Part 10 (1/2)

”No, I won't!” she declared, ”I-”

”Very well,” said the floor walker. ”I shall have the floor matron search you.”

He turned and called to one of the clerks. But the woman waited for no more. With a single move she took off her cape, and threw it to the floor.

”There,” she said, throwing out her arms, ”you may see that I have nothing.”

”I saw her take them,” declared s.h.i.+rley, looking at the woman in surprise, for she could not see a sign of a stolen article.

A frown gathered on the floor walker's face as he glanced at s.h.i.+rley.

”This looks rather bad for you.” he said to her pointedly.

s.h.i.+rley took a step back.

”What do you mean?” she asked in no little alarm.

”It seems that the lady is telling the truth. What was your object in accusing her?”

”I tell you I saw her take them,” declared s.h.i.+rley again.

The floor walker shrugged his shoulders.

It was Mabel who finally cleared up the situation. The woman's cape still lay on the floor where she had thrown it. Mabel stooped down to pick it up, and as she did so the woman also s.n.a.t.c.hed at it.

But Mabel was the quicker of the two and captured the garment. Quickly she turned it wrong side out, and as she did so there was a gasp from the crowd.

For the inside of the coat was literally filled with secret pockets.

Mabel thrust her hand in and pulled out the bolt of silk. She held it above her head.

”Here it is!” she cried.

”I bought and paid for that,” sputtered the angry woman.

One after another Mabel now produced other articles of value, which she exposed to the view of the crowd. And in each case the woman's explanation was the same:

”I paid for that!”

But the floor walker was not to be fooled, nor was the manager of the store, who came up at that moment. The former released his hold on young Bristow and made him an abject apology.

One of the women detectives was called, and the shop-lifter turned over to her. Then the manager addressed s.h.i.+rley and Mabel.

”I owe you two young ladies a debt of grat.i.tude,” he said. ”This shop-lifting has been going on for a month or more and we have lost heavily. Thanks to you I believe we have the culprit at last. Without your a.s.sistance she would have escaped.”

s.h.i.+rley and Mabel acknowledged this praise with slight inclinations of the heads, and then s.h.i.+rley spoke to Young Bristow, who stood near.

”Are you going back to the boat, Mr. Bristow? We shall be glad of your company.”

The young man accepted this invitation, and the three made their way from the store.