The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-10

without reservation or motive TOT ihise-
hood. The adventure would be the eli
max of his life's work.
81 was fool to make the bet," said rhe
loser. Anybody can sec what you are
Il mean anybody in the business.
You're a confidence operator, that's the
size of you, and I'll put up dollars to
doughnuts that few can touch you IN
your line"
"You fiatter me-" said Newcomb. "ln
return, let me Introduce myself. My
name is Woodbury-John Woodbury."
"a good name," said one of the crooks,
and the others nodded.
"Im Jack Pinney," the criminal con-
tinued. "If you want TO know any more
about me, ask the police. The gentle
man on my right is Bill Harris, better
known than l am. On my left you will
observe tall, blond beauty who calls
himself Frank Gleason. He is so
smooth that he can slide up hill. He has
been everywhere, speaks one hundred
languages, and cannot tell the truth IN
any one of them"
Following this introduction there wns
on interval of silence, during which
Newcomb earnestly regarded the IN
teresting trio into whose society kind
Providence had thrown him.
Harris was rather short in stature
and had tendency 10 corpulency.
which even the carefully-selected diet
provided by the state had not wholly
repressed. His face was firm, express
ing the stolid pride of the successful
business man. II was clear that he
was one who despised frivolity and put
his trust in hard and conscientious
toll.
Pinney was dark and lean-a man
full OF nervous energy. He had the
ready address of the travelling sales
man, and the superficial honesty which
il so necessary 10 that profession.
Gleason, as has been disclosed, was OF
the blond type. He had an air of cultiva-
tion and the manners of one who has
moved in good society. Yet he was
never the same man for many minutes
consecutively, being totally destitute of
sincerity. His bearing and even his
countenance varied with the theme Of
his conversation; and he could seem
W Dt liOIi IL PiAatS w
your family physician.
Cant you tell us n story, Mr.. Wood
hury?" said Pinney. "We've got time
on our hands and this compartment 70
ourselves. 1t seems to me that this
crowd ought to spin some good yarns"
Nothing could have suited Newcomb
better than this proposition. Stories
were what he wanted, and he FASTENED
to get the ball rolling by narrating
an early experience which In certain
companies he might have kept to HIM
self But there he felt no hesitation.
Even should the story be repeated, no
one would credit these men; and, in
any case, the affair was SO far in the
past that il had taken on an impersonal
character in his thoughts.
"My first crime." he began; and Glca-
son interrupted, crying out:
"Good! ! always like to hear about
mans first offense."
The others coincided in this opinion,
and Newcomb continued:
"My first crime possesses elements OF
novelty which, ! think, will interest
you. AT that time was young man OF
very high ideals and ambitions. / be-
lieved that IL was my mission TO benefit
the race. In short ! wished to be
philanthropist. But In order to fit ny-
self for that calling, felt that an cdu-
cation was necessary. My parents bad
been poor and had obtained very little
schooling, though had studied hard at
every opportunity. / longed for coll
lege training, and had leaning toward
theological studies.
In this situation applied to wealthy
uncle who refused me cruelty. i could
have borne his niggardtness toward me,
but his total lack of sympathy with the
cause to which intended to devote my
life shocked me unspeakably. con-
sidered the matter thoroughly, and
came to the conclusion, that, for his own
souls sake he should be forced to part
with that small part of his gigantic pos
sessions for the good of mankind.
"The way was easy. M uncle had
little boy--four years old--of whom he
was SAID to be extremely fond. The
child had never seen me, although had
often called upon my uncle both at his
city house and at his magnificent sum
mer residence on Long Island. My plan
was TO take away the child and hold
him for moderate ransom, barely
enough TO give me the education which
was necessary 10 fit me for useful
career in the world.
after my uncle's refusal OF my re-
quest. l made a considerable study of
the situation. The family was then Mt
the country house, and took lodgings
NEAR by. | soon discovered that the
task which l had set for myself would
prove extremely easy. For large part
OF every evening the child was left prrc
tically unguarded. The room where
he slept was high up in the house. but
one OF its windows could be reached
by series OF ascents from one 10 an.
Other OF the roofs Of the various por.
tlons Of the structure. To descend with
the boy would have been no difficult un-
lartolfiuU for ea active youth o. n