Of a careless disposition and inclined to folly, I
was convinced that until this time he had never stooped to commit a
crime. This was his first flagrant violation of the law, and when I
thought of him a hunted fugitive, seeking to hide himself from the
vigilant eyes of the officers of the law, and of the quiet, peaceful and
happy home of his parents, I could not repress a feeling of regret and
sorrow for the wayward youth in this, the hour of his humiliation and
trial. Far different from Eugene Pearson, who had no cares and no
temptations to commit crimes, and who had practiced a scheme of vile
deception and ingratitude for years, Thomas Duncan had been found in a
moment of weakness and desperation, and under the influence of wily
tempters, had yielded himself up to their blandishments, and had done
that which had made him a felon. As to Eugene Pearson, the trusted,
honored and respected official of the bank, who had deliberately planned
and assisted in this robbery of his best friends, I had no words of
palliation for his offenses; but for "Tod" Duncan, the weak and tempted
victim of designing men and adverse circumstances, I experienced a sense
of sympathy which I could not easily shake off.
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