The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1888-05-10

demanded
Now the time had come. the cashier
hardly dared divulge his secret He
coughed. hesitated. and finally siam
mered:
"Whyl-I-that is-Mr. Hammond
-. In fact-six years ago. | was
teller
The parlor door opened. and who
should be ushered in but Mr. Ham
mond.
The gentleman insisted on shaking
hands with Mr. Street. although the
cashier frowned darkly upon him.
Mr Street disregarding Miss wilson 5
warning look. opened upon Mr. Hahn
mond with the remark:
Eve were speaking Just now Of
some one who had mystery connect
ed with his life.
"Indeedt' returned Mr. H almond,
indifferently.
How is it. Mr. Hammond" asked
the cashier. do you think man
could successfully hide from the world
a dark secret, some terrible crime he
had committed. for instance. and 60
on living, just as if it had never been
done?"
Mr. Hammoned shifted his dark
eyes uneasily from the fire to MIR
Street and back again to the fire.
1T would depend great deal upon
the man" he said. briefly.
We'll. take any man, take yourself,
for instance.
Mr. Street tried to speak in care
less. theoretical tone.
Since you insist on taking me as
an illustration. said Mr. Hammond,
with forced laugh, why | should
think there was nothing else for q
man to do If he hadn't nerve enough
to live it through, he'd better keep
out of It,
But might not the memory of the
crime prey upon his mind till he felt
compelled to tell it to some one else, =
persisted Mr.. Street
He'd be a fool if he did, !" retorted
Mr. Hammond.
silence at the remorseless practieality
of this bold adventurer.
A few minutes later Mr.. Street
took his leave, with baffled sense
that Mr.. Hammond still had the
field.
But events were fastening to close,
independent of Mr. Streets interven-
ton One morning came the follow
ing dispatch:
BARRvIILE
There is on trial a man who is suspected Of
being the robber of the Kerrin Savings Bank in
'76. Could you identify the mans II SO, come
at once
lSignedl
SHERIFF OF BARRvILEE COUNT Y.
Mr.. Street reached for time table.
His hands shook so that he could
scarcely see the figures. The first
train for Barryille left at 1I.i5 1t
was now 1890
He applied TO The president of the
bank for leave of absence. He showed
the president the outside of the dis
patch That gentleman inferred from
the cashiers pale face that it was
probably a death in the family; and.
as he always associated such events in
his mind with requests Of property.
he said. readily that they guessed
they could get along without him for
a few days. Half an hour later Mr..
Street was on the train, speeding
along toward Barrville-
In that six hours ride NJ. Street
lived a month Of suspense. The cars
were no sooner in motion than he
wished he had never started. If Mr.
Hammond was convicted. let il be up
on other evidence than his. He would
never have resting upon him tho re-
sponsibility of sealing the doom of a
man who might. for all he knew, be
honestly trying to blot out the past
and lead an upright life. He called
to mind every little act Of kindness
that Mr. Hammond had ever extended
TO him His excited Imagination
magnified them into boundless obi
cations. And this was his return for
themi Nj. Street would have given a
year salary to be back at his desk.
At every station he went out and
stood on the platform, with a wild de-
sire TO get off and go--anywhere!
away from Barrville. The people in
the car began 10 look at him strange
ly and suspiciously. And. in the
midst of his &gonizing reflections. the
brakeman dashed open the door and
sang GU: ''BarrYille."
How he got off the train aud over
The distance TO the courthouse Mr..
Street never knew. He spoke to sew
eral persons on the way. but be
couldn't have told, for his life, what
he said to them. The first real
ization of his surroundings was when
he found himself ascending the broad
steps Of the courthouse, with green
baize door in front of him-and all
hope behind him.
He hesitated a moment That mo-
ment was decisive. The green baize
door was suddenly opened from with
ia. and he had no choice but 10 enter
lHc kUptA AutQ WHICH itb GtAAl4E W az AAt
courtroom. Court was in session, and
the room was filed 10 OVERLOOKING. Mr.
Streets entrance was scarcely noted;
every eye was strained toward the wit
ness stand.
A man near the door made room for
Mr. Street on the bench beside him
The cashier sank into the protfered
seat The buzz of voices in the court,
room came to him in indistinet muir
murs, ike sounds a great distance
away. And, all the time, the man at
his side kept talking on il a desultory
fashion
The fellows mp for larceny" he
said "Qaser you hadn't heard about
IL You a stranger here. amt you?
He's the same one that robbed the
Kerrin's Saying Bank in rs p 'raps
you reoollect. He owned up to II
when he found they knowei it. He 5