The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1911-05-04

| II - inJ e. a il =" .uyhed
Calkili', ion ! .-4nr, .r n,,.iher."
CUUid tI4vlr .,.. any mara t,r.
tallzlht io'e'y wuM wing to find
me. trying to find iti and all our
efforts averted!
'Oh. why have moi read all the
personals" cried. "in all the papers
every day."
because you couldn't have done any
thing else." replied Calkins. land. not
having time to make living, you
would have starved to DEATH"
Cant you suggest something's"
Eyes; forget all about it. A woman
who would advertise like that is prob
ably all adventures anyway"
III you say that again I'll stranrle
you"
Truth crushed in the throat would
rise again."
"She Is pure as an angel. Come, old
man. tell me some way to find her."
II give it up"
Several weeks passed in misery for
me. when in Philadelphia newspaper
I read of the trial of a Miss Octavia
Merton which was soon to come of in
that city. She was accused of having
stolen some valuable gems while one
OF house party at lady's country
seat. What was my establishment to
see in description of Miss Merton the
following words:
In her corsage she wears a bow of
orange or corn colored ribbon.
| I SOfc RI INV foot lcl Ra..-a
my love. But. alas, Calkins was
right. She was an adventures. Her
personal. taken together with this
charge. was conclusive proof of this.
And yet the item said that she was
q member of the house party. This
indicated that II she were a thief she
must be lady. and lady of the up-
per classes would not be likely to ad-
vertise for the address OF a man she
had met on the street
hurriedly wrote a note to an at
torney in Philadelphia whom l knew,
asking him to keep me posted as to
the coming of of the trial in which I
was 80 deeply Interested In reply l
received telegram stating that it was
| down on the calendar for the next
dey. went to Philadelphia that night
and the next morning appeared among
the spectators in back seat where |
would not be observed
When the accused was led into court
!! recognized her mt once for the girl I
had been seeking. She was very pale
and appeared to have suffered much.
could not see IL she wore the ribbon,
for an outside coat was buttoned over
her chest
| listened eagerly to statement of
the case made by the prosecuting at
torney. The girl was member Of a
house party; the jewels were missed,
and she afterward wore one OF them
that the owner claimed was hers Miss
Merton's counsel claimed that it had
for years been his clients property.
He also said that on the day the jew
els We're stolen she had taken a flying
trip to Washington, but since her OBJ
ject in going there was secret she had
kept a knowledge of her trip from
every one who knew her Were it
not for this secrecy. your honor" con-
cluded the attorney, I'VE could easily
have proved an alibi"
Jumping from my seat. I hurried
down to the rail. called for the attor-
ney and in an undertone gave him
the points of my meeting with the
accused In Washington. He at once
put me on the stand and in series
of questions drew out my evidence.
When he asked me for the date of this
meeting | was puzzled, but finally re-
called 1t as the day Of an important
meeting to which l was going when
met Miss Merton.
Did anything pass between you and
the accused:" he asked.
YES something passed between us
that will corroborate my story if she
still possesses it. l gave her bit Of
corn colored ribbon"
With that Miss Merton threw open
her coat and displayed the token.
There was suppressed applause
among the spectators. The attorney
put his client on the stand
"Why do you wear that ribbon" he
asked.
II have worn It ever since l have |
been accused, hoping that the gentle
man who gave it to me might see it
and by proving that was in Washing
ton en- the day the jewels We're stolen
exonerate me. also advertised for
his address. but received no reply"
OF course there was an acQuittal
without the jury leaving the box. |
was taken by Miss Merton's counsel to
his client and introduced to her. I
had been mistaken in her object in
wearing the token. but If she had done
so for the reason l had supposed she
could not have given me a warmer
pressure OF the hand or a look with
more heart in it.
Just think" she said, had it not
been for YOU would have been con.
7tcted"
ut was close CALL" said the attor-
ney. who seemed as much relieved as
. 4 III