The herald., 1896-05-24

THE FRECKLE EXTERMINATOR
ANT PIECE q
there hadn't been any earthquake but he
don't like to be contradced so | simply
agreed with him.
Then he began to talk about Distillers'
stock. There's been a great boom in Dis
tillers' this morning" he said Cup to 27 SIS
l want you to send that Distilers put up
by Tallman as collateral, down to our
brokers' tomorrow morning and have it
sold at the opening
"Well what was there singular about
that?"
II didn't think there was anything out
of the way about it at the time, but when
I came to talk it over with Mr.. Haswell,
the teller, we found that the highest point
whskey had touched that day was Oh. So,
you see he must have been away Off in his
mind:
Hum! lie may have been, and he may
not; what else did he say?"
"He commenced to talk about John Y.
McKane. Here's that rascal Mckane out
of prison again. he exclaimed. That man
ought to be kept in Jail, and not allowed to
go around the country presiding over Sun
day schools. II one OF you fellows gets to
presiding over Sunday school there will be
a vacancy in the bank. ~
"Ho! Ho! and yet they thought this man
McKeever was crazy" muttered Benjamin
to himself; then, in louder tone:
Gentlemen! this is the most important
thing that have heard. That earthquake
settles the business. My mind is about
made up. Hurrah for the earthquake"
What in thunder do you mean by that?'
I demanded, with annoyance; for his words
sounded most silly and preposterous.
II mean that that earthquake is the key
to the whole matter Without that earth
quake there wouldn't have been any rob-
berry; or no, I won't say that; but it had a
good deal to do with bringing about the
robbery. Hurrah, I say, for the earth
quake
Perhaps you think I exclaimed indig-
nantly, that it was this earthquake that
made the vault and safe fly open. You are
trying to mystify us with a lot of rubbish,
which you don't believe yourself. Get down
and talk common sense. We have neither
the time or inclination for any such tom
foolery."
Old Benjamin looked at me with what
seemed a glance of superiority and OF
commiseration.
Wait till we are through, young man,
and we will see who is talking rubbish. You
can't understand me; consequently you
think it is tom foolery. 1t is the way with
every one, when they are brought before
something which is beyond their compre-
hension. | will tell you this: since hearing
about this earthquake. it is settled in my
mind that Mr. Mcneever was innocent OF
the robbery of the bank. But I am through
here, and now, if you like, we viii! go to
McKeevers house"
When we got to the house. we were re-
ceived by McKeevers neice. Miss Agnes
Warren. She had her street garments or
when we arrived, as she was just on the
point of going over to Brooklyn to stay
with some relatives for day or two. She
took us into the library or sitting room and
oblgingly remained With us, that she
might give us any information we wanted
about her uncle
She was tall. rather slender and very
good looking girl, Of about twentyfour
She had modest and engaging air, and
there was a look Of sadness in her face
which showed how much the recent occur.
rences had grieved and crushed her.
She spoke of her uncle in terms of the
greatest affection, and the tears were in hel
eyes when she asked old Benjamin II he
too thought him capable Of such an action
He answered her in an Indifferent ant
heartless tone; which made me quite indig
nant. In fact, his manner with her. al
through, made me feel uncomfortable ant
ashamed Of the company I was in.
Nothing could have been clearer or more
concise than her account Of the day which
preceded that of the robbery. Her story
was SO straightforward and her manner O.
telling 1t SO winning that 1t was pleasure
to listen to her. 1t all seemed to produc,
very little effect nevertheless, on the ex
pert. as he broke In upon her narrative
twice or thrice, at inopportune moments
with strange questions about things which
had nothing to do with what she was Al
the moment saying; just as If the old brut'
were trying to set trap for her. She wa!
SO ready and quick, however. with her an
swers. that he seemed to gain nothing at al
by it.
He questioned her particularly about tn,
stranger who had called on Mr.. McKeeve
and who had accompanied him to the bank
She had never seen him before and hat
heard very little of the conversation. Sht
remembered that this man had talked abou
getting a loan of ten thousand dollars on {
shipment Of agricultural implements, ant
her impression was that her uncle hat
gone away with him to look into the mat
ter.
The servant, whose name, as have men
toned. was Maria Flanagan, had com
into the room towards the close Of our con