The Washington times., 1909-08-21

I 4
my wife said. from her pre-
tended sleep" I stepped back
nodding a slow agreement 10
the idea
YES" 1 said, wed better make her
give an account Of herself after this.
Ny eyes swept around to the loot on the
chair
wait here for me-" my vile com
manded She turned, opening the door
OF the childrens room and stepped
within.
Alone, looked sorrowfully at the
pile Of stolen goods lying on the chair
/ seat. Lizzie had plundered the nursery
of everything valuable stored there
among our guests belongings.
/ There could be no doubt that she was
/ the thief We sought. Literally. she had
! been caught with the goods, the
/ stolen articles had been found IN her
i room under her clothing on the ehalr
beside her bed No one could doubt
! that evidence OF her guilt.
And what was | going TO &c ABOUT II.
/ What was l going 10 DO with nef, no"
! that / had found her OUT Ordinarily
! the answer to that question would not
/ have been long IN coming would nave
/ her jailed.
But this was an affair which was
/ strictly out Of the ordinary. l was re-
/ sponsible for Lizzie. If she was thief,
/ had stolen anything, 1 was the one
/ who would be punished for her Offense
What was / TO do? All I could 90
/ under the circumstances was TO re
/ turn their belongings to my friends
! thanking my stars that 1 could return
/ them-and keep quiet about the man
/ ner Of their abduction.
! I could not even tell our guests that
/ our nurse-girl was the one who mad
burglariZed them-to do thai would
/ have been to broadcast the news that
I the girl for whose good conduct / was
/ accountable was a thief, / should IN
1 stead have to invent some plausible
/ story TO explain how the stolen goods
had been taken and recovered.
And after that-what was | 20 do with
/ Lizzie? Was her crime 70 90 unpun-
/ ished? Were my hands so tied oy tne
red tape of the immigration laws that
her offense would of necessity be Tor
gotten. so far as bringing her to book
for II was con6S2 NED?
/ II looked that way-there was noth-
/ ing I who was wholly responsible Tor
/ her, could do to punish her. Even in
! the knowledge that she was a thief, J
! should have TO keep her in the house.
would have TO keep her under my eye
/ for once she got away 4 could not
+ know what manner Of crime she would
/ commit, and my responsibility would
Z be as strong whether she was out or
+ my direct charge or still In IL
! The door behind me opened and /
! wheeled TO face II.
Nv wife came out, followed by a
shrinking figure, wrapped IN bian-
lzet. which l took TO De Lizzie,
Wen 20 into the nursery said my
wife In silence I led the way. be-
hind me I heard my wifes tread and
/ the slfppered patter Of Lizzie's feet,
/ We turned into the room and !
/ snapped on the lights.
sit down, Lizzie" I said cetTl=.
Mrs Norris and I wish to talk to you.
Ny wife stood before the girl, who
sank upon the couch against the wall
Of the room,
Lizzie. she began. speaking Of
/ course. in the only tongue The glsl IN
/ ACKNOWLEDGMENT Lizzie, you have
/ stolen the vaIuables placed in this room
( BY orr friends tonight
Lizzie looked up quickly into my wife s
face.
II have stolen nothing" she answered,
/ quietly, the Teutonic gutturals slipping
/ easily from her lips Nothing have
! stolen. Frau Norris.
Lizzie" my wife's voice was re-
I proachful. don't make the matter
/ worse by lying
But" the girl cried. earnestly, Il
am not lying, Believe me, good Frau
/ Norris, please ] am not living 10 YOU.
You say YOU stole nothing, Lizzie q
Nothing. mein Herr" she answered,
SUI the things We found in your
How did YOU come by them unless
YOU stole them2'
Answer your mistress. / demanded,
/ sharply a S the girl was silent.
IL did not steal the things. Frau
1 Norris she stammered. IL only took
looked at my wife. Her lips tight
ened.
I tween taking what does not belong 10
YOU and stealing2' she asked OF the
/ 3Ianketed figure sitting on the edge OF
the couch. Don't you know that there
I is no difference
+ Lizzie bit her lip nervousIy
\ But 7 did not take-what ] took 90 d0
Z wrong she exclaimed brokenly IL
i took them becau Se-because ! thought It
was good 10 take them
I NATURALLY YOU would think il a good
+ thing to take about a hundred dollars
worth Of Valuables, ] muttered under
Z NV breath Then aloud. what do you
think Frau Norris and / should DO 20
YOU, Lizzie for stealing this way
But YOU do not understand! she
I burst out, piteOusly. Urlnglng heI
I hands II took the things. bat { did
rot steal them. ! knew the ladies
Z had pat their wraps ~ t1is room.
lav IN bed thinking about all the beauu-
tul things in here. ! thought. What
Fl some harm should come 10 them
Frau Norris and good mein Herr Norris
would not Ike harm 10 come TO the
lovely things Lizzie VIII take care OF
them. ] thought She will get up and
bring the things into her roOm-pul
them beside her bed where she car
watch over them Then nothing vii
happen and Frau Norris will be pleased
with me that I have been so good That
Is all that ! thought. Believe me that
is all! took the things to do good
not 10 steal themi
My wife turned TO stare Al me In
/ speeChlesS amazement at the girl
story / stared back at her
Al
! hoped so-indeed ] prayed that her OK.
PLANTATION Of how sne~ came by the miss
, ing articles WAS tie true one
For 7 wanted Lizzie 10 be honest-my
! honesty Was Indirectly at stake. tiroug
the responsibility I had Incurred for her
and I was more shan willing 10 believe
that she VA not lvipE 10 Us.
! And 7 said as much 10 my wife 2