Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
In my judgment they are
one and the same. What do _you_ think, sir?"
"I believe there is a resemblance," answered Uncle John, turning the
card over. "But here is a name on the back of the photograph: 'Jack
Andrews.'"
"Yes; this is Jack Andrews," said Le Drieux, nodding. "Have you ever
heard the name before?"
"Never."
"Well, Andrews is noted throughout Europe, and it is but natural he
should desire to escape his notoriety by assuming another name out here.
Do you note the similarity of the initials? 'J.A.' stand for Jack
Andrews. Reverse them and 'A.J.' stand for A. Jones. By the way, what
does he claim the 'A' means? Is it Andrew?"
"It means nothing at all," said Patsy. "He told us so."
"I see. You caught him unprepared. That isn't like Jack. He is always
on guard."
Both Patsy and Uncle John were by this time sorely perplexed. They had a
feeling common to both of them, that the subject of this portrait and A.
Jones were two separate and distinct persons; yet the resemblance could
not be denied, if they were indeed the same, young Jones had deliberately
lied to them, and recalling his various statements and the manner in
which they had been made, they promptly acquitted the boy of the charge
of falsehood.
"For what was Jack Andrews noted throughout Europe?" inquired Mr.
Merrick, after silently considering these things.
"Well, he was a highflier, for one thing." answered Le Drieux. "He was
known as a thorough 'sport' and, I am told, a clever gambler. He had a
faculty of making friends, even among the nobility. The gilded youth of
London, Paris and Vienna cultivated his acquaintance, and through them he
managed to get into very good society. He was a guest at the splendid
villa of Countess Ahmberg, near Vienna, when her magnificent collection
of pearls disappeared. You remember that loss, and the excitement it
caused, do you not?"
"No, sir; I have never before heard of the Countess of Ahmberg or
her pearls."
"Well, the story filled the newspapers for a couple of weeks.
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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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