h, but he asked with some show of contempt, "Do
you think it likely?"

"Very well," said Joe, "if you want me to speak here." And he came a
little closer to him. "You bought a big block of Granger Gas for Roger
Tabor," he began, in a low voice. "Before his death you sold
everything he had, except the old house, put it all into cash for him,
and bought that stock; you signed the check as his attorney-in-fact,
and it came back to you through the Washington National, where Norbert
Flitcroft handled it. He has a good memory, and when he told me what
he knew, I had him to do some tracing; did a little myself, also.
Judge Pike, I must tell you that you stand in danger of the law. You
were the custodian of that stock for Roger Tabor; it was transferred in
blank; though I think you meant to be 'legal' at that time, and that
was merely for convenience in case Roger had wished you to sell it for
him. But just after his death you found yourself saddled with
distillery stock, which was going bad on your hands. Other
speculations of yours were failing at the same time; you had to have
money--you filed your report as administrator, crediting Miss Tabor
with your own stock which you knew was going to the wall, and
transferred hers to yourself. Then you sold it because you needed
ready money. You used her fortune to save yourself--but you were
horribly afraid! No matter how rotten your transactions had been, you
had always kept inside the law; and now that you had gone outside of
it, you were frightened. You didn't dare come flat out to Miss Tabor
with the statement that her fortune had gone; it had been in your
charge all the time and things might look ugly. So you put it off,
perhaps from day to day. You didn't dare tell her until you were
forced to, and to avoid the confession you sent her the income which
was rightfully hers. That was your great weakness."

Joe had spoken with great rapidity, though keeping his voice low, and
he lowered it again, as he continued: "Judge Pike, what chance have
you to be believed in court when you swear that you sent her twenty
thousand dollars out of the goodness of your heart? Do you think SHE
believed you? It was the very proof to her that you had robbed her.
For she knew you! Do you want to hear more now? Do you think this is
a good place for it? Do you wish me to go over the details of each
step I have taken against you, to land you at the bar where this poor
fellow your paper