Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/54

34 on condition that I save and protect him. He demanded a position here. I hesitated. His life had been one long scandal; but never before had he been dishonest with money. Finally I made it a condition to keep his relationship secret, and sent for him. I myself first discovered he had raised the notes, weeks before you came to me with the evidence you had discovered that something was wrong in the treasurer's office. As soon as I found it out, I went to Lawrie. He agreed to keep Harrison about the office until I could remove him quietly. He paid the notes from the university reserve, just raised, upon my promise to make it up. David had lost all speculating in stocks. I could not pay this tremendous amount in cash at once; but the books were to be audited. Lawrie, who had expected immediate repayment from me, would not even once present a false statement. In our argument his heart gave out—I did not know it was weak—and he collapsed in his chair—dead."

Dr. Reiland groaned, wringing his hands.

"Oh, Professor Reiland!" Mrs. Branower cried now. "He has not told everything. I—I had followed him!"

"You followed him?" Trant cried. "Ah, of course!"

"I thought—I told him," the wife burst on, "this had happened by Providence to save David!"

"Then it was you who suggested to him to leave the stiletto letter opener in Lawrie's hand as an evidence of suicide!"

Branower and his wife both stared at Trant in fresh terror.