The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-04-23


Anything happened?' says |. ..,.-
Yes" says she, "I'm afraid so, I'm
so sorry"
"Dear me Do mention the facts"
says I.
"Well, says she, Z" l can hardly bear to |
do it; who has chance at the safe beside
you and me ?''
Nobody but Lilly Rathbone," says |.
"You are sure ?'' says she.
"Why, of course" says l.
"Ah! well, +" says she, "perhaps there is
another way out of it. May be you've had
occasion to use that money of mine.
mean the thousand-dollar bank-note that
put in there, in red pocket-book last
week"
"No," said l. "Of course I'd have
spoken of it. 1t was your private money"
Z" It's gone, Richard" said She "you
saw me look into the safe today"
Yes" says I.
"Well," says she, "it was gone then. l
couldn't bring myself to think of it.-You
see girl like that has so many tempta-
tions; going to marry and all,-Richard,
promise me you won't have her arrested
or anything if it is her."
at is not her." cried. Besides it was
your money. You would be the prosecutor
of any thief" -.
"Dear me yes" says she, 'and I'll let
her go; but must get it back, and she
must leave the store.'
elbow can you think SO i'll OF the poor
girl?" said /. Why don't you suspect
me I'm ever so much more doubtful
a character than she is"
" You are my brother-in-law said Mar
garet Ann. "Now listen to reason. Come
to the store with me, and we'll search. If
we don't find it, I will charge Lilly with the
theft tomorrow, and if she don't confess,
get search warrant out for her rooms. I'll
be very kind, but I can't lose sum like
that"
She cried again. really did feel that
she was in trouble. We went to the store
again, and searched the safe but the money
was gone. Margaret Ann had the number
in her pocket-book. 1t was easy to identify
it, and besides poor girl like Lilly did not
have thousands lying about loose. con-
fessed to myself that the poor thing was in
a suspicious position, and said that if she
should prove guilty, my faith in human
nature is gone.
"Mine too, said Margaret Ann. I've
come to like her so. And then poor Sam p"
went home to tea with with my sister
in-law, but we had not much appetite.
She promised not to come to the store
until closing hour, and to be very merciful,
and to give the girl every chance.
And so we parted. rose to say good
night, and came around the work table to
shake hands with Margaret Ann, when,
like clumsy old bachelor, not used to
woman's fixings, my coat caught in little
wicker work sewing basket on long spider
legs, and overset it. Out tumbled cotton,
buttons and tape, and l stopped down to
pick them up, when among them saw a
little key, with a nick in it, and a long
piece of pink ribbon tied to the handle. 1t
was a very little thing but it made my blood
run cold
If that was the key Lilly lost what was
it doing there? didn't dare to look at
my sister-in-law. And walked the floor
all night, but by morning my mind was
made up.
At nine o'clock met that boy and girl
at the store and told them / should be out
all day. In ten minutes more / stole
Lilly's key from under the counter, and
went out. went to her house---to her
little room on the third floor, and enter
ed it like a thief II was very poor
and very bare, but very neat and
clean; and there was a closet in it, with a
few dresses hanging up on pegs, and bon
net box on a shelf.
Into the closet went, and there sat
down on an old trunk and waited. heard a
queer old clock ticking in the room. heard
IL count the hours, ten, eleven twelve. And
kept saying TO myself:
"If you are a wicked, suspicious old fool
Richard Wood, Lord forgive you u
But waited still, and just as the long
black hands pointed at half-past one !
heard knock at the door--suoh rap as
ladies' sometime give with parasol
handle; such knock as my sister-inlaw
t gave at the Office door. f ls1g,D
. drew my closet door tight shut, and
put my eye to the creyice In 1t. ,8fssN
There was another knocks pause; and
{ then heard the key turn In the lock, and