The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-12-20
Two Thousand
Dollars Reward
Dy {. n, WIS
taWu ht. is. by r. G. kasinieat
~ c. n, LswLy


10, are mortgJgeA Tor sl.soO and how
they are ever going to pay Il on can't
see, They used 10 he stuck ~. but
have hGd 10 come down. widow scws
aad Bessie gives painting aud music
lessons. some folks SAY that the girl
expects to iaariy y rich nnp but she'll
Gle OF old age first She may bc good
lo1Ging but what docs rich man
want with poor rirlr'
II was true that Bessie gave les.
sons, rs stated aud that dresses were
made IN the house There were no
relatives TO come TO their financial as
sistRnce wien the husband aud father
died, and the mother aud daughter had
10 work or starve. But for the mort
gage they could have pulled along
fairly well II was their horror, They
knew they never could pay II. II was
so near the value OF the village house
and lot that II any one bought the
place there would be very little left
over aud above,
BESSIE had M artistic nature and
had taken some lessons In drawing
and painting, but she knew that her
work would not stand criticism be-
yond certain point. She had been
going into the city twice week TO
get beyond this point, but amid all
her harassments this was discourag,
Ing work II meant, with other things,
a pinchlng OF the family purse until
mother and daughter were sometimes
hungry and found nothing In the cup
board TO satisfy the feeling
On this particular day and date as
Miss Bessie was returning home on
the trolley after a rather dlscouraglng
day she read In the evening paper an
account OF robbery at Il first class
hotel. The robber had got away with
considerable money and large
amount Of jewelry, and the victims
had combined and offered reward OF
$4,000 for his arrest What purported
to be good description Of the man
was given.
"If only could come across that
man" sighed Bessie as she let the
paper fall Fifteen hundred dollars
Of the money would pay of the mort
gage, and the other five hundred would
surely put me on the road to success.
! am sure I'd know him from this de-
scriptlon, and II got eyes on him he
should not escape I'd
And then she began to wonder
whether he would surrender at dis
erection or make fight for II. She
was almost oblivious TO her surround
ings when voice nj her elbow said:
Excuse me, miss" Aud man sat
down beside her. He was privileged
to, as the car was crowded, but she
felt little nettled that he had broken
in on her thoughts. II was two or
three minutes before she glanced at
him, and then for an instant her heart
almost stood still.
"a middle aged man, smooth face,
benevolent look, blue eyes, prominent
tnose, scar OF an old burn on the left
cheek, large hands, two front teeth fll-
ed with gold"
That was the description Of the rob
Der In the paper still lying on her lap.
Her eyes had been caught by the scar
on his face. She saw the prominent
nose, the smooth face, the scant hair.
the large hands. She gasped for breath
and was all a-tremble
The man had small satchel on his
knees and there was no doubt that |
he was leaving the city with his plum
der. He presently turned 10 gnnce out |
Of the window, and she saw the be- |
nevolent look. Miss Bessie Clifton had |
her man! Fate had walked him right |
into the car In which she snt.
II was suburban trolley line, and |
she had fifteen miles to ride. She had |
planned In imagination what she
would do II she ran across the man,
but now that she was face 10 face
with the pro lem things were differ
ent He looked Ike a strong man, and |
notwithstanding his benevolent look |
he might not submit TO capture with
out bloodshed.
There were about a dozen people on
the car, men and women. Some were
getting or at intervals and others get
ting on Miss Bessie sized up all the
males. from motorman to the little
country tailor with bundle, and she
couldn't say that any OF them looked
heroic On the contrary, II menaced
with revolver and warned 10 keep
hands or they would probably sit still
and let the man escape. She looked
at the conductor u second time 10 zee
If she had missed anything heroic In
his looks, aud he grlnned In reply and
started to start a Irritation. She real
lied that there WAS only one way 10
do and after long breath and
braclng Of her feet she started In 10
do II. She sought TO make her voice
very determined as she said.
"slr, | know who you are, and II
Will be useless for you 10 try 10 es
cape. You had better submit quietly"
"YesY' replied the stranger as be
turned To her with lp9k Of surprise
on his face you know me them
"Yonr description lst right here In
This paper. and yon answer TO II eI-
actly"
He took the paper from her hand
nn1 read the article. or. rather. skim
jied II over like one who had read be
fore. Then be handed II back with a
smile and gueried
- ! am caught. eh. and that by a
glrlT'
"Y0n sre the robber mentioned. and