The daily Alaskan., 1905-02-02
A Girl From
 The Country
IoriginaLl

The Empire express rolled Into tLe Grand Central station at New York. The gate was opened. Those waiting formed line on either side, and the passengers alighting came forward A man dressed in the clothing of gen tleman, though his features were those of a commoner, carried suit case in either hand, the two articles differing somewhat in size, though of the same drab hue. Beside him was young girl. She had been travelling alone, and on getting out of the car the man had offered to carry her suit case for her. Just before reaching the gate he looked ahead, and his eye evidently lighted on some one he knew.
 I'm sorry must hurry, miss,' he said, and, putting down one of the suit cases, he went on ahead of her When he reached the gateway and was pass ing through it man tapped him on the shoulder.
 'I'n carry your hand baggage for you, Mike ConOver," he said.
 The traveller looked Q, him without any marked surprise and willingly re linQuished his baggage. The other led the way to a hanson, put the traveller in and got in himself with the case.
 "We'n go to headquarters and have a peep at this" he said as they drove away.
 Meanwhile the girl took up the suit case the traveller had put down, pass ed through the gate and on reaching an exit was accosted by a man from be- hind.
 Carriage, miss?"
 The girl walked on without noticing him.
 Carriage, mlsS?" he repeated.
 No, thank you. I'm going to take a street car"
 'T'n take you cheap" he said, mak- ing a grab for her suit case.
 A policeman standing on the side walk saw the act and. taking the man by tn collar, threw him into the street.
 You'd better take a carriage, miss said the officer. That fellow is a well known crook and was trying 10 get your baggage"
 "Oh. I can't afford a carriage" re piled the girl, but the policeman in- sisted. and before she had recovered her eduanimity he had called d cab and put her in.
 When Mike ConOver alighted from the hanson at police headquarters he went upstairs with his captor, and the latter said to the inspector on duty at the desk:
 'I think I've got the funds taken from the - National at Albany. They're probably in this suit case; but, not hay ing a key, l couldn't open it
 Then the suit case was pried open before the inspector and found to con tain ladies underwear, combs, brushes and like articles.
 The inspector and the detective look ed at each other with a disappointed expression.
 "We'll hold him anyway" remarked the former, and Mike Conover was locked up.
 Mabel Croxton, the young girl who had come in on the train, reached a boarding house in which she had en- gagged board by letter and was shown to her [ by Q apartment She sat down on the only chair and, as girls put 1t, had "a good cry" She was country girl, barely eighteen years old, who had come to New York to make her living behind a counter, and the cheer less look of her new home, together with her unpleasant episode in having narrowly escaped robbery, had ren- dered her very hOmeslck But her poor old mother would be looking for re- mittance, and it behOoved her to keep a stout heart. So sine lifted her suit case on to the bed with view to mak. ing her toilet before dinner Taking out her key, she inserted 1t in the lock; but, attempting to turn 1t, it came to a dead stop. Then she looked at the suit case and noticed that 1t was larger than her own. After all she had been robbed The polite man who had car ried her hand baggage had exchanged with her. She sat down on her bed and had another good cry"
 After dinner she took her landlady into her confidence and told her of the exchange. The good woman advised her to report the matter to the police. So without waiting Mabel took the suit case and fin company with her ad- wiser got into a car and started on her quest. The landlady knew a bit about New York and took her to the police headquarters in Mulberry street. Once there the two were ushered before the inspector.
 "Mr. Inspector" said the landlady, "this young girl has been robbed And she proceeded with the story, AS soon as the inspector heard the words exchanged suit cases" he pric&ed up his oars rhpn he saw the ease i'm the