Half the women they pinch in them big stores ain't reg'lar thieves.

They get tempted, or they can't find anybody to tell 'em the price o' things, especially these holiday times, and they carry 'em round from counter to counter, and along comes a store detective and nabs 'em with the goods on 'em.

They did that to me once, over at Cryder's, and I told him I'd knock him down if he put his hand on me, and somebody come along who knew me, and they was that scared when they found out who I was that they bowed and scraped like dancin' masters and wanted me to take the skirt along if I'd say nothin' about it.

That might have happened to this poor child--" "Has Father Cruse seen her ?" asked Felix.

No word of the recital had reached his ears.
"No--that's why I come to ye." "And where did you say she was ?" He had himself under perfect control again, and might have been a man bent only on aiding Father Cruse in some charitable work.
"Locked up in the station-house not far from here.