A NEW YEAR'S DINNER PARTY.
The 1st of January arrived, and Mr. Mitchel had heard nothing from Mr.
Barnes. Inquiry at his office was met by the simple statement, that "The
chief is out of town." When he would be back, or where a communication
would reach him, could not be learned. A few days before, however, a
formal engraved invitation to the dinner party had been mailed to his
home address. Mr. Mitchel was annoyed at not having any notification of
whether or not the detective would be present. However, he was compelled
to go ahead, and depend upon the slight chance that at the last moment
he would appear upon the scene. He hoped that this would occur, as
otherwise, his scheme for the evening would be incomplete.
The dinner was to be served at ten o'clock that night at Delmonico's,
where a private room had been engaged. It lacked ten minutes of the hour
for sitting down, and all the guests had arrived, except Mr. Barnes.
These were: Mr. Van Rawlston, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Neuilly, who
had decided to spend the winter in New York, Mr. Thauret, and several
other gentlemen.
It lacked barely half a minute of ten when Mr. Barnes was announced,
and entered in handsome evening dress. Mr. Mitchel's face wore a look of
triumph as he saw him, and he hurried forward to receive him. Every one
present understood why the detective was invited, for it was by this
time well known that a wager was to be decided at twelve o'clock. After
the exchange of greetings, Mr. Mitchel gave the waiters the order to
open the doors of the dining-room, and in the moment's interval managed
to get a word with the detective.
"Tell me quickly, have you succeeded?"
"Yes, thoroughly."
"Good! Write the man's name on a card, and I will give you one upon
which I have written the name of my man."
Mr. Barnes did so. Then they exchanged cards, glanced at them, and
grasped each other's hands significantly. The cards bore the same name.
With the others they went into the dining-room. Mr. Thauret found
himself seated next to Mr. Barnes, whilst on the other side of the
detective sat Mr. Fisher.
It need scarcely be said that the dinner was enjoyable and enjoyed,
though it must be admitted that all awaited anxiously the hour of
twelve. It will be as well perhaps, therefore, to come immediately to
the _denouement_, for which all were assembled. The last course had been
served, and coffee and nuts were on the table, when the clock chimed the
hour for which all were anxious. Promptly at the first stroke Mr.
Mitchel arose. There was a silence till twelve was tolled and then he
began:
"Gentlemen, you have all kindly accepted my invitation to see me win a
rash wager made thirteen months ago. It is odd, perhaps, that I should
have won--for I announce that I have won--when we remember that the time
was thirteen months, which number, as we all know, superstitious persons
are inclined to connect with misfortune. To show, however, that I do not
harbor such childish ideas, I purposely made the time of that length,
and, to-night, at the decisive moment, we are thirteen." Here he paused
a moment, and one might have noticed that several persons quickly
counted those present to test the fact. Continuing, he said: "The
superstition in connection with thirteen at dinner is a well-defined
one, and the supposition is that one of the number will die within the
year. I offer as a toast, therefore, 'Long life to all present--who
deserve it.'" The last clause after a slight hesitation, made a decided
effect. However, the toast was drunk in silence.
"As some present may not entirely understand what my wager was, I must
explain that thirteen months ago to-night I was in a Pullman sleeper
with my friend, Mr. Randolph. Mr. Barnes here had just accomplished a
neat capture of the criminal Pettingill, who has since been convicted.
The papers were praising him, and Mr. Randolph did so to me in glowing
terms. I ventured the assertion that detectives run down their prey
largely because the criminal class lack intelligence sufficient to
compete with their more skilled adversaries. I offered to wager that I
could commit a crime within a month and not be detected within a year
thereafter. The amount was to be a thousand dollars, and was accepted by
Mr. Randolph. I stipulated for conviction, though had I been arrested
within the stated period and convicted afterwards, I should have
considered that I had lost the wager. That is why I awaited the arrival
of Mr. Barnes so anxiously. I had not seen him for some time, and it was
possible that at the last moment he might be prepared to arrest me upon
evidence that would later convict me. However, gentlemen, I have escaped
both arrest and conviction, yet I committed the crime as wagered."
