The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-11
A DOUBLE
ROBBERY
By ELNOR MARSH

Miss Emily Granger, a maiden lady
Of thirty-eight and nervous, had never
been fifty miles from her quiet country
home. Then came the announcement
that an amt had died and left her a
house ana lot in a distant city. There
was a mortgage Of $1,000 on it, which
Miss Granger desired to pay of. No
other way Of doing this suggested It
self to her than to take currency to the
person holding the mortgage and re-
ceive in return a release. So she drew
the money from her bank and started
on her journey.
Now, the problem before her Of TAX
ing care Of herself was quite enough
without having to look out for her
thousand dollars. She arrived at her
destination at II o'clock at night and
was driven to hotel. A night clerk
received her and told her that the only
room he could give her contained two
beds, and one Of them was already
occupied by lady. Since there was
but one other hotel in the place and
that was undesirable Miss Granger
was obliged to accept roommate.
Being shown to the room, she no
ticed that the two beds were at op-
posite ends of 1t. On one side was
the door, opposite which was a win.
dow. The roommate was apparently
asleep. Miss Granger disrobed, and,
taking the money from that part of
her clothing in which she had pinned
1t, she put 1t under her pillow. Then
she went to bed and to sleep.
She was awakened by hearing some
one moving in the room and that
which resembled white cloud passing
across dark sky passed without fur
Their sound to the door and seemed to
go through without opening it. Miss
Granger raised herself I'm bed and kept
her eyes fixed on the apparition, re-
pressing a desire to scream until it
had disappeared. Then 1t occurred to
her that what she had seen was her
roommate. This led her to thrust her
hand under her pillow. Her money
was gone.
Getting out Of bed, she turned on
light True enough, the woman was
gone, and SO was her clothing. Near
the door a stocking lay on the floor.
Miss Granger picked it up. A wad of
something in it was evident. Miss
Granger, with woman's intuition,
thrust in her hand and withdrew roll
of bills.
Miss Granger was counting the roll
Of bills when she heard persons In the
hall. Hastily turning off the light, she
jumped into bed. She had scarcely
done so when the door was opened,
and the night clerk, entering, turned
on the light He was followed by
half dressed woman.
This lady," said the clerk, accuses
you of having stolen some money be-
longing to her."
That's exactly what the horrid thing
did to mel! cried Miss Granger, trem-
bling with excitement.
The clerk looked puzzled
"She took 1t from under my pillow"
continued the lady, land put IL in her
stocking. Then she tried to steal out
Of the room without my knowing Il.
But she dropped the stocking, and I've
got my money back"
"Oh, my goodness graciousp cried the |
roommate. What story to back I'D |
theft! | heard you moving about
the room, and
you didn't hear any such thing" re-
torted Miss Granger. 81 didn't get out
OF bed till after you had left the room"
Maybe you were nervous" said the
clerk to the roommates. "The last
person to occupy this room complained
or mice in the walls"
"Why don't you make her show what
she's got" replied the roommate to the
clerk.
did you have money with your
asked the clerk of Miss Granger.
when you came herer'
"Yes. whole lot of It"
"How much?"
"A thousand dollars, besides money
for expenses"
LET me see It."
Miss Granger produced the roll she
had taken from the stocking.
what denomination asked thu
clerk before making an examination.
Ten 500 bills and $50 In smaller
bills"
The clerk opened the roll and found
a ten, two fves and six one dollar
bills.
"oh, heavensF' exclaimed Miss
Granger.
You contemplate THEIR snarled thu
roommate trfumphantly.
Miss Granger did not hear. Without
remembering that there was a man
present and she was In her nightgown
she jumped out of bed and began TO
pull 1t about While she was doing so
he clerk took up another roll of bills
rom under the head of the bed.
opening them, he found that they tai.
led with Miss Changers description
II her lost funds.
what rot" he exclaimed impatient.
y, to make all this racket for moth.
ngl I'll know better another time
nan to put two women In the same
.oor,