The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-13
DAMAGING EVIDENCE
BY LESLIE CONNER.

One by one the men in the bank re
turned from their vacations with tales I
of prowess and skill which varied &C
cording to age and circumstances, from |
Mr.. 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 moose. The heads
were at taxidermist's and when they
were ready the moose was to hang
in the bank
| In due time the head arrived. 1t
really was wonderful. with antlers like
| the boughs of an old oak.
Virginia stopped her work 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
hardware store to buy pair of scis
sors. AS she entered, the window dis
play held her, for as a background
for 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-'ts Mr.. Moneys been heap
O. years coilectin them things. An it
was dern sight finer before he sold
the moose. didn't want him to do
it."
Gould you-do you know who
bought it,"
After a rummage in the safe. Yes,
here tbs. November twenty ninth. One
hundred and seventy-fve dollars. Rich
ard d. Barrymore"
The next day Virginia went to shop
in 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 ii. Dick occupied seat alone
and Virginia knew that the buckled
bag beside him contained twenty thou
sand dollars.
by twos and thrccs along the road,
the car was discharging its passen-
gers. Dick slept.
Hardly anyone was left but them
n selves Virginia discovered that even
0 the conductor had disappeared some
I where up front If were dishonest,
I could easily appropriate that bag and
get off at the next stop"
Then little imp of mischief perched
on a curl just over her ear. DO II
o anyway" he whispered, land give him
scare" And another imp moved
d 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 cal
stopped at Truesdale Virginia got of
/ with Dicks satchel and twenty thou
a sand dollars,
& Early the next day she set out fol
r. the bank. arriving before any of thu
Il men. She locked the bag in her owl
closet and waited. But, to her perplex
ity, there was no commotion.
: Virginia felt that she must be los
10 ing her mind. But determined to car
q ry her point, she took the bag home
Is again that night
2, The bell rang at eight. and she fair
v ly gasped with relief when Dick Bar
rymore came in.
Good evening. Miss Dale. w,
= come, II you don't mind for my bag
She started.
he 81 was only pretending sleep. Their
is / There wasn't anything in the bag blu
< few stones
N Dick became very serious and look
ed at her oddly Are you sure yo
meant to be honest?"
;" why, Mr. Barrymore"
III "Well-I have no way of knowing.
s. But surely you know me bette
s. than that I-oh. you must know
A. am honest"
. But you don't think l ann"
She flushed and loo ked away quicl
ly. 81 never thought you'd steal, no
:, But I just had an idea that-oh tina
old moose head had worried me 81
:. You just bought 1t. so there!"
: 81 killed that moose with my ow
hands,
She looked her scorn
:, He laughed. You poor little soul
" II was mean revenge of mine to to-
- ment you SO. Why, dear. | love tn
=, very ground you walk on. Virgini;
Nv can you ever forgive me enough
:. care for me just lttle?"
- "Per-perhaps! If you promise NJ
to play any more Jokes
| ICnnvripht hu In NIr(,Ilira Nnr,,sn