The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-02-26

tsnt Peggy. II wonder what she has
been doing now. to arouse my lady's
displeasure?" he mentally added.
! But, what did IL mean? Surely that
was Peggy crossing the hall from the
kitchen to the dining-room-
Il shall investigate this matter ere
the setting of to-morrow's sun" he de-
termined, as he silently entered and
took seat at the table.
] In consequences, toward evening OF
the same day, Henry Caruthers was
privately closeted with proficient
detective, 10 whom he explained as ex-
plicitly as possible the facts in the
case.
The next day, as Rose was engaged
with some fine needle work In the little
sitting room, she was certain that she
heard some one sobbing, and other
sounds of distress from an adjoining
bedroom. She hastily opened the
door communicating, and saw Peggy
in great distress, sitting upon the side
of the bed, which she had began to make
up.
~Why, Peggy, you poor child What
is the matter?' exclaimed the warm
hearted Rose, placing her hand upon
the girls bowed head.
Il can't tell you, ma'am! You would
despise me. / can't tell any one, least
wise you who have been so kind to me.
@But, where are You going?" she
asked, observing Peggy donning her
cloak and hat.
Il have to go down town, my lady. I
am sent for"
And Rose, on glancing through the
half-open door, saw for the first time q
man standing in the hall, dressed in a
blue detective suit
In few words he explained to her
his painful duty; that of arresting
Peggy for theft. Ho had come to con-
duct her to the station house.
The evening before he had tracked
her from the house where she was en-
ployed, away beyond the city limits,
and had there lost trace of her. That
.morning she had stolen in at the back
entrance to the Caruthers domain very
early, ere the family were astir, minus
the bundle which she had borne away
with her.
Peggy, amidst expostulations and en-
treaties, was searched, all to no pur-
1
came by the bundle so frequently seen
with her, and as to their contents. she
maintained n confused silence, while
her eyelids dropped guilty.
peggy" and Henry Caruthers' tone
was stern and commanding, "the sooner
you explain this matter the better it
will be for you. Are you guilty or in
nocent of the crime?"
Peggy hung her head for a few
minutes thoughtfully, then expressed
her willingness to confess all that she
knew of the affair. Her story is as
follows:
"My home is five miles away from
here, to the east. My family consists
of father and twin sisters, besides my
self. My father, sir, is an inebriate,
spending all our earnings in liquor; he
is very quarrelsome, and never thinks
of doing one stroke of work, so that,
sometimes, my sister and myself find
it difiic ult to make both ends meet.
any twin sister, sir, is the very
counterpart of myself in appearance,
but she is deaf and dumb. am very
sorry, SIR, but / could not resist the
temptation of taking the things, al
though knew it was stealing. l began
to think that you were so we'll off that
perhaps you might never find out what
became of them and that the crime
would not be as bad as when taken
from poorer person.
"Where Is your sister, Peggy?"
"In your house, sir, in the attic
chamber, she is waiting for me"
bright light dawned on the mind
of Henry Caruthers. This, then, ac-
counted for the light he had seen there,
and cleared, in his mind, the remainder
of the mystery.
II will fetch her." he said, and left.
He soon returned, leading Polly by
the hand.
Polly wrote rapidly the answers to
the questions put to her, and her story
conceded in every way with the one
Peggy had told, but when questioned as
to the manner in which she had COM
mitted the theft, Peggy sprang forward
excitedly, while she exclaimed, with
flashing eyes:
"She never did that l it was who
stole the things, when you were absent
from the room, and wrapped them up
for her. She merely received the bun
die from my hands in the attic chamber,
and carried them home. They are all
there, now, unframed. Oh, sir, 10 not
blame Polly" And Peggy wrung her
hands entreatingly.
any poor GIRL" Henry Caruthers
exclaimed huskily, while his eyes looked
moist. "You both have been more
sinned against than SHINING. / will
send some one to recover the articles,
and will make this proposition to you
Peggy, will take you back again into
my employ, and give your mute sister
home on one condition, and that is,
that you swear here before witness
that you will never repeat the crime,
but always strive to be honest"
Peggy was too much astonished for
time to answer. That any one should
trust her after her acknowledged theft
never occurred to her. She sprang for
ward impulsively, and grasping her
benefactor's hand before he could re-
strain her, she covered it with her tears
and kisses.
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