The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-02-10

who knew O. this particular
amount being there at this particular
time?"
mo one as far as 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 am inclined to believe that that
! settles that"
ut would SO seem. And what kind
of man does Bruce happen to be?"
I hesitated, endeavoring to choose my
words with circumspection before an
swering q question which embraced
SO many qualifying and modifying
phases.
Well that Is hard question to
answer off-hand. He Is a complex
proposition. you know-a sort of a
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 never knew him to even
contemplate doing dishonest thing
and I don't believe that he ever did
The only two things that ever knew
him to do that might be criticized
from a high moral standpoint are to
occasionally take a few highballs or
cocktails and to habitually speculate
on Change. He Is a broker, you
know, and plays the game himself.
like most ofa the rest of them"
"And his financial condition these
days?" pursued my companion con-
templatively / shifted uneasily It
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 unfayorable light, and
it Is not pleasant task for one to
; be compelled to cast suspicion, even
!; by inference, upon 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 kinsmegl
: in particular, and should / conceal
, any essential fact that I knew and
, LeDuc discover that 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
a portion of what had been pilfered
t from him. I did not for an instant
5 believe that Bruce would even con-
: template such an act, even though
' standing blindfold against the wall Of
financial despair, yet certainly there
; were things which in justice to every
? body concerned he should explain:
t and while did not doubt but that he
I could do so without ificulty, | dis
3 liked exceedingly to speak against
t him.
i LeDuc sat quietly throughout my
a mental colloquy, eyeing me keenly.
t That my hesitancy in answering was
: unnoticed I did not for moment
l fatter myself. for as well might one
expect the fox to miss a movement OF
I the cornered hare. There seems to
| be something disagreeable in your
| mind Perhaps you had better Out
1 with it, he suggested at length. Re
i zen her that am asking you, as
I good citizen, to help me III tins MATES
i and am taking You into my confidence
therefore expect you to assist me
to the fullest extent of your powers
| regardless of whom it may help OF
hurt: always bearing in mind that nj
innocent man need be afraid. Further
| more, you may trust me not to- givt
any information you may convey tt
me any more publicity than the, ext
/ gencies of the case demand. What i
| it you are keeping from me now %
"You have asked me as to M
| cousins financial condition, and ,inde
my protest and your promise l vii
say this" I returned slowly. H
| was in miserable fix through losse
| on the exchange and came to Uncl
| Abner yesterday for a loan. uncl
| Abner only grinned at him, as Bruc
should have had sense enough before
4 hand to know he would. When ! SAY
Bruce afterWard he was way down O
his luck and fairly desperate. Fl
knew that uncle had the money IN tn
| house, because he was the one VIII
! called my attention to that fact, sa.
ing to me: My God, / must get hol
of $4,000 some way He then lei
:! me. When saw him again he al
4 peared to have been drinking. ! pt
| him in carriage to get him out
sight and he was driven away, Wher
don't know, for I have not see
him since. That is all I know abor
that phase of the matter" My con
panion was following my every wor
and action with the intentness of
| watching lynx, and when I had I'll
| ished bounced upon my last and quail
flying words instantly.
fTO BE CONTINUED.s