The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-03


officer, intending to give her as much
time as possible to make her escape.
During this period Thorpe was think
ing how she could get away. There
was a rear staircase by which she
might descend into lack yard and
thence gain another street. But II
was likely that there were others ON
the lookout, and it was possible that
her flight by this route would be inter-
cepted. Other houses about the same
height as the one they were in flanked
It, and she might escape by the roof.
In any event If she succeeded Thorpe
would be left to the mercy Of the Rus
sian government
What was his smazement to see her
re-enter the room.
my dear" she said. II wish you
would go upstairs and see If you can
ind my passport. thought I left 1t
In nv trunk when went out. and.
though have turned everything up
side down, l haven't found It think
that must have placed 1t in your
trunk, but 1t is locked and I could not
open 1t. Go and see II 1t is not there. :"
What could her return mean but
that she had found that she could not
sacrifice her benefactor and had come
back to permit him to escape instead
of herself? He was not to be placed
in the position Of accepting such
sacrifice from a woman. Taking a
bunch Of keys from his pocket. he
handed them to her, telling her to go
herself and look for her passport in
his trunk. She demurred at first, but
when he handed her his overcoat. ask
ing her to take it up with her, she con-
scented and again left the room, with
the coat on her arm.
If 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 a
great relief In her heart. The moment
she was out of the officers sight she
put her hand in 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 so to her own person. During
her previous absence from below she
had investigated the route of escape
by the roof and now kept on till she
reached it. Emerging from the scut-
tie, she ran to the next building, which
was but 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 60 after her. but the officer
interposed. Thorpe waited a little
longer, then said:
Il fear that If do not 60 up at
once | shall lose my valuables."
why sO?' asked the officer. Sure
ly your. wife would not steal from
you"
W
her before today. She Joined me on
the street. | presume she is''-
The officer waited not to hear the
rest, but. springing up, ran to the door.
gave a shrill 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 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 un.
der ThOrpe's wing and pretending to
be his 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 foc
aims. He was turning away from her
when she said in low tone:
II am the girl you saved from Sibe-
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.
unued:
THE article slipped in your over.
coat pocket was a bomb. l had re-
ceived II few minutes before | 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 un
willing to leave you. my benefactor
with the bomb in your overeoat peck
ct Your asking me to carry your coat
upstairs solved the problem. robbed
you of certain articles that it Nigh,
appear to the police that was a com
mon thief who had deceived you. This
would avoid duplicating you in pro