The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1914-11-05
The ROMANCE Of
A SHOP Girl
Story Of a courtship That
Began In an Odd Way.

Mother said Bessie Childers al
she threw OF her wraps excitedly,
something's wrong at the st1fe."S' y
what is 1t, child?''
sToday at noon l went to the cloak,
room to get my handkerchief. which l
had left my mistake. and found the
large inside pocket of my cloak filled
with laces." - j.,
Good gracious! What did you do?''
II didn't do anything. knew that
was in dangerous position and want
ed to take the right course. went
back to my counter to think 1t over
and concluded during the afternoon to
take the things to the Office and state
the case. but when / went back to the
cloakroom the laces were gone.n
"What are you going to do about it?''
Nothing. If they were taken away
by the thief there's no needsto say
anything; II by detective, thsy will
either accuse me at once or watch me. ;,
Elizabeth Childers was the dsuyhter
Of Archibald Childers. who had livet,
rich and died poor. Her mother taught
music, and Bessie sold fancy articles
in the dry goods store of Banning &
Co. The next day Bertram Banning.
son Of the head Of the firm, walked
past her counter, looking at her with
an expression that might mean any
thing, but surely meant something.
Bessie naturally ascribed 1t to the fact
that she was suspected thief.
But the arrest did not follow. and
the mother and daughter agreed that
the firm was waiting further evidence
Of her guilt. Mr.. Bertram Banning
whenever he passed Bessie's counter
gave her the same interested glance.
She made every effort to appear COM
posed, and she succeeded admirably.
Then one day Mr.. Banning stopped at
her counter and had a little chat with
her. She had no doubt that he was
intending to draw from her some cyl
dence to criminate her, but he, con-
fined himself to very ordinary topics
that could not possibly bear on the
subject Of stolen goods. A few days
later he spoke to her again, this time
intimating that he had made the dis.
covery that she was the daughter Of
the once wealthy banker, Archibald
Childers. .sg
That he had been making inquiries
about her was apparent, though his
detectives had doubtless gathered the
information. The poor girl was in
dreadful suspense. She wished that
it might end even IL by her arrest.
Bertram Banning was evidently sman.
aging the case, and she wondered that
so affable young man with % much
wealth at his command or in pssspect
did not leave such unpleasant matters
to some one else. -
One day Bessie was notified that she
was promoted to higher position at
a very largely increased salary. The
first flash Of pleasure In this advance
was dashed by the suspicion that It
was intended to get her where she
could be the more easily entrapped.
She talked the matter over with her
mother, and they agreed that possibly
the thief Of the laces was at the bot
tom of it all. At any rate, influences
were at work to get positive evidence.
To find stolen goods on her clothing
might not be sufficient. She must be
caught in the act. As she did not in
tend to steal anything she had no, fear
OF being caught, but she did fear do
ing made to stand in the place. of "a
thief. Her suspicious were confirmed
when she found that she was placed
in charge of stock of goods kept In
room by themselves and where she
would be great deal of the time
alone.
The day of her entry on her new du-
ties Bertram Banning came in and
congratulated her on her advance, es.
pecially as she would not have to sell
the goods, only to be responsible for
them. She received him In her usual
constrained manner, and the more In
terested he appeared in her welfare
the more confirmed she became that
he was trying to decoy her of her
guard.
Weeks went by, and as there was no
denouement Of the plot Bessie copclud-
ed that some one had been foiled.
One day Bertram Banning came into
her room with an expression On. his
face that convinced her the bomb was
about to explode. He did not at once
explode it. He beat about the bush
with embarrassment. Finally, bracins
himself for an effort, he said abruptly:
"Miss Childers. I have something
"Oh. don'tv' cried Bessie. covering
her face with her hands.
"You know, then. You have looked
beyond
"Oh. Mr.. Banning. that you should"-
She could not go on. 49,
"And why not? IL there anything
aishonorable in"-
mo. not dishonorable, but IL you
only knew how unjust"
"Unjust?'
Eyes. ] am absolutely innocent.
us it innocent to steal
II did not"
miss Childers. you are thief 81 the
worst kind TIME vOt havo Sfolnu m