The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-01-10

MIS-. MOileL, there ID Il ClOSeL sluJOlt
ing Mr.. Montgomery room. May | oc-
cupy it tonight? l have an idea, and
would like to prove if my theory is cor
rect If you consent, l will slip into the
closet after Montgomery has retired
(there is another door, you know), and in
the morning will make faithful re-
pct ts you"
At last it was settled. There were only
three nights before Mr.. Montgomery's
intended departure. They must make
the best of the time.
The next morning Frank Glyndon
smiled knowingly in Mrs. Moffett's di-
rection when he met her at the break
fast table. That smile and the look
which accompanied it met Mr.. Mont
gomery's eye, and straightway strange
conviction was aroused in his breast,
What did it mean? That Mr.. Glyndon
was a detective he did not dream.
Shortly after breakfast was over he saw
Glyndon slip a folded scrap of paper
into the widows plump hand. This
sight made Montgomery gnash his teeth.
"a billet doux!' he muttered. "Here,
this is going on right before my eyes; l
suppose there viii be wedding next!"
and Mr.. Truman Montgomery. as he
left the house and wended his way down
town in search of new boarding place,
certainly did not feel comfortable.
Now, the scrap of paper had contained
these words:
1--WE found out the mystery. Have
some Of the boarders-all of them, if
you like-in the upper hall tonight at
about II, and you will learn the truth.
1t was just as had suspected"
That very morning Col. Overton an
nounced his intention of removing him.
self and ultra fashionable wife from the
communicating influences of Mrs Moffet's
boarding house. Poor Mrs. Moffet, know
ing full well that the others would soon
follow in their wake, was half wild with
anxiety; but she remembered the ap-
pointment for the night, and hoped on.
Eleven struck in loud tones from the
big clock on the stairs, and most of the
boarders, obedient to hasty summons,
Mr.. Truman Montgomery's room. A
little later the door was opened noiseless-
ly from within, and the boarders saw
before them Mr.. Frank Glyndon. He
held his finger to his lip and pointed
within the room. This is what they saw
by the light Of the hall gas: Truman
Montgomery, in dressing gown and slip
pers-but sound asleep-working away
diligently at the empty CRATE.
Mrs. Moffet had been unable to have
fire started in his CRATE, for the Chin
ney smoked furiously, and had post
poned its renovation until the boarders'
departure.
Two dozen eyes watched with breath
less eagerness while Mr.. Truman Mont
gomery, still in that heavy slumber,
knelt before the CRATE, and thrusting his
hand up the chimney, brought down an
oblong tin box.
mo wonder the chimney smoked!"
exclaimed Mrs. Moffet, breathlessly.
And right then Frank Glyndon stepped
to Montgomery's side and slowly and
carefully awakened him.
"Turn up the gas-high, Mrs. Moi
fet!" cos1manded Glyndon, firmly. "Mr.
Montgomery-you somnambulist!-your
money is found!"
And so it was. Many such cases have
been known before. Truman Montgom-
cry h". only added one more to the list
of such occurrences. The money was
found all safe within the box, from the
one hundred first missing down to the
five thousand, carefully sealed in pack
age and marked with the amount in Mr..
Truman Montgomery's own hand; and
when he realized the truth he could
only stammer forth inaudible apologies,
begging everybody's pardon in most
| indiscriminate manner.
The next day he sought Mrs. Moffet,
and there was long private converse
ton; when he left her he kissed her and
called her dear Lucy.
Shortly afterward the placard was re-
moved from the door of the Moffet
house-a boarding house no longer; and
only yesterday read in the papers no.
tice of marriage, the contracting par
ties being named respectively Montgom-
cry and Moffet.-Mrs. E. Burke Collins
in Fireside Companion.