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About Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1906)
. . po- . t t t , tt . t + t t t H t tt tt H t t t H + t t t t t . t t t t t + t t t t tt t + t t t t t + t + + i i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , " " " " " " ' , j . . . . . . , . . , . , . . . , . . , . , . . . . . . Brookyn.-It ] 'was 'a qulot day In the pollco station. Drownsvlllo was bohavlng itself and the matron of the station had a whole hour to talk , with only ono Interruption to wlpo the tears from the eyes of a smat'l , dIrty boy , Induce hIm to toll the address of hIs home and send hIm on hIs wa ) ' under the guIdance of a bIg , strong buecoat. And the matron , when she talks , has a few thIngs to tell. In fact , Mrs. Cox says , with hOl' good Irish chucko ] , that she thInks she wlll ' write a book of her experIences' make her rich after she retires frQm the job of matron. The "boys" have suggested it to her. ' 1'he " ! Joys" are the buecoats ] , every ono or whom In Brookyn ] , knows Mrs. Cox and has a joke for her or a word of guyIng when he meets her. Duties of a Police Matron. IntoxIcation Is the usual charge upon which the woman prisoner Is committed , with occasional charges of theft , of assault , an atteml1ted suI , clde and now and then a woman whose f -,1' hands have commItted some bigger ' .J , crime , homIcide or Infanltclde. Whatever the charge , they all pass through thl' station house on theIr way to the jaIl or the penitentIary , and the matron has them In her care. She gets them fresh from tholr mis , . domennors and with rhe staIn of theIr crImes new upon them. She Is t1\e first and often the only minIstering angel they know , for It Is to the tasle of mInIstering that most of the ma. tr ns , womenllke , give , themselves , with more heartiness than to the technIcal tasks of theIr office. As I sat In the comfortable lltUo apartment of the matron , fioodt'd with morning sunshIne , each of the homely , f objects In the room , and oven the pic. tures on thd walls , seemed to have somethIng to whIsper of the storIes - " that Imve been told In these rooms , o ( the depravity they have looked upon , of the pltIablo wrecks of wom. anhood they have seen pass through thIs room to t.he Iron.barred cells be. yond. Of some of thflse crIppled creatures and their storIes the matron told mo. Fourteen years of the Ilfe has not calloused her senslbllltIes but , Instead , sharpened her sympathIes , and for all the endless stream that comes her way she can lIsten to each of theIr stories , pity them and holrl out a hand to help If they have not gene too far to bo beyond helpIng. SometImes the judIcIous , quIck IntercessIon - cessIon of the matron can do a Ireat eal to check a young offender In the downward course ; at any rate , a kind word never hurts oven the most . 10wl1 , Young Girls Savecl. One nIght two young glrs were brought Into the station house for 11\ . toxicatIon , fresh , daInty girls , dressed In the finest of ovenlng gowns , covered with long coats. It was ! ' \ew Year's eve and a blttor cold nIght. 1 The matron was used to the unusual , ; . but the presence of gIrls such as t these In her lodging house made her " Glop and wonder. It was onlr : a llt. tIe wh1le before the seep ] of Intoxlca. tion wore off and the girls wolco to . the realization of their surroundIngs " and the horror of It. FInally , they were calm enough to tell the matron bow It all happened. The. ) ' had been over to Manhattan to a dance with two boy frIends. It was so Ic ) ' cold ' 'I\1 \ that the escorts suggested before the ) ' 1'I1 crossed the bridge to take somethIng to warm them , and the ) ' stopped In a cafe and drank what the men or. dered for them. Unused to takIng stimulants , as soon as the ) ' struck the cold all' out of doors the drlnles went to tlolr heads and thoj' lenew , err llttlo else of what happened un. tIl they waked to find themselves In the police station. What had hap. pened was that the two escorts , find. Ing themselves burdened wIth glJ'ls too much Intoxicated to know what vms happonlng to them , had opened the door of a tenement house , sho\"ed them In and left them thero. The