| Show smoked out by by GENEVIEVE ULMAR copyright 1916 by W 0 Cha chapman vinan what a contrast I 1 sho Is till nil iro fire mill find lie he quiet philosophical almost sedate opposites yes cs lit in temperament but the must devoted devo teil of lovers find plumi unit leo lee will make it good wife to nn nit equi equally tily good husband liked and respected wardell avd the whole holo town ton doted on his sweetheart silo desen served ed it if ever a good little sanearl tan lived it was as 31 minna intia INIce children with alth stu stubbed ibea toes ivor workmen kinen alth ith einda m in their eyes the poor the troubled the sick nil all looked to busy bustling minna as the good lingel nl ill ways ready to minister to their acs boes woes booth and minna were engaged but nn an untoward occurrence lind had filter with their nuptial plans booth lived with a half uncle a crabbed old cripple to whom lie he had come two to years sinco since when hen the lie sister of jarvis jim la hope laid died she had and left soine property to booth who mho hod had always been a favorite alth till tier when arrived d nt tins the old rani home alope had explained to him blin that the property was ns in a implicated complicated condition and that it would take some time to realize upon it booth took up his quarters with I 1 kolc tape aria secured work wi in the village its environment was anything but Ilic hc erful but lio lie got acquainted with alth pretty notty minna and after that would not n ot have hao left woodville for worlds 1 rope hope avas ua the executor of the es cs into ate and trusted bilm ile ho was as content to allow tile tho old man mail to cae out olit tiff airs in his own OM way vay at the I 1 end of nearly two years ears hope announced i ced that lie he was ns getting affairs natalis cleared up tip later lio to told old booth that lie had biad n cliance cannee to dispose of the property for six thousand dolln dollars rs just go ahead ali vail directed booth la in lits ills quiet trustful way ny you jou know I 1 I 1 4 IZ a tj youve urn ant anxious to get coming to me invested in a lionie homo for minna and Itly myself self hope grunted and looked locked sullen booth was paying him six dollars a week for board and lodging and ho he would regret losing such a profitable boarder for the table fare provided was pretty sparse gilld id ought to have something for fop my services na as trustee observed hope certainly acquiesced booth cheer cheerfully fall wo we wont quarrel when wo come to a final settlement the sale of the prop property efty wits was booth was awny away in the next town for two days when the samo was completed when lie he came cacio back it was to bo be greeted grec teji with a pretty ado rope lind received six sir thousand dollars dollar s la in money lie ile had taken it home about midnight loud cries alarmed his neighbors bors they proceeded to tho the iloco domicile they rushed rusha d thither to ind the front door open its lock forced lying on the ilia floor find and straggling at bonds bond that ho he had partially loosened was hope two men had suddenly intruded upon pon him several hours heurit previous he inserted they had bound and gagged him and the money the prec precious MX thousand dollars they lind had ransacked the house as its upset condition showed and had discovered and mado away with tho the money which they had discovered under an old corner rug where when hope had hidden it the bold old robbers bad escaped without leaving a trace behind them tho the town was all agog over the In ellent lent alope was inconsolable ile ho gronna pronne ho he absolutely wept minna in ill ha absence of booth came over to console him but hope would not be comforted what would booth say he could net make good tho the loss for lie he find n nothing but the old shack of it a house left and that ving mortgaged I 1 dont let that worry you insisted booth when ho he returned the money to Is gone im sorry for it puts oft off my marrying minna for two more years oh well I 1 ill work the harder and soon have a i little surplus im gong to make 0 the hc old house over to you tini and go and live with my brother down in tennessee declared rope hope now the old home hoine was on leased ground and not worth iva five hundred dollars but booth obligingly consented ato to release the old inan from any further obligation and hope alope bedara to ronke make to leave the village every day minna ran over to visit mr hope she took over little jall ell cables prepared prepare by tier her own left deft hands often slip just jurt chatted with lio lie old ninn man and nit nil the tanio minna watched mm blin closely truth was she he had ob eved something that had aroused tier suspicions f ns to hav hl lio lionetta honc netty sti silo sho did not mention thip to a living soul tow ow ever minna simply watched and malted hope had biad been tied with n clothesline the day after the robbery 1 na an had observed that tills this lind had been cut from a line at ilia rear of the lot on oil the fence board near by slie she had found a pocket knife which sliu she knew belonged to hope it was the alio lust last day that hope was as to remain in the village about noon minna inet tier her brother telo years ears old back of the hope home ile he cari lied a bundle under his crin aria now then wlllie said bald minna in a mysterious undertone und citone you vou understand what you are arc to do yes but I 1 dont know why and do not try to guess advised minna militia briskly you must laust be satis its nod fled with the dollar I 1 promised do just Is is I 1 te tell you make aaka lots of smoke but dont let anything catch fire all right answered wiiilie and proceeded to enter the basement of the house minna militia went vent around tile the front way As she had anticipated nope hope lily asleep on oil n lounge it was mas ills his usual hour for it a nap minna lingered at the door of the room in a few minutes the room began to 1111 with teake smoked and cou coughed glied hut but stood tier liei ground U nl ought coughl firel farol suddenly shouted hope arousing minna watched him lope ran t to a boo bookcase casc ile he began to pull it out from lie ile wall mall as militia entered tile room loom with the words its only some rags ings caught here in tile he cellar mr hope illow how did they get alight cried hope rushing for the ilia cellar somo some of those idle boys smoking I 1 suppose I 1 tho minute lie he was gone minna hur tied lied to the bookcase pulled it out and saw lying behind it nit an oblong tin box slie she seized it and hurried homo home half oil nn hour later silo sho returned to the hope house mr hope sho she salt said ive found booths stolen six thousand dolin dollars rs youve blurted out the old nia roan man and ills his glance turned to the boole ca case yos yes nodded minna quietly that ahne Is where I 1 found it where herc you ou had hidden it WI cicro ere I 1 saw you ou rush when you thought thou glit the house was ns on oil lire fire hope had lit turned deathly pale you you are going to tell booth lie starn stammered meed ive got to answered minna but tio no one else oh how could you sou rob n goon good man like booth 1 llope hope did not wait io to come homr home ile he left within the liolla if I 1 ho had any sensibility lie must have am c ex x per fenced sonic some pangs ot humiliation and remorse when the following week pok booth sent him five hundred dollars and offered to sell tile tho old homo home for his hl benefit and now we vo can get t spoke booth blithely you dear little littie woman I 1 what a splendid detective you would mould maker trakel |