"You must prove that," said Mr. Randolph; "and, according to our
agreement, it must have been a crime which was much talked about!"
"Quite right, my friend, but I shall be able to demonstrate all that. By
a curious coincidence a robbery was committed on the very night and upon
the same train upon which we made our wager, whilst another robbery was
committed almost at the moment when the stipulated month expired. Thus
two crimes transpired within the time allowed me, and with both of these
my name has been connected in the mind of the detective, Mr. Barnes.
Now, that you all may better understand the circumstances, I must go to
what I might call the beginning. Years ago certain circumstances in my
earlier life gave me an intimate acquaintance with the methods used by
detectives, and I then acquired the idea which led me into this
undertaking,--that where the criminal has succeeded in escaping actual
watching during the commission of his crime, so that there is no
witness to the act, the detective is almost powerless until he learns
the object for which the crime was undertaken. Am I not right, Mr.
Barnes?"
"To know the object of a crime, of course, is a great assistance, but
much would depend upon the attendant circumstances."
"True. The object then is important. From this point I reached the
conclusion that if a man approached another, totally unknown to him, at
night in a lonely neighborhood, struck him on the head, killing him, and
then, unseen, reached his own home, it would rest entirely with himself
whether or not he would ever be caught. I wanted a chance to try this
experiment; that is, to commit a crime solely to test the ability of the
detectives to discover me afterwards. The difficulty was that a
gentleman of honor would scarcely wish to engage in such a reprehensible
piece of business. For years, therefore, I could think of no way to have
my wish, till the merest chance threw the opportunity within my grasp.
Waiter, fill up the glasses."
He paused a moment while this was being done. The men went around with
champagne, and when Mr. Thauret was reached he asked to have his
Burgundy glass filled also. Mr. Mitchel was again speaking when the
waiter returned with the red wine, and did as requested. Mr. Barnes also
presented his glass for the same liquor, saying in an undertone to Mr.
Thauret, "I cannot take too much champagne."
"One of my hobbies," continued Mr. Mitchel, "as you all know, is the
collection of jewels. A few years ago I heard that a magnificent set
was offered for sale. A rich East Indian nobleman, so the story goes,
had procured the gems as a present to his wife. They were of the
choicest quality, and of each exactly two, matched precisely in size,
cutting, and coloration. In time he had two daughters, twins, the mother
dying at their birth. Eventually these girls grew up and were married,
the ceremony being a double wedding. The father took the set of jewels
and divided them, giving to each girl, one of each. This greatly
diminished their value, for the matching of gems adds to their price.
Reverses of fortune tempted one of these women to offer her jewels for
sale. They were taken to a Paris dealer, who chanced to be a man through
whom I had made many purchases. He undertook not only to dispose of the
gems, but to reproduce them with a high order of imitation, so that the
woman retained the original settings and continued to wear what her
friends supposed to be the genuine gems. I bought the unset stones.
Subsequently her sister, learning the secret, and seeing that there was
a way by which the jewelry could be retained, whilst the jewels
themselves could be turned into money, engaged the same dealer to serve
her in a similar way. Of course, I was doubly anxious to obtain this
second lot, for by doing so I enhanced the values of those which I had
already. I therefore bought them also."
He paused a moment, to allow the company to recover from the surprise at
learning that the stolen jewels were his.
"This lot was sent to me through the Boston custom-house. I instructed
the dealer to do this, because I had found that goods can be received
with less delay in Boston than in New York. Being notified by my broker
there that they were ready for delivery, I went to Boston and obtained
them. I placed the wallet in a peculiar satchel which had been made to
order for me, and carried it to my room at the Hotel Vendome. Later in
the day, I met Mr. Randolph, and went with him to a theatre. He was to
return to New York by the midnight express, and I went with him to the
depot. As we stood awaiting our turn to purchase tickets, you may
imagine my utter astonishment to see a woman pass and board the train,
having my satchel in her hand. There could be no mistake whatever,
because the satchel was peculiar, both in shape and color. Of course I
saw at once I had been robbed. It was useless to go back to my hotel,
for that would be time wasted. If by any miracle there were two such
satchels, mine was safe in the hotel. I therefore astonished Mr.
