JACK LANGLEY'S OVERCOAT.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2169, 13 August 1897, Page 4

JACK LANGLEY'S OVERCOAT.

The smoking concert of the staff of Messrs Cardew and Co., the great engineering; firm in "Westminster, was in full swing at the Broad Street Hotel, and everything was going as smoothly as the organisers could have wished. Two of the non-professional performers who assisted at that entertainment were Jack Langley and Arthur May-i hew. Langley was one of the most popular men in the office. He had a kind, unselfish nature, which made him liked on all sides; whilst, whenever the firm had any festivity in progress, he charmed everyone with his beautiful baritone voice. His popularity and his singing capabilities made him hated by one man, and that man was Arthur Mayhew.

The two young men occupied rather subordinate positions in the office. Langley was one of the assistant bookkeepers, whilst Mayhew, who was two years his junior, was in the correspondence department Mayhew had always been the acknowledged smger of the office until Langley came, and then he had to take a back seat, for he knew that the newcomer could give him any amount of points at the singing business and beat him every time. Thoroughly jealous by nature, Mayhew conceived first of all a violent jealousy, and later an intense hatred of his rivel, and lie resolved to do him an evil turn When the first opportunity came.

Langley was in fine form to-night. He sang the song noted on the programme, and at the end of it received an enthusiastic encore. He sang again, receiving even a greater reception than before, and at the close the excited audience, greedy for more, called for him afresh. The chairman, Mr George Cardew, then rose to his feet and announced that Mr Langley "would oblige later on." Then the noisy young men settled down and awaited calmly the next turn. A little later In the evening Mayhew came on. He sang his best, but his best was not to he compared with Langley's worst, and. though the indulgent audience applauded him moderately, he knew hj» his heart of hearts that he did not deserve one round of applause. And yet, knowing this, he hated the man who was winning praise which was thoroughly deserved. At length the end came, as it comes to everything. In the cloak-room a noisy hand of riotous smokers demanded their hats and coats, and Langley found himself beside Mayhew. "Halloa. Mayhew," he said, cheerily. "Congratulate you, my boy. Tour song went well to-night I'm sure." He said this in all good nature, for he Xelt sorry for the other man, and wished to comfort him as far as possible. But Mayhew. sick with jealousy, and excited with the alcohol he had been drinking, turned on him savagely. ••Confound you and your congratulaVms," he said; "keep them to yourself. Good night" Turning abruptly on his heel, he made Ids way out of the cloak-room, leaving Langley aghast at his behavior. "Old Mayhew must be a hit hurt and HO mistake," remarked a young fellow who stood close by; "fancy his going en like that"

"Poor chap," said langley; "after all, 1 don't wonder at his being upset. It's awfully discouraging when you feel that you haven't made a real success.** And all the way home he was thinking ■of Mayhew, and saying to himself: "Poor Mayhew—poor old chap." Whilst Mayhew, as he walked homeward, was saying: "I hate him-I hate Mm—l hate him!" • ««•** When two men are brought constantly together, one of them desiring to injure the other, an opportunity for doing so must Invariably present itself sooner or later. In the case of Arthur Mayhew, it arrived sooner than he had expected, and ft fell out in this wise. About two months after the concert recorded at the beginning of this history. the firm were much distressed to find that someone in their employ was robbing them week after week. One day postal-orders would vanish, then other valuables, and so on. Even personal property was appropriated, and at length there came the day when Mr Cardew said that the scandal must go on no longer. He accordingly communicated with the police, and a detective of great experience was sent down to interview Mm.

