The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-05-26

they were keeping secret. discovered
that she sent money away to a sister,
and that they were buying luxuries;
also that they were planning to build an
addition to their house, and various
other things, which looked suspicious
under the circumstances. But FORUM
ately for all concerned the real culprit
was discovered before had said much
to others.
1t was in the winter time, and one
night crowd of boys and girls went
to a country school-house to spelling
school. / was along, but was left be-
hind, when they started away, and had
to foot it back to town. 1t was two
o'clock of still cold morning when l
passed up the street on which Anson's
bpnk was situated, and just before l
reached it | saw a woman emerge and
lock the door behind her. AS caught
sight of her l lodged behind pile of
boxes at hand, and, peering out, saw
her look up and down the street for a
moment before she moved OH. When
she started away | followed her, and
great was my surprise to see her bring
up at Anson's house, four blocks away.
That the muffled figure was woman
did not doubt from the first; but it was
not until I had pondered over the case
for several hours that believed the
woman to be Mrs. Anson. When once
this idea came to me began to work on
it. At that time, as | we'll knew, Mr.
Anson kept only one servant-a colored
cook. She was an old woman and quite
lame, and her feet were remarkable for
their size. Early the next morning |
was out to look for tracks in the snow,
and very soon found those of the mid
night woman. They had been made by
small and shapely feet-and that
cleared the cook.
But had there been another robbery
at the bank? ran away from school to
hang around the corner and wait for
the news; and before noon it was known
that another $1,000 package had been
taken. The circumstances were precise
" the same-some one had entered the
bank and had worked the combination
of the vault. This third robbery started
run on the bank. There was no cause
for the furry, for Arson could pay two
dollars for one; but as this was the first
| run ever made on the institution, that
| and the robbery nearly drove him crazy.
had good mind TO go to him and tell
him what had seen, but, boy-like, Twas
afraid to do it. l did go to the sheriff
and begin my story, but he laughed i'll
my face and said:
'Boy, you have been seeing ghosts
and having the nightmare. If you GO
round talking this way to others they'll
call you crazy"
But did see woman come out OF
the bank l persisted.
| 'Nonsense! You were alone and
afraid of your own shadow
! Wasn't the bank robbed again last
night?"
| "Anson says so, but he may have
made another mistake. Don't go about
talking, and don't meddle further
with this business. You'll get yourself
into heap of trouble if you don't look
out"
| He hadn't done anything to clear uE
the mystery, and he was perhaps a little
fearful that l might strike clew.
was not discouraged by what he said
l had no father to go to, and did moi
think mother could help in the case
Neither did l take any OF my boy
chums into my secret, which you ma y
think strange. l was determined tt
work that case out alone, and finaIl,
accomplished it; but it was severa
days before found way to make {
beginning. Joe Anson, the bankers
12-year-old son, and l were great
friends. I knew that he occupied {
small bedroom at the head of the
| stairs, and there was a chance that ht
might have been awake and seen hi:
stepmother pass up or down.
On the night of the last robbery there
had been a birthday party next dool
to Anson's. l knew Joe would have
that in mind, and by little question
ing I found that he woke up that nigh
and found his mother gone. How to ge
| beyond that was puzzle: but one aft
ernoon, three or four days later, wen
to the house to help Joe make trap
and his mother went cut for a couple
of hours. l took advantage of his in
nocence and the cooks stupidity to ge
upstairs and rummage about; and i,
an old bandbox on the top shelf of he
closet found every dollar of the miss
ing money, just as it had been takel
from the bank, together with the writ
ten directions as how to work the com
hination and false key of the banl
| door. / did not remove anything. no
could the woman suspect what l hat
discovered. She was the robber. Sn'
mad obtained the combination from
her husband before the trouble cam,
up, and she had the nerve to get up il
! the night and rob the bank. If sh,