Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-10-24
" Of" The Mouse on lhs Narsh," etc.
Rob ert Bonner's Sons. :

King, ne went on, rs the young man
REDEEMED with surprise, 81 know her
tricks. II have waited-EOr some
such end as this - for twenty-five
years."
An exclamation, in which astOnish-
ment and sympathy were blended. e'-
capped from Clfford's lips. Colonel
Bostal rose from his chair. and un-
locking a cupboard in the corner of the
room, took from it an old desk. which
lie unlocked, and taking from IT bun.
die of cuttings from old newspapers,
put them into CliffOrd's hands.
They all referred to cases Of "klep-
tomania" which had come before the
West End magistrates from twenty
three to twenty-five years before. in
which a "ladylike young woman, Of
superior manner and address," had
been charged with shoplifting.
"They all refer to my daughter"
said the Colonel quietly. And in all
we managed to get her or. on the plea
that She had suffered from hysteria.
And that was true
Then she is not responsible for her
Nctions.?" suggested Clifford in tone
of relief
Frankly, my own belief Is that she
is fully responsible. She is a highly
intelligent woman. and her astuleness
and cunning are indispensable. There
is some moral twist in her nature
which causes Ter to love the excite
ment of crime. That is my own opin-
ion. / took her away from London.
but wherever we went she theatened
to get herself and me irto trouble, and
at last l brought her here, where 1t
seemed that she must be honest for
want of opportunity to be anything
else. And / thought, until few
weeks ago, that 1 had succeeded.
swear to you I never had suspicion
that she was mixed up with the thefts
at the Blue Lion until the inquest on
young Stickels. Then, when saw that
1t lay between her and poor little Nell
Claris, / knew who was the-the cul-
prit. But how could confess it? Ny
heart bled for the poor girl, but |
knew the truth must come out, and l
had not the courage to hasten its com
ing"
For long time there was silence in
the little room. Then Clifford ven
tured to ask:
do you know where she has gomez"
"All l know is that whatever she
has done is the best possible thing for
her own safety. 1 can trust her for
that"
Clifford was shocked. That the little,
faded woman was a monster, an I'M
natural and depraved creature without
moral sense, was clear. The Colonel
rose again, locked up his desk and held
out his hand to the young man.
GO" said he, gravely, but kindly.
"You have done all you could for me,
for us, and / thank you Now you
must leave us to take our chance. And
remember what have said: There is
very little cause to fear Oh my daugh-
ter's account"
Thus dismissed Clifford took leave
of the old man reluctantly and started |
for Courtstairs, where he easily found |
q lodging for the night.
On the following morning at day
break there arrived at the County Lu-
matte Asylum, sixteen miles from
Stroan, a weird, wan object, shoeless,
wlld-eyed, voiceless with cold and
with terror.
The creature cried when the porter
came to her summons:
Take me in. or / shall do myself |
some harm. Take me in! Take me |
inr
1t was Miss Theodore.
No lunatic who had ever been adj
mitted within the walls of the asylum
had looked half so mad as she did.
The doctors saw her, and advised her
detention. And when the storm broke
over her. and the hue and cry reached
the asylum, there was no debut eX-
pressed by any Of the doctors as to her
insanity. She was duly brought up
before the magistrates, remanded.
brought up again; always with the
same result She smiled, she chatted;
she appeared wholly unconscious Of
her position, wholly irresponsible. And
at the last her trial for murder was
avoided, the doctors all certifying that
she was unfit to plead.
And when it was announced that
Miss Theodore would be confined dur
ing Her Majesty's pleasure, every one
in the justice of the deci-
sion except Colonel Bostal, who said
% Clifford, when they were alone:
II told you she would get off! She is
20 clever"
Clifford himself did not know what
o think. But then he had something
20 much pleasanter to think about.
Cor Nell Claris was no longer able to
ay mo" to him. Instead of being a
Inspected criminal she was now a her.
inc. 1t was honor and not disgrace
hat she could now bring to her hus.
,and
One thing only Clifford had to wait
or. Nell would not leave her uncle
Until his mind was quite restored.
Tor months she watched the reawak-
ming of his reason, tending him with
owing care.
And when he was able to return to
be Blue Lion in full possession of his
eason, when the autumn tints were
n the trees, Clifford took his pretty
nd gentle bride away from the inn by
be shore.
The End.