The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-06-24

the other.
"Haye you yesterdays paper I" asked
the visitor. She had an eye to dramatic
effect, and knew that every moment of
suspense was fitting her auditor for the
final denouement.
Mrs. Mayfeld remembered that the
paper was in her boudoir, and sent for
it. When it was brought the visitor
pointed to a paragraph among the dis
patches for the Associated Press" and
said impressively:
"Read that !"
With some trepidation Mrs. Mayfeld
complied.
'NEw YORK, July %.
1.-The noted defaulter, John Compton, whose
apprehension recently cost our detectives so
much time and ingenuity, has managed to elude
the vigilance of his keepers and is again at
large"
When the lady raised her eyes from
the paper the other said:
"That is her brother !"
impossible !" cried Mrs. Mayfield ;
nevertheless she was fully satisfied of the
truth of the statement.
"I always supposed you were in
formed in the matter when you took her"
"What ! place my children knowingly
in the charge of a person of such disrep-
uatble connections !"
go, of course, she may be non the
worse or that account only fancy his
coming to her for money, orto be secret
ed until the heat of the search for him
was over. 1 have read of such things.
Ugh!"
And the lady shuddered at the bare
idea.
Like a flash, Mrs. Mayfeld's mind re-
verted to the missing five dollar bill and
Miss Compton's agitation. With the
readiness of many another of her turn
of mind, she "put this and that togeth-
Ell" and jumped at a very rational con-
clusion thatshe was harboring a monster.
1t was all clear to her. The culprit had
fed from the metropolis and come imme-
diately to his aid. She, to exc out her
little store, had been tempted to appro-
pirate some of her employers money.
When Tom came he was met by a very
solemn face.
"Halloo, Lib |. What's up? Has the
baby got the measles, or have you got
rain oil your new bonnet, or"
"Don't tritie, Tom," said his cousin.
"The case is a serious one."
"Well, out with it. There's nothing
half SO terrible as suspense"
Tom was used to his cousin, and ex-
pected nothing more than a very moder-
ate sized mountain.
"Tom 1 have every reason to believe
that we have been harboring a most un-
--o1of,1 ,,oroo~ am for.a1 RI o11c,oaaf
Miss Compton of dishonesty"
The idea struck Tom as SO absurd that
he went off in a roar of laughter.
go, Libl" he cried when he could
fetch breath, "let upl That's the big
gest bugaboo yet. Has she made. of
with the plate?"
Few of us can with eqaunimity bear
being laughed at. Mrs. Mayfeld col
ored.
"Your merriment cannot alter the
fact" she cried.
"Nonsense, Lib What can have led
you to such IN absurd suspicion2"
"I left a roll of bills on my dressing
table when we went out to drive, and up
onmy return one of the rolls was miss.
ing. There was no one in the room but
Miss Compton and baby. How will you
explain that
"Why you made a mistake in count
ing the money, and left less than you
"Didn't you give me thirty dollars
this morning?"
eyes"
"Well, just before going to drive
counted out enough to pay for my bon
net and left it lying on the table beside
my porte-monnaie. The rest l put into
the inside pocket, and it is there just as
I left it."
"Might not the bill have blown out
of the Window"
"Miss Compton sat in the window
the distance was too great, and there wa
not draft sufficient"
"She may have left the room a mo
meDt, and n of the servants entered
and taken the money"
"They were both out. She and baby
were the only persons in the house dur
ing our absence"
"Any way" said Tom, with q frown
no better reason than because he is de
termined not to believe, "it's preposter
GUS to think for a moment hat Miss Com
ton is capable of a petty theft. Where
is she ?"
SIN her room, 1 presume" replied
Mrs. Mayfield, with the quiet s~atisfac
ton of one who had beaten the enemy
at every point.
"Of course you have not insulted he
by letting your suspicion be known"
"I have said nothing to her since she
helped me in the fruitless search TO
the bill"
Tom frowned.
"And, Tom"
Mrs. Mayfeld had reserved a cap TO
her climax.
"Wel?"
"Read that"
And she pointed out the newspape
paragraph. When she saw that he hat
read it, she said simply
"Her brother !"
Tom frowned again.
"Lib," he said, "you'd make an ex
cellent detective. It's a pity your Sc:
shuts you out from so congenial q fell
of action"
Mrs. Mayfield smiled quietly. Sh
could afford to be tolerant. She woult
not quarrel with the patient for making
a wry face over a bitter pill.
cat any rate" said Tom, "den't &C
hastily in this matter. The bill ma,
turn up, but then it may be too late t
heal the wound you may infict by undu
precipitation"
With that he left the room.
Miss Compton did not appear at til
tea-table. Mrs. Mayfield looked signif
cantly across at her cousin, but he sa
looking doggedly down into his plate.
In the evening, while working in tn,
garden in moody thought, he suddenl,
came face to face Nth the governess
She had q shawl thrown wei her head
and was fastening toward the house
Upon seeing him she started back, AM
would have avoided him !; but he was a
her side in all instant, a recollection O
Mrs. Mayfield's suspicion of her meetin,
her brother flashing through his mind.
"Miss Compton !"
She turned upon him, and grasped hi
---. l.