Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-01-19
A
FUGITIVE
By EDWARD STACR

lived in a brick row In the city in
4 comfortable house Of my own.
The street against which my house
backed was largely occupied for shops.
The building whose rear confront
ed the rear Of my house was occu-
pied below for millinery goods, while
girls worked above on the goods sold
In the store The third story seemed
to be used for sleeping rooms for the
girls who worked on the premises dur
Ing the day
One afternoon when came home
and stood looking through my bedroom
window l saw in an upper window of
the house back of me young girl who
differed entirely from those had been
used to seeing there. In the first place
she was singularly beautiful, in the
second she was dressed like a lady,
and In the third her features seen
through pair of opera glasses were
of very reflped type. She was evil
IDENTITY In room by herself on the
third story and was working at trim
ming hats.
Why was that high bred young wo-
man there working in that fashion?
She must have been educated, and ed
ucated girls when they occupy posi-
lions don't usually take up manual la
Dor. The bee OF curiosity had got into
my head and kept a continual buzzing.
! watched the girl till nightfall. when
she shut her window. and the first
thing In the morning | looked for her
She was there working again the same
as the day before. For several days
! kept feasting my eyes upon her,
when one day, suddenly turning her
| face In my direction. she saw me look
Ing at her through my glasses. Hav-
ing her face In focus. l saw a fright
ened expression come over It. She
withdrew from tho window, and,
though l often looked for her. did not
see her there again. cursed myself
for n fool In not keeping back where
she could not have seen me.
Her disappearance showed me that
II the bee curiosity had effected an en-
trance into my head an arrow OF love
had been shot into my heart. l was
astonished Mt the loneliness that came
over me. The night after my mothers
funeral, when l found myself for the
first time alone In the house, had
been oppressed by the solitude, but this
sensation was different Then there
was something lost that had no idea
of regaining. Now that which had
been shut or from my vision felt
must be restored to me.
In the financial center OF the city
had heard rumors Of trouble on the
part Of a certain wealthy man who had
been specializing. Being banker. the
matter had come to my ears long be-
fore its publication. since the bank in
which was employed had made large
loans to the Spectator and was there
fore interested In his getting out Of his
difficulty without failure. His en-
barrnssment was kept as quiet as pos
siblc. Nevertheless l learned that II
he didn't pull! through he would be
prosecuted criminally Meanwhile he
was working night and day 20 bring
about an adjustment
One evening while dining with the
cashier he told me that, while there
was crlminality In the case Of this
man who owed us money. 1t was not
he who had committed fraud. but q
member OF his family, who had disap-
peared with securities that he was in
terested in keeping out Of the reach OF
the law. But he added that the po-
lice had got on to the fugitives hid
ing place and expected to make an ar
rest very soon.
What II was that induced me TO put
this information and the girl OF the hat
factory together l don't know. but
did. Ny romance would not permit me
TO think that she had run away with
securities to which she had no right
l believed that she was acting with her
relative to extricate him from his com
plications. At any rate. II the hat
girl was this person the police were
after l proposed to warn her. Leaving
the cashier after dinner. made
straight for the building In which
had seen her.
was received by the woman who
ran the esta blishment | asked TO be
permitted to see the lady who occupied
back room on the third story. The
woman looked ut me susplciously and
said there was no one occupying either
OF the back rooms on that story This
confirmed my suspicion that the girl
| bad seen was In hiding.
when did the girl VITO has been
working there at a window for several
days go?" | asked. giving the woman
searching glance. | saw by her ex.
preston that she felt the game was
up.
Let me see her" I added In a con
sdential tone l. have news for her In
which she Is greatly Interested"
Are you Il friend OF hers
Il would serve her"
She led the WY 10 a saiesroom. then
went upstairs aud came down with he
siri ia question She was what sus-
pccted her 20 he. Her father WAS Ia
trouble aud she was helping him
proposed TO give up NV house 10 her
and The woman who was harboring her
for aGother hiding place The orer
was accepted. aud they wea; there a'
osce. I gazing 10 my club They had
net been gone M hour before the police
went 10 the millinery factory TO maze
tie arrest
By this biz % Gnancisrfng that was
~ - a n - tafk 49,