Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-14
WHO TOOK IT?
The Story OF q Tveniy-P0und Bank
NOtes

"Wm you take charge OF ego till tomorrow
morning, Marian?"
.Take charge Of eco, Harold I" echoed my
wife, In amusement. "What do You mean =,
settled myself down to an explanation Ex.
plantations are things hate, neTertheles g, they
are necessary sometimes. One was due on thi:
"You know. my dear Mariap,n began. with
ousiness,nke ait, that the failure of ardtpg
Brot1 ers threw scores OF men, women and CHI &.
dren In the neighborhood out OF work. in the
very hardest part of a very bad wear. Tnts
evening meeting was held with view TO
enas ung the sympathy Of the public. A sub
there and then to the tune Of eco. AS nothing
else could be done with the money TO- Knight, /
was, as treasurer, Obliged to bring it home;
coming along these lonely roads with such
sum- However, have reached home safely in
spite OF my fears, and now shall deliver 1t over
toycu until can get rid Of it,
ana 80 free your mind from all RESPONSE
olHty, ADDED my wife, with smile.
a S Sne Knows that one OF my chief weaknesses is
las lar as possible" / replied.
we Immediately went into consultation as
t 70 where tne money should be put: suggested
tne meatsafe, as place to which thieves
would never dream OF going for money, but INV
vile pOoh-poOhed the idea, as well as several
0o aa r s11ggesSl9ns OF mine, which 1 thought
At last an ideastruck her In the shape OF the
Wlne-draWer OF the cupboard of the sideb BARD.
she argued, for the drawer might first be locked.
In addition to locking she door. looked rather
cObtemptuously On the plan, for, IL the truth be
since my wife treated every suggestion of mine
In similar manner.
Both of US falling to hit upon anything bet :
ter, the wine bin was agreed upon; and, as
looked over my evening paper, watched her
place the black japanned box In the drawer.
lock 1t, lock the sideooard, and place the key In
"Therer' she exclaimed, triumphantly, "I
snOudnI mink any one would get at that be.
lore to-morroW morning. for this purse goes
Into the wei OF my dressing case tonight and
that VIII be locked and the Keys put away In my
dress1Dgtaole drawer, so we are doubly and
In spite of these precautions there was a load
on my mind that felt would only be removed
when the money was safe In the bank. / en-
less than half an hour she was quietly sleeping,
while tossed reStlessly to and fro, thinking
about the money and wondering whether any
one could possibly get at It.
At last grand idea struck me, which was to
put 1t inside the piano. Who would dream of
searching for treasure In such place? whereas,
to sdeooaId? and the very fact Of finding it
dOubly locked would make him suspect that
something was hidden there. Plainly enough,
MktTess Marian, with all her cleverness, had
chosen the very worst place possible. Should
go down and remove it? knew where the KEYS
Weie to be found. had half mind to do so.
getting a little sleep. No doubt Should have
zone SO, haa not circumstances intervened-I
Iell asleep.
1t seemed scarcely an hour afterward that I
aWoke and heard sounds of life In the street
below. Well, so far all was safe enough: no
r0Doers had molested us. and felt so comforta-
1 began to laugh at my nervous fear How
stupid 1t would have been to nave gone down
stairs In the middle OF such bitter night!
Inank goodness, had been TOO strong minded
I fell off into another doze, and, as a natural
consequence, was late for breakfast. That meal
IN md y11ay, n
mad my nat and coat on ready to start OH on an
Important case, l reminded Marian of the
money, and begged her to get it out quickly.
had quite forgotten it, she exclaimed.
"Here, Martha, run upstairs and fetch my purse
out OF my dressing case; the keys are In my
Martha flew upstairs to do her mistress, bid
ding, while stood and chafed in the han and
submitted to having my coat brushed. In mo-
Marian ran into the dining room. Two or three
minutes passed, and Marian was still fumbIing
about at the sideboard. entered the room
fmpatient1y. Marian looked at me Grossly.
'Th1S Is quite too bad. Harold WHAT have
you done with the box?"
Done with the box" exclaimed; ''what do
al won't stand this trffing any longer re-
Piled my wife. Its a shame TO give me the
Iesponsicility Of that money and then tease me
"What on earth is the woman talking aboute,
cried, oewfldered. Say what you mean in
plain words, 1 beg"
Z.
AL Marian replied, with white face.
.G0Le!" / Cried, "Gone! Where's 1t gone.
rows IL gone, or who has taken 1t, should Ike
10 know? You must be ravtng. Let me come
Marian moved aside and Iknelt down to the
drawer. No sign OF box was there. AS my
wife had said, the money was gone.
But how, when, Or where? The drawer was
locked, the cupboard was locked, the dressing
case was locked, the purse was inside it, the
keys In the dressing table drawer. These things
my wife and Martha were sure OF. A man
paced In such a position Is bound to have an
idea on the subject and to assert it, so / sug-
geSted That Martha must be the culprft
'No, no, don't say that" cried my wife ex-
citedly. I'D as soon believe that was the thief
as she; I've known her all my life. No, no, it
'.You talk like child, " replied with an air
OF superiority, for really women have no reason
ing powers whatever-not even the best OF
any possibility could have taken the money95
"IIdeed can not" Marian replied SIT could
not te house breaker, for the locks were lust
as lett them; nothing had been touched appa-
..You admit that it could not be any one out
side TIE house. so 1T must be Martha, that Is
pam logic, said. with as much eyenne.s OF
temper as could command at the moment.
.lt Isn't Martha" replied my Wife, stubborn.
~: ''I1i never believe it."
For my part, j felt sure that it was Martha
have got rid Of IL yet, hoped should easlly
discover 1t.
But she denied the charge SO eD1pha,ically
that 1t was with very anxious heart betOok
myself to the bedside OF my patient. The case
was complicated and peculiar one, and my
MIND soon became so interested in the progress
or the various symptoms that my own cares be-
came as things OF nought. After paying one or
TWO minor visits j returned home. Martha
opened the door, and Immediately retired Into
the kitchen without word. Marian was no.
where TO be found. went up stair in search
Of her. She was not there but a little table in
the corner covered with writing materials be-
trayed her recent presence. An open letter In
a handwriting / knew and dstested, attracted
my attention. Husbands have certain preroga-
tives. asserted one at that moment and l
read the letter. Ii you care TO do the same here
IL Is; If not skip Ii:
DEAR MAY:-If you don't contriye to send
me 60 before this day week il win be ruina-
ton for me. Ii you send it you will enable me
to retrieve my former position, and become a
credit to my family. Yours, affectionately,
s. FRANK
1.-The young rascal. what fresh mess has he
been getting into? - 1 exclaimed angriIy This
same Frank had been the source OF untold
squabbleS between myself and Marian: holding
a fairly good position il The city for an uu.
married man, and yet always getting into debt.
Presently l heard Marian enter the house
With the letter In my hand confronted her
She turLed first white and then red, and asked
me by what right a gentleman entered ladg's
private loom and read her CORRESPONDENCE.
81 trey. lion fI,r ls{s