Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-08-13
FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.

FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.
when young married clerk sud
denly loses his situation in proyin-
clal bank where employers are reduc-
ing their hands, 1t does rot follow that
work can be had for the asking in
London; and so Mr.. Tom Craven
found himself still seeking employ
ment many months after his savings
mad dwindlcd down TO few pounds.
The last resources Of tho young couple
was the sale of every available article
OF iurElture they possessed, and when
my story opens young Mrs. Craven
was on the point of starting TO sell the
last remaining article of value, name
ly, her husbands boots.
"The children must live" said the
young man, looking at two tiny fig
ures in the bed, ''and all my other
clothes are done for, so the boots are
OF no use to me. The only trouble is
that you should have to take them,
| Clara.
bootsr'
I've got slippers" replied Tom.
Make haste, dear--no one will see
! you in the dark"
Resolved to keep up, Clara stopped
for the boots. Something must turn
up soon--perhaps you'll hear from
Brown a. Co. tomorrow" she said.
Every likely" responded Tom in q
Responding tone. Brown IL Co. were
his late employers, and he had writ.
ten to them asking if they could posi-
bly, take him back--with faint hopes
of success.
Quickly the boots were put into an
old leather bag, and Mrs. Craven
dressed herself in shabby waterproof
and bonnet, and covered her face with
q thick veil Then she crept down
the creaking old stairs and out into
the narrow street, with heavy heart
and eyes into which tears would come.
Gusts of wind made the steet lamps
| flicker and cast strange shadows rs
Clara Craven sped on toward the shop
where "left-off'' clothing was pur-
chased. She paused few doors off
TO let some persons 90 on their way,
for she was sorely ashamed of her err
rand; and as she stood thus her eyes
fell on placard that was fixed uuder
| the light of a lamp on the wall of
police station.
Fifty pounds sterling reward"
Fifty pounds! How nice to get
itr' thought Mrs. Craven; and then
she took another look To see IL the
coast was clear for the business she
had in hand. Two more peo-
pie were coming. Back went her
eyes 10 the placard, and she read that
this reward was offered TO any person
who would give such information as
ing iewelry robbery.
"Wish could catch the thief" said
Clara to herself. half laughing, half
sadly, and when she looked again to-
ward the wardrobe shop she saw she
might venture in. After hearing her
husbands boots deprecated in every
possible manner, she timidly accepted
the pitiful price offered, and then stole
back into the street, where she pur-
chased few absolute necessaries of
life, and ordered some coal which a
green-grocer's boy wheeled IN bar
rel behind her until they reached the
uOOE vi tIo iOupluS -housts
Would you mind carrying them mp
to my room in two basketsful if j give
you two-pence?" asked Clara, gently.
The boy nodded by way of answer,
and the young wife opened the door
with her iatch-ley, and ran up for an
old basket. While she was getting
this out of her room man had swift
ly entered tho house and passed up
the stairs. The coal boy never no
ticed him, for he was eagerly watch
ing the signs Of an approaching fight
between two tom-cats on an opposite
stairway.
The staircase was very dark, so
when Clara came down the man had
squeezed himself into a corner unob-
served; and when she went on her
way the stranger passed on to the top
of the house, and entered the room
behind that occupied by tho Cravens.
An hour later snug glow of hre
warmed the young couple and their
children, and the latter. having been
satisfied with meal, went sound
asleep. Tom watched his wifo's busy
fingers mending shabby clothes for
while, and then he, too, went to bed,
sharing her fervent hope that some.
thing would turn up tomorrow.
Ard so il came about that when all
were asleep Clara sat on by the fire
that still burned clieerily, and after
eleven strokes had fallen slowly from
the big clock, and the restless roar OF
traffic was somewhat less in the ever
busy street, her hands lay idle in her
lap, and she blew out the candle to
save its light for another time, and
turned such sad young face, such
troubled blue eyes, on the Pickering
fire that it seemed hard, hard that so
young life should be SO old in sor-
row.
A sound of voices in the next room
reused her. There was door COM
municating with the next room, which,
of course, was locked, but which made
sounds easily heard. Clara knew that
her companion was an elderly lady
she had met her on the stairs some
times-and she wondered who her
visitor could be mt such af hour. Then
the sound of frightened sobbing and
expostulation made her listen atten-
lively, for she feared her neighbor was
In trouble, and she determined to rouse
her husband il necessary.
mot yet, Joe! Oh, don't say you
must go yetr'
Mother, I've stayed too long al
ready. They'll be after me sharp,
now the rewards out. Think of fifty
pounds sterling. mother! The men who
tempted me. and got the jewels,
would turn on me now and get the
reward"
This was il. thenl But one slight
wooden door stood between Clara and
the thief she wished she could find.
Only TO step round the corner. There
she knew was the police station. and
| for the news she brought them she