Bill Smiley's Scare.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4691, 19 January 1884, Page 1

Bill Smiley's Scare.

Bill Smiley was a light-fingered, enterprising young man, who improved his leisure by appropriating otherpeople's property whenever he got the chaflce. He was a jobbing carpenter by .trade, but his chief occupation wa|B that of riilway „ thief. The method he adopted was,to travel short distances by the different suburban lines, with the object of picking . up stray umbrellas, hand<baftg ( and other portable articles which were insufficiently guarded by their owner?, He had an innocent way of rushing ■from a railway., carriage just as the train was moving off, ' seizing, in bis btirry and confusion, somebody else's hatboi or umbrella f/om the rack. On the comparatively rare occasions when bis mistake was disv covered before it was too late to rectify it his profuse apologies were generally accepted with more or. less credulity. But, as a rule he managed to get clear away with his spoil, and so skilfully and cautiously did he conduct his operations that he had never yet been convicted, though he was painfully conscious that the police had their eye upon him- ' One evening, feeling inclined for a little excitement, be took a third class ticket at the Cbaring-Cross Station on the District Eailway, and strolled down on the plat* form. Keeping a sharp look-out, as he lounged about, waiting for a train to the West-end, his attention was attracted by the suspicious demeanour of a tall, Yankee-looking man, who seemed anxious to avoid observation, aod made his way to the far end of the station. He carried a carpet-bag, which he carefully placed on the ground while he walked up and down in front of it. Bill remarked that when anyone chanced to approach, the man mounted guard over the carpet bag in a very resolute manner. He tried the experiment himself, and felt convinced that the contents of the bag must be valuable. As the remit of deliberate observation, he came to the conclusion that the mysterious stranger was not; easy in his mind about having the bag in his possession, from which it was not difficult to surmise that be had not come by it lawfully. While-these reflections were crossing Bill's mind, a train came into the station, and in the midst of the confusion which ensued, he saw the stranger take a step forward and accost a passing guard. A few words were exchanged between them, during which Bill yielded to a sudden impulse which prompted him to seize hold of the stranger's bag and make off with it. Before there was a chance of his dolin- ■ quency being discovered. Bill bad leaped into a train, which was already beginning to move. He felt a little bit dismayed at what he had done, for he was accus^ tomed to act with more.circumspection. ■■ The chances were that the stranger would immediately communicate his loss to the officials, who would at once telegraph! down the line- This uncomfortable prospect caused Bill to break into a cold perspiration, for familiarity with the danger of being apprehended for robbery had not bred contempt for the ordeal. But by degrees he began to breathe more freely, as he the stranger's evident reticence. If, as Bill suspected, the man had reasons for desiring to conceal Jbiis identity, be might prefer to put up with his leas rather than create a disturbance. But stiil Bill did not feel at all comfortable, and he hastened to stow the bag underneath the seat, so that it mighc not attract the attention of the gnard in case he was warned to look out for it. While he wa9 thus occupied, the passen* per who was seated opposite to him observed, facetiously. " That ain st dynamite, is it, mate P" " No," replied Bill, with a grin, though

