The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1917-11-08

WOulu De ndIuTul, lOI He Was Jul
oldest and most prominent director in
the institution. His dealings had run
up into the millions. But a plain rec
ord and a clean sheet were all the sur
face indications, showing no more, no
less. than the bare limit account of
some saving, underpaid clerk laying
aside an lily spared surplus for a
rainy day.
When it comes to the secret
archives, however. the confidential
files accessible only to the officers and
credit manager Of the bank, that is
different proposition. He had company
in that departmental ghostly troop
of family skeletons, closeted at home
safely, locked away from public view
I'm 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 q
rarity. It might then be shown how
and why that great protector OF
finance. the active head of the United
Bankers Protective association, Resili-
US Marvel, was called into the most
secret councils of the Atlas National
20 ward off disgrace and peril from
our valued friend and client, and final
ly to save his life and his millions.
| 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, F"
advised our chief official land wishes
to see you. have told him of certain
attributes Of yours that we have recog-
nized-a close mouth, strictly bust
ness attitude, and unfaltering accuracy
of judgment"
II thank you" ] bowed, with a natu-
raj 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
j. manner and touched chair by his
side.
Il am going to ask good deal of
YOU" he said-"service l can never
sufficiently repay you for because !
wish you to share my troubles, and
the load isn't light one. l want a
man who can remember always, yet
forget absolutely so far as others are
concerned. 1t is about my STEP
nephew, Basil Trego."
The last name was not unfamiliar to
me, but I did not show that this was
so. l recalled the first incident with
in by knowledge of the young man
where a music hall danseuse had kick
ed her dainty slipper into his lap
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 1t 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 q 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 a life of idle profigacy, riot and
revel Not once, but twenty times he
has passed checks on this institution
bearing my forged name. There
was a lapse where, 1 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 $4,000. Later he took some
securities from my safe, disposed of
them, fed to New York city, and asso-
clated himself there with a notorious
set of gamblers, among them 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 go
TO some foreign place Of refuge and re-
deem his blighted past He realized
that I had put up safeguards to out
wit any further forgeries or pecula-
lions. | sternly told him my decision.
My will was made, and he was cut of
without 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