Democratic messenger., 1888-10-20

did so he could never satt Nactortly ex
plain. Then. as he sa. ,herd p the bed
looking around upon the tidy disorder, !
came across him what was the reason o
Annies confusion and distress. for. astut'
rs mankind Is generally believed to be, b,
could dimly imagine that no little woman
IS neat rs Annie could endure to have he
castle caught In such confusion. Perhap
II had been the detective alone she wOult
not have cared; and then John smilct
complacently to himself. II was her nca
fitting dress and dainty linen collars ant
always spotless white aprons that had at
tracted Johns attention; and then II wa
the pretty face, with the pleasant smil,
and independent eyes, that had increases
the interest until II had eliminated In hi
meanly pocketing her red stockings.
AT last the detective gave up IN despair
"She has hidden them somewhere else,
he replied, shortly.
"She never had them at ALL" replies
John. calmly.
"Then what made her act so guilty
questioned the other, almost bclicvin:
himself in her innocence.
Don't know answered John laconi
cally. wbs sthey returned to the factor,
there wsS ditc confusion and hubbub
for THO els had been found by another
tseteF employed by Dingus in the pos
seq 0f a notorious pickpockct, who
dI fsed as woman, had slipped into ih'
store with the crowd of factory girls
Everybody was glad and congratulate,
Annie. Even the smart detective did, al
though he could not help wishing she hat
been SO consilcrate as to assist him I,
gain that reward. But Annie could no
look John straight in the face. Poo
child what feelings would have been her
had she known the enormous bulge IL
Johns jacket pocket was caused by he
very identical red stockings laid out Il
is1 morning: John. Of whom sh,
never dreamed as other than "Mr
Dart" even though she worked tastc
when he came that way, and perhaps fel
more anxiety about the smooth masses t"
light brown hair than ut any other time.
Well. when the two officers had gone
and all had settled to work again, JOIN
came TO Annie's chair and said kindly
Miss Annie, that detective turnet
everything in your room in such aw,u
confusion il will take you all day /,
straighten II up again, so ii you like,
have got permission for you to take tn,
remainder Of the day and no reduction I,
bc made"
THANK you--you are very kind" sh'
murmured, but she would not look n
him, and seemed NO confused that big
good .naturcd John turned away in pur,
kindness and let her make her escape un
noticed.
Annie fled hOmcwartl, dashed into room
32, glanced wildly over the room, and thel
burst into tears.
"Oh dear! oh dear :" she sobbcd.-
"There was my nightdrcss on the bed. .ant
my slippers, and my bed not up--and oh
potatoes in the skillet oh, he will thinl
| am regular sloven! Why couldn't I
happen any other time than when ha,
to sleep SO late couldn't even eat NJ,
breakfast! oh dear, he will never like m,
again! lie couldn't, after seeing such
looking ROOM" She did no, stop TO thinl
that her castle looked worse when the,
had leit than when they entered. But n
the disorder worried her so much sh
could not sit siill and cry. She began he
task. II was some time before the detec
tive's work was undone- everything Il
trim order, with the mattress ruled ul
and the bed folded against the wall like
book cabinet, and the few dishes washed
and the tiny stove blacked and the screel
set around Il, and the one table covere'
with gally embroidered cloth, all o
which transformed the kitchen aud bed
room into cosy little sitting room n
though by fairy wand.
Il was n dainty little place. nothing ex
pensivc. hui exquisite In the taste aud tac
displayed. The prevailing colors wer
deep red and pale blue and gold wiil
many neutral tin,s blended In the variOu
bits Of fancy work. On a bracket was
bit Of white statuary set on delicate mat
ting Of the tender green leaves Of grow
Ing yine-the only costly extravaganza Il
the room, and Annie well knew how lonl
Il took her TO save enough To buy Il. Sh'
lad selected her room for It's south win
dow. and therein were standing two ger
anium plants In full bloom--one a deeI
double red, the other soft single whit
flower
As Annie was viewing these little lux
uries with commedable pride and gradual
ly plucking up spirits, she suddenly he
thought her Of her stockings. She di'
not remember Of picking them up. and. n
she only had three pairs, !. was importan
that none Of them should be misplaced
Therefore she began TO search diligently
and was beginning to get tired and pug
Eled In the useless search. when loud raj
which she had heard once before al III
door. caused her TO glance hastily In TN
glass aud then ,lmIdly open the door Il
the knocker. II was noon. The whls,l
had blown just few minutes before. AM
instead Of going TO his dinner. here wa
A