The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-05-30

She Is certainly b thief" she said
to the detective.
Can you prove 1t n" asked Barry,
truth.
" Yes, Sir, without a Doubt T--.s
That is all we want" He turned
to the junior partner.
I'VE don't want her proofs" said
that gentleman, sarcastically.
But You must have them, and 1
must have them. This Is business, not
sentiment. Miss Lee" turning to
Margaret with q great deal of respect,
when a we have the proofs I"
The best time Is just after the clos
ing hour. or, rather, after everyone is
supposed Il have gone home for the
night. Manage to secreteyourself near
the toilet room, and you also, gentle
men,"t to her employers, land 1 will
prove my words true"
Bah !" exclaimed the senior part
ner, sit will probably be a put up Job"
You are hardly just, Mr.. Potter"
said the chief, mildly.
Hem. hem, ugh" grunted Mr..
Potter. He was almost in love with
and stylish figure.
There was the usual hustle and chat
ter at closing time. and n after the
others both girls, women, men and
boys departed, Margaret among them.
But in the dimly-lighted hall she
easily, escaped notice, and quietly re-
turned.
No one saw her enter save the chief,
Barry Lawrence, who was concealed
behind q stack OF boxes and &c '" .
Mr.. Potter, the senior partL. had
gone off in q hurry, but the unior
partner remained, and he also was
deity hidden away, but his sharp eyes
looked from q lOophole and say all.
Margaret Lee quietly slipped out of
sight, and the janitOr, looking hastily
about thinking everything was all
right, hastily extinguished the lights.
a few moments later he closed the
outside door, and the keys grated in
the lock amid the fast gathering dark
ness.
A half hour passed, and it seemed q
long time to the trio, when q light
foot-step was heard, and out from the
darkness q form glided stealthily.
The watchers caught their breath
and silently waited. The form paused
a moment and then glided to O sewing
machine in the center of the room,
and, STOPPING, struck O match softly
upon The floor, and as it 1ared up, the
face OF a woman bending over it vas
plainly visible.
1t was Miss Ray.
The match soon died out, but it
gave sufficient light for an instant for
her to reach out and draw several
boxes toward her, and her she remov-
ed the lids n began removing the
pieces of goods, silk and velvet there
in.
The watchers could not see Just
what she took, but they heard the
rustic of the silk and paper, and felt
| ,,a m, fhn, emu, I-, -N.l
from her pocket, and, after seemingly
folding the goods into as small a COM
pass as possible, she arose to her feet.
Thendifting her dress skirt, tied the
string across which hung the various
pieces of goods around her waist.
Softly shaking out her skirts, she
then quietly unlocked the door and
lett the room.
All this time the watchers made no
sign, but as the last sound of the echo
ing footsteps died away in the distance,
n and all arose.
Margaret, trembling and breathless.
came W from her place of con-
cealment, just as Barry Lawrence lit
the gas and turned it down low, and
seeing her approach he took off his hat
and bowed.
You are u jewell" he exclaimed,
heartily, How did you find this out pr
beg your pardon, Miss Lee" and
the junior partner who had drawn
nea extended his hand.
Margaret took it cordially. -" It is
to Barry, "Oh, 1 just watched. /
frequently saw Miss r. folding and
putting things away in what seemed
to me a mysterious and unusual man
ner thatat once awakened my suspicious.
| knew she could have no opportunity
of taking these things away in the day
time, and so for several nights I have
remained here to find out. Two nights
/ remained here all night"
Remained here alone? ?" calculated
the junior partner' in surprise;
"And you weren't afraid ?" asked
the chief, jocularily.
We'll, no, but I'll acknowledge it
was very cold and lonely" answered
Margaret.
Barry Lawrence smiled. "Youll
do" said, sententiously. The junior
partner rubbed his hands. Father
will have to be convicted with his own
eyes, for he'll not believe even me, so
we will do nothing further until 1 have
seen him."
The trio remained for some time
after this, and hen as it was growing
very late dispersed, the Chief seeing
Margaret safely to her own door.
{" will detail a steady watch here,
after this" said Mr.. p, junior, as he
babe the others good night.
A few nights later the senior part
ner was fully convinced, and in a very
quiet manner sent for his forelady t.
come to his private office, where he
plainly preferred his charges and dis
missed her. At first she appeared
very indignant and stoutly denied it,
but when she learned that he was q
witness, she broke down and confessed
all. Out of respect to her family no
arrests we're made.
Soon after this Miss Lee was placed
in a another of the Queen City's most
prominent houses and did very effec
tive work. Later she was domiciled
in private residence on Walnut Hills.
Here she found the culprits existing
in the proprietOr's own family, where
instead Of treating her kindly as she
deserved they upbraided her and
denied the facts.
CINCINNATI has lost q number one de-
t~ective, whose advice is often sought
yet in regard to these matters, and
whose scent is as keen as that of q
sleuth hound to ferret out crime, but
she has found employment more con-
genial at three dollars a day for she
could not afford to waste health,
strength and time and run risks of her
life and bear insult and calumny for
~ 80 .x~ - H.. "