Dodge, you know, is vice-president and actual head of the Second National Bank." "Whew!" thought Dave Darrin, to himself.

"It's easy enough for any suspicious person to imagine a story! But it might not be the right one." "Some time ago," asked Dick thoughtfully, "didn't you publish a story about some of the big amounts of insurance carried by local rich men ?" "Yes," nodded Bradley.
"I think you stated that Theodore Dodge carried more than any other citizen of Gridley." "Yes; he carries a quarter of a million dollars of insurance." "Is the insurance payable to his widow, or others---or to his estate ?" "I don't know," mused News Editor Bradley, a very thoughtful look coming into his face.
"Well, it's worth while finding out," pursued Dick.

"See here, suppose Dodge has been using the bank's funds, and found himself in a corner that he couldn't get out of?
Then, if the insurance money goes to his widow, it would be hers, and no court could take it from her for the benefit of his creditors.

If it goes to the estate, instead, then the insurance money, when paid over, could be seized and applied to cover any shortage of the missing man at the bank." "So that----- ?" interrogated the news editor, his own eyes twinkling shrewdly.
"Why, in case---just in case, you understand---that Mr.Dodge has gone and gotten himself into trouble over the bank's funds, then it's probable that he has done one of two things.

Either, in despair he has killed himself, so that either his widow or the bank will be protected.