Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-03-18
HER FIRST CLUE
1901. a detectlve?'


w The superintendent of a large
- department store scanned close
" The dainty little woman before him.
"Do you doubt the chiefs state
ment:' she asked.
.'No. not that; but l was expecting
a large. strong and serious woman"
II am neither weak nor frivolous"
came the answer, as the petite figure
Strengthened to its fullest height, while
fire flashed from the large brown eyes
that a moment before had smiled a
friendly greeting.
Mr. Hale laughed heartily, exclaim-
ing: Il see my error and l beg your
pardon. Let us get to work. You un-
derstand the matter. | presumed Sc
ries of thefts in our cloak department;
our own men being baffied, | privately
asked Chief Morse to aid me. In what
capacity do you Gomez"
LAS saleswomdn. Is anyone suspect
edE"
Il am sorry to say yes" replied Mr..
Hale, taking letter from his desk.
some time ago | received this an0ny-
nous letter which tells me the floor
walker will bear watching. Mr.. Bruce
IS a ine fellow. lie came to us, high
school graduate, fourteen years ago.
lie was ambitious, and soon jumped
over The counter. floor walker, and at
4 times we have sent him abroad as buy
er. Indeed. we were considering max
ing this position permanent one when
4 this trouble developed; but it is certain
Mt Bruce in action, looks and talk Is
OF late wonderfully changed man. we
were compelled to prefer another"
Il see. am ready now to be enroll
ed as an employe, but l want this let
ter. l shall return it. of course"
Her appearance as saleswoman in
the cloak department was a surprise,
for her personality astounded her asso-
ciStes. rs with even first critical
glance came an impression of her ex-
uuisite dautiness and true refinement.
Her 80 years were to her youth, SO
lightly they told on her.
She was clad i'm black, from which
all Inferred the recent death of a rela-
ton had forced her to become bread
winner.
But the sprightly little body did not
long leave them to surmises. for be
tween sales and efforts to sell. she
found many chance for chats, till, as
the day wanea, many asserted that the
new girl was perfect little gossip; yet
all agreed she was present day young
woman. brimful of plquant and allur-
ing union of wit and wisdom.
Tae following day Miss Wood" fit
i ted among her companions as an auto
graph iieRd. Her book was thrust
before all. and none there were that re-
sisted
Tie fioarwaiker smiled sadly as he
sjmrJy penned his Eame. Charles Coz
don Bruce" and closing the album,
said quietly:
Miss Wood. may | in return ask of
you favor?'
Certainly" she replied. pleasantly.
He spoke in seeming desperation as
he sgid: &c! have been watching you
closely. You are not only an intelli-
gent woman. but keen and obSeryant
one | am sure; an for this reason |
seek vour aid. \ systematic robbery
has been going ON in this department
for some weekS-ope cloak AT time.
] am helpless TO discover the thief.
win YOU watch closely and help me II
~ poSsih>es"
Certainly. l viii. sir; but il seems
strange Who can il be-"
one OF the score employed on this
sloor" he answered. bitterly.
why doesn't the firm hire detec-
tivcg' she asked.
we always have three good men
about the store" hesaSSerted ard |
know they have kept 4 close watch,
and. frankly. know am myself un-
der suspicion, and unless the matter is
solved soon l shall 90 mad
dc Quivered in the intensity Of his
emotion. and. fun OF sympathy. the
httle woman unobServedly extended a
hand as she said. stoutly;
y will use my eyes, believe me"
Thank YOU be said. warmly. as
N with a grateful pressure OF the hand
ne t0cned away.
Alone in her den" that evening Ber-
nice Wood. microscope in hand. bent
over her album Of autographs. Ii was
M her belief that every adult handwrit-
ING VAS made up Of the characteristics
OF the individual and that in test all
a depended on the presence or absence OF
these characteristics.
She placed by the side OF each auto
II graph the disguised handwriting OF the
letter and Instituted 4 comparison OF
i the peculiarly indiridIr! Characters
ties
suddenly she uttered shout OF de-
Hight The letter was beside the name.
"Eugenia ZafIman."
IN the letter Miss Zafman had dis
gussed well the shape. slant and speed
= Of her natural writing. but in shade
spacing. alignment and pen pressure
she had retained her characteristics rs
shown in her autograph.
New said the Sherlock Holmes. =
0must cultivate Miss EuSenia."
The next day Miss zaffnan beeaIaC
her special study.
They lunehed together merrily.