The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-13

/ eH Miss 0fattau 70 tuo cfockorJ
department, as he had threatened
he was evidently about to do 30, wher
something she said in describing the
customer she suspected made him
hesitate and take on a puzzled look
and after a time to remark:
| After you have taken stock
tonight you may find the missing lace
At any rate. let it 60 for a day OF
two"
Why the change in him? Did he
suspect her, and was he going to have
her watched? Was he going to have
ner mothers house searched?
Yes. Miss Grattan was engaged to
Mr.. Traver, the head Of the furniture
department: but the fact had not
been publicly announced. These en-.
sagements seldom appear in the So
ciety journals. It's two or three days
on under protest. marriage, a fat
and then one hears no more. 1t may
be spoken of in tho store for a day.
but only by employees.
On the evening Of the last theft
mentioned the matter was talked over
between the lovers. Mr.. Traver was
man OF action. He had a sister
who was not known at the store, and
next day she was a customer at the
lace counter. She didn't make a pur.
chase. but she kept her eyes open.
The next day she was at the glove
counter. On the next she was back
at the lace counter.
Perhaps one Of the store detectives
became suspicious and followed her
about for time; perhaps one Of the
four girls at the lace counter hoped
to ind her shoplifting and see her
punished. She was there, undeter.
mined whether to buy or not when
The young lady of the auto swept |
INTO the store and up to the counter. |
She was gracious and patronizing.
She wanted expensive lace to send
o girl friend In tho country. Miss
3rattan waited on her and watched
Ter. Never had she watched a Gus
omer SO closely. Miss Traver sus-
'ended her buying to leave the store
md order a public auto to wait in
ront Of it.
At the end of half an hour her
uarry came out and entered her own
uto and speeded away. She was fol-
owed and her residence located.
he had not left the store above q
uarter of an hour when the white
aced and shaking Miss Grattan was
p In the ONCE reporting to Mr..
'evins:
"The young lady whom I suspected
few days ago came for more lace
'day and bought $50 worth. She had
ardly gone when I missed Ave yards
alued at more than that" Il
HIN! You will apply for your SAL Y
y this evening. We can no longer
ford to keep you here. The other
~, when told you to wait a bit,
fought l had clue to solve the
'oblem; but 1t seems that was
lstaken. shall transfer the other
ris to the crockery department. The
ur OF you are a careless lot, but you
e the worst"
An hour later Mr.. Traver asked for
"oIu Win Mr.. Nev1nS.
III it's about Miss Grattan, I don't ,
Ssh to hear It," was the answer.
But 1t isn't. It's about the shop
ter at the lace counter. know
r and know her place Of resi-.
nee"
''You-you do!"
And II you get out a search war 4
Mt before she can mail away the
e she lifted this afternoon It will :
found in her house. My sister fol.
we'd her today"
Mr.. Nevins bent forward on h,s
sk and hid his face in his hands.
q 1t was three long minutes before
raised 1t to say:
II suspected-I knew. but
mt want any one else to know
u and Miss Grattan are engaged
'ase 30, both of you. Your wed.
g gift from the firm will be de
'ush to set you up in business ma
see, Miss-Miss Isle is a klepto. tn
MAC. and can't-can't-" OF
md his face was in his hands Sc
IN when Mr.. Traver softly with un
". society wondered and by and 10