ate.

"And who were they, pray?" said Mrs. Maple, sternly.

But Kate shook her head. "Most of them I did not know. William Minn
took us; he brought us the orders."

The man noted her answers down in a book, and then said, "I must search
her boxes."

"Very well," said Mrs. Maple. "Kate, you ought to know that this is a
policeman, and he must search your things for some property that was
stolen at the theatre last night."

"Mine," gasped Kate; but there was no time to say more, for Mrs. Maple
led the way to her room, and she slowly followed behind the detective.

"Which is your box, young woman?" asked the man.

Kate pointed to it, and handed him the key.

"I had that bag with me last night," she said, as he took it out.

The man instantly opened it, and took out some half-eaten buns and
cakes. "From your shop, ma'am," he said grimly.

"I gave them to her before she went out," said Mrs. Maple, stiffly, for
she did not believe the policeman's story, though Kate had admitted
having been to the theatre.

But the next minute she and Kate both felt as if they had been struck,
for he drew out two gold watches with the broken links of the chains
still attached.

"Where did you get these?" asked the man coolly.

But poor Kate could only shake her head, and stare in blank
astonishment at the sight. Mrs. Maple had dropped into a chair,
exclaiming, "Oh dear! oh dear! I never could have believed it."

"No, ma'am, I daresay not; of course you have been cruelly deceived in
these two young women," said the detective, turning over the contents
of Kate's box in search of other stolen property; but there was nothing
more to reward his search, and in a few minutes he said, "Now, ma'am,
if you'll call the other young woman up I will soon finish."

"Yes, yes, to be sure, Marion must come," said Mrs. Maple; and in a
minute or two Marion came in, wondering not a little why she had been
called, and what could be the matter.

"You were at the theatre last night, Marion, and this is a policeman
come to search for some stolen property," said Mrs. Maple.

Marion saw it would be useless to deny the charge now, and did not
attempt it. "I know we were at the theatre last night," she said, "but
I have nothing but what is my own;" and she handed her keys at once to
the policeman.

"All right, young woman; but whether I find anything or not you must
come with me to answer a few questions with the other prisoners when
they are