The Pensacola journal., 1906-04-05

must have come to me before in order
that 1 should have been prepared tC
condemn Hammond upon such evi
dence There was merely the physical
possibility that a secret passage might
lead from StendhalPs portico to this
house upon the street below, and yet
my mind would never have accepted 50
readily the suggestion Of my partners
treachery unless unnoticed hints OF its
inception had been accumulating in the
remoter regions Of my brain during the
past month Of our joint labors with the
Desborough case.
In the succeeding portion Of the night
slept little and thought much, and as
a result Of it all went next morning
at the earliest possible moment to the
Central Safe Deposit vaults, where we
kept certain documents of capital inn
pOrtance to our affairs. Among them
was the original contract drawn near
" twenty years ago between Clarence
Desborough and Richard Stendhall,
whereby the former ceded part Of the
control of his business to the latter. A
dozen other men in the same field Of in
dustry had committed a similar indis-
cretion, and then StendhaH had exc
cuted the first grand coup Of the career
which raised him to such heights Of
wealth and power. How it was done
has never been disclosed-probably by
a trick as simple as the commonest
sleight of hand. The salient fact is
that StendhalI began at once to arro-
gate to himself powers not delegated
In these agreements, and when the
victims perceived his intent and turned
to study their contracts not one Of
those documents could be found. Then
began interminable lawsuits, marked
by incredible scandals, disgracing
many courts, but Stendha1l's grip upon
that industry which he had planned to
seize grew always tighter Some of his
opponents became his tools and waxed
rich; others were ruined. Two sue
cumbed to the stress Of the unequal
battle and died insane. One Of these
was Clarence Desborough.
By what means the Desborough con-
tract escaped destruction 1 do not
know, but it was offered to the widow
by a wretched creature who had long
served Stendhal and had been discard
ed. Ny paFtneT, Hammond, had just
formed the acquaintance Of the Des-
boroughs and had lost his heart to Al
ice, who wassnever in the least attract
ed toward HIM. The affair was pat
into his hands. naturally took part In
the Investigation which followed. We
satisfied ourselves Of the genuineness
and importance Of the document and
advaRced4to MEs. BesborOugh the mod
crate price demanded. Its value was
in the millions, but the man who sold
it carearhttle for money, knowing him
self to be on the brink Of the grave.
II Hammond was to play US false
this document would be the nucleus of
his treachery, and Jealousy rather than
money the true motive He fancied
that I had digplaced him with Alice,
but this was impossible for the reason
which have stated. Indeed, no one
knew this better than he did in his
calmer moments, but jealousy is a kind
Of madness.
Supposing him to have had a trea-
sonable Interview with Stendhall, there
was a mir probability that the con-
tract had been exhibited, and with this
thought in mind went to the safe de-
posit box that morning. The result
seemed to justify my suspicious, for
the precious document was not there.
took post IN a convenient doorway
and within ten minutes saw Hammond
enter the Central eempany's vaults.
When he had gone away again re-
examined our drawer. The contract
was in its proper place.
My plan was already formed. It
would have involved a hazardous re-
possI Of confidence except for one for
tunate circumstance-the man whom I
must trust was my own father. He
was a manufacturer Of the costlier
kinds Of paper and imperishable parch-
ments and an expert in inks and sigma
NAA~o eA0 al hCNclAAo l4ul AudAh NuC
or expose the fraudulency
Of documents. 1t was upon bis opinion |
that we had chiefly relied in the matter
Of the genuineness Of the Desborough |
contract. 1t was to him now carried !
it with the singular request that he
should prepare for me the best possi- |
BILE forgery.
During the time necessary for this |
work Hammond once visited the safety |
deposit box and missed the document, |
but satisfied him with the falsehoOd |
that it had been in my possession. On
the evening Of the same day my father
laid two copies Of the Desborough con-
tract before me and asked me to Judge |
between them; but, though 1 had learn
ed many secrets from him, could not |
distinguish the new from the old.
After had substituted the false for
the genuine contract It was necessary |
only for me to visit the Centrars vaults |
At the close Of every day. When Ham
mond should be ready to consummate
bis corrupt bargain 1 could not fail to |
know.
It fell upon a Saturday, and at mid !