The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-25
A MODERN INVENTION.
How It Came to tho Rescue OF
Mrs. Bascomb.

MIS- 9tAtdCOL1R
The telephone rang briskly in Mrs.
Howard l]ascomhs pleasant home,
and. stepping TO Il, she received this
message from her husband:
"Ilcllol Is that you, Lottie2 Two
concluded 20 leave for New York this
noon, The boy Is on tho way 70 tho
house for my grip You know what
IN need for week or ten days abb
sence. Get your sister 10 stay with you
for company. Good-by, dear, slong.
Take care Of yourself
Then he rung of. and Mrs Das-
comb went in search of the satehcl.
which she pach,u with dcft hand.
She was \ young woman, sensible.
well balanced. and nothing ever dis
turbed or annoyed her to the extent o.
making her tidgety or nervous Being
in robust health, she hardly knew
what nerves meant She was self-re.
liant but domestic, and absorbed In
her homo life. which comprised her
world. she had perfect faith In her
husband. or else pretended TO have.
and cheated herself comfortably with
the dclusion. And she. never crossed
any bridges until she came 10 them.
She knew that her husband had In
tended going 10 New York on the fol-
lowing day, and did not wonder or
ponder over his change 81 plans
When the messenger came for the
satchcl she sent II carefully packed,
Just as she knew her husband wanted
Il. She added nothing 10 It's usual con-
tents, and snhtracted nothing. Yes,
stay. She did take out his sevenKhooter.
every chamber OF which was loaded,
aud laid II on the table under the
mirror, In tho back parlor.
"Ilowdy has one revolver with him.
That wilihaxe To do him this trip
like TO have one handy III case should
need Ii.
She smiled and smiled again without
being villain. The idea OF needing
firearms seemed 40 iucongruons and
absurd.
In The afternoon she went up 10 her
home 10 borrow her sister, as abe
expressed IT, but Miss Madgie had
gone away with some young friends,
and was engaged TO spend the night Al
| the house Of schoolmate. So Mrs.
Bnscomb returned home alone.
Two men stood In the doorway Of an
unused flight. Ok Office stairs and read
an evening paper.
They were much occupied In discuss.
ing one item among the personal news.
IL was this;
'yThe Rubber Horseshoe company Il
an assured fnet Mr.. Howard has.
como drew sixteen Thousand dollars
from the NJ. a Nj bank to-day, tho In.
vestment Of tho branch company
| formed here. and will leave for Now
York Tomorrow A capital1of eighty
| thousand dollars - assured"
do " seer calculated tho younger
and smaller of the two men. Drew
sixteen thousand dollars IN sponduliclss.
Goes home with II In his vest pocket,
blow me Of no don't
Maybe not, pard S'postn' it's q
certified checker
Then there'll be reward offered ia
get II baclt--aec2"
"Jim. groun' 70 til bank an find out
which and whether II were," suggcst-
ed the older man.
Bank ciussed, remarked Jim, son.
teDtiously.
"s'pose It air Did yer expect 70 send
In yer card to the cashier, or tho pres
ident? Get aroun' nm interview tn
janitor. Represent yerself as Mister
Bascomb's confidential bizness man,
carn't yer2''
Jim started off at once without wait,
ing 70 give his ''pard" any outline Of
his plan He was gone nm hour, bu,
when he returned he was freighted
with intelligence.
| "Bills,r he chuckled, ''flve-hundred
and one thousand dollar bills hew
An he'll sleep with them about his
honorable pusson tonight mcbbe."
Does yer know the housc2" asked
the other man, after spell Of silence,
II don't, pnrd. but I've looked 1t az
In tho directory. and it's as handy ~ o
mitten on yer nose. Let's 60 and gel
somethin wet To improve our minds
It's tween us this time you outside
me In savey?"
| The rascals, who, In appearance al
least, might have passed for honest
men, walked out Of the doorway anC
parted company, TO avoid tho eagle
eye Of the police, which would have
recognized ia their duality conspiracy
against law and order.
| When Mrs Bascomb returned from
her visit 1t was dark. She had staid u
supper, and as the girl opened ths
door she saw that she was somewhat
excited.
What is IL kitty2s she asked
rather gravely, because the girl wa
inclined to get Illustrated easily.
ooh, mem, what was the name o.
the girl as lived here before ! cameo
she responded with counter question
"nernarpe2 Sarah something, can
not remember just now why2"
4 ''0h, there was young man here
looking for his sister, but her name wa
Annie Donovan. lie said he ha6n'
seen her in ten years. and she wal
grown up now, and he talked butch
| fully about her. 1t would bring thu
tears till your eyes, ma'am, to he'
heard him.
kitty. wouldn't gossip with
strange men II | were you. II ISM
safe. He probably was d tramp, and
all that story about his sister was Just
made Mp out Of whole cloth. Whai
else did he want2''
| Nothing, ma'am, and didn't lei
i him inside the kitchen door. HI
\ wMrn,t no tramp, an I'm sure he were