The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-05-03
DEATH AS THE PRICE
OF PERSONAL DISHONOR


cOachman's fox terriers claimed H.
sympathetic attention, one Of its mos
curously marked members being dcs
tined for me.
MY abrupt Eruption into the study
made me the witness OF scene thai
caused me 20 stop short, startled ant
terribly embarrassed. The Colonel
bending forward. with his elbows
propped on his knees and his face
buried In his hands, was crying as il
his heart would break. His daughter
was also weeping. and. with an arm
around his neck. was trying 10 con.
sole him.
Both lifted their tear-bathed faces
as, overwhelmed with confusion and
most painfully impressed. stammered
an apology and stepped back to with.
draw. The look Of hopeless misery
of that dear old man will haunt me as
| long as | live.
II tiptoed out and closed the door
noiselessl-. would have left the
| college. Alas, could not do SO. Before
! reached the veranda the study door
opened and the Colonel in a broken
voice called after me:
"'Don't 60 away. Eddie
81 had no further interest In the
fox terrier and sat on the veranda
wondering what terrible calamity
could have fallen upon the house and
feeling unutterably miserable myself.
could imagine only one thing
an accident had happened TO Jack and
that he was dead. The more | pom
dered the more convinced became
that / had OWNED the cause Of the
Colonel's afiliction.
"In little while he Joined me. He
had regained his composure, but the
change was pitiful Since the last
time | had seen him-two or three
days before-his gray hair and mus
tachc had turned almost white and
his face was deeply furrowed with
lines Of suffering
"He made no allusion 20 the scene
in the library, but talked absently Of
various things and asked me ques-
tions about the college. He lit n
cigar, but forgot to smoke IT, Anxious
to know the worst, | ventured.
Have you heard from Jack latelyT
al have heard OF him
mot bad news, sir, | trust| Ia.%
Every bad news ,ra
"'He isn't-deadF
Worse; he is a thief. He has
robbed the bank and disappeared
1T was the old story. Jacks am
bition had overreached itself. In his
desire to acquire quickly wealth and
the power that goes with IL he had
speculated in cotton and lost all ne
possessed then he had taken money
from the bank in an effort 10 retrieve
his loss; then, in desperation, had
taken more, hoping by one fortunate
coup to save himself and thus had
preCipitated the ruin he sought to
avert. Jacks surcties. friends of the
Colonel, had made good the banks
loss, but the highest influence that
could be brought 10 bear had failed TO
induce the bank officials TO let the
matter drop. They declared that the
very safety of the institution de-
manded that the trusted official who
had been unfaithful to his trust should
be made an example OF. and they pur-
posed running him down and punish
ing him If 1t took all the funds in the
bank TO do it,
And, God help me, they are right
said the old man as hard look came
into his kindly eyes. Jack has ceased
to be son Of mine. and | beg you
will never mention his name to me
again
That Saturday night was n stormy
one. The rain came down in torrents
and the wind howled around the house
and swept i'm neavy guSts against It.
as though IL would blow the roof off.
The Coloners daughter, pleading head
Sche, had retired early. The Colonel
and myself were pretending To he en-
crossed i'm n game OF chess. Suddenly
the entrance door clattered open and
was slammed To again violently, and
we heard the bolts being shot into
their sockets. ana Jacks voice order
Ing the servants on no account to
open to any one The next moment
he burst into the room. The rain
was dripping from his soaked, mud
spattered clothing HIS face was hag-
gard. his eyes were bloodsho,, and
there was a desperate look in them.
The Colonel had sprung TO his feet.
| Jack faced him.
"'l on know? needn't ask he said.
"'Yes. | know
They have hunted me like n dog
They were watching the house, and
was forced TO run to escape them.
| Dad. had to comc-to see you once
more
Even rs he spoke there was a ring
| at the bell.
There they are now. What shall
I do? Oh. dad. dad. dad. it isn't foI
me care-I was mad-lts FOR YOU
"'When q Hamilton has so far for
gotten what he was rs TO turn thief
there is only one thing possible for
him 20 do
"The Colonel stood erect. ccid. stern
"The old. proud look came .n,o Jack,
face
Again the bell rang.
"The proud look died away. Jaci
bowed his head in shame and remorse
and turned tosyard the door. As h,
went out he faced about aud said:
'DGd-forgive"
The Colonel never moved. nevei
uttered a sound
Il had sat silent. petrihed specta
tor OK the scene. The Colonel haC