Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-12-09
The Stolen
:: Porternonnaie
She Foreave the Thief
Twice
BY LILLIAN SHARPE

+ BY LILLIAN SHARPE !
4-s-sss-;-.-s-s-i-s-ss-ii-isis-s-.-i-s-i-sii-sis
A young lady sat In waiting room
at railway station watching tn
clock as its hands moved slowly to
ward the time of departure Of he
train. Presently she turned to satche
on the seat beside her, placed 1t on he
lap, opened it and took out her porte
monnaie. which she laid in the plac'
where her satchel had been.
A young man with curly auburn hal
and brown eyes was sitting at the 9th
er end Of the seat and observed tina
the girl had forgotten to put her porte
monnaie back into the satchel. 81
kept his eyes on her and 1t until sud
denly railroad official called.
'Train for Hamptonw
The young lady started. glanced q
the clock, saw that the hands stood a
fifteen minutes before her train time
remembered that trains are opened II
travellers some time before they leav'
and. grasping her satchel, hurried
away. Seeing the words Ticket OF
fice'' over a window. she remembered
that she had forgotten to provide her
self with ticket and, turning aside
took position at the end of line o.
several persons.
"If that isn't Just like a womanr
said the young man with auburn hail
to himself. and. reaching for the porte
monnaie. he put it in his pocket ant
followed her. taking position next tt
her in the line. When 1t came her tur1
| to purchase a ticket she asked for ont
| to Hampton. Mt the same time opening
her satchel First there was quicl
movement of the top articles. then
| plunge of the hand down into the bag
after this n convulsive stirring up Of
everything.
"Oh. heavens, I've been robbed"
Permit me to pay your fare" sale
the young man behind her. and. taking
out his wallet. he bought ticket fol
her and one for himself. Then they
both made room for those behind them
what shall do?" walled the girl.
"YOu had better get aboard the train
You haven't time to investigate thu
loss Of your portemonnaie, and i
would probably avail nothing If yor
had Was there much in it?"
"Only S7.53, four postage stamps ant
some samples"
What exactness! l wish could re
member things like that Never mind
| have advanced the amount for YOU
ticket You haven't lost very much
Good morning." And he lifted his hal
deferentially.
Now, the young man knew very vel
the girl would not let him 60 without
asking his address that she might re
turn his loan. She asked him for 1t
and he said that 1t would be more con
venient for him to give 1t to her in the
train, so the two went on. He banded
| her OH to the car. took seat beside
her and. producing a card bearing his
name, Nathaniel Meriweather, wrote
his address OH it and handed 1t to her.
why, you live in Hampton! she
exclaimed.
II don't live there. but am going
there"
That he was going there was perfect
ly true. but when he had entered the
station he had just left he had no such
intention. He was going to his home
fifty miles beyond.
"But you have given your street and
number there"
That's the address of friend"
The girl put the card in her satchel,
and Mr.. Meriweather took up the mat
ter of the lost portemonnaie.
WAS any one." he asked. near you
while you were in the statonf"
mo one near enough to get posses
sion of anything that belonged to me
Now. l think Of it. some one was sit
ting on the other end Of the bench
while was waiting for the train"
''Man or womanY''
II think 1t was a man."
Ibid you take out your portemonnaie
while he was thereT
Eyes, l did. l tired Of waiting and
took out this magazine" She still held
It in her hand. ITO do 30 / was oblig'
ed to remove the portemOnnaie and
some other things which laid beside
me. After getting out the magazine
put them all back again into the bag
"Are you sure you put them all
backT
Perfectly"
"Then there can be no doubt about
the matter. The man who sat beside
you must have been an expert al
sleight of hand and contrived to gel
your pocketbook away from you.
was in the station and saw a man sit
ting beside you"
"How careless Of mel Could you
identify the manT
'T think ! could"
what WIS he lfker'
"Well. he was not a very attractive
looking person. but wouldn't have
taken him for thief"
"Did you notice his featuresT
81 noticed one feature He was Z
red headed chap"
The younr lady cast side glance al
her companion's hair.
Anything elseT she asked
Nothing especial. He was LOOKING
at you admiringly. I wonder that N
stole from you"
A girl cat help being pleased at ad
miration e, ON from thief. The young
lady instinctively put her hand to hel
hack hair.
Not long after this. when the train
was nearing Hampton, Mr.. Meriweathel
thought It better that he should have
the young lady's address; he might
meet the man who he declared hat
stolen her pocketbook and II he die
1t would be essential that he commune
cate with her. She gave him bel
name, Alice Deane. and her address
When Hampton was reached Mr.. Meri
weather hauled Hiss Deane of thu
train. and they parted. The next day
the former received from the latter the
amount he had expended for her ticket
Within week Mr.. Meriweathel
wrote Miss Deane that he had seen the
man who sat beside her In the sta
ton, had shadowed him and learned
where he lived. Should he have the
fellow arrestedl Miss Deane replied