The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1894-08-14
her TRAP.


arHello! Is thatyou, LottieS I've
concluded to leave for New York TINS
noon. p The boy is on the way to the
house for my grip You know what
I'll need for a week or ten days alb
sence. Get your sister to stay with
you for company Goodbye, dear,
s'lonr. Take care OF yourself"
Then he rung of, and Mrs. Bas'
comb went in search Of the satchel,
which she packed with deft hand.
She was young woman, sensible,
eell balanced, and nothing ever dis
eurbed or annoyed her to the extent
OF making her fdgetY or nervous.
Being in robust health, she hardly
knew what nerves meant. She was
seif-reliant, but domestic, and abb
sorhed in her home life, which com;
prised her world. She had perfect
faith in her husband, or else pre-
tended 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 intended going to
New York on the following day, and
did not wonder or ponder over his
change Of plans
"a When the messenger came for the
satchel she sent it carefully packed,
5ust as she knew her husband wanted
st. She added nothing to its usual
contents, and subtracted nothing.
Yes, stay. She did take out his
seYen-shooter, every chamber OF
which was loaded, and laid it on the
table under the mirror in the back
parlor.
"Howdy has one revolver with him.
That will have to do him this trip
/ like to have one handy in case /
should need it,"
- She smiled and smiled again with
out being villain. The idea of need
ing firearms seemed so incongruous
and absurd.
y. In the afternoon she went up to her
home to borrow her sister," as she
expressed it. But Miss Madgie had
gone away with some young friends,
and was engaged to spend the night
at the house Of a schoolmate. So
Mrs. Bascomb returned home alone.
w.. .s
Two men stood IN the doorway OF
an unused fight Of Office stairs and
read an evening paper.
They were much occupied in dis.
cussing one item among the personal
news It was this:
"The Rubber Horseshoe Company
IS an assured fact Mr.. Howard Bas-
comb drew SIG, 900 from the NJ. & NJ.
Bank to-day, the investment Of the
branch company formed here, and
will leave for New York tomorrow.
A capital Of $50, 900 is assured"
: s.Do y see?" calculated the younger
and smaller Of the two men. "Drew
sl6, 900 in spondulicks. Goes home
]sgRsl - in his vest pocket blow me eft
d MI"
M lybe uot, pard. S'postn'.. it's a
led chetSS?"
hen there'll be reward offered
t it back-see?"
Vim, g'roun' to tn bans an dnd
which and whether it were," sug-
ted the older man.
"Bank clussed," remarked Jim
ntentiously.
.. "S'pose it air. Did yer expect to
send in yer card to the cashier, or the
president? Get aroun' an interview
eh' janitor. Represent yerself as
!. Mister Bascomb's confidential bizness
pan. carn't yer?"
Jim started of at once without
alting to give his ''pard" anY5l5-
II sHds OF bis f5>157sllap. 5slap SsHe Wa gone an
hour, but when lie returned he was
freighted with intelligence.
H. 'Bills, he chuckIed, s'flve hundred
and one thousand dollar bills-whew!
An he'll sleep with them about his
honorable pussou to-night-mebbe."
.Does yer know the house?" asked
the other man, after a spell OF
silenca
Il don't, pard. But I've looked it
up in the Directory and it's as handy
as mitten on yer nose. Let's 10
and get somethin' wet to improve
our minds It's tween US this time
you outside, me in savey?"
- 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 con-
spiracy against law and order.
When Mrs Bascomb returned from
her visit it was dark. She had staid
to supper. and as the girl opened the
door she saw that she was somewhat
excited.
What is it, Kitty?" she asked,
rather grarely, because the girl was
inclined to oct frustrated easily.
"Oh, mem, what was the name OF
the girl as lived here before I came9"
she responded with counter QueS-
tiOn.
Her name: Sarah something, I
cannot remember just now-Why?"
.'Oh, there was young man here
tooking for his sister, but her name
was Annie Donovan. He said he
hadn't seen her in ten years, and she
was grown up now, and he talked
butchfully about her: It would bring
the tears till your eyes, ma'am, Ito heV
heard him"
kitty. I~-wouldn't gossip with
strange men If I were you. 1t lsa't
safe. He probably was tramp and
all that story about his sister Was just
made up out Of whole cloth What
else did be want"