The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-21

| CRYING bitterly all the time, but withou
q word, she handed it to me. Iopened i
and found it empty 1 don't think that
| either before or since, l have ever felt 81
| crushed as / did at that moment, though
| my conviction that this shameless woman
| had got the vase was mistaken by my fail
| ure TO find it.
"Please don't apologize" she whimpered
Nobody ever apologies to me, no matter
| how deeply they have wounded my feelings
| word. But after your unjust suspicious
am fairly entitled to live hereunder your
eye, so that you may judge of me for your
self-and such duties as you give me I'll dc
uncomplainingly."
Could iInpudence go much further than
thisi Here she was cody founding upon the
one robbery a right to live in the house and
rob me at her leisurel Anxious as / was
to get rid of her. was still more anxious
to recover the vase. But how was l to pro-
ceedl I could not call in the police and
have her searched, for that would involve
telling ali about my unfortunate wife.
And now there burst upon me thought
that brought the perspiration out in great
drops upon my forehead. In every avail
able room in the house there was one OF
these desperate kleptomaniacs, who was
doutless thieving right and left.
Excuse me one moment-only one mo-
ment," said l, and literally ran from the
room, my intention being to create scare
and thus prevent any further depredatiOns.
Mrs. Heslop, felt, was harmless enough.
There was but little damage she could do
in the hall; so hurried by into the dining
room, and caught Mrs. Stone in the act of
pillaging the plate basket. She was a tall
and handsome woman, with a remarkably
self-possessed manner, for she advanced to
greet me without the least sign of discom-
posure. Being in most agitated state of
mind myself, l scarcely knew what l said
to her, except that l should certainly be
back before she could find a seat. Then l
rushed away to the library, where the first
thing that struck me was the disappear
ance of my ivory paper knife. Miss Mildew,
who was small and brisk, came smilingly
out OF corner, but, without a word, l fed,
thinking that by so doing might alarm
her more than by anything else.
$50 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
the house until tell you.''
1t really was a frightful scene that met
my gaze in the boudoir. Mrs. Dark had
discovered in en- Indian cabinet secret
drawer of which l had had no knowledge,
and this drawer had apparently contained
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 a 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
| heard her speak was driven to conclude
81, n Sfo
il, indeed, she had anything to do with it.
Strangely enough, too, she was the only
one OF The five vino displayed the least sign
of embarrassmenta at being caught thieFing.
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 crsmrted all the jewelry into
her pocket and rose to her feet.
Looks fishy, don't it?" said Mrs DARK,
scrutinizing me from head to foot
'You are very braZen-faced woman"
said l, carefully keeping between her and
the door. For if she were 20 get away and
pawn the things Maria had taken there
would be terrible explosion.
'Well," said Mrs. Dark with an irritating
pretense at resignation, Il 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?"
/ WINGED at this.
stolen'' I angrily exclaimed. "You can't
escape, for the door is guarded
'That's all right. But stolenp' The
abandoned woman was actually winking
at me! THAT'S hard word, too. How
many kleptomaniacs have you got slowed
about the hQuse2'
give, including yourself"
They'll carry of every stick Of furniture
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 l help you to make the others fork
outs Set a thief to catch a thief, you
know"
I 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, ana, must admit, went about her
work in very business-like way. In a
wonderfully short space of time the six of
US were collected in the drawing groom, all
sitting down except Mrs. Heslop, vino pre-
ferred standing. / supposed she was vexed
at having been left in the hall, but the real
reason came out presently.
tits no use trying to soap it over" began
Mrs Dark, looking round the circle; "were
all kleptomaniacs. It's not our fault, of
course, for we didn't 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
vertised for a kleptomaniac, and he wants
the real genuine article, take it. But how
is he to know he has got his moneys worth
unless he tests us! An incapable klepto
maniac would be just as bad as a vulgar
thief. So what propose lie 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, '.Tll lay tenner to brass farth-
ing, ladies, you've not been idle"
Though the terms of this proposal were
considered Objectionable, it was eventually
agreed to, Mrs. Heslop strongly protesting
on the ground that she had no opportunity
of showing her powers. However, l 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 off against the salary,
she recognized the expediency of yielding.
Mrs Heslop was the first who was called
upon to exhibit what she had got. And
here little difficulty arose which explained
her objection to sitting down. 1t turned
out that she had improved hersef-that, l
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 COM
mon 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, l
can not even conjecture; for reasons which
will be rendered obvious the subject has
never besn discussed between US. She
looked as if, by some mistake, she had
entered the wrong house.
az see Won are enpa ued :" she said at
length, and was about to withdraw.
Twas too confused to speak or move.
But Mrs. Dark begged her to remain, anu
she did remain. She sat down close to me,
and watched and listened like one in
dream. Learned afterward that Uncle Joe
had had an attack of govt, hence Maria's
return at an unexpectedly early hour.
There is no need to describe in detail the
process of disgorging. Miss Mildew pro-
a..ol l-,,ifa ,,.,1,,l,aI. Of