The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-06

i
ticularly wanted to see her." remarked,
now all but certain that l was on the
\ wrong track.
"Ah, everybody comes after Peggy"
delightedly continued the old man. 1T
takes me all my spare time 10 answer the
| door and speak 90 them. Dear knows
| what / shall do when she grows To be =
woman and has swe0thearts coming af-
! ter her IN need 20 hire man 10 help
NE tu answer the door" and lie again
cnuckled himself black ia The face al his
Joke. Peggy gets everybody 10 like her
somehow. For instance, she came IA
yesterday with a bright halt-crown in
her hand which wotna y
had given her merely for helping her to
see her daughter. a servant in the
Grange"
"A half-crown" / echoed. seeing that
l was expected to look overpowered.
''Yast. a whole half-crown: and. what's
more, IN show you tho present she's got
from the same woman today She met
her in the Grange, and the woman told
Peggy that she might need her help soon
at another house which she serves with
milk, as the woman has a niece there
whom she's anxious TO speak with. Now
look what do you think of that?" and the
old man held up TO my eyes a brightly
polished dessert spoon OF electro-plate.
took the spoon i'm my hand with
found the latter Il. there engraved
"Ah, you see: that's for Peggy" ex-
claimed the old man: "she had got IL done
last night. on purpose for Peggy"
] took the list OF articles stolen from
Hill View villa the night before from
my pocket 10 make sure of every step.
and was not surprised TO find that the
spoon in my hand was therein accurate
~ described. For some moments l was
TOO much agitated 10 speak. but when
did find my tongue, IL was TO say, as
quickly as possible
do you know anything OF the nature
OF the service rendered by Peggy to this
unknown woman
NO: that's a secret. Oh, Peggy
wouldn't tell that though she were chop
ped In pieces. But it's nothing bad, you
may depend. Peggy has head on her
shoulders that would serve fer me. said
TO her last night when she spoke of IL.
Peggy. secrets sre bad. ] 'spect: when
she said. as bright as you like, holding
up the half-crown, No, they're not. when
they let me go and buy Bob pair OF
boots tomorrow. I'm sure he needs them
more than any OF u.s.,
And she's gone to buy them now, has
she?' / quietly continued
Yes, and she won't be long OF being
back, and my work isn't half done"
cried the old man with a sudden start OF
recollection. such a row I'll get but
Ill put all the blame on you" and he
held out his hand as IL about to put away
the spoon he had shown me, and resume
his work. when a strange commotion in
the street without attire cted us both. We
saw a number of feet crowd past the
window, and shortly after heard some
heavy footsteps I'm the passage, followed
by. an imperative knock at the door. I
| opened the door. and was startled to find
myself confronted by Peggy in tears.
and In the grasp or a policeman.
"They said the half-crown was "a bad
one. she hysterisally exclaimed, as she
sprang forward into the old mans arms.
"and as 1 could not tell them how i got
it-you know that's secret--I brought
them here for you ia tell them I'm honest
and good, and make them go away
Yes. you're honest and good" tremb-
! lingly repeated the old man. Peggy s
honest and good. How dare you frighten
her and make her cry?'
"Poh, that sort of nonsense won't do
| with u.s." repeated the policeman. with a
| touch OF the hat to me- There's too
many of these bits OF pewter floating
about just now, as Mr.. MGovan there
| will tell you"
"MGovani MGovanl" helplessly echo
| ed the old man, with powerful start and
a reproachful glance in my face. Are
| you M'0ovan. the detective."
| simply, bowed, for the tears in the
old mans eyes had cffectually stopped
| my voice.
"Then YOU heard what said before I
| knew anything about this charge" he
/ eagerly pursued; what said about Peg
| gy? And Il was all true-trpe as the Cos
| pei. Peggy wouldnt do wrong TO save
| her life"
II am sorry to say that something more
| than a mere assertion will be required TO
| acquit her OF ~ very serious charge" I
said in reply ~ have here in this spoon
| evidence 60 Justify us In taking her away,
even though the possession OF the bad
! half-crown were. satisfactorily explain
4 ed. "
| why, what-what does the spoon
| prove2 what has Peggy done?"
THAT Is what am anxious TO find out,
both for Pergy's sake and my own" !
| gently returned. Last night, Mr.. Nal
smiths house In the Grange was broken
into. or rather entered by thieves. who
could have got In only by the scullery
window. the bolt OF which must have
been unfastened by an accomplice with.
| in and as | spoke and fixed the pallid
little girl with my eye, I saw her SLOWLY
| and guilty hlsh 60 deep red. At the
same time. an alafmsd expression SETTLED
on her face, and she exclaimed IN q
| terrified burst
/
J mother
IT thlnk mot \ mother would hardly
fen her daughter, and leave her all bu
dead up no fuor grdNely answered
And is MsEeie hcrtf OF, Is MagEi'
hurt?" she cried in fresh grief "Oh. II
IL possible that have done wrong?'
Come here. Peggy, and tell ne al
q bout IL, anu 4 VIII soon know II yo,
have done wrong I said. drawing he
towards me ITS FOR your own good
ask a. and 20 set at the real thieves"
It took some close reasoning on my par
TO convince Peggy that she was justihe,
in betraying the woman in widow
mournings: hut when ] expressed a con
victlon that the tout was no more a re
laton OF Masgie Gray's than 1 was, tn
story came ont clear and staple from De
| ginning 10 end, When she had iinishe,
] frightened pcrccptlhN. and tho ot
man. hastily taking that as "A good sigu
said--"Now you understand ~ alt am
see that Peggy had nothing 10 DO With Il
so YOU can so and catch The thieves, an
leave Peggy here"
THAT would scarcely do" I gravel
reioined. Peggy must go 10 the polic
ofnce with me.
\ look OF haggard despair crossed th
old mans face like fash.
uNa a fhaf tfatIH never Tg