Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-18

has told me that since my poor mother
died. But what thing do you mean ~
Why" I replied, trying to smile, my
gold vase, which you have put into your
bag"
"Do you accuse me of stealing?" she
asked.
Notwithstanding the flood of tears which
she held in reserve somewhere, l saw then
that there was fire in the woman. The
doleful features hardened the eyes gilt
| tered dangerously. She sat erect, but still
with folded hands. Dreading a scene, /
answered somewhat hastily:
No, no, by no means. 1t is an excel
lent conjuring trick, but nothing more
Because" she said severely, Il am
used to being insulted am used to being
trodden upon, but have never been SO in
suited or so trodden upon as that-at least
by gentleman
Then" l said, when could in some
measure collect my thoughts, . you don I
know what has become of the vase?
Sir, | have never seen 1t.
But-but-pray excuse my pertinacity
you came here as kleptomaniac Now.
didn't YOU Miss White?'
It's very hard she replied, weeping
again, for a poor, defeDseless woman to
be attacked in this way. But l don't COM
pl1lu-DO uOD Gull p4dllli lOI III uSeO "
It. | came here to answer to an advertise
ment said to proceed from gentleman, and
only wish hadn't"
And that advertisement was for KEEP
tomaniac. Really, Miss White, l must ask
you to let me see your bag"
Crying bitterly all the time, but without
a word, she handed it to me. ! opened it,
and found it empty l don't think that,
either before or since, have felt so crushed
as | did at that moment, though my con-
viction that the shameless woman had got
the vase was mistaken by my failure to
find IT,
And now there burst upon me thought
that brought the perspiration out in great
drops upon my forehead. In every availa-
Bile room in the house there was one of
these desperate kleptomaniacs, who was
doubtless thieving right and left.
Excuse me one moment-only one mo-
ment," I said, and Utterly ran from the
room, my intention being to create scare
and thus prevent any further depredations.
Go to the hall door at once" l said to
James, who happened TO be passing, " and
on no account let any of the five ladies out
of the house until l tell you"
1t really was a frightful scene that met
my gaze at the boudoir. Mrs. Dark had
discovered in an Indian cabinet secret
drawer of which | had had no knowledge,
and this drawer had apparently contained
a large quantity ofjewelry, all of which l
felt sure had been appropriated by poor
Maria. In order TO fill her pocket more
easily. Mrs. Dark was seated upon the floor,
with the whole collection of rings, brace
lets and brooches in her lap and paper in
her hand.
She was a bushy-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 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 l
heard her speak was driven to conclude
she had not penned 1t without assistance,
if, 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 thiev-
ing. She laughed, it is true, but the laugh
ter had a forced ring. However, she re-
covered much sooner than l did. After
closing the cabinet she erammed all the
jewelry into her pocket and rose to her feet.
90 Looks fishy don't it ?" said Mrs. Dark,
scrutinizing me from head to foot.
You are a very braZen-faced woman"
said I, 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 irritat-
ing pretense at resignation, ." suppose hard
names are all in the days work. What
wages are you going to give me for this job
of looking after your wife,"
I WINGED at this.
Hand over the property you have
stolen p l angrily exclaimed. g You can't
escape, for the door is guarded"
That's all right. But stolen p The
d" That's a hard word, too. How many
have you got stored about
the house?'
Five, including yourself
They'll carry off every stick of furni-
ture if you don't watch them," said Mrs.
Dark, laughing. The very idea of putting
them in separate rooms It's just like a
man. Shall help you to make the others
fork out2 Set thief to catch thief, you
know"
l jumped eagerly at the suggestion, hop
ing to come to terms with Mrs Dark after
the rest of my tormentors had been got rid
Of She undertook the management, and, /
must admit, went about her work in very
business-lik way. In wonderfully short
space of time the six of US were col
lected in the drawing all sitting down
except Mrs. Heslop, who preferred stand
ing. l supposed she was vexed at having
been left in the hall, but the real reason
came out presently.
It's no use trying to soap it over, began
Mrs Dark, looking round the circle; we're
all kleptomaniacs. It's not our fault, of
course, for we did not make ourselves. so
there's no harm in owning to it. And what
we are is one thing, and what people think
of us is another. How is this gentleman
here to know I'm not humbug? He ad-
yertised for kleptomaniac, and he wants
the real genuine article, l take it. But how
is he to know he has got his moneys worth
unless he tests u.s. An incapable klepto-
maniac would be just as bad as vulgar
thief. So, what propose is that the five of
US should empty our pockets, chignons,
and such like places of resort for missing
articles, for" said Mrs. Dark, smiling COM
placently at the other four I'm lay tan
ner to a brass farthing, ladies, you've not
been idle"
Though the terms of this proposal were
considered Objectionable, it was eventually
agreed to, Mrs. Heslop strongly Directing on
the ground that she had no opportunity
OF showing her powers. However, told
her that unless she took part in the compe-
tition she would have no chance of being
appointed to the post, and as she had no
valuable prize to set of against the salary.
she recognized the expedieney of yielding.
Mrs. Heslop was the first who was called
upon to exhibit what she had got. And
here little difficulty arose which ex-
planned her objection to sitting down 1t
turned out that she had improved herself
that, believe. is the correct expression
with my gong, and, accompanied by Mrs.
Dark. she had to retire in order to produce
it. A small picture and several pairs of
gloves completed her spoils. She was very
wroth with James, who, she declared, had
grossly insulted her by statiOning himself
in the hall to watch her, just as if she were
a common thief
She had scarcely finished speaking when
the door opened and, to my horror, Maria
walked in. What she must have thought
of me, sitting there with these five women,
7 naur,Rf ara.7 roacny1c