Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-11-20
THE ROMANCE OF
A SHOP GIRL
Story of a Courtship That
Began In an Odd Way.

Mother" said Bessie Chiders as
she threw off her wraps excitedly,
something's wrong at the store"
What is it. child:'
To-day at noon | went to the cloak.
room to get my handkerchief. which
had left my mistake, and found the
large inside pocket of my cloak filed
with laces."
Good gracious: What did you do?"
II didn't do anything. knew that
was in a dangerous position and want
ed to take the right course. | went
back to my counter to think it 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"
what are you going to do about it?''
Nothing. II they were taken away
by the thief there's no need to say
anything; If by detective. they will
either accuse ME at once or watch me-"
Elizabeth Childers was the daughter
Of Archibald Childers. who had live,i
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 it to the fact
that she was a 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 admira bly,.
Then one day Mr.. Banning stopped at
her counter and had little chat With
her. She had no doubt thaa he was
intending to draw from her some evil.
dence to criminate her. bIt 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.
That he had been malSins 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 if by her arrest.
Bertram Banning was evidently man.
aging the case. and she wondered that
so affable a young man with so much
wealth at his command or in prospect
did not leave such unpleasant matters
to some one else.
One day Bessie was notified that she
was promoted TO a higher position at
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 IUlcI OI the faces WIS nj Tue Dot>
tom of it all. At any rate, influences
were at work to get positive evidence
To End stolen goods on her clothing
might net 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 be-
| ing made to stand in the place of a
thief. Her suspicious were confirmed
when she found that she was placed
| in charge Of a stock of goods kept in
a room by themselves and where she
would be a 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