Evening star., 1923-12-21

he's a fighter, and If there had been
anything illegal about the business
Bernhard would have been behind the
bars now instead of in his coffin. 1t
was worse, Geoff; it was an abuse of
friendship, Wyckoff trusted him. ac-
cepted his tips and passed them on to
his customers and then found himself
all al once on the wrong side of the
market. and the crash came That
was Benkard'S secret of success; to
win the confidence of lot of the less
important brokers who catered to
small spectators by letting them
know in advance the truth about
what he and his crowd were going
to do; and, OF course, they would fol-
low his lead and make money for a
time. Then, without warning, he
would betray them and wipe them
out. And the law couldn't touch him.
amt sprised none" observed
Geoff dryly. Kinder had the opinion
Benkard was that sort o. feller. But
If it happened once, you wouldn't
although anybuddy would trust him
SOS ne coul9 work ii again"
, Ihats the worst of it; no one be-
heVes the man who fails. They
tnInk he's just poor, loser and try
ing TO put-the responsibility on some
body else" The doctors voice was
stern. Il got the names of two other
hrms Wyckoff says went under be-
cause of Bernhard. but l couldn't To-
~
Boone. one was. and Lang & Lacey
got enough from Wyckoff. anyway
about the past, and he told me a
FUNNY thing, too. that ] can't just fit
in with the rest of it, Until about
year ago Lane and Bernhard were
bitter enemies, not personal ones. but
in their trading. For years each has
been trying. TO push the other to the
wall. and then all of a sudden-no
body knows how nor why-they got
together and they've been hand in
glove ever since. If they're doing
anything actually crooked. l couldn't
get line on it, Wyckoff sent me to
another broker who might know, but
had to wait until after the market
closed to see him and then he either
couldn't or wouldn't talk. l tried to
told me about and that's what kept
me SO late. but they were out Of
town"
"Tain't my business. but if twas.
reckon I'd like to know what made
Bernhard and Lane friendly after
fightin' each other for so long. 'Tain't
in human mater onless there's some
thin back o. it Geoff rested one of
board. Did you git any-buddy TO
find out bout what Lane did after
he driv away madder'n wet hen
on the night O. the murder?"
Yes. l stopped in at Police Head
quarters. and they put man on it
for me-" replied the doctor. Hes
driving out in a car to meet me
around eleven tonight down by the
picnic grove. Want to come along?
You were the first to get an idea that
Lane might have come back. night
before last. and I'd be glad to have
your opinion"
s long as you ask me. l kinder like
10 hear what he has to say. Cause,
he needn't to know, Doc. that I'm just
workin' round the place and amt got
nothin to do with your case" Geof
paused, and he did not see the fat,
little doctor smile to himself in the
gathering dusk. He added suddenly:
THAT lawyer feller Newbury. went
TO town right after the body was
brought back this morning..
He took the same train I did. but
he didn't see me- Doctor Hood
chuckled Il was careful to keep out
of his sight and when we got TO the
city l trailed him, First time in ell
my experience / ever tried that, but
it wasn't so hard because he wasn't
suspecting anything. You were right
Geoff, though how you figured it out
from just a hint of that Letty's beats
me. Where do you think he went?
Straight to O'Hare's Private Detec-
tive Agency"