Connecticut western news., 1903-08-20
A Jud6e'S
 Rom mQnc e

Ity about me. While I am a bachelor of forty-five no man has ever charged me with any softness toward the other sex.
 My position was thus when the courts were closed for the summer season of a certain year and retired to my usual resort on the seashore.
 It may not strike you as quite con sistent when l say that a few days aft CT my arrival d woman appeared who caught my attention. She was regis tered as Mrs" and 1t was understood that her husband would appear later. She was handsome, well formed, re- fned-in all outward respects a lady did not have speech with her, but admitted to myself that bnt for my dig nIty and position I might have at tempted what is legally known as 8 mild irritation.
 People seemed to understand intui lively that judge of special sessions did not care to hear about trifles, and so no gossip was poured into my ears However, learned later on seven or eight rooms were robbed inside of a
 
 and generally at meal times, and the plumber was money and Jewelry. In one case the loss amounted to $500, in another to $500, in a third to over ST. 900.
 After the first complaint had been made the landlord set Il watch, but in the face of that three more rooms were plundered and confiding guest who kept several hundred dollars in his trunk instead of the hotel safe found it missing one day after luncheon. Then two detectives were employed, and all the 250 guests felt themselves under espionage, if not suspicion-all but I How could landlord, detective or any one else suspect the integrity of Judge Coke?
 The robberies ceased as suddenly as they had begun, but for reasons known to themselves the detectives decided to search the baggage of certain guests one of whom was the handsome Mrs Blank. I heard nothing of this at the time, but as 1 left my room on the day of the search I encountered the lady with a small package in her hand and she frankly said to me:
 Judge Coke. I have not had the honor of an introduction, but wish to beg a favor of you. As the clerks are busy this morning. and as the porter does not look like a man to be trusted you would put me under many obliga' tons by taking this package to the ex press office. It is directed to my hus band, as you see, and contains papers that he must have soon. l am sorry to thus impose upon your good nature but
 Say no more, madam" interrupted as I took the package from her; "I shall be only too happy to be of service to you"
 may have smiled as I lifted my hat and bowed, but I contend that lost none of my dignity, and of course I did not make it an excuse for any extended conversation.
 met her on the street, full block from the hotel, upon my return, but as I handed her over the receipt merely raised my hat again and spoke of the weather.
 The search was made quietly and with the consent of the guests. but il proved futile.
 The next three days passed without excitement, and took 1t into my head to order a carriage and be driven out 1t has always been my opinion that a judge looks we'll as he rides out in landau with head erect and armi folded
 was being bowled along the boule. yard conecting my resort with one five miles away, with my driver fully conscious of my dignity and impor. tance, when parasol was waved al me from the sidewalk, and made out a lady at the end of it. More than that, made out Mrs. Blank. who said to me as my carriage halted at the curb:
 Judge Coke, were you going to drive over to Surf CityT'
 'I am on my way there, madam" replied as my hat came or at the proper angle.
 ''Then-then"-
 "What is 1t, madam"
 "'I have a friend over there who is i'll, and there is no train for two hours I know 1t is presumption on my part, but
 Not at all, madam. Let me assist you in. l will have you there in three quarters of an hour, and the obligation will be mine."
 There were no languishing smiles, no googoo eyes on my part. Indeed, I think that most of our conversation during the drive referred to the law d. rpctly or indirectly. I was a bit sur. prised that she should ask to be set down on the public square instead of at her friends house. but dignity for. bade me even to raise my eyebrows. She bowed and returned thanks; I raised my hat and murmured, Don't mention it." and we parted.
 My position demanded that I should forget her as soon as possible or until l met her at breakfast next morning, and l had fairly succeeded when I re- turned to the hotel two hours later. Then she rushed back into my memory at a bound. The landlord and the de- tectives were looking for her. It had become known that she was an ad- venturess whose photograph adorned more than one rogues' gallery and who had even done time" for theft. It was she who had cleaned out the rooms and given me the plunder to express away, and 1t was she who had robbed the hotel safe of about $2,0O0 at the noon hour as the clerk left for a mo- ment I had driven her over to Surf City that she might take the train and thus elude the detectives.
 II. QUAD.