The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-05-12
Sc 81 HAVE made a discovery,
john" said Mrs. Mansfield,
looking I'D from her knitting.


alderman and Mayor of Pimperne,
looked up from his paper.
"A discovery, my dear?" he said, as
Stunning his best magisterial manner.
Pray what is the nature of this re-
markable occurrence"
81 find that Miss Ansom has q photo
graph of yourself, which she treasures
in secret"
What do you mean, my dear?" ex-
claimed Mr.. Mansfield
"This morning." explained Mrs.
Mansfield, 81 entered Miss Ansom's
room and found her absorbed in the
contemplation of some object which
she held. She had evidently not heard
my knock, but the noise of my entrance
startled her, and, as she hastily hid
something in drawer, a photograph
fell to the floor. She snatched it up,
flung it into the drawer, and closed it,
but not before l had recognized it as
your photograph. l pretended not to
have noticed the photo, preferring to
have an explanation from YOU"
Mr.. Mansfield was the picture of
helpless amazement
Miss Ansom, it must be explained,
was bright and charming young lady,
whom Mrs. Mansfield had recently en-
gagged as companion.
II am quite at loss to explain the
affair."" said Mr.. Mansfield, in tones
quite unlike those of the Mayor of
Pimperne. Possibly it was given to
her by a mutual friend"
"Then why should she make a mys-
terry Of it, and gloat over it in pri-
vateT demanded Mrs. Mansfield
grimly.
MY dear" said Mr.. Mansfield with
a return of dignity, Il do not under
stand you! If l mistake not it was
something she hid in the drawer she
'gloated' over, not the photograph"
II am not sure which it was,'' said
Mrs. Mansfield, with strained calm
ness.
Now that the first shock of amaze
ment was over, Mr. Mansfield's POM
posity returned rapidly.
"Ah. very possible, my dear, Miss
ApsOm, whom l have every reason to
think is a young lady of good discern
ment and sound judgment, has found
something in my public life which she
has been good enough to admire. Miss
Ansom has had every opportunity of
studying my work for the past three
months, and also the genral course of
municipal life in what, l think, may be
regarded as a noble borough. What
more natural, then, that this young
lady, seeing the portrait of gentle
man, clad in the robes and insignia of
the office of chief magistrate of this
borough, displayed in the photograph
er's window, and, recognizing In that
gentleman myself, should purchase
that photograph"
Mrs. Mansfield listened with immov-
able features.
"a very good explanation" she COM
mented, eff it had been one of your
official photographs. But the one in
Miss Ansoms possession is one of
those you had taken about two years
ago, before you were elected mayor.
!
member, and l thought we had dis
posed of them all. The question is
how did Miss Ansom obtain one? l did
not give it to her"
"Then l can only say that you must
be mistaken, my dear" said Mr.. Mans
field, with asperity. "On your own
confession you only saw it for an in
slant. How can you be certain that ii
was a photograph of myself?"
IF you think my eyes deceive me
perhaps you will believe your own
The photo is still in the drawer; Miss
Ansom has had no opportunity of re
moving it, for l sent her on an errand
1t is in the first drawer of her dressing
table, if you wish to satisfy your cur.
osity."
Mrs. Mansfield, do you think that
am going to steal into a lady's room
and pry into her private affairsT' CRIED
the magistrate, rising. You forget
yourself. madam
Mr.. Mansfield went upstairs in higf
dudgcon to make some alterations IL
his dress preparatory to going out
He was forced to acknowledge him
self quite at loss to account for tina
photo being in Miss Ansom's posses
sion, which admission was rather ex
traordinary on his part.
He prided himself on his keen sight
his strict impartiality, and his firmnes!
In discharging his magisterial duties
But an exhibition Of these qualities
was not confined to the bench or tn,