Evening star., 1923-12-25
ABOVE SUSPICION
By Robert Orr ChipperGeld.
Auihor Of "The Second Buuuss," ~Lnseen Hand'."
"The Trigger Of Conscisnce" Etc.
Copyright. by ". 4
spectacles back on the bridge of his

, spectacles back on the bridge of his
nose.
Lane is a nobody, a mere upstart
who began trading on a shoestring
fourteen or fifteen years ago and had
phenomenal luck until Joe Bernhard
| caught him in tight place and
though, and ever since then--it's been
matter of seven years-they have
been out to knife each other until last
| autumn"
marked. "Nobuddy seems to know
what brung 'em together. though"
1T is a mystery that all wall
| street has puzzled over" agreed his
host. Neither needed the other. for
they were equally strong. and it
| wasn't a case of mutual protection;
| nothing threatened them from out
| side. for Lane is conservative. and no
, one knew what sort of coup Ben
! it to pass"
From all accounts, he didn't care,
neither. what happened to the folks
who'd trusted him and who he used
ana then sold out when he didn't need
en- any longer" Geoff was watching
the old man narrowly, and he saw a
! quick flash come into the faded eyes
There was Mr.. Wyckoff give DR..
HOOD HOOD consideraele information bout
over a deal. He ruined Lang & Lacey,
And my partner and me-" Robbins
| interrupted quietly. You heard that
also. Of course. but there were still
others. Take Lawrence Shirley, for
instance. That was ten years ago
when Bernhard was just beginning to
attract the attention of the larger
spectators. and Shirley mere boy
with too much money and the gam
| bling fever strong within him. The
Older man made sort Of protege of
him. and the boy thought he was
god until the crash came. Bernhard
had come out away ahead by secretly
playing the other side of the market.
but Shirley was wiped out and he had
trusted him so blindly that he used
other funds besides his own. He went
TO Benkard's rooms on New Years
day and killed himself.
| The straw hat slipped from between
Geoff's gnarled fingers and rolled un-
| needed across the floor.
On New Years day." he repeat
ed. You think likely. Mr.. Robbins.
! that the young feller went to Joseph
Bernhard for help in gittin' out o the
hole he was in and then killed him
self when it was refused?,
What else can we think? The boys
honor was Mt stake. and he had man
aged to stave off the final reckoning
| for two or three months, but he knew
| that the first Of the year would bring
exposure and disgrace that he could
not face Bernhard claimed that Shir-
! ley had come to him with some wild
outburst about being an embezzler
and a thief and had shot himself be-
fore he could ask for an explanation
or offer aid, and he bemoaned the fact
should have proved to be dishonest.
Robbins .ns GsSe haisvd dry, h;r, m,r.h,ess m he
I1tusted him as that poor young fool
learned our own lessons too late. we
realized that. If he did not actually
know of the lads conversion OF FUNDS,
he must have deliberately played on
his passion for speculation. led him
into temptation too great for him to
resist. Another man committed sui
eide only year or two ago, blaming
Bernhard for his failure. but / think
the case of young Lawrence Shirley
was far more sad, for it left stain
upon his name.
You say he made out to hide what
he'd done for two or three months
after he gambled away the money ne
stole?" Geoff asked with an amos odd; l.. tense ,nse
note in his nasal tones. DID ne lose
1t all in one big deal?"
"Yes. 1t was in Consolidated Lead.
if my memory does not fall me- Rob-
YOU wouldn'. recolleet. s'p9se;
through? Could it a-ben In October,
round the tenth. mebbe?'
The old man peered at him curl
ously. ~,, -.
tumn. probably october, but 1 cannot
recall the exact date" he replied
why do you ask?''
eve heard tell o. some such deal
round ten years ago. but its long
time back. Did you know this young
feIler and his family yourself Mr.
Robbins?"
CONTINUED in Tomorrow's Starr