The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-03

chances are she would have spent the
night in duress. Certainly few men
would have asked the person who
caused their arrest to go on their bail
bond. But this was precisely what Miss
Peekskill did. and Mrs. Morford. being
also not a man. but a woman. and q
power In the neighborh0Od as we'll.
caused q magistrate to be routed out,
who fixed the amount, and by eleven
o'clock that night the two ladies were
locked in each others arms in the very
drawing-roOm which had been the
scene of the robbery; they were crying
and comforting and forgiving each
other; and yet affairs, from the legal
point Of view, were precisely In statu
quo; neither Of them in the least could
explain how Miss Peekskill had con-
trived to take the pearls by mistake for
her SDirometer. and yet to take the
spirometer too. and until the problem
was solved. Miss Peekskill was In dang
er OF states prison, unless she jumped
her bail, which Mrs. Morford entreated
her to do. but which the maiden her.
self utterly declined to consider the pos
sibility Of.
So the night passed. and the morning
came.
With the morning arrived the police
captain OF the district. and requested
beautiful woman, pale from the agita-
tion of the night, met him robed in
delicate satin-lined negligee. In the
eastern boudoir. with the morning sun
shine falling aslant through the tur-
Quoise blue window shades.
We've got the parties that waylaid
Miss Peekskill. madam" the captain
said, land the necklace with 'em. They
tell queer story; it may be straight
and 1t may not. They say they got wind
of the necklace being out OF the safe
deposit. and there was three Of 'em in
the job. But one Of them, an old-timer.
whom we know as Scar-Eyed Jack, gave
these two the slip, and they'd figured
out that he'd nxed up some Disguise
he has lot of 'em, and Is especially
good in clergymen"-Mrs.M Morford gave
q start" and was going to have try
for the pearls all by himself. They
had a description Of how the case
looked, and came on here after by the
first train. They saw nothing Of him,
but what they did see was Miss Peeks-
kill. with the Identical case in her hand.
going to the railway depot hot-f
OF course they watched their chance
and pinned her. II they could have got
to town they might have been safe.
but We were too quick for 'em, and
nabbed 'em as they came of the train.
Whether there's anything In their yarn
about the third party Of course we
can't tell; was there anyone called here
yesterday afternoon besides the lady?"
"Only an old college chum OF my late
husband--a Mr.. Glenn, clergyman,
who has lived all his life as a mission
AIRY in India, China and Corea."
'All his life? Then you weren't per-
sonally acquainted with him before,
perhaps? thought not! A good-look-
ing man. was he. dark red hair, a bit
gray, scar across the outer corner Of
a nice way with women? Is that about
it,"
"Ye-es. don't know but it is" said
Mrs. Morford, family.
Yes, expected 80. Scar-Eyed Jack
sure enough. But what gets he is that
he should have gone off without the
pearls--or. hold on!-maybe he"
AT this juncture Thomas entered with
letter and a package. both marked
Immediate" Mrs. Morford, who was
now much agitated, bowed for permis-
sion to the captain, and opened the let
ter.
Dear Mrs. Morford--I have to offer
an apology and explanation. ! am not
the person l purported to be yester-
day. Then l was full Of hope and con-
fdence; now l am depressed and hui
inflated: then was worshiping at
the shrine Of your beauty and your
pearls, now / am kicking myself for
my folly and faulty: then was mis-
sionary from the romantic orient, now
/ am a vagabond in the prosaic Occi-
dent; then was Rev. Watson Glenn II
| found the name In an old college cata-
loguc Of your late husba nd 'siyear), now
am--never mind who, but in any case
I am left! r.st
You refused my pearls, dear madam.
| They were not worthy your acceptance.
You can buy score such for q dollar
| or two On the other hand, coveted
yours, and was firmly convinced that
I took them up, with my cloak, from the
table when / was In such hurry to
catch my train, and carried them away.
But man proposes, woman upsets his
| calcula tions. When I reached q safe
place 1 opened my case Of pearls. to re.
fresh my soul with their radiance, and
found them transformed into Miss
Peekskill's spirometer. At first I was
annoyed and inclined to throw the
thing away: then-being, after all, a
gentleman-I reflected that the spi-
rometer had seemed to be very near
her heart, and that it might make heI
happy to have 1t back. Besides, 1t did
not belong to me, for I never intended
Il assure you and herr to steal it,
LAS do not know her address, ven-
ture to send the spirometer to your
care, with this note. I wish, madame
that heaven had made for me such a
woman as you; had that been the case
I should not have been, as l am now
the adorer whom you will never again
behold. and THE First Victim of Miss
Peekskilrs Spirometer"
Good heavens!' exclaimed Mrs
Morford. And here Is the spirometer
sure enough. Poor Mr.. Glenn--I mean
will you ask Miss Peekskill to come
here?"
| II believe l need not detain you any
longer" bowing and trimming his mus.
tache to veil a smile. II will attend
to that bail bond for you: and mean.
while think we may be satisfied to
take things as they are!"
| (The End.)