, 1916-03-02
SYNOPSIS

Robert Strickland Is on trial for killing
Gerald Trask in the latter's library at
night. District Attorney Gray declares
Strickland killed Trask, with the aid of
an ~accomplice. who escaped, for the sake
of $4,000 in cash. which Strickland had
lust repaid to Trask. The defendant and
Trask were the only two who knew the
combination to the safe. Important fig
ures in the case are Arbuckle, counsel for
the defense. and Glover. who was Trask's
secretary.
Strickland would not make defense,
but law compels him to do SO. Mrs.
Strickland disappeared after the shooting.
Mrs. Trask, on stand. tells of telephone
call made on her husband, on the night of
his death, by a woman who would not
give her name.
| have been forced to believe that she
took her life. | did succeed In finding
Doris. the little daughter of the de-
PENDANT. When you have heard her
story. gentlemen. you will agree with
me that to send Strickland to his death
She did not reply to his outburst of
temper. He stood thinking intently for
a moment, and then exclaimed:
"Oh, know what | did with It! l
gave 1t to Strickland. I've just come
from there. invited him to come
down to Long Branch on Sunday, and
I wrote the address on the card for
him."
Are you sure the combination was
on that cardf' asked Glover.
"Yes. l never stopped to look at the
other side. Very careless of me.
You'll have to wait until tomorrow for
the books"
To this the secretary replied, We'll,
there's nc hurry about it." but his EN-
ployer raised his hand. with wait a
minute. I believe l can get that com
bination."
He walked past Glover to the safe.
bent down to the knob and began to
manipulate it. For a moment his mem
DRY failed him. and he said to himself.
mo, that's not it."
Don't bother about it," said Glover,
and the choler of the older man again
found vent. Was there something in
the surcharged domestic atmosphere
that irritated him? Was it the pres
ence of his wife, standing silently by
while he tried to open his safe, or
was 1t the shadow of impending doom
which darkened his soul on this night?
"Say." he snapped to the waiting
Glover. you know If you're going to
talk l never can remember these num-
bers. I've got 1t. There you are
Turning the handle of the safe and
pulling the door toward him, he said
! TO Glover. Help yourself"
With the books in his hand, Glover
said to Trask, do you want to do any
work tonight?"
mo, l don't think SO. l want to turn
in early. I've been goling all day. and
! I'm tired"
For some minutes, while the safe
was being opened, Joan Trask had sat
silent. Only the nervous working OF
her hands, twisting and untwisting a
| handkerchief and the slight frown on
her face told that she still thought of
the mysterious telephone call. But 1t
was not of that she spoke, but OF her
dissatisfaction with her husbands on
duct, in the words which arrested
Glover as he was about to leave the
room and which brought anew the con
temptuous look to the face of her hus-
band.
Seems to me you might have wait
ed until we all went down to Long
Branch" she said.
when are you goingT"
MONDAY. Aren't you coming with
us?'
I'm going down Saturday night.
I've got up a fishing party for Sunday
morning. Like to join me, Gloverr
Like to Join themI Why. 1t was
meat and drink to the young private
secretary to sit and stand and walk
and break bread with his wealthy EN-
ployer and the set with whom Trask
surrounded himself. They were Stan
ley Glover's idols-the 'big elbows" OF
/ the ''street'-there is but one street I'm
New York that is known without It's
distinguishing name-who manipulated
millions. Despite his repression n
quiet exterior young Glover WIS con-
sumed by a burning desire to be as
hey were. His salary was ample for
his needs, and his position In the Trask
establishment was not a mean one.
But In his heart of hearts he cherish
ed the ambition to acquire wealth such
as was possessed by his employer and
the men with whom he associated and
to have a private secretary OF his own.
( No more ardent wOrshiper OF Nam
mon, albeit IL a carefully concealed
fashion, than Stanley Glover existed In
New York. Picking the dgurative
crumbs from his employers table, be