The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-22
CHAPTER XVII.
A Tramp and the Toothache.


The bitterness toward the dead
president OF the Traders bank seemed
to grow with time. Never popular, his
memory was execrated by people who
had lost nothing, but who were filed
with disgust by constantly hearing
new stories of the mans grasping
avarice.
But, like everything else those days,
the bank failure was almost forgotten
by Gertrude and myself We did not
mention lack Bailey; had found
nothing to change my impression OF
his guilt. and Gertrude knew how !
felt AS for the murder OF the bank
presidents son, was of two minds
One day thought Gertrude knew or at
least suspected that Jack had done IT,;
the next feared that il had been Ger
trude herself that night alone on the
circular staircase And then the
mother of Lucien Wallace would OBJ
trude herself, and an almost equally
good case might be made against her
There were times, of course, when |
was disposed to throw all those sus.
picions aside. and fix definitely on the
unknown, whoever that might be.
! had my greatest disappointment
when 1t came to tracing Nina Caring
ton. The woman had gone without
leaving trace. Marked as she was
Fit should have been easy to follow her
but she was not TO be found A de
scrlption to one of the detectives. on
my arrival at home, had started The
ball rolling. But By night she had not
been found ! told Gertrude, then
about the telegram to Louise when she
had been i'll before; about my visit tt
DR.. Walker, and my suspicious tha
Matte Bliss and Nina Darlington wer,
the same She thought, as did, tha
! there was little doubt Of H.
I | said nothing to her, however, o
/ the detectives suspicious about Alex
Little things that had not noticed a
] the time now came back to me. | ha,
an uncomfortable feeling that perhaps
Alex was G spy. and that by takinl
him into the house ! had played int,
the enemy's hands. But at elgh
O'clock that night Alex himself al
peared, and with him strange and re
pulsiye individual, They made quee
pair, for Alex was almost as disrepu
table as the tramp, and he had a badl
swollen eye.
Gertrude had been sitting listlessl
waiting for the evening message froi
Mr.. Jameson, but when the sinGula
pair came in. as they did, without cer'
mony, she jumped up and stood starlni
Winters, the detective who watehe
the house at night, followed them, an
kept his eyes sharply on Alexis p.l
oner For that was the situation as
developed
He was tan lanky individua
ragged and dirty, end Just now h
, looked both terrified and embarrasse'
r Alex was too much engrossed to
J either, and to this day don't think
ever asked him why he went OFF Wit
out permission the day before
Miss Innes," Alex began abrupt
: this man can tell us something ven
important about the disappearance
1Ir. lnnes. found him trying to Sc
this watch"
He took watch from his pock
aud put it on the table, 1t was Halsey
watch. | had given IT to him on Il
twenty-6rst birthday; ! was dun
with apprehension.
He says he had pair Of cuif-lini
also, but he sold them
Per dollar'n haf,' put in the dl
reputable Individual hoarsely. wi
. an eye on the detective
lie is not-dead?' ! mplored. III
tramp cleared his throat
'No'm," he said husklly- "lIe w
r used up pretty bad, but he wereI
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