, 1910-11-17
I1y wurus. ar,er ms srrrerner, mad
RW MIxex

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 a telegram from DR.. Walker. the
Young physician who was travelling
with the Armstrong family, saying
hat Paul Armstrong was very Ill 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's
money was gone; hat was bad
enough, though ] had plenty, If they
would let me share. Blu Gertrude's
grief was beyond any power of mine
to comfort; the man she had chosen
stood accused of a colossal embezzle-
ment-and ven worse. For in the in
slant that ] sat there / seemed to see
the coils closing around John Bailey
as the murderer of Arnold Armstrong
utltl u hCA htdu IL L ldSl anu
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.
st was the only thing to do, Trude,"
he said at last. Aunt Ray, when I
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 ne. l thought, Trude and I
thought, we we're helping him, but 1t
was the wrong way. He came back.
Isn't that the act of an innocent
man"
Then why did he leave at all?" l
asked, unconvinced. what innocent
man would run away from here at
three o'clock in the morning? Doesn't
it look rather as though he thought
it 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 a
great deal of money" I 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 my
hand.
You must take us on faith" he
sald. Jack Bailey hasn't a penny
that doesn't belong to him; the guilty
man will be known in a day or So"
:. shall believe that when it is
proved" l said grimly. In the mean
line, take no n on faith. The In
beses never do"
Gertrude, who had been standing
(loof at a window. turned suddenly.
But when the bonds are offered for
ale, Halsey, won't the thief be de-
ected at once?"
Halsey turned with a superior
mile.
1T wouldn't be done that way" he
aid. They would be taken out of
be vault by some one who had access
it, and used as collateral for a loan
another bank. 1t would be possible
A'allE on " C CCAl. vi lutll ldCe
blue"
In cash?"
In cash."
But the man who did 1.-THE would
known"
Yes, | tell you both, Is sure as /
and here. I believe that Paul Arm
rong looted his own bank. l believe
has a million at least, as the re-
H. and that he will never come
(ck. I'm worse thar a pauper
". | cant ask Louise to share
thing a year with me, n when /
nix of this disgrace for her, I'm
by"
The most ordinary events of life
med pregnant with possibilities that
and when Halsey was called to
telephone. / ceased all pretense
eating. When he came back from
telephone his face showed that
nething had occurred. He waited
Rever. until Thomas left b din
room; then he told US.
Paul Armstrong is dead" he an
need gravely. He died this morn
In California. Whatever he did,
Is beyond the law now"
ertrude turned pale.
And the only man who could have
fred Jack can never do It'll" she
despairingly.
Also" / replied coldly, MI Arm
Png is for ever beyond h power
defending himself. When your
comes to me. with some $2o0.ooo
MS hands. which is about what
have lost, / shall believe him In
ent."