The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1912-05-31

CHAPTER X.


The morning after Halsey's return
was Tuesday. Arnold Armstrong had
been found dead at the foot Of the cir
cular staircase at three O'Clock on
Sunday morning The funeral services
were TO be held on Tuesday, and the
interment Of the body was 10 be de
ferred until the Armstrong; arrived
from California. No one, I think. wat
very sorry that Arnold Armstrong was
dead, but the manner OF his death
aroused some sympathy and an enor.
nous amount Of curiosity. Mrs. Ogden
Fitrhugh, a cousin. took charge Of the
arrangements, and everything. ! be
lieve, was as quiet as possible. gave
Thomas Johnson and Mrs. Watson
permission to go into town to pay
their last respects to the dead man.
bI. for some reason they did not care
to go.
Halsey spent part Of the day with
Mr.. Jameson. but he said nothing of
what happened. He looked grave and
anxious. and he had a long conversa-
ton with Gertrude late In the after.
noon.
Tuesday evening found us quiet.
with the quiet that precedes an ex-
plosion. Gertrude and Halsey were
both gloomy and distraught, and as
Liddy had already discovered that
some OF the china was broken-it 10
impossible to have any secrets from
an old servant-I was not in . pleas
ant humor myself. Warner brought
up the afternoon mail and the even
ing papers at seven-I was curious to
know what the papers said OF the
murder. We had turned away at least
q dozen reporters. But ! read over
the headline that ran halfway across
the top OF the Gazette twice before ]
comprehended IT, Halsey had opened
the Chronicle and was staring at II
hxedly.
THE Traders bank closes its
doorsl" was what / read. and then l.
put down the paper and looked across
the table.
did you know of this7" I asked
Halsey.
T-expected It, But not so soon."
he replied
And your" to Gertrude.
"Jack-told us-something," Ger
trude said family. "Oh, Halsey, what
can he do now"
Jack" ! said scornfully. Your
Jacks flight is easy enough TO explain
now. And you helped him. both OF
you. to get away You get that from
your mother: II isn't an Innes trait.
Do you know that every dollar you
have. both of you. is in that bank"
Gertrude tried to speak. but Haisey
stopped her.
That isn't all. Gertrude" he said
quietly; Jack is-under arrest"
Under arrest" Gertrude screamed.
and tore the paper out OF his hand.
She glanced at the heading, then she
crumpled the newspaper into a ball
and flung 1t to the floor. While Hal
sey. looking stricken and white. was
trying 20 smooth IL out and read II,
Gertrude had dropped her head on the
table and was sobbing stormily.
have the clipping somewhere, but
just now ! can remember only the es-
sentials.
On the afternoon before, Monday,
while the Traders bank was in the
rush OF closing hour, between two and
three. Mr.. Jacob Trautman. president
Of the Pearl Brewing Company, came
into the bank to lift a loan. As Sc
curity for the loan he had deposited
some 300 International Steamship
Company SIS. In total value $500 900
Mr.. Trautman went TO the loan clerk.
and, after certain formalities had been
gone through, the loan clerk went to
the vault. Mr.. Trautman, who was
a large and genial German. waited for
a time. whistling under his breath.
The loan clerk did not come back.
After an interval, Mr.. Trautman saw
the loan clerk emerge from the vault
and 20 to the assistant cashier; the
two went hurriedly TO the vault. A
lapse OF another ten minutes, and the
assistant cashier came out and ap-
preached Mr.. Trautman. He was no
ticeably white and trembling. Mr.
Trautman was told that through an
oversight the bonds had been mis-
placed. and was asked to return the
following morning, when everything
would be made all right
Mr.. Trautman, however, was a
shrewd business man. and he did not
like the appearance OF things. He
left the bank apparently satisfied. and
within 30 minutes he had called up
three different members Of the Trad
ers board of directors. At $3.50 there
was hastily convened board meeting,
with some stormy scenes, and late In
the afternoon a national bank exam
liner was in possession Of the books.
The bank had not opened for business
Tuesday