Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-10-17


see the woman who robbed him. So
we brought him with us tonight to
confront her. She wouldn't give us
the chance till we got the warrant"
"She doesn't seem to mean to give
you chance now" observed Clifford.
Hemming affected to think that her
capture was only a matter of minutes.
as he kept to his post, watching the
front Of the house, while the other
men searched thepremises at the back.
But he hardly looked so confident as
might have been expected from his
words.
Indeed he had cause for uneasiness.
1t was he who had first conceived sus-
picions Of Miss Theodore, and 1t had
taken all the ingenuity Of which he
was master to get together enough evil
dence against her to justify him in
asking for a warrant. The sight Of an
old scar on one of her little hands, on
the occasion of one Of his visits to
Single End, had suggested to him
that she might have been the woman
whose hand he had burned with the
fuse at the inn.
But it had been a long time before
he could make out case-not, indeed,
until he had thought of using the now
half-Witted- George Claris. whom he
had got out Of the hands Of simple
Nell under a promise, which had been
Cot hot bA ShnVYld ha TplI
taken care of, and that he should re-
turn to her very shortly. Even then
the difficulties in the way Of the police
had been great. AT first Claris was
sullen and taciturn. No questions
would obtain from him clear answer
as to the events of the night which had
turned his brain. 1t was not until that
very afternoon that he had accused
Miss Bostal by name of the thefts. and
this furnished the police with enough
data for further proceedings.
Clifford listened in dumb bewilder-
ment.
"What can she have done it for? Is
she mad?" asked he, presently.
Hemming shrugged his shoulders.
Doesn't look much like madness to
have shot the man who was going to
inform against her," said he, dryly.
"Good gracious! Then you think
She"
1t was hardly conceivable to him
even yet that the prim, rigorous little
old maid. who had been so much
shocked at his walking along country
road on Sunday in light suit, could
have been guilty Of the systematic
crimes now laid to her charge. In the
silence which followed his words one
Of the two Stroan policemen came up.
"She's got away" said he, in low
voice. "We've hunted all over the
place. There's no way by which she
could have got back into the house"
How could she have got far with
that short start of you?' asked Hem
ming, incredulously.
II don't know, but she's done 1t.
I'm going to search the house, SO you
keep your eyes open.'
The front door had been left open
by the Colonel, whom the sergeant
found in the dining-room, sitting with
head bent over the dying embers of the
fire. The man felt sorry for him and
spoke in O. subdued voice.
beg pardon, sir, but shall have to
search the house again"
The old man acquiesced by nod,
and the officer withdrew. From tbs
ground floor to the first floor from the
first floor to the attics, he hunted in
every corner. Hardly in vain. For
although he did not find Miss Bostal
he found evidence enough of her pre-,
datory habits to convince any jury of
her guilt Of the minor crime Of theft
at least.
Under the boards Of the attics, sewn
up in the mattress of the lady's own
bed, hidden away in holes in the die
used chimneys, the officer found
hoard as varied as it was interesting.
Money, in notes and silver and gold;
jewelry, of little value for the most
part and apparently taken new from
shops; half a dozen mems watches,
pencil-cases, purses, pieces Of stuff,
scraps Of lace, card-cases, silver spoons
and forks. These were q part only OF
what he found.
Covered with the dust of years most
of them were; the gold and silver tar
nished and discolored with age anil
damp. On the whole fine collection,
and amounting in value to some hun
dreds- Of pounds
Nothing less than sheet was Of any
use to hold the collection, and even
when the sergeant made his way
down the stairs with huge bundle on
That there was not more behind.
A bent figure stood In front Of him
at the opening Of the dining-room
door.
Am I under arrest, too?" asked the
Colonel, in tranquil tones.
"No, sir. But we've got to watch
the house."
"And what have you got there?'
The policeman, by the dim light OF
the lamp in the passage, displayed his
find in silence. In silence, also, the
Colonel looked, and Immediately with
drew into the room. The sergeant left
the house and met Clifford on the lit
tie path leading to the gate. He
jerked his head back in the direction
Of the house.
"Sorry for the old gentleman" said
he, in q low voice. Its about broke
him up, has this. He's moping there,
bill by himself"
- TO be Continued.