The Portland daily press., 1900-07-19

and seemed to shun every one of us. NO
wonder. / guess it kept him pretty busy
trying to cover up his tracks. I have no
doubt his systematic sWindling has been
going on for a long time. never did
like him. Always thought he had much
too wide a scope for such a young fell
low"
After a few more like comments they
separated, each one perfectly satisfied
with his own CONVICTION of the guilt Of
their very recent friend, one sympathetic
another condemning without mercy; this
one with a shrug of the shoulder, that
one with a glance of the eye, according
to their different ways Of expressing opin-
ions of guilt.
1t was utterly impossible to keep the
scandal from the newspapers. Within
"a hours the world was informed that
Allan Wentworth, a most promising
business and society young man of San
Francisco, was thief and a fugitive
from justice. Some of the writer's mem
toned his noble traits-others had no
recollection of his good qualities, notwith-
standing that he had many They were
not at all surprised that the crash had
come They had been expecting it with
journalistic prescience.
Before the end of another day a run
was made on the bank. Men who had
prospered had large sums at stake; sad
eyed women had trusted their all to it;
the widows mite was in its hands-men
of all grades, conditions and nations, wo-
men from the highest rank of society to
the lowest grade of pitifully paid, plod-
ding drudgery-all all were there at the
bank doors clamoring for their money,
crying aloud for their all and cursing the
dishonest cashier.
Behind the doors were white faces,
busy, nervous fingers and overweight
brains, delving and diving in the banks
books, adding, figuring, hunting and
searching for some dehcit-some sign,
some mixing Of Wentworth's dishonesty.
II never saw tracks SO adroitly cover
ed" was the verdict of the several ex-
perts after three days Of useless search
The banks resources were large, and
with timely assistance all pressing de-
mands were slowly met. The directors
were fighting for time to discover how
large was the defalcation. They We're
cropping in the dark, fearful that any mo-
ment would make certain the great extent
of the robbery.
In the meantime Sylvia and Allan re-
manned in hiding in their uninviting quar-
ters.
Alan's fear of arrest grew more per-
ceptible each day and kept him almost
continually indoors. His hunted look, his
logged actions, were pitiable to behold,
yet, in all things else, Allan Wentworth
was no coward.
When the third day was drawing to q
close, an all absorbing thought took pos
session of his brain. 1t dominated it with
the "reminiscences Of tyrant. ~ must
have money! it urged. "If I can't
make it, | must get it-anyhow! Enough
to take Sylvia and me away from this ac-
cursed place! l have but one life to live!
Must live it like a dog, lodging the
police everywhere? Must I see my young
wife waste her life in such surroundings
as these?
For hours he sat brooding, and at night
he could not sleep A terrible scheme
was concocting whereby he would gain
that which he wanted. II can do it.
will do it; nothing easier. 1t has been
done before-why not now? The South
ern Pacific train reaches this place at
1850 in the morning, just after mid
night, when even the railroad officials
are droWsy eyed I'll climb to the top
of the car and lie fat upon its roof.
When the train pulls out and gets be-
tween stations, I'll drop down upon the
engineer. He'll not be armed. My re-
volver will be most effective. I'll hold
up the train, take the express matter
and I'll have money enough for Sylvia
and me-"
How it all flashed instinctively through
his working brain How easy it seemed
In fancy he had already clutched the
bags Of needed goldi
He crept from his bed and stealthily
left the room. Soon after Sylvia was
aroused from her sleep by loud talking
outside. She raised her window. The
glare from an electric light fell full upon
the crowd of men in the street just be-
low, and she saw Allan, hatless and coat
less, wildly gesticulating in the center of
the crowd. Hurriedly she threw a long
wrap about her and rushed to his side
Il have robbed the express trainr' he
said excitedly. II am a criminal! Why
do you all doubt me? I never lied know
ingly in my life. ! am a thief, tell you,
q thiefw
eyes I am Allan Wentworth, he said
to a bystander Il suppose you are going
to arrest me. Well, arrest away. /
ought to be arrested, for / am scoun-
drel. You don't believe that 1 robbed
the expressY he asked in an exultant
tone, as if to prove the truth of his state
ment was of more worth in his eyes than
anything else "Look at the blood where
the bullet broke my arm and almost pre-
vented me. He held up his arm and
stared earnestly at the imaginary blood
upon his shirt sleeve.
Hes as crazy as a June bug" said a
man in the crowd carelessly.
That same night Sylvia obtained as
sistance and started with her husband
for San Francisco. By morning they were
in their own home, surrounded by anx-
ious but happy friends. Allan's accounts
had been thoroughly exported and showed
that they were as straight as a string
His physicians said it was an attack Of
acute MANIA caused by overwork, and
that he would certainly -Cleve-
land Plain Dealer.