The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-03-13

ing.
NO." he objected. "What have
to say may be said standing. Mr..
Galbraith, did you ever see me be-
fore you came to Wahaska?
The shrewd old face was unreada-
bic by any. but if there was a certain
CLINT of hardness in the eyes, il was
tempered by the lines about the
mouth.
"You wore a beard when you were
in New Orleans, Mr.. Griswold," he
said at length.
Then you recognized me?"
Not at first, you may be sure"
81 suppose not; otherwise l should
be awaiting my trial in the parish
prison"
us there any good reason why We
shouldn't be?' demanded the old
man, with a rasp in his voice.
"None at all, though up to an hour
ago 1 should not have admitted it,
And what made We change your
mind, I'd like TO ask?"
"A number of things, but chiefly
this: 1 have come to know now that
what did that morning was wrong"
"Wrong!" shouted the banker
Are we clean daft. man? Was thera
ever any doubt about its being
wrong?"
''Not from your point of view, per-
haps; but if it had seemed wrong to
me, l should not have done it."
you're crazy, man; clean daft, l
say"
Put it in the past tense, if you
please, Mr.. Galbraith. I'm in my
right mind now"
sand what cured We, I'd like to
know?"
'sThe fact that / found out an hour
ago that / had made good woman
my accomplice after the fact. There
can be no question about the sinful
ness of that, so | am here to do what
1 may in the way of reparation.'
"Go on" said Andrew Galbraith.
First about the money
1t was the canny soul of the old
Scotchman that groaned.
"Ye lost it, We loon; l know all
about that. Go on with your repara-
tions."
.How did you know l lost itY
queried Griswold, no little mystified.
'Never you mind what l know or
how l know it. Go on, | say"
"But l didn't lose it; or rather, l
lost it and found it again. Odd as at
may seem to you, l have never re-
garded the money as my own. l have
held it as fund in trust for the good
of my kind. Ninety-five thousand
dollars are invested in the Wahaska
iron works, and there are some three
thousand dollars of undivided profits
due on this investment. Here is a
check payable to your order for my
balance at the bank-$3, 940.57. The
iron works stock can be sold at par
tomorrow, if you like, and that, with
the dividend and this balance, will
make you whole again, with small
on the principal"
Andrew Galbraith heard him
through, with grim satisfaction de-
plotting itself on the shrewd old face.
"Ye're not so bad a financier," he
said. snow, what's to become OF
YEP"
"That remains for you to say.
You may go and ring for the police,
and I'll wait here till an officer
comes; or if you don't care to be
mixed up in it. I'll take the first train
south and surrender myself in New
Orleans"
'Is that ALP"
"All but one thing. If you put the
IRON works on the market at once it
will embarrass Mr.. Raymer perhaps
10 the point of forcing him to the
wall. l have no right to ask favors
Of you"
The banker sprang up and began to
ramp up and down in something as
nearly approaching rage as he ever
permitted himself
"Why. We callow young fule. what
I've think I'm made Off" he explod-
ID. "A few hours ago you and that
brave bit Of a lassie-God bless her
your two lives to save mine.
Dye think I'll be sending you to that
eevin' death in the chain gang If we
we're twenty times the crazy loon we
Ire?"
Griswold drew himself up. "You've
rot it to do, Mr.. Galbraith. You
must not compound felony to save
ne''
compound your grandmither!'
houted the old man. IF you go and .
i've yourself up in New Orleans, I'll |
% on the stand and swear | never set |
yes on we before. Then ye'll have an
Id mans perjury on ye're soul to
nswer for Ma, ma, lad; they call me
hard old skinfint, but after a I'm
ust human. You've turned face about
nd it's not old Andrew Galbraith
vho'll be piling stones in your way.
10 you right away down to the doc
or's and tell that brave lassie OF
ours what's come of it a, and to-
morrow well see about the money