Suspected Individuals

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 24 February 1909, Page 57

Suspected Individuals

r. -11188. neatfVl ly dressed ia * light-grey suit, I 1 with a light-grey felt hat to I B match, strolled up to the [Kirk W with an expression of injured dignity on his plump, clean-shaven face. Sir. Jubb felt that he was being exiled from his home, and he was going to do Without his tea as a protest against the countenancing of evil-doers. Mrs. Jubb was having friends to tea, and among them his sister's fiance, a certain Douglas May. The invitation was one of more than a fortnight’s standing, but in the meantime young May had been accused by his employer of forging a check, and after an appearance before the magistrates had been released on bail. Mrs. Jubb, Mrs. Jubb’s sister, and her fiance, himself declared that the charge was a preposterous one, and would be proved to be utterly unfounded. Mr. Jubb said sagely that there is never israoke without fire, and that it is impossible for suspicion to attach itself to a man who has not something shady in his character. At any rate, he was not «»oing to countenance a suspect." Mrs. Jubb was equally determined to show her faith in the young man, and so it came about that Mr. Jubb was beating a dignified retreat from his own home just a little before the time that Douglas May. with his wife’s other guests, were expected. The park was a favourite resort of his. In parts it was “truly rural,” as Montmorency often observed. There •was one very sequestered seat, where, hedged in by the silver birches, one could imagine oneself secluded in the heart of the country. He. betook himself to his favourite seat now to brood ■over his wrongs. But he did not brood long. The afternoon was warm, and, like a prudent man, he had made a more substantial midday repast than usual in anticipation of sacrificing his tea. In ten minutes he fell asleep. He woke abruptly to find -a roughlooking fellow in an extremely dirty pair of white ducks, a greasy short coat, and a villainous-looking peaked cap, holding a revolver to his head. ‘ Don’t make a noise,” said the stranger, “unless you want a hole bored through your stomach.” The injunction was really quite unnecessary. If there was one thing of 'which Mr. Jubb was nervous, it was a pistol, and, although he was longing to cry for the police, he could not utter a sound. With a supreme effort, he managed to stammer that he had left his purse at home, and had really nothing to steal. “I know,” said the man with the revolver, “I have just been through your pockets, but it is your clothes I want! Off with your coat, and be quick about it, because I’m in a hurry! Off with it before 1 count ten, or I shall find it quicker to take it off your carcass! See!” “But, my dear fellow—•” bleated Mr. Jubb. But the assailant only began to count mechanically, and, although Mr. Jubb would have preferred to argue, he thought it safer to take off his coat. As he did so, the stranger divested himself of his greasy short coat with the dexterity of an acrobat, changing the revolver from one hand to the other in the course of the operation with a celerity that did not for a moment allow his victim to feel that he was out of its Hiange. ' And now your vest, old cockalorum; ■and be more brisk about it, or I may get impatient," said the brigand, as he threw his coat down on the grass; and Mr. Jubb obeyed meekly. He ventured on a timid protest at the next order, but the -stranger began to count again, and before he had got to ‘Three!" Mr. Jubb’s fear for his life had conquered even liis sense of dignity. In less Time than it takes to tell, he Blood in "his undergarments, which the bandit, fortunately for him, seemed (ready to dispense with, and helplessly 'watched tire man dressing himself in ills clothes. I a-ta, old -billiard-ball!” said the rob®e.i as he took his hat—his immaculate, "Pd-rrey iiat— and disappeared through the silver birdliea. Mr. Jubb could have cried with mingled indignation and Impotence. Were Was a barefaced robber exposing him to

