The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-04-24
AN INTRODUCTION
g. 1870. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
BY A. w. PEACOCK.


was not conscious of his neighbors ex-
cept that close beside him as he looked
down from his six feet he could see
under small chic hat the curve of
a girlish cheek.
Suddenly he was stung into action.
Something had been thrust into his
trousers pocket and withdrawn. One
plunge of his hand and he knew that
his pocketbook with clear weeks
salary had been stolen.
Somebody has sneaked my pocket
book" he said sharply to the conduc-
| tor. Someone on this car. Don't let
a soul off until I get cop!'
| Excitement filed the car. Tired as
| they were. all viewed the turn of events
with interest.
At the same time a man in gray
suit came crowding forward and
voice spoke up sharply: Il think that
/ young lady next to you did the trick,
SIR
The man in gray caught her shoul-
| der. 81 am on the force. my friend.
and / will take charge" he said TO
Eliot Young lady. have you that
| poeketbook?" Even as he spoke he
i yanked a wallet from the pocket of
i her suit He held 1t out to Eliot. THAT
yours?''
Eliot nodded.
well, / guess we have another one
of Them" the gray man said. Get off
/ here at the station and | can let you
: 60 soon." he said again to Eliot.
: Not until the slight girl had been
led from the car and the car had gone
did she seem to recover from the shock
of the charge.
what are you going to do with
me? l did not take that wallet" she
cried in a haif-gasping, sobbing voice,
trying to draw. her arm away.
"You better go with US without
fuss, young lady. for go you will
whether you want to or not" the
plain-clothes man said sharply.
t, The light from the street lamp fell
upon her face. and Eliot saw that she
was nothing more than a mere girl,
= badly frightened and looking weary
A beyond any WEAKNESS he knew. Tn
n der the small hat her girlish face, win
some in spite of the strain upon 1t,
touched him.
lie Cant we fix It up here?" he asked.
Don't let her get away with any
O. such stuff. young man. They're old
I hands at the sob stuff.
Of They went in and found themselves
ID facing an officer who was deep in
newspaper. He looked up with a
scowl as he saw them.
ST "Well Edwards. what Is it," he
he asked of the detective.
al Edwards explained and handed over
the pocketbook. The lieutenant at the
at desk turned 1t over in his hand.
Found on her. eh? Well, let's finish
1t up. l suppose you know what's In
it," he asked Eliot.
on Eliot had been watching the girl.
cir She stood, white-faced, fearless, her
ed dark. wide eyes staring.
Quietly he named off articles and
money-that were not in the wallet.
The man at the desk looked at him
!, with cold. shrewd eyes. "This wallet
does not contain the stuff you men.
am ton"
The girl stiffened as IL With shock
Her stricken eyes turned to Eiiot
'Then / disown it. Some mistake
led has been made" Eliot said easily. I'D
ays suggest the pocketbook be returned Il
lad the lady. Somebody else got away
with mine. This looked like mine, but
mine is a common type. The mistake
is mine My wallet has disappeared
est no doubt"
mo doubt" the officer said dryly
"You two leave your names and ad
dresses and then you NAV 60 Here I:
ide your wallet, young lady" He HANDED
big 1t to her with a polite gesture.
the She took 1t with fumbling finger
leh -. 1000,
She walked unsteadily. and he aidet
her with one hand under her small
p round wrist. They reached the corne
In silence; then she turned with |
you quick. indrawn breath.
our ut is your pocketbook You know
It! You did it just TO save mer Sh
held the wallet out to him. "You mus
not think did it. But here is tn
wallet. Take it-please. pleaser'
90 He auieted her. "No; have q huncl
that the chap who did pinch it saw h
Law was caught when we held everybod
see, I'm the car and he slipped the waIie
into your pocket and then called after
go ton to you. The more I think abou
it the more certain / am"
do you really think so?' she qua
!, vered
"Now look here, little girl" he ar
swered soothingly. 81 am sure of 1
Say, we have both missed our suppe
There's restaurant over there. Let
go over and forget our troubles. Com
on"
But"
There are no butts" he answered
w "You are tired out. and you need a b
of rest anyway; and besides | want |
y see more of you!"
1t was a girls tired voice. but
some way hidden and faint with plea
ere. ura thot answered him "DO VI,