Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-08-29


transfer miss 0rattau 70 the trocksFy
department. as he bad threatened
ne was evidently about 20 do So when
something she said IN describing the
customer she suspected made him
hesitate and take on . puzzled look,
and after . time to remark: u
~After you have taken stock
tonight you may find the missing lace
At any rate. let It go for Cay or
two"
why the change in himf Did he
suspect her, and was he going to have
her watchedf Was he going to have
her mothers house searched? y
Yes, Miss Grattan was engaged to-
Mr.. Trayer, the head OF the furniture
department; but the fact had not
been publicly announced. These en-
gagementg seldom appear In the SO
ciety journals. It's two or three days
on under protest-a marriage, a nat
and then one hears no more. It may
be spoken OF in the store for day.
but only by employees.
On the evening Of the last theft
mentioned the matter was talked over
between the lovers. Mr.. Traver was
n man of action. He had sister
who was not known at the store, ana
next day she was 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 a 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 patroniZlng.
She wanted expensive lace to SEND
to a girl friend in the country. MISS
Grattan waited on her and watched
her. Never had she watched cus-
toner SO closely. Miss Traver sus-
pended her buying to leave the store
and order a public auto to wait IN
front of 1t.
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 g.
quarter of an hour when the white
faced and shaking Miss Grattan was
up in the Office reporting to MI
Nevins: ~ +
"The young lady whom / suspected
a few DAYS ago came for more lace
today and bought $50 worth. She had
hardly gone when l missed hVe YARDS
valued at more than that"
HIN! You will apply for your sal
airy this evening. We can no longer
afford to keep you here. The other
day. when told you to wait bit, l
thought I had a clue to solve the
problem; but it seems that was
mistaken. / shall transfer the other
girls to the crockery department. The
four of you are az careless lot, but you
are the worst"
An hour later Mr.. TraveT 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. I 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:
Ell suspected-I 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-
maniac, and / can't-can't-"
And his face was in his hands
again when Mr.. Traverr softly with
drew. Society wondered and by and
by forgot.