The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-10-02
A THlEVING
MYSTERY
By EDITH v. ROSS


reau. more thievery has been going
on at birmingham. This is the
fourth time stamps have been missed
in that quarter and wish you to go
there and get on to the thief
1--WE been there twice already" re-
piled Murtaugh, without finding any
thing wrong The people of the town
all have the most perfect confidence in
Miss Griggs. the postmistress. and her
only clerk is her younger sister. aged
sixteen. Miss Griggs has appeared to
be as much puzzled as any one as to
what becomes of the missing stamps
Pm afraid. Murtaugh. you're too
gallant to spy on woman"
There was a hidden meaning in the
words. for Andrews was not above
spying on the members of his force
and had learned that Detective Muir
laugh. who had been several times to
Trimmingham to ferret out the source
of the trouble. had been making love
to the postmistress. Indeed. he would
have sent some one else this time. but
he suspected Murtaugh of shielding
Miss Grlggs. and If he was doing this
he was recreant to his duties as
postottice official Murtangh made no
reply to Andrews last remark, and
the latter added:
'Well. try it once more If you don't
get on to the thief this time I'll try
some one else"
This was spoken in tone to give
Murtaugh warning. He was one of
the best men on the force and An
drews didn't wish him to get into
trouble by shielding a thief
Murtaugh had thoroughly convinced
himself of Miss Griggs' honesty. and
her sterling worth was apparent to
every one He knew it would be folly
for him to spy on her. and, acting on
his own Judgment, he went openly to
Trimmingham and told her that he
had come to help her find who was
stealing her stamps.
The poStoffice was a little one story
frame building. all Of which was occu-
Murtaugh stole unobserved into the
postotfice, climbed up under the roof
and bored a peep hole in the ceiling
through which he could look down into
the poStotice A few stamps had
been left in the postmistress' desk.
The detective kept awake all night.
but heard not the slightest sound be-
low, saw no light-indeed no sign of
any one coming to steal stamps But
in the morning the stamps left in the
desk We're gone
Since the thievery was perpetrated
at night there was no need to watch
In the daytime. Indeed no stamps
had ever been missed i'll the day They
We're counted in the morning and at
night How the thief MANAGED to
get into the house after dark without
being detected Murtau@h could not
conceive
When sure that no one WAS near to
see him he examined every part of
the little building. especially the cellar
for subterranean passage, but could
find no nassable ingress That Miss
Griggs or her sister could so far out
wit him as to get into the house while
he was there without his knowing it
he felt sire was impossible The
stealing must be committed by some
one elSe-Some one who managed to
ing This person must be able to work
quite noiseessly Whether the exit
was made in the daytime or not was
like all the rest of it-unknown In:
deed. Murtaugh could not find any
possible way any one could get into
the Hiding unless by going down the
chimney. and to do this without be
ing heard would be very difficult
During the time of his operations his
love affair with Miss Griggs was being
brought to head. and when he re-
turned to his chief the only thing he
had to report was that he was engaged
to the person whom he had been sent
to spy on. This he kent to himself.
though Andrews knew of his lovemak-
ing. for he had sent a detective to spy
on his spy
Andrews astonished Murtaugh by dis
charging him. He also transmitted an
order written at his suggestion from
Washington to Miss Griggs that she
was required to make good all the
stamps that had been purloined Since
from the first more than 500 worth
was unaccounted for and the salary at
Trimmingham was but $500 year
Miss Griggs found herself unable to
comply with the order. for she and her
mother and sister needed every cent
of her income.
Murtaugh found another job. Miss
Griggs was permitted to retain her
| place till an enlargement Of the post
office building which was intended
| could be made In taking out side of
the house the workmen laid bare a
space that was filed with fragments
of postage stamps Miss Griggs' desk
had stood against this wall Mice had
gnawed a hole from the wall into the
back Of the desk. which gave them ac-
cess to the drawer in which she kept
the stamps The tiny thieves. attracted
by the gum arabic on the back Of the
stamps. had carried them where they
could feast on it at leisure.
A great deal of sympathy had been
manifested for Miss Griggs by the
townSpeople. who all signed petition
that she should be retained in her po-
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