Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-23
lcontiaued from Yesteraay.l

WINE the OfhcerS OF the bank refused
10 talk until the examiner had finished
his work. il was known that securities
aggreSating a million and quarter
were missing. Then there was dia-
tribe on the possibility of such an
occurrence; on the folly OF one man
bank, and OF board of directors that
met only to lunch together and to
listen TO brief report from the cash
Ter, and on the poor policy OF a gov
eminent tina; arranges a three or four
day examination twice a year. The
mystery, IL insinuated, had not been
cleared by the arrest OF lna cashier.
Before now minor officials had been
used to cloak the misdeeds of men
higher up. Insabarable as the words
speculation" and 'peculation" have
grown TO be. John Bailey was not
known to be in the stock market His
only words, after his surrender, had
been: Send for Mr. Armstrong at
once The telegraph message which
had finally reached the president of
the Traders bank, in an interior town
In California, had been responded to
by telegram from DIR. Walker, the
young physician who was travelling
with the Armstrong family, saying
that Paul Armstrong was very i'll and
unable to travel
That was how things stood that
Tuesday evening The Traders bank
had suspended payment, and John
Bailey was under arrest. charged with
wrecking it; Paul Armstrong lay very
i'll in California. and his only son had
been murdered two days before sat
dazed and bewildered. The children =
money was gone; that was bad
enough, though | had plenty, If they
would let me share. But Gertrude's
grief was beyond any power of mine
TO comfort; the man she had chosen
stood accused OF colossal embeZzle
ment-and even worse. For in the in.
slant that | sat there seemed to see
the coils closing around John Bailey
as the murderer Of Arnold Armstrong
Gertrude lifted her head at last and
stared aGoss the table at Halsey.
Why did he do it?" she walled
Couldn't you stop him, Halsey? 1t
was suicidal to go back"
Halsey was looking steadily through
the windows of the breakfast room
but 1t was evident he saw nothing.
1T was the only thing to do, Trude,"
he said at last. Aunt Ray. when |
found Jack at the Greenwood club last
Saturday night, he was frantic. can
not talk until Jack tells me may. but
he is absolutely Innocent OF all this
believe me. | thought. Trude and ]
thought, we were helping him, but it
was the wrong way. He came back
Isn't that the act of an vinnocent
mani"
Then why did he leave at all?" |
asked, unconvnced What innocent
man would run away from here at
three o'clock in the morning? Doesn't
1t look rather as though he thought
1t impossible to escape?"
Gertrude rose angrily. you are not
even just" she famed you don't
know anything about it, and you con.
denim HIM"
81 know that we have all lost
great deal of money" / said. Il shall
believe Mr.. Bailey innocent the mo.
ment he is shown to be. You profess
to know the truth, but you cannot tell
me! What am to think"
Halsey leaned over and patted my
hand
you must take us on faith" he
said. Jack Bailey hasn't a penny
that doesn't belong to him; the guilty
man will be known in a day or so"
i shall believe that when il is
proved l said grimly. In the mean.
time, take no one on faith The in.
neses never do"
Gertrude. who had been standing
aloof at window, turned suddenly
But when the bonds are offered for
sale Halsey won't the thief be de-
teeted at once?'
Halsey turned with superior
smile.
1T wouldn't be done that way" he
said They would be taken out OF
the vault by some one who had access
to It, and used as collateral for q loan
In another bank. II would be possible
10 realize so per cent OF their face
value"
In CASH."
"In cash"
But the man who did The would
be known"
Yes, tell you both as sure as 7
stand here. ] believe that Paul Arm.
strong looted his own bank believe
he has a million at least. as the re-.
suit and that he will never come
back I'm worse than pauper
now ! cant ask Louise to share
nothing year with me, aud when
think Of this disgrace for her I'm
cray
rae most ordinary events Of lie
seemed pregnant with possibilities that
day, and when Halscy Was called TO
the telephone, ceased all pretensc
at eating When he came back from
the telephone his face showed that
something had occurred tie waited
however, until Thomas left the din
ing room, then he told us.
Paul Armstrong is dead" he an
nounced gravcly. "He died this morn