Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1926-02-26
THE
BURGLAR
BRIDEG GROOM
% y shsrt s.sry rus. cel

ia over his arm and his hat and
w gloves IN his hand, Bobby"
Tunstail stood waiting for
Als bride. The room in which he ex-
efci1ed his patience was blazing with
electric lights. which repeated them
selves In myriad reflections In the
gorgeous display Of gold, silver and
eut-glaHs gifts strewn about the apart
ment In careless profuslon. Bobby re-
voived slowly and looked about him.
-whewi" he said, under his breath I;
"A small fortune In themselves
He looked up quickly as step
sounded 10 the hall outside, but It
was only 4 maid. bringing In Miss
LaHra'BT hand bag to wait beside his
own. and he turned again to his sur
vey Of the costly wedding compli-
menta
magnificent necklace Of pearls
and diamonds lay In an open case be-
fore him. and he picked 1t up and
stared at It.
"Not less than twenty thousand" {"
he said, and sighed.
n was long since he had held the
equivalent Of such sum In his hand
HlS mind rapidly reviewed the past
lew months How distinctly he re-
membered the first evening Jack
Tarleton had brought him to this very
room, TO call upon Miss Bridges How
long ago It seemed, and yet how short
the time since he had realized that he
was desperately In love How slcken-
ing the qualm Of conscience when he
discovered that he was his old friends
successful rival; how elated he had
been when the ndored one promptly
accepted him.
Bobby was generous soul, as his
rapidly dwindling funds showed In the
radiant days that followed and the
few crispiy folded bills which he was
now lingering nervously In his pocket
were the sole means for a wedding
Journey.
mot a very brilliant prospect for
lavish honeymoon he murmured. and
again his eye fell on the glittering
aecklace.
which Of the Three Tricky Sisters
suddenly extingulshed the electric
lightBi Only for two seconds. but
when they flashed up again with a
little sixEle Of renewed energy Bobby
found the diamond necklace In his
hand-how. he could not tell.
A light step on the stair. and the
necklace slipped into his pocket and
It's cnse into a convenient wastebas-
ket. while Bobby turned with smile
70 greet his bride. who stood blushing
IN the doorway.
Following prevalent fad Mr.. and
Mrs. Bobby Tunstall refused to d.
vulge to family Or friends the plan
for their wedding journey, and so 1t
was not until they we're discussing
ahelf FIRST dinner In their cozy little
home-one Of the wedding presents
that they were made acquainted with
the loss Of the necklace.
Bobby turned white. as Laura's Sis
ter, Agnes, told with dramatic effect
the tragic tale. and Laura said. giving
his hand a little surreptitIous squeeze
under the table: sT really believe you
feel the loss more keeniy than do,
darling"
~ am sure do.r said Bobby.
All that evening the necklace hung
about his neck like the Ancient Mari
ner's albatross. and at night 1t was
securely tucked away into his sponge
bag. for, he argued. that would be the
last place a burglar would ever think
Of searching for valuables.
Although. through skillful manage
ment, he had been able to bring the
necklace home without pledglng a
pearl for the purpose which had I'M
pelled him to purloln It, his heart
sank at the futile devices Of his brain
for returning Il to Its rightful owner.
At first he thought Of making joke
Of the whole affair with his wife. but
when he learned from Agnes the enor-
nous excitement the matter had Gre
ated. and was told that detectives
were at work on the case, he gave up
that scheme. As for going to Mr..
Bridges. he preferred to imagine
rather than experience a father-in.
laws wrath. All night he was tor
mented by dreadful dreams. in which
sponge bags played leading parts. and
necklace Of mlllstones hung about
his neck.
But the newspaper by his plate at
breakfast brought him the first easy
moment he had known for weeks, for
In prominent place he read this ad-
vertisement:
5000 REWARD
The above reward will be paid,
and no questions asked. for the
return Of the necklace taken on
the night Of January 10, from the
residence of R. c. Bridges, to that
address. or to so Broadway.
.'Ne questions askealn The phrase
shone from the page rosy with the
light Of hope. Laura was amazed at
the change In her husbands appear
Iona Fifty Known .