Part 36 (1/2)
She, Mildred Jocelyn, searched for stolen goods! Searched, alone, in the presence of these dark-browed, frowning men! The act, the indignity, seemed overwhelming. A hot crimson flush mantled her face, and her womanhood rose in arms against the insult.
”I do not fear being searched,” she said indignantly; ”but a woman must perform the act.”
”Certainly,” said her employer; ”we do not propose anything indecorous; but first call an officer.”
They were convinced that they had found the culprit, and were determined to make such an example of her as would deter all others in the shop from similar dishonesty.
Mildred was left to herself a few moments, faint and bewildered, a whirl of horrible thoughts pa.s.sing through her mind; and then, conscious of innocence, she began to grow calm, believing that the ordeal would soon be over. Nevertheless she had received a shock which left her weak and trembling, as she followed two of the most trusty women employed in the shop to a private apartment, at whose door she saw a bulky guardian of the law. The majority, unaware of what had taken place, had departed; but such as remained had lingered, looking in wonder at the hasty appearance of the policeman, and the intense curiosity had been heightened when they saw him stationed near an entrance through which Mildred was speedily led.
They at once surmised the truth, and waited for the result of the search in almost breathless expectation. The girl who had done Mildred so deep a wrong had hastened away among the first, and so was unaware of what was taking place; the chief conspirator, from an obscure part in the now half-lighted shop, watched with cruel eyes the working of his plot.
CHAPTER x.x.xIII
MILDRED IN A PRISON CELL
Not from any sense of guilt, but rather from the trembling apprehensiveness of one whose spirit is already half broken by undeserved misfortune, Mildred tottered to a chair within the small apartment to which she had been taken. With an appealing glance to the two women who stood beside her she said, ”Oh, hasten to prove that I am innocent! My burden was already too heavy, and this is horrible.”
”Miss Jocelyn,” replied the elder of the women, in a matter-of-fact tone, ”it's our duty to search you thoroughly, and, if innocent, you will not fear it. There will be nothing 'horrible' about the affair at all, unless you have been stealing, and it seems to me that an honest girl would show more nerve.”
”Search me, then--search as thoroughly as you please,” cried Mildred, with an indignant flush crimsoning her pale, wan face. ”I'd sooner starve a thousand times than take a penny that did not belong to me.”
Grimly and silently, and with a half-incredulous shrug, the woman, whose mind had been poisoned against Mildred, began her search, first taking off the young girl's waterproof cloak. ”Why is the bottom of this side-pocket slit open?” she asked severely. ”What is this, away down between the lining and the cloth?” and she drew out two pieces of valuable lace.
Mildred looked at the ominous wares with dilated eyes, and for a moment was speechless with astonishment and terror.
”Your words and deeds are a trifle discordant,” began the woman, in cold satire, ”but your manner is more in keeping.”
”I know nothing about that lace,” Mildred exclaimed pa.s.sionately.
”This is a plot against--”
”Oh, nonsense!” interrupted the woman harshly. ”Here, officer,”
she continued, opening the door, ”take your prisoner. These goods were found upon her person, concealed within the lining of her cloak,” and she showed him where the lace had been discovered.
”A mighty clear case,” was his grinning reply; ”still you must be ready to testify to-morrow, unless the girl pleads guilty, which will be her best course.”
”What are you going to do with me?” asked Mildred, in a hoa.r.s.e whisper.
”Oh, nothing uncommon, miss--only what is always done under such circ.u.mstances. We'll give you free lodgings to-night, and time to think a bit over your evil ways.”
One of the seniors of the firm, who had drawn near to the door and had heard the result of the search, now said, with much indignation, and in a tone that all present could hear, ”Officer, remove your prisoner, and show no leniency. Let the law take its full course, for we intend to stamp out all dishonesty from our establishment, most thoroughly.”
”Come,” said the policeman, roughly laying his hand on the shoulder of the almost paralyzed girl.
”Where?” she gasped.
”Why, to the station-house, of course,” he answered impatiently.
”Oh, you can't mean THAT.”