Tensas gazette., 1917-11-30


Millionaire Robert Dale. Thi'
would be natural. for he was 0ui
oldest and most prominent director In
the Institution. Ills dealings had run
up Into the millions. But n plain rec
ord and clean sheet We're all the sur
face Indications. showing no more, nc
less. than the bare limit account OF
some saving. unGerpaid clerk laying
aside an lily spared surplus for q
rainy day.
When il comes to the secret
archives, however. the confidential
files accessible only to the officers and
credit manager of the bank that is a
different proposition. He had company
In that departmental ghostly troop
of family skeletons. ClOseted at home
safely, locked away from public view
In the strong steel safety vaults
Should they ever parade forth, one
Basil Trego, among several OF like
mold. would strut and caper across
the stage. and vanish leaving the i'm
preston that honored names are some.
times a farce and honest men a
rarity II might then b. 1Own how
and why that great pl' tor OF
finance. the active head of the United
Bankers Protective association, Resl.i.
us Marvel. was called into the most
secret councils of the Atlas National
to ward off disgrace and peril from
our valued friend and client, and final
l,,t To 10 9.
| recall Robert Dale just as he ap-
peared that bright June morning when
the president of our institution sum
moned me to his private Office, and
the gravity and earnestness of his
face influenced me to the belief that
something out OF the ordinary was in
the wind.
Mr.. Dale is in the directors Office" "
advised our chief official. and wishes
to see you. | have told him of certain
attributes of yours that we have recog-
nized-a close mouth, a strictly busi-
ness attitude. and unfalterng accuracy
of judgment"
Il thank YOU" bowed, with a natu
Ial glow of pleasure at the handsome
compliment
Poor Dale," observed the presi.
dent, "he needs the exercise of all
these qualifications. indeed. A journey
on your part may be necessitated Fall
In with his plans, whatever they may
be-"
proceeded at once to join the wait.
ing visitor He greeted me in friend
ly manner and touched a chair by his
side
Il am going to ask a good deal OF
you" he said-"service | can never
sufficiently repay you for because |
wish you to share my troubles, and
the load isn't light one. | want a
man who can remember always, yet
forget absolutely sc far as others are
concerned. 1t is about my step
nephew. Basil Trego."
The last name was not unfamiliar to
me. but | did not show that this was
so. ! recalled the first incident with
In by knowledge of the young man
where music hall danseuse had kick
high honor for the shallow-pated
youth. who proceeded to lavish his
own and the money of others upon
her. 1t had led to the presentation
and payment of a forged check on
his uncle. Nor was IL the only one.
We of the bank had never let Mr..
Dale know what We suspected. When
he passed over the forgeries. accept
Ing his loss in silence, the incident
was dropped so far as we were con-
cerned. Therefore, this honorable old
business man fancied he was impart-
Ing to me a great secret when he said
in a tone infinitely depressed and Sc
rious:
MY nephew. Basil Trego, is a
forger.
For over two years this young
man." continued the millionaire, "has
led life of idle profigacy, riot and
reyel Not once. but twenty times he
has passed checks on this institution
bearing my forged name. There
was lapse where, suppose.
realizing that he was my nearest
living relative and likely to inherit
my fortune. he curbed his extrava.
gance. A few months since, however.
he issued two forged notes in my name
for over 100000 Later he took some
securities from my safe disposed of
them, fed to New York city and asso,
ciated himself there with a notorious
Set of gamblers. among them a woman
known as Sara Bruhl."
made a mental note of this for fu.
ture reference, while Mr. Dale went
on:
"A week since he appeared at my
home in desperate condition of fright
and actual or pretended remorse.
He begged of me final $4,000. to 20
TO some foreign place of refuge and re-
deem his blighted past He realized
that ! had put up safeguards to our.
wit any further forgeries or pecula
tions. | sternly told him my decision
My will was made, and he was cut off
without a dollar. had written abroad
TO the orphan daughter of a distant
relative. Miss Winifred Dunscombe.
who was studying art at Rome. offer
ing her a home and to make her my
heiress. If she would come here. As
TO himself. | gave him one hundred
dollars, told him to so to Windsor over
the river from Detroit. in Canada.
there to await from me a final propo
sitiOn as to what would do for him
IN the future in a monev wav-"