imbed back into the
berth, and after that I assure you I slept very well."

The company applauded this description of how the robbery had been
committed, and Mr. Mitchel bowed.

"Wait, my friends, we are not through yet. The woman who had robbed me
had the supreme audacity to report her loss, or perhaps we should say,
that she was so angry that she became desperate. I have reason to
believe that she had an accomplice in this man, and that suspecting him
of robbing her, she would have been willing to give testimony against
him if caught, and trust to escape herself, by turning State's evidence.
When we were running in to New York, Mr. Barnes directed that all should
be searched. I enjoyed that, I assure you. It seemed so amusing to look
in New York for what I knew was in New Haven. At the same time I was
anxious to get back to New Haven as quickly as possible. With that end
in view I invited Mr. Barnes to breakfast with me. I tried to make it
appear that I was anxious to have him agree to be the only detective on
my track, but in reality I wished to discover whether he would be able
at once to place a spy at my heels; that is, whether he had a man at the
Grand Central already. This I found was the case. I therefore was
obliged to go to my hotel as though having no desire to leave town
again. Then, subsequently, I eluded this man by the convenient bridges
across the Elevated railroad. I went to New Haven, found the satchel,
and then deposited it at a hotel nearby for safe keeping. My object in
this was plain. I knew that the robbery would get into the newspapers,
and that by behaving suspiciously at the hotel,--of course I was
disguised,--attention would be attracted there. This did happen, and the
result was that the jewels were given into the custody of the police
authorities, the very safest place for them, so far as I was concerned.
Gentlemen, that is the story of the crime which I committed. I have only
to show my receipt from the Boston custom-house, and my bill-of-sale
from the Paris dealer to be able to recover my property. Are you
satisfied, Mr. Randolph?"

"Entirely. You have won fairly, and I have a check for the amount with
me, which you must accept with my congratulations upon your success."

"I thank you very much," said Mr. Mitchel, taking the check; "I take
this because I have immediate use for it, as you will learn directly.
Now I must tell you the true story of the other robbery."

At this all were