The Circular Staircase - Page 58/154

"But my dear Miss Innes!" Mrs. Fitzhugh began. I cut in ruthlessly.

"I will send for you as soon as she can see you," I said. "No, she is

not in a critical state now, but the doctor says she must have absolute

quiet."

When I had hung up the receiver, I sat down to think. So Louise had

fled from her people in California, and had come east alone! It was not

a new idea, but why had she done it? It occurred to me that Doctor

Walker might be concerned in it, might possibly have bothered her with

unwelcome attentions; but it seemed to me that Louise was hardly a girl

to take refuge in flight under such circumstances. She had always been

high-spirited, with the well-poised head and buoyant step of the

outdoors girl. It must have been much more in keeping with Louise's

character, as I knew it, to resent vigorously any unwelcome attentions

from Doctor Walker. It was the suitor whom I should have expected to

see in headlong flight, not the lady in the case.

The puzzle was no clearer at the end of the half-hour. I picked up the

morning papers, which were still full of the looting of the Traders'

Bank, the interest at fever height again, on account of Paul

Armstrong's death. The bank examiners were working on the books, and

said nothing for publication: John Bailey had been released on bond.

The body of Paul Armstrong would arrive Sunday and would be buried from

the Armstrong town house. There were rumors that the dead man's estate

had been a comparatively small one. The last paragraph was the

important one.

Walter P. Broadhurst, of the Marine Bank, had produced two hundred

American Traction bonds, which had been placed as security with the

Marine Bank for a loan of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, made

to Paul Armstrong, just before his California trip. The bonds were a

part of the missing traction bonds from the Traders' Bank! While this

involved the late president of the wrecked bank, to my mind it by no

means cleared its cashier.

The gardener mentioned by Halsey came out about two o'clock in the

afternoon, and walked up from the station. I was favorably impressed

by him. His references were good--he had been employed by the Brays'

until they went to Europe, and he looked young and vigorous. He asked

for one assistant, and I was glad enough to get off so easily. He was

a pleasant-faced young fellow, with black hair and blue eyes, and his

name was Alexander Graham. I have been particular about Alex, because,

as I said before, he played an important part later.

That afternoon I had a new insight into the character of the dead

banker. I had my first conversation with Louise. She sent for me, and

against my better judgment I went. There were so many things she could

not be told, in her weakened condition, that I dreaded the interview.

It was much easier than I expected, however, because she asked no

questions.