Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-07-24

L
he restrained himself. lie recognized
thA, fate had commissioned him an ennis
.sry Of justice.
But, whatever his duty TO the eommu-
muni,y a, large. be owed Il to Alice VII.
sons hsppine., to pro,ee, her from this
impos,er. And so |, came to pass ,hs,
he found himself. one evening. pulling
the wil,on'. front door bell. with a fixed
resolve TO warn Alice before he lef, the
house. Fortune favored him; she was
alone. aud. intent upon hi. purpose. he
soon drew Mr.. Hammoads name into the
conversation.
"Hs'. peculiar man, i'n', be ? said
Mr. Street.
Elm sure he's = very nice man" re-
.ponded Mis-. Wilson. warmly.
"Ye.!" .aid NJ. Street, with an in-
,eroga,ion Of dissent.
"why. Of course he 10 | don't see
VIA, you can possibly have sg.in',
him." she added. reproaehially.
81 Oh! nothing, nothing" hastily
disel.imed the cashier; "bat haven't
you observed something mysterious sboa,
Mr.. HAmmmond ," he asked.
"wh., do you mean by ,hs, ? she
demanded. Nov the time bad come,
the cashier hardly dared divulse hi. .e-
ere,. Hs eOushed, hs.i,A,ed. aud finally
s,Ammsrsd;
"why v-I-,hai i,-Mr Ham.
mond-ln f.e,-siI yeas ago. va. tel.
ler-"
The parlor door Wa. opened and Who
should be u,hered In bat Mr.. Hammond!
The gentleman Insisted on shaking hand.
With Mr. Street. although the cashier
howncd d.rkly upon him. Mr.. Street,
diresarding Nj. Wilson. waning
look. opened upon Mr.. Hammond with
the remark;
1--WE were speaking. jas, now. OF
some one who h.d mystery connected
with his life"
"How i. Il. Mr. Hammond" asked
the cashier. "do you think you could
successfully hide from the world dark
secret. some terrible crime You bad com.
mi,ted. Coz instance. And 70 on living
jas, q. IL il had never been done ?
"Sinee you insist on taking me .. an
illustration, said Mr.. Hammond. With
forced laugh. "~hy. | should think there
va. nothing else for man 10 do. II be
hadn', nerve enough TO live Il through,
he'd better keep on, Of H..
"Bat nigh, not the memory OF The
crime prey upon hi, mind ,ill he felt
compelled 20 tell !, TO some one per-
ri,,sd Mr.. Street.
"Hs'd be . fool IL he did" rsioried
Mr.. Hammond.
And the cashier was stunned lnio a.
leaes =, the remorscle.s pfaeiiealli'y OF
this bold .dyeniurer.
A few minutes later Mr.. Street took
hi. leave. with bstil d sense that MI.
Hammond .ull h.d the field.
Ba, event, were Fastening TO a close.
Independent, Of Mr.. Street, Intervention.
Oae morning came the following de'.
patch: -
There Il here on trial man who i sus-
peci~d OF being the roober OF The hefrln
Saving. Bank In 20. Gould Jou ideniifI
,be manf Ifso come Al once. (slgned)
Sheriff of BAryiDc County.
Mr.. Stree, reached for a time table.
Iii. hAad shook 80 ,ha, be could scarcely
see the figures. The frs, r.in fo' Barr
vile left a, ll:i5. I, WAS now 1880
He applied to the president OF the
bank tor leave OF absence. lie showed
the pre.idsn, the outside Of the despatch.
Th., gentleman inferred. from the cash.
isr. pale face. ,hA, IL was probably
death in the family and. {. he always
associated such events in bis mind with
beque.u Of property. he said. readily,
that be guessed they could ge. along
.i,hou, him for few days. Half an
hour later. Mr.. Street Was on the usir,
speeding toward BArville.
In ,ha, .ix.hour ride Mr.. Street liv'
ed a month OF .uspers,. A, every sta
ton he wen, out aud stood on the plat.
form, with q Mild desire to sc, oil and
so-anywherc! away from B.rrville.
The people In the car began to look a,
him strangely and sa.pieiou,ly and, ia
the nid., Of hi. agoniIing reflections. the
k,.L.,,., d..hed omen the door And
sang out, "Bluville =.
How he 20, off from the train aud over
the distance from the depO, TO the court
hou.s Mr. Street never knew. he
spoke to several persons on the way, bat
be couldn't have told. for hi. life. Whist
be said 10 them. The frs, realization OF
hi. surrounding. Was when he found him.
self ascending the broad steps OF the
cour, hoise, with q green baiIs door in
from, Of him-and all hope behind him.
lie entered and "a, down.
There he i'!" exclaimed q stranger
near him; that's him on the witness
stand. He's a.hOlding up hi, hand to
be sworn. | guess you'll have TO stand
up to see him"
The cashier staggered to bis feet. lie
looked a, the people. the ceiling. the
clock, was just a quarter pas. five
the jury. the lawyers, the judge. Then.
with an effort. he raised his eyes TO the
pri.oner-and saw
Not Mr.. H.mmond-but q man as
like him a. hi. reflection in a glass
Like him, bu, no, he. There were the
same piercing eyes. the same s,ronsly
marked features; but this mans face
bore the impress OF hard aud reckless
life. /, needed not his confession OF the
crime for Mr.. Stree, knew now, be.
you'd persdytn,ure that this was the man
with whom he grsppled on ,hA, even,fal
night six years ago, and that Mr. HAM
mond was a. innoeen, Of the crime as
the cashier himself.
The night train boie away from Barr
Vile man who So, bolt upright Ia the
corner OF the seat, with his hat crushed
| - -. IL. -. He raifhar snok n