Connecticut western news., 1872-03-22
VOL. |.

that night; "and so pretty too, for her age. think she's splendid"
 "Glad you like her," said I.
 "Dear me !" said she, with her head un- der the counter.
 "Sister in-law, you know," sad I 'one of the family it won't do to praise her too much"
 ooh, Iwasn't thinking of what you said, Mir. Wood" said she. |" Pm so surprised about my key. Pm sureI hung it here. A little brass door key, with nick in the handle, and piece of pink ribbon tied to it. 1 can't think where it is gone."
 Well, we both looked everywhere. We unpacKed packages and pceped into boxes, and poked down cracks in the floor. Lilly kept worrying about getting a locksmith to fit another before she could get in, and said that Rose was always so tired.
 Rose was her sister. The two were or phans, and kept house together in one lit tie room of very respectable tenement house.
 "I've always had tea ready before Rose got in," said Lilly "but tonight she'll have to wait"
 It's odd how we remember little things sonStlnSo' StAupS eAO Si1A pAOoCy pug zled face, and her graceful motions as she ran about looking fer the key, impressed this on my mind. At all events we did not find the notched key tied with pink ribbon, and Lilly went home without it. told Margaret Ann about it when I saw her next, and she inquired very politely of Lilly as to the end of the affair, when she next saw her. The key was never found, but Lilly said she had two made, so that such thing could never happen again. She would keep one, and Rose the other.
 "And as I presume it was lost here, you must have the value of it from us," said Margaret Ann. "It's not much, but it's but just" And that thought was very kind of Widow Wood, considering.
 Well, time passed on, and one day was about like another. People began to go to the country, and trade was dull. And Sam. told me that Lilly and he were going to be married soon, God willing.
 I had 9nst left Sam. when Margaret Ann's colored girl stepped across the street, and told me that her mistrass wanted to see me.
 Of course l went over. And when got into the back parlor, found Margaret Ann wrapped up in shawl, her eyes red witk crying.
 Anything happened ?" says I.
 "Yes,' says she, "I'm afraid so.' Pm so sorry"
 "Dear me! Do mention the facts,' says I. ---------
 "Well," says she, "I can hardly bear to do it; who has chance at the safe be- sides you and me ?"
 " "Nobody but Lilly Rathbone," says I.
 You are sure 2" says she.
 "Why, of course," says I.
 "Ah! Weli," says she," perhaps there's another way out of it. May be you've had occasion to use that money of mine. l mean the thousand-dollar bank-note that I put in there, in red poeket-boo last week."
 "No," said l.. "Of course I'd have spoken of 1t. It was your private money
 "It's gone, Richard," said she, "You saw me look into the safe to-day?"
 "Yes," says I.
 "Well," says she, it was gone then I couldn't bring myself to speak of it You see girl like that has so many tenn tations going to marry, and ell. Richard promise me you won't have her arrested or any thing, if it is her."
 Its not" I cried. "Besides, it wa your money. You would be the prosecu tor of any thief"
 Dear me, yes," says she, "and I'll le her go; but l must get it back, and sh must leave the store"
 "How can you think so ill of the girl :? said I. "Why don't you suspect me I'm ever 50 much more doubtful charac ter than she is."
 You are my brother-in-law," said Mar garet Ann. Now listen to reason. Com to the store with me, and we'll search. l we don't find it, shall charge Lilly wit the theft tomorrow, and if she don't con fess, get search warrant out for her rooms I'll be very kind, but I can't loose sur like that"
 She cried again. I did really feel tha she was in great trouble. We went to tn store again, and searched the safe, but tn money was gone. Margaret Ann had th number in her pocket-book. It was eas to identify it, and besides poor girl lik Lilly did not have thousands lying abou loose. 1 confessed to myself that the DOG thing was in suspicious position, and said that if she should prove guilty, m faith in human nature was gone.
 "Mine too," said Margaret Ann. "Pv come to like her so. And then, poor Sam.
 went home to tea with my sister-ir law, but we had not much appetite. .Sh promised not to come to the store unt closing hour, and to be very merciful, an to give the girl every chance.
 And so we parted arose to say gooc night, and came around the table { shake hands with Margaret Ann, whe, being but clumsy old bachelor, not use to. .woman's fixings, my coat caught in little wicker work sewing basket on Tor spider legs, and overset it. Out tumble cotton and buttons and tape, and stoope down to pick them up, when among u litter 1 saw key-a brass door key, wit nick III it, and long piece of pink Til bon tied to the han He. It was a vary Ii tie thing, but it made my blood run coll
 If that was the key that Lilly had los what was it doing there didn't dare 1 look at my sister-in-lew. And I wake the floor all night, but by morning m mind was made up.
 At nine o'clock met that boy and gi at the store and told them I should | out all day. In ten minutes more sto l Lillys key from under the counter. ax
 went out. 1 went to her house-to h. little room on the third floor, and entere it like thief. It was very poor and vel ; bare, but very neat and clean; and the was closet in it, with a few dresses han up on pegs, and bonnet box on shelf. Into that closet went, and tbere s , down on an old trunk and waited. hea, queer old clock ticking in the room.
 heard it count the hours, ten, eleve twelve. And I kept saying to myself: "If you are wicked, suspicious O fool, Richard Wood, Lord forgive you {" But I waited still, and just as the lo1
 black hands pointed at halE-past one,
 heard knock at the door-such knot
 as ladies sometimes give with paras { handle; such a knock as my sister-in-la