Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-11-20

half an hour. for L am In pickle, - ex'
Ilaimed Fred Sawyer To his friend. "Come
up "a my quarters. ] have something to
show you, and-no joking-I need your
advice "
''If You take 1t, 1t will be for the first
time" laughed good natured Courtney.
LEAD on aud don't lose any time in re-
lieving this suspense. I'm not fond o.
riddles, you know"
"why, yesterday dropped into the sales
room at a London station. You know,
they sell off the uncalled for luggage at
intervals and "a sale was Just going on
A number of the boys were there and va
each commenced to bid for trunk
selected rather a small one, and here we
are Come right In and view the burden
of my woes -
He led the way into "a pleasant apart
ment and pointed to small leather trunk
which stood in the middle of the room.
"Open 1t, if you want to, he said.
II We had enough of the COMPOUNDED thing
It's full of woman's stuff, and what dc
you suppose | can do with itf / haven't
an aunt or cousin in the wide world "
keep 1t till you're married, Fred.
These seem to be good Clothes" said
Courtney, peeping into the box and lifting
dainty garments with half reverent
touch In spite of his laughing face.
"Humph! The idea of such advice from
you Why, old boy, shall not marry for
ten years-flve anyway-and I'm not 60
ing to risk keeping these things here and
being taken for lady burglar. Mrs.
Gaffrey would find thsu in spite of every
thing-smell murder IL che air and hunt
around for the skull bones. No, I'll dump
the trunk an tho river, that's what l will
do"
"Pshaw! You're too sensible for that
These things cost money, lots of IL, i i'm
agine, and you paid something for them
In the bargain. You might sell them &c
the secondhand-no, I've better scheme
than that. Why not go through the trunk
systematically, find out the owners name
and address-there are surely letters OF
something-and write to her, Offering her
the whole thing for "a reasonable sum?"
"Do an act of charity, and yet turn an
honest penny. Any one would know you
are Scotch. But l must go back to the
store, and Herel You have all the time
there il; suppose you 60 through it for
me. All ask Is that you will keep Mrs.
McGaffrcy out. Fare-diou!" And off he
went
Courtney laughingly locked the door,
but the smiles soon left his face as he pro-
ccedcd with his task He wondered if the
little battered trunk had been lost in some
of the dreadful catastrophcs he had read
of. He imagined the owner killed and her
body rs we'll rs luggage unidentified in the
horrible excitement.
They were grlish things-dainty wells
and ribbons, ginghams, silks and snowy
linen He fingered over "a small, worn
slipper and felt a thrill akin to that awak
ened in Cinderella's prince.
"No clew yet" he murmured Per
haps there are letters in this box"
Its catch was bent, but he wrenched 1t
open and out flew-his own photograph
He sat down plump in IA box of laces and
stared. On the other side Were his initials
and date he had been trying for three
years to forget, ".Iune ,, 1890"
"Nell Burr's trunk" he exclaimed.
"Oh, my little girl, what has happened to
you? Maybe some one No, here are your
initials on this belt buckle, and your
gloves were No. Is, and this slipper would
just fit your dear little foot.
The young man grew excited and rap.
turOus over each article. Presently he lift.
ed u package of letters from one corner
My own-and they express the greatest
happiness life ever brought me. They are
like the leaves that futter down In the
November rain. wonder why she kept
them. How many there arer'
christening the cord, he turned the let
tiers over and found many of the envelopes
scrubbed upon by familiar hand There
were items jOtted down 10 be remembered
in answering, and scraps Of poetry which
had not long since reached his eye and
been ever since cherished in his memory.
Upon the last one-for they were all mum.
bered-was written i'm ink this grlish con.
fcssion, Al Courtney, ! love You, but
will never marry any one SO inconstant. "
Resting his head on the empty tray In
silence, he exclaimed;
Il was "a foOl-a consummate fool--and
now perhaps she Is dead. -
a noise aroused him, and in bewider
ed way he surveyed the garments strcwed
on every side and gazed mournfully at the
beautiful hat, through which he had run
one foot, and the box of laces he had un
consciously used for cushion Fred
would be coming in few minutes. He
began repacking the things with RUTHLESS.
haste, and slowing the letters in his own
pockets was lying lazily on the couch read
well, he cried, what mystery did
you unearthy'
No mystery at all, was the deliberate
answer, but the stuff, rs you call IL, is
worth something and would be a regular
gold mine TO a girl. I've notion to buy
it from you and present 1t TO my sisters.
What will you takef'
"Oh, come! You're just doing that to
help me out. know your benevolent old
heart. No. I'll follow your first advice
and hunt up the owner 1t would be quite
romantic, and besides you limited that
might make a shilling or two by It. You
found her name and address there, didn't
your"
"Yes," Al reluctantly answered 81
found her name and an address, but 1t is
hardly likely you could find her after so
many years. You know they keep luggage
a long time before IL is sold. "
"I'm not sure about that, " said Fred
1--WE thought about it all the morning,
and the idea grows on me- 1t will be rare
fun to try, anyway. What did you say
the name wasl'
But no doubt this girl was killed
luggage is seldom lost except by some such
accident, and-and maybe she is an old
untnan