The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-01-01
Two thousand
Dollars Reward
BY C. B. LEWIS
ronrripht laO6 hu . q Eastmant
BY C. B. LIE WIS
Copyright, 1905, by P. c. Eastmen

Had you asked any inhabltant of the
village 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-
band didn't leave her much; house and
lot are mortgaged for 81, 800. and how
they are ever going to pay 1t off can't
see. They used to be stuck up, but
have had to come down; widow sews
and Bessie gives painting and music
lessons. Some folks say that the girl
expects to marry rich man, but she'll
die Of old age first She may be good
looking, but what does a rich man
want with poor girl?'
1t was true that Bessie gave les
sons, as stated, and that dresses were
made In the house. There were no
relatives to come to their financial as
sistance when the husband and father
died. and 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
and lot that if any one bought the
place there would be very little left
over and above.
BESSIE had an 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 a week to
get beyond this point but amid all
her harassments this was discourag-
ing work. 1t meant. with other things,
a pinching 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 discouraging
day she read In the evening paper an
account of a 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
5000 for his arrest What purported
to be good description Of the man
was given
IF I only could come across that
manw sighed Bessie as she let the
paper fall. Fifteen hundred dollars
Of the money would pay off 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-
scription. and If got eyes on him he
should not escape. Pd'-
And then she began to wonder
whether he would surrender at dis
erection or make a fight for It. She
was almost oblivious to her surround
ings when voice at her elbow said:
Excuse me, miss And 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 1t 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
nose. scar of an old burn ON the left
cheek, large hands. two front teeth fill
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 out
Of the window. and she saw the be-
nsvolent look. Miss Bessie Clifton had
her man! Fate had walked him right
into the car in which she sat.
1t was a 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
emit He looked like a strong man, and
notwithstanding his benevolent look
- might not submit to capture with
eut bloodshed
There were about . dozen people on |
The car, men and women Some were |
esfnnS Of. at Intervals and othsrs- get