Hutchinson gazette., 1900-12-13

lnt not Vl ulJ opt
Aabcls suspicious were beginning 10
be slightly aroused by one thing about
the man Twice slnlce coming up 10 the
window he had glanced over his shoui-
der "A. the door, She knew Of course,
tltN II was her auly ~ driyer the let
ter IL he could fuzzy conwnc' her that
Z. belonged d. him, bu, she dalorm, med
10 inrOsl up1n Identification OF tho
s,rlc.t,t KIND as y matter Of protec'
y On o. herself and her empOyer,
"Why, e,e here, I've gGJ lots NJ re-
gislerel lrt,erS on less Identification
than this, and ut larger Offices the
mann sldd YOU'RE going beyond The
rules =
mo, | don't thlnk | am, A post
master Is responsible for registered
l5l.tprs. II he delivers one 10 the
wrong person the rlghtful owner can
hold him accountable, Mr., lIl1dget, Is
very plriculqr He has told me 10
deliver no such IJtters - strangers eN-
cepl on Identification such rs woul be
satisfactory at bank You must know
that there YOU would 10 be youched for
by some one known personally 10 the
bank people"
II can describe the letter. went ON
the man, Ignoring what she said,
"LaWge lbang envelope. From u, H..
Smith, Riverside, Mailed this morning
lslIt that dgmt?'
"Ncs, hut ! can't LEI you have II
witch A, proper Identification Map"l
was becoming mere suspicious OF The
man every moment His dlsapponi'
ment Nnl worry over the situation
seemed 10 he bringing his true churlc-
rtr b. the surface, and his farce and
manner wero rapidly growing less
g,miHmanly
"Naw see here, miss, no foollShncss
I'm " business man and my time Is
worth money, I'm Contractor ANA
thaG utter contains paper, valuable 10
me, bu; Of no value 40 any one else,
plans and specifications Of new fac
tory I'm bidding for over at Water
town. Give Ii TO me and let me catch
my train. lt's a matter Of doilulS ANA
cents 10 me-"
81 oan MT do IT," wus AN that Mabel
Hald,
The man by this time was growing
very rel IN ihc face, AMI WIS gmclng
more nervOusly than ever over his
shoulder. lie hrs,iated n moment, aud
ahen with II forced laugh went on In u
quletrr zone;
"Oi course maybe you're right ac-
corlingNo the strict rule, dOn't want
Won TO get into trouble on my account,
| I'm show in another way chat Pm ,eIV-
ing the truth, I'm going no ba in
town again Inv about a week, l'll just
deIas't $40 with you-you can give me
"a receipt aud the letter, and II you
find t's all right, as You will by that
time you can give me back the
money"
"N5. ;hcr, is no rule authorizing
any such thing"
"rll leave $50. Don't YOU see ]
woudmN ,Io ic e didn't know II would
I've ar right, and I'd gc, my money
bark?'
"pcrhups NIT, bur It would be an nj
togaher Irregular thing for me TO DO"
"Why you're unryaNjnabI2,' cried
the man again beginning TO lose hla
ecIf-conWoI. llo pulled out "a roll OF
bills from his pocket, and laid 1t down
in the window,
"l'l make 1t 500, yes, 5000 ana he
pushed in four $50 bl.'s, "l'll miss a
big ca0uracj IL doa't gdt that letter
Instantly. Give II 10 me! Never mind
ebout writing 4 rcreip, for the money
I'M trust You, even if you don't want
10 trust me-
~ can't tNy IT,"
"IIev, Nokcaon r.r yoursaIfond give
me the .,tur"
"No."
"rdke a fifty, then, Keep lido
what YOU pltlsr with Il, I'll lose thou
samAs of dol1ars II | miss that con-
tnarl.'
Mabel only shook her head.
"Iakr the whole two hundred dol
Mars. You cam use II. Nobody win
ever know. III never come back 10
bother YOU, Give me the letter." and
he pushed the money In 80 that h &-
most felt TO the fl3or.
Mabel pushed It back, saying, 1T
will ylJ YOU no g0Jd 30 make me amy
such offer. You cunmot have th- lht-
ten ain you are property identified
81 wifi have it," he fairIy shouted,
snutchmg back the money and hur-
rying around to the side toward the
door through which access was had to
the interior, aud which had been left
alnr by the boy who had taken the
naiIeack. But Mabel was TOO quick FOR
him, pushed 1t and shut it in his face.
The spring llcS clicked and she
caught her breath with n feeling OF
relief: but NJ threw himself against
Ghe door heavily, >hattrring the catch
amde,nding lhed or back on ITS hinges
with crash. The edge just struck
her rcrehcn. and everything began to
| turn bArk hefcTc her eyes; hut there
stood the safe door open. she sprang
toward Il. knowing as she did 30 that
she inst missed tht mans grasp.
The heavy door shut with duli
\ thump. with one hand she turned the
handle which threw the bolts, and
with the other spun round the compi-
nation knob. Then the darkness be-
came more complete, and she remem'
belred no more.
The next thing she lhralrd was con-
fused murmur Of voices. Then she
opened her eyes and saw that she was
vstlNI in the po>0office, lying on the DIS
| Il. all l.