The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-27


xY BRAIN seemed numbed by
n H the horror Of the hideous |
vi thought that Lizzie had kid
mapped cur chiId-stolen Ronald
almost literally. from under our very
noses.
What a horrible windup this last
crime of hers vas to all the others
that had gone before. L remembered
that this was the third time she had
stolen something from us. And / had
SAID that when the third time came We
would not be as lucky as We had beer
IL setting back the plumber taken BY
her on Two previous occasions.
Was that prophecy of mine coming
trus2 Was Ronald, my son, lost 70 me
1oTeVer9 I rTembied at the thought
fearful lest even the suggestion of the
calamity, by entering my mind might
IN some way bring It 10 pass.
And then my thoughts were tempo
rarity sidetracked from the narrowing
review of what the situation meant to
me by interruption in the SJrm of an
unexpected fainting ht of ray wife.
/ sprang forward just IN time 70
catch her before she slipped to the
floor. Bearing her in my arms, /
walked down the hall and turned in at
her bedroom
Bring some wster-quickl" ! called
70 the staring servant who had fol-
my wifes unconscious form upon her
bed
"Did-dfd that Dutch girl take away
Ronald withast yer KNOWN itT' gasped
yes. / answered, sharply. Get
that water il a hurry, won't yOu2 can't
you see that l1rs. Norris has tainted
from the shOc.s?'
Yes, scr. I'm going right away; she
cried hastily. The thievin. black
hearted Dutch imp! I heard ner NUT
terlng as she fastened down the hall for
the water.
Here ye are. sort" she exclaimed. re-
entering the room with a tumDler. rs
there anythin' more can do for ye,
EOr?"
THAT'S ali. Myrtle. thank YOU" And
! dismissed her. IF / do need you again
for anything ] viii send for you. But
don't stay up on that account.
IN be awake she assured me, leav-
ing the room. I bathed my wife's tenn
pies and wrists with the cool water.
Suddenly her eyes popped wide open and
she stared into my face for an instant
Eightiessiy.
The next moment she D al struggled
up OF the bed-and sat unsteadily on its
edge.
'And Lizzie took him..
"Xes," answered THAT Is what
Myrtle told US had become OF tie poor
She nodded.
81 know. she said, tonelessly st
heard her saw that Lizzie had taken
him away Or-ht' she groaned, "Oh,
what shall we dO-What shall we dOI'
calm yourself, my dear j sOOthed
her. Wen get the boy back all safe
that"
she wept bitterly for a minute or two.
But why did sine take hlm?' she
cried at length. Why"
Why you know the answer to that
as well as 1 90" I replied. she took
him because she is a kleptomaniaC-an
aresp OnslbIe thier."
"But j never heard Of a kleptomauiac
stealing a child-kidnspping an infant
before she protested. brOkenly. Did
you ever hear Of il. Henry2'
I never delVed very deeply into the
subject Of their various ways OF prac-
ticing their habits, my dear" / respond
ed, sadly. But ! don't see Why If
they steal slythlng and everything they
can lay hands TO. that they wouldn't
steal child the opportunity pre-
"Oh." she wept. Il can never. never
forgive myself for giving her the OPP
portunity she needed TO steal ours!'
Why, you gave her no opportunity
10 steal Ronaid1' 1 treasured her You
certainly are not going TO accuse your
self Of that-i won't hear Of iti''
But ] did give her the opportunity
she insisted 4 gave II 20 her by ever
ufiDMasiE lEl ~ AtllLE LlAb AtlAo Aphcf
by having you send for the real Lizzie
IN the first plaee. And I shah always
blame myself for that-alWayst
NONSENSE I protested. you mustn't
talk that way-even think such things
because It's not true! You are no more
20 blame for This terrible catastrophe
than ! am TIA IN Il just as much as
you are, tooi'
But it was my suggestion she
rallied at herself 1T was an my idea,
this importing OF a girl from Germany.
and 50 Il IL all my fault that the wrong
one came and stOle-stOle--'
She stopped. choking at the thought
Of the treasure that Lizzie had stolen
from US.
'FWell,' I said IN a matter-of-fact
tone. "ietE stop this useless self-acCu-
Eatlon and get down TO business. We've
got 10 consider this-this thing calmly.
end find out what we are TO do TO get
Ronald back.
Now. In the FIRST place, how do you
suppose she got away with the boyI'