The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-27
AN ACCOMPLISHED THIEF.

-
She appeared to be young lady
of two or three and twenty, slightly
above the medium height, of perfect
form, with large, piercing black eyes,
and wealth Ofraven tresses float-
ing over her shoulders. A large
canvas-covered trunk followed her in
to the hall, and, after she had been
shown into the parlor, the register,
with pen and ink, was brought for
her signature. She nodded pleas
antly-nodded with smile that
completely captivated the impress
sible clerk-and then, in very
pretty Italian hand, she wrote her
name-"Miss: Clara Dubois, Phila
[delphia, Pa
Later, as the landlord politely es.
eorted her to the supper room, she
informed hlm that she had heard of
his house-that it was quiet and
we'll kept, end that she had come
for a short rest and respite from
the din and turmoil of the great
city.
The good host was grateful and
very glad the young lady had hon
ored his house with her presence.
He would do what he could to
make her stay comfortable and
agreeable. . ... .-s..-.
Very soon Miss Dubois got &C.
quainted with the guests of the
house and proved herself as intel
ligent and entertaining as she was
pretty. She played we'll upon the
piano forte, but did not sing. She
played chess, too, though there was
only one person in the house to play
with her.
Boarding at the, hotel was Mr.. Aa
ron Huntley. He kept the principal
store IN the village, and was oul
postmaster. He was q man of five
and forty, rotund, and good-looking
and had been widower ten years
He had been a successful trader, and
had been careful of his money, which
he worshiped.
And it was Mr.. Huntley who play
ed chess with Miss Dubois.
One evening Aaron Huntley came
from the parlor where he had been
playing chess, radiant. He had
proposed and mad been accepted
He managed to keep the sweet, bless
ed secret for four-andtwenty hours
and then he let it out to the landlord
and was congratulated. The store
keeper was happy. He walked as
one who treads ON air. He was
smiling and gracious to his customers
and even generous.
| After this Miss Dubois was much
at the store, and, in her playful hap
py way, she assisted often in the
postoffice, which was a square room
|partitioned off in one corner of the
building.
And SO the days went on and
Aaron Huntley was certainly the
happiest man in the village. Blu,
one morning thunder. clap fell upor
him. He went to the store finding
the rear door ajar. He went to his
safe and found that it had beer
opened and the money all taken
the savings of years! Fully $4,000
had been stolen from the safe.
Miss Dubois was early at the
store and when she heard of her low
er's loss she endcavored to console
him. s...
''Don't worry, dearest" she said
"When my father comes cal
help you, if this loss cripples yor
it shall be only for time"
"But, Clara. 1 would not have i
dPPCae oucat lualllCN y Ou -OI y out
Naughty man, hush! Will yol
not let me love you a little?"
What could he say more?
| When the stage arrived that even
ing an old gentleman, with whit,
hair and beard and wearing an enor
nous pair of green spectacles, wa.
helped out and, leaning heavily upor
his stout oaken staff, hobbled into
the hall. He signed his name upor
the register in a trembling, stray
Cling hand: "Dr. Seth Bumpu.
n. Y.
When supper was finished Miss
Dubois took Mr.. Huntley's arm ant
retired to the parlor, and presently
af:erward the whitchaired man nam
ed DR.. Bumpus followed them
The two had seated themselves upor
the sofa, and the latter took a sea
on chair between them and thu
door. and at the same time stout
dark-faced man, in a free-and easy
suit of dark flannel, had stopped upol
the threshold and was standing il
the open doorway.
Miss Dubois saw these two men
saw the position they had taken
and her teeth came together with |
snap and her lips were compressed
and pale.