The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-04

turb Mrs. Baeley, who pretended she
did not notice, perhaps she did not.
while riding her hobby, and therefore
he was very much surprised to have
her call him up on the third afternoon
| of her latest efforts. That she was
disturbed the trembling condition OF
her voice betrayed, but she would not
explain, she only begged him to come
right home and bring the detective
with him, and so Mr.. Bagley, wonder
ing, with visions of some dire acct
dent, called up the garage and ordered
his machine at three instead of seven,
as he had intended, and took the de-
tective with hin to his large and,
when housekeeping was not in prog
ress, very comfortable home. Mrs.
Bagley herself opened tie door, but
not the sedate, smiling and we'll
dressed Mrs. Bagley that the detective
had formerly seen, but an overplump,
rather shapeless person in a calico
dress and mob cap. who might have
been her own washwoman. She was
simply Mrs. Bagley in her houseclean-
ing raiment, but Mr. Bagley knew i'm
mediately that something serious had
happened for his wife to permit a
stranger to view her before she had
passed through the hands of her maid.
What is it. my dear?" Mr.. Bagley
asked in some anxiety.
Mrs. Bagley's face was very pale,
but she spoke with composure. Come
upstairs, have something to show
you BOTH" she said, and the two men
followed her upstairs to the room Mr..
Bagley used as study. There all was
confusion. Books and papers were ~
ing about in juxtaposition with pals OF
soapy water and cleaning rags. Mr.
Bagley groaned to himself. How often
he had begged his wife to leave this
one room alone even he could not
have counted, but all to no purpose.
Mrs. Ragley did not hear the groan,
for it did not leave his throat, but she
knew 1t was there, and triumphant
expression began to spread over her
face, little dirty. if the truth be told.
Il think you will be glad that l have
insisted on cleaning this ROOM" she
said coldly, moving ponderously to-
| Woiu thO SiooCt, anu DlotiOhihS hti
husband to stand upon chair just
within the door.
Wondering, yet obedient, Mr.. Bag
ley climbed on the cane seat, hoping
he wculd not go through, peered at
the shelf at the top, then cried out
loud:
Rodgers" he said sharply, jumping
down.
Yes, what is it?" Rodgers asked,
spring forward.
you get up there and look" Mr.
Bagley gasped, narrowly escaping one
of the pals of soapy water in his ex-
element.
Rodgers in his turn clambered up
on the chair, and incidentally he did
go through, but managed to save him
self and balanced on the edge. then
forgot everything at what he saw, for
there on that shelf, mixed UP with dis
carded half-torn envelopes, newspaper
clippings and the odds and ends which
had accumulated from the last house
cleaning, were neat packages of bills
| and gold and silver.
Jumping wild cats!" he exclaimed
| only he did not say exactly thost
| words.
| Can either of you explain?" Mrs
| Bagley asked in a cold voice.
Il can't" Mr. Bagley admitted, wi
; ping his face with one of the cleaning
:. rags he picked up in his confusion
and thereby decorating his face will
some streaks of dust.
;. Rodgers did not say anything, bu
raked off the money and then sa
down on the bare floor and begal
counting it. 1t was all there to tn
g last roll of % pennies, all that ha,
y been stolen from the safe on the tw
occasions when it was robbed
It Mrs. Bagley folded her arms on he
r. ample bosom and watched until sh
d saw that the detective had finishe
IS counting and then fired at him:
d And now will you solve this my:
t. tery?"
l. Rodgers looked up at her, smiled
t little and asked quietly:
r Does Mr.. Bagley walk in hi
1t sleep?"
d "Of course not" Mr.. Bagley snapped
rubbing his nose vigorously and di
rs tributing the dust pretty evenly owe
ID his red face.
lie Mrs. Bagley smiled in a way NJ
n, Bagley had always found very irrita
y. ing. and said coldly:
lie Yes, he has for years"
at Matilda" Mr.. Bagley began but h
lie wife gave him look and he subside
Or Ever since he had grip ten yea
DO ago. l have never let him know, b.
have been very uneasy about 1t al
d, yet l never thought he could rob hil
20 self, and not know it."
e- 81 never" Mr.. Bagley started to sa
be but Rodgers interrupted to ask:
You don't mean to say that "
ny knew what you were doing?" and
ly. he subsidized and Mrs. Bagley and Il
NJ detective counted the money agai
while Rodgers explained that witho
ny doubt Bagley had been worried up,
ce both occasions over the money beil
he left in the safe, and had gone after
3D. in the middle of the night. At al
ed | rate II was a reasonable exDlauati