Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8026, 12 January 1906, Page 4

" Mr. Goodwin of Australia." 4s Told by Miss Macqueen, or London, I know it's the sort of thing I ought to leave other people to say, but I think Aunt -ilildred liked having me stay with her. It's not to be wondered at, perhaps, for she was a lonely little woman. Bobbed of her husband by death only three years after marriage, her son Jackie—a bright little fellow of seven—two brothers who had gone abroad, one to Canada and the other to Australia— mother and myself, completed her circle of relatives. So every year I used to come up from the country to stay for a month with her at Streatham. It was about a week after my arrivnl and auntie and I were chatting before the tire in her boudoir, wheu the servant brought in a curd. Aunt took it, and read " Mr. Andrew Muwartson." On going into the drawing-room half an hour after, I was surprised to find he was still there, and I noticed that aunt bad evidently been giving him afternoon tea. II Nora dear," said my aunt, as soon as I •ntered, " This is Mr. Stewartson. Let me introduce you. Mr. Stewartson—this is my niece—Miss Macqneen! Mr. Stewartson has only recently arrived from Montreal, dear, and I'm sure you'll be interested to know he's a great friend of your Uncle Frank's." Mr. Stewartson rose to go. "Let me see," he said, almost as If to himself, " what did I do with my gloves ? " He thrust his hand into his coat-tail pocket, apparently to feel for them, and instantly bis face became the picture of dismay. " Great heavens 1" he exclaimed. " I've been robbed!" "How very veiingl" murmured auntio sympathetically. "Yes, it is," assented the Canadian; " it's not the loss of the money—that's nothing; but it upsets my plan for this evening. I'd arranged to meet an old friend at C o'clock at Charing Cross, dine with him and go to the theatre afterwards. It's nearly 5 already, and I don't see how I'm to get over to my rooms at Hampstead and back to Charing Cross in an hour. But one can hardly have an evening out on this." He drew out a/shilling and three, coppers and looked fit them disgustedly. " But—surely we can armhge a little matter like that,.M(- stewartson ? " said auntie kindly. " Can I—can I er—offer to lend you " " Would-er-would seven pounds be too much?" " No, I think I can manage that. If you'll excuse me I'll just go and get it." When auntie returned with the money, ihe cheque was signed and ready. " I'm sure I'm deeply obliged to yoa, Mrs. Vincent. I shall not forget that, but for you, I should have had to forego an evening's enjoyment with an old chum." And Uncle Frank's friend shook hands warmly with us both and took his departure. • • • It was when Jackie was having his tea that the bolt fell. " Mother! " said my small cousin between mouthfuls of hread and butter and jam, " such a l.ice "entleman spoke to me as I wns going to school this afternoon. He gave me some chocolates, and asked me what my name was and where I lived. So I told him, and then he asked me if I'd got any uncles who didn't live in England, and I said there was Uncle Frank in Montreal and Uncle lialph in Sydney. "And then he asked me if I was sure they lived there, nnd I said I was, 'cos I'd seen the places on the map." "llow very extraordinary 1" exclaimed his mother, when Jackie had concluded his narrative. " I think it's rather more than extraordinary, aunt," I said a little excitedly. "I'm afraid it means that you've been swindled to the tune o! £7." When siie informed the police it was only to learn that others in the neighbourhood had been victimized in a similar way, and it was believed that two impostors wera playing the same game. # * » It was a few days later, and I was putting the finishing touches to my toilette previous to a shopping expedition, when aunt came hurriedly into my room. " Nora ! Nora ! " she exclaimed in a state of great excitement. "He's come—he's come." " Who's come, auntie ? " I asked in astonishment. " Why, the other one they told us about, and naturally, lip's from Sydney—a friend of your Uncle Ralph's, of course ? " jThcn it dawned on me what my aunt meant.' "Where is lie ? " I said. "In the drawing-room. He asked for me —just like the other man, and gave Susan his card. Here it is I " I took it and read : "Mr. James Goodwin." "It does look rather suspicious," I replied. " What are you going to do ? " "Do? Why, send Susan for a policeman, of course 1 What else should I do?" Susan was sent off with a smile on her face, which showed the errand was quite in accord with her tastes. I followed Aunt Mildred into the drawingroom, and was at once introduced to Mr. James Goodwin, from Sydney. I know it was very rude, but, for a moment, I stared in amazement. Could that open, bronzed countenance, lit by a pair of the frankest brown eyes I ever saw, belong to a rank fraud ? If it were so, I vowed that never again would I attempt to judge a man by his face. Wemanagedtogetoutafew commonplace remarks, but the conversation soon flagged. At this moment Susan entered the room, closely followed by a police officer. The sight of the latter was quite enough for aunt. "Here he is, constable!" she exclaimed excitedly. " Take him in charge—take him in charge ! We managed to keep him talking here till you come," she added triumphantly. Mr. Goodwin rose to his feet. " What is the meaning of this ?" he asked. "I should think you ought to know 1" said my aunt, severely. "Pardon me, but I don't! If this is a joke, I'm afraid I haven't caught the humor of it up to the present." "It's no joke, sir," interrupted the constable; "but, if I understand the matter ri'jht, you'd best come along with me and give an account o' yourself at the station." The man in blue led the way to the door, but paused on the threshold. ' "It'll be necessary for you or somebody to come to the station, too, ma'am," he said, looking at Aunt Mildred. "There's the charge-sheet to sign, if needs be." "Oh, I can't—l can't! " replied aunt, who was getting a little hysterical. "I'm so upset. I feel ready to drop 1 Nora, dear, you must go and tell them all that's occurred." When we were ushered into the inspector's presence, and after what I suppose were the preliminary formalities had been gone through, Mr. Goodwin said quietly: " I should like to ask, Inspector, if you know Sir Horace Burrowes, of ' The Firs,' a house not far from here, I believe." "Yes; I should think we do," replied the inspector. " Ah ! Then you will kindly send someone to him at once with this card, and say I should be extremely grateful if he would come here immediately ? " Evidently impressed by the request, the the messenger, and then turned to me. " Ihis appears to be rather a strange affair," he remarked in an official manner.

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