Now, so that the news of the detective's advent should not become public in the office, Mr Cardew arranged for his visit to take place at seven o'clock, when everybody was supposed to have gone home. He was just about to close his books for the night and put on his hat and coat, when (he sound of voices in the adjoining room, which happened to be Mr Cardew's private office made him draw back and listen attentively. The partition between the two walls was so thin that he was able to hear distinctly every word that passed between the partner and the detective. It may be wondered why Mayhew desired to overhear the conversation. He did so simply because he made a practice of eavesdropping whenever he had a dunce. In days gone by he had picked up one or two valuable *-tips" by this rather disgraceful process, and he therelore listened now with all his ears. "First of all," said the detective, "I mast ask you if everyor.e has left the office, for the plan I arr about to propose to you, Mr Cardew, Is one which must never go beyond ourselves if it is to have any possible chance of success." "I believe everyone has gone home," returned the other; "but let us come and make certain."

Hearing these words, the ingenious Mayhew slipped behind the huge safe in the corner of the room, so that when the two men looked in, they saw no one there.

"We're safe enough," said the detective, gruffly. "And now, sir, 111 detail to you what I propose." "Go on," said Mr Cardew, quietly. "I am listening. Whatever you propose in reason shall be carried out, for I am reserved to discover the culprit concerned in all these disgraceful thefts, even if it costs me LIOOO to do so." The detective gave the partner a somewhat contemptuous look, as though he despised him for his display of excitement. Then he said, very slowly and deliberately:— "What I propose is this, sir. Xext

Saturday morning, at about 11 o'clock.

leave on a conspicuous part of your desk in this room your purse. Let it bXl «rell filled with gold—not with notes—for thieves often fight stay of notes for obvious reasons. Notes have numbers, and numbers are awkward things sometimes. Let the gold, therefore, be the only thing in the purse, and leave it. as I have said, where everyone can see it. Tou might scatter one or two* other articles of personal property, such as a handkerchief, a cigar-case. etc.. on the desk, so as to give the business an unprearranged appearance. Havifcg done all tkis, let it be known that yoa are going out. and will not be back for a few hours. Come back at one, and see If th« purse is still on the desk. If it is not. aend downstairs for, me, and I shall bo In waiting at the door vith a couple of plain-clothes men. Your next actiop will be to have every door in the place locked, and allow nobody to leaveU until ke has been thoroughly searched. If you have a cloak-room or hat-room, that must be searches also, as it is quite as

likely the thief would deposit the stolen property in his overcoat as anywhere else."

Mr Cardew rose and paced the room excitably. "My dear sir," he said, speaking in a quick, nervous tone, " I really don't think I could possibly sanction such a course as that. It is most un-English —most arbitrary—most humiliating." "Doubtles it is," returned the other, coolly; "but it's about the only way I can see of clearing up this business. If you'll alow me to make the remark, sir, I would remind you that just now you said you would give a thousand pounds to do so."

"So I would, so I would, but I cannot humiliate my assistants, some of whom are old and trusted servants." "There will be no humiliaticn. You can explain the circumstances, and I am sure every sensible man-jack of them will see that the course taken is the only one under the circumstances. Besides, you can tone it down by announcing a holiday, or something of that sort, to make up for their temporary inconvenience."

"Yes, I might do that," replied Mr Cardew. musingly: "and. after all, as you say, when they realise the circumstances, rhey cannot possibly take offence. Well, well," and here he sighed slightly, "if you are convinced that this course is for the best, take it, by all means."

'"Very good, sir," said the detective, as he rose to take his leave. "On Saturday next, then, at 1 p.m., I shall be at the door. If you want me, you had better let me know yourself, as in cases of this kind, third persons are always dangerous. Good night, sir."

He left, the room quickly, Mr Cardew accompanying htm to the door, and letting himself out at the same time. Then Mayhew slowly took his way home, thinking deeply all the time. Here was a chance at last, a glorious, wonderful chance of getting his rival, Jack Langley, into disgrace. It would be as easy as smoking a cigarette. On Saturday he would find an excuse for entering the partners' room, and he would then take the purse, secreting it in Langley's overcoat pocket downstairs m the cloak-room. He would have no difficulty in finding the coat among the large number there, for Langley's peg was No. 66, just above his own, which was 35.

