The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-11-16

But you have accused me; it shall be
thrashed out This gentleman will see
to that"
The other man cleared his throat
Now saw that he had kept his back
against the door.
"Mr. Marcel. I'm detective. Rather
curious information was quietly
brought to us by Miss Baldwin the day
following the theft. Your invention
had been stolen by man named Pierre
Lamont, and you were too prostrated
yourself to take any sensible steps. We
were to get back the article intact with
out making an arrest, if possible, and
she would settle expenses and"
"Miss-Baldwin. l whispered, q
hand to my heaving brain. What were
they saying? Netta-Netta had done
this for me, while l had sat stupidity
crushed and inactive!
Ssh! Miss Baldwin-the young lady
who let us in just now. l was told off.
! went to work, and ran across NY man
here three weeks ago--he had not cone
so far, after all. lie told Inc something
that put me on another scent altogeth-
er. You'll be rather surprised, If moth
ing more. II stood to reason that the
thief, if he meant business, would never
attempt to patent the affair here, or in
his own name either. ! made inquiries,
and yesterday, sure enough, word came
to hand that shady agent, well known
to the police, was forming syndicate
in Berlin to put your clock exclusively
on the market there, keeping himself
well in the background in London.
shadowed him for just two hours, and
then saw him in confab with tie man
we wanted-the man who, as it hap
pened, Lamont here saw creeping down
this staircase at five a. m. on the day
of the theft-with your invention un-
der his arm, no doubt. Lamont thought
little of it, but there's no doulst the
thief had his notion as to where the
blame would be sure to lie next morn
ing. Now!" He lowered his voice note.
"Er-Mr Marcel, it is rather unfor-
tunate that the man who stole your
brainwork should be the father of the
girl who thoughtfully put us up to the
job!"
baldwin," l got out, with husky
quiver. For me, the room was spin
ming round; one dear face looked i'm
ploringly at me out of mist. Bald
win! Netta's father The
cocoa that night-drugged by himself!
AYE! ! fancy it's not altogether his
first. attempt ut shady work, either.
We shall see. I've warrant here for
both of them, and-but you'll have your
clock back, sir, with grand advertise
ment, in few days; and hope you
won't forget me. Baldwin's
out, the girl says, but he'll be back in
few minutes. She knows nothing, Of
course, and you'll like to avoid fuss, /
know. shall have him as he steps in.
If the matter hadn't gone so far"
A faint, thrilling scream from behind
the door. He threw it back, and there
stood Meta. She had heard all-saw
what she had done in her loving desire
to help me-her face told it. White,
wide-eyed, her shaking hands put out,
she stood there-a picture to go to n
mans heart and print itself there for
ever and just at that moment,
to complete the unnerving tragedy of
the situation, we heard the turn Of n
key in the halldoor below. Merciful
heavens! l know l stood dumbed and
thrilled as much by the nameless sus-
pense as by the incredible thought that
my life's triumph was within reach
again. Baldwin? Yes, and he was 60
ing down the passage.
What really happened? 1t seemed
afterwards like some dream. The de-
tective took step. Another pitiful
cry-I could never forget it. Metals
arms barred the way.
Dad! Dad! Go-go, for your life!
They know! Sirs, you dare
not! Mr.. Marcel, you couldn't-oh. for
love of me, you'll never let them take
him!"
And mo! All the blood seemed to
take life in me again as Netta's prayer
sank into me. For love of her! her
own father! 1t all happened in an in
describable minute; there was rush
in the passage below, and simultaneous
ly must have thrown both arms about
the detectives waist, and held him fast.
In that wild moment of revulsion
thought of nothing but sparing Meta
of sparing the man because he was what
he was to her. And the door down there
banged; he was gone.
"You madman! You'll lose him
cverything!" painted the detective. But
Meta had put me to the greatest test
Of mans love-I clung on as If for my
own life-till suddenly the reaction
came. For love of her had lost what
had seemed dearer than life itself. ]
slid down, and knew nothing more.
That, gentlemen, was 80 years ago.
That model was lost-destroyed, no
doubt, within "a hours-we never heard
of IL or the man again. But here, to-
night, stands its duplcate-and du-
plicate of this we can see in n thou
sand shop-windows. Need l say that
we owe it to Netta-the loving wife who
has stood by me, built up my hopes
nuoin and spurre1 mo IN IN the prpof