The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-09-09
lorlginall

"what is itr asked her partner. Mr..
Cunningham.
"Cheatingf'
The hostess approached. evidently
anxious. Anything amIss at this
table?a she asked
Mrs. Lyman and Mr.. Porter have
been winning our money by using
private signals informing each other OF
their handsg' said Miss Bend loudly.
"oh, dear. MOI None OF my guests
would do n thing like that. How could
you have made such mistaken
The accused persons remained In
their seats, with an expression on their
faces indicating establishment and In.
jured innocence. Miss Bend and Mr..
Cunningham went into another room.
They were soon Joined by the hostess.
MY dear" she said TO Miss Bend,
''you have been very indiscreet. We
all know Mrs. Lyman's pecullarlties
Nobody can prove that she cheats be-
cause she does II in way that defies
proof. She has a new signal every
time she plays and never uses any sig.
nal except when playing with Mr.. Por.
ter. Then she makes enough money &c
regain all losses and have a snug sum
over. What was the code tonightY
when she was strong in hearts," re-
piled Miss Bend. 'she would put her
hand on her heart; when strong in dla-
monds. on her brooch"
The next day the scandal was known
TO every person of fashion. Mrs. Ly.
man disappeared for season. and as
for her partner, II was intlmated TO him
by the governors OF his club that IL he
did not resign his membership he must
face an investigation. He resigned
and changed his residence.
Several months passed and Miss
Bend had nearly forgotten the dlsa.
greeable incident when one day while
making purchases in dry goods store
a fioorwalker stepped up 10 her and
asked her TO please step into private
Office. She was surprised. but. unsus
plclous of anything unpleasant. follow
th tl0 HUI Walnut. aIllNtu at tut vi
flee. she found there Mr.. Dargen of the
firm of Dargen & Co. and a woman
who proceeded TO examine the contents
OF her shopping bag, What was Miss
Bends establishment to see the woman
take out q roll of valuable lace.
Some one put that there" said the
girl Indignantly. II remember laying
my bag down on the lace counter, for
getting 1t when | went away and go
ing back for 1t.
Bring the clerk" said Mr.. Dargen.
"who sells these especial goods"
The saleswoman came. When she
saw the lace that had been taken from
her counter she looked an astonish
g.1at that was evidently not assumed.
How do you account for this lace
getting in this lady's bag| asked Mr..
Dargen.
II haven't an idea. said the clerk.
'sWho discovered The thefgy's
"A lady" said the fioorwalker. "toId
me that she had seen this lady shoplift-
Ing"
why did you not hold on to your
witness?"
Fearing to lose the thief. kept my
eyes on her. and the accuser disappear
ed. | couldn't keep both IN sight"
Miss Bend teaphoned for her father.
who came at once and proved the fam
lily responsibility. Miss Bend had never
before been accused of shoplifting, so
the firm of Dargen s. Co. consented |
That she be given time to offer an ex-
PLANTATION before being prosecuted
Despite an effort made to keep the |
natter quiet 1t became known. Miss
Bend was one OF those plain spoken. |
Indifferent girls who. detesting socie-
Tvs methods of vanishing evil, are
liable to make enemies outside the cir
ele of their intimate friends. Her enc
mics said that she had got her just
deserts, intimating that Mrs. Lyman.
whom she had accused Of cheating Mt I
cards. had been indicated Some of
them went so far as to resume their
Invitations to the latter.
Mrs. Ravens, the lady at whose
house Mrs. Lyman had been accused
was abroad when Miss Bend was found
to have lace in her bag. 1t was the
first bit of news she heard on her re-
turn. Fastening to Miss Bend she
said to her:
II should have warned you. Bertha,
that Mrs. Lyman Is a dangerous wo-
man to offend and that she would get
even with you for making public her
cheating. She did this work. Let
your lawyer confront her with the
Baloswoman at the lace counter and
The floorwalker Unless she acted
through confederate they will identi-
fy her"
The next day gentlemanly looking
man called on Mrs. Lyman and asked
he'' to accompany him to the office Of
Dargen Is Co. She turned pale and
asked by what authority he acted. He
replied that she had choice between
complying and being arrested. She
thought the matter over and concluded
to comply. In Dargen's Office she
found the ioorwalker who had been
Informed of the theft and the sales
woman at the lace counter. The for
mer identified her as his informant
and the latter as lady who stepped
up to the counter at the time Miss
Bend's bag was lying there and while
Its owner was absent.
a compromise was made by which
Mrs lyman signed n onfacgiou fo he
shown to a few of Miss Bends friends, ,
and Mrs. Lyman went abroad.
And so II was that this respectable | ,