Margaret Cameron

“ In that instant Lucia's glance happened to fall observantly upon her husband's coat, from a pocket of which still protruded the soiled and dog-eared ends of a number of European railway folders, and she laughed gleefully, proclaiming:
"Oh, I have such a joke on Bruce! The only drawback is that I sha'n't dare to tell him about it for ten years or so—if I do even then."
"Europe seems to have had a meekening effect upon you," dryly commented her friend.
"H'm—well—I always did stand in awe of his principles, you know."
"The inference being that the rest of us haven't any?" ”

“ The disconcerting thing about Bruce is that he lives up to his."
"And makes you?"
"At any rate, he does his best. Angels could no more! This is a case in point. You remember that, among other things, he is truly patriotic? He respects law simply because it is law, quite regardless of whether it has the slightest basis of common sense or not?"
"I have a vivid recollection of his making me miss a train once," responded Cecily. "We could have made it if there hadn't been a bridge to cross. ”

“ Moreover, it's a weak yielding to tyranny and brute force. All of which weighed not one pennyweight with Bruce when the law said we should pay. In the end he made me promise solemnly that I'd declare every dutiable thing in the trunks and that I wouldn't bring in one thing myself."
"Alas and alack!" mournfully. "You didn't have any fun at all, did you?"
"Didn't I, though!" crisply retorted Mrs. Carmody. "Wait until I show you!" She leaned forward and took possession of the handful of railway time-tables. "These came into port in Bruce's overcoat pocket—Bruce's, mind you! Observe!" ”

“ Bradford's voice, a low vibrant contralto of wonderful carrying power, and Lucia's perfect enunciation made eavesdropping easy.
"Lucia—Hobart—Carmody!" The man winked genially at himself as he marked the name. "You little imp! How dared you? How dared you?"
"My dear," said her friend, dimpling complacently, "aside from his principles, Bruce is a perfectly normal man. And who ever heard of a man who would voluntarily—or even willingly—destroy a railway folder, no matter how old and tattered and antedated it might be?" ”

“ Lucia's husband smiled. "Apparently Mrs. Carmody is not the only person to take it for granted that laces brought into this country concealed in folders must necessarily be smuggled. It is, perhaps, a not unnatural corollary to our peculiar customs regulations. I've already explained to you that I had not taken her into my confidence in this matter, for—reasons of my own. I left London with these laces concealed in my pocket; I brought them across the ocean in my pocket; when I made my declaration on the ship, I purposely chose a time when Mrs. Carmody was on deck ”

“ Mr. Carmody, did you show these laces to the inspector exactly as they are now, wrapped in the folders?"
"Exactly as they are now,—and explained the matter to him just as I have to you."
"H'm!" The deputy thoughtfully rubbed the top of his head for a moment. Then said he: "Look here, gentlemen; the man who made this affidavit is out there on the box. I came up in his rig. Do you mind if I have him in here a minute?"
The cabman was promptly summoned, and the officer fixed a keen gaze upon him. ”

“ She paused, checked by the peculiar penetration of his gaze.
"Madam," said he, succinctly, "affidavit has been made that certain laces were smuggled into this country this morning by Mrs. Carmody. We have a sworn statement that Mrs. Carmody declared she had paid full duty on everything she brought in except the laces. Therefore I came out here specifically to find the laces—and I found them. I have not thus far connected you with the matter in any way, nor made any attempt to examine Mrs. Carmody's rooms or luggage. I have no desire to make things unpleasant for you. ”

“ It was nearly four o'clock when she again exclaimed: "My land! I must get those folders!"
"They're perfectly safe," said Cecily.
"Oh, of course; but if I don't take the lace out of them before night, Bruce will surely be seized by a desire to show Otis a map or a time-table or something, and then pussy will be out of the bag!"
At that moment a maid appeared at the door.
"There's a gentleman down-stairs to see Mrs. Carmody," she announced.
"To see me?" questioned Lucia. "But nobody knows I'm here!"
"Didn't he send up a card?" asked Mrs. Bradford. ”

“ Otis 'phoned me that the steamer was sighted, and said you were not even to take time to go up to the house with us."
"What a bore! This is New York all right!" he exclaimed. "They don't give a man time to wash the salt off his face before they begin to unload business on him! Well—I suppose I'm in for it! There's no reason, then, why you girls shouldn't go right home. I'll attend to the trunks before I go off to the treadmill, anyhow." ”

“ Bradford on the dock before I had the luggage examined. I sent my coat home in the carriage with them, as I was detained down-town by business, and I've not seen my wife since until within ten minutes. Now, here are the laces, here is the receipt, and I've given you my explanation of what, I grant, is an unusual situation. If you're still unsatisfied, I'll gladly go down-town with you and do my best to clear the matter up. Perhaps we can find the inspector who examined the luggage. I think he'll remember the circumstances."
"No," said the deputy, slowly, "I guess you're all right. ”

“ You pays your money and you takes your choice. Now, I'm perfectly willing to pay the money, but I do not choose that either you or I shall become a lawbreaker and go slinking home with our petty, illicit possessions, just to save a few dollars. ”

“ If he finds the evidence sufficient to warrant holding her, he'll fix bail—"
"Then there is a chance—" exclaimed Cecily, and again stopped, impressed by his smile and by his slight negative gesture.
"Hardly. These are pretty definite." He indicated the folders.
"But I didn't smuggle them!" cried Lucia. "That is—I didn't mean—I didn't mean to sell them, or anything like that, you know! I—I—oh, what shall I do!"
"You should have thought of that before," he suggested. Then, addressing Mrs. Bradford: "I understand that Mrs. Carmody's husband returned with her." ”