The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-03-30

home he turned the little tragedy over
and over in his mind and the more he
thought about It the more he felt that
he had made mistake by staying and
listening. At last he evolved plan
calculated to ease his own conscience
and give the young man some courage.
SO the Judge sent him this letter:
"Mr Edwin Grant:
II had the misfortune to overhear part
of your conversation with Miss Rand to-
day, although In quite an accidental man
ner. II, as | surmlse, you are the son Of
Grant, of the supreme you are made OF
the right sort of stuff to regard Miss Rand's
views as only temporary obstacle to your
happiness J sentenced Rand, and n you |
care to call on me | should be glad to see
you. Perhaps we may think of some ergu |
ments 10 make Miss Rand, look at the case |
differently. At any rate agree with his
honor, your father, and am also with
you Yours.
ROBERT sToRRow."
The next day the Judge was obliged
to 20 TO q distant city to act as referee
| in case.
The Rand case was almost purely n
circumstantial one and hung on The
handwriting in which he false entries
! had been made in the books. The handl
writing experts all agreed that the en-
tries had been made by Randi indeed,
the prisoner admitted as much.
He had pleaded mot guilty" and
when he admitted the identity of the
handwriting there was little left to do
for him. His counsel was completely
baflled by the admission and Rand re-
fused to explain it in any way.
1t could never be found how Rand had
disposed of the sum he embezzled. In
fact. not penny Of the missing money
was ever found, and the bank charged
it to profit and loss.
Hooper. the president of the bank.
was in constant attendance AT the trial,
and expressed great sorrow for Rand.
Shortly after the sentence Hooper left
the bank and went to another city.
where he engaged in a private banking
and brokerage business. 1t was in this
city that Judge Storrow was now sit
ting.
One night at his club the converse
ton drifted round to money and bank
ing. The Judge made the remark that
he wished to procure letter of credit
for his niece, who was going abroad
and some one suggested llooper's house
as the best place to get 1t.
"By the way" said his adviser, you
sentenced the cashier of the bank of
which Hooper used to he president,
; didn't you?" The judge said he did.
"Well," continued the man, that's
the way some men treat those who have
been kind to them. My wife grew up in
the village where Hooper and Rand
were boys together Rand was not in
very good circumstances, while Hooper
, had plenty of money. At that time
Z Hooper was quietly buying up great
deal of land through which he knew a
l railroad was projected. He let Rand In
} on the ground floor, lent him money,
e and then, when they realized, collected
' Rand's notes, and in this way they both
made money. and Rand's share WIS q
= moderate fortune to a man In his cir
e cumstances. 1t wasn't many years be-
= fore Rand had lost bis money Ia tool
D lsh investments. Then Hooper got him
e the position of cashier In the bank
e where be was president. II seems pref
D " tough for Rand TO have stolen all
that money. The directors asked
= Hooper for his resignation, Of course
e and he was obliged to come here and
! start fresh"
!, Now, this was part of the story that
= the Judge had never heard before. II
: little agreed with his personal impress
sions, which of course has nothing tC
o do with the claw and evidence" He
I had an idea that Rand was not that sort
u of man, and, curiously enough, he
y had acquired an antipathy for Hooper
r Gradually he found himself forced Il
a conclusion for which there was little
e reason. lie somehow thought thai
Hooper was the guilty man and RanC
L the innocent. He had known few
II similar cases of quiEotic gratitude.
It The next day he.called at the bank
II ing house of Hooper & Co. AS he wal
y leaving he met Hooper face to face
The man went white, and staggered
q 80, but think of it, Ned! Think whar
your friends would say! Ned Gran
i married the daughter of an embezzlel
'' serving his time in iail!'"
The judge couldn't help wondering
if this were the son of Grant on tn,
supreme bench, whom he had never
y met, although he knew his father in
" timately. The girls gentle voice brok,
: as she said this and Ned cried;
80, Alice, l wish you wouldn't thinl
of that 1t just breaks me up to Sc,
x you cry, you know"
= Then followed "A silence during whicl
p Alice must have been in some way com
y forted, for she said, in a steady voice:
mo, my dear boy, have been yer!
~ weak to see you so often, and hay
these rides. l should have refused ant
:, tried to forget you. But, Ned,
= couldn't. l can't think of anything blu
you-and-l tbD love you sol"
More silence. Then: