Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-08-24

L amt so old L cant ask my way.
The captain found the Central club,
a ponderous institution occupying a
becomingly gorgeous building on the
m Mr.. Sylvester was expecting
him, and they dined in the club restau-
rant.
Now. Captain Warren. just how
much do you know about your late
brothers affairs? ?" asked Mr.. Sylvester
at the conclusion of the meal.
Except what Mr.. Graves told me,
nothjn' of Importance. And. afore we
go any further, let me ask a question.
Do you know why Bile made me his
executor and guardian and all the rest
of it?'
II do not. Graves drew his will, and
so, of course, we knew of your exist
ence and youI appointment. Your
brother forbade our mentioning it. but
We did not know until after his death
that his own children were W
they had an uncle. 1t seems strange,
doesn't it?''
ut does to me; so strange that l
can't see two lengths ahead. | cal'late
Mr.. Graves told you how l felt about
it?"'
Eyes. That is, he said you were very
much surprised"
'That's putin it mild enough. And
did he tell you that Bile and | hadn't
seen each other, or even written, in
eighteen years?
Eyes,
"Um-hm. Well, when you consider
that can you wonder l was set all
aback? And the more l think of it the
foggier 1t gets. Why, Mr.. Sylvester, it's
one of them situations that are impos-
sible, that you can prove fifty ways
can't happen. And yet, it hast sar-
tinly has. Now tell me: Are you or
your firm well acquainted with my
brothers affairs?'
"Not well, no. The late Mr.. Warren
was a close mouthed man, rather So
c~retive, in fact. Have You questioned
the children?"
Caroline and Steve? Yes, I've lues-
toned 'em more than they think | have.
maybe. And they know-well, leayir'
out about the price of oil paintin's an:
the way to dress and that it's nor Or
less of a disgrace to economic on
twenty thousand a year, their worldly
knowledge amt too extensive"
do you like them?"
"I guess SO. Just now amt the fair
est time to judge 'em. You see, they're
sufferin' from the joyful shock of their
country relation droppin' in, and"-
He paused and rubbed his chin. His
lips were smiling, but his eyes were
not. Sylvester noted their expression
and guessed many things.
"They haven't been disagreeable, /
hope?" he asked.
Moo. No, ] wouldn't want to say
that. They're young and-and, well, 1
amt the kind they've been used to.
Caroline's a nice girl. She is, sure.
All she needs is to grow a little older
and have the right kind Of advice and
+AHow ateut
had met young Warren, and his eyes
twinkled as he spoke.
"Steye? Well'-there was an answer
ing twinkle in Captain Elisha's eye
"well, Steve needs to grow, too, though
I wouldn't presume to tell him so. When
a feller's undertaken to give advice to
one of the seven wise men he has to
be diplomatic, as you might say"
The lawyer put back his head and
laughed uproariously.
"Ha, ha !" he crowed. That's good !!
Then, from your questioning of the
children, you've learned" Pr
"Not such an awful lot. / think I've
learned that-hum that a good guard
ian might be a handy thing to have in
the house. A regular legal guardian, 1
mean. Otherwise
"Otherwise?"
"Otherwise there might be too many
interested volunteer substitutes for the
job. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it,"
"Have you made up your mind to be
that g%uardian?"
mot yet. l haven't made up my
mind to anything yet. Now, Mr.. Syl-
vester, while we're waitin' for what
comes ~next-you've ordered enough
grub to victual a ship-s'pose you just
run over what your firm knows about
Bije-that is, If l amt askin' too
much"
mot at all. That's what I'm here
for. You have a right to know. But l
warn you my information isn't worth
much"
He went on briefly and with the con-
ciseness of the legal mind to tell of A.
Rodgers Warren, his business and his
estate. He had been a broker with a
seat on the Stock Exchange.
"That seat is worth considerable,
amt it," interrupted the captain.
Between eighty and one hundred
thousand dollars"
"Yup. Well, it reminds me of a pic
ture l saw once in one of the comic
papers. An old Teller from the back
woods somewheres-good deal like me
he was and just about as green-was
pictured standin' along with his city