The Washington times., 1921-02-06
SS81uuUWuah

And then the cat would have been ont Of
the bag! But the telegram was calculated
to keep the physician quiet for a few days.
anyway.
A week went by, and then another. Dr..
Sharpe thought 1t was very odd that he
hadn't heard more from Cousin Charlotte
about her experiences-and, Of course. the
money, He didn't exactly like to ask her
about it-or for it. Still
After two weeks he wrote her q nice
little gossipy letter. Down at the end be
limited: I'VE would like to hear the sequel
Of your trouble in New York. Did you ever
catch the wicked old womanT
Mrs. Charlotte Sharpe read these SEN
tences at her breakfast table up in Provi.
denoe next morning. She read them over
and over again, each time with an increased
amazement.
"Her trouble in New York; Ever catch
the wicked old woman" She hadn't had
trying to catch any old woman, wicked or
otherwise. What on earth did e. T."
mean?
She wired him: II don't understand your
letter. Are you kidding me?"
DR.. Sharpe and his wife perused this tel
egram with all the dazed wonder their own
letter had produced In Cousin Charlotte.
They got her on the telephone.
Didn't you receive a thousand dollars
that telegraphed you two weeks ago in
New York;"
The voice that came back was Just like
that which had appealed for help, but filed
with puzzled indignation instead of woe
Neither In New York nor anywhere
else" 1t said, "Why should you send me a
thousand dollars?r
Because you asked for it." quite natur.
ally replied DR.. Sharpe.
I asked for II? asked"
Ensued conversation that ended only
in all three getting as tangled up In bewil
derment as three kittens in ball of yarn.
or course, IL Cousin Charlotte said she
hadn't gotten the money and hadn't needed
1t, she hadn't Still-how could they have
been mistaken in The voice? And that ref
erence to Nav Sharpe!" Did Cousin Char
lotte walk in her sleep or ever show any
signs OF aphasia or anything of that sort?
The family history failed to reveal any such
sbnormalities. And Cousin Charlotte was
worried, too. or course, IL &c, T." said he
had sent the money. he had. But not to
her And how on earth could they have
been 80 taken in?
They all went to the telegraph office.
The matter was fast becoming not COM
edy OF errors, but tragedy of them
There they were told that the money had
been delivered and that the receipt for It
had been signed Charlotte Sharpe"
This proved that DR. Sharpe and his wife
had not been dreaming. The real Cousin
Charlotte began to feel trihe more dazed.
The mystery thickened.
But when Detective Cazassa, of the New
York force, compared the signature on the
receipt for the $1,000 With that on letters
Mrs. Ruickholdt had sent to the real Mrs.
Charlotte there WAS no longer anv mvstary,.
The writing was the same.
When Mrs. Charlotte Sharpe went down
to Jefferson Market Court In New York to
tell her story to the magistrate, the matrop
OF the Jail told her Mrs. Ruickboldt wanted
to see her.
Maybe she wants TO make restitution"
opinsd Mrs. Sharpe, hopefully.
1You never can tell" said the matron. Il
But when Mrs. Sharpe stood before tho,
cell that held her impersonator Mrs. Ruick
hoidt only held out her arms and sobbed.j
Charlotte, forgive met" a,
90
CONTINUED on Nert Page, vi