Then there would follow the finding of the purse in his hated rival's pocket, and then, perhaps, the police station, and the subsequent disgrace of a criminal trial. Perhaps the firm would let him off, but, at any rate, he would be dismissed, and his talents and popularity would rankle no more in the plotter's heart. Yes. It could be done, and, by Jove, it should be done!

He knew that young Langley had lately been a little presed for money, and had obtained advances from the cashier. This would make his guilt all the more palpable, and it semed to him, as he thought over his foul plot, that Fate itself was on his side, aiding him and abetting him in the vile scheme that now was alive in his subtle brain. Saturday morning came in due course. Aft eleven o'clock Mr Cardew entered the large office where all the workers were engaged, and said to the cashier, in a voice that all could hear—"l'm going down to the works. I shall be back in an hour or so."

Within twenty minutes of his departure, Mayhew cautiously approached his room, and there, sure enough, on the partner's desk, lay a small purse. He did not stop to examine the contents, ljut, hastily putting it in his pocket, he rushed downstairs into the cloak-room, which, fortunately for him, was deserted.

Yes. That was Langley's coat, but he must make sure by looking in the pocket, and seeing some documentary evidence, to make certainty more certain. He accordingly pulled out the first paper that came to hand, an envelope addressed, "J. Langley, Esq." The right coat, of course. With a quick movement, he placed the well-filled purse in the right-hand pocket of the overcoat, and then carelessly sauntered back to the office, and went on with his work. At one o'clock Mr Cardew returned. Very agitated, he went rapidly to his room, and found the purse missing. In an instant he was out in the great office, where he said, in a loud tone:—

"Gentlemen, a disgraceful robbery has just been committed in my room. Let no one leave the office on pain of instant dismissal."

Everybody except one we know sat dumfounded. Mr Cardew went on:— "A detective and two of kis men are waiting below to make a thorough search of every individual in these offices. I have to apologise to you one and all for submitting you to such a process, but it is inevitable. If anyone objects, he must resign his position In our employment"

No. No one objected. Messrs Cardew and Co.'s employes were too well off to risk losing their situations, and they would rather have been searched every day and night than have resigned the same. Mr Cardew, finding all going smoothly, summonedthe detectives, and, one by one, each employe was taken into the partner's room and thoroughly searched.

The inquiry proved useless; but the detective did not give in.

"With your leave," he said, turning to Mr Cardew, "we'll have a look at the overcoats now."

Mr Cardew led the way. Five minutes later he returned, looking very stern. The purse was in his hand, and one of the detectives was carrying an overcoat. Mayhew grinned with joy. His triumph over his rival was at hand at last. But he changed color, and a sick feeling rushed to his heart when Mr Cardew tapped him on the shoulder, and said—"Come into my room at once."

"Mayhew," said the partner, sternly 'is this your coat?" "Yes, sir; that is my coat."

"Do you know that this purse has just been found in that very overcoat? My boy, I won't be hard on you, but you had better confess."

Mayhew was ton thunderstricken to speak. He could only stand and stare at Mr Cardew as though he had gone mad.

"Come," said the Latter, putting his hand on his shoulder. " you are very young, and perhaps if I give you one chance, you will turn over a new leaf. You can go, but never let me see your face again." Still wondering, still amazed, the wretched youth sluk from the room, and no one at that establishment ever saw him more. How had it occurred that the purse deposited by Mayhew in Jack Langley's pocket had found its way into the pocket of the plotter himself? It happened in the most simple and yet in the most wonderful manner. Jack Langley's overcoat pocket contained a large rent at the base, and when Mayhew had inserted the purse he had, of course, not known of this, otherwise he might have remembered the ominous fact that his own coat with th* pocket wide open was underneath. By some strange cause, perhaps bythe passing of someone in the cloak-ronm who stumbled up against the coats, or by a heavy waggon going in the street and shaking the floor, the weighty purse had fallen from the coat above into the pocket of the oat beneath, so that Mayhew's coat, which i occupied the latter position, received it. Afel that was why Jack Langley was not disgraced, and why he who would hav* disgraced him was punished himself.