Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-27
HELD IN
TRUST
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

ii W AWl0Il4 N0A\"0SD iii
Sailing from London for America my
baggage was carried on board by a
steward. One of my pieces-a wicker
extension case-had no mark on 1t, bu,
finding one exactly like mine l carried
it to my stateroom. |
l had no occasion to look into this
case till We had been out half the voy-
age, or four days. When l did T met
with a surprise. 1t was filed witt.
articles used by q woman. Realizing |
that l had changed baggage with some
one, l looked over the contents to dis
cover a name or something by which
l might return it to its wne and get
mine. Here again l met with a sur
prise. l found no mark, but came
upon numerous little boxes containing
Jewels which were evidently very val
liable. Here was a subject for a job
Of thinking.
Had the lady placed the jewels there
merely to convey them, or did this
placing them in a frail and unlocked
receptacle indicate that she intended
to smuggle them into America? Had
they come into my possession through
an error, or was I to be used as the
smuggler? All the thinking l did on
the matter did not solve it. The only
thing 1 could do was to go to the pur-
ser and If any one notified him Of the
loss Of a wicker extension case to let
me know. The ship having been gu
four days and no one having reported
such a loss. the inference seemed to
be either that the lady, supposing that
she had her own case, had not exam
ined its contents orwell, the only
other supposition was that she would
use me for a purpose. l must await
developments.
The trip was a pleasant n to me,
apces. There were a Mrs. Harbeson
and her daughter aboard, who sat a
great deal on deck. A gentleman who
was with them ut times I met in the
smoking room. We fell to talking n
day about the run Of the ship and
thus became acquainted. Passing the
ladies I have mentioned while he was
with them, he made a remark to me
which led to an introduction to his
friends. The mother was quite cor
dial, but the daughter seemed a tri1e
i'll at ase However, since she was q
pretty girl l labored to make myself
entertaining and succeeded in doing
away somewhat with her embarrass-
ment or whatever it might be.
, was too circumspect to say a word
to any one about my find. I left the
Jewels where they were in the case,
, which l showed under my berth. Not
knowing what trouble I might get into
in the matter, I preferred, if accused,
to be able to take any position that
might be for the best. But my inten'
ton was to tell the truth.
The day before reaching port I con
cluded that l must take some actor
with reference to the goods, which
& did not doubt had either been stole1
2 or were to be struggled, or both, and
going to my stateroom and locking
the door. I pulled out the extension
: case and lifted the top. What was my
o establishment to see that it contained
my own belongings and did not con
tain any other property.
There was a mystery indeed. How
q the jewels came into my possession
l did not know; how they left me l dit
not know. But it was evident tina
y two exchanges had been made, and
n the second one having been purposel!
a accomplished, it was evident that SOM
q game was going on. But it seemed t.
me now that I should neve receive al
explanation of the incident. Neverthe
less l felt relieved that the propert,
q had passed out of my possession. In
deed, l had about made up my min
before leaving the ship to turn it owe
N to the purser.
ID The Harbesons, Mr.. Etheridge, tn
man who introduced me to them, an
n all made rapid progress in becoming
N intimate and before reaching por
n agreed that we should meet on tn
= evening of our arrival for dinner at
certain uptown restaurant. We bi
= each other goodby at the dock at moor
ID and at Z, attired in dinner costume,
met my friends in a private dinin
~ room. l was received cordially, espe
- cially by the ladies, and after gettin
~ warmed up with wine Mrs. Harbeso
said to me-:
II have something to tell you pr,
=. vided you will promise to take no al
:. vantage Of it."
I looked at her sharply. It struc
me at once that she knew somethip
~ about my find on shipboard- 1 mad
the required promise.
,r. my daughter and l." said the lad,
Mt have done a good deal Of smugglini
not for profit, but to save money c
We what we bring from abroad. We sto
ne ped at the same hotel as you in Lo,
IL don. Believing that we were suspec
~ ed by a detective on the other side ar
Wv having some $4,000 worth of jewe
~ to get through the New York custom
house free of duty. W. were at Of
wits end.
HMv dorrhtor nassinp aIono q m