Randolph by offering to accompany him, and I did so, occupying the same
section with him. Whilst I was thinking what action I should pursue,
knowing that once the train started my thief would be safe as far as New
Haven, Mr. Randolph began to praise Mr. Barnes, and like a flash it came
to me that this was my chance. I would rob the thief of my own property.
Thus if caught I could not be imprisoned, whilst if not I would not only
win my wager, but I would have the excitement and the satisfaction for
which I had wished. One thing threatened to upset my plans. Mr. Barnes
by an odd chance came aboard the same coach, was given the section next
to ours, and overheard our conversation. This of course I could not have
counted upon."
"You did take it into your account though," interrupted Mr. Barnes.
"You mean that I refused to tell Mr. Randolph what I meant to do, saying
that I might be overheard, and that I might even be talking for the
benefit of a listening detective? True, but I had no idea that this was
so. It was merely extreme precaution, and only shows that we can never
be too cautious in an endeavor to keep a secret. Later, however, I heard
you get up, and peeping through the curtains, I saw you sitting up, or
rather lying in a berth opposite, with the curtains drawn. I at once
supposed that you must be a detective. My companion was soon asleep, but
with a hundred thousand dollars worth of jewels in the balance, I could
not sleep. I was busy wondering what I should do. I think though that I
must have dozed, for I know that I was startled to discover suddenly
that we were not moving. I looked out of our section window--fortunately
I was next to it--and found that we had run into the depot at New Haven.
Like a flash it came to me that the thief might leave the train here. I
was about to get up, when to my astonishment I noticed a man sneaking
along by the side of the train. I was on the side opposite to that from
which the passengers would alight, and the suspicious actions of the man
forced me to watch him. He passed so close to me that I could have
touched him had my window been open, and as he did so the light of an
electric lamp disclosed the fact that he had my satchel. The thief had
been robbed already. The man approached a coal-bin, and stooping, shoved
the satchel behind it. Then he returned to the train and came aboard. I
said to myself 'That fellow is an artist. He will remain on board till
the robbery is discovered, if necessary, and even allow himself to be
searched. Then he will quietly come back and get the satchel and
jewels.' Thus it was my cue to act quickly. But if I left the train I
knew that the detective would see me. I therefore gently raised the
sash, and deftly let myself to the ground out of the window. I quickly
took the satchel, ran to the end of the depot, and found a place where I
could shove it far under the platform. Then I climbed 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 very much astonished. Mr. Thauret appeared a trifle
nervous. He placed one hand over the top of his claret glass, and let it
rest there a moment, after first having taken a sip from it.
"You all recall the fact that I was sick in Philadelphia," continued Mr.
Mitchel, "at the time of the Ali Baba festival. I flatter myself that
that was the most artistic thing that I have done throughout this whole
affair. Any one seeing me would have been satisfied that I was truly
ill, yet, in point of fact, my cough was brought on by drugs
administered to me by my physician at my express desire, and for
purposes which I had explained to him. I guessed that I had been
followed to Philadelphia, and took care that I should not be too closely
watched, as Mr. Barnes knows. Yet I expected that after the affair, Mr.
Barnes himself would come to Philadelphia to see me, and my
artificially-produced illness was to baffle him. But I am anticipating
events. After the train robbery the woman was murdered. By what seemed
an odd chance she was in the same house where my wife then lived. I knew
that I had been followed from the theatre to that house on the night of
the murder. I knew that other circumstances pointed strongly to my
guilt. But I had the advantage over the detective, for I knew that the
man who had stolen the jewels from the woman, not finding them when he
returned to New Haven, must have been furious. Judging the woman by
himself, he would suppose that at least it was possible that she had
taken them from the satchel herself. Then on that slim chance might he
not have returned to the woman, and, admitting the theft of the satchel,
have endeavored to make her confess that she still had the jewels?
Failing in this, might he not either in a fit of anger or to prevent her
from 'peaching,' as they call it, have cut her throat?"
