University of South Carolina Libraries
IN THE TOWN OF UNION ?iik Bf "TB?*v ^T* " * tj" > -v 'A w-"TB~ "TB* M" ^ OUT8IDE OF THE CITY -****? _coft?n MM*, Qg<^i<tfg|i8li3K V I I M I \ III ^ I I m lu I . T%IKrf Thre3 Cotton Mills, one Knitting SSBFSSS*!-efcH Hj I \ 111 \ I I VI ??ar?*ss: graded Schools. Water Works anSEMUk V H H H A W i B B W B I H V H i-fc. /? Taxable value in and out of town leotrlo Lights, Popnlation^ooo^^Jp *^L_ -H. * - - ? -B? I $3,000,000. VOL. L1V. NO. 1'2. .'f. ' ONION, SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1904. #1.00 A YKAR .. .NO INFgj The officer A this instituvH to impart no concerning i of its cust]H Wm. j A. NICHOLSfl I DbAiiii rJI j uuimu"! ; DONALD! Copyright, 1C0S, by cfr Charles W. Hooke -Hi 7. ? " Donald stopped forward Into tboi ! man's patli. I saw that some unngjaijra Impulse was upon the boy, and It^uM 5 footed me with a peculiar thrttSjKflJi had often seen him show the sa.nra| 3 aspect, but never with such iutcn^^HP "Frank Gillespie," said he, "if have anything to say upon thls jUK- | 1 ter speak flow. Tomorrow will ' late. If you wait till then, ' that you will not your time, and He extended Hp ( touobed QUleepi<|'iaW0BHBn^W4r the heart. He hiMjjwfi&^HSfl^^^R that the gesture . tel. that ha war jrHB^IHjlK!) $ f And 1 think tU^bm^n^^KflKesi points In the It seemed as if the whole town of Tunbridge had stopped to take Its breath. .In certain moments Donald undoubt edly exercises an Influence upon those about him which has uo rational explanation. Gillespie put up his hand and cov* ered the spot which Donald had touched. r *; "Hocus pocus!" ho cried somewhat hoarsely. "I'll attend to your case tomorrow." He brushed past Dounld and unhitch^4 4k? U Ul- ? cu tuc iiuim: Willi KU II1UCI1 ui'rvuus uus. tie that the unimal wns Irritated and started just as Gillespie had a foot upon the step of the buggy. The man jerked the reins with his rlgli\ hand,1 1 slipped upon the step and turned about | 1 so that he was thrown against the 1 hitching post, the iron ball upon the ! 1 top of it striking him with considerable 1 force upou the breast. The horse stopped, and Gillespie tottered back against S wheel of the buggy. His face was ' rery white and somewhat contorted. Such wns my state of nervous und superstitious uppreliension that 1 ex" pected to see the man fall dead, though In ordinary circuinstnuccs I should not have fenred a serious result from the accident. Evidently 1 was not alone in my alarm, for a strangely suppressed and inarticulate cry went up from the group upou the sidewalk, and several men stepped forward to assist Gillespie. He recovered himself, however, without help, climbed into his carriage, this time with sufficient care, and drove sway. - Huiu i 111 ins far, wuui did you menu?" "Menu?" Ue repeated as If dazed. "Nothing at all except that 1 wanted hlni to spenk. I wlali to heaven he j could have exposed me right there In the publle street." "Well, my boy," said I, "If anything ( happens to Mr. Gillespie after what | you told him just now you may be exposed 'by the recording angel, aud It ;will have no effect In Tunbrldge." , -? j CHAPTER XVI. ; THE FATE OF A TIIAITOR. ' THE next morning Donaldson i and I went over to the June- < flpn on the early train. There t were threp op four stockhold- ' ers over mere 10 wnom wo wished to my a inn I word, though. In oar oplo- I Ion, the election wan nu good as over. I I experienced n great relief and, as 1 sometimes happens, was the better ' able to realize how great would have been my bitterness of spirit if Kelvin < had won the fight. i I had various errands here and there ; in the Junction and was separated ! from Donaldson for some hoars. We I met about noon in front of the busl- i ness block In which the office of the i branch is located. My first glimpse of Donaldson showed mo that some- i filing was wrong. i '7've Just had a telephone message i from Archer," be said. "He tells me < that lie can't find Bunn," 1 "figu't flpd ^ echoed. "Bgjuj't < pnATioN... ; f'-x"' I Bd clerks of W are pledged Information B dealings R SON, Bankers. iflrcc Record ond Explanation of the Seven Hies Now Associated With Ills Name In HI Public Mind, %nd of an Fighth. Wrfch Is the Key of the Seven DM, JR. |y HOWARD FIELDING BtDccn at the ottiec?" * "No. And that isn't the worst of 1/' he replied. "Archer lias sent up tt Mrs. Stewart's," Dunn's hoarding ace, "arid if seems that he wasn't Millra loo*' i.lrrV.4 y?V?V IUOIi ''Good hen vetuS!" I exclaimed. "Can le have gone out on one of those long tvenlng wujk$ pf his nnd fallen dead n an out_o'f.lfbe way place? I don't mean tp be heartless, Donaldson, but fou know what this nienns to us." "It meani destruction," said he. 'That's the- niame of it.