St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-05-03

Mr.. Atkins had again risen from the
chair Now he fell heavily back into
it. His lips moved as If he meant to
speak. but be did not At the mention
OF the Everdean name he made a
queer choking sound In his throat
II know the whole business. He
man." went on the captain. 81 know
why you was so knocked over when
you learned who Bos'n was the night
OF the party. / know why you took
up with that blackguard Thomas and
why you've spent your good money
hirin' lawyers for him. l know about
the mine. / know the whole thing
from first to last. Shall l tell your
Do you want to hear it?'
The great man did not answer. A
drop of perspiration shone on his high
forehead, and the veins of his big
the arms of his chair. The monument
was tottering on its base.
'It's dirty mess, the whole Of it"
continued Captain Cy. "And yet can
see-I suppose can see-some excuse
for you at the beginnin'. When old
man Everdean and his crowd bought
you and John Thayer out way back
there in "a. after John died. and all
the money was put into your hands
caPlate you was honest then. |
wouldn't wonder If you meant to hand
over the $37,5OO to your partners wild
ow. But twas harder and more risky
to send money east in them days than
it's now, and so you waited, thinkin'
maybe that you'd fetch it to Emily
when you come yourself. But you
didn't come home for some years; you
went tradin' down along the Feejees
and around that way. That's how
reasoned it out these last few days on
the train. give you credit for bein'
honest first along.
"But never mind whether you was
or not-you haven't been since. You
never paid over a cent of that poor
feller's money-honest money, that be-
longed to his heirs and belongs to ''em
now. You've hung on to it, stole it.
used it for yours. And Emily worked
and scratched for Twin and died
poor. And Mary, she died after bein'
abused and deserted by that GIlssed
husband Of hers. And you thought
you was safe. / cal'late. And then
Bos'n turns up right in your own town,
right acrost the road from you! By
the big dipper. it's enough to make a
felier believe that the Almighty does
take hand in straightenin' out such
things when us humans bungle 'em-
it is sol
Course amt sure Heman, what
you meant to do when you found that
the child you'd stole that money from
was goin' to be under your face and
eyes till you or she died. l caPlate you
was afraid I'd find somethin out,
want you? i presume likely you
thought that I. not havin' quite the
reverence for you that the rest Of the
Bayporters have. might be sharp
enough or lucky enough to smell rat
Perhaps you suspicioned that l knew
the Everdeans. Anyhow you wanted
to get the child as fur out of your
sight and out OF my hands as you
could Amt that SO? And when her
dad turned up you thought you saw
your chance. Heman. you answer me
this: Amt it part of your bargain with
Thomas that when he gets his little
girl he shall take her and clear out,
away off somewheres. for good? Amt
1t now-what?"
The monument was swaying. was /
swinging from side to side. but it did |
not quite fall-not then. The congress
mans cheeks hung fabby, his fore
head was wet, and he shook from head |
to foot. But ne clinched his jaws and
made one last attempt at defiance.
I'll don't know what you mean,"
he declared. "You-you seem TO be ac-
cusing me of something-of stealing.
believe. Do you understand who
am? | have some influence and repu
tatlon, and it is dangerous toto try to
brighten me. Proofs are required in
law. and
.sS-s-h-h! Yon know I've got the
proofs They were easy enough to get
once l happened on the track of 'em.
Lord sakes. Heman. / amt q fool!
What's the use Of your pretendin' to
be one? There's the deed out In Fris-
co. with yours and Johns name on 1t.
There's the records to prove the sale.
There's the receipt for the $4,000
signed by you on behalf of yourself
and your partners widow. There's old
man Everdean alive and competent to
testify. There's John Thayer's will on
file over to Orham. Proofs! Why.
you thief. If It's proofs you want I've
got enough to send you to state prison
for the rest of your life! Don't you
dare say proofs to me again! Heman
Atkins. you owe me, as Bos'n's guard
ian, $37 300. with interest since 1854.
What you goin' to do about it?'
Here was one ray. feeble ray. OF
light
You're not her guardian" cried At
kins. "The courts have thrown you
out. and your appeal won't stand Ell
Their. Ii any money is due it belongs
to her father. She isn't of age. No.
sir, her father
Captain Cy's patience had been CIV
ing away. Now he lost 1t altogether.