•u indignity nnheard of. and he could not pursue i,in»—lie could not hasten in search of as.sista.ncc and the police because fee was not dressed. Instead of thinking of pursuit he began to wonder 'how he was to get home. It wus true that the highwayman had left him his own clothes, but Mr. Jubb shrank from the idea of donning them with an unspeakable loathing. He could not touch, much less walk through, the village street in a filthy pair of white ducks, a greasy coat, and a villainouslooking peaked cap, not to mention the unspeakable pair of boots that had been left in place of his elegant tan shoes. He would rather remain where he was forever, he told himself—or, at any rate, till one of the keepers of the park came to his assistance, and could 'be dispatched to Berkley Villa for another suit of his own clothes. But he was not safe, even in this favourite secluded retreat, he found. As he eat on the bench and moaned, he was roused by a shriek of horror. Two elderly maiden ladies, whom he recognised, had made their way through the birches, and caught sight of him sitting, weeping, in liis airy attire. One of them -had turned precipitately as she shrieked. The other stood staring in petrified recognition. “Oh, Mr. Ju'bb! ” she cried, in shocked indignation; and then her sister caught her by the arm and hurried her away, talking shrilly about the need of a policeman. Mr. Jubb was disturbed by the word. He had been longing to see a policeman to make a charge against his assailant, and to secure assistance in his unhappy plight. But he realised abruptly that unless the policeman knew him, he would stand more chance of being hurried to the police-station, in unceremonious attire, as soon as an officer of the law appeared, than of finding his story -listened to with respect. And at any moment other people might appear on the scene. At the thought his fastidiousness vanished, and he hurried into the dirty white ducks. He. was so nervous lest the old ladies should be returning with an officer to arrest him that he did not hesitate a moment even over the peaked cap. The. clothes made a very bad fit, and Mr. Jubb was painfully conscious that he looked even more disreputable in them ■than their former owner had looked. But. at least, he was no longer in danger of being arrested for the insufficiency of liis attire; and it was now possible to leave his seclusion. Escaping with nervous haste from the park, he made a wide detour, and reached Berkley Villa through baek streets, without meeting anybody he knew. If hia wife had been alone, he would have approached his home boldly, and found a pleasant solace for his own sufferings in the consternation which Matilda would feel at the sight of his deplorable appearance. But he could not run the chances of being seen by her guests—some of them strangers waiting to form their first impression of the important Mr. Montmorency Jubb. He avoided the front of the house, and crept round stealthily to the back. He would enter by the kitchen door, explain enablers briefly to Rosabel the maid, telling her to inform nobody, and slip upstairs to change his clothes, preparatory to visiting the poliee-station, and making a complaint against his dastardly assailant. He .seemed more fortunate even iJian he had hoped. The kitchen was empty. Rosabel was, no doubt, in attendance in the parlour, on the floor above; aud, more cautiously than ever, •Mr. Jubb began to creep up the kitchen ■stairs. He would 'have to pass the parlour, but, craning his neck as he advanced stealthily up the stairs, he saw that it was closed. From within came 'the sound of voices in animated talk, and then the door opened abruptly, and Rosabel came put, carrying a well-laden trav. At the sight of a man in disreputable and illfitting dollies creeping up the kitchen stairs,»he stood as if petrified. Mr. Jubb was motionimg to -her with all the power of pantomime he possessed to remain silent. “Tt is only me—ynur employer/’ he sniff, in a strange whisper; anff, nt the announcement, Rosabel dropped her tray

