Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-09-15

few ribbons. anyway"
"If she takes ribbons, she'll take
other things. I'll always feel I can't
trust" Then as Emma entered with
the coffee: did you have a busy
day, dear? Many people in?"
Emma's usually placid face was
slightly flushed. Had she been lis
tening? Helen waited until they were
IN the library, out Of the reach of pos
sible eavesdropping, then she went on
heatedly:
Its the feeling that she goes
through my things when I'm out
that's what makes me wild! That rib
bon was in a box way in the back
of the drawer-she had to go through
everything to find it."
Lock your door"
ooh, can't lock up things! won't
have a girl I can't trust!"
well, it's up to you. Fire her if
you want to-but she's an Al cook"
And, drawing up chair for his feet,
Warren settled back with the paper.
Helen took up the last Woman's
Journal and turned to ''The Wars In
fuence on Early Spring Fashions"
Her mind passed unmeaningly over
the words. She was thinking Of some
narrow lace in the same drawer with
that ribbon-and all that sachet she
had brought from London!
Throwing down the magazine,
Helen ran into her room and got out
the lace. There was so much of it,
several yards might have been cut off;
she could not tell. Put the sachet was
all there-four unopened bottles, the
one on her dresser and one she had
given Carrie.
While she had these things out,
Helen started to straighten her draw
the problem of Emma.
What's going on in there?" called
Warren complainingly, who, although
buried in his paper, always wanted
her with him in the evening.
'In just a minute, dear; I'm putting
away some things"
Before going back to the library,
Helen went out to the kitchen to
speak about the corn mullins for
breakfast. But Emma was not there
She had hurried through her dishes
and was gone-probably to the
movies with Mrs. Carson's maid.
The kitchen was dark, but in
Emma's room the light was still
burning. AS Helen went in to turn
it off, she glanced about disapprov-
ingly.
The dusty bureau was Uttered with
cards. One of the drawers was half
open, giving a glimpse Of the confu.
sion within.
Helen stood with her hand raised
to switch off the light, struggling with
a sudden impulse to look through
Emma's things. She had always re.
spected the privacy Of girls room
but Emma had taken that ribbon and
she had right to know If she had
taken anything else.
Hesitatingly she turned to the
dresser and opened the top drawer
| Underneath a tangle of soiled hand
kerchiefs, collars and ribbons, Helen
was amazed to find a number Of
things she had thrown away
broken comb, velvet rose, ar
empty perfume bottle and some ole
white gloves.
Why had she saved those worth
less things? 1t could hardly be called
dishonest, but it showed a desire tt
hoard that Helen did not like.
In the next drawer were an old sill
petticoat and lace yoke that onl.
last week she had wrapped in {;
bundle and put on the dumb waiter
So Emma had unwrapped the bundl
and taken them out!
Helen turned from the bureau L
the narrow closet. AS she opened tn
door an old straw hat of Warren
tumbled down from the upper shelf
What could the girl want with that
A hasty search disclosed nothin
else. With a thorough distaste 70
the work, Helen shut the closet door
but a roll of clothes kept it fror
latching. AS she lifted the bundle t
push it back-underneath, in a tor
bit of tissue paper, cleaned some
thing pink aud satiny.
Haleu caught it up It was owe
two yards Of wide ribbon-enough t
run in skirt
The next moment she was in tn
ilibrary, shaking the ribbon at Wa
rem with an excited, vehement "Thi