Evening star., 1923-12-26
ABOVE SUSPICION
BY Robert Orr Chipperfeld.
Au,hor OF "The Second Bullet" "Unseen Hands,"
"The Trigger Of Conscience" Etc.
Copyright by Rob ride Co
Continued from Yesterdays star)


II don't think he had any people, a,
Ieast in New York. l have a vague
recollection that he came from the
acquaintance was merely casual 1T Is
extraordinary how clearly l can pic
ture him now. Tall and straight as
that Apollo over there" He gestured
with a thin, delicately veined hand
toward one of the bronze figures
out he was the most modest un-
spoiled lad Imaginable. He had brown
hair and deep hazel eyes with a
mischievous, reckless light in them
and low, rich voice that an actor
might have envied.-Ah, well. as you
say. Mr.. Peters, it's long time back
l wish 1 had known young Shirley
better and he had come to me instead
OF Bernhard; I had money and infiu-
ence then, and we might have found
a happier way out of his difficulties
than the desperate path he chose!"
reckon he was proud and hot
headed. and mebbe went clean crazy
when Bernhard turned him down." OBJ
served Geoff. You knew Mr.. Ben
kard real well at that time, didn't
you, Mr.. Robbins s?-Sociable like.
mean. outside o. the stock market and
such?"
He had little or no social standing
In those days; 1 myself put him up
for membership at the first exclusive
club to which he was admitted" The
gray head was lifted proudly. He
was comparatively young man, not
more than thirty-five, but he made it
point to cultivate the older fellows
who might be of use to him. l don't
believe he ever made a move in his
me NE, that wasn't calculated in advance,
and although l gathered that he came
from some small town and had had
Few early advantages he learned
quickly and never forgot"
Was he livin' all alone when that
young feller went to his rooms and
killed himself?" inquired Geoff.
Yes, except for a manservant past
middle age then, who did everything
for him. He had a floor through in a
shabby old house down on East 11th
street, but he'd picked up some odd
bits of good furniture and few an
tlque rugs and etchings of real merit
and either he or the manservant had
a nice taste in cigars and mellow
talked we'll and to the point and was
rarely appreciative listener. Quite
a little crowd of us got into the habit
of dropping in on him occasionally
very much as We would have gone to
the club: but the talk was less con-
strained and. as it naturally turned
to matters of finance, I suspect that
he gained not only more than one
valuable tip. in those early days, but
q rather comprehensive knowledge OF
the inner workings of the game
which enabled him to turn and crush
some of us later" Robbins tone had
grown bitter with retrospection, but
now he reused himself. You were
asking me about the tragedy of young
Shirleys suicide. 1t didn't create
very much notoriety, for the boy was
practically unknown in town except
to a few of us, and sensational trial
and an international scandal were oc-
cupying most of the space in the
newspapers; but we rather fought shy
Of Benkard's rooms after that, and 1t
wasn't long before he moved"
The old man had begun to pluck
restlessly at the worn, plush-covered
arms of his chair, and Geoff retrieved
his hat and then paused.
I'm sure I'm much obliged to you
for, tellin' me all this. Mr.. Robbins,
and our medical examiner will find 1t
useful.-You don't happen to recollect
the name o. that manservant Mr..
Benkard had in them days? 1t wasn't
Henry Carp"
The butler his sister is employing
Robbins shook his head slowly. II
read about 1t in the papers, but it
didn't bring anything back to my
mind. The man was 50 perfectly
trained and self effacing that I doubt
whether I should recognize him again
II I saw him. You may tell your
medical examiner that 1 shall be glad
TO be of any possible service l can in his
sonal vengeance against Joseph Ben
kard; all that died long since, to-
gether with most or my interest in
life But when I opened my evening
paper on Thursday, Mr.. Peters. and
read of what had taken place out at
Sunny Beach, I thought over the past;
with the memory of young Shirley
and others in my mind. 1t came to me
had indeed ground slowly, they had
ground eXceedinP1y Smalln
Seems kinder that way, sir" Geoff
agreed discreetly. I'm sorry to have
took up 50 much o your time but
there's just one more thing I'd like
to ask you bout afore I get back to
Sunny Beach"
He hesitated. and Robbins raised
his eyebrows inquiringly.
What is it, Mr.. Peters,"
cinct. Did you ever hear tell O. Mr..
Bernhard gittin' stuck on anybuddy or
maxim up to 'em?"
Women were apart from his
scheme of things in those early days.
for matrimony would have hampered
him in his ambitions, and there was
no mention of scandal in connection
with him, but lately there have been
rumors|
He paused in his turn. and Geoff
you think mebbe he was plan
min to git married, now that he had
bout ev'rythin' else in the world
that a man could want?"
mo, not that. There Is a certain
woman not-er--not in society, in
whom he is said to have shown quite
an interest for the past year or two,
but the rumor died out several
months ago. 1.-The man is dead, and
really, 1 don't care to speak of it."
But mebbe it'll help more than all
the rest put together" Geoff urged
earnestly. IF twas common talk we
kin git it from other folks, O. course.
but it would take time we can't
noways afford. Mr.. Robbins, I won't
ask you another question IL you'll just
tell me the woman's name"
There was silence for long min
ute while the old man deliberated,
and then the reply came:
Zoe Dawn"