he was secretly vexed at his movements baring been noticed. "It's the coaj I'm agoin' to wear to-night when I *have supper with the Prince of Wales and the rest of the Boyai Family." But, strange to say, the facetious remark of his fellow passenger made an uncomfortable impression upon Bill Smiley, by suggesting to his mind a very disquieting suspicion. He had hitherto assumed that the bag contained valuables of some kind or other ; but on that point, of course he had no actual knowledge. Now he came to think of it, it was possible Chat the contents of the bag might be very different from what he had bargained for. This view of the question assumed an ominous significance when he recollected the demeanour of the stranger and his outlandish appearance. Bill was familiar, like everyone else, with the recent Fenian outrades. Supposing the stranger belonged to the dastardly gang who went about causing death and desolation bp means of infernal machines! Bill could not help shifting uneasily in his seat when he thought of the bag reposing snugly underneath him. It was ! rery easy to scoff at the notion of its J being the instrument of a diabolical outrage. For some reason or other, he found it impossible to dismiss the suspicion from his mind, His fellow passenger's aimless remark seemed to have acted upon him iike a revelation, and, in spite of himself, his suspicions grew into a sort of dreadful foreboding. He now recollected that when he lifted the bag he heard a strange rattle inside it, and the sound was repeated when he was putting it under the seat. Trifling as this circumstance was/ it helped to ■ increase his uneasiness. Whether his adventure had flurried his nerves, or his state of health rendered him liable to morbid fears, it is certain that he soon became firmly convinced that the prize for which lie had risked his liberty was an infernal machine which might blow him to atoms at any moment. The facetious fellow-passenger, remarking Bill's perturbation, which plainly showed itself in his pale face, goodnaturedly asked if he was ill, and offered to put the window down. This friendly interference caused Bill to collect his scattered, wits, and to reflect seriously what he had better do. His impulse was to seize the bag and hurl it into the darkness. But he was restrained from doing this partly from fear of the conseSuences, and partly from a lingering hope tiat his booty might be valuable after all. If an explosion resulted from the bag being dropped into the tunnel, he would be immediately apprehended as the author of the outrage. On the other band, some . fiendish machinery might be at work inside the bag at that very moment, , which rendered his hesitation almost suicidal.

This last reflection brought on a sort of frenzied desperation which impelled him to take immediate action. He felt lie could not sit still another moment and risk being blown up, even on the chance of his. booty proving, valuable. He resolved to get out at the next station, and leave the bag to its fate. After all he whispered to himself, it was more than probable that even if the contents of the bag turned out to be innocuous, they would not compensate him for the risk the possession of the bag would involve.

Bill did not stop to reflect that his last argument was rather of the " sour grapes " - order, nor did it occur to him that he was perhaps imperilling the lives of his fellow-passengers by leaving the bag behind him. His only, anxiety was to get away from it, and, consequently, on reaching the next station, which was Victoria, he suddenly jumped up and got out of the train; but before he had time to make good his escape, he was hailed from behind by several voices, including the; guard, who came and touched him on the shoulder.

11 Hi! You'veleft your luggage," said the official, curtly. Bill turned round involuntarily, and beheld his facetious, fellow-passenger standing in the doorway of the carriage he had just left, holding the fatal bag in one band and gesticulating violently with the other. It was a trying moment,, for while Bill shrank from laying a finger on the* bag, he did not know how to avoid doing so. To repudiate all knowledge of it would at once arouse suspicions which would . lead to unpleasant disclosures, inasmuch as several persons bad seen it in his possession. A wild idea of seeking safely in flight crossed his mind for an instant, but on looking round he perceived that several of the passengers in the train, and nearly all the people on the platform; including the porters and guards, were staring at him. This publicity was too much for Bill Smiley's modesty, so he

hastened to put an end to the scene by claiming his property. He walked up to the railway carriage, and received the bag from his late fellow-passenger, who remarked:—

',' Young man, if it hadn't been for me you would have had to dine at Marl- ' borough House in your second-best suit, which would have been a pity!"

' Bill thought this was the most ghastly joke he had ever heard in his life; but he t did not say so. In fact he- was too agitated to speak at all, for directly the bag was put into. his.hands, he again heard the ominous rattle inside it. He thought be should have dropped it, so frightened was he by the sound. But all the while he was conscious that a good many people were looking at him, which was a hew source of danger, for, as we know, he had the strongest reason for not intruding himself too much upon the public gaze. He therefor© made his way as quickly as possible through the crowd and up the 'staircase. Once in the street he imagined he would have no difficulty in disposing of the bag. Meanwhile, however, every time he moved, the rattling sound inside it sent sent a thrill through his nerves, and he almost gave himself up for lost. So cruel was his suspense that an explosion would have been almost a relief, if it had left him in a condition [to realise his sensations. At length he reached the street, but under the first lamp«post stood a policeman, who eyed him very suspiciously as he approached! Perhaps he knew Bill by sight, or guessed from some subtle indications that the bag [was not in its proper ownership. Bill would have handed over the bag with his most fervent blessing if that would have satisfied the official; but, of course, it would have been sheer folly to do so. The very nature of the contents of the bag might get him into serious difficulties. There was nothing for it but to assume an air of bravado and swagger past as though he bad a perfectly easy conscience.. This he succeeded in doing ts his own satisfaction but unfortunately the constable still •eemedto bare big doubts about him.

