Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-01-31

1
was more thun willing to investigate
the matter. 1t was possible that
Mrs. Bates had taken the box to her
own room simply for safekeeping, he
suggested.
But Mrs. Bates, who had Just fin
isfled putting in order the stateroom
Mrs. Prindle had occupied, denied all
knowledge of the bandbox, and was
80 indignant over Mrs. Prindle's i'm
piled suspicion that the captain had
some difficulty ill preventing a scene.
ITS very strange" said Mrs Prin-
die, stiffly, as the captain helped her
, over the gang plank. "A box like
that couldn't have gone off without
hands. Somebody must know some
thing aboutit, and if isn't the maid
1t must be some of the passengers.
But all the passengers had left the
boat, and Mrs. Prindle herself had to
admit that to send n search warrant
after them would be an unwarrant-
able proceeding. Beyond question
the bonnet was lost and she. returned
to Hutchinville feeling that the pleas
ure of her visit was at an end. Even
the fact that her travelling hat was
pretty fair affair, and not Mt all out
of style, afforded her little consola-
ton. Still, she could have worn the
the travelling hat in more resigned
state OF mind had the weather been
such as to make the other seem
trifle in advance OF the season; but
from the hour of her arrival until
she turned her face homeward,
scarcely cloud marred the
serene azures of the skies. The air
was full of subtle hints OF bursting
buds, and robin songs filled the per-
fumed dawns, while up and down the
streets from morning till night the
merry children trundled their hoops
and hlgh above the treetops scared
the inevitable kite; but to Mrs. Prin-
die, bereit of her bonnet, these unmis-
taxable signs OF spring served only
to intensity her sense of loss, and sho
was scarcely sorry when the time
came Cor herto return to town. Tho
loss, trifling in itself, took the beauty
out of the velvet lawns.
Jack, like the dutiful spouse that
he always proved for himself to be.
was at the landing to meet her next
morning, and on the way home she
poured into his sympathetic ear the
story of the missing bonnet.
. You are sure you took it with
your he asked when the recital was
ended.
Jack! OF course Pm surel You
don't suppose I'd gone off without
1t after buying it on purpose to wear
it when at homer
Hardly, but never mind, dear; all
you have to do is to go to Nine. lie
Grand's and dublcateit," said Jack,
eager to comfort her.
81 may go to Nine. lie Grand S and
order another, but shall not dupli-
cate it, said Mrs. Prindle with much
dignity. 1--WE no wish to have my
bonnet a companion-piece to Mrs.
Bates. That woman ought to be
brought to justice, and as soon as
we're through breakfast, Jack. Iwant
you to take a description of the bon.
net to some detective and put him on
the watch for her"
Jack barely succeeded in suppress
ing whistle.
wouldn't it be better, he be-
gan. but the stopping of the street
car in front OF their own door served
to change the subject 81 feel like n
Vanished hunter" said Jack, as he
turned the latch-key.
Mrs. Prindle, too'was hungry, and
when Jack had deposited the parcels
she asked him to tell Bridget to put
breakfast on the table at once.
IN be down in moment" she
added, as she pulled out her hat pins.
Jack started to obey, but before he
was halfway down the stairs, a cry
from Mrs. Prindle caused him to face
about, and on regaining their room
he found her standing in front of the
wardrobe gazing in dazed way at
the upper shelf.
"5ack, she whispered, huskily, sis
there n handbook up there?"
Jack seemed n little dazed. at
looks very mnch like one, my dear"
he Gaid, slowly; but of course it is
not the one you took away with
you"
''Pm-oh, Pm afraid it is, jack"
gasped Phebe, as Jack took down the
box, "or rather I'm afraid | didn't
take it, after all | remember telling
Bridget to put it with the other
things in the carriage, she had my
bag and umbrella in her hand at
the time-and Just then the door bell
rang, so | told her to go on and I'd
bring the box, and | didn't think
of it again till / was at the
gate and then Bridget came run
ming out with something that | sup
posed to be it, and slowed it into the
carriage; but now | think of it, it
must have been the lunch box. Oh,
Jack, what n goose I've beenv'
'Moral," said Jack. taking the
bonnet from the band box and perch
ing it on his own head.
PLEASE don't, Jack" entreated
Phebe
''Well, then, let's have breakfast"
said Jack, hungry enough to be glad
of a truce.
Bnt though the subject was not al
luded to again that day, whenever
Mrs. Prindle shows a disposition to
be IA little over-positive, Jack, with
n masculine memory for feminine
shortcomings, mildly reminds her of
the lost bonnet.