Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-09-18

times, OF our mysterious LreSpdSSer, but
having >een with my own eyes that all
the fastenings were secured, appre-
hended no danger from that quarter.
1t must have been ten o'clock in the
morning when l awoke, for the sun
was shining broadly in at my window.
l rose laZily upon one elbow and glanced
out at the summer sunshine Suddenly
l remembered the paper of which my
father had spoken, and looked to see if
1t were under the door. les, there it
was.
What can it be?' I thought, and
sprang out of bed to get it, Throwing
on my dressing gown, l sank into an
easy chair, and prepared with much
curiosity TO read this mysterious docu-
ment.
1t was written in back hand, wholly
different from my fathers flowing
character, and was dated six months
previous, but bore no address. 1t was
as follows:
When l was a young man, 1 entered
lawyers office. While there, Ichanced
to be the only person in the office one
day, when a well-dreSSed stranger en-
tered.
Where is Mr.. Smith?' he asked.
smith was my employers name.
He has gone TO Springfield 1 an
swered. and viii not be back TILL to-
morrow. Can l do anything for yOu?'
We'll, no. y GU see, Mr.. Smith gave
, Inc this check the other day, and [ now
owe him eight dollars for making out
some legal papers. 1t is after banking
hours, and L am about to leave the CITY
for some months, so it struck me that
| would pay Mr.. smith with his own
! check, as L have put little change, and
hate to leave small bills standing. But
as he Is not here, I suppose the matter
Will have to rest And he turned as
if to go.
Let me see the check. Perhaps I
can cash it for you,' l interrupted, as
his hand was on .he doer-knob.
lie 1landed 1t To me without word.
1t was for ten dollars, and bore my
employers signature. l could have
sworn to the writing, for l had seen it
often before. The upshot of the mat
ter was that l took the check, gave the
stranger two dollars in change, an
promised to pay Mr.. Smith the remain
ing eight dollars.
AS luck would have it, a fellow
clerk, named VIII Rowe, entered as the
stranger left. and said to me:
Would 1t trouble you to let me have
a ten? | promised to meet a little bill
tonight, and forgot all about 1t till just
now
No, am sorry to say that 1 can't,
returned, unless a check on old
Smith Will do
That will do well as the gold.
Thdnks-I'll do as much for you some
tIme.'
The next morning VIII came up to
my desk and said:
do you know that check you gave
me last night was forged one? What
is thisP' he continued, drawing out a
sheet of paper from the pile that lay at
my elbow.
'On it were a number of limitations
of Mr.. Smiths signature of varying
degrees of excellence, intermingled with
scraps of my own writing. L sank back
in my chair, utterly bewildered
This matter must be looked into, ,
said VIII, sternly, as he started toward
the door with the tell-tale sheet of paper
IN his hand.
The fear of publicity gave me power
to move.
'StopI' L cried excitedly. My mother
has heart disease. She must not have
the shock of knowing that L am ac-
cused of this-this.'
Forgery, added VIII, coldly.
After some conversation 1 agreed TO
pay fifty dollars to VIII if he would
keep the matter quiet.
To this day l have never known how
that sheet of paper came on my desk,
and l swear that my hand never
touched it, nor put pen-mark on it.
Smiths signature and my writing alike
Wee cleverly forged. To resume my
story:
From that time forth was in Wills
power. He has never ceased to dog
NV footsteps and demand heavy sums
OF hush money. Once L did not hear
from hIm for over five years. L had
left Mr.. Smiths office, and begun prac-
| tice as a physician. L was successful.
My prosecutor had disappeared, and l
yentured to hope he was dead. 1t was
then l married. But before my honey
moon was over, VIII came back and
demanded more money. My wife was
delicate, fragile little thing, and |
dreaded tor her sake the disclosure that
would follow the refusal Of Will's de-
mand, SO paid him what he asked.
L had ever lived in dread that some
! day he would yet reveal my secret. On,
/ how l have suffered, and yet | am in
I :
to rescue myself from this tharldOm.
buJ dared not risk failure that would
Kill my wife ana blast my reputation.
But now my dear love IS gone and our
boy is well provided for. 1 shall not
suffer much longer. | have thought ~
a safe plan
Here the writing changed abruptly
to my fathers usual hand, and con
tlnued thus:
To-day 1 received an intimation that
must have two thousand dollars for
VIII tonight. 1t was he whom you
SAW in the shrubbery. This determines
me TO do what 1 have so long intended
depart from life that contains 50
much misery. Be calm. my son. and
read carefully the rest of this letter.
For the sake of my reputation and your
future, l shall take care that my death
shall have the appearance of murder;
but L charge you to produce this CON
fession if an innocent person be III dan
ger Of being convicted for my murder.
Let no man, no matter how low, suffer
as l have suffered for another's crime.
EDGAR L. BALLANTYNE.'
I had Just finished this startling com
munication when Green, my fathers
valet, raped at the door.
Mr.. Seldom, Mr.. SeldOni' he cried.
There's a man come for the doctor To
go to life and death case, but l can't
make him hear me when knock. I'm
afraid he is i'll
Hastily concealing the confession, l
spIaug to the door and ran down stairs.
The door Of father room WAS locked,
and no answer came to my repeated
eutreaties 10 be allowed TO enter.
Bring an axe, Green l said IN
steadily. We must force the door