La Junta tribune., 1907-06-29

| when Colonel Graves got ready 10 start
for the city from his country place. lie
saId to his daughter Winnie:
1T is possible that may want those
Mexican bonds this afternoon. ana mere
is the KEY Of the safe. II have TO have
them, I will send you note by fpe-
cIai messenger"
The colonel was something OF law
yer. Spectator and broker. and Miss
| Winnie WAS his nineteen year-old
! daughter. She acted as his amanuensis
at home and was pretty familiar Win
/ his business transactions. The bonus
/ spoken OF had q face value OF $2o.Oo.
/ but OF late had been rather wabbly
l In the market and had caused the colo
| mel considerable anxiety. At o'clock
that afternoon be wauteL the bonds
4 and tclephoned his daughter to thar
I effect. saying that he would send o
4 messenger. Instead Of sending n boy
/ from the regular service lie stepped
/ Into the oslice OF Jones next door and
said:
Jones. ! want n trusty fellow to run
( ou; to my house and bring me back
1 some bonds. Haven't noticed young
man around hereT'
Yes. He's nephew Of mine. He's
/ out now. but write n line and III send
/ him when be returns. He ought to go
out to East Park and back In an hour"
The colonel wrote line to Miss Win
ME to deliver the bonds to bearer and
then went oit on ''the street ON bust
ness. Fifteen minutes later Jones
nephew was making for the Grand
Central station as fast rs the express
in the subway would carry him.
Jones hadn't given the young mans
biography. but 1t may be stated that
his name was Vincent Gray, his age
twenty-five. and he was in the Office
OF his uncle TO learn the devious ways
OF Wall street before setting UP in busi-
ness for himself on the comfortable
fortune left him by Il deceased aunt
For n young man who expected TO
come in contact with bulls and bears
and other animals. young Gray was
very tr,istful OF human nature. For in
stance. while his train was speeding
along underneath the streets and he
was hanging 10 n strap thinking of
things financial young man with am
billions leaned against him and picked
his pocket without exciting the least
suspicion.
The light fingered youth found there
only Il cardcase and the letter to Miss
Winnie but they We're sufficient to
bring about several unlocked for re-
suits. He passed into another car and
opened and read the letter. and he saw
. the golden opportunity he had been
long looking for. In the cardcase
were two or three dollar bills. The
thief had right to infer that his vic
tim had no more money about him.
lie likewise had right to infer that
young Gray could not produce the
wbcrewiiial TO buy ticket for East
Park. Tie fare was only 20 cents, but
without it n man is as badly Off as IL
the siim We're So.
There was n train ready to leave.
The thief bought his ticket and got
aboard. Vincent Gray stood at the
t.clc, window and fused and funblcd
and was left. His cardcase and mon
cy were gone. aud when he found that
ihe letter had also taken wings he re
allied that he was in trouble. He
hadn't even a nickel TO get back to the
office He hadn't the wherewithal to
telephone 10 his uncle Jones in New
street. and after wasting fifteen min
utes trying TO figure out the problem
he made haste to pawushop, where
he put down his watch for 50.
The next train TO East Park was ten
minutes late In starting and the same
in reaching the Park. SO th- re Were In
all fifty minutes lost. The young man
f 4 4. H-if.
tim of plckpocket. but supposed he
I had lost his property In the jam while
boarding the car. He had been told
! thnt telephone message would pre-
/ ,.esic him, and he had remembered the
4 address. Therefore he did not worry
/ so much over the loss of the letter. 1t
/ was only when he came face to face
! with Winnie Graves and stated his er-
rand and saw her look of surprise and
| ,Ustrust that he realized the situation.
why. sir" she replied. "those bonds
( were delivered TO messenger more
than half an hour nro.'
But was sent for them and was
( delayed"
Z IF You We're sent for them. you
7 mrst have line from my father.
IL had a line. but unfortunately
! lost II. together with my money. My
I name is Vincent Gray. and am in the
Z office Of Era Jones. in the same bu Id
: ing with your father. am afraid that
Z some rascal found the lost letter and
( has taken advantage OF it
And am afrIil that another ras-
/ cal Is trying to 40 the same thing.
+ eSciai..cl Miss Winnie's Aunt Ruth.
who was 81: the bead OF the house AMI
who had entered the library Just In
til.lc TO hear the young mans words.
4 -Bct. madam. You surely can't think
I that T.
Il can think what I please. sir. Can