The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-31

mistake by staying and listening.
| AL last he evolved plan calculated TO
! ease his own conscience and give tho
| young man some courage. So the Judge
sent him this letter:
| Mr. Edwin Crant-I had the misfortune TO over
hear part OF your conversation with Miss Rand to-
Gay. although in quite M accidental manner. II,
as surinisc, you the son OF Grant OF the su-
prenc. YOU made OF the right sort OF stun to
regard Miss Rand's views only temporary OBJ.
etacle to your happiness l sentenced Rand and
II you care to call on me should be glad to see
you. Perhaps may think OF come arguments
to make Miss Rand look at the case differently
AT any rate l agree with his honor. your father
and am also with you" Yours,
ROBERT s7onnow
The next day the judge was obliged
20 go to distant city to act as referee
In a case
The Rand case was almost purely q
circumstantial one and hung on the
handwriting in which the false entries
had been made In the books The
handwriting experts all agreed that
the entries had been made by Rand.
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
bafiled by the admission. md Rand re-
fused to explain 1t in any way. Try
as he would the lawyer could elicit
nothing further. and the jury had to
bring in verdict OF guilty.
1t could never be found how Rand
had disposed Of the sum he cmbezzled.
In fact. not penny of the missing
money was ever found. and the bank
charged 1t to profit and loss
Hooper. the president Of the bank,
was In constant attendance ut 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 private banking
and brokerage business. 1t was In
this city that Judge Storrow was now
sitting
One night at the club the conversa-
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 Hooper's
house as the best place t. get it.
"By the way" said his adviser, You
sentenced the cashier Of the bank Of
didn't you?" The judge said lie 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 Hooper was quietly buy
ing up great deal Of land through
which he knew railroad was project
ed. He let Rand in on the ground floor,
lent him money and then. when they
realized, collected Rund's notes, and in
this way they both made money, and
Rand's share was moderate fortune
to man In his circumstances. It was
rot many years before Rand had lost
his money In foolish investments. Then
Hooper got him the position Of cashier
In the bank where he was president
1t seems pretty tough for Rand to have
stolen NIL that money. The directors
asked Hooper for his resignation. Of
course, and he was obliged to come
here and start fresh"
Now, this was a part Of the story
that the judge had never heard be-
fore. It little agreed with his personal
Impressions, which, Of course, had 4
nothing to do with the claw and evi.
dence." He had an idea that Rand
was not that sort of man, and, curl
Ou5iy enough, ne had acquired All an
tipathy for Hooper.
That night he woke thinking Of the
case. Gradually he found himself
forced to conclusion for which there
was little reason-he somehow thought
that Hccpc- was the guilty man and
Rand the innocent. He had known q
few similar cases of quixotic gratitude.
The next day he called at the bank
ing house Of Hooper & Co. AS he was
leaving he met Hooper face to face
The man went white and staggered
against the door jamb as If he had
been struck.
"Why-how dye do? Why-I didn't
expect to see you," he stammered.
Anything we can do for you?"
The judge looked him square II the
eye and said, "No. Mr.. Hooper. nothing
you can do. unless-but never mind
now" And he gave him q peculiar look
under which Hooper quailed.
The judge had not gone two blocks
before one of the clerks came rushing
after him and said Mr.. Hooper wanted
him to come back. He found Hooper
striding the floor and mumbling to
himself.
"My God, judge. do you know?" he
cried.
81 know you are q scoundrel," the
judge replied. surprised out Of his self
control
81 did it, judge; did it."
II know It," calmly replied the
judge.
II came to this city because !;
couldn't stand meeting you, and 1 have
never had happy or an easy moment !,
since. I've lived in constant fear Of |:
apprehension" !
The judge looked at him and could
scarce restrain his contempt and indig- |
nation. !,