The Washington times., 1909-08-25
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW ROGERS WAS ROBBED.

stood IN the dining ROOM silent
" staring at each other.
His Appearance was enough 70 shocA
a photograph into speecnlessuesss ~ ~
say nothing OF two persons as aesti ~
Of what his physical aspect meant a.
were my wife and L.
"What has happened. jack" ! re-
peated. with undisguised anxiety mem
u a disarmingly lighter tone: on tooA
as though YOU had seen the ghost OF
once more he choked for speech as his
arms dropped Imply 10 MS sides
IL" ne splurtered. u came over 70
:''rhst your house is on fre7" sug-
gested. as he stopped or your VIE
Il sick What is IL, mani Ten US
speak freely. You are among LfleLids,
/ think / caught representa- glance
cast fieetly IN my direction from my
wife at my use of the word friends
5s aSs''a niue SUM- : =. : -. >,
not an rigbt al all, but it's not on
firel" he managed 10 answer wildly
We've been robbed
started back. Ny wife retreated
a step also. So our fears were at last
come true-IGzzle was at work again!
"Robbedr' : cried, toohshly on
have been-been robbed, you sayg
'sFVhv how unfortunate" cOnd0ied
my wife. When did it happen-hoW
did you discover it2
Tit happened some time this even
ing" he answered, brokenly. Pausing,
he weakly wiped his damp brow. IA
al upset" he voluntarily Informed US
Of what we already knew, and / don {
know what TO do. 50 that why j
came over TO see you people, as soon
as II found QUIZ
This was piling II on-telling US IN
one breath that he had been robbed
by Lizzie, we knew-and informing US
in the next that he mad turned lmme-
diately 10 Us. Horrible thOught-did he
suspect US Of completely IN the robbery
Was that why ne had come?
Tell us Just what you missed, Jack,
suggested. and how you missed IL. "
Why" he began. daZedly, all my
wffes toilet arliCleS-Gll OF Ihem-and
pretty nearly all of mine are gonei
Then there S some money, and my watch
and fob. Besides, an even half-dozen
stickpins % minel"
turned TO stare at my wife, and
found her gazing IN horror az me. The
inventory OF stolen goods we had just
heard from the lips OF our friend was
almost identical 70 the list Of the
things we had lost and recovered. There
was no Doubt that the hand of Lizzie
was IN this-none whatever.
II discovered the things we're gone,
Rogers continued, when 1 went into
nv wife's room 70 get the comb and
you know, that she's had ever since we
were married" he turned 70 explain 20
nay wife. 7 found that her dressing
table had been cleaned OF bare
Then Il went into my room and found
that most Of the articles on my dresser
were missing I had put some money
there. too. and it was gone when 7 look
ed for it-some bills and silver / had
taken from my other trousers pocket. il
was. And I found that the thief. whO-
ever he was, had taken my watch and
cleared out with six OF my suckpins
too"
Have you-have you any clue 10 who
the roober was?" I inquired. quaver-
ingly. II was dangerous question, but
q nre OF curiosity 10 know how much
- little he suspected Of the real state
q affairs was consuming me, and
wanted his answer badly.
II got II the next minute And II ives
Il think the thies was the girl you
sent me-Lizzie!" he responded prompt
TO- io ! haze TO accuse heF-6ut I've so'
verify believe II the man had an
swered that my wife or my mother was
the person accused OF guilt We could
not have fest the shock OF his repiy
mort
il wes simply because we werc IN
such positive dread ~ his somehow find
. Ing out that Lizzie was a kleptomaniac
that when the discovery came We were
why DO you accuse the grip ]
asked, tremblingly. Perhaps ne had
10 direct PROOF OF her E8ltt. ] thought
feebly clulching ar any straw 10 save
ny wife and me FROM the consequences
OF our sending Lizzie &C him "or
what grounds do you base suc1 a
chsrge?"
Simply this" he replied. ''The girl
7 found. had been UP Ia our bedrooms
Just before I entered them TO find the
vsluabies gone. And a half hour later
she was seen hurTying from the house
with a bundle probably containing her
Loot"
"CArrydng II 70 ottoP I signaled "a
my wife. simply by looking az her with
raised eyebrows I knew the same
thought must be in her mind. and that
she would understand the significance
OF my glance.
That hardly seems sufficient evil
dence 70 convict the child on. Jack. ]
said. sharply. Il don't want her wrong
fully accused Of anything as serious
as stealing. you know. I'm responsible
for her, and what she does I must
suffer fori'
sly wife caught the spirit Of my at
tempt 70 buster the matter out
Why. you must have more proofs
then that" she exclaimed IF YOU
charge Lizzie with stealing from you.
This is only guesswors-this accusation
you make against heri"
"GusssWorkt" I broke IN before Rog-
ers had chance 70 reply. why. Il is
worse than gueEswork 10 say that the
girl Is a thief It's uniuet-uufafr