Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-05-18
A MODERN INVENTION.
How 1t Cnmo to the Rescue OF
Mrs. Bascomb.


message from her husband
"Hellol Is that you, Lottie2 I've
concluded to leave for New York this
noon. The boy is on the way TO the
house for my grip You know what
Ill need for week or ten days alb
sence. Get your sister TO stay with you
for company Good-by, dear, s'long.
Take care of yourself"
Then he rung of, and Mrs Bas-
comb went in search of the satchel,
which she packed with n deft hand.
She was n young woman, sensible,
well balanced, and nothing ever dis
turbed or annoyed her TO the extent of
making her fidgety 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 delusion. And she never crossed
any bridges until she came TO them.
She knew that her husband had in
tended going TO New York on the fol-
lowing day, and did not wonder or
ponder over his change of plans.
When the messenger came for the
satchel she sent IT carefully packed,
just as she knew her husband wanted
1t. She added nothing 10 it's usual con-
tents, and subtracted nothing. Yes,
stay. She did take out his seven-shooter,
every chamber OF which was loaded,
and laid 1t on the table under the
mirror, in the back parlor.
"Ilowdy has one revolver with him.
That will have to do him this trip l
like TO have one handy in case l should
need IT,"
She smiled and smiled again without
being q villain. The idea of needing
firearms seemed so incongruous and
absurd.
In the afternoon she went up to her
home TO borrow her sister," as she
expressed IL. But Miss Madgie had
gone away with some young friends,
and was engaged to spend the night at
the house of n schoolmate. So Mrs.
Bascomb returned home alone.
Two men stood in the doorway of an
unused fight. Of Office stairs and read
an evening paper
They were much occupied in discuss
ing one item among the personal news.
1t was this:
"The Rubber Horseshoe company Is
an assured fact. Mr.. Howard Bas-
come drew sixteen thousand dollars
from the NJ. & NJ. bank to-day, the in.
vestment Of the branch company
formed here, and will leave for New
York tomorrow. A capital of eighty
thousand dollars Is assured"
''Do y seel' calculated the younger
and smaller OF the two men. Drew
sixteen thousand dollars in spondulicls.
Goes home with 1t In his vest pocket,
blow me ef he don't"
Maybe not, pard. S'posin' it's n
certified check?"
"Then therc'll be a reward offered to
get 1t back-see2"
Jim, g'roun' TO tn bank an find out
which and whether It were," suggest
ed the older man.
Bank clussed," remarked Jim, SON
tentiously.
"S'pose 1t air Did yer expect to send
in yer card to the cashier, or the pres
ident? Get aroun' an interview tn
janitor, Represent yerself as Mister
Bascomb's confidential bizness man,
carn't yer?"
jim started off at once without wait
ing TO give his ''pard" any outline OF
his plan. lie was gone an hour, but
when he returned he was freighted
with intelligence.
"Bills," he chuckled, "flve-hundred
and one-thousand dollar bills--whew
An he'll sleep with them about his
honorable pusson to-night-mebbe."
"Does yer know the house?" asked
the other man, after n spell Of silence.
~ don't pard. But I've looked il up
in the directory, and it's as handy as n
mitten on yer nose. Let's go and get
somethin' wet TO improve our minds
It's tween us this time-you outside,
me in-savey2"
The rascals, who, In appearance at
least, might have passed for honest
men, walked out of the doorway and
parted company, to avoid the eagle
eye of the police, which would have
recognized In their duality a conspiracy
against law and order
When Mrs. Bascomb returned from
her visit II was dark. She had staid to
supper, and as the girl opened the
door she saw that she was somewhat
excited.
What is It, Kitty2" she asked
rather gravely, because the girl was
inclined to get Illustrated easily.
"oh, mem, what was the name OF
the girl as lived here before came2"
she responded with counter question.
Her namep Sarah something, can.
not RENE mber just now-why2'
"Oh, there was n young man hero
looking for his sister, but her name was
Annie Donovan. lie said he hadn't
seen her In ten years, and she was
grown up now, and he talked butch
fully about her 1t would bring the
tears till your eyes, ma'am, to hev
heard him"
kitty, wouldn't gossip with
strange men II were you. II isn't
safe. lie probably was tramp, and
all that story about lis sister was just
made up out OF whole cloth What
else did he want?"
Nothing, ma'am, and / didn't let
him inside the kitchen door. lie
warn't no tramp, an I'm sure he were
tellin' the truth"
Mrs. Bascomb did not prolong the
argument, but busied herself until bed
time with some household duties,
which were really In the line of pleas
ures to her womanly nature. Then
she saw that the house was locked up,
sent Kitty 10 bed, and went into her