Saint Mary's beacon., 1911-11-23
Guarding
the Val.1abLes

ahe had always done business. That
was tie reason when she received the
note and the mortgage she did not In
stantiy put them into her safety de-
posit nox
When she was preparing to leave
the hose for the first time she hid
the parSrs successfully behind "A sofa.
Under pillow. under a rug under the
dresser scarf and behind the picture
Of Sir Galahad In the library. Then
when she was a block away she re-
turned hastily. because II had just
occurred to her that the house might
burn down during her absence and
then where would she be In respect
TO those precious papers?
She discarded the small mesh bag
she was carrying and got out her big
gest leather shopping bag. although IL
was decidedly inconvenient to take
to an afternoon tea. However. she
could carry the papers in It. The bag.
being big and square. bumped into
everybody and got her disliked She
nearly wept that evening as she
begged her husband to take care of
the papers for her
Il will not" he told her. You sim.
ply must learn to look after your own
business affairs. so you might as we'll
make up your mind to it, Why on
earth are you carting jewelry around
II that bag. too" He asked Il In the
tone that man uses when the fool
ish peculiarities OF the feminine half
OF the world are utterly. absolutely
beyond him.
Because it's the safest place for my
rings and things" retorted his wife
Every woman does IT."
His demeanor still disclosing skeptt
cism. she went on: "If you leave
things at home and the new servants
don't turn burglars. then the bogus
gas inspectors and the sham telephone
men Will get them, I've read about
al those tricks!"
You'll lose the whole AFFAIR" do
clared her husband
'1 certainly won't when the bag is
slipped right over my army like this. =
said Mrs. Blake. loftily. Il shall 20 to
the bank Just as soon as I can. and
you are perfectly horrid to make me
carry this bag to the theater tonight.
The papers won't tuck inside OF my
Evaist and there's positively nothing
else I can do with them"
frequently that evening the bag
slipped from her lap and each time
she almost had Mysteries. thinking
she had lost IT, After Blake had
bumped his head the third time while
fishing out the bag from beneath the
row of seats in front he put II in his
chair and sat on It. But he made her
carry II home.
Something happened every DAY for
three days to prevent Mrs. Blake's go
ing to the bank She ate. slept and
visited In company with her leather
shopping bag and she positively began
20 grow thin from her continuous and
stEenuous efforts to keep a watchful
eye ON IT,
An AFTERNOON progressive bridge
party nearly finished her. because shs
insisted on hanging the bag over her
chair back. and each time she moved
she forgot it Missing Il. she would
imagine that she had lost II coming
to the party aald would have to be re-
vived with fans and kind words till it
was discovered She was a nervous
wreck when the afternoon was over
and had IN addition the consciousness
that all her partners dis1iked her IN.
tensely because she had 80 lowered
their scores by her wild. abstracted
playing
'ITi 90 to the bank tomorrow II u
In the afternoon party that have IN
miss" she declared
Then she lugged the fatal bag to a
club directors meeting. to a luncheon.
where II fell TO the door and WAS
nearly eaten up by the hostess pet
dog before II was discovered. and on
. shopping trip.
She hung TO the bag with an energy
that gave rise to the idea in the
minds of casual observers that 10
must be filled with dynamite or tia-
monds.
Thank goodness" she muttered al
she neared her home. i've got these
awful papers safely through whole
week ard the FIRST thing tomorrow
morning sees them in the safety de-
posit box. and then maybe I can draw
. long breathf What's that door
open for1"
She ran up the steps and through
the swinging door II was most uar
usual The house appeared tranquil.
however. Laying down her bag. she
pulled on her gloves and coat and
then, being still uneasy, mounted to
the second floor. The second floor
also was calm.
Its the uueerest thing" she said as
shs started downstairs and headed for
the kitchen TO see II the cook had 70
turned. Il being the cooks day out
In the hall she stopped transfxed.
with her eyes staring at the table
where she had laid her shopping bag
The bag was gone!
The burglar" Blake explained 10
her with righteous reproach that
night, must have Just got inside
when you came and probably he hid |
behind the piano When you went up |
s.airs he grabbed your bag and do |
sa rted By the front door | can fx
ip the note and the mortgage. but not
rhe rings!"
Anyhow" said nj wife Il don't 4
zee why he couldn't have stolen IL the
farst day I certed shat bag around IN.
stead OF waiting till had tC7e 4 for
n week."