The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-02
A CASE OF HEDGING.
By GEORGE AERnrRT nouN.

ciatiun
When was studying medicine, one
afternoon was in the dlssecting room
hurrying TO get through with subject
before the building should be closed FOR
the night An examination was be-
fore me the next morning and there
would be no opportunity to return to
the dissecting room for some time to
come. ! had finished every member
except foot when time was up, and,
stufing Il in hand bag used to carry
needed articles between the city and
the place lived IN the suburbs. left
the room, intending to finish my work
at home.
On my way made one Of a game Of
whist In the smoking car with three
strangers. Finishing a rubber Just as
my station was called, / hastily picked
up my bag and left the train. on
reaching home ! tossed my satchel on
table, made my toilet and went down
to dinner. In the evening ] went up
to my room TO 60 to work. What was
my establishment and chagrin on tax
ing up the bag to discover that it was
not mine.
was in a pickle. whoever had
taken my own satchel on opening II
would be Mortified to discover a hu.
man foot. The fact would be reported
to the police, and If the owner could
be identified would be subject to a
charge Of murder. followed by an ef
fort to get rid OF the corpse pleeemeal
The wise thing to have done was
to report my loss to the police at once
thought OF this, but before doing SO
concluded to look into the bag / had
taken with a view to discovering the
owner. II was locked, and / was
obliged to force It.
The only articles In It were burglars
tools
SWELL" I said to myself, "whoever
has taken my satchel is not likely 70
report his find, since by doing so he
win incriminate himself There IS no
necessity for my giving the subject
any further attention.
Were II not for one Of those strange
condolences that are continually hap
pentng my story would end here A
year after my exchange Of satchels
my house. or. rather. my fathers. was
robbed. ] followed one Of the men
downstairs, where they had turned on
the lights, and caught him by the
coattaH just as he was going out the
front door. He turned and gave me a
blow which knocked me down He
made his escape, but during the brief
instant / saw his face I recognized
my partner at whist on the journey
when had exchanged satchels.
wondered whether he had recognized
me, but it occurred 20 me that he had
not, for the light was at my back
Two more years passed One day
while on a train man took seat
beside me, and when / looked at him
/ recognized my partner at whist and
in the same man the burglar who had
robbed my fathers house, Ny first
thought was to summon the conductor
and have him telegraph ahead TO the
police. My second was TO turn up my
coat collar and pun my hat down over
my eyes 50 that the burglar would not
know me. Then remembered that he
had only seen me once. since when /
had grown a beard. Thus treasured, I
made a. remark to him. He replied
and we entered into conversation.
Now, it occurred to me that should
I make a charge Of burglary against
him I would stand IN a vulnerable 20.
sition. he had been possessed Of my
subjects foot, and | was uncertain
what, If any, use he would make Of 1t
to establish a countercharge. / con-
eluded to discover If possible what bis
intentions might be in this respect.
told him the story Of the exchange Of
satehels as having happened to a
friend Of mine. he turned and after
fixing a sharp glance on me said cool
":
II see you are the man with whom
/ played whist and who went off with
my satchei."
Anu .NNu aAG tAAE AAAA WY ANNRNS .
house in Nj, two years ago and whom
caught by the coattail and recog-
nized as he passed out Suppose / give
you away?
You'n stand trial on q charge Of
murder"
Il can easily prove that / was a
medical student and was taking the
foot home for dissection"
ssNot so fast, please. To head You
off I learned OF a missing man and
secured evidence to prove conelusively
that a man Of your description was
seen to murder the person who had
disappeared. Then | turned over your
satchel with the foot in it to the po-
lice"
Suddenly 1t dawned upon me how
foolish / had been not to report the
case myself. 1t would have blocked
my opponents game.
IF you report me- he continued,
apersons supposed TO be unknown to
me win inform the police Of your iden-
tity with the man whom my witnesses
saw you murder You will be arrest
ed. tried and the best Of circumstantial
evidence furnished to prove that you
had d grudge against him, murdered
him and intended to protect yourself
in case OF discovery by the fact that
you were medical student studying
anatomy"
A mental vision Of one Of those cele-
brated murder cases Of which I would
ha tbe nantreI fpura and wherein half