For Love or Gold? The Story of a Great Department Store — page 145: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Painful Situation. “wat “Did you sign for it?” asked the detective, locking sharply at the boy. “Naw, I didn’t sign nothin’; he didn’t have no ticket. s ‘Then he wasn’t a messenger at all,”’ was the reply, “and you are a big dunce, Sam Watkins, that you didn’t !?? know it! “Well, I thought it was straight, anyhow,’ whispered the boy. “How was I to guess that some one was tryin’ to pisen Miss Marvin?” Ben Tyler took the box carefully and Kontared the wrapper ; then, telling Sam to follow, he went straight to Mr. Denton’s office. 99 “N ow, Sam, tell Mr. Denton exactly what you have told. me,” said the detective, after he had stated what had hap- pened. Sam repeated his story without the slightest variation. Mr. Denton cross-questioned him, but there was nothing further to learn. A boy had handed the box to Sam and told him to give it to Miss Faith Marvin. After Mr. Denton and the detective had examined the candy carefully they held a consultation as to what should be done about it. “We must have it analyzed at once,” said Mr. Denkene: anxiously. “That is the onlv way of proving the matter.” The detective nodded. He knew that came first, but it needed no analysis to convince him that the candy was poisoned. | _ “Has she ever received a similar box that you. know ef?” asked Mr. Denton. The detective hesitated for a moment. . He hardly ce how to tell him. | “T believe she has, sir,” he said, after a minute : “but I would advise you to ask the young woman herself, for I ; can only repeat what may be idle gossip.’ “You are right,” said Mr. Denton, touching an aise Bs button and sending the boy who answered to the depart- ‘ ment for Miss Marvin. In less than five minutes Faith entered the office, but before he came the detective slipped a newspaper over the © - box of poisoned candy, and a nod of the head showed that ‘ Mr. Denton understood and approved of the movement. Eomichbooks.¢co