St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-01-08

| tluSulSueu gentleman. you Will Oc
cupy it for the better part of three
hours. Do you catch the point? Il
you will manage your cards right
when you leave the theater, you will
be acquainted with him, very well &C
quainted. After that point you will
make your own plans. What Mrs
H. Sylvester Jones wants is an aft
davit of infidelity."
The detective paused.
Minnie stiffened her shoulders and
a quick flush sprang into her pale
cheeks. A keen observer might have
seen that under certain conditions she
might be beautiful. Gradually the
tired eyes dropped and the bent shout
ders relaxed. Minnie had conquered
herself. She was thinking of sick
mother and little sister.
"And what do l get?" she asked.
The detective held up the ten vel
low-backed bills. These are yours
for the affidavit. You know where to
go for the clothes. will telephone
you If we make arrangements for to.
night. If not, We'll try for tomorrow
night. We are bound to succeed some
tme-and then it is up to you
AS it happened, on the third even.
ing H. Sylvester Jones stepped out of
his automobile and entered the Fifth
! avenue theater. Five minutes later
a stylishly dressed young woman fol.
lowed him down the aisle and slipped
! into the next seat. 1t was Minnie
but very different Minnie in evening
| dress and rouge, an altogether charm.
ing and fascinating Minnie Two min.
utes before the orchestra began, she
dropped her handkerchief. T.. Syl
vester Jones extended it to her Pc.
lltely. She smiled and he looked al,
her again. She was girl to NO
tice.
Before the close of the first act, he
had made hesitating remark, ant
she had answered it, and he had made
another, and before the close of the
second act, they were chatting ge-
nially. When the final curtain de-
scended, they left the theater together.
An agent of SHARP & Son. lettering
IN the corner, noticed the circum.
stance and reported it to his chief.
The latter smiled broadly and the next
morning eagerly awaited Minnie's ar.
rival. When noon came and she did
not appear, he looked worried. When
evening came without her, he sent for
his agent and the two conferred to-
gether. The next day he received a
note. 1t was remarkable note, and
under it was the scrawling signature
of Minnie:
Il do not want your $1,000, and /
hereby resign my position"
The detective swore and called for
his agent again. The latter looked
glum and started on a search for the
missing girl. He found her the next
week at fashionable suite of apart
ments. with two servants, a pearl
necklace and an array of diamond
rings that dazzled him.
THE chief wants your affidavit" he
began, CURLY.
He can't have it, and I don't want
him to bother me any more"
The detective bounded from his
chair and Minnie tossed her head. "Mr.
Jones has asked me to become his
wife and have accepted his offer!"
The statement was true. The scheme
OF Sharp & Son" had indeed proven
boomerang. The millionaire had
fallen in love with the girl who had
been sent to trap him, and had ten
dered her not only his wealth, but his
name. The fortunes of the detective
agency, however, were only under
temporary cloud. H. Sylvester Jones
bluntly told his wife that either he or
she could go to South Dakota and re-
turn single. Mrs. Jones took the west.
ern trip and few weeks ago the de.
cree of divorce was granted.
H. Sylvester Jones married Minnie,
and everybody is satisfied, with the
exception of Sharp & Sons" They
haven't got their remaining $4,000 yet,
and there doesn't seem to be any rea-
sonable prospect of their ever being
called to receipt the bill.