Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-03-23

Salleu so unexpectedly across MS SKY |
had grown till it, threatened to obscure |
the whole horizon of his happiness.
But, whatever his duty to the COM
munity at large, he owed it to Alice
Wilson's happiness to protect her from
this impostor. And so it came to pass
that he found himself one evening pull
ing the Wilson's front door bell, with q
fixed resolve to warn Alice before he left
the house. Fortune favored him; she
was alone, and, intent upon his purpose,
he soon drew Mr.. Hammond's name intS
the conversation.
He's peculiar man, isn't he? said
Mr.. Street.
Pm sure he's very nice man," re-
sponded Miss Wilson, warmly.
Yes2" said Mr.. Street, with an in
terrogation of dissent.
"What do you meang" she demanded.
Now the time had come, the cashier
hardly dared divulge his secret. He
coughed, hesitated, and finally STAN
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.. Hammond
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 Mr.. Hammond with
the remark:
1--WE were speaking, just now, of some
one who had mystery connected with
his life"
"Indeedw returned Mr.. Hammond,
inditferently.
GLOW is it, Mr.. Hammond" asked the
cashier, "do you think a man could sue
cessfuIly hide from the world dark
secret, some terrible crime he had COM
mitted, for instance, and go on living
just as if it had never been done?"
Mr. Hammond shifted his dark eyes
uneasily from the fire to Mr.. Street, and
back again to the fire.
at would depend a great deal upon
the man," he said briefly.
"Well take any man, take yourself,
for instance" Mr.. Street tried to speak
in careless theoretical tone.
"Since you insist on taking me as al
illustrate N" said Mr.. Hammond, with a
forced laugh, "why, Ishould think there
was nothing else for man to do. If he
had MT 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 COM
PEELED to tell it to some oneW persisted
Mr.. Street.
"He'd be fool if he did," retorted
Mr.. Hammond.
And the cashier was stunned into 81
lence at the remorseless practically of
this bold adventurer.
A few minutes later, Mr.. Street took
his leave, with bafded sense that Mr..
Hammond sill had the field.
Eut events were fastening to a close,
Independent of Mr.. Street, Intervention.
One morning came the following dis
patch:
"RARRvILLE.
"There is here on trial man who is sus-
pected of being the robber of the Kerrn
Savings Bank, in seventy-six. Could you
identify the mani If SO, come at once.
SHERIFF OF BARRvILLE COUNTY"
Mr.. Street reached for time table
His hand shook so that he could scarcely
see the figures. The first train for Barr
vile left at :15. 1t was now 1880.
Half an hour later, Mr.. Street was on the
train, speeding along toward Barrville.
In that six hours ride Mr.. Street liveC.
month of suspense. How he got of
from the train and over the distance
from the depot at Barrville to the court
house, Mr.. Street never knew. He spoke
to several persons on the way, but he
could n t have told, for his life, what he
said to them. The first realization of
his surroundings was when he found him
self ascending the broad steps of the
court house, with green baize door in
front of him-and all hope behind him.
The room into which he came was the
court room. Court was in session, and
the room filed to overlooking. A man
near the door made room for Mr.. Street
on the bench beside him. The cashier
sank into the proffered seat. The buzz
of voices in the court room came to him
in indistinct murmurs, like sounds a
great distance away. And, all the time,
the man at his side kept talking on in a
desultory fashion.
1.-THE fellows up for larceny" he said.
"Queer you hadn't heard about it.
You're stranger here, amt you9 He's
the same one that robbed the Kerrin
Savings Bank in re. P'raps you recol
lect2 He owned up to it when he found
they knowed it. There he is! He's a
holding up his hand to he sworn"
The cashier staggered to his feet. He
locked at the people, the ceiling, the
C ock was jut 5:15-the jury, the
Judge. Then, with an effort, he raised
his eyes to the prsorer-and saw
Not Mr.. Hammopd-but man as like
him as his reflection in a glass. Like
him, but not he. There were the same
piercing eyes, the same strongly marked
features; but this mans face bore the
impress of a hard and reckless life. II
needed not his confession of the crime
for Mr.. Street knew, now, beyond perad
venture, that this was the man with
whom he had grappled on that eventfu
: night, six years ago, and that Mr.. Ham
9 mond was as innocent of the crime a.
the cashier himself.
: For one moment, Mr.. Street stood
! looking blankly at the prisoner Then
l as the whole force of the revelation
l dawned upon him. with an indescribabl
look of horror and remorse, he seized hi
hat and dashed frantical'y from tn
Building.
G The night train bore away from Barr
vile man who sat bolt upright in thu
v corner of the seat, with his hat brushes
, down over his eyes. He neither spok
d nor stirred. The romance of his life hat
IS departed. He was no longer the mys
v FERROUS ennis airy who carried in his breas
e a consuming secret, but commonplace
II business man, whose thoughts any on
g m ght read
: But commonplace people sleep soundly
It That night not a dream disturbed hi