Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-05-03

Hes a peculiar mar isn't hep"
said Mr.. Street.
II m sure he's very nice man."
responded Miss Wilson, warmly.
''Yes?" said Mr.. Street. with an in
terrogation of dissent.
''Why. of course he is! don't see
what you can possibly have against
him. she added. reproachfully.
Il! On! nothing. nothing" hastily
disclaimed the cashier.
Then, if you have nothing against
him what makes you insinuate things
against him?" urged the young lady.
logically.
This was not just the idea he wished
to convey. so he made another vent
Haven't you observed something
mysterious about Mr. Hammond" he
asked.
He does look like man who might
have history" admitted the young
lady.
Now she was helping him on.
Yes" he struck in eagerly; ''some
dark page in his life. some epoch OF
trouble. or-crime."
She caught at the last word.
What do you mean by that?" she
demanded.
Now the time had come, the cashier
hardly dared divulge his secret He
coughed. hesitated. and finally stam-
mered:
"Why!-I-that is-Mr. Hammond
- In fact-six years ago, I 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 s
warning look. opened upon MI: Ham,
mond with the remark:
1--WE were speaking just now of
some one who had a mystery connect
ed with his life.'
.Indeed!" returned Mr.: II almond,
indifferently.
How is it, Mr. Hammond" asked
the cashier, do you think a 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
doneP"
MIR. Hammond shifted his dark
eyes uneasily from the fire to Mr..
Street, and back again to the fire.
1T would depend great deal upon
the man." he said. briefly.
''Well. 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 I 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 fool if he did," retorted
Mr. Hammond.
And the cashier was stunned into
silence at the remorseless practically
of this bold adventurer.
A few minutes later Mr.. Street
took his leave, with a baffied 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:
BARRvILLE.
There is on trial man who is suspected OF
being the robber of the Kerrin Savings Bank in
70 Could you identify the mans If so, come
at once.
lSignedl
SHERIFF OF BARRvILLE COUNT Y.
Mr. Street reached for time table.
His hands shook so that he could
scarcely see the figures. The first
train for Barrville left at Ills. II
was now 1890.
He applied TO the president of the
bank for leave of absence. He showed
tho president the outside of the dis.
patch. That gentleman inferred from
the cashiers pale face that it was
probably death in the family; and.
as he always associated such events in
his mind with requests If property.
he said, readily. that they guessed
they could get along without him fol-
a few days. Half an hour later Mr..
Street was on the train, speeding
along toward Barrville.
In that six hours ride MI: 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 it be up
on other eviden ce than his. He would
never have resting upon him the 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 ex cited Imagination
magnified them into boundless obli-
cations. And this was his return for
them! Mr.. Street would have given a
years 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 to look at him strange
ly and suspiciously. And. in the
midst of his agonizing reflections. the
brakeman dashed open the door and
sang out: "Barrville.
How he got off the train and over
tho diSfanca to the court-bonse Mr.