The $500 Check — page 277: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

258 THE $500 CHECK. ness was stolen ? I bitterly repent that I was induced to join in the plot against poor Barton. He—poor fel- low—is in exile, afraid to return to his own country, while the man who committed the crime which has shadowed his life, is rich and prosperous, and holds up his head in society. And I—miserable tool that I was— by my testimony helped him to fasten the crime on an innocent man. Idon’t know whether it will do any good to write again. Jama poor man, and Albert Mar- loweis rich. He will defy me, and perhaps swear that I was implicated in the robbery myself. SolI was, alas ! for I accepted a bribe of two hundred dollars for my part in the matter. I wish I could see poor Barton righted | Bert read this letter with flushed face and beating heart. Here was proof positive that his father was innocent ; and Albert Marlowe, the rich manufacturer, the magnate of Lake- ville, was guilty not only of robbery, but, what was even more contemptible, had schemed successfully to throw the guilt upon an innocent man, the husband of his cousin. Through him John Barton had suffered a ten- years’ exile, and had been deprived for that time of his good name and the society of his family. (e(oAniiel eyooy KS (E(@) m