed
the suits. This might have saved him
had it not been that the bishop SwOrc
| positively that he was the robber.
| Paget was sentenced to twenty years
| penal servitude.
Miss Hastings, who blamed herself
for the unfortunate consequences OF
ried to her lover and share, so far as
possible, his exile with him. The day
before Paget was to be transported,
while she was preparing to go TO the
Jail for the marriage ceremony, she
received note in n handwriting she
had never before seen.
1t was from the owner of the cap
and waistcoat.
The writer stated that he had been
arrested for robbing n coach on the
night he had slept In her house and
begged that she would give her evi-
> dence to prove an alibi. Miss Hastings
at once sent word to the lawyers that
= the real owner of the cap and waist
coat was forthcoming, and a stay fol-
her lover was secured. Then she Wis
tied the man who had caused the trou
bic and found that he had long beer
highwayman, but had been arrested
for an offense he had not committed
Pagets case was reopened. with the
result that he was acquitted. The
highwayman was not tried for the of
Tense for which he was arrested, but
was convicted for robbing the bishop.
5 News did not get about in those day:
e as it does now, and the bishop was
, not apprised of his mistake when one
9 morning it was announced to him tina
; a couple were in his waiting room whC
wished him to marry them. His lord
, ship was writing sermon on the text
D ''Thou shalt not bear false Witness
2 and did not appear till he had finished
it. When he saw the man who hat
robbed him he started back.
: Paget handed him papers shown.
D his error and after the bishop had reat
4 them asked that he would atone for hi
too great confidence in testifyin.
against him by marrying him to tn,
girl who had unintentionally put hin
: In jeopardy. The bishop consented
! | with humble APOLOGY.