Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-10-14
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CHAPTER NNIII.-(Continued.

L IttlAou NbAilEtiLN va "a ASN A-Si'N
July. Fenton Lad just left him. The
transfer to the Margrave syndicate had
been effected and John would no more
sign himself John Saxton, Receiver"
His work in Clarkson was at an end.
The Neponset Trust Company had called
him to Boston for a conference, which
meant, he knew. a termination of his ser
vice with them He had lately sold the
Poindexter ranch, and so little property
remained on the Neponset's books that II
could be cared for from the home office.
He had not opened the afternoon mail.
He picked up letter from the top of
the pile, dated from San FransiSco, and
read:
San Francisco,
"My Dear Sir:
Il hesitate about writing you, but
there are some things which l should
like you TO understand before | go away.
l had fully expected to remain with you
and Bishop Delafeld and to return to
Clarkson that last morning at Poindex-
ter's. | cannot defend myself for having
run away; it must have seemed a strange
thing 10 you that | did so. l had fully
intended acting on the bishops advice,
which | knew then, and know now, was
good. But when the west-bound train
came, my courage left me; could not
go back and face the people had known,
after what had happened. l told you
the truth there in the ranch house that
night; every word of it was true. May
be | did not make it clear enough how
weak | am. Things came too easy for
a /
worthy of the good fortune that befell
me. 1t seemed to me that for two years
everything | did was a mistake. | sup
pose if l had been a real criminal, and
not merely a coward, l should not have
entangIed myself as l did and brought
calamity upon other people.
When l reached here found employ
ment with a shipping house. l have told
my story to one of the firm, who has been
kind 10 me. He seems to understand my
case. and is giving me a good chance to
begin over again. | suppose the worst
possible things have been said about me,
and | do not care, except that | hope
the people in Clarkson will not think |
was guilty of any wrong-doing at the
bank. l read in the newspapers that l
had stolen the banks money, and | hope
that was corrected. The books must have
proved what | say. | understand now
that what | did was worse than stealing,
but should like you and Mr.. Porter to
know that | not only did not take other
peoples money, but that in my foolish
relations with Margrave | did not re-
ceive a cent for the shares of stock which
be took from me-neither for my own
nor for those of Miss Porter. | don't
blame Margrave; If l had not been a
coward he could not have played with
me as he did.
The company is sending me to one of
its South American houses. | go by
steamer to- o-morrow, and you will not hear
from me again. | should like you to
know that | have neither seen nor heard
anything of my brother since that night.
With best wishes for your own happiness
and prosperity, yours sincerely,
JAMES WHEATON,"
On his way home to the club SaxtOn
stopped at Bishop Delafelds rooms, and
found the bishop, as usual, preparing for
fight. Time did not change Bishop Dela-
field. He was one of those men who
reach 60, and never, apparently, pass it.
He and Saxton were fast friends now.
The bishop missed Wary out Of his life;
Wary was always SO accessible and so
cheering John was Lot so accessible and
be had not Warry's ligntness, but the
Bishop Of Clarkson liked John Saxton.
The bishop sat with his inevitable
hand-baggage by his side and read Whea
tons letter through.
How ignorant we ~ he said, fold
Ing It. Il sometimes think that we who
try TO minister TO the needs of the poor
In spirit do not even know the rudiments
OF our trade. We are pretty helpless
with men like Wheaton. They are appar-
entity strong: they yield to no tempta
tions. so far as any man knows: they are
exemplary characters. | suppose that
they are living little tragedies all the
time. The moral coward is more to be
pitied than the open criminal. You know
where 70 find the criminal but the moral
coward is an unknown quantity. Life is
a strange business, John, and the older
get the less l think l know Of it" He
sighed and handed back the letter.
But he's doing better than we might
have expected him to-" said Saxton. "A
mans entitled TO happiness If he can find
II. He undoubtedly chose the easier part
in running away. | can't imagine him
coming back here to face the community
after all that had happened"
Il don't know that | can either.
Preaching is easier than practicing, and
I'm not sure that | gave him the best ad-
vice at the ranch house that morning"
well, il was the only thing 10 do"
Saxton answered. II suppose neither
you nor | was sure he told the truth; 1t
was a situation that was calculated TO
make one skeptical. 1t isn't clear from
bis letter that the whole thing has Inn
pressed him in any great way. He's anK-
ious TO have US thing well of him-a kind
OF retrospective vanity"
But his punishment Is great. It's not
for rs to pass on its adequacy. / must
be going. John" and Saxton gathered
up the battered cases and went out to the
car with him.
Bishop Delafeld always brought War
ry back vividly to John, and as they
~nited on the corner be remembered his
asst meeting vith the bishop, In Wany's