^ "Do you remember," said I, "that when Don was talking to Jim Bunn the other diy he seemed to get au impression that this vote would be a hundred shares short? Can that have been a vague hint that something was going to happen to Bunn?" "I tried to get the hoy by telephone,' tn'swered Donaldson. "Dorothy doesn't know whefe he Is. Nobody knows," "I wish we had him here," said I. Upon a chance I weut to a publifc telephone and called up the oflice, but I got no word of any one, Archer, Bunn aor Donald. I had a curious cxperisnce With crossed wires, however, in the course of which I heard Kelvin's roice for a few minutes and made out that he was trying to get communication with Gillespie. It came to me then to wonder whether that rascal had spirited Bunn away. It was a trick that I did not believe Kelvin would stick nt. Donaldson and I were entirely helpless. We had to rely upon Archer, for we could not get to Tunbrldge and back before the time set for the meeting, and so, as there was nothing better tQ do, we had a morsel of dinner. Shortly before 2 o'clock Archer nr rived lii a pitiable state of excitement. "What shall wo do?" he cried as soon ts he was within speaking distance. 'Without Bunn we're lost, and I can ?et no trace of the uian. I've got all runbrldgc hunting for hint. V.'e must hold up the meeting as long as we :an." There were about a dozen of the stockholders in the room when we three entered. Thorndyke was there, ind I Immediately per eel veil that he was very restless. I could not get him Into conversation. lie snt In a corner >f a window scat in the attitude of a man with the stomach uehe and drummed upon the tloor with one foot, a habit that especially distresses me. Presently the meeting was called to jrder by a little dummy who acts as president of the company because more important men do not want "the otllce. Some reports were rend, and then, Under the rules, It became necessary to proceed to the election of a board of directors. I bail a little scheme for holding back the vote, but It was not necessary \o spring it Immediately. Meanwhile the proxies wore passed I upon in the usual way, and tellers were appointed, one from each party. Tlicy I were Donaldson nri(l a man named Alrln Green, a small stockholder who had gone entirely over to the Kelvin party. Although he owed ms stock and everything else which he had In the world to me. There were two tickets?that Is, two lists of men named for directors. The lists were printed and were entitled Ticket No, 1 and Ticket No. 2. Ours was No. 1. I was about to begin my tactics for delay when there was u loud knocking it the door, which was locked. We all . lumped up from our places around the' long table except Tborndyko, who had I maintained his scat In the window throughout the proceedings and did not stir at the noise. The door was opened, and Jim Bunn talked into the room, with the nlr of A crazy man. 1 cast one look at him And then turned toward Kelvin. My enemy had seized upon Archer, who liappened to be nearest to him, and had dragged hlia Into a corner. I Indued I T . tiL it that Kelvin was protesting upon one ground or nnother against the admission of Buna's vote, but I could not hoar what was said. So I turned to Rutin. "Well, Jim," said I. ' where have you been V" "Wait," Siiid lie, sneaking like a man in a trance. "Wait. I'm here to vote." "That's what we're all here for," I responded, "and tlie sooner the better." Quiet was restored, and the voting began, the ballots being dropped into a hat. When all had been collected, the tellers took tlieni to a little table In the corner and proceeded to make the count. I glanced across at Donaldson and saw Instantly that he had encountered a most unpleasant surprise. In great uneasiness I turned to Carl. lie was gnawing his lingers. Runn sat rigid in a chair, his head thrust forward, his eyes staring. I began to feel a dire isolation. These men seemed to know something of which I was ignorant. The perspiration started from my face. I would have given much for a gift of prophecy to anticipate the events of the next few minutes, and this wish naturully suggested Donald. I took from my pocket the envelope which contained his prediction and turned it nervously in my lingers. Curiosity overcame me, I broke the seal and read, with great surprise, this line: "The Harrington ticket will win by 300 majority." While I was vainly trying to make this result lit the mathematical possibilities, I heard the tellers rise from their table. Donaldson handed a slip of paper to the secretary of the company, who rend as follows: ?. "All ballots are straight. No. 1 ticket bus received the preferences of the holders of 5,150 shares. No. 2 ticket has received the preferences of the holders of 4,850 shares. No. 1 ticket is therefore elected." "Here!" cried Kelvin. "There's some mistake nbout this. We'll verify those ballots." I expected n reply from Donaldson, but ho had crossed to the end of the table where Carl was sitting. I