Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-10-05

him, my Essie.'
But Essie, kneeling before her
faith er and holding both his hands
In hers, made answer:
"No, father, no. Charles Cum
mings is no thief. He has fallen a
victim to some one who knows what
he carried with him. He has been
robbed, perhaps murdered. The
truth will out some day"
"And how about the pretty young
woman he met Essie?" asked the
old man.
"She was in the conspiracy, said
Essie.
"Have common sense, Esther"
said the father ale entered cab
with her in broad daylight. She
was his confederate no doubt, and
he has gone abroad to share his
spoils with her. He had ample
time to take an ocean steamer, and
did, no doubt. a bad woman and
chance such as / gave that boy
have led many one to destruction y
"Charlie is good and true,, per-
sisted Esther. "YOu will know ii
some day, and | will MAINTAIN it
always, If all the world besides
should doubt him"
And to this she held, while the
papers painted her betrothed in the
light of a rascal who had betrayed
trust confided to him, and no one
but herself believed him innocent.
Night after night, as she paced her
bedroom floor, she strove to devise
some means of discovering the fact
of the man she loved.
The talk about diamonds had all
been held in the little reception-room
of the jewelers. establishment; no
one learned of it there. But how
was it at the Carberry establishment?
One morning she arose full of a
new idea, aud went to Mrs. Carberry.
The lady received her in II motherly
fashion.
ave kept the gift secret from
every one but my maid, Hannah
Earle,n she said, "and she was as
anxious to surprise Bessie as | was.
| remember when the telegram came
| asked her to read it, because |
could not find my glasses, and she
was quite delighted. Oh, no, she
told no one"
"Where was she that afternoon"
asked Esther.
"At home, when the telegram
came, of course, said Mrs. Carberry;
"she was doing my hair. She went
out to see her mother, who is ill, she
says, after that. But she was at
home all evening. Oh, she would
not gossip. Besides, sick old wo-
men couldn't be in league with rob-
bers. My dear, you must give that
--..-.-,, .-- =. Tn,.v /. ..o doubt
Of his guilt"
"Will YOU call your maid min
ute, please?" said Esther
Mrs. Carberry smiled, but rang
for the girl.
She entered, received the COM
mand which was an excuse for her
summons, and went away-a little
dark woman with IA very small
waist.
"She is very respectable. said
Mrs. Carberry, "and engaged to her
cousin, who already owns one cab of
his own, and earns money by driv-
ing people ahout-means some day
to have "a livery stable. AS it is, he
is getting on very well, she says.
His stand is on the corner yonder.
HIS name is Garvey. She is to be
married soon. Why, chlld, what
ails your
81 cannot tell you," said Esther,
who was trembling from head to
foot. "But you too will one day
believe my Charley innocent"
She hurried away, meeting the
maid in the hall, and observing her
closely, The girl wore a gray dress
with dark stripe in it, and her
belt was fastened with curious
silver buckle. Esther went straight
to the policeman who had seen the
girl speak To her betrothed.
"Iou would know her if YOU
should see her again?" she asked.
"rd know that waist said the
policeman, "lf she had the gray
dress with the black stripe in ii,
aud the funny silver belt buckle,
like n door-lock, I'd know that too. I"
That night Mr.. milford sent for
the detectives, but II was not he who
spoke Ia them, II was his daughter.
She stood before them with an
air of one who is speaking of what
she knows, and uttered these words:
"lou are entirely wrong. You
are looking for Charles Cummings,
believing him 10 be the thief. Look,
instead, for those who robbed him