Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-03-18

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never put. The two had been so taken
up with what was passirg between them
that they had not mott 81 the sound of
the door bell or the tread of heavy foot
upon the hall floor. But at the moment
Valentine was about to speak, perhaps,
with the effect of changing all their
lives, the door was thrown open, and
Judge Ketelle abruptly walked into the
room.
| He stopped short on seeing the two
and there was an instant of silent EN-
barrassment; but the judge evidently
had something on his mind too serious
to be postponed for conventional formal
tiles. my dear girl, he said to Pau
line, "you will excuse my laundering in
here, for it is probably better that
should have met you before seeing your
mother You will know better than /
how to carry my message.
"Have you bad news, Judge Ketelle?"
"Painful-no no, not the worst! your
brother is perfectly well; he has suffered
no physical injury whatever" He paused
and turned to Valentine. II think this
is Mr.. Martini" he said
Eyes; can be of any use?'
II believe you are friend of Percy'si
Well, dare say you could be of some
consolation to him. He has got into a
scrape-a matter in which he is not in
the least to blame, however-that is, at
all events regarding the main point at
issue. 1t is a misfortune, but it will be
set right; but meanwhile Mrs. Nolen
must be brought to knowledge Of it
with all the tact possible. Indeed, if it
were not one of those things that are
certain to get into the papers, and per-
haps to become for time the subject of
idle gossip, it would be best to say moth
ing to her at ALL
''I am waiting to hear what the trou-
BILE is" said Pauline, in a voice entirely
calm, though her great black eyes shone
with unusual brilliance "You needn't
hesitate to tell me anything"
1T is annoying-that is the most and
least that can be said of it. Percy is now
at police headquarters, my dear. He
will be bailed out as soon as a magistrate
can be got to hear the case: and came
up mere IN the interval.
"Oh been punching somebody's head,
has hep saiG the Englishman, in tone
of relief. Where was he last night"
''Why, he was here this morning.
few hours ago." said Pauline. He had
a private talk with mother He was
not
'fHe was entirely himself" put in the
judge This is one of those pieces of
bad luck which may occur to any man.
The circumstances were such as to sug-
gest the hypothesis-though upon en-
tirely inadequate grounds in my opinion
that Percy had been guilty of an in
fringement of the law You will smile
when you hear it; but the absurdity of
the thing does not render it less annoy
ing for the moment. He happened to
be in jewelry store when lady missed
her pocket book. 1t was supposed that
it had been stolen
And Percy was accused of taking it,
said Pauline, in low voice
In default of any other plausible OBJ
iect of suspicion, the detective pitched
upon him and he was taken to the
station.
THAT is too preposterous to do him
any HARM" Martin remarked. eff it
had not been SO bad, it would have been
a great deal worse"
when the lady knows who he is, she
will refuse to prosecute him. said Pau
line
so should have supposed" returned
the judge. But it appears that there
was already some acquaintance between
them; and Percy was in conversation
with her at the time the loss was dis
covered"
'sWho is she?' demanded Pauline, turn
ing very pale.
''Her name is Tunstall, believe-the |
wife Of one of our coal barons."
''Tunstall-Mrs. Cuthbert Tunstall,"
Pauline. 81 think have met |
her-yes I have met her. She is pretty |
woman-fashionable. And she accuses
Percy of having robbed her?''
The judge moved his head silently. |
Martin, at the mention of the lady's |
name, had changed countenance slightly.
''She must be his enemy said Pau
line, setting her grave lips together. ''No
woman who knew Percy would have
done that except from wish to ruin
him. She knows he is not guilty"
''Was Mr.. Tunstall with his wife?" in
quired Martin of the judge.
HE came in the midst of the affair
I may as well give you an account of the
affair" And the judge went on to tell
the story that is already known to the
reader. Both his listeners listened in
tently.
"My opinion u.s." said Martin, when
the narrative was finished, "that the job
was put up on Percy. The woman did
not have any money to lose
"You forget that her pocketbook was
found in his pocket" said Pauline.
''She may have put it there herself.
But at all events that does not account
for the bank notes. New York women
are not in the habit of travelling about
town with two or three thousand dollars
in bills in their muffs. She would have
had check, if she had had anything"
1.-THE same objection occurred to me-"
said tho iI1d0o 0and cpoLro IF If RI Tn.