Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
"But I am
interested in him, through a friend of mine who met him abroad. Permit me
to introduce myself, sir."
He handed them a card which read:
"ISADORE LE DRIEUX
Importer of Pearls and Precious Stones
36 Maiden Lane,
New York City."
"I have connections abroad, in nearly all countries," continued the man,
"and it is through some of them that I have knowledge of this young
fellow who has taken the name of A. Jones. In fact, I have a portrait of
the lad, taken in Paris, which I will show you."
He searched in his pocket and produced an envelope from which he
carefully removed a photograph, which he handed to Uncle John. Patsy
examined it, too, with a start of surprise. The thin features, the large
serious eyes, even the closely set lips were indeed those of A. Jones.
But in the picture he wore a small mustache.
"It can't be _our_ A. Jones," murmured Patsy. "This one is older."
"That is on account of the mustache," remarked Le Drieux, who was
closely watching their faces. "This portrait was taken more than a
year ago."
"Oh; but he was in Sangoa then," protested Patsy, who was really
bewildered by the striking resemblance.
The stranger smiled indulgently.
"As a matter of fact, there is no Sangoa." said he; "so we may doubt the
young man's assertion that he was ever there."
"Why are you interested in him?" inquired Mr. Merrick.
"A natural question," said Le Drieux, after a moment of hesitation. "I
know you well by reputation, Mr. Merrick, and believe I am justified in
speaking frankly to you and your niece, provided you regard my statements
as strictly confidential. A year ago I received notice from my friend in
Austria that the young man had gone to America and he was anxious I
should meet him. At the time I was too busy with my own affairs to look
him up, but I recently came to California for a rest, and noticed the
strong resemblance between the boy, A. Jones, and the portrait sent me.
So I hunted up this picture and compared the two.
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There was once an honest journeyman tailor, by name Labakan, who learned his trade with an excellent master in Alexandria. It could not be said that Labakan was unhandy with the needle; on the contrary, he could make excellent work: moreover, one would have done him injustice to have called him lazy. Nevertheless, his companions knew not what to make of him, for he would often sew for hours together so rapidly that the needle would glow in his hand, and the thread smoke, and that none could equal him.
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