St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-04-27

hing and entreating her father for some
boon within his power to grant, and at
such times the artist would listen. with
white face and set lips. a. II every
word OF the murmured petition was .
pain to him.
Upon that first day Of his interview
with the Smiths he had driven to the
station below Easthaven and tele-
graphed:
MR. JOHN OUNNIN0, No - Wall Street,
have seen him. II is the man we want beyond
doubt Twill wait here for further proof He
can not escape. CID.
This was in April. and now it was
June. Every day in the interval Charlie
DanfOrth had found himself giving
more and more OF his heart to Lulu
Smith. Every day a growing repug-
nance to the task he had undertaken
with half-boyish enthusiasm grew
stronger. His letters to John Dunning
were briefer and moro unsatisfactory
until that gentleman sent the curt tele-
gram over which Charlie Danforth
pondered painfully upon the June
| evening already mentlOned.
Arrest Christopher Smith! That
very morning the old man had had u
second stroke of paralysis. and lay
helpless and feeble. apparently dying.
not dozen yards from where Charlie
Danforih sat. Arrest him! And upon
the fair young head bent low in an.
guish would fall the crushing weight
of disgrace when sorrow, too, was in
evitable.
And yet. hero were the facts. The
man who called himself Christopher
Smith was a criminal. who. fleeing
from justice. had been stricken down
in his tracks. His name was Porter.
Christopher Porter. and for years he
has held an apparently honorable po-
sition as cashier in the banking house
Of John Dunning. Apparently. for he
had been systematically classifying his
books and accounts. and boarding up
ill-gottcn gains When he had fifty
thousand dollars in portable shape he
fed. He had not intended to take his
child with him. but ut the last hour
she detected his purpose and followed
his fortunes. utterly humiliated and
grief stricken. but hoping against
hope. to turn him from his purpose.
When he was stricken down. she i'm
plored him to send back his :n-gotten
money, and trust to his employers
mercy.
1t was while the bankers were in
their first CONSERVATION at the dis
covery Of the villainy of their long
trusted servant that Charles Danforth
Dunning. the nephew OF the old gen.
tleman robbed. came from a prolonged
European tour, and constituted himself
IN amateur detective in his uncle's
service.
His first clew was given by an old
friend who lived ut Easthaven, and in
the usual dearth Of news. seized upon
the excitement caused by Mr.. Smiths
illness to make the subject Of letter
to Charlie.
''YOu know, Uncle John, that am
SO changed that Porter will never
know me. but his old phiz has been the
same for the last thirty years. am
sure. should know him anywhere"
And he was right He recognized
the defaulting cashier rs he lifted him
from the Aoor. on the first day OF their
meeting. In boyish exultation he had
telegraphed the fact to his uncle. and
then-had fallen in love with Lulu.
1t was all very we'll for John Dunning
to telegraph to him to ARREST the man
at once" but u stronger messenger
than the constable was already waiting
in Christopher Porter's room, to arrest
him in his career of crime. And he
wanted. this ardent young lover. to
spare Lulu. il possible.
The knowledge of the crime he could
not keep from her, but he would have
spared her all further pain. il possible.
Her white, sad face haunted him every
hour. waking and sleeping. and he
dreaded unutterably. the horror that
would come upon it when the blow she
dreaded should fall. and by his hand.
That was the worst torture of all. If
only strangers would come and spare
his testimony. he might fill the Office
OF consider. but he knew that it would
now be simply impossible to conceal
his share in the transaction. the motive
for his sojourn ut Easthaven.
While he pondered, a sharp rap up
on ais door aroused him. and he
pushed the telegram out OF sight un-
der some papers.
Come in" he cried then. and was
by the appearance OF John |
Dunning himself.
..Wellr' said that gentleman. II
came TO SEQ"
.'Hushr' was the quick interruption.
with a nervous glance at the door. mot |
here"
.'Oh. I understand. Shall we walk
out?''
But on the wide country road. in the |
pleasant summer night, light not really |
darkened yet. Charlie was apparently |
as reluctant to speak as in his own
room.
After much patient waiting his UNI
Gle said:
What is it? Some unexpected |
hitch. see. HaSthe fellow escaped?"
'.He will s0on!" was the grave re-
ply.
you are not going 70 let him slip |
through our fingers n0C?'
stronger hands than ours can not
hold him. He is dying"
$50 bad as that?"