The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-04-14
DAMAGING EVIDENCE
BY LESLIE CONNER.

BY LESLIE CONNER. I
One by one the men in the bank 70.
turned from their vacations with tales
OF prowess and skill which varied &C.
cording to age and circumstances. from
~. Witherspoon. the president, to
Johnny Doubleday, who ran errands.
Barrymore was last. "But not least"
thought Virginia Dale with amuse.
ment.
Dick departed to the Canadian
woods. and returned. as Virginia had
predicted, with a story Of two wonder.
full bucks and q moose. The heads
we're ct q taxidermist's and when they
were ready the moose was to hang
In the bank.
In due time the head arrived. It
really was wonderful, with antlers like
the boughs of an old oak.
Virginia stopped her work a minute
to watch the hanging. Dick turned at
the same instant and their eyes met.
Something in the girls expression
made Dick flush. After that, she was
doubly sure she was right, for Dick
had all the appearance of guilt.
A few weeks later, she went into q
hardware store to buy a pair of scis-
isors. AS she entered, the window dis
play held her, for as a background
for q lot of firearms, cartridges and
hunting knives, were hung the heads
of all kinds of animals.
That is a fine collection of ami
mails" she said to the salesman.
The old man scratched his head.
'Yes-'tis. Mr.. MONEYS been a heap
O. years %collectin' them things. An it
was a dern sight finer before he sold
the moose. I didn't want him to do
it."
"Could you-do you know who
bought it,"
After q rummage In the safe. Eyes,
here tits. November twenty ninth. One
hundred and seventy-ive dollars. Rich.
ara u. barrymore.
The next day Virginia went to shop
in q city sixty miles away. She board.
ed an interurban car to return in the
afternoon when she saw Dick Barry.
more just ahead. The only vacant
seat was right behind him and she
took it. Dick occupied a seat alone
and Virginia knew that the buckled
bag beside him contained twenty thou.
sand dollars.
By twos and threes along the road.
the . was discharging its passen.
gers. Dick slept.
Hardly anyone was left but them.
selves. Virginia discovered that even
the conductor had disappeared some
where up front. If 1 were dishonest,
I could easily appropriate that bag and
get of at the next stop"
Then q little imp of mischief perched
on . curl just over her a do 1t
anyway" he whispered, and give him
q scare" And another imp moved
her arm over the seat and
closed her fingers around the
handle Of the bag. Shaking, she lifted
It over the back and when the car
stopped at T%ruesdale Virginia got of
with Dicks satchel and twenty thou.
sand dollars.
EARLY the next day she set out for
the bank, arriving before any of the
men. She locked the bag in her own
closet and waited. But. to her perplex.
tty, there was no commotion.
Virginia felt that she must be los.
ing her mind. But, determined to car.
~ her point. she took the bag home
again that night
The bell rang 1t eight. and she fair.
" gasped with relief when Dick Bar.
ignore came in.
Good evening. Miss Dale. I've
come, II you don't mind. for my bag
She started.
II swaasonly pretending sleep. There
vas Q rumor I was to be robbed.
There wasn't anything in the bag but
few stoneas"
Dick became very serious and look.
Cd at her oddly. "Are you ire you
meant to be honest?"
why, Mr.. barrymore"
welt have no way Of knowing"
But surely you know me better
than that I-oh. you must know !
an honest" ST.
..But you don't think I amp
She flushed and looked away quick.
". II. never thought you'd steal, no!