who would wear this kind of a necktie? Do you suppose I carry
purple and green barred silk handkerchiefs? Would any man in his
senses wear a pair of shoes a full size too small?"

The conductor was inclined to hedge. "You will have to grant that
I am in a peculiar position," he said. "I have only your word as
to the exchange of berths, and you understand I am merely doing
my duty. Are there any clues in the pockets?"

For the second time I emptied them of their contents, which he noted.
"Is that all?" he finished. "There was nothing else?"

"Nothing."

"That's not all, sir," broke in the porter, stepping forward.
"There was a small black satchel."

"That's so," I exclaimed. "I forgot the bag. I don't even know
where it is."

The easily swayed crowd looked suspicious again. I've grown so
accustomed to reading the faces of a jury, seeing them swing from
doubt to belief, and back again to doubt, that I instinctively
watch expressions. I saw that my forgetfulness had done me harm
--that suspicion was roused again.

The bag was found a couple of seats away, under somebody's raincoat
--another dubious circumstance. Was I hiding it? It was brought
to the berth and placed beside the conductor, who opened it at once.