Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-22
That was how things stood that
Tuesday evening The Traders, hank

had suspended payment, and John
Bailey was under arrest, charged with
wrecking it; Paul Armstrong lay very
Ill in California. and his only son had
been murdered two days before. l sat
dazed and bewildered. The childrens
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 I seemed to see
the coils closing around John Bailey
as the murderer of Arnold Armstrong.
Gertrude lifted her head at last and
stared across the table at Halsey.
"Why did he do it?" she walled.
Couldn't you stop him, Halsey? It
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 1
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 innocent
man?"
Then why did he leave at all?". /
asked, unconvinced. 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. "rYou are not
even just" she famed. "You don't
know anything about it, and you con.
denim him!"
Il know that we have all lost a
great deal Of money" said. 81 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 nv
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.'
II shall believe that when it is
proved" 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.
tected at once?"
Halsey turned with superior
smile.
ut wouldn't be done that way" he
said. They would be taken out of
the vault by some one who had access
to 1T, and used as collateral for loan
in another bank 1t would be possible
to realize 80 per cent. of their face
value"
I'm cash?"
In cash"
But the man who did it-he would
be known?'
Yes, tell you both, as sure as 1
stand here, believe that Paul Arm
strong looted his own bank l believe
he has a million at least, as the re-
suit, and that he will never come
back. I'm worse than a pauper
now. l can't ask Louise to share
nothing year with me, and when I
think of this disgrace for her. I'm
crazy"
The most ordinary events of life
seemed pregnant with possibilities that
day. and when Halsey was called to
the telephone, ceased all pretense
at eating. When he came back from
che telephone his face showed that
something had occurred. He waited
however, until Thomas left the din
ing room; then he told US.
paul Armstrong is dead" he an
nounced gravely. HE died this morn
ing in California. Whatever he did,
he is beyond the law now"
Gertrude turned pale
And the only man who could have
cleared Jack can never do it," she
said despairingly.
ALSO, l replied coldly, "Mr. Arm
strong is for ever beyond the power
of defending himself. When your
Jack comes to me. with some $20O.000
in his hands, which is about what
you have lost, shall believe him in
nocent."
. CHAPTER XII.