Time went on, and, engrossed in other affairs, I paid but little heed to this, comparatively, though I did "try." My first step was to visit several of the rag-gatherers and purchasers about the city, and offer a large reward to each of them should he chance to become possessed of a peculiarly marked bag (which I described), in such a manner as to be able to trace its history into his hands. In this way I made "detectives" of quite a number of persons. I suspected that the thief would, of course, destroy the bag, yet I thought it possible that, in the flush of his success, he might throw it by, and that with other things—old papers perhaps—it might get to the old rag and paper men's hands. Besides, I visited certain points where thieves resort, and certain gambling saloons, with the intent of seeing if anybody there was peculiarly "flush" with gold, and I secured the assistance of certain brethren of the profession to the same end. But I could learn of nobody who seemed to have had a "windfall" of late, and it was so long before I got the slightest report from any of the rag-men, that, when I did, I suspected that the money would be dissipated, or so "scattered to the four winds," even if it led to the fastening of suspicion upon somebody, that I had but little impulse to pursue the matter.
But finally, a dealer in rags sought me, saying that he had come across the bag in question, he thought, but that it was not in his possession, and he had not thought it best to try to get hold of it till I had seen it. It was in an up-town carriage-house, the latter belonging to one of the old aristocracy, and he suspected the bag belonged to the coachman. He had been called into the house, in the prosecution of his business, to buy several bags of old rags, paper, etc., and as the rags, old clothes, etc., were promiscuously thrown together into the bags, without reference to color or quality, it was difficult to put a price upon them; the white ones predominating, the housekeeper would not sell them for the price he would give for unassorted rags, and so the bags were taken to the carriage-house, to be assorted and weighed there. While engaged with the stable-man and one of the servant girls in running over the rags, his eye happened to light upon a bag tied with a string, and hanging on a peg, which he saw, by a peculiar mark, must be like the one I had described to him so long before; and he asked the stable-man what was kept in that bag hung up so nicely, and got the reply that it held some of the coachman's knickknacks; and he thought best, to make no further inquiries then; but, putting his hand upon it, he found it held several things which "felt hard, like iron;" and this was all he knew about it, save that he, at the time he felt of it, took occasion to examine the marks upon it further, and felt assured that it was just the bag in question. He was quite enthusiastic over his discovery, and wished me to go at once, and look for myself.
But I could not leave that day, and making an appointment with him for the next day, met him as agreed, and proceeded to the carriage house. Fortunately we got in, without being under the necessity of asking to have the gate opened, as we watched an opportunity when the carriage was about being driven out. My friend the rag-man engineered the entree under my instructions, referring to his having assorted rags there a day or two before, and easily got on the good side of the coachman, while I looked after the bag, which my friend had told me where to find without trouble. I made up my mind instantly that that was the bag in question, and sitting down lazily on a box in the carriage-house, got into a good-natured talk with the coachman. It was easy to be seen that he was an innocent enough fellow, and could never have been guilty of the robbery, or of complicity therein. But I was at a loss to know how to approach him on the subject of the bag. At last I got up and walked about, and surveying the things,—various carriages, light buggies, harnesses, etc., in the barn, which the coachman was pleased enough to hear me compliment on their order and neatness, etc.,—I at length listlessly approached the bag, and taking hold of it, said, "Well, that's a funny mark—coat of arms, I 'spose?" giving the coachman a slight wink.
He laughed in his easy-going way, and said, "You're disposed to joke, I see. No, that's not my coat of arms; I could not afford it—he! he! he!—but it's my bag, I confess."
"I've got one just like it at home," said I; "pretty good bag to wear. I wonder where a fellow could get another like it?"
"I don't know. I got that off a heap of rags, in a cart that was standing on the corner here one morning, two or three weeks ago,—gave the boy six cents for it. Don't know where you could get another."
"What will you take for it?"
"He! he! hee!" exclaimed the coachman, bursting with laughter, as if I had said a comical thing. "Why, do you take me for a rag-dealer? he! he! he! I wouldn't sell it for nothing; but do you want it much?"
"O, no, not much, but I should like it? want it badly enough to pay you for it—what you've a mind to ask."
"Wal, I'll give it to you. I thought that morning I wanted it to put screws and bolts in, but I've got a nice stand here since, and I can throw 'em in the drawer," as he pointed out the "stand," and proceeded to take down the bag and pour the bolts, etc., into the drawer, and handing the bag to me, said, "Here, I'll make you a present of this 'ere thing,—he! he! hee!" I took it, of course, and thanked him.