The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-16

while rlQlnS ner Moody, anu
he was very much surprised to have
her call him up on the third afternoon
of her latest efforts. That sne "as
disturbed the trembling condition Oh
her voice betrayed, but she would not
explain, she only begged him to come
right home and bring the detectVe
with him, and so Mr.. Bagley. wonder
ing, with visions Of some dire acci-
dent, called up the garage and ordered
his machine at three instead OF seven
a. he had intended, and took the de-
tective with him to his large ana,
when housekeeping was not In prog
ress, very comfortable home. Mrs.
Bagley herself opened the door, Dut
not the sedate, smiling and we'll
dressed Mrs. Bagley that the detective
had formerly seen, but an overplump,
rather shapeless person In Calico
dress and mob cap. who might have
been her own washwoman. She was
simply Mrs. Bagley in her houseclean'
ing raiment, but Mr.. Bagley knew I'M
mediately that something serious mad
happened for his wife to permit a
stranger to view her before she had
passed through the hands of her maid.
What is it, my dear?" MIR. Bagley
asked In some anxiety.
Mrs. Bagley's face was very pale,
but she spoke with composure. Come
upstairs, I have something to show
you BOTH" she said. and the two men
followed her upstairs to the room Mr..
Bagley used as study. There all was
confusion. Books and papers were ly-
ing about in juxtaposition with pals OF
soapy water and cleaning rags. Mr..
Bagley groaned to himself. How often
he had begged his wife to leave this
one room alone even he could not
have counted, but all to no purpose
Mrs Pagley did not hear the groan
| for II did not leave his throat, but she
! knew IL was there, and a triumphant
i expression began to spread over her
face, little dirty, if the truth be told
81 think you will be glad that have
insisted on cleaning this ROOM" she
| said coldly, moving ponderously to
ward the closet, and motioning hel
husband to stand upon a chair just
within the door
Wondering, yet obedient, Mr.. Bag
ley climbed on the cane seat, hoping
he would not go through, peered a
the shelf at the top, then cried ou
loud:
! Rodgers" he said sharply, jumpinl
down.
YES. what is TT" Rodgers asked
spring forward.
You get up there and look" Mr.
' Bagley gasped. narrowly escaping ont
of the pals of soapy water in his ex
citement.
Rodgers in his turn clambered III
on the chair, and incidentally he di'
go through, but managed to save him
self and balanced on the edge, thel
forgot everything at what he saw, 70
there on that shelf. mixed up with dis
carded half-torn envelopes, newspape
clippings and the odds and ends whicl
had accumulated from the last hous
cleaning were neat packages Of bills
and gold and silver.
Jumping wild cats!" he exclaimed
only he did not say exactly thos
words.
Can either of you EXPLAIN" Mrs
Bagley asked In a cold voice
II can't" Mr. Bagley admitted, W
ping his face with one of the cleanin
rags he picked up in his confusion
and thereby decorating his face wit
some streaks of dust.
Rodgers did not say anything, BIZ
raked of the money and then 81
down on the bare floor and bega
counting 1t. It was all there to tn
last roll OF 25 pennies, all that ha
been stolen from the safe on the tw
occasions when it was robbed.
Mrs. Bagley folded her arms on he
ample bosom and watched until sh
saw that the detective had finishe
; counting, and then fired at him:
And now will you solve this my
tery?"
!, Rodgers looked up at her. smiled
little and asked quietly:
Does Mr. I,agley walk in h
Sleep"
''Of course not" Mr.. Bagley snappe
rubbing his nose vigorously snd di
; tributing the dust pretty evenly ov'
his red face
Mrs. Bagley smiled in a way N
: Bagley had always found very irrits
ing, and said coldly:
Yes he has for years.
Matilda" Mr.. Bagley began, but h
wife gave him look and he subside
! Ever since he had grip ten yea
ago. | have never let him know. b
| have been very uneasy about it ar
T. yet never thought he could rob hil
; self, and not know it,"
: 81 never" Mr.. Bagley started to sa
but Rodgers interrupted to ask:
You don't mean to say that VI
, knew what you were doing?" and
: he subsidized and Mrs. Bagley and Il
detective counted the money agai
while Rodgers explained that witho
doubt Bagley had been worried upt
both occasions over the money bell
left In the safe, and had gone after
:, In the middle of the night. At al
u rate it was reasonable explanati,
a and Mr. Bagley was forced to belle
" it, but il has made him very chary
judging others, and he has refused
serve on the jury more than once. +
as he says:
:, "Circumstantial evidence is som
thing that makes YOU believe SON
thing that Won feel cannot ha 60 .,