Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-10-07
The Welcome Thief

/ X ~
dark figure stole across the lawn
Of Miss Bvertrim's school for giris.
Time and again It stopped to listen,
only to hasten along more rapidly,
bending low to the ground.
At last It reached the bnilding,
showing up vaguely in the darkness.
The young man fastened to q trellia
and started to climb. Half way up he
stopped abruptly. Was anyone com
ing! No. he was mistaken. but bic
heart throbbed necessarily.
Far OF he could hear the bells of
the village church ring out clear and
| strong one-two, on and on to II.
| Then he continued his journey. Over
the trellis to the balcony Of the
| first floor, up a heavy pillar over the
entrance to the second floor, along
the water-spout to the window in the
eastern corner of the house.
Once again he paused, but only for
a second He leaped into the room,
and looking neither to right nor left,
made for desk in the corner. Silent
ly but rapidly he worked. opening
drawers, peeping into pigeon holes,
but taking nothing Suddenly he gave
an exclamation of Joy A small packet
from one corner of a drawer quickly
found its way into an inner pocket
Away TO the window again. No
one in sight! He hastily descended
the pillar and trellis and made his
way out to the road.
Silvia Dale woke early. All went
well until 10 O'clock when She was
sent for. The little girl messenger
shook her heavy curls and exclaimed,
'Oh, Silvia Miss Evertrim's face Is
very red And there is man with
her too She looks awful"
That awful" had its effect on Sill
via A shiver ran down her back. Miss
Evertrim was known for her awful"
expression. AS Silvia passed into
the Office she heard the principals
shrill voice exclaiming. There is no
mistake. Mr. Dale. have facts good
and plenty. And am shocked, POSI-
lively shocked. to think that your
daughter would disgrace my school"
Both stood mp as Silvia entered.
She would have been delighted to
have seen her father at any other
time. but to-day the words she had
heard dampened her enthusiasm.
my dear" Mr.. Dale said, in a very
cold. stern way, Miss Evertrim has
been telling me that you have been
meeting a young man. whom she does
not know, on the sly that you have
made appointments with him that
were strictly against the rules Of the
school, and, lastly, that you have re-
ceived letters from the same person
under the pretense of receiving them
from your aunt. Is she correct in
her suspicions?"'
Silvia's eyes blazed angrily. So
this was what Miss Evertrim's spite
had led her to-simply because Silvia
refused to let her read few OF Jim's
letters. An angry retort rose to her
lips, but prudence stilled It.
'Yes and no. dad" she answered.
There is young man, but she 10
well acquainted with him. We have
had no meetings outside of the school
regulations. But | have received let
ters from him which I refused to let
her read"
Then get the letters; show them
to your father" Miss Evertrim's i'm
perious voice broke out.
Silvia laughed, but did not move.
For fear of losing caste, Miss Ever
trim hastily added. Those letters will
incriminate her, Mr.. Dale. They.
will show whether she has had other
meetings or not. Get them. Silvia
Silvia looked at her father, who
nodded and said, Yes, Silvia. think
you had better show them to me-"
The girl flushed. Jim's pet names
and loving remarks flashed through
her mind Would she stand having
them read aloud TO Miss Evertrim.
who hadn't mite of sentiment in her
body7 Silvia muttered. Never" and
took her stand.
But, dad, had rather not
Mr.. Dale's face grew dark.
We shall have no hesitating. Get
them at once,"
please do not make me- pleaded
Silvia. There is nothing in them.
only they viii seem silly TO you"
AT once was her fathers reply
She turned reluctantly from the
room, then ran hastily down the cor
rdor. Better face the music al once"
she muttered, inwsrdly vowing ven
geance on Miss Eyertrim. Reaching
her room she rushed to her desk. Not
stopping to think twice, she pushed
her hand into the drawer and-gasp-
ed. The letters were gonel How:
When! Where,
Too dazen to move. she stood untn
aroused by the entrance of Mr.. Dale
and Miss Eyertrim. Her utterly blank
expression told them more than words
would have done-that she was in
nocent
At that moment Miss Evertrim was
called 10 attend other matters and
Silvia had d heart to heart talk with
her father
The matter vas dropped. However.
there was more than one night when
Silvia lay awake many hours wonder.
ing what had become Of the letters.
Two weeks later. Silvia graduated
from the academy. One particularly
large basket Of flowers drew her at
tention. Hidden among the roses was
q note addressed to Miss Silvia DalaL
stsalthily she opened It and read:
Dear Silyia-Got the letters o.
X. Heard your dad was coming.