The Belding banner-news., 1922-01-04
A SILVER THIEF
BY DOROTHY KNIGHT.
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John Stanley was in love! The real.
izatiOn swept over him like the rush
OF mighty wave. But no, IL wa. not
possible. IL could not he. How could
u practical man, nay, hardened
cyhic, as he was, in affairs of the
heart, be in love with IL girl he had
never seen?
And yet, tie allure of that picture -
the calm, sweet expression OF the wide
set eyes, with just vague suggestion
OF rougishness. the smiling mouth, the
But what was the use? He did
and how could he lind out? A stray
picture torn from an old newspaper
What was her plea to faine-the sea-
sons most popular debut"nte, foot
fght favorite, perchance, "a bride? But
no, not that. Her brown eyes (surely
they must be brown; they we're very
dark, anyway haunted him. lie could
not sleep.
He lay awake and reviewed the
events of the day. That morning on
arriving in Boston he had met his old
friend, Norton, who, with his wife
was going away on trip. Norton
had given him the keys and offered
him the use of the Norton apartment
for the week he was 10 be in town.
So, instead Of being In dreary hotel,
lie was sleeping-or trying 10 sleep-in
d luxurious bed in a daintily furnished
apartment.
He doZed off, still with the fair face
before his eyes.
A faint sound reached his ears as if
someone were moving around the
apartment
A girl was moving quietly across the
room in her stockinged feet. Her back
was toward the door. She went di-
rectly to the sideboard and opened the
top drawer. An almost imperceptible
exclamation came from her as she
took olIt piece after piece Of silver,
examining it carefully. She seemed
entirely engrossed by it-fascinated.
What are you doing here?" John de-
manded In stern tone.
She turned like startled doe, at the
same time grasping the silver more
firmly. The color fed from her face.
But almost Immediately she gained at
least a semblance of self-control as
she said, in voice that only trembled
slightly What are you doing here?"
But alas for John. In proportion as
the girl had gained her equanimity he
End hiC. Il hn frl nf 10
dreams. walking and, alas, sleeping,
too, he feared. He knew her the mo-
ment she turned around
"What are you doing here?" she re-
peated. She seemed entirely master Of
the situation, while poor job
writhed in the knowledge that the girl
he loved was thief.
Il live here, of course. and your"
with a rising infection.
For the fraction of q second she
looked around helplessly, as If seeking
way out of her difficulty, and then,
as if accepting the inevitable, she said,
banteringly, as if trying to gain
time: These do not look like bach
elor apartments"
"How do you know am bach
elor?'
oh" sweetly, "a girl can generally
tell" As she spoke she edged toward
the door.
Anticipating her, John placed him
self in the doorway.
"Do you know, If that were my sill
- II.
give 1t to you? But since 1t belongs
TO my friends, Mr.. and Mrs Norton,
whose apartment am occupying for
few days, will have TO ask you to
return IT,"
oh" she gasped, and the swift color
dyed her face. "Then you are not-a-
a" Embarrassed she paused.
Another thief" finished John. mo,
I'm not, but perhaps II loved Antique
silver as passionately as you seem to.
and II it were my sole desire to pos
sess it"
How do you spell that 'soulT" she
interrupted.
Before he could frame a reply her
expression changed from fiippancy to
seriousness, as she begged: But you
will not have me arrested, will your
You will lot me go? will never,
never do such q thing again"
Quickly she replaced the silver,
stepped deftly into her tiny pumps,
and before the astonished John knew
what was happening she was gone.
Gone, too, was his peace Of mind
Gone was his heart His thoughts
were In q riot.
He picked up book carelessly, but
what he saw made him gasp and rub
his eyes to see If he were really awake.
II was the girl, and her name was
signed. OF all the unexpected things !!
II was Norton's sister. What must
she think Of him, taking her for q
theft
Two days later an animated couple
were enjoying tea. and, incidentally,
zach other. In deserted corner OF an
out-of-the-way tea room.
sI think I understand everything