The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-10

/ was something in his eye. But IL
noticed anything peculiar In II no one
else did. One Of the things | learned
about him was that he suffered from
insomnia and would often get up when
others were asleep and walk the
streets. Possibly these two facts TAX
en- together may have given me
vague impression.
! sent in q couple of columns Of copy
to my paper full of incidents connected
with the mystery and wrote that
would remain at bingham for awhile
with view to sending some explana-
ton. A detective was expected. and l
was curious TO know what he would
say about It. Meanwhile there was no
repetition Of the mysterious crimes.
On, think. the third night OF my
stay In EfEingham was sitting alone
every one but myself was in bed-on
the porch of my hotel smoking. heard
footsteps, and presently a light fixed
to the porch showed me the face Of Mr..
Barker. who was walking along the
sidewalk. The expression was not only
that Of one suffering from insomnia;
1t was a strained look rs Of one In men
tai distress. AS soon as he had passed
l arose and followed him.
Not a person except he and I was
in the streets. saw him pass to the
outskirts OF the town. q lost him In
the shadow OF a barn, and he did not
emerge for several minutes. When he
did he turned to come back. and hid
myself behind a fragment OF a fence
He passed very close to me. and was
about TO follow him when saw a
light in the opposite direction. In an
other moment a small fame appeared
at the base Of the barn. Instead OF
following Mr.. Barker I rushed to the
barn. to find that it had been set on
fire at three different places. | ex-
tinguished the inolpient fires. then
went to my hotel The mystery was
solved.
Before retiring ! telegraphed stick
full Of news to my paper, merely stating
that prominent citizen Of Eftingham
was the guilty person in the matter Of
the mysterious crimes and a solution
of the mystery would be given In the
next issue-Sunday morning.
How Harrison Barker proved to be
insane. his insanity appearing only In
his insomnia; how he was sent to an
asylum. so far as this story is concern
cd Is unimportant. but there Is one
feature Of the case that gives a remark
able ending Several years before
young man named Cavity had been
tried and convicted Of committing these
very crimes. He was torn from
young wife and babe and sent TO prison
for term Of fifteen years. When Har-
rison Barker came into court / was
there. A man standing by me said to
another Hes the image Of Cavity.
who was convicted Of the same crime"
IN twinkling It flashed through my
brain where | had seen or thought
had seen Barker had reported Cav
try's trial and had confused the two
men. Had not Barker committed the
crimes for which Cavity was suffer.
ing?
The first thing did in the matter
was to communicate with Gawtry's
wife TO tell her that there was strong
Of proving her husbands
innocence. news which she conveyed
herself to her husband.
All came about rs expected. shall
never forget visit to Gawtry's home
soon after his pardon-the quickest
way Of righting his wrong-and listen.
Ing to the heartfelt thanks that he and
his wife poured out upon me for hay-
ing secured the evidence that had re.
united them. EDNA KIRK.