followed and touched hiin on the shoulder. i "How the dickens did wo get such 1 a result as that?" 1 asked. "Thonijj . dyke must have voted for us and lMW against us." "Thorndyke voted for us," said Donaldson, "and Bunn voted for us. This man voted against us." "Carl!" I exclaimed. "Impossible!" "My son tried to warn me of this long ago," said Donaldson, "and I would not hear him." "It is a matter of business," said Carl harshly. "I am a stockholder of this company. I vote as my Interest dictates." "Thorndyke," cried Donaldson, seizing the man's arm as he was passing, "did my son know how you were going to vote?" "Well, to be frank with yon," replied Thorndyke, "your son is responsible for it. I had thought that I saw my interest clear to vote with the other party, hut at a late hour last evening your sou came to my house with Mr. Bunn, and I then learned what an infernally crooked game this man Kelvin has been playing. Between us, gentlemen, and to use the slang of the lay, I couldn't stand for it." "Why didn't you lift the weight from our minds by telling us this?" 1 demanded. "Youner Mr. nnnni<Unn .incii-mi 1 should say nothing," wns the reply, "and I seemed to see his point." For the tirst time in his life Thorndyke had kept a secret. % "Don't you understand?" said Donaldson. "Archer, Archer! lie's the man whom my son was lighting against. If Hunn had stayed away, Archer would have volod with us, and we'd have lost the election Just the same, supposing that Thorndyke had not changed his mind. Rut with Hunn hero to vote for us and Thorndyke supposedly safe for tlie Kelvin party, Archer's vote would turn the scale, und It could be tinned In no other icnj/. Kelvin would force him to cast it, Donald has foreseen this a long time. It was the only way to unmask this man completely." "Unmask, eh?" cried Carl. "Well, I'll do a little unmasking. Kelvin, wliere's that man Gillespie?" "Cdhic a.vny!" growled Kelvin. "You're making a fool of yourself. It's all over." "No; not quite," said Carl. "Jim Bunn, answer me this: Who stole that money? Who got the $40,000? You know. Is this the man?" He struck Donaldson roughly on the shoulder. "J\"o," answered Bunn almost In n whisper. "You'll get no lies from me. I am the umn." Carl's hands dropped to his sides. "Are you?arc you such a d d fool as that? Go to state's prison, then, if you want to and die In a cage like a rat." Bunn shrank nway as If he had received a blow In the face, while Archer turned on his heel and walked out of the room, followed by Kelvin. "lie has played the game too hard," said Donaldson. "The strain lias smash-! ed bis wits." . "Upon my word," said I, "I d?nj-jc quite see what hie game wae," . m "l'ower!" answered Hunn. "Kelvin's control of this road would have forced your business Into the trust. You would have made the best terms you could and would have retired from active management. Kelvin promised Archer that he should have the whip hand of everything here, and you can see what that would have meant for Donaldson. As for me, they had me in a trap." CHAPTER XVII. DONALD'S DISCLAIMER. TIIE room was now empty except for Thorndyke, Bunn, Donaldson and myself. Archer's outburst had not been understood except by the members of our group, and so the other men who had been present at the meeting had escaped as soon as possible into the cooler air outside. "Bunn," said I, "tell me the straight truth." "I took the money," he replied. "1 was bard pressed with that land company deal and other matters." "In heaven's name," cried Donaldsou, "why didn't you hold on with the land company, as I told you? . We've turned the corner with It In these last few days. The company Is more than all right." "My luck," said Bunn. "I thought that there was no way out; that I was ruiued. Yet I hoped with that money Vint.- ??? ......w; mjoirn wuon*. i meant to | return IMtat ^urc.that. L could. You I know how 1 got It. 1 the parcel of I hills on y?u^7fc*k null iiSnde a dummy Soihe ode me; rob"/ tool: the money," lie replied. about $.">.000. I'd got out of the land scheme. I seemed to l>c In better shape. 1 felt that I could restore this money and that nobody would ever know. Then, suddenly, it was gone. Do you wonder that I went crazy?" "Who took It?" I demanded. "I only know what Donald snvs" r*?. plied Bunn. "But I don't see how there could be better evidence than his. He knows everything, lie has told ine the inmost thoughts of my heart. lie says that Archer took the money from my hiding place." "Well, there can't be much doubt about it," said I. "One day in your office at noon Archer accused me of being the thief," continued Bunn. "That was Just after Gillespie came here as Professor Severn. lie was in Archer's pay as a detective. I suppose that he found the money. When Archer accused me, I did not know that it was not still In the letter file. You can