The Holbrook news., 1911-06-16

had not when she missed her purse. She uttered an "Oh-h-h-h!" and dropped into seat, and of course, half a dozen women gathered around to see what was the matter. All had observed her carrying her purse in her hand She had 1t in her hand when talking to the young man about the lateness of the train, or, rather, when he was talking to her. They had noticed that it was not in her hand when she came back from consulting the clock for the twenty-third time.
 There were six women and a young man who stuttered, and while the six women expressed their unalterabHe be- lief that 1t was one of the boldest cases of pocket-picking they ever heard of, the young man who slut tered went for a policeman who did not stutter. No policeman ever does. It is against orders. What the officer could not see, and what Miss Clara could not help him to see, was how the pickpocket could have taken the purse from her hand without her knowing 1t. Each one of the six women, all talking at once, vowed that it could be done and had been done and would be done again, and the stutterer backed them up. There was only one man on whom suspicion could rest-the young man who had been a fellow-passenger on the other train. He was even then sitting not over 30 feet away and trying to look innocently unconscious. While telling the girl that her fathers train was late he had by some hocus-pocus man aged to possess himself of her purse, and was now sitting only ten yards away to brazen it out
 The tears of the victim aroused the feelings of the officer who was new man on the force. He also knew that he had a name to make. He therefore walked over to the young man and gave him the collar and had him out of the depot and on his way to po- lice station before inquiries could be made or protests entered. The victim was to follow and prefer charges as soon as her father arrived. A few more minutes passed before that event happened. and during this interval the six women related score Of instances of robbery and pocketpichng, and four of them recognized the arrested man as a scoundrel they had met before. It was hard work for the stuttering young man to back them up and guar antee at least a fve-year sentence, but he finally accomplished the feat
 Then the train from New York ar rived. Colonel Williams found his daughter surrounded by sympathetic people and as soon as he learned what had happened he made things hum. To the policeman who had just returned he handed $5 bill for doing his duty. To the women he extended his thanks. Of course his daughter should go to the police station and prefer charges, and of course he would spend his last earthly dollar to put that brazen-faced pickpocket behind the criss-cross bars. By thunder, but things were coming to pretty pass in Buffalo when a young lady could be robbed in her Union depot in broad daylight and not know 1t!
 At the police station the young man was brought out of a cell to be con- fronted, identified and put on the high road to the penitentiary. Colonel Will Hams didn't say thunder this time. He made use of a far stronger word and followed 1t by exclaiming:
 Why, Davis, how does this come! What have they got you locked up forI"
 'Pocketpicking. believe" replied the prisoner.
 "Yes, he is the man who got my pursei" said Clara
 But there must be some mistake here. I was to meet him here in Buff falo on a business matter. He Is no pickpocket Clara, you have certainly made a wretched mistake. This Is Paul Davis. I have known his father for 40 years. I have known him for seven or eight. You can't mean that he picked your pocket"
 "But, who-who did?" stammered the girl.
 As no one answered, she opened her reticule and took a peep inside and then staggered to a chair. She had dropped the purse into the bag. She took 1t out and held it in her hand and blushed and went pale and the tears started to her eyes.
 'Mr. Davis, my daughter. Miss Clara" said the colonel to break painful silence.
 Charmed to meet Miss Davis"
 And I-I-it was all the fault of those women. didn't think you took 1t until-until-"
 Until six silly women and a stut- tering boy all got to talking to you" finished the colonel. Well, sergeant, there is no prisoner to be arraigned. Come, Davis-come Clara. If there is anything more to talk over we will discuss 1t at the hotell"
 There was something more-lots more, and perhaps the discussion hasn't been finished yet. At least, Mir. Davis spends much of his time in