Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-03-05

| spring. ooh, Miss Cobb, If only he
would use little bit of sensei'
Her? she raid. HE nothingl It's
that Summers woman I'm talking
about, Minnie. 1 knew that woman
wasn't what she ought to be the min
ute l set eyes on her"
/ The Summers woman!" l repeated.
Miss Cobb leaned over the railing
and shook finger in my face.
''The Summers woman" she said.
/ One of the chambermaids found my
my protectors hanging in the crea-
lures closet!"
couldn't speak There had been
| SO much happening that I'd clean for
! gotten Miss Cobb and her wooden
/ tights. And now to have them come
back like this and hang themselves
around my neck, so to speak-it was
too much.
"Per-perhaps they're hers" I said
weakly after minute.
Stuff and nonsense!" declared Miss
/ Cobb Don't you think l know my
own, with L. G. in white cotton on the
! band, and my own darning in the knee
where I slipped on the ice? And more
than that, Minnie, where those tights
are, my letters are!"
I glanced at the pantry, where her
| letters were hidden on the upper shelf
The door was closed.
"But-but what would she want
with the letters?" 1 asked, with my
teeth fairly hitting together. Miss
Cobb pushed her forefinger into my
| shoulder.
ITO blackmail me-" she said, in
tragic voice, cor perhaps to publish.
I've often thought of that myself
| they're SO beautiful. Letters from a
| life insurance agent to his lady-love-
interesting, you know, and alliterative.
As for that woman"
What woman!" said Miss Sum-
mers' voice from behind US. We
jumped and turned. 81 always save
myself trouble, so if by any chance
/ you are discussing me"
"As 1t happens" Miss Cobb said
| glancing at her, 81 was discussing
you"
"FIne!" said Miss Julia. 81 love to
| Lalk ABOUT mySeH.
! It doubt if it's an edifying subject"
Miss Cobb snapped.
! Miss Julia looked at her and smiled.
Perhaps not" she said, but inter-
esting. Don't put yourself out to be
friendly to me, Miss Cobb, If you don't
| feel like it."
Are you going to return my let
fa,~
Your letters?"
MY letters-that you took out of my
room!"
Look here" Miss Julia said. still
in good humor, don't you suppose
I've got letters of my own, without
bothering with another woman's?"
Perhaps" Miss Cobb replied in tri-
umph, perhaps you will say that you
don't know anything of my-of my
black wooden protectors?"
Never heard of them!' said Miss
Summers. What are they?" And
then she caught my eye, and I guess
I looked stricken. Obi" she said.
Miss Cobb was robbed the other
night" I explained, as quietly as l
could. Somebody went into her room
and took bundle of letters"
"Letters!" Miss Summers straight
ened and looked at me-
And my wooden tights" said Miss
Cobb Indignantly. And I'll tell you
this, Miss Summers, your dog got
in my room that night, and while I
have no suspicious, the chambermaid
found my-er-missing garment this
morning in your closet!"
q don't believe" Miss Julia said,
looking hard at me, that Arabella
would steal anything so-er-gro-
tesque! Do you mean to say" she
added slowly, that nothing was taken
from that room but the-lingerie and
buadle of letters ?"
Exactly" said Miss Cobb, and I'd
thank you for the letters"
The letters!" Miss Julia retorted.
I've never been III your room l
haven't got the letters. I've never
seen them" Then light dawned in
her face. I-oh, it's the funniest
| ever!''
And with that she threw her head
/ back and laughed until the tears rolled
down her cheeks and she held her
/ side.
'Screaming!" she gasped It's
screaming! But, oh, Minnie, to have
seen your facet"
Miss Cobb swept to the door and
turned in fury.
81 do not think it is funny" she
stormed, "and l shall report to Mr..
Carter at once what I have discoY-
cred"
She banged out, and Miss Julia put
her head on a card table and writhed
with Joy ITO have seen your face,
Minnie!" she painted, wiping her eyes.
ITO have thought you had Dick Car
ters letters, that l keep rolled in as
bestos, and then TO have opened them
and found they were to Miss Cobb"
BE as happy as you like" snapped,
but you are barking up the wrong
tree. ! don't know anything about
any letters and as far as that goes,
do you think I've lived here fourteen
years to get into the wrong room at
night? If I'd wanted to get into your
room, I'd have found your room, not
Miss Cobb's"
She sat up and pulled her hat
Whom he no