understand what I felt when this charge was brought against me. It meant?it meant Just what lie said two minutes ago; that I'd die in a cage like a rat. Yet when he told me what he wanted me to do; that I must redeem my stock from you and vote it against you at this meeting, 1 declared to him that I would take my punishment before I would do such a thing. I said that I would return what was left of the money and raise the balance somehow to make all square with you. " 'All right,' said he, 'but do it now. or I'll expose you.' "You, Mr. Harrington, were standing outside the office at that moment. I made my choice and went to get tho money. It was gone. I accusod Archer of taking it, but he denied the charge in such a way as to convince me that be hadn't done it. I believed that some thief had found it. I suspected Tim Heaiy?everybody. Archer promised to help me recover it. He had me in his power, for what could I do without the money? "More and more fids mnn cmt ma nn. '-r his thumb until I half agreed that -Ahe money could l>o found I would > Slow it to be thrust upon Donaldson. ,]|?nd known oil along that Archer was i a*ting against him. Carl used to ?sWk the floor in your office at noon j tall Bay over and over again: 'Donald|Jo*V Donaldson I I'll have him under Uo ua^dAo da thin even be ???? 1 >" % ML ^ mf' i Wjffl AR. (TO ? OUR resoitsoes are not fabu on carta, nor do we dc BUT we art here among th< ample means for all i enough.to take care of WE COME, backed-tjp by a good re made irreproachable b WE ARE here to stay and we so accommodation consist Interest Paid on ' rierchants and Plani xore nij' crime. I overheard him once as long ago as the early spring. I had opened the door suddenly when his hack was toward it." "Why didn't you tell me, Jim?" sntd I. "Tell you?" he echoed. "Would you have believed It?" I was silent. Therein had lain the weakness of the ease both for Bunn and for Donald. They knew that I would uot be convinced of Carl'* real character. "Archer told me that Kelvin would furnish any amount of money that might be required," continued Bunn. "Kelvin was to know nothing about any robbery. It was merely Jbut the money \vna needed. Kotv/vrbat wits I to tto* Mr. Hnirlngrtm?. yWher x|puld ajgee to vote rnjr stock^Ejjttlust you. Not even the threat M?|mK>u could mttko me do'tbat. But X utd nt lost agree to absent myself from the meeting. IT you wont to khpW Just whnt L really meant to do," he cried, rlslpjg Hiiu seizing me i>y the shoulder. "I meant t<r go to New *"ork and kill myself In cr hotelr'' where no one would ktioyr ^e. Bat I had their pledgo thatS^fce money which I hat}. count upon Donald: but, Jim. what changed this crazy plan of yours?" Bunn shuddered. "More and more," said he, "throughout nil these terrible days I have come to fear Donald. I had no faith in him at first, but that night at Kelvin's I saw my own fate in it. Well, let me finish. Last evening I went quietly across to Solway to take the train for New York. No man can know what misery I endured. A traitor to my best friend, a ruined man, a suicide at my age, unable to bear the weight of the year or two that would be granted me at the best! I was insane, truly insane. 1 walked across to Solway, and as I stepped up on the platform of the railroad station there I came face to face with Donald. " 'Ah, Mr. Bunn,' said ho, 'I was waiting for you.' *'i would have fallen if he hadn't caught me in bis arms. lie lifted me into a Wagon, and when 1 got my senses I found that Isaac Thorndyke was there. We rode slowly back to Tunbridge, and upon the way Donald told me everything that had happened to ine in these dreadful weeks. He ioiu me wnat l unci saiil to Archer and what Archer hud said to me in our most private conversations. lie knew my crime and my temptations and my sufferings as they are known in heaven. Do you think it's any wonder that not only I, who was at his mercy, but Thorndyke also, who wns merely a spectator, agreed to do precisely as Donald directed? 1 was hidden in Thorndyke's house, and Donald drove me over here this morning. We were hidden across the sti'oet. Thorndyke plgnaled to us from the window when I should come over." *'8o far ns my part of it is concerned," said Thorndyke, "this is all strictly true. Of course 1 could have no part with Kelvin when such business as this was doing." And he entered into a weak explanation and justification of his previous conduct. lie was intorruntert hv n sound of confusion outside. We rnn into tho ball and saw men looking from the window down Into the street. As we went toward then* Donald came flying up the stairs. "Uncle," he cried, taking my arm in a grip that nearly broke it, "don't you believe this! Don't you believe it! Father. tell him that I had no knowledge of it. I didn't mean that the man would die!" "Not Gillespie?" I cried. "Yes," answered Donald, with white lips. "He's dead. He's been sitting in bis wagon before the door here fo? hours stone dead, and no one suspected it. Ho was there by agreement with Archer to stop Jim Dunn in case he should not keep his word?in case he should not stay away from this meeting, as he had promised." "Dead!" I exclaimed. "It's heart disease," said Donald. "Uncle, you won't believe that I knew it? I have no such powers. I am a fraud-an absolute fraud?and when I told jGUympio to denounce me yeater* - "1 I J53 I2NT IT TAY.) ilous, wo haven't the largest hank ? all the business of the country. 