The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-02-07

Wilbur answered as he swung into
his overcoat- I'D as soon accuse our
Freddie. Why. she's Iady-and look
at the care she's been taking OF Ksth-
arine the last two weekA"
Il know, and as 7 say, 1 don't sus-
pect her in the least. However, the
fact that she seemed SO ladylIRe or
that she has taken good care Of
Katharine has no bearing on my case,
in my opinion. There is such a thing
as kleptomania, / suppose you've
heard"
But Wilbur was already halfway
down the steps and escaped being
crushed by the sarcasm.
'Kathie, darling" said Mrs. Wilbur
TO her convaIescent daughter -
want you to look over your jewelry
very carefully and see whether you
miss anything. | hate to put such an
idea into your head about an appRT-
emily lovely young woman, but the
fact of that pearEhandled, silver
mounted dinner knife having myster-
iously disappeared, right when I was
doing the work and handling all the
dishes myself, is so strange"
"Motheri You don't suspect Miss
Darling?" cried ner daughter. The
very thought makes me creepy about
her having been in my room for two
weeks
Don't be so extreme, child. OF
course I don't suspect her. She's prob
ably as honest as you or 1, but the
knife disappeared when she left, that's
all, and I've searched every nook and
Granny in the house. I've even look
ed in the garbage barrel, when 1 knew
all the time / couldn't have thrown it
there"
Whats that, mother?" Freddie call
ed from the next room. Think Miss
Darling took it?''
''Hushi OF course not But the fact
remains that you can't be too careful
with strangers in the house. One new
er knows. Why, tEefts occur at re-
ceptions and luncheons in private
houses when only friends are invited.
Still, it isn't right to cast suspicion on
a possibly innocent person, and you
must never mention this to any one.
Fred, remember. Very likely she didn't
take it at ALL
"My higb-school class pins missing,
mother, Katharine reported from
her bedroom.
when did you have it last?Y
"I'm not sure, but it couldn't have
been long before l was taken ILL.,
Mrs. Wilbur shook |her head grave
~. 4 Should be very sorry to be-
lieve she took it. And I really don't
seezwhat she could want with a high
school pin. It's barely possible you
lost it some other way, or it may be
found On SEINE waist. Never suspect
any one without good reason"
Answering a friend through the tel
ephone next day Mrs. Wilson said:
''Yes-as a nurse can recommend
he1 highly. What? You noticed a
reservation? Well, don't like to say
any more, especially through the tel
ephone. Somebody might be listen
ing, and I believe in being careful
about injuring any ones reputation
'Oh, it isn't really anything tangi-
BILE, only I used my best knives for
dinner the night before she left, and
the maid was away, SO that l took
them out Of the case myself, and
positively know that the whole dozen
was there when | set the table. It
isn't case of guessing. If | hadn't
seen the entire dozen, I should think
Augusta might have lost one some
other time.
well. after dinner one was gone.
No, / don't suspect Miss Darling, but
If l we're to do so it wouldn't be so
absurd as it seems at first thought.
She and two other young women live
in a fat together and naturally they
would have use for such things. Go
ing from house to house, as nurse
does, you know, one could actually
pick up a set.
''My feeling is this: I wouldn't
prejudice any one against her for the
world, but when you're thinking of
having her right in your home it does
seem as if I ought to warn you conf
deutially. Yes, if you can just as well
have some one else I should feel
easier. If you had her and then miss
ed anything valuable I couldn't nelp
holding myself responsible"
Augusta, one of my best dinner
knives disappeared while you were
having your va A'on," Mrs. Wilbur
informed her maid, who was giving
the kitchen floor a thorough scrub
bling on the first day of ner return.
II don't know where it went, and I
don't suspect the nurse. we had to
take care of Katharine. but
Look at that" exclaimed Augusta
as a cIatter followed her moving of
the heavy kitchen table.
There on the floor lay the missing
knife, unwashed, just as it had come
from the dining room on the nigbt Of
its disappearance. Tt had slipped
over behind and had been wedged per-
pendicuIarIv between the leg of the
kitchen table and the wall
F'WelIl" cried Mrs. Wilbur, 81
knew it must be somewhere, And
only think what an injustice I might
have done Miss Darling if / had al
lowed myself to suspect her of taking
Twas Glorious Victory.