Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-09-22

oself to weave any more fairy tales.
Mr.. Ramsay is in a-he's very ILL., His
own wife hasn't seen him since that
night, SO you see you're lying use
lessly."
Really! So Edward didn't go
back to Mrs Gates that night. Tut
tut! After his telephone message,
tool"
Now, assuming your innocence OF
the theft, Miss 0lden, what is your
theory; how doDyOu account for the
presence of that purse in your flat?"
Now, you've hit the part Of it that
really puzzles me. How do you ac-
count for it; what is your theory"
He got to. bis feet, pushing his chair
back sharply.
my theory, if you want to know it,
is that you stole the purse; that your
friend Obermuller believes you did;
that you got away with the three hun
dred, or hid it away and"
Sand. what a stupid thief | must
be, then, to leave the empty purse IN
der my lounge."
How do you know it was empty?
he demanded, sharply
"YOu said So =. We'll. you gave
me to understand that it was, then.
What difference does it make? 1t
would be a still stupider thief who'd
leave full purse instead of an empty
one under his own lounge
"Yes; and you're not stupid, Miss
+. OldeD." ~.s- -
'"Thank you. I'm sorry ] can't say
as much for you"
couldn't help it. He was such a
stupid. The idea of telling me th1t
Fred 0bermuller believed me guilt. !
The idea, of thinking me such fool
as to believe that Such men as that
make criminals, They're so fat-wit-
ted you positively ache-they' so tempt
you to pull the wool over their eyes,
o, Mag, if the Lord had only made
men cleverer, there'd be fewer Nancy
0ldens. &C..
The chief blew a blast at his speak
ing tube that made his purple cheeks
seem about to burst. My shoulders
shoOok as | watched him. he was so
wrathy.'
And was still laughing when ] fol-
lowed the detective out into the wait
ing room, where Obermuller was pac-
ing the floor. At the sight of my
smiling face he came rushing to me.
"Nance!" he cried
"Orders are, Morris" came in a bel
low from the chief at the door. that
no further communication be allowed
between the prisoner and"
Phew! All the pertness leaked out
of me. Oh, Mag, | don't like that
word. 1t stings-it binds-it cuts.
don't know what looked like
then; | wasn't thinking of me- ! was
watching 0bermuller's face. 1t seemed
/ to grow old and thin and haggard be,
! fore my. eyes, as the blood drai.sd out
of it. He turned with an exclamation
to the chief and
And just then there came long
ring at the telephone.
Why did | stand there? O. Mag
when you're on your way to the place
Iowas bound for, when you know thai
before you'll set foot in this same
bright room again, the hounds in hall
a dozen cities will: have scratched
clean every hiding place you've had
when your every act will be known
and nd-Oh, then, you wait, Mag
you wait for anything-anything in
the world; even a telephone call that
may only be bringing In another
wretch. like yourself; bound. like
yourself, for the Tombs.
The chief himself went to answer It
| "Yes-what?" he growled. Wei
tell Long Distance to get busy. What's
that? St Francis-that's the jag
ward, isn't it? Who is it? Who
Ramsay"
caught Obermuller's hand.
81 don't hear YOU" the chief roared
"Oh-yes? Yes, we've got the thief
but the money-no We haven't goI
theomoney. The deuce you say TOOK
it yourself? Out Of your wife's purse
yes. Yes But we've go'
q the What? Don't remember where
yog-"
STEADY Nance" whispered Ober
muller, grabbing my other hand
| tried to stand steady, but every
thing swayed and | couldn't hear thu
rest of what the chief was saying
thong all my life seemed condensed
INTO listening. But ! did hear whel
he damned the receiver on the hool
and faced US
We'll, they've got the money. Ram
say took the purse himself, thinking
1t wasn't safe there under the spreal
where any servant might be temples
who CHANGED to uncover it. You'll
ADMIT the. thing looked shady TIL
reason Mrs. Ramsay didn't know. of /
is because the old mans just come t
his senses in hospital and been mott
fed that the purse was missing"
Il want to. ape 9, ize to you, chief,
. | mumbled.
For thinking me stupid? Oh, W
we're. both"
mo, for thinking me not. stupid.
am stupid-stupid-stupid. The oil