Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-16
A SWEETHEART DETECTIVE.

amptOnroW, d tim, sallow man, with
black eyes, rose from his seat politely, as d
young woman Of perhaps fve-and-twenty
shaDbIly dressed, was ushered into the
room and SAID rather timidly; ''Mr. Brag
git, belieye?'
Yes, madam Will you take chairr
placing one for her What can | do for
your"
She hesitated for a moment, while the
detective. took keen survey of her face,
with its cear-cut features and violet eyes,
and wondered what she had come to him
for, then began hurridly:
81 lead In your advertisement IN the
Times that you employ agents of both
sexes, and have come to you because I've
always understood that detectives are will
ing to pay well for a lady's services. Is
that SOP"
Mr.. Braggit began to understand.
We have done Occasionally, he
said, slowly.
81 want You TO employ mel
But my dear young lady, we really
can't he said kindly. "You must re-
member that we don't require such ser
vices as yours every day, However, " rising
to intimate that the interview was at an
end, you might leave me your address,
broke off abruptly, for d stout, ford man,
riedly and drew Braggit on one side.
1.-The dog from Rylands has just arrived.
Croft went to fetch him from Victoria,
and says he's quite unmanageable. I be-
lleve the fellows frightened of him; any
how he swears he won't take him over
the herring pond unless one of Sir
Edwards servants goes with him, and
there S no time for any one to come up from
Devonshire II they re to go by this steam
er. always said that COMPOUNDED brute
would be more trouble than he was worth
only you were so obstinate you wOuldn t
listen. What's to be done; leave him be-
hindu"
At that moment there was q crash in
the outer office, as of something Overturn-
ed, the sound of a mans voice, a sharp
bark, then an enormous boarhOund sprang
through the doorway, dragging behind
him several feet of chain, and with a
bound was upon the girl in the shabby
dress-his forepaws on her shoulders, MAX
ing playful snaps at her with his cleaning
jaws, In an excess of boisterous canine
affection. At the other end of the chain
was IA rather sulky-looking gentleman,
with silk hat rubbed all the wrong way,
and the marks of muddy paws plentifully
adorned his clothes. | say 'gentleman"
advisedly, for Walter Croft had been
university man and then an officer in the
army until he gambled away his patri-
mony, and now at AZ he was glad to work
for BIaggit & Shot, who appreciated his
keen wits, and paid him more than be
could have made otherwise with much
harder labor.
Dog knows you, that's evident, Miss
Ruth Foster.
Where did you make his acquaint-
ance?'
"At Rylands. | was governess there a
little while ago He was always fonder
of me than any one, with the exception of
his master, Godfrey Lennox.'
"Ah" A quick exchange of chances
passed between the PARTNERS. Then
Braggit turned TO Ruth Foster again.
II think we will be able to give you
employment after all, Kiss Foster. Mr.
Godfrey Lennox has forged his fathers
the banker 's-name for 100000, and
What! Geoffrey Lennox!"
Yes, continued sBraggit. He has
escaped we believe to New York. The
dog is going over to track him; if his
master is in the city he is sure to find him
sooner or later, and will recognize him
under any disguise. 1t is necessary, how
ever, that someone the animal knows
should. be with him. Now, the question
is this Miss. Foster, would You be ready
to leave in three hours time for Liver
pool, in order to go by the city of Paris !?
Mr.. Croft will be with you he will man
age everything should the search be sue
cessful on the other side, so you have no
trouble-nothing to do except to walk
about the chief thoroughfares with the
dog, and if necessary swear TO the forger' s
identity. We will defraY all expense, of
course, and allow you salary of, say 95 a
week. Will you go?'
Yes" she said, and a few minutes
later was seated in a hanson driving
homeward to her lodgings to prepare for
her strange journey.
Early the next morning when the City
of Paris steamed out of Liverpool, Ruth
Foster was on deck with her hand on the
boar hounds collar, and by her side hersun~
known companion-Walter Croft.
1t was the fourth morning after her ar
rival in New York when the girl came
face to face with a good-looking fair man
of about 80, who was coming out of a
store. The long-sought meeting was so
sudden now it had come that it almost took
her breai away.
'Geotfrey !" she gasped.
'Ruth-wh you here"
Thank God, we have met again at
last!' he cried, passionately. 81 feared
had lost you forever, Ruth; and when
ever | thaught of the way you left Ry-
lands, it made me forget what son owes
to his mother and | came near cursing
her, | thought something must have
happened to you, that you were ilI--dead,
perhaps, or you wouldn't have kept silent
all these months. Why did you? 1t was
cruel-it was wicked" he ended almost
fercely.
"Oh, Godfrey, it was for your own good,
dear. She-year mother-old me | didn t
care for you only for myself. or else |
shouldn't be doing my best to ruin you
and make your father disinherit you. as he
would certainly do if you married me. /
couldn't help seeing she was right. SO
never wrote to let you know where | was.
meant never to see you again, but now
now you are in trouble, alone-my place,
if you wish it is by your side.
In few hurried words Godfrey told her
the story of his crime, how he had forged
the check to give the money to his sister,
who had married against her father S
wishes and was then very poor. The
amount of the check was his sisters mar
rage portion, which his father refused
TO give to her after her ciandestine we'd
ding
He was evidently unaware of the dan
ger he was in. In few words Ruth told