with a crash, and shrieked aloud for help. in the parlour two rery excited old ladies were breaking to Mrs. Jubb the painful announcement that her husband 'had apparently become suddenly mad in the park, and that she ought to set out to secure him with a closed carriage and a bathrobe. Mrs. Jubb’s sister had retained sufficient preeFrnce of mind to send Rosabel from the room before she heard mure than a maid ought to hear; but Rosabel had heard enough tv know what it meant when she saw iter employer, grotesquely attired, stoalitng upon her with strange antics. •‘He’s etmio home!” she shrieked, in hysterical terror, Before Mr. Jubb could rush upstairs to his room. a crowd came pouring out of the parlour, leaded by a young man whom Mr. Jubb did not know. The disgraceful and ridiculous introd action to his wife's • friends which he had dreaded seemed imminent, and. with sudden decision, Mr, Ju’bb .turned and fled down tire stairs, through the kitchen and out of the house. He was -not. an active man naturally. It was years since tie had done anything so undignified as run; but as he ran now, ur only a man can run whose whole dignity is at stake, he managed to gel clear away; then, panting and breathless, lie found himself in the arms of a policeman. “Just the man I am looking for!" said the officer, in a tone of satisfaction. “You come along to the station-house!" “On what charge?” quavered Mr. Jubb. as soon as he could find the breath t<» speak at all. “Attetnp’ted robbery, with violence! said the policeman. *Td worn you not to say anything until you get to the station house.” Mr. Jubb had not the heart left to do so. It would be best to go to the policestation, he told himself, and, after explaining who he was, remain there until lie had sent a message home, and been provided with a suit of his own .clothes. The charge against him—-or, rather, against the man whose clothes he wore — was a serious one, he found, when he reached the police-station. At 4 o’clock that afternoon, in broad daylight, a man had enterej a little store in the main street, knocked down the old lady in charge of it with a murderous blow’, amd been about to decamp with the contents of the till, when he was disturbed and pursued. He had managed to get away, but not before a dozen people, at least, were able to describe his appearance and dress. AU the police in the district were seeking a brutal-looking man in a short and greasy coat, dirty white ducks, and.a peaked cap. Mr. Jubb was not really disturbed at all about the. charge. He was far too well known and too highly respected for anybody to think either that he could knock down an old lady, or wear a shabby set of clothes that did not fit 'him, except under compulsion. “It is a mistake which I can explain in a few words,” lie began in his' best oratorical manner, in answer to the charge. ’I am Mr. Jubb, of Berkley Villa.'and—” The sergeant stopped him with .some show of interest. ‘‘Montmorency Jubb?” he inquired, and the owner of the name smiled as he answered in the affirmative. If the sergeant knew him by repute, the affair was as good as settled. The policeman had turned to a hidden recess and took from it Mr. Jubb’s own immaculate, light-gray felt 'hat, looking little the worst for its adventures. “is this your property?” he asked. Air. Jubb smiled as he answered. “You will find my name in full inside file lining,” he said. The sergeant had found it there sonlittle time before. “Then I will tell you that there are two other charges against you," he said, “and I warn you that anything you may say will be used against you. You arc charged with insulting ladies in the park at half-past four this afternoon. Al a quarter to five you demanded money, with threats, from a gentleman at the other side of the park. You were pursued, and lost your liat, which gave us the clue to your identity.” “But it was not 1 at all!” waU<*d Mr. Jubb. “It must have 'been the man who stole my clothes. Will you let me explain ?” The sergeant eyed him keenly. “You will 'find it of no use trying 1o deny your identity/’ he ’ said. ‘The ladies who informed us of your insulting behaviour iu the park vtate that they

have known you for years, and had no doubt whatever of their recognition, not--wiln»t-Hnding your disgraceful lack of apparel. But 1 warn you tp reserve your defence. Take him to a cell, officer.” It was in the police cell that Mrs. Jubb found her unhappy husband half an h’»ur later, and, after conquering a natural trepidation, due to her belief that the poor man had gone mad, dreased himself in bizarre garments, knocked an yld lady down wun a Klim Mr duster, tried to steal the contents of her till, insult* </ two of his most respectable lath frieud-, aud finally threatened to blow a gentle man’s brains out if hr did not give him his money, l>efore frightening Rosabel almost into a fit, she heard the whole story of his plight; and, by dint of much exertion. and by bringing a good many influential people to vouch for Jubb’s iin maculate respectability, managed to get him released on l>aal the same evening. When he was safe in his own home, and in his own clothes, she told him some good news. The innocence of Douglas May. her sister’s I >nce. had been fully established. His employers had discovered the actual forger of the check, and had made ample amends to Douglas for their suspicion. Mr. Jubb, who had regained hi> dignity with his clothes, despite the nervous air with which Rosabel still regarded him, smiled magnanimously. “Then, of course, 1 shall no longer object to the connection ”he ' said. And Mrs. -Jubb, who was still very much upset. began to cry. “The Mays are such a respectable family,” she said. “I am wondering whether Douglas will care to know us now. because? there are such shocking charges against you—not just a little ■thing like forging a check; and people are sure to sav that there cannot be smoke without fire! You would yourself you know. Monty!”