gIrls had fallen Immediately to sleep and one of the ocoupants ot the house stumbling o\"er thom , had reported to the pollco and had them taken to the station. It was a hIdeous night for those Klrls , used enl ) ' to the nIceties and refinements of m . When the next morning came , with I's Inevitable appearance at court , they peaded ] not to be taken In' the patrol wagon with the ether prIsoners and the matron securlli : the permls. slon of the sergeant to tam ! them to court herself In the car , and al't'angell for 11. prlvato hearIng beroro the Judge. The clrcl\mstances reJated , , v . . . . . . . . . , , , . , . , , , , , , , , , , , , the judge let them err with some strong words of admonItion. Then the matron took the glrs ] to theIr homo , where they found n mother al. most frantic. The matrpn put In n plea fOl' them and saved thom the up. braidIng that most parents would have } Joured forth for such an indls. crotlon. ow , eTery ChrIstmas sIn e the hapJening ! there comes to the sta. tIon a gift from those two gIrls , n bIt of' ' theIr own handIwork , and now and then a letter from tholr mother , reo iterating her apprecIation for the savhig of her girls. Maggie a Regular Lodger. WIth some of the prisoners the mo. . trons become old frIends , for they almost make the 'statIon ho se theIr regular dwolllng place. One of Mrs. Cox's od.tImers ] Is an Irish woman , named MaggIe , whol11 ever'body In the station house knows. She has been a habItuo of station houses for 15 ) 'ears , and the matrons and sergeants get so ther look for her and almost miss her when she doesn't come. She Is one of the cheerful drinkers and 11.1. waj's comes In with a swagger and a laugh. The matron will greet her with a sort of despaIrIng smIle : " \Vell , MaggIe , 11.1'0 ) 'ou back agaIn ? " "Suro , and aIn't you glad to see me ? I keep you alive , give 'ou somethIng to lIve for. " And she docs keep thIngs alive , Mrs. Cox admIts. She sIngs her IrIsh - songs at the top of her great Irish voIce , and keolJS ever 'body In the station awalco wIth her song. She maIms herself ! lerfectl ) ' at home In the tin ) ' cubbj'.hole of a cell and slnles Into a sleep as 11eaceful as a chIld's when she has exhausted herself with sIngIng , It takes a vIgorous effort to make her get up In time for court. I I ' Enlivens Station with Song , Remonstrance wIth her Is use loss , the matrons have learned her long ago. Son1CtImQS the ) ' ask her If she Isn't ashnlJcd to como so orten to the . station lnL o , and she alwa's makes the sarno nswcr , "No ; the cIt"S wIlling for me to stay here and I'll como as often as I llIee. It's much moro comfortable than home. It's cleaner nnd I like the eectrlc ] lights. " I She has such a ready good humor and such a spirit of fun that In splto of hOl' waywardnaRs 1\1" gle Is rather a favol'lte In the ntatIon ami wIth the judges. AftOl' ono of her last visits to the poll co statIon Maggie pleaded penitence to the judge and promised to walle the strnluht and narrow path In the future If the judge would let her lto. So Hlo maslstrat dId gi\"e j " " " ' " . . . . . . . , . , . " " " I ' , , , , , , , J , , , , , , , , , , , . , , , . , her the chance , threatonlng dlro con , sequences If she appeared before him 'agaln soon. The very next nIght Mag. glo was brought Into the station house with her usual hilarity , but gorgeously arrayed. She made no apologlos for her downfall , but ox. plalned that when she wont from the st 1t1on house the day before she had found n letter from her sIster contain. Ing ft5. She took $7 of It and bought a new skirt , a new shIrt waIst and an enormous brass chaIn ; with the other $8 she went to a saloon to come out mInus the money and In the custody of a polIceman. Once durIng ono of her vIsits to the station Maglge grow despondent. She thought of her two daughters who are placed In a Cath. ollc homo , safe from her Infiuenco , and she began to brood. She got hold of n string and decided to choke her. self with It. To inalw the thing 1110re effectIve she called to Mrs. Cox to toll her what she was goIng to do. The matron was used to Maggie , hoover \ \ " over , and to threats of suIcIde , so she answered carelesslr : "Go ahead , MaggIe , ) 'ou've no Idea how quIckly we would get you out of hero ; get ) 'OU out much qulckor dead than alIve , because wo don't want any dead ones around hero. " WhereUIJon Maggie burst Into ono of her peals ot laugh. tel' and declared It was no use com. mIttIng sulcldo In the face of such dlscouragomen t. There are onlr n few that taleo the - jllllYE Yt1tCT . fill ? HEI 8118XJ I w TilE L/lOY - tf I ECCIN R 1 1I/s 'Y- world so cheerfully under the Infiu. ence of drink. Manr of the cases that come under the ere of the 11OIIco matron 11.1'0 of women who have hoen led to the passIon for drInk to drown some sorrow , and manr of them women used to better ways of living , dar a fraIl hIt of a woman-a mere girl-was hrought to the station , 'Hor husband had got out a wanaut for 1101' and wanted to have her com. mItted to some Institution. Drink halt made terrlblo ravages In the woman's alJpearance , and when the etrocts of the whlsle ) ' began to weal' off she sat In her cell clingIng with hOI' thIn hands to the hal's and begging pItl , fully for drlnle , Toward dawn the woman collaps d and a hUl'ry call was sent to the hospital. The ambit. ' . ( lnce In hIs arrIval had only time to Ime , at her sldo and begIn hIs her. surger fore death closed UIJon , , \'s ! Pitiful Story. While th' , woman lay tremblIng In the cell dlV } IJ ; the night she had told her star ) ' to the woman outsltle th I bars , of how the craving had growl\ I , upon her lIttio by muo uutll she loat . ----I. " . . . . " . , , ' ' . \ , , - - - - - - - . . : . . - J I . , , . . . . , . . . . . . - - - < < . . . . . " " , . . . . . . all power ever harsoU , At 23 she W ! ; \ hOJeross ! wreck , The closing oct of the little tragedy was wh n the mother came from her llomo in the country , near ow Yorle , and Insl tcll on seolng the place ukoro her girl had , dletl. The matron begged ntlll 1Jloallod with her not to look at the coli : thntlt would bo somothlng she could no\'or Corgot , but the mother demanded to see It , and as SMn as she looked into the bare plnco , toll In cOllapse , 11.1111 an ambuhmco had to bo called to care tor hor. " 'I'ho lady" was once a figure well Imown in all the ! lOlIco stations , but "tho lady" is ono of the figures that has lJaSSOlI , whose lIfo hurried her tea a pitiful ontl booro she reached what should have been her primo. ' 1'ho mar trons all called her "tho lalh' , " bOo cause even h\ her worst days oho novo er looleod I\n'thlng but the Indy , was alwl's well dressed and novoI' came to the pollco station without her woll. fitting gloves carefullY buttoned , though somotlmos she \ms 11Icleod out of the gutter In an almost hopelessly deadened cl.\ndition. Her story Is one that might hnvo been the thread of some of the storlos ono used to read In the Sunday school lIbl'arlos , though It comes with much moro .forco to hear the pollco matron who snw her In the last days of her dogradatlon tell It. She had spent her girlhoOll In the country at her father's homo upon the HUdsdU , whore they took city bOll1'tl. ors In the summer tImo. The girl was IlS pretty as 111cture , had boon carOo fully reared and well olhlcatetl. Ono summer there came the InevItable man from the cIty that won the heart of the countr ) ' gIrlutd they were married and came to nrooltlyn to ll. All went as happy as a marrlago boll f r a whUo. There was a lIttio girl baby after whoso comlna the young wlte Wits not "ery strong , and the doc. tor ordol'ed mll1c punches ever ) ' day. ' 1'ho ) 'oung woman began to lllco the punches and wanted two Instead of one a day , then after n whIle she bo , gan to take the brandy wIthout tho' mille and soon she found the llIlbit Ilxell on lier strongl ) ' . The husband bore with her nnd dId ovorythlng that could bo done , but thIngs went from bad to'orso until thQ habit fastened Itself so that there was I1l'st a vIsIt to the poll co station , and after the fil'st a second amI a thIrd. The woman , whoso lIfo had becn guarded as carefully as any gIrl's could be , who had been used In her ) 'OIl11g days to talco nothing stronger than mll1t or sweet chler , began to be. como used to the walls of a cell and to bow In abject slavery to the taste