The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-08-25

town; you had to hound me with the
same falsehood for five years. No
matter where | went | found myself
face to face with the same damnable
lie. Three times have / lost my po-
sition on account of it. And now
that you have caught me red-hand-
ed, through the aid Of damned trail
tor, in what you believe to be my
second attempt to rob you, sup
pose you consider your revenge COM
plete. But I have lived through it
all and I shall do my utmost to sur
vive this, also, if only to make you
pay for it,
Harry" said Mr.. Black, L can
well realize your feelings toward me
and I do not blame you for the con-
tempt in which you hold me. But
before you go any further in your
condemnation, sit down there and
I will tell you something that will
cause you to change your plans for
the future. When l have finished
you will thank God for your chance
meeting with your friend, Mr.. Nor
ton. You will also thank him for
playing the traitor.
You remember the bookkeeper
who testified to having seen you enter
the cashiers Office the day you were
accused? Three years later he was
promoted to cashier. Lately | have
suspected that things were not just
as they should be. Yesterday |
called in an expert and learned that
the cashier was nearly two thousand
dollars short. At first he denied all
knowledge of the shortage, but later
made full confession. He also ad-
mitted having taken the two hundred
dollars with the theft of which you
were accused. Friends of his Of
fered to make good the amount if I
would drop the charge and permit
him to leave the city, which | did.
| went Immediately to your mother,
who still lives next door to my house,
and returned the two hundred dol
lars which she had paid me five years
before. l then published the story
in the Evening Tattler to clear your
name, and offered a reward Of one
hundred dollars for information as
to your whereabouts, which reward,
by the way, now goes to our
friend here, Mr.. Morton, though he
knew nothing of it until this minute
And now he may explain the part
he played in tonight's drama"
well, Dick, or Harry, rather,
said Fred, when l could not per.
suade you to abandon your desire
for revenge, decided to go to Mr.
Black and ask him to help me save
you from the life you were about t(
begin. When he told me the story
of your vindication l left withou
telling him of your plan. | hurried
down to the Bowery to find you ant
tell you the good news, but ever!
place on the street was closed.
then came back here, intending t.
watch the store until you should ap
pear. But realizing it was not SAT
for stranger to be standing arounC
on the street at two o'clock in tn
> morning, and fearing you might b
in hiding near by and, not recogniz
ing me in the dark, you might los
courage, abandon your plan, leav
the city and again be lost, I decide
to return to Mr.. Black and tell hiI
: all.
I'VE tried to think of some wa
:, of sparing you the embarrassment G
l this sort of meeting. We wake
> the streets until after one o'clock, i
hopes of seeing you before the tim
came for you to carry out your IL
}, tentions. Finally we decided ths
the only sure way of not missin
. you was to come here and watt
q Harry arose and extending b
u hand to his former employer, sait
I Mr.. Black, l do thank God ft
e my meeting with Mr.. Morton t.
night. | also thank him more tha
e mere words can express for playin
J the traitor. But what must yo
think of me for what / intended d
3. ing tonight! How can you ever 70
( give me? God! if you could but p1
n yourself in my place for momen
Then you might be able to reali.
e what caused me to thus decide"
le Harry" replied Mr.. Black, l (
'e realize everything. Believe me,
8 forgive you with all my heart. 1
l not you but me who should ask fo
re giveness. How can / ever atone t
G the wrong have done your"