The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-14
CHAPTER XIII.
The Cashiers Return.

Slis1iiSely enough no tldlngS OF Mr..
Hamilton's return had reached him,
and 1t was, therefore, positive shock
TO see him sitting there with Perley
In his arms and Glare beside him,
Whlie Constance, with grave, preoc-
cupied gaze, was busy about some
trifing household matter.
Bless my soul, Vane!'' he cried,
and stopped, gasping. Vane grasped
him heartily by his hand and said:
You hadn't heard Of my arrival,
them"
mot word, not one word. Well,
l am glad, more than glad, to see you
oack' hey, Constance? " vaguely un-
easy at his niece's Stiffness,
Yes. uncle; but he has not ex-
planned why he was gone so long,
"Oh, we'll, that will come in good
time. Wonder what the bank direc-
tors will say now?" rubbing his hands
delightedly at the prospect.
Papa didn't forget my gold ring,
for all he was gone SO long, said
Clare
"Nor my writing book" said Perley.
Did you think I would 90
NO, for you always remember
said Clare, standing beside him, and
to further claim his attention, while
he put his arm about her. Then Per-
ley began In a shrill, high treble to
say something, till their mothers voice
stilled them.
BE quiet, children, and let him
talk. He will tell us why he stayed,
and, perhaps. why he went away
Yes 1 will tell you why I stayed
so long when meant to have returned
in two weeks. You will wonder great
ly when l tell you that lost all
knowledge of my own identity, my
very name, even, soon after / left
Grovedale. My memory was gone
" he r n
saw, or where went then, know no
more than you do. It was as if had
sunk into a dreamless sleep after I
left you. That, Constance, is the rea-
son did not return
Constance did not speak, and he
continued:
my mind was blank for many
weeks, or, perhaps, I should say, my
past was a blank, for somehow man
aged to support myself, thru manual
| labor, perhaps, for when I regained
my consciousness I was at work with
gang OF men in Seattle, washington"
Bless my soul, Vane! Whoever
heard the like Of that? Did you, Con-
stance? % 4
Never but looking at her hus-
band little more kindly.
When" she asked, ibid this loss
of memory come to you?"
think about the time reached
II -
dents Of the Journey there in q vague
way, but nothing clearly 9*S
! DO you recollect a woman's speak
ing to YOU on the street before you
took the care at Grovedale? She came
out of the Essex house,
Yes, recollect that perfectly
Who was it?' 5,s
she was stranger, a very pretty
woman with curiously tinted hair, al
most green, or am I nistaken?'' he
asked, with a puzzled look.
NO; they said she had green hair.na:
said Mr.. Carter. "She ought to have
| Travelled with Barnurn. Well, what
did she want Of you?'' ssgs
She thought she knew me at first;
but assured her of her mistake
But did she not go on the train
with you to Portland, or part Of the
way?' asked Constance.
mot that I remember and yet
stay! That is one of the vague recol-
lections alluded to. 1t seems some
times as If I did see and talk with her.
on the train
You certainly did, vane; the con-
ductor says so; but she did not go as
far as Portland
did I?''
Yes
IT thought so. That is about the
only thing recollect distinctly
Yes; Mr.. Libby. the conductor, said
he saw you there"
Well, I knew nothing afterwards.
II think must have overtaxed my
brain by too much work, too many
cares. That is all the way can ac-
count for it,
Yes, you looked bad when you went
away. lost twenty pounds, you recol-
lect, or maybe you don't recollect.''
Yes; remember now nearly every-
thing that happened previous to the
middle Of May. Occasionally I find
myself at loss regarding some incident
that occurred before that time, but.
doubtless. my mind will recover its
tone after while. But the time in
two weeks ago is total blank to me.
cannot tell of a single incident oc-
curing all that time"
| Vane, said his uncle, suddenly.
do you suppose any OF your actions
! We're questionable mean unlawful?"
startled; "still I don't know. AZ
said, know no more than you do
what happened to me In the interval
referred to. I know I was doing good
honest work in Seattle when I came
to myself. Any one can be assured Of
Seattle, WASH"
But before you went there, Vane ?"
don't know. There is something
! is it?'' oi'' y iiae
''Vane, you are looked upon as .
defaulter here in c.royedale.''
"A defaulter! Why, did not take
one penny OF the bank funds when
went away. remember that per-
fectly. The notes and some other de-
POSTS We're put In the vault in Bos-
ton, but it was done before / went
aWay-a week before, if I recall the
/; time perfectly
Yes, about a week 1t was; but Tony
Osborn declares you came to the bank
on the 22d, at about o'clock in the
evening" = 'lle
HE must have been mistaken.
No, he is positive; and hes,des
there is proof of it,
What proof ?"
You spoke to him .H11lIo.. "a va
Tony; you said the same, and that he
probably didn't expect to see vn11 81
soon. He said he didn't, and passed
on. You opened the door with yonr
own key and passed In
come here % : = =
No, you evidently came as far as
the river bank. and there all trace
seemed swallowed UP. WesthnI1eht
you might have been drowned. 4
man was found in the riyer-his re-
mains, 1nean-and Constance had
them buried at her expense, q.
That accounts for the monument ~,
But how do you know / came to
| the river ~
Your travelling cap ana one Of your