The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-03-30

WAS not ordinary. IT was rurtive.
tense and nervously iDdecisive.
There was chair In corner of the
hall. and he sat down In 1t and got up
again In an unnatural way. as IL his
action had been part of a mild night
mare. i saw his right hand lowering
around the breast pocket of bis coat.
and ! knew that that pocket held I'M
usual contents. Finally he glanced to-
ward the door of the reception room.
caught glimpse. suppose, of my OBJ
serving eyes in the mirror. and imme-
diately his distress increased.
by all MEANS" said in response to
u renewed suggestion by my hostess, IL
should be very much pleased to meet
Mr.. KronOld."
| Upon this we crossed to the drawing
room, the butler holding the curtain for
our convenience and entering after us
in response to a sign from his mistress.
who doubtless required some small
service of him. though what it was she
could not remember. for the excite.
ment of tie next few minutes obliter-
atcd the matter from her mind.
Mr.. Kronold seemed oblivious of our
coming. His back was toward us; his
eyes were intent upon the score, for it
appeared that he was playing some
thing new to his repertory, purchase
of that afternoon. This circumstance
may account for the fact that he was
giving his third rendition Of it when
we entered. l remembered having
heard those chords while the butler
was admitting me to the house and
again while Mrs. Culver and l We're
talking In the reception room.
I think that Mrs. Culver was about
to make a gesture to me, indicating
that we should wait In silence for the
conclusion Of the piece. but a sudden
shock OF surprise arrested her. Fol-
lowing the direction Of her glance, I
saw plain table. which stood in the
center Of the room, seemingly an ad-
dition to the ordinary furniture, and
now Uttered with great number ..
unframed engravings, upon the midst
Of which there lay a lady's hand bag.
The mouth Of the bag was open and
gaped at us pathetically like dying
fish.
Where Is my money" said Mrs.
Culver in a strained and whispering
tone, and could have fancied that she
addressed the question to the empty
bag and that the inanimate creatures
open mouth replied in the popular
phrase of the day, "You can search
me-"
The gifted Kronold wheeled about
upon the piano stool and .sprang to his
feet.
"Why, Mrs. Culver" he cried. sure
ly it's not possible ~
I interrupted him by suddenly ad-
dressing Derby, the. butler, who was
about to withdraw from the scene.
Don't 60" said /, and then to Mrs.
Culver: "Pardon~me, think 1t is i'm
portant that Derby should remain. I
saw him enter this room and leave 1t,
and since then he has not been out of
my sight So if anything is missing
he has a perfect opportunity to prove
his innocence Immediately. In justice
to him I could not see him lose this
chance by absenting himself at this
juncture."
Derby's distress was extreme and
was no doubt at all that the missing
money was in the mans breast pocket.
what was the sum?v asked Mrs.
Culver. "And in'what form was itY'
mot quite $4,000" she replied.
There were nine $1,000 bills" and she
gave me the whimsical womanly rea-
sons which had led her to close her
account with certain bank and take
the sum in cash.
"And you carried so much money in
that bag?" said I. 1T was risk"
"Ah, but this is not an ordinary bag"
said she, and, taking 1t from the table,
she closed it and gave it to me. LET
me see you open it."
I was unable to do so, for there was
secret spring most ingeniously de-
vised.
"This is the way" said she, taking it
from me, and in a moment she had re-
placed it upon the table, open.
."Are you sure the money was there
when you left this room?" I asked.
Positive" she answered. "And, be-
sides, the bag was closed. Somebody
must have opened it,
"Yes," said Kronold. 81 distinctly
remember that it lay upon the table,
closed, when sat down to the piano a
few moments ago."
81 don't remember where l put it."
said Mrs. Culver. but" she added, with
decision, II know that 1t was shut"
ut lay like this" said Kronold, and
he put the bag upon corner Of the
table, not in the middle, as it had lain
when my attention was first drawn to
it. And now" he continued, there
have been only two persons in this
room. myself and this servant. In this
matter l will claim no advantage over
him. His honor may be as precious to
him as mine Is to me. So this Is what
must be DONE" And be proceeded to
empty his pockets.
But you were at the piano all the
time," protested Mrs. Culver. aside
from the absurdity Of the idea that
you would do such a thing. you really
couldn't. you know"