The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1912-06-11
The Circular
Staircase

fore. az soon 40 the business Of the
day was closed. Mr.. John Bailey, the
cashier Of the defunct bank. had taken
his hat and departed. During the aft.
ernoon he had called up Mr.. Aronson,
a member OF the board. and said he
was III. and might not be at the bank
for q day or two. Az Bailey was high
ly thought Of, Mr.. Aronson merely en-.
pressed a regret. From that time un-
I'll Monday night, when Mr. Bailey
had surrendered to the police, little
was known OF his movements. Some
time after one on saturday he had en-
tered the Western Union once at
Cherry and White streets and had sent
two kilograms. He was at the Green.
wood Country club on Saturday night.
and appeared unlike himself. II was
reported that he would be released
under enormous bond some time that
day, Tuesday.
The article closed by saying that
while the officers of the hank refused
TO talk until the examiner had finished
his work. IL was known that securities
aggregating a million and q quarter
were missing. Then there was a dia.
tribe on the possibility OF such an
occurrence; on the folly Of one-man
bank, and OF q board Of directors that
met only to lunch together and to
listen TO a brief report from the cash
Ter, and on the poor policy OF a gov.
eminent tina; srranges three or four
day examination twice year. The
mystery. II insinuated. had not been
cleared by the arrest Of the cashier
Before now minor officials had been
used TO cloak the misdeeds OF men
higher up. lnseparable 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 q telegram from Dr. Walker, the
young physician who was travelling
with the Armstrong family, saying
that Paul Armstrong was very III and
unable to travel.
That was how things stood ;ha:
Tuesday evening. The Traders bank
had suspended payment, and John
Bailey was under arrest. charged with
wrecking Il; Paul Armstrong lay very
i'll in California. and his only son had
been murdered two days before. sat
dared and bewildered. The children's
money was gone; that was bad
enough. though ! had plenty. II they
would let me share. But Gertrude's
grief was beyond any power OF mine
10 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 across the table at Halsey.
Why did he do it?' she walled.
Couldn't you stop him. Halsey? II
was suicidal to go back"
Halsey was looking steadily through
the windows Of the breakfast room,
but IL 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 l may, but |
he is absolutely innocent OF all this, |
believe me. ] thought, Trude and |
thought, we were helping him. but IL |
was the wrong way. He came back
Isn't that the act OF an innocent !
man3"
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 a. though he thought |
II impossible TO escape?" t
Gertrude rose angrily. You are not |
even just" she famed. You don't |
know anything about It. and you con-
denim HIM" .rftrf .stst ,ths
Il know that we have al lost a
great deal Of money" said Il shall
believe Mr.. Bailey Innocent the mo-
ment he In shown to be. you profess
TO know the truth. but you cannot tel, |
mtf Wudt hiu u tuluk
Halsey leaned over and patted my
hand. a. az
You must take US on faith" he
said. Jack Bailey hasn't penny
that doesn't belong to him: the guilty
man will be known In q day or So"
Il shall believe that when II 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 q window. turned suddenly.
But when the bonds are offered for
sale. Halsey, won't the thief be de-
tected at once?"
Halsey turned with a 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 II, and used as collateral for a loan
In another bank. II would be possible
TO realize so per cent. OF their face
value"
"In cash9"