of whlslC ) ' . Somothnes she would IJlead with the 'matron to go and Intercede I wIth her husband nnd promIse bettor. . thIngs , and many a time has Mrs. Cox g9ne wIth the plea. Always It was. . granted and the same result would' ' follow and "the lady" would bo 'bacle ' In the station house crazed with drInk. ' 1'11e bab ) ' gIrl grew up Into a beautiful y ung woman , who would como arter dark to vIsIt her mother In the cell and plead with her. It was lllte try. Ing to check the north wind. The pas. sion swept down everythIng In Its pathway. One day Mrs , Cox was sent for to como to a consumptIve homo , and there she found "tho lady" In the last stages of the dlseaso. She wanted to say goodby and to offer thanlts for the lIttle Idndnesses of the old days. Made Nursery of Station , Ono day not long ago a 14.year old gIrl brought In a dIrty llttlo baby and saId the chnd was lost. The baby spent the afternoon peaceably sleop. Ing on the bIg quilt the matrons lcoep for the purpose , and about five o'cloelc a man came In and asked the matron : "Havo you got for mo 'Il baby ? " The matron assured hIm that she hoped It was for hIm , as abe was anxIous - ous to turn the InCant over to somo. body. ' 1'he baby was properly IdentI. fied and the man started off wIth It , complacently , wh n the matron aslcod where his wlfo was that she had left the chIld uncalled for all afternoon. She had gene out , the man answered , and she had telephoned to him Ilt hIs place or wOl'k ovor'In Manhattan to call at the 1I01lce station on hIs way homo to got the babo. 'rho man wa ! ; told verr plaInly that the next time hIs wIfe wllnted to go shopping she was not to send hel' baby to the police stations as U IlIlI'sery. "Shoplifter" a Puzzle. The shoplifter Is often the puzzl to the matron of the Adams street stutIon. They como In great numbers from the poor , ahabby woman , whc has stolen a few pall's of socks , or n IIttlo frock for her haby , whom she longs to have dressed lIke the babIes of her well.to.do neighbors , to the woman of apparent wealth , who has accreted some seemIngly useless trlflo. Ono'w man , faultlessly gowned and ot undoubted culture and good hreed. lng , who offered $500 not to bo made to sleep In u coli had heon arrested for taltlng three pairs of GJ.ccnt ! gloves. She was Indignant at her ar. rest , but she didn't deny the theft , merelY oITored to pay tor the gloves. ' 1' 111\ waH a case out of many such that Mrs. noylan recallf ! from her ox JJoriOnCe8 at tile Adams street stn. tIon , 0110 of the thng8 [ no ono can ox. plaIn. 'rho ) ' call It lc1eptomanla willi the rich and thlovol'Y with the poor , who , at least , have the prIck of noces. sIty tn lend palllatIon to their gulIt. These are the ordinary happonlngs In the 11(0 of the IJollco'matron. TheIr days and nights uro a ceaseless round of watching the IntoxIcated , of stand. Ing by to lcoop the sulcldo from her Intentlon , of dressIng the woman wlth delIrium tremens , who tears her clothes to shreds In the night , of hear. Ing ovel' and over the storIes ot wl'etchednISB ( and mIsery and doprav. It : . , " - . . ' . . r.- . . . . . -4 I : 'J / " " ' ' = = ! ! I There was a quick step in the hall , I Molllo looleod InquirIngly across her silver basltet at Jack , The Girl In Pink sat up erect and hneUh' smoollicd ner tumbled lodts. Then tbo door ope td nnd Townshond peel1ed In , "Thought ) 'OU P001Jl0 would bo takIng - Ing an hlYentctry-comlJIIUng tbo r \ ' - ages. Tlm was an awfulh' jolly lIttle dInner , 1\Irs. Clal1ln , " lIe followed her cheery volco Into tbo pretty room. "I oaw the lights were stIll on , so I dIdn't rIng up the Inctotum , Can't tell how lUuch I enjo'cd it. li'our o'clocle , ruesday , Iss ! Van Alen , Good-nlrht , .again , The door had almost elosol1 bohlnll him when Molllo Clnllln SlJrang forward - ward , the sIlver drOlJplng wllh : \ crash Into the basleet. "Oh , Mr. Townshond , come baclel" 1101' soft , southern volco had in it 11. note or distress. "Como rIght bnck , ihls mlnutel" Ho turned his sIx fcet three quickly - ly about , atul looked down at hel' fX- ! poctanUy ns she stooll In the doorwa ) ' , She smiled up , and the fiush on the raIl' , Inughl g fact'J deepened a bit , a'J she went on in her pretty , IWlJUlslve way : "Don't ) 'OU itnow , foolish man , lhat ) 'ou must not go err that wayl It's such bad lucle to como bacltl Como right In here and turn around th 'ee Urnes. Ono-two-three-thnt'sIt. Now , ! lit downl" 8ho'o the greatcoat a genUo llttlo push toward the sleepy- hollow chaIr. 