The Funny Philosophers Part 19

Bragg protested his innocence and endeavored to explain.

"Oh, that's a pretty story!" said the man. "You are a sharp rogue! If you don't pay me for my bundle I will have you arrested at the next station and carried back to jail."

"How much was your bundle worth?" asked Bragg.

"Twenty dollars," said the man.

"Here's the money," said Bragg.

The man took the twenty dollars and resumed his seat. The train now stopped at another station and two constables rushed on board. They looked around with keen and searching glances.

"Jim," said one of them to the other, "that's the man. Arrest him!"

"I arrest you in the name of the law," said Jim, laying his hand on Bragg's shoulder.

"Arrest me!" exclaimed the astonished captain. "For what?"

"Burglary!" said the constable.

"By the powers of mud, stand back!" shouted the indignant Bragg.

"Come along, my lad!" said the constable. And Bragg, struggling with the officers and uttering volleys of oaths, was dragged from the car and had handcuffs put on his wrists.

"I knew that fellow was a thief," said the man who had lost his bundle.

A daring burglary had been committed in the neighborhood of Bella Vista.

At about twelve o'clock on the preceding night the store-room which adjoined the dwelling-house of a country merchant had been broken open.

The merchant was aroused and entered the store-room, but was knocked down and gagged by the burglars, and his goods carried off before his eyes. He had described the leader of the gang as a tall, raw-boned man, with a Roman nose. The appearance of Captain Bragg corresponded to the description, and hence he was arrested by the vigilant constables.

Great was the astonishment of Toney and his two friends when the train stopped, and they beheld Bragg led from the cars by the officers, with handcuffs on his wrists.

"Good heavens!" said Toney, "Bragg has encountered Botts and murdered him, and has been arrested for the crime."

"That is just what has happened!" exclaimed Seddon, with a look of horror.

"It is shocking to think of!" said Toney.

"Murder a man on account of a monkey!" said Seddon.

The constables kept off the crowd, and would allow no one to speak to the prisoner.

"Mr. Belton!" exclaimed Bragg, "I want you to be my attorney."

"Very good," said Jim, "you can talk to your lawyer."

Toney was permitted to converse with Bragg, who explained to him the nature of the charge which had caused his arrest.

"Thank Heaven!" exclaimed Toney.

"Thank Heaven for what?" asked Bragg, in astonishment.

"That it is no worse," said Toney.

"What could be worse? Arrested as a burglar!" said Bragg.

"Where were you at twelve o'clock last night?" inquired Toney.

"At my boarding-house," said Bragg.

"Can you prove that?" said Toney.

"Yes," said Bragg.

"By whom?" inquired Toney.

"By my landlady and a dozen of her boarders. I was playing cards, and won a hundred dollars," said Bragg.

"Tom Seddon," shouted Toney, "run to Captain Bragg's boarding-house, and tell the landlady and her boarders to come immediately to the magistrate's office."

Captain Bragg was brought into the office.

"Take off the handcuffs," said the justice. "A party accused should be unmanacled when he has a hearing."

Jim took off the handcuffs, and then stationed himself at the door with his hand on his revolver, ready to shoot down the desperate burglar if he should attempt to escape.

"Now, Mr. Belton," said the justice, "we will proceed with the examination."

The landlady swore that Captain Bragg was in her house at twelve o'clock on the preceding night. Her testimony was fully corroborated by that of a dozen of her boarders. An alibi had already been clearly established by the evidence, when the merchant who had been robbed walked into the room. He approached Bragg and scrutinized his countenance.

"This is not the man," said he. "The robber was a much handsomer man than the ugly old fellow you have got here."

In consequence of this testimony Captain Bragg was discharged from custody; but he was so mortified and humiliated at having been handcuffed and charged with burglary that he immediately took his departure from Bella Vista; telling Toney that he intended to leave the United States, and seek an asylum among the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

CHAPTER XVII.

"It is too bad! it is too bad!" exclaimed Tom Seddon, rus.h.i.+ng into the room which Toney and the Professor were quietly fumigating with a couple of havanas. "It is terrible to think of!"

"What's the matter, Tom?" said Toney. "Has old Crabstick been afflicted with another fit of canine rabies, and bit you on the calf of the leg?"

"Harry Vincent and Clarence Hastings have gone to Mexico!" said Tom.

"Well, what of that?" said Toney. "Thousands of young men have gone thither, and many have won distinction; and from my knowledge of Harry and Clarence, I am certain that both of them will soon gather luxuriant crops of laurel on the field of battle."

"But Claribel Carrington is dying," said Seddon.