The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-29

shoes and felt OF her clothes. No
watch did l dnd. Hearing some one
In the hail. stood for moment With
my hand on the doorknob. The foot
steps passed down the staircase, and
there was perfect stiffness.
| heard the faint ticking OF watch.
But where? Had l not searched
everywhere and found no watch. not
even one rlghtfully belonging TO Sarah
Tucker? walked toward the center
of the room and stood listening. had
lost the ticking and Il was some time
before | could pick II up again. and
when did failed to locate II. There
Is no direction 10 sound. though the
nearer one approaches IL the louder it
Is. | moved toward the door where
had first heard the ticking. but IL
there was any increase or diminutlon I
failed TO detect Il. At the other end
of the room was an open fireplace
with CRATE between the two win
dows. L moved toward one of the
windows and stood by 1t. l fancied
the ticking TO be more distinct. [
moved slowly TO the other window.
stopping To listen after every step. and
when | was before the fireplace the
ticking seemed louder than at any
other time
realized that. as the children say
in their hiding games, was getting
warm" l put my ear TO the fire.
place. and the ticking was louder.
thrust my hand up the chimney and
felt its sides Presently I clutched
watch. II was hanging to nail.
took It out from its hiding place and
saw that it was lady's watch. and
did not doubt that II was Cecile's.
Hurrying 10 my room. | washed the
SCOT off my arm and changed my dress,
for the sleeve was blackened, then
walked the floor to calm myself that
might form a plan for turning the
obIoquy Of the theft from innocent
George Chace to the real thief, Sarah
Tucker. The stolen article now being
In my hands. if discovered with IL the
charge would fall upon me. IL flashed
upon me TO put the watch back in the
chimney. Fortunately none of the
guests had come in and I.had plenty OF
time TO do so Then ! wrote in dis
guised hand on bit of paper, "Listen
at the fireplace Of Miss fuckers ROOM"
and, slipping into our hosts chamber.
left il on his dscsser, where he would
not fail TO see il as soon as he went
there. He had taken party out In
an automobile and came in before the
other groups As soon as he entered
he went TO his room to dress for din
ner. | was ON the watch. and in few
minutes after his arrival | heard him
go to Miss fuckers room. When he
came out saw that he grasped some
thing i'm HIS hand. At dinner | saw by
his face that something momentous
was on his mind. But he controlled its
repression so successfully that l alone
noticed II. When he arose from the
table he announced that he would like
TO see us all in the drawing room. Aft
or we had assembled there he said;
"a great injustice has been done to
! George Chace. The stolen watch has
come to light under circumstances TO
indicate that he was made the victim
of conspiracy. need not accuse the
real culprit. who is my guest, TO ex-.
Onerate Chace."
Then he went to Cecile and handed
her her watch.
When / met George he threw his
arms around me In his impuslve way.
saying:
"What dolt I've been to get mixed
up with either Of those girls! You're
worth thousand Of them"
forgave him.