Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-06-01
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, JUNE /, 1888


| after the disclosure beneath the gas
light. And now, as his thoughts reverted
| to Mr.. Hammond, he could not suppress a
feeling Of pity for that unhappy man-for he
must be unhappy carrying about with him
| such a memory of hidden crime. His ill
| gotten gains might bring him influence, but
| they never could purchase him happiness
| Mr.. Street thought of Alice Wilson, and said
| to himself that he was sorry for the fellow
| One day dashing equipage drew up in
| front of the bank, and a lady leaned out to
| speak to another on the walk. Mr.. Streets
| quickened sight at once recognized, in the
occupant Of the carriage, Miss Alice Wilson.
| But who was it sitting beside her and smiling
| down upon her with such confident gallan
trys The cashiers eyes followed them far
up the street, but that first look had been
enough-it was Walter Hammond!
''It's queer, isn't it?' said the teller at his
elbow, show that Hammond got right into
society here. He shot right up like a rocket,
and nobody knows anything about him,
either, before be came here. Well, money
IL take body anywhere nowadays"
But the cashier was not listening. He
banged the book together and went home to
his tea, locking the door with such forbid
ding face that man who met him said he
| shouldn't wonder if the First National had
sustained a loss; he met G. B. Street coming
away from there with face as long as your
arm.
That was only the beginning. Mr.. Ham
mond began to attend Miss Wilson like a
shadow. He escorted her to parties, the
theatre and church. Be he ever so assiduous,
Mr.. Street nearly always found his atten-
tions to the young lady anticipated by Mr..
Hammond. There was no pleasure in calling
there any more. Mr.. Hammond was sure to
be there. Did he aspire to take her to place
of amusement he only had the modification
Of hearing that she was $50 sorry" but had
"just accepted an invitation" And he would
see her there with Mr.. Hammond
Meanwhile the cashiers face grew graver
and still more grave The worried lines in
his forehead settled into an habitual frown
That one little cloud which had sailed so I'M
expectedly across his sky had grown till it
threatened to obscure the whole horizon of
his happiness.
Sometimes, when he saw his mysterious
rival lowering about Miss Wilson, he could
not repress a feeling of exultation at the
thought that, with one word, he could Danish
him forever from her presence. He tried to
rid himself of this feeling, which he knew
was unworthy of him, but it would come at
times in spite of himself.
1t seemed as is he was at a sensational
play, in which the deep dyed villain stalks
about in safe disguise, only the whole COM
munity were the ready dupes, and he alone
was the enlightened audience. The baleful
secret began to haunt him like nightmare
Like an avenging spirit it rose between him
and the recreations of his leisure hours. 1t
confronted him from the face of his ledger
at the bank. 1t walked the streets with him,
.sand sat down to dinner with him. 1t whis-
pered to him in his dreams. Every morning
he awoke with the inquiry: "What ought I
to do about it?" and every night he went to
bed with the question still unanswered.
And the cashier knew-how could he help
knowing?-that he was not himself of late;
that he was growing moody and preoccupied
in company. He could not help noticing the
surprised looks of his friends at his changed
demeanor. Still, he restrained himself. He
recognized that fate had commissioned him
an emissary of justice. In his fingers he held
the fatal moose which, some day, would drop
over the head of his victim. He could afford
to bide his time
But, whatever his duty to the community
at large, he owed it to Alice Wilson's happi-
ness to protect her from this impostor. And
SO it came to pass that he found himself, one
evening, pulling the Wilson's front door bell,
with 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 into the con-
versation.
''He's peculiar man, isn't heY' said Mr.
Street.
''I'm sure he's a very nice man, responded
Miss Wilson, warmly.
"Yes?" said Mr.. Street, with an interroga-
ton of dissent.
"Why, of course, he is! I don't see what
you can possibly have against him." she
added, reproachfully.
81! Oh! nothing, nothing" hastily dis
| claimed the cashier
''Then, if you have nothing against him,
what makes you insinuate things about him?"
urged the young lady, logically
This was not just the idea he wished to con-
vey, so he made another venture.
'Have MT you observed something mysteri-
GUS about Mr.. Hammond!" he asked.
''He does look like man who might have
a 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 thatm she de-
manded.
Now the time had come, the cashier hardly
dared divulge his secret. He coughed, hest
tated, and finally stammered:
"Why!-I-that is-Mr. Hammond-In
fact-six years ago, was tellern-
The parlor door opened, and who should be
ushered in but Mr. Hammond! The gentle
man 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:
'We were speaking, just now, of some one
who had mystery connected with his life."
'Indeed!" returned Mr.. Hammond, in
differently.
"How is it, Mr.. Hammond" asked the
cashier, edo you think a man could success
fully hide from the world dark secret,
some terrible crime he had committed, for
instance, and go on living just as if it had
never been done?'
Mr. Hammond shifted his dark eyes I'M
easily from the fire to Mr.. Street. and back
again to the fire..
sit would depend great deal upon the
man," he said briefly.
swell, take any man, take yourself, for
instance" Mr.. Street tried to speak in
careless, theoretical tone.
''Since you insist on taking me as an illus
tration," said Mr.. Hammond, with forced
laugh, "why, should think there was moth
ing else for 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 until he felt compelled to
tell it to some one?" 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 baffled sense that Mr. Ham
mond still had the field.
But events were Fastening to close, indie
pendent Of Mr.. Streets intervention. One
morning came the following dispatch:
"BARRvILLE.
"There is here or trial man who is sus-
pected of being the robber of the Kerrin
Savings bank, in rs. Could you identify