When Bill glanced over,his shoulder he perceived that the officer was strolling leisurely after him, apparently for the purpose of keeping him in view. This vigilance was especially embarrassing, for it compelled him to avoid any appearance of haste, and prevented him from carrying out his design of depositing his bur* den on the first convenient doorstep. Half dead with sheer fright, and in a fever of suppressed excitement, Bill made his way in the direction of Victoria street holding the bag with the utmost tenderness, yet longing to drop it and to take to his heels. On turning round shortly, however, he perceived that the policeman was still steadily following in his wake. Probably the truth was that the officer was only pursuing his beat, and had forgotten Bill long ago. But unfortunately this soothing reflection did not occur to Bill at the moment, and in his desperation he availed himself of an expedient which suddenly presented itself. The streetdoor of a house happened to be open just as he was passing, and a maid-servant came out on the door-step, and looked up and down the street. Before she had perceived him Bill had coolly placed the bag in her hands, and was preparing to move away.

"Hi I" exclaimed the girl, " What is I this?" I " For your master," answered Bill, over I his shoulder. j "lain't got no master. Hi! Stop ! I cried the girl raising her voice as hel vanished. " I say, mate, somebody's a callin' of you,'' said an officious errand boy, as Bill plunged across the road. " Hi! Stop there ! You're wanted !" cried another passer-by, in stentorian tones. There seemed to his excited imagination a general disposition on the part of the by-standers to. impede his flight, and and he hastily concluded that it would be wiser to yield to the hue-and-cry. He would stick to his story that he had been told to leave the bag at that particular house, and probably would succeed in making the girl believe him. With this object he retraced his steps, gathering assurance as he walked, but as ilMuck would have it, who should stroll up at the same moment but his vigilant enemy, the constable.

" Hi! You've made a mistake. This doesn't belong here. There is no name on it," said the girl as he approached. " What is the matter ?" inquired the constable, in a casual way. ." Oh! nothing. I've made a mistake, I suppose, as the young lady says so," answered Bill, hastily. He mechanically held out his hand for the bag as he spoke, but failed to grasp the handle, and it fell through his fingers on to the ground. Bill started back in consternation, fearing his last moment had come, and simultaneously he felt himself collared by the constable. "Hullo! young fellow. What does this mean ?" exclaimed the officer.

Bill, who had closed his eyes in an agony of apprehension, ventnred to open them again, and perceived that the shock of the fall had burst open the bag, the contents of which were scattered upon the doorstep. To his amazement they consisted of a miscellaneous collection of silver plate and jewellery, which made quite an imposing display. The articles had evidently been bundled unceremoniously into the bag, and were, no doubt, the proceeds of some recent robbery.

The constable naturally concluded that it was his duty to escort Bill to the nearest police station to make the necessary explanations. During the journey Bill's reflections {inclined to bitterness as he realised how foolishly he had abandoned a rich prize. The metallic rattle which had startled him had clearly been due to careless packing, and altogether he perceived that he had fallen a victim to a senseless scare. Needless to say, his ingenuous story of having received the bag from a nameless stranger was not considered satisfactory, and as the valuables were identified by a pawnbroker in the Strand,"whose premises had been burglariously entered during the evening, Bill received the full credit of the transaction, and was rewarded accordingly.—Truth.