Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-08-01
HER TRAP.

The telephone rang brlskly in Mrs
Toward Bascomb's pleasant home
and stepping to it, she received thi
message from her husband:
rHello. Is that you, Lottie? rv
concluded to leave for New YORK thi
noon. The boy is on the way to tn
house for my grip You know wha
I'll need for week or ten days alb
sence. Get your sister to stay will
you for company. Goodbye, dear
s'lODg. 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 4 young woman, sensible
well balanced, and nothing ever dis
turbed or annoyed her to the exten,
OF making her fidgety or nervous
Being in robust health, she hardly
knew what nerves meant. She was
sclf-reliant, but domestic, and alb
sorbed 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 th..t
her husband had intended going to
New York on the following 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
IT. She added nothing to its usual
contents, and subtracted nothing.
Yes, stay. She did take out his
seven-shooter every chamber OF
which was loaded, and laid it on the
table under the mirror in the back
parlor
"IIowdy has one revolver with him.
That Will have to do him this trip
1 like to have one handy in case /
should need it,"
She smiled and smiled again with
out baing villain. The idea OF need
ing firearms seemed SO incongruous
aud absurd.
In the afternoon she went up to her
home to borrow her sister," as sho
expressed it. But Miss Madgie had
gone away with some young friends,
and was engaged to spend the night
at the house Of 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 dis
cussing one item among the personal
news 1t was this:
1.-The Rubber Horseshoe Company
is an assured fact Mr.. Howard Bas-
comb drew SIC, 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"
'.Do y seem calculated the younger
and smaller Of the two men. "Drew
SIG, 900 in spondulicks. Goes home
with it in his vest pocket, blow me et
he don't"
Maybe not, pard. s'posin' it's a
certified check?"
"Then there'll be 4 reward offered
to get it back-see?"
"Jim, g'roun' to tn bank an find
out which and whether 1t were" sug-
gested the older man.
"Bank clussed," remarked jim
sententiously.
"S'pose it air. Did yer expect to
send In yer card to the cashier, or the
president? Get arOun' an interview
th' ianitor. Represent yeroef as
Mister Bascomb'S confidential bizness
man. carn't yer?"
Jim started off at once without
vi1 is
line Of hi. plan. OHe was gone an
hour. but when he returned he was
freiehted with intelligence.
"Bills." he chuckled, '.flve hundred
and one thousand dollar bills-whew!
An he'll sleep with thom about his
honorable pusson to-night-mebbe."
''Does yer know the house?" asked
the other man, after a spell OF
silence.
II don't, pard. But pve looked it
up in the directory, and it's as handy
as mitten on yer nose. Lots 20
and get somethin' wet to improve
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
toor she saw that she was somewhat
excited
What is it, Kitty" she asked.
rather gravely. because the girl was
,n"Airnd IN get GuStratei easily
"Oh, mem, what was the name OF
the girl as lived here before / cameo"
she responded with a counter Ques-
tion.
"Her name? Sarah something,
cannot remember just now-Why?"
'Oh, there was young man here
looking for hts sister, but her name
was Annie Donovan. He said lie
hadn't seen her in ten years. and she
was grown up now, and he talked
butchfully about her 1t would bring
the tears till your eyes, ma am, Ito hev
heard him"
kitty, 1 wouldn't gossip with
strange men if were you. 1t isa't
safe He probably was tramp, and
all that story about his sister wss just
made up out OF whole cloth What
else did he want?"
Nothing, ma'am, and / didn't let
him inside the kitchen door. He
warn't no tramp, an I'm sure he were
tellin' the truth"
Mrs Bascomb did not prolong the
argument, but busted herself until
bedtime 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 to bed, and went into her