The Washington times., 1921-02-06


caution was disarmed at her husbands s
unquestioning recognition. or 1t may be
that sympathy dulled her acuteness. Or it
may be that Mrs. Ruickholdt was giving a
perfect imitation. Whatever the cause, the
fact remains that Mrs. Sharpe. who had
times, was completely taken In. The voice
that poured the tale of woe over the wire.
as she told the police later. seemed to her
to be that OF Mrs. Charlotte Sharpe, Of
Providence. and none other. Its owner
gave her little time to think. anyway. Her
story came hot and fast
"Oh. Emily. isn't II dreadful! had Just
come In from home to do some shopping
] was in the line with other passengers at
the Grand Central and waiting for taxi
An old, bent woman came up to me and
said. VIII you be so kind as to direct me
to the Pennsylvania Station? ] am a
stranger here And said, I'm going that
way. You get into the cab with me and
will take you as far as my hotel and show
you the way She seemed so tired and
frightened and was so sorry for her. She
was shabbily dressed and carried an old
black travelling bag. She said she was
going to Harrisburg. got out at the Nc
me and started away toward the Pennsyl-
vania Station, When ! tried to pay the
chauffeur found my purse was missing.
Also some bills l carried In an envelope.
That wicked old woman had robbed me of
$4,000! Isn't it awful? I'm here without
a cent. Please, please see that E. T. tele-
graphs me that $500 at once"
you poor dear" said Mrs. Sharpe. "Ot
course he will. But are you sure $500 will
be enough?''
How this sympathetic question must
have appealed to the woman in the Nc
Alpin booth But she did not make the
mistake of discussing 1t.
"Oh, quite" she answered.
You'd better take o thousand" insisted
Mrs. Sharpe,
We'll, that's Just like you, Emily, dear.
Thank you both" came the grateful, oh, so
grateful voice. And then, tearfully, ques-
tion which, if there had been the least, tiny
lurking uncertainty in the good Mrs.
Sharpe's mind, would have set 1t to rest:
"How's Nav Sharper"
"Maw Sharpe!"
That was just exactly what Cousin Char
lotte always called the doctors mother,
with Just exactly the intonation. 1t was
just exactly the phrase she always used in
asking after her health! Carefully calcu-
lated had that question been. II was, In
fact unnecessary, for neither the doctor
nor his wife harbored the least doubt that
this voice. that sounded like Cousin Char
lotte and talked like her, was any other
than her.. So Mrs. Sharpe answered, as
usual, standing her years well. She would
like to see you, Charlotte"
They said good-by. DIR. Sharpe threw
on his overcoat and went over to the West
erp Union Office In Derby. There he tele-
graphed 81 900 TO Mrs. Charlotte Sharpe at
the McAlpin. Until late that night he and
his wife talked over the outrage their un-
fortunate kinswoman had been subjected
to In wicked New York.
In the morning came . telegram. another
little stroke OF genius as cunning as the
Nav Sharpe" inquiry. II acknowledged
the receipt OF the $1,000 and thanked her
dear cousins for helping her out so prompt
ly. II that telegram had not come, you see,
DR., Sharpe would undoubtedly have called
up the McAlpin to find out II Cousin Char
lotte had gotten the money all right. She
would not have been there then and he
would have called her up at Providence.