"I haven't any mail-key," was the dull response. "Very well," said I, "then we shall have to search you."
He turned pale, and remarked, with assumed calmness, "I suppose I know what you want."
One of the side pockets of his over-coat appearing somewhat distended, I commenced my investigations with that. The first article that appeared was the large package of letters made up that evening for delivery at the neighboring city, before alluded to, and the next dive brought to light a heavy distribution package for the same office. Several other packages of less size were afterwards drawn forth. After the search had been completed, the culprit was hand-cuffed, and lodged in jail within half an hour from the time when he had committed this last depredation.
After we had dispatched this part of the business, we turned our attention to the companion of the unfortunate baggage-master, who had been observing our proceedings with the utmost equanimity, though not without interest.
"That's rather hard on Ed," said he, as the door closed on the culprit.
"Yes," replied I, "it is. But I believe we must search you, for I think you are concerned in this affair."
"I never was searched in my life," said he, smilingly, "excepting when I've searched my own pockets, and then I never found much. Perhaps you'll have better luck; at any rate, it won't hurt me to have it tried;" and so saying, he laid aside his cigar, and presented himself to undergo the ordeal. But nothing was found to implicate him in any way.
I then expressed my fear that he might still be an accomplice, as I noticed the baggage-master open and shut the door of the little room, while rifling the mails that night.
An honest laugh followed this remark, and an explanation was given me, which satisfactorily accounted for the suspicious circumstance.
It seems that his dishonest companion, fearing that he would come out of the room and detect him in the act, had opened the door, telling him that he would have to be locked in till the train arrived, and turned the key on the outside. This passed for a joke, and the imprisoned person thought little of it, as he would have no occasion to leave the room until the train arrived, when it would be his duty to inspect the cars. It also appeared that this locking up trick had been played several times previously, no doubt for a similar purpose.