The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-03-07


"a at this particular moment,
fail to recollect) hadn't
looked around, many's the rumorist
who would be shy sundry half dollars;
1t Ulysses hadn't met Calypso, Pencil
ope's knitting would have been accom-
p1tshed in reasonably small compass
OF time; thus, II, on the morning OF
March tenth, blizzard hadn't romped
In from the Atlantic, there wouldn't
have been any wrong coat. The day
before had been treacherously warm
and springlike, and had gone about
my affairs without any coat. 1t is al
ways the seemingly intnitesimal
things that count heaviest in the final
reckoning.
I hadn't gone two blocks from Mou-
quin's that night, when I noted the
fact that / was wearing a coat that
did not belong to me. With a growl
turned around and went back. l sim
ply wasted my time; my coat was no.
where TO be found. l stormed about,
sending the walters jumping all over
the restaurant, but to no avail. Final
ly I Gained down and admitted that 1t
was all my own fault. I should have
examined the coat when I shouldered
into 1t. So left word at the cashiers
desk and sought the street again.
Doubtless you have lost coat or
hat, in your time, If you who read
happen to be man. It is curious,
but, no matter how much you are bet
tered In the exchange, you raise a
howl-you make the echoes ache with
your lamentations. There is nothing
on earth you want save your own coat
sand hat. To be sure, If, In the pockets
5of the wrong coat, there happen to be
8seyeral thousand dollars, your howl is
modified and innocuous, and you go at
Eonce to look for the other fellow
perhaps. But, as in this instance
there were only thirty-tive cents, a
Cancelled railroad ticket, and a scatter
ling OF cloves and tabloids for the
breath, my cries were heard afar.
Hang all absent-minded buffers, my
self included. whose wits go wool
gathering at bad times! The coat was
just like mine, a light gray winter pad
dock, lined with heavy satin. The only
difference lay In the sleeves: these
had small-change pockets, whereas
mine had none. 1t was even exchange
and no robbery, but l was none the
less angry. The truth is, it was just
after the first OF the month and there
were four or five unpaid bills In the
inside pocket of my coat. zone was
the bill for the coat!) So climbed the
stairs to the elevated station in no
amiable frame OF mind. Well, we'll;
it really did not matter If the gentle
man who had appropriated my coat
learned that owed my tailor. TO owe
ones tailor as long as the law per-
mits is quite customary-not only GUS
tomary, but also proper and commend
able. The other bills were for cigars,
gloves and hats; that is to say, OF no
great Importance.
| pumped into vacant seat and
gloWered at the street below. 1t had
stopped showing and the wind had
gone down. For once in my life took
no Interest in the advertising signs.
wanted my coat, and for all l knew the
man who had it might stumble under
an automobile and ruin the garment;
and, even II he didn't ruin it, it would
smell tolerabIy strong of gasoline l
conjured up all manner Of catastrophes
regarding the ultimate end of my coat
The other fellow might be burned up
IN it; he might fall down a greasy ele-
vator shaft in 1t; he might even be
lugged to Jail in it, which was not at
all unlikely, the cloves and tabloids
speaking not very we'll for his habits
Was there ever such luck?
Having no newspaper with which to
pass away the time, l fell once more
to rummaging the wrong coat AS
searched the pockets my sense of guilt
was In nowise agitated. Doubtless
the owner was at that moment going
through the pockets OF my coat. Thus,
honors were even. But l found moth
ing by which to identify my man.
Ones Identity cannot be established
by means Of thirty-tive cents, a worth
less ticket, and few cloves. A.
Conan Doyle might accomplish such
a feat, but couldn't. Hello!
What was this? From the handker-
chief pocket drew forth an envelope;
but, as glanced at it, my hopes
slumped. The address side was MISS
ing; only the sealing-t1aps remained
Twas about to toss it contemptuously
into the aisle, when l discovered that
1t was covered with pencil scr1bbl1ngs.
Mercifnl heavonsl hold tho
thing under my very nose and read,
with Mortified eyes:
Girl must die between twelve and
one O'clock
"Chloroform,-
"Bow-window at side unlatched,-
enter there.
Safe in library. Secure will.
Leave by front door.
Servants night out-Girl alone"
Mystery! sat up straight and
breathed quickly. saw it all very
plainly. Fate had thrust this coat
upon me; Fate had given me mis-
sion; l might be the means of saving
the girls life. I was an amateur de-
tective, after a fashion, and more
than once, in the old newspaper days.
had succeeded where the police had
failed.
In a far corner of the envelope was
a house address. Without doubt it
was the very house in which this MUIR
der was to be committed. l glanced
at my watch. 1t was eleven o'clock.
There was plenty of time. Or,