Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-06-26
By LUCY x. wYNKooP


fellow and withal very handsome
nothing at all like thief-and l was
about to say something to make him
feel more comfortable when | noticed
that my trunk, which had left closed
stood open an5 the articles l had laid
in 1t carefully were much disarranged.
| ran to it and found certain articles
parcels recently purchased-missing.
Then | was convinced that l had
caught thief in my room who pre-
tended that he was there by mistake.
1 went to the electric button and was
about to press it when he seized my
wrist and said:
For heavens sake, what are you
going to do?"
Summon assistance" l didn't feel
afraid of him. WhytI don't know, un-
less it was his manner. which was
very deferential
"You don't need assistance. And II
you and l are caught here together in
your bedroom the consequences will be
unfortunate, to say the least assure
you that have got into the wrong
ROOM"
"Who has robbed me?"
Robbed you"
"Yes; articles are missing from that
trunk"
He at once turned his pockets inside
out to show me that he did not have
my property. Indeed. the lost arti-
cles were too bulky to be on his per-
son. besides being quite valueless. l
was puzzled
81 don't understand it." l said.
"Nor l. But I'm not going to remain
here to hunt for an explanation, Be
lieve me, If am found here 1t would
reflect upon you. woman, far more
than on me. a man."
Go" cried. 1T is bad enough to
be robbed without any additional mis-
fortune"
He slipped out of the door and left
me standing over my trunk, bewilder
ed. My brain was filed with conflict
ing conjectures concerning him. He
bore the stamp of gentleman, and YET
surely he was a thief and by some
trick had got away with my property
However. there was nothing for me
to do. so far as | could see. but pocket
my loss and say nothing about it. This
course commended itself to me, be
cause If the man were innocent | die
not wish to accuse him. The articles
lost were not of sufficient value tC
make it worth while to appear against
him in court, even if could find him
which was not probable. Besides, Il
he were what he pretended to be Il
might make trouble for me.
Some months later I made another
trip to the city and with me was my
mother, and while walking along the
street met the man l had found in my
room In company with a lady, whose
appearance was as refined as that ot
the man. l remarked to myself tina
If he were a thief he certainly hat
very aristocratic looking associates
He saw me. recognized me and turned
pale. But as we were face to face bu
J a moment | could not see how lasting
was his emotion.
One day when I was at home I saw
in a paper an item headed Capture O.
Noted Hotel Thief" The article wen
on to say that thief whose assurance
was unlimited and who was maste
, of all sorts of subterfuges had beeI
caught in a certain hotel and had con
, fessed, turning over plunder that h
had been a long time accumulating
The description fitted the man hat
, found in my room at the Arlington.
I gave up all idea Of his innocence. l
gave me something Of pang to do SO
, and yet why could not tell
|. few days later l received a not
, from the proprietor Of the Arlington
. repeating what l had read in the news
t paper and saying that packages bear
: ing my name had been recovered
| Should he send them to me or woulC
: call for them? The latter course wa
Q advised went Immediately to tn
= city and to his hotel.
!. identified some property as belong
|. ing to me. and it was returned. wa
3 unAlOuS " otC luC IulClt OuL SOuio ho
e get sight of him without going to jail
;, which | would not do. Before l lef
: the landlord sent up to my room t
p know II l would meet him in the Ia
e dies parlor. |, went down, and ther
:. beside the proprietor was the man
had found in my room.
'"This is Mr.. Brainard," said the pre-
prietor, "who desires to offer you a
s apology for something that occurre
F.? in this house some time ago. MI
9 Brainard is patron of my house an
IS gentleman of the best social stand
ing"
"I am exonerated," said Mr.. Brair
II ard. "and a mystery is explained. Thi
hotel thief who has been captured wa
in your room Intentionally before &c
!. into II by mistake"
!" In Mr.. Brainard found friend W.T.
has now been such many years.