3 good people of the county with reasonable demands, with capital all your wants. cord, that began years ago; a record Sfair business methods, cit your patronage, offering every tent with good banking. rime Deposits*. ters National Bank. day because today would be too late I meant that I should confess everything openly today, and I'm going to do it. I have merely been playing tricks." "You're excited. Donald," said his father, trying to soothe him. "This man's deatb should not affect you bo. You are in no way responsible for it." We made our way to the street. Gillespie's body had been taken into a store, and the doctor who had pronounced him dead was just coming oui again. ,. "Tbc fellow had a weak heart," said he In answer to my question. "The bkftv which he got by falling against that'-hitching post weakened it still more, and liquor combined with the heat of tills noon llnislicd him. There's nothing unusual in the ease." "Isn't there, eh?" said a voice behind me. , I turned and saw Kelvin, who raised his right hdnd and shook a linger at ("Donald. ' "I've got no cause to take sides with you," lie said, "but one thing I'm willling to (\diult: You arc a wonder, a jvohder! That's what you are." "Mr. Kelvin," cried Donald in a voice of ilgonv. "I, have confonRpd"? i /'Con few All you want to," answered ^Kplvin.v 'T^eard what you said to irjthat man, and. I know what has happened to him. That's enough for me." "But don't you see," exclaimed Donald, "a coincidence was hound to come. It was certain. "I couldn't go on in the ijray I wos-goltag without having someAJdDg of 11 bis kind happen sooner or later. *1 here? meimt.thUJL he would die." Kelvin waa turning away, but Donald tprang after blm and caught his arm. "Let me tell Jfib," he pleaded. "The diamonds! I knew where they were. Some one told me. Some one in your house hoard a noise in the night and looked aut of tfro window. And there was Cobb digging a hole in the ground. It was dark, hut she knew him by his extraordinary shape. Of course she had no idea what he was doing it for. hut when the diamonds were missed she understood. Meanwhile she'd mentioned the Incident to me. I'd confided In her days before. I had told her that I knew there was a plot against my father and that Archer was in it, but I Mr. Harrington would never believe the truth unless some awfully queer thing was done to impress him. Well, ehe agreed to help me. She saw in the Cobb affair a chance for me to shine. She'd mentioned the incident to mo in the morning before the diamonds were missed. She knew that I would know what it meant. So when Mrs. Kelvin Insisted upon coming over to see mo Amy chimed in with. her. And you can understand the rest." "This may all be true," answered Kelvin, "but it doesn't change my opinion in the least." "When Cobb was let out of Jail," continued Donald eagerly, "he went straight to your house and climbed in through the library window. You caught him taking down some books. What was the absolutely certain inference? Why, that the deed was in that room and somewhere near those books. Cobb had found it weeks acr? and bad left it there because he could not tblnk of a safer place. I told Amy, and she smuggled me into the library. We fouud the hiding place, with the deed and other documents in it. We took them all out. Of course it waa certain that Cobb, having been prevented by you from gettiug tlio deed, would elude Reedy and return. "Joe Harvey, as we all understood, was In this plot to blackmail you by makii\g a pretense of producing an heir of Walmsley and then selling you the deed. He had put up the bnil for Cobb. When Cobb escaped from Reedy that evening, he got into your library and found thnt the deed was gone. What could he do? Tell Harvey and go back to jail? Not at all. lie skip* ped, Just as any other rascal woultt have done. Then 1 went and bought a skeleton hand of n young doctor over in Solway, and, with the aid of that old scar on the table, 1 tlxed up my story." i iu he. WjnTIRDID.| Victories of Peace* Peace hath Its vlctott?? no less than wart If you have never thought of this before. And should the statement to your mind pcem raw, I You'll own It when you get a roother-ln\\ ,ftW> ; An Iwinuttloa ^ "Truth la stranger than Action." t^That may bo, but how do yoo