Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-09

~ HELPS, the district attorney,
leaned back in his chair. He
was moderately young and not
/ unkindly.
True, it was his business TO
administer justice, rather than mercy,
and this had hardened him a trifie,
as strict justice often does. A just
man is often a hard man.
But now he was puzzled. The night
before he had been very sure of
himself. Bayne, on his emergence
from prison, was to collect the
stolen securities, realize what he
could on them, and decamp.
He never had believed Tom Bayne
| was a sick man. And there had been
too much of that sort of thing; men
went crooked, hid the profits. took a
sentence, and came out again to en-
JOY them.
"You can figure it this way" he
had told his assistant. 'Bayne laid
away $500, 900. What he's really
been doing is to stay 10 years in the
pen, doing easy clerical work at $780,
900 a year"
HE wouldn't get as much as that,
the way he'd have to dispose of them"
Perhaps not. But he'd get tidy
sum-"
Now, however, he was not so sure.
First had come the word from the
penitentiary that Bayne was really i'll,
possibly a dying man, and this from
sources he trusted.
And now here was this girl, trag-
icalIy meek, telling him he had been
wrong; there had been no conspiracy.
1t was far simpler than that. She
had found the suit case and had
needed money, so she had sold bond.
He leaned back and put his hands
| in his pockets.
You needed money!" he said.
why? / mean, you imply special
reason"
II was going to be married, and
we've had very little. / had TO have
clothes"
ut had nothing to do with your
fathers return home from--with his
return homer"
ut was taken before we knew
that"
He surveyed her. This Cox, now.
You say he didn't know the securi-
ties were in your possession
How could he know? / had only
just found them. And he has never
| been in the house In his life"
He leaned forward alertly. what
do you mean by that?" he asked.
He's your aunt's husband. DO you
mean there has been trouble?'
| Not trouble, no. My mother didn't
approve of him. That is, she felt
| oh" He considered that rather
grimly. He knew Mrs. Bayne. Not
well, but once, long ago she had snub
/ bed his wife, and he had never forgot
| ten it.
| The picture of James Cox. sitting
| huddled in his chair the day before
| arose in his mind. Poor fellow.
| So that was the way of it. lie
wasn't good enough for the family
but he was good enough for them t.
use.
"Well, now let's get this straight
| You gave this roomer, this fellow
| Warrington, the bond TO sell? And
he did this, and gave you the money!
Yes"
But you say he didn't know how
you'd got the bond?'
No"
Have you seen Warrington since
he carried the suit case for you to the
Cox hat?''
For a few minutes last night
"Where?" he asked sharply.
at the house"
HE was there last night" he said
sitting up in his chair. How the
how did he get in?''
II don't know" she told hin
honestly. II was out, probably, wher
he came back He came downstairs
later on. and told him what had hap
pened; then he went out again, to my
aunt's, to see what he could do"
Phelps tapped tie desk irritablS
with his fingers; they had had hin
last night, then, in that house OF
Kelsey street, and he had given then
the slip.
He'd see about that; he'd
80 he went out and didn't come
J back?' he asked, controlling his voice
NO. I thought he had stayed a
my aunt's apartment, but he didn't
I've been there this morning"
So she had been anxious. Their