Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-07-11

transfer Mina orattsn 70 TIE crockery
department. as he had threatened.
He was evidently about to do 20. when
something ahc said IN describing the
customer she suspected made him
hesitate and Take on a puzzled look.
and after time to remark:
after you have taken stock
tonight you may find the missing lace.
At any rate. let It. 60 for day or
two"
Why the change in himS Did he
suspect her, and was he going to have
her watched7 Was he going to have
her mothers house searched7
Yes, Miss Grattan was engaged to
Mr.. Traver. the head Of the furniture
department; but the fact had not
been publicly announced. These en-
gagements seldom appear in the so
ciety journals. It's two or three days
OF under protest--a marriage, fiat
and then one hears no more. It may
be spoken Of in the store for a day,
OUT only py employees.
On the evening Of the last theft
mentioned the matter was talked over
between the lovers. Mr.. Traver was
a man Of action. He had a sister
who was not known at the store. and
next day she was a customer at the
lace counter. She didn't make pur-
chase, but she kept her eyes open.
The next day she was at the glove
counter. On the next she was back
at the lace counter.
Perhaps one Of the store detectives
became suspicious and followed her
about for time: perhaps one Of the
four girls at the lace counter hoped
to find her shoplifting and see her
punished. She was there, undeter-
mined whether to buy or not when
the young lady Of the auto swept
into the store and up to the counter.
She was gracious and patronizing.
She wanted expensive lace to send
to girl friend in the country. Miss
Grattan waited on her and watched
her. Never had she watched Gus
toner so closely. Miss Traver sus-
pended her buying to leave the store
and order a public auto to wait in
front of it.
At the end Of half an hour her
quarry came out and entered her own
auto and speeded away. She was fol-
lowed and her residence located.
She had not left the store above a.
quarter of an hour when the white
faced and shaking Miss Grattan was
up in the Office reporting to Mr..
"The young lady whom I suspected
a few days ago came for more lace
today and bought $50 worth. She had
hardly gone when / missed five yards
valued at more than that"
HIN! You will apply for your salSl
airy this evening. We can no longer
afford to keep you here. The other
day, when told you to wait bit, l
thought / had a clue to solve the
problem; but It seems that was
/ shall transfer the other
girls to the crockery department The
four of you are careless lot, but you
are the worst"
An hour later Mr. Traver asked for
a word with Mr.. Nevins.
IF it's about Miss Grattan, don't
wish to hear It," was the answer.
''But it isn't. It's about the shop
litter at the lace counter. know
her and know her place of resi-
dence."
"You-you dol"
"And If you get out search war
rant before she can mail away the
lace she lifted this afternoon It will
be found in her house. My sister fol
lowed her today"
Mr.. Nevins bent forward on his
desk and hid his face In his hands,
and It was three long minutes before
he raised it to say:
I'll Suspected knew, but
didn't want any one else to know,
You and Miss Grattan are engaged.
Please go, both of you. Your wed
ding gift from the firm will be
enough to set you up in business
You see, Miss-Miss Isle is a klepto-
and / can't-cant-"
And his face was in his hands
again when Mr.. Traver softly with
drew S0oiafv wondorod and hv aud 7