The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-01-23

'Ib'S very nara, she repl1ed, WeepI
} again, "for poor defenseless womanl
| be attacked in this way. But don't CT
| plain, for l am used to it. | came herd
answer to an advertisement said to proc
. from a gentleman, and l only wisg(
hadn't
"And that advertisement was for II
[ tomaniac. Really, Miss White, / must
! you to let me see your bag"
: Crying bitterly all the time, but with =
l word, she handed it to me. 1 opene
; and found it empty l don't think Il
either before or since, l have ever fel /
crushed as l did at that moment tholI
, my hrhyiction that this shameless won'
eaa s , Tas s HnS gn f.. bpyPv
I u + 70 lind it. 90 = me
'Please don't apologize she whimpersd
! Nobody ever apologies to me, no mattfr
how deeply they have wounded my feelings
| I'll say nothing about reparation-rI5
| word. But after your unjust suspicihs
am fairly entitled to live here-under our
| eye, so that you may judge of me for our
self-and such duties as you give nae IL do
| uncomplainingly."
Could impudence go much furthf than
this! Here she was cody founding uon the
one robbery right to live in the hose and
| rob me at her leisurel Anxious = l was
| to get rid of her, was still moreAnxious
| to recover the vase. But how waa to pro-
coed! l could not call in the pl1ce and
have her searched, for that wou1 involve
telling Gil about my unfortunat wife.
And now there burst upon mea thought
that brought the perspiration OFT in great
drops upon my forehead. In gerry avail.
able room in the house there -as one OF
these desperate kleptomaniacs who was
doutlesS thleving right and left
Excuse me one moment-ony one mo-
ment, said |, and literally raj from the
room, my intention being to crate q scare
frr1.f lot
Mrs. Heslop, felt, was Harmless enough.
There was but little damage sd could do
in the hall; so ] hurried by into'he dining
room, and caught Mrs Stone il the act of
pillaging the plate basket. Sh, was tall
and handsome woman, with pInarkably
self-possessed manner, for she advanced to
greet me without the least signof discom-
posture. Being in a most agitatd state of
mind myself, l scarcely knew What l said
to her, except that l should Certainly be
back before she could find seat. Then l
rushed away TO the library, where the first
thing that struck me was the disappear
ance of my ivory paper knife. Mss Mildew,
who was small and brisk CANE smilingly
out OF corner, but, without word, fed,
thinking that by so doing might alarm
her more than by anything else.
"Go to the hall door at once" said to
James, who happened to be passing, and on
no account let any of the five ladies out of
1t really was frightful scene that met
my gaze in the boudoir. Mrs. Dark had
discovered in an Indian cabinet secret
drawer of which had had no knowledge,
and this drawer had apparently contained
q large quantity of jewelry, all of which |
felt sure had been appropriated by poor
Nsr;a. In order to fill her pocket more
easily, MR., Dark was seated up9n the fio0r,
with toe whole collection of rings, brace
lets and brooches in her lap, and paper in
her hand.
She was a busdy-browed, keen-eyed
elderly woman, with very square shoulders
and slight stoop. A glance at her hard
featured face and coarse hands was enough
to show that she belonged to a different
class from those of my other visitors-a
fact that rather surprised me, for her letter
had been the most attractive of all. When
/ heard her speak | was driven to conclude
she had not penned it without assistance,
il, indeed, she had anything to do with it.
Strangely enough, too, she was the only
one of the five who displayed the least sign
OF embarrassment at being caught thieving.
She laughed, it is true, but the laughter had
a very forced ring. However, she recovered
much sooner than | did. After closing the
cabinet she crammed all the jewelry into
her pocket and rose to her feet.
Looks fishy, don't itsn said Mrs. Dark,
scrutiniZing me from head to foot.
You are a very brazen-faced woman
said |, carefully keeping between her and
the door. For if she were to get away and
pawn the things Maria had taken there
would be terrible explosion.
well" said Mrs Dark with an irritating
pretense at resignation, 81 suppose hard
names are all in the days work. What
wages are you going to give me for this
job of looking after your wifes"
WINGED at this.
Hand over the property you have
ztpIo l.y ia;,
escape, for the door is guarded"
THAT'S all right, But stolen!n The
abandoned woman was actually winking
at me That's a hard word, too. How
many kleptomaniacs have you got slowed
about the house'"
Give, including yourself"
They'll carry Off every stick of furniture
il you don't watch Them" said Mrs. Dark,
laughing. "The very idea Of putting them
in separate roomsl It's just like a man.
Shall ! help you to make the others fork
out! Set a thief to catch q thief, you
know"
l jumped eagerly at this suggestion,
hoping to come TO terms with Mrs. Dark
after the rest of my tormentors had been
got rid of. she undertook the manage
ment, and, | must admit, went about hei
work in very business-like way. In
wonderfully short space of time the six .
us were collected in the drawing-room, al
ferred standing | supposed she was vexec
at having been left in the hall, but the rea
reason came out presently.
"It's no use trying to soap it over" begar
Mrs. Dark. looking round the circle; "we'r,
all kleptomaniacs. It's not our fault, O
course, for we didn't make ourselves, 81
there's no harm in owning to it. And wha
we are is one thing, and what people thinl
of us is another How is this gentleman
here to know I'm not a humbugl He ad
vertised for kleptomaniac, and he want
| the real genuine article, | take it. But how
| is he to know he has got his moneys wol Il
unless he tests us! An incapable klepto
maniac would be just as bad as a vulga
thief So what propose is that the five O.
| us should empty our pockets chignons, anC
such like places of resort for missin.
articles, for,n said Mrs. Dark, smiling com
/ placently, 'Ill lay tenner to brass Earth
| ing, ladies, you've not been idle"
Though the terms of this proposal wer,
considered Objectionable, it was eventually
| agreed to, Mrs. Heslop strongly protesting
| on the ground that she had no opportunit,
| of showing her powers. However, / tolt
her that unless she took part in the compe
tition she would have no chance of beinj
appointed to the post, and as she had M
valuable prize to set Off against the salary
she recognized the expediency of yielding
! n Mrs. Heslop was the first who was Gale,
upon to exhibit what she had got An,
here little difficulty arose which explaine,