Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-01-25

Who knew Of this particular
amount being there at this particular
tfme?"
No one as far as I know except
Uncle Abner, of course, my cousin,
Bruce Halliday, and myself. Uncle
Abner says he did NOT tell Mrs. Teb
bets she denies all knowledge of it
and aH inclined to believe that that
settles tfat."
It would so seem And what kind
OF man does Bruce happen to be-"
hesitated. endeavoring to choose my
words with circumspection before an
sweTing a question which embraced
so many qualifying and modifying
phases.
Well, that is a hard question to
answer of-hand. He is complex
proposition, you know-a sort of
paradox. You should know him thor
oughly before passing judgment. But
comprehensively I should say that he
IS genial, generous, outspoken and in
clined to be reckless along certain
lines. But l never knew him to even
contemplate doing a dishonest thing
and I don't believe that he ever did.
The only two things that l ever knew
him to do that might be criticized
from high moral standpoint are to
occasionally take a few highballs or
cocktails and to habitualIy speculate
on Change. He is a broker, you
know, and plays the game himself,
like most of the rest of them"
And his financial condition these
days?" pursued my companion con-
templatively. 1 shifted uneasily. 1t
was plain that LeDuc was going to
dig deep and ask me questions that
would make it necessary for me to
put Bruce in an unfavorable light, and
it is not pleasant task for one to
be compelled to cast suspicion, even
by inference, upon a lifelong friend,
especially when the friend is of his
own blood. Yet a serious crime had
been committed against both society
at large and another of my kinsmen
in particular and should I conceal
any essential fact that I knew and
LeDuc discover that I had done so, it
would put me in the miserable plight
before Uncle Abner as having tried
to shield some one and thus acted
against him in the recovery of at least
portion of what had been piIfered
from him. I did not for an instant
believe that Bruce would even con-
template such an act, even though
standing bIindfoId against the wall Of
financial despair, yet certainly there
were things which in justice to every
body concerned he should explain;
and while I did not doubt but that he
could do so without difficulty, I dis
liked exceedingly to speak against
him.
LeDuc sat quietly throughout my
mental colloquy, cycling me keenly.
That my hesitancy in answering was
unnoticed I did not for a moment
fatter myself, for as we'll might one
expect the fox to miss a movement of
the cornered hare. There seems to
be something disagreeable in your
mind. Perhaps you had better out
with 1t" he suggested at length. Re
member that | am asking you, as
good citizen, to help me in this matter
and am taking you into my confidence.
l therefore expect you to assist me
to the fullest extent of your powers
regardless of whom it may help or
hurt; always bearing in mind that no
innocent man need be afraid. Further
more, you may trust me not to give
any information you may convey to
me any more publicity than the ext
gencies of the case demand. What is
it you are keeping from me now?"
You have asked me as to my
cousins financial condition, and under
my protest and your promise I will
say this" I returned slowly. He
was in a miserable fix through losses
on the exchange and came to Uncle
Abner yesterday for a loan. Uncle
Abner only grinned at him, as Bruce
should have had sense enough before
hand to know he would. When I saw
Bruce afterward he was way down on
his luck and fairly desperate. He
knew that uncle had the money in the
house, because he was the one who
called my attention to that fact, say
ing to me: My God, I must get hold
Of $4,000 some way He then left
me. When I saw him again he ap-
peared to have been drinking. I put
him in a carriage to get him out of
sight and he was driven away, where
I don't know, for I have not seen
him since. That is all I know about
that phase Of the matter" My COM
panion was following my every word
and action with the intentness of
watching lynx, and when 1 had fin
ished bounced upon my last and quail
fviuor words instantly