The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-14
[Origfnall

DON'T For heavens sake, don't, |
can't go to jail. 1 couldn't endure It. |
1t would kill me. Spare me. I am
innocent"
The last three words angered me-
Innocent" I exclaimed. You are
adding a lie to a theft"
Her grip frightened spasmodically on
my wrist.
81 confess" she said presently. let
me 60"
There had been nothing of especial
value in the trunk If l should have
the girl arrested 1 would be put to a
great deal Of trouble Besides. had
not the heart to send her to prison.
Go" [ said. pointing to the door.
She raised the wrist she held, kissed
my hand and rushed from the room.
What was my surprise the next
morning to see her leave the hotel In
company with an elderly lady of ap-
parent respecta bility, both getting into
n private carriage.
"Who are those ladies?" l asked Of
the clerk of the hotel
Mime. Crawshaw and her daugh-
ter"
DO you know anything about
them?"
Il should say so. They always stop
here when they come to the city; have
stopped here for years"
1t occurred to me that the girl was
either a kleptomaniac or one of those
people who support a respectable sta
-
could not be correct, for only an ex-
pert could have picked the lock of my
trunk The case was so mysterious
that 1t occupied my mind to the ex-
clusion of everything else. The last
object l saw before going to bed at
night and the first thing on awakening
in the morning was that terrified, i'm
ploring face. 1 tried to dismiss it,
but 1t would not be dismissed. If the
girl had not been u thief l should have
suspected that l had fallen in love
with her
Three years passed. I had not ceas-
ed to wonder about the girl who had
robbed me. Indeed. l had become in
fatuated with either the mystery at
bered In her personality, / could not
determine which One day / received
q letter from the chief of police Of Il
distant city stating that q burglar had
been arrested in whose lair was found
many stolen articles. One was a book
with my name and address on the fly
leaf. The collection was open to my
inspection.
The book had been in the trunk that
had been rifed l cared nothing for
It, but would not the arrest of this
man throw some light on the girl who
had robbed me? Doubtless she was
the mans accomplice. l took train
at once and on my arrival went to the
police Office. There We're the book and
several other articles of mine
was permitted to interview the
burglar. and he told me that he had
entered my room at the hotel. opened
my trunk and taken what he wanted
He left without being discovered He
knew nothing of the girl l had found
in my room and had no accomplice.
My next move was to write to the
ask for the address of Nine. Craw-
shaw In due time 1 received it and
one morning called at an eminently re-
/ spectacle residence and sent up my
card TO Miss Crawshaw. When she
came down and saw me she paled and
caught at the back of a chair
Don't feSr me. / have called to say
that am convinced of your innocence
/ The man who robbed me has been ar
rested, and II his possession articles of
mine contained in the trunk riled have
been found. l am here TO right a
wrong. And now will you explain
/ your presence in my ROOM"
She clasped her hands, raised her
eyes and exclaimed, My God. thank
/ theer'
At the moment she appeared to me
very beautiful, but l know not if my
/ long interest in her had not begotten
/ love and love had not made me see her
as did Then she gave me the expla-
nation, which was very simple In 60
/ ing to her room, which was next TO
mine, she had entered mine instead Of
her own. She was looking about her
bevildered when I entered. Realizing
her situation. she was appalled,. Be
lieving that to confess and throw her
self on my mercy would be her best
/ chance, she did so. In this she was
right.
This is how 1 came to know Ceclle
and know of that ability for quick,
wise decisions which she has since 50
| often shown But the fact remains
that | loved her when supposed her
to be a thief. c. n. AVERY.