Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-08

|DluC-Jdy
teen more than thirty then, but he
started right in to direct how he
wanted the case handled, as IL he
was giving instructions 10 soE;e
cheap law clerk. and Newbury VAS
astonished at his shrcwdness anu
keen insight. He made up his mind
to watch him. and he was giad TO
take him as a regular Client, tor
though Bernhard was only a specuia :
tor in a moderate way then. he came
I'D bv leaps and bounds unit! soon
everybody was talking about him
and trying to follow his moves. II
there was anything crooked about
his game, he was smart enough 70
keep Newbury from even suspecunS
IL, and | don't see how | can ind out
what nobody else guessed.
"Guessin' and provin' are Two
diffrunt things" Geoff remarked i
don't know nothin' bout speckIi@tm
and never was to that there stock
exchange in my life, but amt YOU
acquainted with some q thcni
brokers? Seems TO me | heard tel
that Teller Wyckoff was ore. that had
the old Middleton place over 10 me
corners two summers ago. You
tended his children when they was
down with scarlet fever there, didA [
you?' ~ ,o*o,.
took last pull at the stun oil nus
cigar and then laid it almost .tN :
erently in the saucer which GeoIl
had nlaced at his elbow. I'll run
into the city and look him up tomor-
row the first thing after ! get Benk :
ards body back home. But what IL
he was one of the fellows who work.
ed in with Bernhard, like Lane
"Then o course he won't give MN
away on account o savin' his own
skin. but since you're askin me. |
h,lieve I'd cit from him as much as L
conId 'bout some o the big deals
Henl5ard's worked durin' the iaSt
few years when he sent the STOCK"
whoopin' up and down, ana tiiS ~,
dates. After that. seems 10 me |
look up the names o nrmS tliat
failed round those times, IL the!
was any, and I'd go sec the heads
them; they'd talk fast 'nougn. llkelE ~
if they was anythin' to say. leon
n,used Dunno 'Zackly how Ia go
'hont If to find 'em, but old news
napers would have the 'nouncement
~ the failures in 'em and Id write
down the names and then meDDe go
as,, round in brokers' offices II theF
knowed what had become o thcni'
shouldn't he S'prised II ! 1ounu one
or two. like Dunn, workln' for other
folks on this here Wall street. IL 5
eamblin'. that there business, no
matter what name you call it by, and
rye took notice that the losers VIII
hang round dom any old odd JOBS
inst to see the play when once the
gamblin' fever gifts in their hloou.
"And | was going to send IN my
report on the autopsy to the lns1rict
Attorney tomorrow ana wash III!
hands of the case" DIR. Hood
struck his plump. rounded knee VII,
his fist. "Whv, I hadn't even begun
to 90 into it, I'll get a man from
headquarters in New York to look
m Lanes movements from the time
he drove away from Mrs. Cayley S
house last night until he came
down this morning in response TO
her telephone call. and have nm
bring me his report on 1t, ana ~
there is a loophole anywhere, IL
make Lane produce an alibl. IN the
meantime III find out all | can about
his and Benkard's deals. and see
Wyckoff, and perhaps get me on
some other brokers or specula tors
who failed and who may hold a
grudge against Bernhard, IKE tlae
fellow Dunn told about today VINO
tried to shoot him. You heard tnat
from the pantry, didn't you?
"Yes. Seems - me Dunn could
tell n lot more if he was a-mind TO-
"rll bet he could. but Mrs. Cayley
probably raised old Ned with him
today for talking as much as he did
after I'd questioned her about those
letters. and he'll be afraid to open
his mouth. Still, if Lane can prove
an alibi | may be able to discover
some one IL Wall Street who's held
n grudge against Bernhard Tor TOUR
and q half years and who might
have written those letters. and he'll
have to prove an alibi. too The
doctor rose. Il stopped by tonight
to talk things over with you. GCaif,
because | thought YOU might ave
picked up something that ] Cadi'
about this case, but l never dreamed
for second that you had anything
no Your sleeve as important as that
oiIarrel and the threats that were eX-
changed between Lane and Benk-
ard. why on earth didn't YOU come
and tell me at once"
Because 'twasn't none o my
business" GeoH replied slowly.
"Wait till light the lantern outside
SOS YOU can see your way long the
path to the road. doe"
He preceded his visitor out on the
little porch, and as the rays of the
lantern streamed forth the doctor
held out his hand.
well, you've helped an awful lot
Geoff. and I'm mighty obliged to
you,-See you tomorrow. Good
night
Geoff remained on the porch until
he heard the rattle OF the ancient
car out on the main road. Then lie
extinguished the lantern, and re-
entering the kitchen he closed the
door carefully behind him. Taking
from his pocket the tobacco sack
he had all but opened in his visitors
presence, he drew from il the scrap
of soft, resilient, black fabric and
gazed at it refiectively for a long
space.
At length the injured dog in the
corner stirred, and Geoff looked over
at her.
Lady" lie remarked. Il wonder if
l done right; if / helped"