The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-02-23


thought about it the more he felt that
he had made a mistake by staying and
listening. At last he evolved a 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. If, as / suTmise, 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. l sentenced Rand, and If you
care to call on me l should be glad to see
you. Perhaps we may think of some argu-
inents to 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
20 go to distant city to act as referee
In case.
The Rand case was almost purely a
circumstantial one and hung on the
handwriting in which the false entries
had been made in the books. The handt
writing experts all agreed that the en-
tries 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
for him. His counsel was completely
baffled 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 w@s now sit
ting.
One night at Lis club the conversa-
tion drifted round to money and bank
ing. The judge made the 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 it.
"By the way" said his adviser, "you
sentenced the cashier of the bank of
which Hooper used to be 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 IL
very good circumstances, while Hooper
had plenty of money. AT that tint
Hooper was quietly buying up great
deal of land through which he knew
railroad was projected, 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 a
moderate fortune to man in his cir
cumstancess 1t wasn't many years be-
fore Rand had lost his money in fool
ish investments. Then Hooper got him
the position of cashier in the bank
where he was president. 1t seems pret-
ty 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 part of the story that
the judge had never heard before. 1t
little agreed with his personal impress
sions, which of course has nothing to
do with the Flaw and evidence" He
had an idea that Rand was not that sort
of man, and, curiously enough, he
had acquired an antipathy for Hooper.
Gradually he found himself forced to
a conclusion for which there was little
reason. He somehow thought that
Hooper was the guilty man and Rand
the innocent. He had known a few
similar cases of quixotic gratitude.
The next day he called at the bank
ing house of Hooper G. 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.
The judge looked him square in
the eye and said: "No, Mr.. Hooper.
nothing you can do, pnless-but
never mind now," and he gave him
a 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 WANT
ed him to come back. He found Hoop
er striding the floor and mumhling
to himself.
''My God, judge, do you Lnow?" he
cried.
81 know you are a scoundrel," the
judge replied, surprised out of his self
control.
81 did it, judge. did it."
II knew it" calmly replied the
judge.
81 came to this city because |
couldn't stand meeting you, and
have never had a happy or an easy
moment since. I've lived in constant
fear of apprehension"
The judge, stepping back, turned
the key in the lock aud put it into
his pocket. Then he went to the tel
ephone, told police headquarters who
he was, and asked them to send him
an inspector at 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 in