Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-08

Snets. Immediately the "An,en was uttered fell to.
When the first ardor of his appetite appeased the
conversation resumed. -,
"You said you were not processing ChrlStlan!
asked the lady.
Nom" the reply.
well even atheists have to be fed, suppose" re-
turned Miss Cordelia somewhat grudgngly.
"I amt exactly atheist As far as that goes,
don't deny that there is God, which would be an
assumption on my part. just say don't know any
"Have you ever read the Bible7"
Nom"
"Then wonder you don't know anything about It,
"Tust so. ma'am," assented Mr. Smets deprecatngly.
"if you were to read the Bible, I'm you would
know something. The bishop says that no one can
read the Bible intellgently and disbelieve it. will
give you little Testament when you go away tonight
Will you promise to read it when YOU get time 7!
"I Certainly will ma am" returned Mr. Smets And
I'll treasure it as remembrance of of the kindest
ladies ever chanced to meet And now suppose I've
Yes, suppose So" said Miss Cordelia.
She rose with her guest and they both stepped to the
not have rained harder if cloud had burst over the
cottage Mr.. Smets shivered and shrank back as he
contemplated the blast. Miss Cordelia looked from
the warm light to the shivering little man and
then to the swirling backness outside. She heard
him cough and that decided her.
'I couldn't turn dog out in weather like that" she
said determinedy You'll have to stay here all night"
But, maam, think Of"
"If stand it., returned Miss Penley grimly
you can go in there and sleep"
"Im not fit to lie in decent bed" said the tramp
I" and I'm not accustomed to it. any way. II you'll let
me take some of these rugs I'll just in there and lay
@Very well,' replied Miss Penley, who began to be
little frightened to the consequences, now that she
@And III get up, maam, and build the fires for you
in the morning. seen where the woodbox was IN the
Then he bowed deeply to her again and turned away.
1t was morning and broad daylight before Miss PEN
lev awole She rose to her feet and laid the horse
pistol back in the drawer with prayer OF thanksgiving
that there had been need for its use.
Then after some hesitation she stepped to the door
of the spare chamber and keeping well out OF view
knocked upon it. There was no answer. She knocked
louder knocked again, and third time, and then sum-
monng all her courage she peered into the ROOM 1t
was empty. She went into the kitchen. There no
body there
Her glance fell upon the dresser, The doors of it
were open, the silver gone! She threw open the
door of her own room. Her bureau drawer was open,
so was her empty purse; her poor jewelry gone! He
There was one thing he had left behnd-the little
Testament she had given him. He had laid 1t across
the top of the coffee-cup
She sank down in the Boston rocker, hid her face in
her hands and cried bitterly. The only man who had
ever paid her compliment the only man who had ever
looked at her with an admrng eye, thief, in
CRATE Her heart broken.
Again the wind, again the rain, again Miss Peney
alone in her little cottage again knock on the door
lust tweny-our hours had elapsed since the first knock
had come with its portentous train OF consequences
With firm step, composed manner IN spite OF d
wildly beating heart she strobe to the door and threw
it open Mr.. George Smets stood on the threshold
smiling and bowling deprecatngly, but with shame
Miss Cordeia stood like statue of Fate, towering
over Thin him , l.. ,.o,
Mr. Smes stepped inside, and with gesture at
once dgnihed and dramatic drew from the side pocket
of his coat miscellaneous bundle Of small silver IN
cpqng m tab FTom Pn9b his ober poce he shed out
damp roll of bills, added to the little pile, thrust his
hand inside his waistcoat and bowed with some OF his
old grace of manner, and an air of great relief
Hum!" said Miss Cordeia " so you brought them
"Yes, ma'am" returned Mr. Smcts GAS you see, 1
amt regular thief ma am not but what amt done
things that I'm ashamed of before now but l don't
believe ever robbed defenceless lady what had took
me in and treated me kind you did got clean
away this mornin after took your silver and then my
conscience Well allow that even agnostics might
have consciences, maam
Miss Cordelia nodded
"Well, whatever it was here Mr.. Smets laid his
hand on his breast-"it wouldn't let me go no further
TO come back 1t had begun to rain again and that
brought the whole thing back to me- how you'd been
kind to and treated me like gentleman and how
I'd never been brought in contact with such lady be-
fore. AM in short MAJ am, here | am: Here's your
silver, your jewelry and your money IN shamed to
have took them and want you to forgive me and let
me 90 with the memory of the kindest woman and the
finest woman ma am, If you'll allow me to say It, that
l ever met with
she sank down in chair trembling
What she would have said, what she would have
done will never be known for at this most nopportune
moment there came another knock upon the door. Mr.:
Smets started nervousy for the rap vigorous and
authoritative
Neither of them had time or opportunity to do any
thing, however, for the door flung rather rudely
OPEN and in stepped the county sheriff followed by
grim deputy and in the background, the bishop Miss
Peney had been compelled absolutely to contde IN
some one, and that was naturally her spiritual
adviser who by great good fortune happened to be at
home She had described with minute accuracy her
visitor of the night before She had begged the bishop
to say nothing about the affair.
But it happened that the bishop, returning from late
CALL had passed Mr. George Smets under the lights of
drug store window He had recognized him from the
description and had observed that he heading in
the direction of Miss Cordeias lonely cottage Fearful
lest she might be in some danger, he had summoned
Bill Sadler the sheriff and his deputy and had fol.
lowed Mr. Smes Hence the dramatic entrance OF
the trio