Evening star., 1923-12-19
ABOVE SUSPICION
By Robert Orr Chipper6eld.
AAthor Of "The Second Bullet" Unseen Hand,.'
"Ihe Trigger Of Conscience" Etc.
Copyright by Robert n. 4 Co

Geoff. Lost out in the end. though.
didn't he? No matter how much he
made he couldn't take none O. it with
him where he went last night! How'd
he get his start and when did he first
show up down on this here Wall
street? Did Newbury tell your
"I don't believe he knows" the doc
tor replied. "All he said was that
Bernhard came to him about twelve
years ago with small civil suit, SO
small that he wouldn't have bothered
with it only the young man brought
letters of introduction from two Of
his most important clients. He said
that Bernhard couldn't have been more
than thirty then, but he started right
in to direct how he wanted the case
handled, as If he was giving instruc-
tions TO some cheap law clerk, and
Newbury was astonished at his
shrewdness and keen insight. He
made up his mind to watch him, and
he was glad to take him on as a
regular client. for though Bernhard
was only a speculator in a moderate
way then he came up by leaps and
bounds until soon everybody was
talking about him and trying to fol-
low his moves. If there was anything
crooked about his game he was smart
suspecting it. and L don't see how I
can find out what nobody else
guessed
"Guessin and provin' are two diff
f'runt things" Geoff remarked 'I
don't know nothin' bout speckilatin'
and I never was to that there stock
exchange in my life, but amt you ac-
quainted with some O. them brokers?
Seems to me / heard tell that Teller
Wyckoff was one, that had the old
Middleton place over to the Corners
two summers ago. You tended his
children when they was down with
That's so, l did" The doctor took
last pull at the stub of his cigar
and then laid it almost reverently in
the saucer which Geoff had placed at
his elbow. ''I'll run into the city and
look him up tomorrow the first thing
after ] get Benkard's body back home.
But what if he was one Of the fellows
who worked in with Bernhard. like
Lane?"
Then. o. course, he won't give him
away on account O. savin' his own
skin. but since you're askin' me, l
b'lieve Id git from him as much as I
could bout some O. the big deals Ben
kard's worked durin' the last few
year, when he sent the stocks whoop-
in UP and down, and the dates. At
ter that, seems to me I'd look up the
names O. firms that failed round
those times, IL they was any, and I'd
go see the heads O. them; they'd talk
fast 'nough, likely, If they was any
thin to say" Geoff paused. Dunno
zackly how I'd go bout it to find 'em.
but old newspapers would have the
'nouncement o the failures in 'em,
and I'd write down the names and
then mebbe go ask round in brokers
offices il they knowed what had be-
come O. them. Shouldn't be sprised
II found one or two, like Dunn.
workin' for other folks on this here
Wall street. It's gamblin', that there
business, no matter what NAME you
call it by, and I've took notice that
the losers will hang round doin' any
old odd jobs just to see the play when
once the gamblin' feveH gifts in their
blood"
And 1 was going to,send in my re-
torney tomorrow and wash my hands
of the case!" DR. Hood struck his
plump. rounded knee with his fist.
Why. I hadn't even begun to go into
1T. I'll get a man from headquarters
in New York to look UP Lanes move
ments from the time he drove away
from Mrs. Cayley's house last night
until he came down this morning in
response 10 her telephone call. and
have him bring me his report on it,
and if there is loophole anywhere
III make Lane produce an alibi. In
about his and Benkards deals. and
see Wyckoff. and perhaps get a line
on some other brokers or spectators
who failed and who may hold a
fellow Dunn told about today who>
tried to shoot him. You heard that
from the pantry, didn't your
Yes. Seems to me Dunn could tell
a lot more if he was a-mind to-
I'll bet he could, but Mrs, Cayley
probably raised old Ned with him to-
day for talking as much as he did af-
ter I'd questioned her about those
letters. and he'll be afraid to open
his mouth. Still, IL Lane can prove an
alibi / may be able to discover some
one in Wall street who's held a
grudge against Bernhard for four and
a. half years and who might have
written those letters, and he'll have
to prove an slibi, too" The doctor
rose. II stopped by tonight to talk
things over with you, Geoff, because I
thought you might have picked up
something that I hadn't about this
case, but / never dreamed for sec
ond that you had anything up your
sleeve as important as that quarrel and
the threats that were exchanged between
(Continued in Tomorrow's Starr