Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-20
The Daily Story

/
! Their died when she was seventeen.
| She was heir to large fortune, and
! every body knows that a rich minor
! without a natural protector is an OBJ
ject Of plumber on the part of all I'M
scrupulous persons. Mr. Wheaton had
placed great confidence in one Peter
, whitbeck and his wife, Mary, and.
knowing that his days were number
ed. made a will appointing the Whit
becks Evelyn's guardians with the
management OF her property till she
should become twenty-one years old
Mrs Whitbeck was covetous wom-
an. 1t is quite probable that If il had
nor been for her the incidents contain
ed in this story would not have taken
. place. Wheaton's confidence in Peter
Whitbeck's integrity might have been
justified had not the latter fallen I'M
der the influence of his wife. AS it
/ was, no sooner had Wheaton passed
away than Mrs Whitbeck began 10
plot 10 get possession OF Evelyn's for
tune The will gave her every cppor-
tuRity. inasmuch as in addition to Civ
ing her husband the care OF the estate
4 =
for by its terms the heiress was to live
with the Whitbecks till she attained
/ her majority.
/ The residence OF these persons was
in Vermont. At the time OF her IA
TIERS death Evelyn was attending
3 school at Northampton, Mass. and de
sired TO finish the academic year there
/ To this the Whitbecks made no objec-
! ~
get her bearings as TO the will and
/ study out the best way OF getting the
| fortune or as much OF it as possible
| into her possession.
| But. though Evelyn had but n few
/ months left at school. that happened
! which later gave her champion She
! met Arthur Pendeton. then law stu
| dent. and the two became engaged.
| Pendeton was not looking for for
/ tune by marriage Indeed, he did not
/ know that Evelyn had any property
until some time after she had returned
TO her home and written him concerning
/ some suspicious she had gathered as
| to the disposition of IL by her guard
| ian. From certain moves made by the
WhitbeckS which Evelyn could not I'M
derStand it was evident to Pendleton
that something was wrong with the
administration Of the estate.
Evelyn had not been intimate with
the Whitbecks before her fathers
death and was not disposed to COM
! municate the fact OF her engagement
to them. At any rate, she put il off
from time 10 time. But certain well
filed envelopes coming to the home
addressed in a mans hand made Mrs
/ Whitbeck suspicious, and steaming
the paste on one of them, she read
the Enclosure to learn that Pendleton
was explaining to Evelyn that from
Information she had given him he was
sure her guardian was acting contrary
to law.
Mrs. Whitbeck resealed the envelope
and returned 1t as she had found It to
Evelyn. The former was In frequent
consultation with David Miller, a law
Yer who gave his services on prom
Use OF being well paid In case he could
secure the property for her without
Subiecting her to criminal procedure. |
After opening Evelyn's letter she went !
to this attorney and told him what !
PendletOn had said. Miller advised |
her TO change her residence TO Can |
ada. This would be advantageous in |
case her husband or she should be |
proceeded against criminally, and it !
would also be of benefit in enabling |
her to keep possession of Evelyn her |
self, for it might in time be necessary |
for them to take the ground that the
heiress was incapable of managing |
her property.
When it was announced to Evelyn
that Mr.. Whitbeck's affairs needed
change of residence to Canada, and
that the removal was to be made at
once, she was appalled,. She refused
TO go, but was informed that by the
terms OF her fathers will she must
live with the Whitbecks until she at
tanned her majority. This and the
fact that she had no other home won
her over.
The Whtbecks took up their resi-
denCe in small town not far north
Of the boundary line between the
United States aud Canada. 1t was
not long before Evelyn learned that
they were giving out reports that she
had been acting queerly- She deter
mined 10 leave them at once, and with
out communicating her design. made
her preparations for fight But Mrs.
Whitbeck, who was watching her sus-
pected her intention ana. searching
her room. discovered concealed suit
case containing such articles as one
would need on a journey.
The town IN which these persons
lived was in the province Of Ontario,
some ten miles from the northern limit |
Of New York. 1t mad been chosen by
the Whitbecks because 1t was the hesd-
quarters of a body OF the mounted
Canadian police, and should Evelyn at
tempt to escape them this force would ! |
be available to prevent her doing so. {
When Mrs. Whitbeck learned Of Eve, I
yn's intended fight she notified the
police that the girl had shown symp- {
toms OF insanity and she feared might
attempt TO take her life. II thew saw /
Ger making for the St. Lawrence river,
which WAS but a mile Or two distant,
they We're to bring her back. The con