The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-07-13

| the man did. Then Mr.. Mitchell FOL
lowed Rogers out of the place and III
town to dingy looking house In Hen
ry street where Rogers stopped, re
marking:
"Praps I'd letter go up first and see
how the land lays. ell? The old party
may be drunk and not receivin Wis
itors."
very WELL" said Mr.. Mitchell, "bu,
hurry back"
This injunction was obcyed, FOL
within ten minutes Rogers was dowr
stairs again. apparently excited
Say, mister" said he, "you'vt
struck it rich. The old woman's sober
&nd the girls with her. Go right up
second floor front. right sde-and II
you don't need me any more. Why
Il can settle. chg" said Mr.. Mitchell
ii"isliing his sentence for him. Here
is somc money for you. Good day."
Right YOU arc, mister You know
my address. Apollo hall; office hours
from s n. M. to 10 p. IN. Ia, tai And
he shEtllcd OF. holding himself a little
more erect because Of the money I'm
his pocket
MI. Mitchell hcSita.cd for a moment
wondering how best to effect his OBJ
tc. lie had not expected to find the
G!ri "t this house, and he would have
preferred to have 4 talk first with tho
OH woman alone. But now that the
girl was so near at hand the opportu.
h:ty OF meeting her should not be lost
He had learned from Rogers that the
oil
cooper, that She had been married Il,
one time to soldier and that she was
living upon government pension.
she was never sober, EXCEPT when
short of money, and this was usually
near the end of the quarter. during the
last weeks of which she did odd Jobs
wheh She could get work, and so man.
aged until the next pa" day.
Mr.. Mitchell very quickly decided to
pretend that his business was with
Mrs. Cooper, so that the girl need not
be warned of his wish to meet her. He
assembled the rickcty stairway i'm the
darKhcss, feeling his way with out.
stretched arms, and knocked at the
door of the old woman's room.
Come in!' cried Il voice within, no
cilort being made to ascertain who the
visitor might be.
Mr.. Mitchell entered and found him.
self in the presence OF both women or
as he would have said from his first
glance, of woman and n child. He
easily recognized Lillian Vale, although
she was oder than she looked i'm her
Yet she seemed more like
q
mihd the hearty laugh with which
Preacher Jim had greeted his sus.
picions in regard to this girl, and now
That he saw her he was compelled to
admit that there was reason for the
CRIMINALS amusement. Nevertheless
when Mr.. Mitchell had once reached n
by logical deduction he was
tenacious Of his opinion until confront
Gu with most convincing proof that he
was In error. The coincidence of this
girls stage name and the flower en-
broidered upon the infants garment
needed explanation. He could not nc.
cept 1t as q mere cnancc. CompeifetI-
to account for his intrusion. he adj
dressed himself to Mrs. Cooper, say
Ing:
your name is Susan Cooper, I be-
lieveT'
"Yes, Sir"
81 am connected with firm of law
ycrs who make speciality Of collect
ing pension claims"
THANK you. don't need any law
yers. My pension is paid very rcgu.
lar" said the old woman, n little sus-
picious. Mr.. Mitchell FASTENED to re-
assure her.
"Ycs, yes, of course, madam. That
we know. But that only applies to the
regular pension. came to see you
about the amount properly due for the
time before your claim was allowed"
II never heard Of any back money
due me-"
Exactly so, madam. But, you see,
we lawyers look into these things pret-
ty thoroughly. Now, we hunted up
n lot Of these claims, and we have
worked on them till l am happy to
say that we have had them recognized,
and, what is better still. they have
been paid"
"Then you mean there's money COM
In to me?" asked the old woman
eagerly.
Let Inc sce," said Mr.. Mitchell, pre-
tending to consult memorandum
book. "Yes. All, here it is! Mrs. Su-
san Cooper. $2S5. The odd figures oc-
cur because Of the deductions for costs
of collection"
you mean I'm to get over $200T
cried Mrs. Cooper, now greatly excited
THAT'S what the gent said, num-"
interjected the girl, speaking for the
first time. "Sit down. Don't hop up
soon as YOU hear of little money
coming to you. You act as though you
never saw 5000 In your life"
"True enough" said tine old woman.
"It's many n day since I've had that
much in lump. When do get itT