The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-06-18

fellowl'
Mrs. Mayfeld looked puzzled.
"Ah, Miss Compton,"
"Yes. He has Just broke Jail. Didn't
you notice it in last evenings paper
1t is terrible to have such relatives"
Mrs. Mayfeld was more mystified than
ever.
"Her relatives don't know that L
understand Won. Miss Compton has
been somewhat reserved in speaking of
her people and her life before coming
here"
sis it possible that you don't know ?"
The visitors eyes dilated with aston
ishment, and Mrs. Mayfeld colored
slightly at her Ignorance of the antece-
dents of her governess.
Miss Compton came to me stranger
in the place, and without references"
And you took her in without know
ing"
The enormity of the thing seemed to
overcome the visitor, and she broke off
without giving the enlightenment that
growing curiosity.
"She appeared like lady, and seemed
in DISTRESS" began Miss Compton's
employer, by way of extenuation.
"Why, bless your dear heart !" cried
her guest, I" if we took in every one who
looked like a lady or gentleman, we should
all be murdered in our beds !"
81 am sure there can be nothing ter
rible connected with Miss Compton,
said Mrs. Mayfeld, with apprehension
awakened by the words and manner of
the other.
"Have you yesterdays paper 2" 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 paragraph among the a" 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. Mayfieid /;
nevertheless she was fully satisfied of the
truth of the statement.
:" always supposed you were in
formed in the matter when you took her."
"What place my children knowingly
in the charge of person of such disrep-
uatble connections ~
go, of course, she may be none the
worse on that account only fancy his
coming to her for money, or to be secret
ed until the heat of the search for him
was over. l have read of such things.
Ugh :"
And the lady shuddered at the bare
idea.
Like flash, Mrs. Mayfeld's mind re-
verified 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-
er, and jumped at very rational con-
clusion that she was harboring monster.
1t was all clear to her. The culprit had
fled 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 OH your new bonnet, Or"
Don't trife, Tom," said his cousin.
"The case is serious one"
GNNan ont with ~ Tla,a,o ,ntl,;no,
half so terrible as suspense"
Tom was used to his cousin, and ex-
pected nothing more than very moder-
ate sized mountain.
"Tom l have every reason to believe
that we have been harboring a most I'M
grateful woman. am forced to suspect
Miss Compton of dishonesty"
The idea struck Tom as so absurd that
he went off in a roar of laughter.
go, Lib" he cried when he could
fetch breath, "let up That's the big
gest bugaboo yet. Has she made off
with the platel"
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 an absurd suspicion?
60 left roll of bills on my dressing
table when we went out to drive, and up
on my 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 p
"Why, you made a mistake in count
ing the money, and left less than you
supposed 2"
"Didn't you give me thirty dollars
this morningl"
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 put into
the inside pocket, and it is there just as
L 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
not draft sufficient"
"She mary have left the room mo-
ment, and one of the servants entered
and taken the money!"
"They were both out. She and baby
,.-ox,, 4I,o ,pIx, ,,arcnpc in tho bnroa l,r-