Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-10-05

Hooper left tho bank and went to
another city, where he engaged IN a
private banking and brokerage bust
ness. Tt was in this city that Judge
Storrow was now sitting.
One night at his club the conversa-
tion drifted round to money and
banking. The Judge made a remark
that he wished to procure a letter of
credit for his niece, who was going
abroad, and some one suggested
Hooper'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 be
president, didn't your" 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 we're boys together. Rand
was in very good circumstances,
while Hooper had plenty Of money.
At that time Hooper was quietly buy
ing up a great deal of land through
which he knew a railroad was pro-
iected He let Rand in on the ground
floor, lent him money and then, when
they realized collected Rand's notes
and in this way they both made
money, and Rand's share was mod
crate fortune to a man in his circum-
stances. 1t wasn't many years be-
fore 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 all 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 per-
sonal appearance, which, of course,
had nothing to do with the "law and
evidence" He had an idea that
Rand was not that sort of q man,
and, curiously enough, he had ac-
| quired an antipathy for Hooper.
The next day he called at the bank
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 d'y do? Why-I didn't
expect to see you" he stammered.
Anything we can do for you?"
The Judge looked him square in
the eye and said: mo, Mr.. Hooper,
nothing you can do, unless-never
mind now" and he gave a peculiar
look under which Hooper quailed.
The Judge had not gone two blocks
! before one of the clerks came rush
/ ing after him, and said that 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 a scoundrel," the
/ Judge replied, surprised out of his
| self-control.
81 did it, Judge, l did It,"
81 know it," calmly replied the
Judge.
81 came to this city because I
/ couldn't stand meeting you, and I've
never had happy or easy moment
since. I've lived in constant fear Of
apprehension.
The judge looked at him for a mo-
ment, and then turned the key in the
lock and put 1t into his pocket Then
he went to the telephone and told po-
lice headquarters who he was and
asked them to send an inspector to
the banking office.
Now" he said, before either Of
us leave this room, you are going to
write the whole story. You will sign
it in the presence of witnesses, and
inside of two weeks Rand will be a
free man. You will be arrested at
once, but for two weeks, for my own
reasons, you will continue your bust
ness, and a headquarters man will be
always with you. You can explain
his presence in any way that you
like. Now sit down and write"
Hooper shrank from the task, but
the judge insisted. When he had
finished and was ready to sign there
came tap at the door, and strang-
er was ushered in. He locked the
door after him, and the judge had a
low conversation with him. The con.
fession was duly signed and witness
ed.
That night the Judge started for
home, having disposed of the case
There the next day he laid the con.
fession before the governor and his
council, who took the preliminary
steps to release Rand.
That evening Ned Grant called
saying he had failed to find the judge
at home on previous evenings. He
knew enough of law to appreciate
something's the Judge told him.
Now" said the Judge, this tangle
can be Strengthened out. You bring
Alice here two weeks from tonight
and I'll try to change her views"
At last the night came. The Judge
was decidedly nervous. The bel
rang and in came Ned and Alice
He had told her about the Judge and
she blushed prettily when she was
introduced.
After he had explained at some
length that his eavesdropping was
quite accidental, he began to argue
with her on the matter She tool
the same high ground as before
that II was doing Ned a wrong. And
she had a pretty good case, too. Al
last he said:
$50 T. ere is no way Of turning
you? W would marry Ned II YOU
father ere not in prison for EN-
bez7'c IL"
She eodded. and the Judge silently
handed her a long typewritten docu
meat It was the witnessed. confes
sion Rand had been living quietly
with tae judge for the last few days
and knew the whole story.
Ned stood near carefully watching
her. and as the door opened noise
iesslv he saw John Rand waiting fol
us daughter to look up and sec
I'm.
she read II through without look
I'D. Then. as she lay back in he