110 wont down ; t1hl' breathed n sigh of relief , "Thoro , : rou can go now. " She held the door In- 'ltIngly open. 110 sat quite stIll In the bIg , comfortable - fortablo chah' , mlll looked sternly at 1ho ether man , who was lennlng nog11- Gently agaInst the IJlano. "Taleo her back south , Jacle , before the commonwealth finds out. We burn witches up hore. " She Ulado a 11tt10 moue , and the ether man shrugged hIs ahouldors. ! . "I used to bo a bo11over In heredI y. I'm not now. 1 glvo you my word , i rownshond , she has sonslblo ancestors. I know two of them-anllioole at her , " o poInted scornfull ) ' at the daInty IIg- uro In the 111110 blue crene. "StecJlod In superstition I Wears 1\ fetish of some sort round her necle , and hat ! Cor her high nrlestcss the wrlnlelede'3t , blaclwst old- " , A blue cloud swept across the room , II. sort hand covered hIs lips , and a \'olco was raIsed In Indignant pro- tcst : "It Isn'tl It's only my-rabbIt-folt : ! And you shan't maim fun of dear old Aunt Llzal And who was it that wouldn't pull with the 'Varsity crow last year , because they had lost tholr mascot ? And- " "And who was It- " The GIrl In 1'Inie bad rlson and was poInting an accus- lng finger I\t the ilian In the great- : oat , "that only lost weole , at Debby Fair's mess , wouldn't sit down until the steward was brought In-becanso there wero-th-II'-to-enl" He gave one 1 00 Ie at Jack-then , wI1hout n word , the two men boltl'd , pursued by llttle , dollclous , mockIng Gibes. Molllo turned sUddenly nnd looked learchlngy ] nt the glr1' who had thrown hersel [ down upon the rug. "ElIzaboth Van Alen , I bolleve I'll tell-you- somothlng. The strangest thlngl" 8he amo slowly toward the firo. "For three nights , Dess , I have : Ireamed the sarno thIng-that In a : ertaln place In this very hOuse , there Is something valuable , silver or gold , ' .1Id on. And , Dess , I believe It ! Thor was no earthly reason why I should dream such II. thlng-I have never thought of It ! It just came to me , 'inll I ] mow Aunt Llza would say It was sent ! Jack laughed at first , but last night when I woleo hIm up and showed hIm-como , I'll show youl" Eho sprang lightly to her feet and gathered the seCt blue draperies about her. her.Tho The GIrl In' Plnle followed quickly , AS she led the way to the dIning-room , ( itralght across the parquetted 11001' , 'Here , right behind this buffet , " she tugged recklessly at the pretty pIcco or furnIturo. "Now , put your car to that wall , nnd listen when I tap. Don't you hear-It's hollow ! " The two IrIB Jooked at each other breathlessly , ' 1'ho Girl In Plnle had caught the fever of excitement that glowed In the blufj eyes. " 'I'hore L m't another place In the whole room tnat sounds that way. I know , for wo ha\'o a secret cabinet In the llbrar , ' down home-and It'c rho very Identical spot of m ) ' dreams ! You Imow , thls-theso apartments were on co n hOuse , ono of these old colonial mansions ; It belonged to Juck's great-great-grandfatherorsome. body. It's Jacle's own property , Ho can do as ho plea.Os , and I'vo marlo up my mInd-he's got to dIE ; In there lnd see ! And thIs very nIght ! " "Dut , Molllo , think of the me89 all over your pretty room ! And won't . . .llUl In the other apartment- " ' ' ' 1'hOY'\'A Ion" away. Mr. Crosby won't bo back tIll to-morrow-that's why I want Jack to do It to-lllg t , And what do I care for a moss , I ! only-oh , Jacle , let's do It-now ! " h llfted two coaxing blue o'es to the man who had corne In quietly and was standing In the doorway , watchIng - Ing the two with the shadoW' or a smIle on his darle , aandsomo tace. There was s\onco ( \ for a tImo. ' 1'ho man In the dress SUlt ] ooleed dreamily at the bit cr Unte : ! wall. 'rhe 011'1 In I > Jnk laughed a little , norvously-hor pro.ale , sennlble self had vanished I . - , . . , / t - . ' - , bo ere the glamour .of mystery. h < < l could almost see the treasure I "l'l-e-aso , Jack. " 'Vhon MoUlo coaxod- . , The man drew a long brat , W,1th- out n word ho Inhl asldo coat ah\l \ vest , ' 110 turned bacle tb.o'big I rug , " Ho pushell the burrct out into the room , then dOllberatoly and slowly ho rnlsod the hatchet Molllo Iuullled hIm. C.r-a-c-Itl Down tumbled n sIlU'\rO of tinted wallI "O.ob , Moll ol" gasped the girl In Pin It , "Go on , " suld Molllo , In a low , Inexorable - orablo'olco. . The blue yes wera un- rOlentIng. The Spartans paled Into Inslgnllicance before this slender ) 'oung priestess. AgaIn the hatchet went up-tho gnsh wIdened , The plaster was all down-tho grny dust was BeWIng Over the pretty china and sIlver , oyer the po11shed tablol ! nnd , ohalrs , over the blue and tht' plnle ParIs gowns , ever the black and the golden heads. O-n.ol rang the tall cnthedral tlock. Down fell the tools with 'clntter upon the Uoor , MolIlo Ellrang forward wItIt a starlleil cry : "Look I " the \vhlspor sdunded hoarsely - ly through the sllen 'O. . "Oh , loolcl" loolcl"I I - - < . SUDDENLY EVERY ONE STOOD S'l'ILL. ' 1'hore was 1gllttor of silver , gleam of gold-In the opening I The GIrl In PInk felt shIver creep doWJ : her back ; her heart throbbed wildly , And : Molllo was right ! Her dreamt were t\'U1I1 : It was sllvor-heavy , Eolld sllver- wrapped In soft , old , yellowed papol that plaInly told of the pll13slng of the years. Slowly , reverently , Molllo unwrnppec them picco by piece. The blue oyel were luminous , the sweet mouth trom. ulous. "Now , hurr11 See what else there' Is-It seems to bo n small secret cab- Inet. Oh , Jncle , what wUl Aunt Llza say ! Aren't you clad I dreamedl" The man willi the dust-covored shirt and begrImed hands pushed her gently aside. I "Got bacle out of this mess , Mollie. ' and let mo aeo what Is here , It must have been great-gront-grandfather. ClafUn'a. Ho was governor , and t.hI was the mansIon. Jovol I'd Illco tn' ' glvo the old gentleman a handshake ! , Here , taee ] thoBo , " ho handed her another - other bundle of silver spoons , II. piteh- er , a sIlver sugar and creamer , a pall" or sUEar tonga , n half-dozon Hllver plates of foreign maee , two gold-lIned goblets , and a queer low dIsh 'of I3Ilver filigree. I Suddenly everyone stood sU11. 'l'here was n confusIon of voIces , a trampling of heavy feet In the hall , and the next moment the door was flung violently open , and two brawny policemen stood on the threshold , J "Just lwep your pace , partner. Promallallln' aIn't the tlclcet just now. " The big pollcoman smIled pleasantly , 'rho man In the dust-covored clothes grew palo. ' "Don't lese your temper , old man , " sang out a cheery volco from the 1 r.l11. "They'vo run mo In , too. I thInk-it's going to be-runny. " The Girl In PJnle gave a little Invountary cry. The man In the greatooat smiled at her reassur- Ingy ] , Strange , she bad never lenown before what n spiondld-Iooldng fellow' ho was ! Any gIrl mIght be proud- Perhaps-after all- Then she retrent- ell toward the library door hastlly. . ' A man , ( L small man , with a very red face and angry eyes , had pushed , hi : ! way pnst the two pollcomen across to the tabo ] where the treasure glittered nnd gleamed under the eQctri ] lights. " 'I'hero It Is-overy bit of It ! " Ho pointed excitedly w the heap of sHver stuff , then to the unsIghtly hole In the wall. "Don't YOll see that ! What rurthor proof do you want ? I don't care who ho Is-a ClaflIn or anybody else , or whether ho owns the universe I 1I0's a blasted thlof-he and hIs part. ner there ! Haven't I bcen watchln him slmlklng about the place for the last two hoursl 'l'hey lenow I WIU awa'1 from homol The thIef ! SteallnB my sIlver rIght out ofbls rage fair , Iy choleed hIm , ho could not say more Molllo caught hol' breath. For one brIef moment she looked at the groUll before lieI' . Then , with a queer lItth sound , a curious mixture of ] aughtel and sobs , she sanle helpessly ] down upon the fioor , a I.Ittle limp , buo ] thing that gasped faintly : "Oh , Jaclel Jackl It's-Mr. Crosby. . . . alld-w 've dug - Into - his - sUve. closett " . . . . . : . . . . . . . . . . A . ' . '