Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-02-10

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Unbelieving. he examined every one
in the packet They we're eollaterals
to the last one.
Armstrong-he had put them away,
holy Joy was his for a moment as he
saw his rival In disgrace and shame.
Then his face went pale at the
thought Of the anguish to the woman
he held above all When he left the
vault, beads Of perspiration studded
his face. but his hands were dry and
feVerish. During the long hours Of
the afternoon his eyes never once left
the handsome, dissipated face of the
man he now hated with a hate more
bitter than that of jealousy He
watched the expression Of almost
acute illness that passed across the
features of Armstrong when Blair
went once to the vault and came out
again with a packet Of something in
his hand. But his own eyes we're I'M
seeing; for between him and the
guilty man ever danced a vision Of a
beautiful woman. tall, lithesome and
blonde.
He did not know when and how the
theft was discovered; but he felt the
heavy touch OF the bank detectives
hand on his shoulder before It fell
there. without a word he followed
10 the presidents office where he
found that official and Blair, each
hard-faced and cold. For a moment
temptation swayed him; he went sick
all over. Weakly he sank into a chair
as the accusation fell from the presi-
dents lips. Then, the vision of Lou
Use returned, smiling. the light Of hap
piness in her eyes. He Strengthened
as though a battery had touched his
spine.
Il did it, took Them" he muttered,
his face CHASTITY, his jaws set hard.
Il substituted the collaterals-the 9TH
ers?-they went In the crash" Fin
ished in his sacrifice, he sank back
weakly again and held his head dumb
ly between his hands until they came
and took him away.
The trial was mercifully short. Not
4 word did the young teller with the
set jaws and the far-away look in his
eyes say In his own defense. He had
taken the bonds; that was all. Once
Armstrong; beseeching eyes came to
him in the dock from where the cash
Ter stood for a moment in the door Of
the courtroom. Vernon flashed back
look Of scathing contempt; but in
IL Armstrong also real security. II
was but a month or so later when
they found Armstrong crumpled
across a rickety bed in a cheap
rooming house. The draught of
air that came with the breaking
open OF the door futtered his erratical-
ly scrawled confession to the faded
carpet Of the room. Discovery OF
heavy populations of which the Third
National was the victim, followed the
last honest, honorable act Of the man
who had been unable to pull himself
from the mire. Exoneration OF the
man who had begun the patient ply
ing Of his hands In the manufacture
OF coarse articles of barter within
the cold walls Of the penitentiary,
came too.
1t was Louise Pierce. quiet, pale
and a trihe nervous, who with sweet
dignity asked the stern-faced warden
that she might be the one to break
the glad news to the man who had
followed the deadly dull routine OF
the prison without a murmur Of COM
plant at his sacrifice. The face of him
who had dealt only with the dregs Of
humanity softened as he looked mo-
ment into the eyes Of the beautiful
woman. In whispers he gave an or
der; and as firm footsteps sounded
through the concrete hall, he grace
fully withdrew that they might be
alone at the meeting. He passed Yer
non, a strange light burning in his |
eyes, Just outside the door and smiled |
kindly into the set face above the dis
grazing uniform.
Unheralded, the warden's return
half an hour later was not heard; and /
he paused In the doorway before CIV
ing the hoarse cough Of warning that
broke in startlingly above the soft
murmuring from over near the win
dow.
With slender arms clasped about
his neck. Louise stood close in the
embrace of the man who had regained
honor. Unheeding of its roughness, a
blushing cheek. damp with tears, was
pressed tightly against the coarse
jacket Vernon looked down upon
her, the tender light in his eyes eras-
ing every hard line Of suffering from
his face; quite gently he was stroking
the golden strands that swept back
just above her ears.
But we must wait at least q year."
a soft voice murmured, openly invit-
ing contradiction.
mot a week, dear" Vernon an
swered in the commanding conviction
of rights justly won.
For answer, she raised the flaming
cheek from the rough jacket Slowly
her head went back and their lips