The Ordway new era., 1906-02-16

ahout Hamllton's past life. the portion
OF 1t which was compressed into the
Two weeks in zach May which, since
his marriage at least. he Invariably
spent away from Grovedale.
As his Investigations progressed.
Bruce grew more and more excited.
ana II is not too much to say that he
was completely mystified as well. For
IL was In the most questionable streets
ana among The most dishonest haunts
that he found the surest traces of his
presence. He had his photograph, he
had the assistance OF other detectives,
ana as the search went on. 1t was
proved that vane Hamilton, or his
double. was the frequenter OF places
which the honest people OF Grovedale
would have shuddered to contemplate,
even In Imagination.
Bruce went West again, for he was
In hopes to discover that Hamilton
had retraced his course to the States.
II involved In dishonest schemes In
western towns now, as Bruce felt con.
WINGED that he had been In the past.
ne was likely he thought. to return
any day. for prudence is not common
iy the characteristic OF rogue.
First Bruce went to Valparaiso, a
new but exceedingly enterprising town
In Kansas. where he fancied tidings
were to be found of Hamilton's opera.
tons.
He was right. II appeared that n
trio OF INSCRIPTIONS men had In sew
cral instances set up bank In new
ana growing towns and operated sue
cessfully until they had victimized the
moneyed men, when they had closed
up suddenly and decamped. AS the
scenes OF their operations were thou.
sands of miles apart. and their names
were assumed. they escaped detection.
strange as 1t may appear. until they
came to Valparaiso. This was early in
the year 1887.
But Two men came at first. Their
names were given as Scoville and
Brown. A private bank was opened
and operations begun. but for some
reason the business men OF the little
city were shy of them. Suddenly a
new member Joined Scoville and
Brown. as joint owner OF the bank.
This was In May. as Bruce easily dis
covered. He gave his name as Ashley.
and was genial. handsome man who
won his way to public favor at once,
as the others had not succeeded In
doing. His wife was with him. "a
woman with emerald.tinted hair.
Bruce. as I have said. went to Val.
paraiso and to the residence OF one OF
the principal business men. who had
been deeply victimized by the bogus
| bank. For under cover OF Ashley's
pleasant fellowship and his wife's
grace and beauty the good people soon
had cause to abuse their own credul.
| ity. Bruce got the account from Mr..
Hayes himself. who was only too glad
TO relate 1t when 1t might be OF use In
| tracking the swindlers.
we fought shy Of them at FIRST"
said Mr.. Hayes. but when Ashley
came II changed everything. You
never would suspect him OF being n
scamp-never. Such an open. honest
counicnance. and that wife OF his was
n little beauty. II her hair was green!"
Was she really his wife. do you
think"
He introduced her rs such. and she
appeared to worship him. They tool;
handsome furnished house on Main
street and went to keeping house
| They gave big party. and we all
went. Such a crush! Well, after that
ali was plain sailing for the new bank
You can't mistrust a man after you
have eaten his bread We can't here
in the West. Deposits began to pour
| In on them. All of the solid men
banked there. Well. the upshot was
In ten days after Ashley came we
found we had been swindled. our notes
sold or deposited In other banks as
collateral security for cash paid to
Scoville. Brown and Ashley. and in nj
least dozen instances the figures had
been altered so that the scamps got
ten times the actual value of the notes
Il was a gigantic swindle." and Mr.
Hayes got up and paced the apartment
nervously.
ITO be continued)