The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-09-10
VOLUME g..

fitting her auditor for the final denoue-
ment
Mrs. Mayfeld remembered that the
paper was in her boudoir, and sent for
it. When il was brought the visitor
pointed to paragraph among the "dis-
patches for the Associated Press" and
said impressively:
"Read thatl"
With some trepidation Mrs Mayfeld
complied.
"NEw YoRY, July %.
"The noted defauiter, John Compton,
whose apprehension recently cost our d.
tectives 80 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!"
"ImpossibIei" cried Mrs. Mayfeld,
nevertheless she was fully satisfied of
the truth of the statement
81 always supposed you were inform
ed in the matter when you took her."
"What! place my children knowingly
in the charge of person of such dis
reputable connections"
40, of course she may be none the
worse on that account: only fancy his
coming to her for money, or to he secret
ed until the heat of the search for him
was over. I have read of such things.
UGH"
And the lady shuddered at the bare
idea.
Like fash. Mrs. May6eld'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 toReth-
er," and jumped at very rational con
clusion that she was harboring a mon
ster. 1t was all clear to her. The
culprit had fed from the metropolis
and came Immediately to his aid She
took out her little store, and had been
tempted to appropriate some Of her em-
ployer's 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 on your new bonnet, or"
"Don't trifle, 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. / have every reason TO believe
that we have been harboring a most I'M
grateful woman. am forced to suspect
Miss Campton Of dishonesty"
The idea struck Tom as so absurd
that he went off in a roar of laughter.
90, Lib p He cried when he could
catch breath, Hlet upi that's the biggest
bugaboo yet Has she made off with
the plate %
Few of us can with equanimity bear
being laughed at. Mrs. May6eld color
! ed.
"Your merriment cannot alter the
fact" she cried.
"NoDsense, Lib +! What can have led
you to such an absurd suspicion ~
"I left roll of bills on my dressing
table when we went out to drive, and upon
my return one of the bills was missing.
There was no one in the room but Miss
Compton and the baby. How will you
explain that?"
"Why, you made mistake in count
ing the money, and left less than you
supposed"
Didn't you give me thirty dollars
this morning?"
eyes"
"Well, just before going to drive
counted ont enough to pay for my bon
net and left it lying on the table beside
my portmonnaie. The rest | put into
my side pocket and it is there just as /
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 was
no draft sufficient"
"She may have left the room a mo-
ment, and one 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 frown
and with the air eta man who discredits
for no better reason than because he is
determined not to believe, "it's prepos-
ferrous to think for a moment that Miss
Compton is capable of petty theft.
Where is she ?"
ain her room, presume" replied
Mrs. May6eld, with the quiet sasisfac-
tion of one who had beaten the enemy
on every point.
"Of course you have not insulted her
by letting your suspicious be known"
"I have said nothing to her Stree she
helped me in the fruitless search for the
bill"
| Tom frowned.
"And Tom"
Mrs. Mayfeld had reserved cap for
her climax.
"Well l?"
"Read that"
| And she pointed out the newspaper
paragraph. When she saw that he had
read it, she said simply:
"Her brother"
Tom frowned again.
Lib" he said, you'd make an excel
lent detective. It's pity your sex shuts
you out from such a congenial field oi
action.
Mrs. May6eld smiled quietly. She
could afford to be tolerant. She would
not quarrel with the patient O
making wry face over the bitter pill
"At any rate, said Tom, don't &C
, hastily in the matter. The bill ma,
turn up, but then it may be too late tc
heal the wound you have inflicted By