The Cordova daily times., 1919-10-10
731e Fast Mail By GENEVIEVE LUNAR
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Lie pOSl UDlCS dC clHudlc BdAO only four hundred dollars a year, and ! because Silas Moore, it's incumbent in charge, was old and poor, the position had been awarded to him by common consent. It occupied a ralinged-off space in the general store of the will lage, and his stepdaughter, Fife, an orphan, kept track of things generally. The old man was selfish and exacting and would not appear upon duty until nearly noon. At dusk he went back home, but Fife would remain to get the bag of mail brought down the line at eight o'clock.
 After the morning mail Fife would do double duty, helping as clerk in the store. She had tried to save up from this, but her stepfather would borrow from her little store, and the purpose she had in view grew dinner as time went on.
 When Fife was eighteen she told her stepfather that she felt she had done her duty by him and asked him to consent to her going to the city where she could earn fair wages.
 Don't do 1t, Effie." pleaded the old man. "I know this isn't the life for you, but l couldn't get along without you. Wait for one more year. At its end I shall have paid off the last five hundred dollars owe on the old place and then I could maybe afford to hire some one to take your place. Then there's Royden to think of. Why can't you like him? He can afford to get married and"
 "Never!" flashed out Fife decisive ly.
 Fife was thinking deeply as she heard the fast mail in the distance and went down to the depot. The train did not stop, the Ferndale mail bag being tossed out as it passed the depot. Fife watched it roll and land. She walked toward it and as the sleep CT and dining car flashed by some- thing cut the air, hurled from one of the coach windows.
 Mercy what's that?' gasped Fife. for the object had landed directly against her cheek. She felt a sharp, stinging contact and, startled and curi- ous, walked over to where the object had landed. At her feet lay something wrapped up in a large silk handker chief. As she picked it up there was a metallic jangle. From the handker- chief protruded one-half of a jeweled stick pin. It was it's pointed end that had abrased her cheek. She heard approaching footsteps, made out the advancing figure of Royden and con- cealed the package under her cape.
 Thought I'd come and see you home, Efie," spoke Royden, and he picked up the mail bag, which was left at the post office, and as soon as they reached home Fife left her stepfather to entertain ROyden, pleaded Weari- ness and went to her room.
 She drew the shades, locked the door, opened the mysterious package and stared down fairly affrighted at mass of beWildering richness. There was diamond bracelet, a necklace of pearls, rings, charms, pins. For two or three days after that Effie was un- easy and sleepless. She watched the newspapers and made many guarded inquiries. One evening she chanced to overhear her stepfather and Roy den conversing in low tones. The old man had come across the jewels. He and ROyden were discussing their seizure and disposition.
 That night Fife stole from the house at midnight and the next day ;,1{ ho o1+ I1n bo of money and installed herself in cheap quarters, depicting her savings by advertising in newspapers for "the owner of some valuables found in a silk handkerchief at Ferndale."
 Fife did not find work as hoped for. Finally all her money was gone. Then came foodless days. A letter came to her. It was in reply to her advertise ment There might be possibility of "Dale Arnold, 2 Walsingham build ing, being interested. Would she please call?"
 Fife had eaten nothing since the day beGFe. When she reached the office designated in the letter she was told by a stenographer that Mir. Ar mold would be down a little later, and Fife sat down to wait for him, Waver- ing and exhausted. Then she knew nothing more for many hours, to awaken in a beautifully furnished room with a kindly-faced, motherly woman bending over her sOicitously
 She was the mother of Dale Arnold, who had found his strange visitor in a dead faint and had learned from 6 physician hastily summoned that lack of food was the cause. Discovering the jewels he surmised that a poor and honest girl had gone without the nec- essaries of life, rather than appropri- ate what did not belong to her.
 Later Fife knew that the jewels had been stolen from his sister. The thief, tracked by detectives and sus-