Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-07

wired to the city for him.
One day, CHANGING to sit at the III
str,lment, there came Il call on the
prcsidents wire. and, responding re.
ceived this message: LET me know IL
the road Is clear"
A minute later / called up his private
wire and tapped, "The road is clear
"AIl right" came back the answer
1t was Il simple enough message put
1t set my pulses throbbng. Mechhn-
ically | touched the button ana repeat
ed the message, 1.-THE road Is clear"
and Immediately came back the words,
"All right
| sat at the instrument like man In
dream. and my thoughts were with
Dick. who had sat at the same spot
five years before and had touched that
Nme instrument. What was there IN
that reply that so fascinated me, or
was it tie anniversary Of poor DICKS
death that made me fanclful!
That afternoon the president came
down to the station on business, and !
looked ut him closely. He must have
seen me watching him, for he shifted
his position uneasily and nervously
handled the instrument. | may say
that lie was an expert operator ana
preferred telcgraphing his messages to
writing them.
As watched him l remembered
hearing the strange story Of Ills rise;
how from an operator on distant road
he had suddenly become stakeholder,
a director and finally the president OF
the road, and how his wealth and hold
ings were known far and wide.
He seemed i'll at ease that day, and l
withdrew my eyes and busted myself
elsewhere. But more than once he
caught me looking at him.
Twice that day the president drove
down to the station, and slowly he
drove home again, as though he were
disturbed about something. The third
time he came it was almost dark, and |
heard him send his coachman home,
telling him that he would follow soon
on foot.
For half an hour the president bus
led himself around the station, a most
unusual thing for him, and when he
finally took leave it was to walk hur-
redly away in the direction of the
churchyard. n journey which ! often
took myself
Scarcely realizing what was doing,
pulled my cap over my eyes and
started after him. What excuse
would make IL he turned and saw me l
knew not. | only understood that some
force was pulling me onward and that
same force was taking me over the
same road and in the very footprints
of President Croydon of the Lakeville
and Laska railway.
TO my surprise, he turned the corner
as he reached the church and, plodding
his way past it. opened the gate which
led into the churchyard and slowly
wendell his way among the graves.
followed him. Through
the narrow paths we went. he the sub
stance, | the shadow close after him.
But. horror Of horrors, he stopped.
And, my God, he bent over Dick RAM
sey's grave. Lower and lower he sank
until he was upon his knees and his
hands were spread out upon the sod
In the uncertain light Of the rising
moon could see that he threw back
his head, that his face was drawn and
deadly white and that his lips were
| must have stepped upon twig, for
a sound betrayed me. Springing to his
feet, he turned and faced me, not ten
feet away.
With a cry Of rage he sprang toward
me. 80 you followed mel" he cried
liercely between his teeth. You dog
ged my steps,"
He was a powerful man, but in the
struggle which followed easily mas
tered him and had him pinioned, white
and painting. DO not add another
said fiercely, ito that of
Dick Ramsey"
"IIow do you know he whispered.
81 recognized your hand upon the
wire. was the agent at the next sta.
ton when you-took Dicks place-you
remember--tive years ago-today"
ooh, God, yes" he cried "Shall l
ever forget? When | had to come to
this cursed place to live, thought it
might disappear after awhile. But it
grows stronger every day. live with
It, see it. hear it--that poor fellow-all
the time. Yet had to do it or be kill
ed. There was gang of us. Oh, ohw
he cried, and, breaking down utterly,
the proud president of the road buried
his face in his hands.
1t was strange scene, we two there
in the moonlight, accuser and accused,
he trembling, revengeful.
Il tried to lead better life," he con-
tinued. "ard Oh my gains l succeeded
we'll. But. oh, the misery of these
years! thought tonight if | could see
his grave and pray upon it l might be
forgiven and have rest" His eyes
with crushed skull.
What are you going to do?" asked
after we had stood there in silence.
Give myself up now, suppose"
said he. There is no other way"
Tie next day the whole country was
'inging with the strange confession of
resident Croydon. He made clean
'reast of it and was so manly and sin.
ere in his repentance that nobody was
iorry when his sentence was placed at
term of Imprisonment instead of the
ieatl penalty. which is so summmily
iealt out to criminals in the newest of
he western towns. - Columbus Dis
,atch