A STARTLING NEWSPAPER ITEM TO MR. AND MRS. REID.
That night Mr. and Mrs. Reid waited long and anxiously for Ashton,
but as he did not return they concluded he must have decided to
remain at the Metropolitan, so at one o'clock in the morning they
retired, not, however, without misgivings that all was not right.
They slept long that morning, and when they had completed their
toilets Mr. Reid found the Rochester _Democrat_ lying at the
door. He read it leisurely as he ate his toast and sipped his
coffee, now and then reading an item which he thought would be
particularly interesting to his wife. Suddenly he exclaimed:
"My God, it is Ashton!" And in his excitement he sprang from his
seat, nearly upsetting the table and seriously frightening Mrs.
Reid.
"What is it Robert?" she said. "Oh, read it please."
In answer to her request he read the following:--
"As policeman Rogers was walking his beat about half-past one this
morning, he heard a cry for help, which was evidently stifled. He
ran towards the spot whence he thought the sound came, and as he
neared the bridge he saw three men apparently engaged in a
desperate struggle. He sounded his rattle for assistance; two of
them, who evidently had been garroting and robbing the third, ran,
leaving him lying motionless on the tow-path. He had either been
choked until he was insensible, or else he had been made so stupid
by drink as to be incapable of thought or action. Policeman
Johnson coming up, they gave chase to the other two who, however,
made good their escape. They carried the one who had been
assaulted to No. ---- Station, where he was recognized by Sergeant
Jameson as a man by the name of Ashton, who was once in the employ
of Robertson & Co., but had lately been residing in Canada. He
came over to settle his business with Mr. Howe, who purchased some
property from him. He evidently had been intoxicated, and while
thus was waylaid and robbed. He had not, up to the time of our
going to press, sufficiently recovered to be able to give an
account of the affair, so at present it remains a mystery."
"Oh, Robert, you must go at once," said his wife; "the poor fellow
has fallen again. I am afraid some of the party have made a
pretence of doing him special honor in order that they might
entice him to drink, and then waylay and rob him. Do you know,
dear, whether he carried much money on his person?"
"I don't think he had any but what he brought from Canada. I
remember hearing him say he had deposited what he had received
from Mr. Howe in the bank, but I have no doubt he had quite a sum
with him, and of course they would rob him of all he had."
"I think he said Eddie was stopping with Mr. Williams. I will run
up and tell him, and then go to the police station and see what I
can do."
"The poor boy will be nearly frightened to death," said Mrs. Reid;
"and if there is anything very serious comes from this, God help
Mrs. Ashton! The poor creature has had her own trouble."
Mr. Reid found Eddie eating his breakfast, and in as quiet a
manner as possible broke the news, endeavoring to avoid every
expression that would cause unnecessary alarm. But at the first
hint every particle of color left the boy's face and he sprang to
his feet, saying:
"Oh, Mr. Reid! what has happened to my father? Please tell me
quickly."
Mr. Reid quietly handed him the paper, and as he took it, so great
was his agitation, his hand trembled like an aspen leaf; but when
he had read the paragraph which particularly interested him, it
had just the opposite effect upon him to what Mr. Reid expected;
for he seemed at once to become another person, and the boy of
fifteen was as if transformed by some cabalistic power into a man.
"Let us go at once," he said with decision; and, as the tears
gushed from his eyes and streamed down over his cheek he murmured,
"Oh, my poor mother! if she hears of this it will break her
heart."