The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-11-01

wore "a old gray oFero0at, bnit0ned 20
ihe throat, pair Of green goggles, aud
bis whole dress was saturated with rain.
Take a seat, said The banker, polailng
70 chair near The FIRE.
No, thank YOU, was the grad reply.
You got my letter, aud Of course you
know my business, be sdded.
Yon allude 10 this, suppose, said The
banker, producing the letter, that had
caused him 80 much uneasness.
Yes.
I | don't understand Il; you must have
made mistake.
No, no mistake at sill. was present
twenty years ago, come the 10th OF 0cto-
Der, and saw you, stephen Edwards,
shoot the man; aud II yon go TO deny II,
III have you in prison before morning.
I've laid my plans, aud got everything
sure, and you go 10 playing innocent
and refusing my terms rlltaks care TO
see ths, you die stretching hemp.
The banker in spite Of himself, turned
pale, shuddered, and staggered TO seat.
What do you want? be groaned.
A hundred thousand dollars not one
cent less,
! cannot give it-it would rain me.
just as you say, rejoiued the other,
moving toward the door. You must
know what will follow, II 90 this way.
Oh, stay you must not go yet, cried
the man of crime in terrible alarm.
He argued urged pleaded, implored for
mercy at a fearful cost. lu vain. AT
last the banker-seeing ruin, disgrace
aud death before him II he refused
agreed to the terms. lie also agreed TO
meet the stranger, with the required sum
on the following night IN front of st.
Paurs church. Both were punctual to
the fixed time, aud the bill aud check to
the amount of one hundred thousand dol
lars changed hands.
A month later there was tremendous
run upon tue bank OF which Stephen Ed-
wards was the principal owner. 1t was
soon broken down and closed, Then the
sheriff was SGT to work by eager creditors
and all the real estate and personal prop
erty of the late millionaire was seized
and sold, leaving him begger and many
lust claims unsatisfed. Fashionable
friends deserted the family, aud the
proud nobleman refused the hand of a
ruined bankers daughter.
In the midst of this disgrace aud tribu-
ation Stephen Edwards encountered the
man who had turned so pale aud become
so agitated In his presence short time
before.
| rather think you do moi know me,
sir, said the gentleman, with formal
bow.
Your face seems somewhat familiar,
but yet cannot place you, returned Ed
wards.
Permit me to bring myself to your rec
objection. then, as | wish you to know
me. A little more than six weeks ago
was talking to you on business, and you
observed that turned deadly pale and
became agilated.
All, yes, remember you now.
Let me tell you why was thus affect
ed. My eyes had just chanced upon a
curious watch seal which had belonged to
a gentleman named Sydney, who was
shot in the western part of the state some
twenty years ago, and looking at your
features closely, knew you to be the vii
liam who perpetrated The foul deed.
Merciful God exclaimed the banker,
with blanched face and quaking form.
Yes, ! knew you, pursued the other,
aud week later | disguised myself and
bad an interview with you IN your man
sion. You remember that, Of course?
Bat, gasped the trembling wretch,
did not pay you your ownprice to keep
my fatal secret?
Yes; and with that very money and
what other could command, | was en-
abled to buy up your own bills to make
that ran npon your bank which broke it I,
and forced ruin upon you.
Aud what wonld You do, now that |
am ruined? inquired the other with The
steady calmness OF desperation.
Now that ! have bad my reve nge,
want you to know that myself am the
man you tried to murder, ADD did rob.
am Psilip sydney. Behold the scar
where the ball struck and glanced, and
he lifted his hat and sbowedit.
God be praisedl calculated the other.
God be praised that you are still liyingl
and unable TO restrain his feelings he
burst into tears. Oh, sir, be continued,
you have taken load off my conscience
"a weight from my soul. Though pow
erty, beggary aud disgrace are staring
me in the face, | am happy In the knowl-
edge that | am not guilty Of murder
happier than | have been for twenty
years, with all the luxuriols surround
lngs OF wealth. Ii was my first and last
crime, and have never been able to tell
how | was tempted on that fearful oeca-
sion. Now, sir, do with me as you will
only, pray you, be mercifal TO my in
nocent family.
forgive you, returned the other, ex.
tending bis hand. forgive you. You
have been fearfnlly punished already
Aud as God has seen proper 10 preserve
us together, let us hope Il is for our pres.
enl aud future salvation, aud let US en-.
dcayor 50 to deserve The blessings We re.
ceiye. will restore you enough TO place
you and your family above want, and for
the rest, trust we shalt both remember