"You are wrong there, Mr. Mitchel," said the detective. "The woman was
killed whilst she slept. There was no struggle."
"Even so, we can imagine the sneak going into the house and killing her
that he might search for the gems undisturbed, and also to rid himself
of a companion for whom he no longer had any need. At least, that was
the view that I took of it, and, more than that, I felt convinced that I
knew the man."
At this moment, Mr. Thauret nervously reached forth his hand towards his
glass of wine, but before he could get it Mr. Barnes had taken it up and
drained it to the bottom. Mr. Thauret seemed livid with wrath, and a
dramatic incident occurred, unobserved by the rest of the company. Mr.
Thauret turned towards Mr. Barnes and seemed on the point of making a
demonstration, when that gentleman just tipped back his chair slightly,
and meaningly exposed to the view of his neighbor the gleaming barrel of
a revolver, which he held in his hand below the table. This only
occupied a moment, and immediately afterwards both men seemed, like the
others, simply interested listeners to the narrative.
"When I say that I thought that I knew the man," continued Mr. Mitchel,
"I make a statement which it may interest you to have me explain. In the
first place, I saw the fellow who hid the satchel at the New Haven
depot. Still I obtained but a momentary glimpse of his face, and would
not have been sure of identifying him. I will call your attention now to
the fact that very slight incidents sometimes lead the mind into a
suspicion, which, followed up, may elucidate a mystery. Prior to the
train robbery I had met a man at my club one night, or rather I had seen
him playing a card game, and I conceived the notion that the fellow was
cheating. Within a few days of the robbery I met this man again, on
which occasion Mr. Barnes was present, and an interesting conversation
occurred. I was standing aside, pretending to be otherwise engaged, but
really puzzling over the face of this man, which now seemed to me
strikingly familiar. Of course I had seen him at the club, yet despite
me, there was an intuitive feeling that I had seen him elsewhere also.
In a moment I heard him admit that he had been aboard of the train on
the night of the robbery, and that he had been the first one searched.
Awhile later he offered to wager Mr. Barnes that various theories which
had been advanced as to the thief's method of secreting the jewels, were
all erroneous. This one remark satisfied me that the thief stood before
me. I had not then heard of the murder. Now it must be remembered that I
was ensnared in the meshes of circumstantial evidence myself, so that,
besides any duty that I might owe to society, it became of vital
importance to my own safety that I should be in a position to prove this
man guilty. I formed a rather bold plan. I made a friend of the fellow.
I invited him to my room one night, and then accused him of having
cheated at the card game. He at first assumed a threatening attitude,
but I retained my composure, and perhaps startled him by proposing to
form a partnership by which we could fleece the rich club men. I hinted
to him that I really possessed less money than I am credited with, and
that what I did have I had taken at the tables on the Continent. He then
admitted that he had a 'system,' and from that time we posed as good
friends, though I do not think he ever fully trusted me. I learned from
him that his partner in the game where I caught him cheating was
entirely innocent, and made him promise not to play with him again, for
I had discovered that the detectives had been told of this game, and
therefore knew that they would be watching both men when playing cards.
I preferred to be the partner myself upon such occasions. Having
somewhat won the fellow's confidence, I was ready for my great scheme in
baffling the detective so that I might win my wager, and at the same
time entrap my suspect. I had conceived the Ali Baba festival. I showed
Mr. Barnes one day the ruby which I afterwards presented to my wife. At
the same time I told him, that if he should come to the conclusion that
I was innocent of the train robbery, he might as well remember that I
would still have to commit the crime as agreed upon. Then I arranged
that the festival should occur on New Year's night, the very day on
which my month would expire. I knew that all this would lead the
detective to believe that I meant to rob my _fiancee_, a crime for which
I might readily have escaped punishment, with her assistance. There he
misjudged me. I would not for treble the sum have had her name mixed up
in such a transaction. She knew absolutely nothing of my intentions,
though being at that time in ignorance of the details of the train
robbery, I left her mind in a condition not to offer resistance to the
thief, who she might suppose to be myself. Then, after laying my trap,
at the last moment, I baited it by asking my _fiancee_ to wear the ruby
pin in her hair. I went to Philadelphia, and feigned sickness. Then I
eluded the spy and came on myself. Mr. Barnes I supposed would be
present, and I had arranged so that if so, he would necessarily be in
one of the dominos of the forty thieves. I had invited my suspect to
assume the role of Ali Baba, but he shrewdly persuaded some one else to
take the costume, himself donning one of the Forty Thieves' dresses.
