The Caucasian., 1911-12-24

tin,oin's inauguration ball. Why hac
the Dux been left thus careiesSiy upon
the library table:
Il recalled many daring rohbories
VIII II bad been committed Of tatP IN
this same lonely Iocnlity, and per-
hdp& even now burglars were search
in@ 'he empty house for further booty
They would return presently for The
little box. and then Jremblingly NY
hand sought the telephone, Mr.. Leigh,
who managed fathers affairs M the
bank. might be able "a advise or help
me, explained the situation hurried
~. and at last his well known voice
answered
:" Try not 10 be alarmed be said,
and admit no person to the house.
will bc with tua as soon rs the auto
can rush me there and will bring you
and She valuableS back with me
THE thought OF remaining longer in
the silent house was unbearabIe: 50,
concealing the little box beneath my
cloak. | crept out into the darkened
porch and awaited my deliverer. When
the lights Of your car shoue down the
driveway cried eagerly. although
might have known that II would have
been impossible for Mr.. Leigh TO arrive
so quickly. but the moments dragged
as hours back there In the storm and
cold"
II quite understand" ServiSs an.
swered gently. but why did -yon NOT
let me help you?"
She leaned forward With graceful
gesture. why. don't you see" she
asked. II was not a very responsible
person then. anC q thought you
might be-the burglar-returuing for
his stolen prize. At any rate. II would
scarcely have been wise to make Il con
fidant of Il man who appeared II the
rear door nf vacant house so late at
night to ask the very apparent way to
the city. nor would II have been ad-
viSahlp to trust an entire stranger With
the care of box containing several
thousand dollars worth OF valuables.
Nevertheless | WAS determined not TO
stay in the place another moment, so
4
the other way and peeped into your
automobile. Finding il empty. | took
! a desperate chance and slipped inside.
! hoping that you would not see me
there aud thar | might thus reach the
city quickly and safety AS we rolled
| along and / had time to think the mat
| ter over solerly WAS ashamed of my
| folly and knew instinctiyely that you
had spoken the truth. When the
| lights of the fheater CLEANED out and
| that little old lady came to meet you.
why. wanted To beg your pardon for
| having doubted | do so now, she
added impulsively. VIII you shake
| hands with the culprit?
Sarviss ciasped the proffered hand.
'.If you are the culprit." he replied.
''rememoer that 1 am also your ac-
complice. am still anxious to hear
Wait" interposed the girl. When
left you went directly to Mr..
LeiSh's home. where his wife wei
coined me sympathetically. This morn
ing when MIR. Leigh read the startling
news of the robbery we came out here
| directly. It seems that In the hurry Of
departure father hud forgotten the hox,
which he hnd intended ,toieave ut the
bank for safe keeping. II was not un-
ii, tie mad reached his destination that
be recalled having isft it upon the
library table and immediately boarded
Il homecoming train. Father IN very
hasty. and when be discovered that
the house had been entered and the
box taken | think he must have noti-
fed every police station and detective
agency in the surrounding country.
A misellievous light shone In Miss
Richmond's eyes. Il would like to
know JUST what you thought when you
read the papers?' she questioned.
My predominating Thought was that
| should like above all things to- see