Morris tribune., 1911-06-09

|
| Could there be anything more tan
talizing-a lovely woman trying to find
me, | trying to find her, and all our
| efforts averted?
"Oh, why have l not read all the
personals, l cried, ''in all the papers
every day?'
Because you couldn't have done any
thing else" replied Calkins, and not
having time to make a 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 an adventures anyway"
'If you say that again I'll strangle
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."
81 give it up"
Several weeks passed in misery for
me, when in a Philadelphia newspaper
I read of the trial of Miss Octavia
| Merton which was soon to come off in
that city. She was accused of having
stolen some valuable gems while one
of a house party at lady's country
seat What was my astOnishment to
see in description of Miss Merton the
following words:
In her corsage she wears a bow Of
orange or corn colored ribbon. I
l sprang to my feet. I had found
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
a member of the house party. This
indicated that if she were thief she
must be a 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.
l hurriedly wrote a note to an at
torney in Philadelphia whom l knew,
asking him to keep me posted as to
the coming off of the trial in which 1
was so deeply interested. In reply I
received a telegram stating that it was
down Oh the calendar for the next
day. | went to Philadelphia that night
and the next morning appeared among
the spectators in a back seat where |
would not be observed.
When the accused was led into court
| recognized her at once for the girl I
had been seeking. She was very pale
and appeared to have suffered much.
| could not see if she wore the ribbon,
for an outside coat was buttOned over
her chest.
l listened eagerly to statement of
the case made by the prosecuting at
tOrney. The girl was member of
house party; the jewels were missed,
and she afterWard wore one of them
that the owner claimed was hers. Miss
Mertons counsel claimed that it had
for years been his clients property.
He also said that on the day the jew
els were stolen she had taken flying
trip to Washington, but since her OBJ
ject in going there was secret she had
kept 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, l 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 a series
of questions drew out my evidence.
When he asked me for the date of this
meeting I was puzzled, but finally re-
called it as the day of an important
meeting to which l was going when
l met Miss Merton.
did anything pass between you and
the accused?' he asked.
Eyes, 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 ribbonE' he
asked.
'I have worn it ever since l have
been accused, hoping that the gentle
man who gave it to me might see 1t
and by proving that was in Washing
ton on the day the jewels were stolen
exonerate me. / also advertised for
his address, but received no reply"
Of course there was an acqu1ttal
without the jury leaving the box.
was taken by Miss Merton's counsel to
his client and introduced to her.
had been mistaken in her object in
wearing the token, but if she had done
so for the reason had supposed she
could not have given me warmer
pressure of the hand or look with
more heart in it.
"Just Think she said, "had 1t not
been for you I would have been con-
victedw
'It was a close CALL" said the attor'
ney, who seemed as much relieved as