Middletown transcript., 1903-04-11

breakfast, Burt and Annie are
coming over after me this even
ing to go over to their house.
and they are going to show me
how to take flsh-light pictures.
| was intending to tell you last
night but did not have a chance.
Well, I'm beat! calculated Mr.
Wilton, as he came in just then
for breakfast. Did any of you
hear anything of the dog or any
other kind of a rumpus last night?
No? Well, I didn't either, and
the oats in that end of the bin
have lowered about six inches
since last night, when l marked
on the bin how full it was. I'd
give ten dollars to know how it's
done and ten more to know who
does it.
Why, father! would you, really,
or are you just joking? inquired
Nina.
Yes, I would, gladly. I mean
just what I say. I'm losing more
than that in oats every week or
so. You going into the detective
business, grille?
Well, I don't know. | might
think about it, with such a liberal
reward at the end, she replied,
laughingly.
Go ahead, and you can have
the twenty dollars if you earn it,
said her father. The idee of a
girl detective! Why, you know
you wouldn't dare 60 out to the
oat bin after dark, so I'm sure /
don t see how you could find out
very much.
Detectives seldom tell their
methods, you know, and I surely
can't, for I have not thought of
one yet. Nevertheless, I will
just go out and investigate the
surroundings some time to-day.
And that closed the conversation
for the time being.
Now, marmee, I'll run out after
those eggs for the custard pie,
and while I'm out there I will
just take a look at the oat bin,
said Nina a little later in the day,
after breakfast was over and the
dishes were washed and neatly
put away.
Well, it does look queer, she
mused, as she entered the gran
ary. Yes, those window are Sc
cure, all right, and it is very evi-
dent they have not been disturb
ed since pa nailed them down.
They might have key to fit this
lock; but why didn't Major bark? ?
We should have heard him if he
had, I know. Well, Major, old
fellow, she said, as the dog ap-
peared at the doorway, I am
afraid cannot solve this mys-
terry, but I'd like to, for pa would
keep his word, and then-heigh-
no! I'd have q camera. We will
go down under here in the shed
to see if the hens have laid in
the sheep-racks, and then I shall
have to go in. Come on, MAZE,
and she ran lightly down the
narrow stairway. Why! there
are oats spilled here on the
ground, Maize, old boy. Do you
suppose our thieves dropped the
bags here? She paused to think.
I believe this spot is just exactly
under that end Of the oat bin;
perhaps the rats have gnawed a
hole through the floor and they
are leaking out. Rats! they
couldn't eat four or five bushels,
though. I'll get ladder and see
if the floor is all right above
here. Perhaps I shall find key
to the mystery up above.
She found a ladder hung on
the shed near by and, carefully
propping it against a beam, as
cended until she could distinctly
see place in the flooring where
there appeared to bearound piece
of wood fitted into the floor, with
a small part projecting.
Eureker! I've found it, Major!
and now I'll see how this thing
works. So gathering up her ap-
ron, girl fashion, to catch the
oats, she pulled on the piece OF
wood until she loosened it, and
as she pulled it out a steady
stream of oats came into her ap-
ron. She almost jumped off the
ladder in her joy, and her quick
wits were already planning a way
of catching the thief. Carefully
plugging up the hole and putting
the LADDER just where she found
it, she run back upstairs to de-
posit her apron of oats in the bin
again, and then sedately carried
in her eggs for the custard pie.
Well, you did not find the med
dlers, did you? queried her