The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-11-14

an hour the crib cracker had his case
mt his fingers ends. The girl had tele-
phoned him from Il few miles out of
Boston. lie could reach the country
seat within a few hours by train.
Mr.. Felix Bradbury bought Il quarter
cigar on the strength OF his prospects
and made for the depot. The girls
brother wouldn't be troubled to take
those bonds to the safe deposit in the
morning.
In the country house Miss Bessie
Bradbury sat up until II o'clock. 1t
was Mt that hour before her father
ceased swearing at hv stairs ON which
he had slipped, Mt the doctor who tola
him to lie quiet for Il week and at the
family burglar proof safe for getting
out of order.
evil probably will come on the mid
night train,' she mused as she saw
that the side door was left free for
him to enter, land | am going to give
him a scare about those bonds. If |
lead him to think that the house has
been robbed, maybe it will scare his
hoarseness away"
There were old bonds In the safe
and out of 1t. There were silver mine
bonds worth ! cent on the dollar for
the pictures on them, and there were
coal oil bonds worth 3 cents a pound
as p rags. The elder Mr.. Bradbury
had invested in his time. 1t was no
trouble at all for Miss Bessie to hunt
up thirty $1,000 bonds, worth alto
gether 30 cents, and put them in the
envelope in place of those issued by
Uncle Samuel. The latter she carried
up to her room with her. and by and
by the house grew quiet. 1t was then
that Mr.. Felix Bradbury approached to
reap the ripening grain. He had the
girls word that the side door would
be left unlocked. He found it so. He
entered noiselessly, turned on his dark
lantern and proceeded to business.
What more fitting place in a house
for bonds than the library! Only HOW
and then is n man mean enough to hide
them in the oven of the cook stove be-
fore going to bel. On the way to the
library Mr.. Bradbury stopped to par
take of a glass of wine and II cold
lunch in the dining room. His appetite
was good and his prospects all that
could be desired. He expected to have
to spend some time in search, but no
sooner had he entered the library than
there on the table lay the big bullying
envelope.
At 7 o'clock next morning Miss Brad
bury's papa was swearing again. He
swore so hard and 50 continuously that
out that the house had been robbed
during the night. The bonds were
gonel The burglar had entered by the
side door, which she had been silly
enough to leave unlocked. She had
been promised a trip to Europe. Now
she couldn't have it. She had been
promised an auto. Now her father
would see her riding in a wheelbarrow
first. He was going on to check or
other pains and penalties when she
laid the good bonds under his nose and
told Of the joke she had put up on VIII.
While she was telling it the young man
arrived. ..F.... .r.I. ...f...#
1t required considerable Sherlock
Holmesing to clear up the mystery,
and the problem had not yet. been solv-
ed when the telephone rang and Miss
Bessie was called by a servant. 1t was
the same voice as on the previous even
Ing, only there was an aggrieved tone
to II.
"Well, what Is itp
II found the side door unlocked"
"Yes"
81 found the bonds on the library
table"
"Yes?"
81 have tumbled to your little joke"
"Yes"
"And II l commit murder while
cracking my next crib you may know
that you drove me to 1t. Goodbye