Year: 1872

MISTAKEN IDENTITY.


One evening. g.whilei in the billiard room
OF a Paris hotel, a youl.g man inviteC
me to Join him in a game. | consented
and we played for an hour or so, after
which he went up to his room, smoked
and played piquet. He remarked while
playing that we looked so much alike
we might be taken for brothers. | had
not especially remarked the likeness
between us till now, but it was not very
great. The similitude merely consisted
in both of us wearing rather long red
beard, and hair the same color; but,
then, his eyes were blue, mine gray,
and he had scar over his left eve.
Still one of us mi ght have been taken
for the other at distance.


We played till midnight, and | left
HIM. going to my room; but an indie
scrlbable feeling came over me, and
could not sleep. | tossed about my bed,
then got up, lit a cigar, and sat at my
window, looking down on the "Quai
Henri tluatre," smoking.


1t had Just struck two from the church
OF st. jacques, when | saw carriage
drive up to the door, and three men got
out and entered the hotel. wondered
where they could have come from in a
carriage at that time of night. | sat
smoking and thinking, when light tap
came at my door; | unlocked it; it was
my friend with whom | had been play
ing billiards. lie had valise in his
hand, and appeared in a hurry, but not
the least excited.


"They have just sent carriage for
me, my father is not expected to live
till morning; take care of this for me
until tomorrow" he said, leaving the
valise in my room.


All passed so quickly | had not time
to think, and he had passed down stairs,
and | did not dream of following him,
being undressed. | went back to the
window and saw the carriage drive off
rapidly. Then | said to myself, Why
did he not take the valise with him, as
he had a carriage?" but then, thought,
he had needs travel quickly, and did not
wish to be bothered with baggage. Twas
not long smoking and thinking when
another rap was at my door. | opened
it, and a tall, military-looking person
age walked in, while another had come
in my window from the balcony. | was
handcutted almost before had time to
speak and another gentleman walked
in. The tall gentleman said "Sir, you
are arrested on the charge of MURDER so
please keep as quiet as you can"


| nearly tainted. The idea of my be.
ing arrested rs a murderer sank in
to chair while one of them said to me:
"l'm glad you fetched your rluggage with
you, sir; much obliged toyou; for you've
saved us heap OF trouble. Why, we've
been following that leather valise at the
door tor the last few days; but we al
ways come up with our game"


"That is not my valise," said "that
belongs to gentleman down stairs"
"See here, young man." said the tall
detective, "the less you say about that,
the better. You may tell US what you
like now but you'll be contradctng
yourself by -and,by.


s. But | tell you it is not mine; | am
not murderer; and protest against
this arrest and outrage upon my liberty"
said. The other detective interrupted
me.


"Ioung man." said he, "it's a pity
you were not brought up to the law bust
ness; you would have made first class
shyster. Wen give you chance to talk
to the judges when we get back to Paris,
but you can't talk to u.s.


In the meantime the tall detective
forced open the valise, and after some
searching found three diamond studs.
very like those had seen on the yo1ng
man in the gambling saloon. | felt nv
self growing pale.


. say, Henri, | thought we were on
the right track" said he. "Let us
search him now"


They then commenced to search NV
clothes, took out everything from my
pockets, and at last came to the watch.


"Young man, I'm afraid it will 90
hard with YOU" he said.


| tried to explain, but it was of no use
They made ME dress myself, took every.
thing they could find belonging to me
in the room, and was marched down
stairs between them. They brought
me into the parlor of the hotel, and two
of them stayed with me, while the Other
went out to see if the carriage was all
right, as he said. A sudden thought
struck me. sad that was the young
mans carriage-he who left me the
vallse. The detective only smiled.
told him what had passed, and how
had seen the carriage driven away. A
thought seemed also to have struck him
The detective who went after the car
rage now came in ; the other whispered
something hurriedly to him, and he
went quickly out again.


After this was brought up stairs tC
my room. They bolted the Windows
and locked t. door. All this had beer
aone SO quickly, and in such a shor
space OF time, that no one but the hote
keeper and few walters knew anytlin!
was passing.


They then procured paper and ink
and the tall agent said: Now if we ar