Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-11-04
By Charles KLEIN.

struggled and achieved for half a cen
tufy. 10 have built up a reputation
year by year. as n man builds a house
brick by brick only 70 see the whole
crumblc 10 his feet Ike dust. To have
gained the respect OF the country. to
have made a name as the most iucor
Tuptihle OF public servants. and now to
bee branded as common bride taler.
Could he be dreaming? 1t was too in
credible. What would his daughter
say-his Shirley? All. the thought OF
the expression OF incredibly and won
der on her face when she heard the
news cut him TO the heart like knife
thrust Yet, he unused, her very UNI
willingness TO believe it should really
be his consolation All. his wife and
his child-they knew he had been III
nOcent of wrongdOing. The very idea
was ridiculous. At most he had been
careless. Yet be was certainly to
blame lie ought to have seen the
trap so carefully prepared and into
which he had walked as If blindfolded.
That extra 10000 worth of stock, on
which he had never received a cent in
terest. had Decn the decoy In a care
fully Thought out plot. They, the plot
tiers. well knew how ignorant he was
OF financial matters. and he had been
an easy victim. Who would believe
his story that the stock had been sent
60 him with plausibly worded letter
to the effect that It represented a bonus
on his own Investment? Now he came
20 think of it, calmly and reasonably
he would not believe it himself. AS
usual he had mislaid or destroyed the
secretary'S letter. and there was only
his word against the company's books
TO substantiate what would appear n
most improbable if not impossible oc-
rurrence.
Ii was his conviction of his own good
faith that made his present dilemma
all the more cruel Had he really been
n CRATER, had he really taken the
stock as bride, he would not care so
much, for then he would have fore
seen and discounted the chances of ex-
pOsure. Yes. there was no doubt pos
sible lie was the victim of a con-
Epiracy; there was an organized plot
TO ruin him, TO get him out of the way.
The interests feared him, resented
his judicia! decisions, and they had
halted at nothing to accomplish their
purpose How could he fight them
back, what could he do to protect him.
self? He had no proofs of a con-
spiracy; his enemies worked in the
dark; there was no way in which he
could reach them or know who they
were.
lie thought of John Burkett Ryder.
All. he remembered now Ryder was
the man who had recommended the
Investment in Alaskan stock. OF
course. Why did he not think of it be
fore? He recollected that at the time
he had been puzzled at receiving so
much stock. and he had mentioned it
TO Ryder, adding that the secretary had
told him il was customary Oh, why
had he not kept the secretary's letter?
But Ryder would certainly remember
il. He probably still had his two let
tiers in which he spoke of making the
investment. If those letters could be
produced at the congressional inquiry
they would clear him at once. so, losing
no time and filled with renewed hope,
he wrote to the Colossus 4 strong. man
ly letter, which would have melted an
iceberg, urging Mr.. Ryder to come for
ward now at this critical time and
clear him Of this abominable charge
or In any case to kindly return the
two letters he must have in his pos
session. as they would go far to help
aim al the trial Three days passed
and no reply from Ryder On the
fourth came polite but frigid note
from Mr. Ryder's private secretary.
Mr.. Ryder had received Judge Ross
morc's hotter ANA In reply begged to
state that he had q vague recollection
OF some conversation with the Judge
I'm regard 90 investments, but he did
not thius Dee had advised the purchase
Of any particular stock, rs that was
something Dc uevG diI on principle.
even with h.s most intimate friends.
lie had lc wish to Zoe held accountable
In ease Of loss, etc. As to the letter
which Judge Iossmore mentioned as
havii- written 20 Mr. Ryder in regard
20 having -eceiveh more stock than lac
had Lou-ht, OF that MIR. Ryder had no
recollection whatever Judge Ross.
more WAS probdhly mistaken as TO the
identity Of bis CORE srondent. Tie re
GREETED Dee could not be OF more service
10 judge Eo-sn0re and remained his
very obel'cut servant.
It was very evident that no hoI9 was
20 De looked for in that quarter. There
was even decided hostility On Rrder's
reply Cou.d 10 be TRUE tAat the lnan-
cicr was really behind these attacks
upon his charucterg Was Impossible that
one man. merely 10 make more money.
wOuli deliberately ruin his fellow man
whose hand De had grasped in friend
ship? Ie hal been unwilling to be-
Heve il when his friend ex-Jndge Stott
had pointed 90 Ryder rs the author OF
all his misfortunes, but this unsym-
pathetic letter. with its faIsehoods. its