Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-08-31
AFFAIR EXCHANGE
BY DOROTHY o. MUIR.

or whether the burglar, being an in
experienced burglar, made too much
noise, but everybody does agree that
though the burglary, itself, was UNI
successful, the affair turned out in a
way that pleased all concerned, and,
much better, to be sure, than had
been expected. The whole thing be-
gan when Bob awoke with an awful
start to discover that there was sure
ly burglar in his apartment. Now
Bob, having his own ideas on the
management Of burglars, soon had his
very bright, hitherto unused, and, he
feared, unloaded revolver, cooked be-
fore him, and stood ready to draw the
curtains separating his room from the
small living room adjoining it.
"Glad you seem to be enjoying your
SELF" This from Bob, as he stood,
rather dramatically, between the
drawn portieres, the revolver leveied
at the intruder.
feminine exclamation from the bur-
glar.
"Ah!" A very admiring and ex-
tremely amazed exclamation from
Bob, as the burglar, or perhaps we
should say burglaress, faced him. Bob
knew how to manage some species Of
burglar, or thought he did, but this
particular specimen baffied him.
"Piease, I'm sorry!' She raised q
pathetic face to his-an extremely
pretty face, with very large brown
eyes, and very red lips. For a mo-
ment the lips trembled and strange to
say 1t seemed as though she was
struggling to suppress laughter rather
than tears.
"Hysterical," concluded Bob, though
1t was hard to explain the odd twinkle
which he felt sure he could detect in
her eyes.
"Please don't send for the police"
she said.
"Oh, don't explain. l think l I'M
derstand--you were poor and discour.
aged, and tempted"
Eyes that was the reason. II
was so poor and-tired. But now will
you let me go?'
"Of course, in a moment, but won't
you let me be Of assistance to your
He disappeared into his room, and
when he returned held out to her a
bill of as large a denomination as he
had felt he could afford.
"Please accept 1t, and try not to
steal again"
He felt that he was handling the
situation admirably. He possessed no
great amount of wealth, but what he
did have he would use to help the I'M
fortunate, and, incidentally, the beau
tiful.
THANK you," replied the fair bur-
glaress, after a brief moment of hest
tation, and she took the proffered
gift. "You-are very GOO" The
sentence was left unfinished as she
buried her head in her arms.
Absolutely overcome" thought
Bob, with much sympathy. Some time
later, when she seemed to have recov-
cred and had promised to lead a
worthier life, he led her to the door,
and sent her away, then returned to
his disturbed slumber, inwardly re-
GREETING that a girl, with such love
| ly face, should be a mere thief of the
slums. All that night, and all the next
day he thought of her. He was dis
| gusted with himself for not getting
| her address and managing to see more
of her if only to be of pencuniary as
| sistance-and then the unexpected
| happened. A letter came from Betty.
Betty was Bob's sister, who lived some
| distance away with the rest of his
family, but who was in the same
town, with friends, at the present
| time, on a visit. AS he opened the
| envelop, a rather crumpled greenback
| fiuttered out Of 1t and as it was q
| bill of the same amount that he had
| made a gift of the night before, he
FASTENED to read sister Betty's letter
| for an explanation.
Dear Bobbie-it ran, / am return
| Ing the inclosed, with much praise for
your generosity and many thanks from
| my friend, Margaret Allan. a perfect
| dream of girl, whose acquaintance
you have made under strange circum-
stances. They have a perfectly de-
| iightful club over here and last night
they initiated Margaret-Q suggested
the initiation as you probably suspect,
for you remember had key to your
apartments)-and that's why she
played burglar, Bobbie, DEAR
"Hope you won't be cross Mar
| gafet was good sport, anyway, for
1t was daring thing to do! And she
carried 1t off fine, even if you did dis
cover her. / will tell you that she
was very favorably impressed, if you
won't get too conceited, and of course,
I can arrange a meeting If you wish.
But oh, Bobby, what will happen TO
| you if / introduce you to Margaret
Love, from Betty"
| 1t hardly needs to be said that, at
his eager request, Betty soon arranged
| for the meeting, and Margaret, with
her Irresistible smile and altogether
charming manner, was even more
wonderful than he had pictured she
| would be.
The acquaintance ripened into
| friendship, and the friendship grew
| deeper and stronger, until one day
Bob said very tenderly, to Margaret
Don't pretend you're a lady, Mar
garet, for you're only little burglar
after all. Margaret, dear, do you
know you have stolen my hearth
But Margaret, her eyes beaming
with love light. answered: 'Oh, no,
| Bobbie, dear. have not stolen your
heart. It is only. fair exchange
| Copyright 1913. by the Mcclure Neva-
| paper Syndicate.)
WANTED.