Evening star., 1939-03-26

many CdtCn phrases. mat tears H.
"Waiter, let's have the bad news" Gone
where the woodbne twineth They appeared
even in his casual notes and in the office
memoranda he sometimes sent to his part
ner's s desk. Bill had been saving these scrawled
bits of paper for six weeks now, since his plan
began to take shape. Using them as samples,
he had practised till he had learned every line
and shading of Joes characteristic hand.
He wrote:
Dear Bill - That tears it. I'd rather
not wait to hear the bad news. The Fraser
stuff is gone where the woodbine twineth.
See YOU in the funny papers,
joe"
The first trial did not satisfy him; so he
wrote it dozen times He must get it right
tonight. The Fraser estates accountants
would be in the office day after tomorrow the
tally of the Fraser securities - half dozen
safe deposit boxes full of them - would
follow within day or two. Joe must be dead
before that happened, so that he would not
be able to deny the guilt Bill meant to fasten
on him. Joe was always apt to sit on the
window sill One push would do 1t. Bill had
been tempted to do it tonight. before he lett
Joe's Office left Joe there; but he had no
suicide note ready to leave on the desk, and
the note was an essential part of his plan.
His own defacations, which Joe's death
would hide forever, had begun now almost
three months ago when the market went to
pot and he was so sure that II he met one
more margin call there must be turn. he
had met it, with the proceeds of the Fraser
estate securities, covering his tracks well
enough, but there had been calls tor more
margin, and the market had not turned.
was lucky that the Fraser securities were
not kept in the Office. but the safe there was
not fit to hold couple of millions in negotiable
bonds so the bonds were packed away IN
half dozen boxes, the securities sorted
according to maturity Gates so that only one
box need be opened each month. Bill had been
careful to dip into IT, box which need not be
opened for another three months. Joe clipped
the coupons: but Joe would not go to any
box out of its proper turn. Bill had been secure
in the certainty that before Joe got around to
the Don WHICH ne Ildu lOotcu, tIie lhdi hCe
would have turned.
The prospective accounting was shocking
blow to him Usually the securities were
checked only once year Probably the
market crash had made the heirs nervous AT
any rate, the emergency was upon HIM.
Well he was prepared to meet it, his plans
all made. He would forge suicide note we'll
enough to pass muster. push Joe out OF the
window leave the note on the desk, go back
to his own office and wait for the alarm from
the alley far below.
lie had planned his every action. He would
come out of Joes Office talking. saying some
thing over his shoulder as though Joe were
still at his desk. That would be for the benefit
of old Henderson. the office manager. busy
with his books beyond the glass partition.
Henderson would hear him say Its up to
YOU. Joe That's my last word. Bill had re-
hearsed the tone. angry, stern. intiexlble.
Henderson would know something was wrong;
would know Joe was wrong. What followed
would appear to Henderson, and to everyone
else. natural enough in view of those words
and of that tone.
Henderson had been at his desk when Bill
left Joe's office tonight; and Bill had turned
in the doorway to speak to Joe. They had
been arranging to have the books of the
Fraser estate ready for the accountants; but
Joe said it would be time enough tomorrow
to get them together, and Bills parting word
o.