The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-01-10
scared women. an invalid boy ana one
totterinr old man.

scared women, an invalid boy ana one
tottering old man.
thought first OF Miss Turpin, our
governcss. and Miss Climber, and in
this order. They both occupied rooms
on the same floor as myself, but lar
in the rear OF the building. It was an
ugly venture to get to them. Az I
was debating, l remembered my moth.
ers Jewels. These were deposited in q
DRESSING case locked into a wardrobe
strong box in papa's room. Had they
escaped the thieves? Would they es.
cape? by almost q mechanical i'm.
pulse untastened and opened my
door, and stepped lightly the five or
Six PAGES to that OF the vast cavern
like chamber in which, the liable goes.
q queen once slept. There was q
light within, other than that OF the wan
young moon, Which glimmered feebly
through loaense shaped panes in e
window high over my head. Isucked
IN my breath with a well nigh audible
gasp and shivered; but it was rs
though subtle fascination drew me
nearer IN spite OF the peril. I crept
to the tell. tale crack through which
the pencied line OF light fell. A single
peep and knew the worst; we were
betrayed. kneeling before the recep.
tacle OF my mothers family hcirlooms
was a woman holding IL lamp for the
guidance OF male confederate, who
busted himself with a file ut the wnrd-
robe lock. They seemed equally
absorbed i'll their nciarious task. The
man l had neve. before seen; the
woman Tas Mrs. Climber. believe
was higher to swooning than on any
previous or subsequent occasion
Lucky, with supreme effort was
able to recover the self possession
wrestel from me by the double shock.
dare not think what might have
been the denoueMent in the contrary
vent.
How papa had been deceived! and
all OF us, for, though l had vaguely
disliked the newcomer, no suspicion
OF her fidelity had entered my mind,
yet my eyes had testified that she
Vas an arrompil:e in u sinister plot.
Very possibly She was its originator.
1t gave me intense anxiety to de.
eide upon my next step. A daring
suggestion flew to my brain, but
dismissed it, not SO much rs imprac.
ticable as useless. 1t was to lock the
two thieves in. This WAS possible, il
managed with adroitness. for the key
cast n shadow on the polished floor.
Mrs. Climber had locked the door OF
papa's room with hypocriticsl care
as We retired that night. saying that
housemaids were curious and had
been known to walk in Their sleep,
and that it was not we'll 10 trust
them to excess. And now the adven.
tnress had left the key on the outside.
But what would the countermove
avail? There were villains below
making away with the plate; I had
heard them; they would come to the
rescue. and had no means OF sue.
ccssfuly following up the temporary
advantage. Yet my fingers itched to
drag to that door and imprison my
foes.
Clang! clatter! all our bells seemed
to be ringing at once. and Mrs. Clim.
ber's precious conftderates would not
have given the alarm, it must mean
for them interruption and iscomfit.
ure. And in IL trice had acted on my
wild idea. The great oak door was
fast-fast! had the key, and with it
] fled to my room, There covered
rs children do under the bedcothes,
and suffered paroxysm fterparoxysm
OF helpless, abject terror. Every vest.
ise OF bravery, deliberate or fol tuitous,
had forsaken me. But was not mo.
Tested.
What happened on the other side OF
my fortress can be SIMPLY and sue.
cinctly related in the words with
which on the morrow our friend and
beneiactor. Mr.. l.indlaw. enlightened
papa, 1t will be neetifuI to resume
/ from the point OF his recognition OF
Mrs. Climbers handwriting when
chatting in our drawing room.
"iou see, am an expert in these
matters" he said. Probably you
may have seen my name in the news.
papers in connection with some trial,
civil or criminal. in which the identi.
tration of handwriting has formed a
leading feature in the proceedings?"
81 hnre, papn answered.
Exactly. And two months ago !
had to make IL professional study of
various documents and signatures in
Il north country case OF systematic
and long continued fraud. | am pre.
pared to swear that the specimen of
MIS-. Climbers alias Mrs Cley,'s hand
shown me by your son is the fac
simile OF u large number of those forp.
ell papers. Tie writer is tho same.
And now TINT have seen her-she
had II most valid reason for keeping
IN tile background yesterday evening
II recognize the woman too. She
only escaped n long term OF penal
servitule through the plea that she
was her husbands tool. And another
thin. nude me startled and suspi. |
clous. 1t was this: ut Daleford a man |
lett HE same train whom identified |
IN spite of his wrappings MS the broth.
cr OF the condemned Long Firm swim.
dler, who stood in tn. dock with Mrs.
Ciegg. He'll soon follow him into a
convict cell. lie WIS involved in the
Manchester case, though there was q
flaw in the evidence. and lie eluded the
grasp Of Justice"
'"But Mrs. Climbers tes stmonials-
they were most excellent" n,urmured
papa.
"Forse,l, my dear sir: Ientertain no
doubt OF it," replied MIR. Lidlaw.
"Thcsc people saw your advertise.
mcnt, ana application and references
were all parts ofa rat her clever plant
But the female trickster carried her
daring u step too lar, and will pay
the penalty. When was confronted
with that couplet. in the hand had
SO mirh reason to kuow, l got
an inkIing OF the game that was
on foot. And instead of soin. on to
Walnsey Cross returned to Daleford
and intrrved a sergeant OF polics. 1t
seemed that he was in possession OF
an official warming that tended in the
like direction OF watrhiulness. We
both had II suspicion that you might
have been lured out Of the way by
bogus message
"No; here wasno stratagem there"
put in my father.
'rl,n events conspired so far with
tn" gang OF royues. Well. we came up
to the major to make sure that all
was right. ard we found an open win.
dow and moving lights. We were
five III number and armed. Tho ser.
geant and two OF his men entered by
the same road as the burglars, and
at Il sisnal f'om the officer
aroused tho household. One thief
was taken in the act OF selecting
the choicest specimens OF your old
ia shioncd silver. and to our infinite
pWilIarmrut rn liScovnroI 10 ,or hot