Evening star., 1932-04-10

miner evening when came upon him
|awares.
Ind so none before me heard his strange
h tragic story. A secret is a terrible guest
less it can be shared with some one the
ke to confession is powerful because confess
n is like laying down great burden. Hard
TX feared this urge, yet yielded to it. He
gan to yield. think, when he permitted my
.endship. He craved surcease from loneliness
ID probably felt he could safely expose him
q to the friendship of a man who was in
breton but a few weeks each year. And he
Is right, although not in the way he thought;
b secret while it was a secret, was safe with
(Moreton declared him to be an odd cha-ac-
4 but, wthal, Moreton respected him. He
came one of the towns most prosperous
! #idents and Moreton citizens concluded that
man who conducted his own business so
'pably would be able to conduct the towns
$Biness efficiently; and Aaron Hardwick
eame a selectman.
The duties of selectman compelled him to
dertake closer relations with his fellowmen,
with women. There were times when the
bring of hat was embarrassing, even to him
ON the hat was vital part of attire. So
had his housekeeper make him black
ll-cap and when official business made the
airing cf his hat undesirable. the skull-cap
ready. On such occasions the cap was
m under his hat. so that he could remove
hat without exposing the scar
During the third year of his term as a
ectman, when Hardwick was chairman of
board, there occurred in lonely house near
border the murder of a man known as
drew Somers.
Iardwick was at his breakfast when Con-
bic Morris called him by telephone and said
Rt Somers had been found dead by a man
worked for farmer by the name of
zen and who said he had discovered the
fy when he stopped at Somers home for
tches
Pomers had not been long in Moreton. He
appeared in town as quietly Hardwick
so years before. After a week he had
lght the house in which he had met death
thereafter was seen little by towns people
was generally believed that he was engaged
smuggling liquor from Canada. Hardwick
never seen Somers although he had heard
him and knew his reputation
lie told Morris to notify the coroner and then
led the district attorney at the county seat
miles away, briefly recounting what Morris
d told him and adding:
This Somers is said to be a rum runner. If
the prohibition authorities may be interested
the case. 1t might not be a bad idea to
&ify them"
III do that" said the prosecutor. "A new
forcement officer for the district arrived in
Vn yesterday. He and State Detective Carter
Puld be in Moreton in an hour. Perhaps
had better meet them at the hotel"
Iardwick agreed then set out in his auto
bile for the scene of the murder
1t was drive of 10 miles over uncertain
IDS to the house in which Somers had lived
7 he covered the distance in 20 minutes He
almost trembling with excitement as he
&pped his car before the door of the silent,
ather-beaten structure. HardWick was more
Pm 80 years old but he had never looked upon
bth.
The back door opened directly into the
chen. On the table lay the body of a man.
parently he had been struck down as he
ned against the table for the feet almost
Fched the floor. On the table lay revolver
ere it had slipped from the lifeless hand as
death blow had been delivered On the
pr by the table lay bloody hatchet.