The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-28
upon by them?"

OF his presence.
"It does seem So" said Mr.. Hastings
ref1ectively. But the trouble is we ale
reasoning from a standpoint which e1-
lists no longer, if Hamilton is not the
honorable man we thought him. We
believed him to be a Christian, a man
of probity, singularly kind and consid-
crate. Now, if he was not all this he
was a hypocrite. If he would go to the
bank, secretly, after notes to use dis
honestly, he would be capable of worse
acts than failing to let his
town. Indeed, he would wish her
to be in ignorance, for he would know
what we all know, that she is above
reproach, if he is not"
Osbon could not deny the truth Of
this reasoning.
But man like Hamilton, universal
" respected! Such men do not all at
once become dishonest he urged.
"Ah, Tony!" said Mr.. Hastings,
graveiy shaking his head. 1.-THE forces
of his nature, his motives, were all
unknown to us, and perhaps to himself
Habit keeps many man walking the
straight path, when, had he been diff
ferently placed. he might have been
thief from the outset. Look at Spauld-
ing of the Ayershire Bank in Massa-
chusetts. Look at Caldwell of the
Phenix Were they not universally
trusted? They had to be to fill the
positions they did. Now, where are
they? Both in Canada, where 1 sus-
pect Hamilton is. Bruce thinks so
too"
81 don't think so much of Bruce as
you do, sir" said Osborn, with the easy
candor characteristic of him.
why sir, Bruce has done all that
a man could do"
Strange, wasn't it, about the man
Ashley hypnotizing the jailer?" said
Tony.
yves, it was. A man like that is
a dangerous man."
But Hamilton had no such power
that we know Of said Osborn.
He would not be likely to let it be
known if he had. If Ashley and Ham
ilton are IDENTICAL this business at
the bank here isn't his first piece Of
dishonesty"
81 don't believe they are identical.
1 believe that Ashley is another sort
of a man, who may or may not re-
Semble Hamilton, and who by hyp-
notism, or. the milder forms of fascina-
ton, compels people to do his bidding.
You recollect reading me what Bruce
said about the Valparaiso people dis
trusting the other two men, but i'm
mediately succumping to the influence
of Ashley. And that letter of Simon
LOW >, WOulu you lllilu tcdQlilS AGAIN
that passage where the man present
ed the Bowles & Estes note?"
mo, here it is, paid him on the
spot no, that isn't the sentence. Oh,
this is how it reads When he en-
tered l thought he was a stranger,
but as soon as he grasped my hand
and looked into my face 1 saw that
it was Hamilton.
There it is. sir. I thought so. AS
he fC ha ND
looked into his face, Low knew that
it was Hamilton, though at first he
thought him a stranger"
Nothing strange about that, Tony.
People are frequently deceived in the
same way"
But if it was Ashley, and he was
such a man as he is claimed to be, it
would have been an easy matter to
hypnotic Low and make him believe
what he wished"
"Why, Tony, you brighten mel Where
might we not all be if there is such
power afioat as that?'' said Mr.. Hast
ings, aghast.
1--WE know there is, sir. have seen
it manifested right here in Grovedale,
and if l am not mistaken, you were
present too, when DR.. Major exhibit
ed his influence over the minds of mis-
subjects"
Eyes. 1 recollect, and, bless me!
you went forward, didn't your"
Il did, sir. and they told me 1 made
fool of myself; went around the au-
dience offering flowers to the ladies,
though I had nothing in my hand but
my hat. l even climbed over the seats
to offer a rose to a lady in the back
seat whom, according to the doctors
statement, l had sighted"
81 recollect it, and how Mrs. Fry's
son-I think it was Dan-went down on
the floor and through all the motions
of swimming when Major told him his
brother had fallen into the water and
he must save him. 1t was pitiful to
see the poor boys anxious expression,
th0Agh he looked comical enough
scrambling about on the floor as if he
were in the water. DR.. Major made
passes over his subjects"
Yes; but the last thing I recollect-
ed was of his holding my hand and
looking into my eyes. There are diff
ferent methods, they say. Now, if
Ashley possessed this power, ii would
have been an easy matter, having come
into the possession of those notes, to
hypnotic Low, making him believe
that he was Hamilton himself"
Tony, this is a strange theory of
yours not very probable, but still not
to be dismissed without some atten-
ton. Clearly, whether Ashley or Ham
might possibly have been Influenced as
you suggest. wonder if he would be
good subject"
Low strikes me, sir, as being an
active, energetic man. but very tract
able. Soldiers and sailors, and those
in the habit of strict obedience, ara
the best subjects, it is said.''
well, well, Tony, you must own
that this as all the purest conjecture;
but If by any strange conjunction OF
foundation, how did Ashley come by
the notes; why did Hamilton go away
with Mrs. Ashley; and where is Hamil-
ton now?"
THE second question 1 give over I'M
answered, the other two, by thinking
of Hamilton as in the power of Ashley
are explained. Yes, and that might
explain the second, too"
but how about the italian theory
must that go to the WALTZ"
THE two might be united, some
how. Strange, conjunctions occur at
times, but, of course, to say what they
were, or might have been, would be
foolish as we'll as useless"
Il conclude you have thought this
matter up considerably"
Yes. sir. / have"
Couldn't have been Ashley. instead
OF Hamilton you saw going into the
bank, hev?"
Nor, sir; l was too far away to be
hypnotized," said Tony, smiling, "and
/ know 1t was Hamilton himself"
We'll" said Mr.. Hastings, thought
fully this is a strange matter. ana
perhaps we are only at the beginning
of the mystery"
That is what I think sir. | only