Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-07-15


pected happened. He had become SO
accustomed to a feeling Of safety that
he forgot to be on his guard against
meetings with former acquaintance,
and it was disagreeable surprise when
he saw, sitting opposite him at his
hotel table, a man he had known III
the past.
'Hello, Belden,' the man called out,
in voice Of surprise.
| Belden nerved himself to return the
greeting as though nothing had hap
pened. He talked unconcernedly with
the man through the meal, telling him
Of the town and its rapid developments.
Meanwhile he was wondering If he was
about to be betrayed. The others man.
ner was so friendly, that Belden dared
to hope he would be silent, especially
as he was only making a short Interrupt
ton of his journey to the coast
His hope was futile. The man lost
no time I'm telling. He was without
malicious intention, but he could not
resist the little excitement Of giving
out piece of sensational information
Belden did not hear Of it, or feel Its
effects, until the progress of the town
suddenly ceased and the boom" col
| lapSed. There were many who were
thrown out of employment. Belden
held his position at a reduced salary,
for q few weeks longer, and then he
was discharged.
1--WE must look after our old and
trusted employees" he was told, In
manner so significant he could not mis-
take his employers meaning.
He left without a word and began a
search for a new position. He could
find nothing in the way Of work. He
was made to feel that his story was
public property, and resenting what he
thought was cruel injustice, he left the
town, thinking to make a new begin
ming elsewhere.
After this, it seemed to him that ct
every turn he met people to whom he
was known. He lost place after place.
Sometimes because of information
against him, and sometimes he went of
his own accord, because he had seen
some one from out of his old life, and
his experience had given him the belief
that the appearance of an early ac-
quaintance was the signal for him to
move on. He was bewildered and in
revolt against his fate. Occasionally,
in his enforced wanderings, he almost
longed for the security Of the prison
walls. There, his physical necessities
would be cared for without self-effort.
He would be fed and sheltered, and
there would be no need to take thought
for the morrow. In spite of this think
ing, he had no impulse to be other than
honest. The sin for which he suffered
gradually became abhorrent in his
sight, and he began to understand that
serving a prison sentence was not all
the price he must pay
He spent three years in nomadic
existence, going from place to place In
the West, wherever there was a chance
for employment, and staying as long or
as short time as the employment last
ed. Wherever he went, sooner or later
he came in contact with some one who
knew his story, until he grew tired of
trying to bury his past by living among
strangers. 1t was life filled with fear
of discovery, though he told himself
that fear was useless, since discovery
never failed. His wife, convinced at
last of his guilt, yielded to the persua-
sion of her relatives, and cast him
adrift. He had none but himself to
consider, and yet he held back, even
when In great discouragement, from de-
scending to depths lower than those to
which he had fallen.
Strong as his desire had been to lose
himself among strangers, equally strong
now was his desire to return where his
disgrace had come upon him. The
worst there was to know was common
knowledge there. He would, at least,
be freed from the torture Of fear.
He made his way back not to his ma
tive town, but to a nearby city where
there were few people he knew, and
more opportunities to secure employ
ment. There was one man In particu-
lar TO whom his mind turned. Perhaps
he might help him.
He reached his destination nearly
penniless, but greater hope was his than
for many a day. He was almost home.
If ne could by honest living atone for
the past, he should be close by those
who would be interested in his efforts,
and perhaps, when he had proved true,
would reinstate him in their good opin-
ion. He counted 1t a sign of better
luck when he met woman who had
been one Of his friends before his life
was shamed. At first glance she did
not know him, his hair had grown so
white and deep. lines were marked In
his face, but when her recognition came
1t was accompanied with unmistakable
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