The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-24
PART I.

Two hundred thousand dollars. that
In round numbers, was the amount OF
my defalcation. Somehow, l had never
realized the enormity of 1t all until
that afternoon. l gazed blankly about
the bank, with my head upon my hand.
How would it end. how would 1t end p?
It may be because 1 was too young
--26-to feel a weight of guilt. or be-
cause have always lived in an atmos-
phere OF falsehood. that l felt no fear
on my own account. i well knew how
likely detection was. Any contingency
might ruin me. And yet l felt nc
anxiety as far as alone was concerned
1t was all for Margaret-dear. dear
Margaret. How she believed in me!
What castles in the air she built. In
anticipation OF the time when we two
should be happily married.
And l loved her. l. loved her sc
much that l made q VOW never to wed
her. But, like all towards. I was in
capable of honesty. l could only
drift on and on, like the ship that floats
near and ever nearer to the rock.
When l reached my rooms that
night; l tried, for the thousandth time,
to solve a plan of extrication from my
cruel predicament. But it was a vain
process. ] could only look helplessly
upon the stolen luxury surrounding me
and at last seek Inconsistencies in
chlorofOrm.
had been q farmers boy until six
years ago. and luxury had all the charm
of novelty for me. ] wish l could draw
for you picture Of the regal state
lived in. l was always literarily In
clined. and had library of a thousand
volumes. at least. all richly bound.
had studied hard. too. in my leisure
and could, l think, enjoy the books.
My carpets were like velvet to the feet
and my pictures and furniture did.
hope, no discredit to my taste. Even
at % a one time country boy can lose
himself In things of this sort. And
wore the finest clothes and lived as we'll
as u millionaire. Nor did the source of
my elegant ease weigh upon me.
looked upon the consequences of dis
covery as the price to be paid for all
this luxury and I reflected that the
price was really not a high one.
But l had reckOned without Margaret.
She was the daughter of one of the
bank clerks. had met her but Il year
before and think loved her from the
first. | never knew what shame was
until her eyes met mine. All! how the
thought of her even now brings back
Rll the pain.
! have often wondered why she loved
me. Perhaps 1t was simply because
SO genuinely loved her. They say love
begets love. l think l can pay her no
higher compliment than to say that
in her presence ! seemed to lose my
sense of guilt. She had purity enough
for us both.
So 1t was the thought of her that
obliged me to take refuge in the use
OF drugs. l think l should have gone
mad with the misery of It. but that
chloroform afforded me the relief of
Inconsistencies. and yet even that re-
lief failed me at times. For / would
awake in the dark of the morning.
with the fire glowing in the crate and
the clock tick, ticking though the
shadows. / would lie motionless amid
the rugs, staring about me with wide
open. motiOnless eyes. Or I would go
Had ! any honor. could declare upon
1t that only the thought of Margaret
moved me. I cared nothing about the
defalcation and would have been guilty
Of 1t all over again. but for her. If
only l dared confess to her and get her
to take my view of it. But l knew that
was impossible.
The stars almost stood out Of the sky
that night, l remember. / gazed fix
edly at them in the sort Of intellectual
trance that was my main relief in those
days, when q ring at my bell aroused
me.
Some one had evidently been ringing
Q long time, for the bell quivered spas
medically as pushed the electric knob.
Then quick, but heavy step became
audible.
I started when saw my visitor He
was we'll known to me by sight. being
the cashier Of leading metropolitan
bank. The rapid thought that l was
st last discovered gave way to the re-
Election that such could not be the case,
since l would not be visited thus in that
event.
MIR. MeldOn, for his name was Meldon,
sat down without saying word to me
and then struck a match. He held it
over his head for a moment and sur
veyed me and my rooms by the chang
ing light. Then he looked for the gas.
"OhO, my fine gentleman" said he
"gas Is not good enough for you. eh I?
Electric light and lamps. Well. you
can afford the expense. / know"
He laughed grimly and turned up an
arc light. 1t did not need the quick,
significant look we exchanged to re-
veal to me that this man knew all. His
manner and his visit had already
spoken to the accusing something with
In me. But what did he want? I
speculated helplessly upon 1t and held
my tongue.
How much have you stolen?" He
asked abruptly.
( l did not dream of bandying words
with him. told him of the amount OF
my defalcation.