Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-23

Indeed? Did he tell you what it
was?" With the mention of the sus-
poets name Dunn had relaxed. but
| now he looked quickly at che
| other.
| Eyes, bout them anonymous let
| In the first part o October and on
| evry New Years Day. Mr.. Dunn
- Geoff leaned suddenly toward
| him. what month did that crash
| come In Consolidated Lead ten year
| ago."
He shot the question at his host
l without warning, and the latter
sank back, staring at him with a
: shrinking expression of dread In his
faded eyes.
'ReaIiy. I cannot remember" he
faltered. 80 long a time has pas
| sed-:"
1T was the first part O. October.
| wasn't It. round the tenth?" Geoff
pursued relentlessiy. And on the
followin' New Years Day. didn't
| that young TELLER we was speakin'
bout the other day go to Bernhard
and kill himself afore his eyes?"
"Ah. yes! I recall now that we
were discussing it," Dunn's mouth
! was working. and he put up one thin
band as IL to conceal 1t.
II thought you would, seems he
lived right 'crost the hall from you
| at the Harrington, and the news
papers o that time make out that
you and him was real good friends.
From all accounts he was fine
young Teller, who'd made a big mis-
| take, mebbe, but had all his life
afore him to pay for it.. = Doc Hood
thought it was kinder funny you
didn't 'sociate them dates with those
when the anonymous letters come.
| Mr.. Dunn, and he sent me to ask
you II you had never thought o it
| and what you knew O. young Shir-
ley. anyhow"
II did associate the dates, natur-
ally-it would be foolish to deny
that-but the letters did not begin
to come until six years after Larry's
death, and / did not hear of their
existence till Il year later. although
| had then been Mr. Benkard's secre-
tary for three years or more. could
not understand it, but l was finally
forced to conclude that some enemy
| was deliberately trying to break his
nerve by this persecution and max
ing an excuse of the most dramatic
feature connected with his career"
Dunn had spoken jerkily. and his
gaze fiuttered about the room as if
eyes of his guest.
Didn't Mr.. Bernhard never let on
to you that he thought it was
strange bout them letters comm on
them dates"
"Oh. no, The Shirley episode
| was never once referred to during
! the years OF my association with
him. | was not acquainted with
nm personally at the time it oc-
CURED. but l understood that it had
shocked him greatly" Dunn paused
ana added: "Mr. Bernhard always
insisted the letters were the work
OF some lunatic, and as he never
showed me one of them IL am UNI
able to judge, beyond the opinion l
have just given YOU"
That's funny" Geoff observed
meditatively. Seems to me the doc
said you told him mebbe Mr. Benk-
/ ard didn't know the identity of the
Teller who was sending them let
ters, but he new the cause; that
somebody had took up mother ones
quarrel with him. Didn't you saw
you'd always thought the letters or
ine dates they came on brought
back somethin' from >the past to
bim! It must a-been young Shirley
You was a-thinkin' %. Why d'dn't
you tell the doc bout him then ?"
, was thinking of him and on the
point of mentioning the affair. but
the utter impossiblity Of it's having
had anything to do with the murder
came over me. 1t seemed to me that
1t would be abominable as we'll as
useless to rake up the whole miser-
able tragedy once more and not let
the poor boy sleep in his grave
| mercifully forgotten.
That was why l said the other
DAY had only known him through
nus trading with me, but he never
ala. Dunn had rcgained his COM
| posture. but his voice trembled
| slightly with the last words.
Naturally. l thought Mr. Bernhard
must have associated the letters
with Larry's death because of dates
even as / had done. but | do not
relieve now. on. reflection, that
either of them had anything to do
with the murder. The letters stop-
ped coming last October"
Mr.. Bernhard always made out he
| figured they was sent by some
lunatic you saw" Geoff seemed to
| be following out train of thought of
| Els own. Didn't it never kinder
strike you. Mr.. Dunn, that mebbe il
| was true? Mebbe some relation o.
this here young Shirley breoded
over his, suicide TIL they went
crazy and imagined that Mr.. Benk-
| ard was responsible for ito"
| William Dunn shook his head
Larry was alone in the world"
"Ive heard tell there's some who
don't make no bones bout sayin'
even now that Mr.. Bernhard was
| actually responsible for it in n sort
o way. They say that mebbe he
didn't know aforehand bout the
stealin', but he certainly did play on
| the fever for specilatin' young Shir-
/ ley had caught. and led him into n
| bigger temptation than lie could
| turn his back on" Geoff appeared
to be watching the last pink glow
fade from the western sky, but In
reality he was noting every change
| OF expression upon the others face.
Some gees so far's to opine that
] young Shirley lost because AIR.
! Bernhard brought bout the crash in
| Consolidated Lead. after givin him
| the wrong tip. same's he done TO so
| many other folks. and the hoy went
to him for help and only killed him
/, self when IL was refused. Didn't
| YOU never hear no sech talk YOUR
SELF. Mr.. Dunn? You was pretty
close to Mr.. Bernhard for some years.
end you know this here Wall Street
/ game back'ards. The mans dead
now. and anyway YOU wasn't work
IN for him when that happened. so
| you amt in duty bound to keep from
sayin' what YOU think. What's your
idee bout it,"
| II haven't any TO express. Geof-
| frey" Dunn rose and began to
pace back and forth with short. I'M
! steady steps. TT would be difficult
for any one to place the responsible
ity for n tragedy like that, and they