Mr. Skeffington Page #4

He created everything but Rhode Island.

Naturally, we started to investigate

other orders that hadn't been confirmed.

We found he'd sold $50,000

worth of railroad bonds...

...to a man whose address placed him

squarely in the middle of the Hudson River.

Another block was sold to a man who

could have had only the mildest interest...

...in stocks and bonds,

having been dead for 23 years.

Good heavens.

How long was he doing this?

For about three weeks.

Weren't you suspicious at all?

He threw in enough cancellations

to make the thing seem authentic.

And here and there,

there was a legitimate sale.

But you had to look for them.

It wasn't very clever of him, was it?

Well, he showed a certain flare

for picking odd names and places...

...but it was hardly worth the $24,000

we paid him in commissions.

You mean he stole $24,000 from you?

Yes. I'm afraid that's it.

Does Trippy know you know?

Oh, yes. We called him in

and told him we'd give him...

...every opportunity to return the money.

Then we sent him to a smaller office...

...and took his name off the door.

That was two weeks ago.

- Has he made any effort to make good?

- Not only hasn't he returned a penny...

...but three days ago he forgot himself

and handed in another order...

...from Mr. Clarence Pruitt.

When a man becomes repetitious,

it's time to go to the DA.

You should have gone long ago.

Well, I was quite touched

when I discovered...

...that he'd lost most of the money

at the racetrack.

- That touched you?

- Yes.

They were my horses he bet on,

and I gave him the tips.

How was I to know

it was my own money?

Poor Trippy.

I'm sorry, Miss Trellis.

I know it won't be any hardship...

...for you to return the money.

- No hardship?

There won't be unpleasantness.

Mr. Skeffington, you may as well know

that Miss Trellis and Trippy are stone broke.

I don't understand.

- The Trellis wealth was a legend.

- Well, it's now a myth.

When my father died four years ago

he did leave a considerable estate...

...but, you see,

Trippy insisted on managing it.

He went through their fortune

and was starting in on yours.

I see.

But the house, servants.

I was under the impression...

Everybody's under the same impression.

Even the creditors.

I take it, then, there's no chance

of the money being returned, is there?

I'll be leaving now.

Unless, of course, Trippy could get another

job and pay you back a little each week.

You couldn't write him

a reference, could you?

I could, but my heart

wouldn't be in it, really.

Well...

...all we can do is throw ourselves

on your mercy.

You see, there are stockholders.

It's not my money, it's the corporation's.

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