St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-07-26


years passed when it was given to me
--by what ?--the boundless ocean.
I could not move her. and beyond be-
ing allowed to call myself her friend
/ was permitted to come no nearer to
her. learned that the family were
very proud and sensitive and that
whenever they met any one to reveal
their identity they left the place where
they were Immediately.
Miss Chamberlin and I parted as
friends, but we were really lovers
One summer | was yachting or the
New Jersey coast when Joe Shedd, one
of the crew. came to me with bottle
he had taken out of the water.
s''I don't want it," said. This coast
is covered with bottles that young
people have thrown out with fake ac-
counts of shipwreck in them"
The man went away, but presently
returned with a paper, which he said
might mean something real. It read:
Whoever finds this take up floor N. E.
corner of sawmill one mile west OF D..
Conn.
cts one of these children's mes
sages,'' said to the man, ito fool per-
sons" Then I handed it back to him.
During the next autumn Shedd came
into my Office. He said that he couldn't
get it out of his head that the mes
sage he had picked up at sea was
bona fide one. He would like to go
to D. and look into the matter, but he
had no money for the purpose. tried
to persuade him to dismiss the sub
ject from his mind, but when I was
satisfied that he wouldn't do so till he
had proved the truth of my position
1 advanced him the price of ticket
to D. with something to spare.
whatever find" he said, '1'll bring
to you"
you'll not find anything to bring.
But don't worry about repaying the
amount / have advanced. It's not
loan; it's a gift"
He made no reply to this, but left
me, and that's the last I thought of
the matter for week, when he paid
me another visit. I saw in moment
by his expression that he had found
something.
WELL" I said jocularly, "did you
get big diamondy"
We were alone, and he closed the
door before replying. Then he said:
''No, but 1 got hundred $1,000
bonds"
/ wondered if the man had gone
daft
st consider the find yours, SIR" he
continued, $50 didn't disturb any
thing 1 found. putting back the floor
ing. Nobody knew about my being
there"
"Do you mean to tell me you found
lot of bonds placed where that paper
you picked up indicated?"
'I do"
''What else?" I asked after drawing
several long breaths.
'"This.''
He handed me paper, on which
was scrawled in lead pencil:
Cashier didn't do this. The man as did
is where he can't be reached.
Notwithstanding that this paper had
a genuine look, some time was re-
quired for Shedd to convince me that
it would be worth while to go with
him and have look at his find.
must have been stolen property, and
I'm afraid to touch 'em for fear Of
getting myself into trouble"
Every WELL" said at last. "I'n go
with you, and if you've found some
missing securities and there is a re-
ward offered for their recovery I'll see
that you get it,
We reached d. in the afternoon, and,
Shedd having provided himself with
tools and a lantern, after supper We
walked out to deserted sawmill. It
was some distance from the road and
stood alone. Going to corner Of the
mill, Shedd removed some rubbish and
took up plank of flooring. Between
two joists lay bundle, the wrapper
being a newspaper Sbedd handed it
to me, and, unrolling it, there sure
enough were hundred $1,000 bonds
of a railway company. / saw at
glance that they were not negotiable
by the thieves. The date on the news
paper indicated that it had been print
ed nine years before. Shedd had TAX
en- the only thing besides the bonds
the scrap of paper-that had been left
in the place of concealment
Having replaced the flooring, we re-
turned by an early train the next morn
ing, and, going to police headquarters,
I reported the find.
I was Informed that nine years be-
fore a certain bank had missed the
bonds, and the cashier whose accounts
were short had been convicted of max
ing way with them. And here came
the surprise of my life and an explana-
ton of a mystery that had kept me
from the woman loved.
The name of the cashier was Vincent
Chamberlin.
There had been just enough shortage
In his accounts and circumstantial evil
dence against him to convict him Of
having taken the bonds, doubtless for
the purpose of speculation. Their find
ing, with the note accompanying them,
was a vindication for the cashier, and
he was released from prison.