The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-10-10
the coat on her arm.

the coat on n0r arm.
II the officer had any suspicious they
were lulled by the woman's return.
And when she left the room second
time with Thorpe's coat there was
great relief IN her heart. The moment
she was out Of the Aflcer's sight she
put her hand ia the pocket Of the coat
to assure herself that what she had
placed in it was still there. She felt
1t and hurried on, transferring It as
she did 80 to her own person. During
her previous absence from below she
had investigated the route Of escape
by the roaf and now kept ON till she
reached it. Emerging from the scut-
tie, she ran to the next building, which
was but a few feet lower, jumped
down on to 1t, ran over several build
ings Of the same height and disappear
ed down the scuttle of the fifth house
from the one from which she had
started
When some time had passed and the
girl did not return Thorpe began to
show signs Of impotence. He pro-
posed to go after her, but the officer
tnterposed. Thorpe waited a little
longer, then said:
Il fear that If I do not go up at
once shall lose my valuables."
why sof" asked the officer "Sure-
" your wife would not steal from
you.'
"She is not my wife. 1 never saw
her before today. She Joined me on
the street. presume she ts'-
The officer waited not to hear the
rest, but, springing up, ran to the door,
gave shril whistle, then ran up
stairs, followed by several other men.
Every room In the house was search
ed. including Thorpe's apartments. Be-
sides his overcoat, several articles Of
value were missing. He was aston
ished, thinking that, after all he had
been robbed by a woman who had
worked on his sympathies for the pur-
pose. But the police disabused his
mind Of this theory. They knew bet
ter. They had been on the track Of a
woman they knew well. This one they
did not know, but while chasing the
other had come to suspect her. She
had fooled them by placing herself I'M
der Thorpe's wing and pretending to
be bis wife. But Thorpe was believed
to be entirely innocent In the matter
and was not troubled even to make an
explanation.
One day Thorpe was accosted on the
street by an old woman who asked for
aims He was turning away from her
when she said in low tone:
II am the girl you saved from Eibe-
ria"
Thorpe scrutinized her and saw that
her white hair was a wig; the wrin-
kles in her face were skillfully painted.
He asked her to give him an account
Of herself since he saw her last After
telling him how she escaped she con-
tinued:
"The article slipped in your over
coat pocket was a bomb. l had re-
ceiyed 1t few minutes before 1 joined
you from a worker in the cause of
Russia's liberation. When / was per-
mitted to go upstairs for my passport
could have escaped, but l was I'M
willing to leave you, my benefactor,
with the bomb in your overcoat pock-
ct. Your asking me to carry your coat
upstairs solved the problem. / robbed
you Of certain articles that it might
appear to the police that was a COM
mon thief who had deceived you. This
would avoid duplicating you in pro-
tecting revolutionist. When 1t is
safe to do so the articles will be re
turned to you"
"Who are you" asked Thorpe.
II am the daughter of noble. My
home Is in the province of Vologda.
came into the revolutionary party
through teaching the children on my
fathers estate. / am now a steady
worker for the cause. But / expect to
be taken In time and sent to Siberia.
have made many narrow escapes and
should have been taken when / attach
ed myself to you had 1t not been for
the stupidity Of the officer who de-
manded my passport. l have stopped
you to thank you for what you did for
me and to say that your property will
be returned to you You are hence
forth while In Russia under the care Of
the revolutionists and have nothing to
fear"
She turned away from Thorpe, and
he never saw or heard of her again.