The Washington herald., 1914-01-18
iOop1right, l9li.l
toopyrsht, lsli.)
DASSING through the Thames
- Embankment Gardens one cold,
bleak afternoon in March,

of me. As he spoke she turned ner
head, and, having looked at him, start
ed runningS as for life The man
stopped, stared after her, and
laughed; then, turning on his heels
began to retrace his steps. j saw his
face quite clearly. Words which he
muttered to himself were framed upon
his lips, sufficiently obvious for me
TO follow them:
Very well, my dear, you wait a
bit You haven't quite learned your
lesson yet
He was a nondescript-looking sort of
person-indeed, although he was, per-
haps, not more than thirty, in sense
the whole man showed signs of wear.
As he neared me he had the impert-
inence to smile. l decided that there
was something about him which / did
not like at all.
When l got ON to the Embankment
] saw, on the other side of the road,
the woman who had run away. She
was leaning against the wall beside the
river, holding one hand against her
side, gasping for breath. My curiosity
aroused, l asked her:
What did he say to you? What
sort of man was he'
"He-was the man-who-was the
cause-of all my trouble. lost my
situation-because of him.
How was that
"He-made them think-I had stolen
things, and-I hadn't. They-turned
me away-without a character. +
haven't been able-to get-another Sit
uation since, and-Tm nearly starving.
| believed her; / had seen hungry
women before.
Come with me-" l said; well get
something to eat"
| took her to popular restaurant IN
the Strand. | had to take her arm IN
mine to enable her to get so far
In reply to my questions, she told
me that her name was Maggie Harris.
She had been a nursery governess IN
family in Camden Town. They
lived over a sort of fancy shop, from
which they got their living. She had
been with them nearly year. Then
things began to be missed, both from
the house and the shop. Suspicion be-
gan to fasten on her. There was an
assistant in the shop named Turner
This man made overtures to her
which she resented. One day num-
her of new goods were missing from
the shop. While she was out with the
children her master and mistress
searched her room;. she telt sure II
was at Turner's suggestion. The miss
ing articles were found IN her oox
Her employers turned her out on to
the pavement there and then. Iha'
was six weeks ago. She had been try
ing to find other employment ever
since, and had failed.
Practically she was without friend
in the world, without penny, and
with no prospects of earning one. sc
! took her home with me.
was at that time in occupation oi
fiat in Sloane Gardens. Fifteen oil
sixteen days had gone by when, one
morning, there was a ringing at my
front door, and Miss Marshall came
rushing into the sitting-room, where
was at work with Maggie Harris. Miss
Agatha Marshall had the fiat immedi'
atelv below mine. She was rather
eccentric person, somewhere in the
thirties, who, although possessed OF
considerable means, found 1t dlthcul'
to induce a servant to stay with her.
"Oh. Miss Lee" she exclaimed
there have been thieves in my fiat
They have taken my mothers pear
necklace
4 expect" | said. you have mislaid
the necklace. You will find it present
". when you have searched again..
Miss Lee, you don't know what YOU
are talking about" All at once hel
tone was angry. Last night | placed
it in the biscuit box filled it myself
with biscuits and put the necklace al
the bottom Just now, when l weni
into the dining-roon, there were the
biscuits on the table, the box was
empty, and the necklace was gone:
| gave one or two directions to Mag
gle Harris and went downstairs with
Miss Marshall.
Her story seemed to be correct. The
pearl necklace did appear to have gone
and other things besides.
The mystery was how the robbery
had been effected Presently we hao
up Wheeler, the hall porter, and a po,
liceman who was fetched off his beat
Both these persons were of opinion
that entry had been gained by the
simple process of unlocking the outer
door of the lady's fat, while the por
ter was certain that no Suspicion:
character had entered the building
after the lady herself had returned
Just before midnight.
When | went back to my own sit
ting-room l found Maggie Harris still
writing. My intention was not to keel
her in my employment, but | felt tina
a months rest would not do her an,
harm, and at her request l had giver
her work of my own to do. The mor'
| saw of the girl the more l liked her
Directly l appeared she said yer,
singular thing.
Wherever go a robbery immedi
ately follows. It's happened again ant
again. Pm not thief. But it seem
| might just as we'll be. You had bet
ter have me locked up or turned into
the street"
not for the first time, by the pallor o.
her cheeks, her bloodless lips, and he
shining eyes. = ..-
Il take it, Maggie said l. "tha
you did not steal Miss Marshah's pear
necklace and the rest of her belong
ings?"
Z didn'tl / didn't, Don't you know