The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-22
CHAPTER TX.
LIZZIE CDNFESSES.

LIZZIE CONE EssSE4o.
y HANDED the single sheet of paper
bearing the conclusive proof OF Liz
zie's guilt back 10 my wife.
Wen?" she asked for my opinion
of the words / had read
you win" 1 answered grimly- Liz
Eie is the thief who stole our trinkets-
beyond the shadow of any further
doubtT
The horrid glrl' my wife snapped
Think of her stealing your Cuff-links,
cigarette case, and stickpins and send
ing them 10 some beastly fellow from
her own country to Wear-taklng my
things, too, and sending them TO this
otto Schwenke' TO sell"
Pretty badI I commented tersely.
lets see the full letter he wrote her.
NV wife took another sheet OF the
same blue-line paper from her blouse
pocket and handed II TO me. In silence
began reading the note which was adj
dressed TO My Dearest Lizzie
As my wife had said the letter came
from a writer who had met Lizzie on
board the ship that brought her 10 US.
The nrst page was 1ull OF reminders OF
their voyage together, and established
the fact that neither one had met the
other before.
Preceding the last page, which had
read before, but now perused a second
time, there was nothing of any moment
contained in the note. But there was
enough and TO spare OF interesting read
ing on that final sheet.
The words Of the unknown Otto
Schwenke. who signed himself LiZzie's
'gnuch-l wing lover always convicted
her Of the theft Of our personal be-
lOngings beyond any possible mistake.
There was no other meaning to read
into the strangers words than that Liz
zie had written to him, telling of her
possession of our things and promising
20 send them to him.
And, so the letter gave us TO under
stand our things had already been sent
The first thing therefore, to be con-
sidered was how TO get them back-if
that was possible.
Send for Lizzie / said. decisively.
''We'll find out who this friend Of hers
IS. This much-lOving lover of hers" I
Eneered- for j was reused by now ito
whom she's SO good
shes upstairs putting Ronald to
bed now, said my wife.
What I cried in establishment Are
you still permitting her to have any
thing 10 DO with the children-after
this2'
She nodded.
You didn't mind her taking care Of
them after the theft Of our friends
things the other night she replied with
spirit. so why should YOU be 50 anX-
ious about II now - now that at last
you are waking to sense Of the re-
sponsibihty her charge Of our children
imposes on me2"
''Nell, nay dear" / answered slowly,
4 did not believe her guilty before
now I believed her story of how our
guests valuables came into her posses
sion.
We'll. we'll send for her. as you sue-
gest. now. she responded, turning TO
the door. wen see what sort of a
yarn she can invent TO cover the eX-
posure of this letter from Otto"
Lizzie" ] began. when the girl ap-
peared with my wife Il have mislaid
some stickpins OF mine. set Of cuff
links, and silver cigarette case. DO
you happen TO know where they are"
The girl turned pale at nv words,
spoken in her native tongue.
IL have not seen them" she fal-
tered. She looked in fear from my
wife's stern face to mine
do you think Otto has seen them?"
] asked, stepping nearer 10 her
Otto2" Her question was a startled
Try. IL don't know what you mean,
mein herr.
Don't you. Lizzie?" exclaimed
Then look al that letter and tell me
II you ever saw 70 befOre-ten me that
Il is addressed 10 you My dearest
Lizzie T" I read the supersCriptiOn
Eneeringly- Does that mean you?"
arch, Gottr' She burst into tears
1T is true-I took the things. mein
herr! I took them-stole from you"
You admit IT," I cried triumphantiy.
Nov tell us why you took the things
not only my things but those OF Frau
7 took them" she sobbed. covering
her face with her hands. Il took them
because they were nice-pretty TO look
at I thought otto-otto might Ike
70 have them 20 ueei'
did you stop 10 think that possibly
] might like to have them. tooT' I
asked harshly- Naughty girl. do you
know what am going 70 do with yOu
uowg'
She shook her head. sobbingly silent.
do you know what Is going TO hap
pen 70 you, Lizzie. asked my wife
darby, ''for being a tslief2'
She covered away from us Her fear
would have aroused pity in our hearts
j know. had my wife and ! been less
worked up over the situation than we
were. We were too Indignant. however
10 md inclination for sympathy.
You not only stole the trinkets be-
longing 10 nay wife and me- is asked
her, ''but YOU stole the things belong
ing 10 our friends last week didn't
your
She shrank farther from me.
yes, mein Herr she Wepy
and you lied, didn't your cut IN
my wife. when you told us that YOU
took the things simply 10 look after
eyes. Frau Norris. she whisperingly
agreed.
wow. Lizzie" / began. deteminedly.
L want you to tell us just exactly
who this Otto Schwenlze ts-Where is
he: how he can be reachedY'
She sobbed brOkenly for a moment
Then. still with her face covered by
her trembling hands, she answered,
WaVeringlg:
He Is a man 7 met on the boat-the
big boat that brought me here Re IS
IN this country-somcwhe near mere,
he is ] saw him last week. two nights
after the party. He came By this house,
and / talked with him. lie found out
where / had gone from the-the place
where I left the boat with you. where
the man in the pretty gold braid cap
asked me All those questions"
She stopped. weeping Justify
Go or" I insisted tell us where
ne lives. al about him
II don't know where he lives she
answered. hesltatingly. Il see him