Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
Your honor, in his audacity the defense has furnished us proof
positive that this prisoner can be none other than the adventurer and
clever thief, Jack Andrews."
It was in vain that Colby declared these pearls had just come from
Sangoa, where they were found. The judge cut him short and asked if he
had any other evidence to advance.
"These pearls," he added, indicating the trays, "I shall take possession
of. They must remain in my custody until their owners claim them, or
Captain Carg can prove they are the lawful property of the prisoner."
Consternation now pervaded the ranks of the defense. The girls were
absolutely dismayed, while Uncle John and Arthur Weldon wore bewildered
looks. Only Jones remained composed, an amused smile curling the corners
of his delicate mouth as he eyed the judge who was to decide his fate.
On the side of the prosecution were looks of triumph. Le Drieux already
regarded his case as won.
Colby now played his trump card, which Maud Stanton's logic and energy
had supplied the defense.
"The prosecution," said he, "has stated that the alleged robbery was
committed at Vienna on the evening of September fifteenth, and that
Jack Andrews arrived in America on the steamship _Princess Irene_ on
the afternoon of the January twenty-seventh following. Am I correct in
those dates?"
The judge consulted his stenographer.
"The dates mentioned are correct," he said pompously.
"Here are the papers issued by the Commander of the Port of San
Francisco, proving that the yacht _Arabella_ of Sangoa anchored in that
harbor on October twelfth, and disembarked one passenger, namely: A.
Jones of Sangoa."
"That might, or might not, have been the prisoner," declared the
prosecuting attorney.
"True," said the judge. "The name 'A. Jones' is neither distinguished nor
distinguishing."
"On the evening of January twenty-sixth, twenty-four hours before Jack
Andrews landed in America," continued Colby, "the prisoner, Mr. A. Jones,
appeared at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Continental
Film Manufacturing Company, in New York, and was formally elected
president of that organization.
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In a village there lived two men who had the self-same name. Both were named Claus. But one of them owned four horses, and the other owned only one horse; so to distinguish between them people called the man who had four horses Big Claus, and the man who had only one horse Little Claus. Now I'll tell you what happened to these two, for this is a true story.
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