This compelled me to go around speaking to every one so disguised, and
to my satisfaction, by their voices, I discovered my man and also Mr.
Barnes. In the final tableau, Mr. Barnes, who evidently was watching Ali
Baba, attempted to get near him, and by chance was immediately behind my
man. Fearing that he would interfere with my plans, I fell in just
behind him. My design was to tempt the fellow to steal the ruby, which,
if he did, would satisfy at least myself that my suspicions were
correct. It was, perhaps, a mad scheme, but it succeeded. I had so
arranged that every one should pass the Sultan and make obeisance. In
doing this, as my _fiancee_ was seated on the floor, the ruby in her
hair would be just at hand, and one who knew its high value could easily
take it. I fully expected my man to do this, and I saw him gently
withdraw it. Immediately Mr. Barnes stepped forward to seize him, but I
held the detective from behind, then threw him into the advancing crowd,
and, in the confusion, escaped from the house."
Mr. Mitchel paused, and silence prevailed. All felt, rather than knew,
that a tragedy might be at hand. Mr. Thauret however, in a moment said:
"Are you not going to tell us the name of this sneak thief?"
"No," quickly responded Mr. Mitchel. "But you are wrong to call my
suspect a sneak thief. If crime were a recognized business, as gambling
in Wall Street is now considered, this man would be counted 'a bold
operator.' I confess that I admire him for his courage. But it would
scarcely do for me to mention his name, when I am not in the position to
prove that he is the guilty man."
"I thought you said that you saw him steal the ruby?" said Mr. Thauret.
"I did, but as I myself had been suspected of that, my unsupported word
would be inadequate. Let me tell you what I have done in the matter
since. The most important step for me, perhaps, was to prevent the sale
of the gem. This was not difficult, as it is known the world over. I
warned all dealers, and let my man know that I had done so. Next, I
wished to delay a _denouement_ until to-night, the time when my wager
with Mr. Randolph would be settled. I soon discovered that my suspect
would not be averse to a marriage with a rich American girl. He
questioned me adroitly as to the fortune which would come to my little
sister-in-law, and I replied in such a way that I knew he would bend his
energies in that direction. Then I did that, which, perhaps, I should
not have done, but I felt myself master of the situation and able to
control events. I made a wager with Dora that she would not remain
unengaged until to-night, and I stipulated that should she have offers
she should neither accept nor reject a suitor. I also told her, though I
declined to fully explain how, that she would materially assist me in
winning my wager."
This explains what Dora meant when she asked Mr. Randolph if money would
count with him against her love. When she accepted the wager with Mr.
Mitchel she had been feeling resentfully towards Mr. Randolph, who, as
long as he suspected his friend of the graver crimes, hesitated to
become connected with him by marriage. This made him less attentive to
Dora, so that she had not thought of him as a suitor when making the
bet. When he declared himself she recognized her predicament and was
correspondingly troubled, yet determined to win, and so acted as
related.
By this time, though Mr. Mitchel had not mentioned the name of the
criminal, several present knew to whom he was alluding. Mr. Randolph
said impetuously:
"Then that explains----" here he stopped, confused.
"Yes," said Mr. Mitchel, smiling, "that explains everything that has
perplexed you. Be reconciled for the time you have been made to wait,
for you will now not only win the lady, but you will recover this check,
for I must pass it over to her as a forfeit. Gentlemen, shall we drink
to the health and success of Mr. Randolph?"
This was done in silence. The guests felt a constraint. They knew that
more was yet to come and anxiously waited for it.
Mr. Mitchel continued: "Gentlemen, that ends my story, except that I
engaged Mr. Barnes to take up the threads of evidence which I gave him,
and to disentangle them if he could. Shall we hear his report?"