The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-11-26
~ G. D. LEWS

Had you asked any inhabItnnto Of the
vIliuge OF Glendale over ten years OF
age about the widow Clifton and her
daughter Bessie you would have re-
ceIyed the following summary:
Been a widow several years; hus-
bcld didn't leave her much: house aud
10. are mortgaged for $500. aud how
they are ever going to pay II on can't
see. They used to be stuck up but
have had TO come down; widow seEvs
nl.I Bessie ri ges painting and music
Lessons. Some folks say thar the girl
expects to marry a rich man. but she'll
die OF old age first. She may be good
los,;lng. bat what does rich man
want with poor gir.f'
It was true that Bessie gave les
sons, as stated, und that dresses were
made In the house. There were no
relatives to come to their financial AS
sIstunce wien the husband and father
diedsand the mother and daughter had
to work or starve. But for the mort
gage they could have pulled along
fairly well 1t was their horror. They
knew they never could pay It. 1t was
SO near the value of the village house
ana lot that IL any one bought the
place there would be very little left
over and above.
Bessie had nm artistic nature and
had taken some lessons In drawing
and painting. but she knew that her
work would not stand criticism be
yond n certain point. She had been
going into the city twice a week to
get beyond this point but amid all
her harassments this was discouraS-
ing work. 1t meant with other things.
" TYVnffl
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 rather discouraging
day she read in the evening paper IN
account of n robbery at a first class
hotel The robber had got away with
considerable money and large
amount of jewelry. and the victims
had combined and offered a reward of
50. 900 for his arrest. What purported
to be good description OF the man
was given
"If only could come across that
manw 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,
scrfption. and II got eyes on him he
should not escape. Fd"-
And then she began to wonder
whether he would surrender at dis
erection or make a fight for 1t. SIZE
was almost oblivious to her surround
ings when n voice at her elbow said;
Excuse me. miss" And man sat
to. as the car was crowded. but she
in on her thoughts. It was two or
three minutes before she glanced Mt
him. and then for an Instant her heart
almost stood still.
AZ middle aged man. smooth face.
benevolent look. blue eyes. prominent
nose. scar of m old burn on the LEFT
check, large hands. two front teeth ALL
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 a small satchel on his
knees. and there was no doubt that
he was leaving the city with his plum
der. He presently turned to glance ont
of the window. and she saw the be-
nevoIent look Miss Bessie Clifton had
her man! Fate had walked him right
into the car in which she sat.
It 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 to face
with the problem things were differ
ent. He looked like strong man. and
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 4
tailor with u bundle. and she
say that any OF them looked
heroic. On the contrary, II menaced
with a revolver and warned to keep
hands of they would probably sit still
and let the man escape. She looked
at the conductor a second time to see
II she had missed anything heroic in
his looks, and he Grinned in reply aud
started to start Irritation. She real
ICED that there was only one way to
do, and after a long breath and
bracinG Of her feet she started In to
do it. She sought to make her voice
very determined as she said:
"Sir, know who you are, and 1t
will he useless for you to try to es-
cape. You had better submit quietly"
"Yes?" replied the stranger as he |
turned to her with look of surprise |
on his face. ''You know me them"
your description is right here in