Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-17

IL 80
1t was because of dainty, little
Patricia Drake, who was seated op-
posite him in his private office, that
Attorney John Wells had telephoned
to Police Headquarters and summon
ed = tall, dark-haired young man
with the respectful but bored man
ner of a presumable son ot the elect.
Sergeant Miles. You sent for
me :"
John Wells gave him a swift
glance of appraisal and with a ges-
ture indicated not only his youthful,
feminine client but a vacant chair
facing the cold light of early spring.
Miss Drake. this is Sergeant
Miles. l should advise you to be as
frank with him as yo | have with me.
Be seated here, Sergeant, if you
please"
The detective took the chair indi-
Gated, and the young girl drew a
quick, convulsive breath.
"How-how do you do? l would
have consulted an alienist rather
than my fathers attorney had it not
been for the fact that I feel l, at
least, am still sane, Sergeant Miles.
Do do you know anything about
psychology"
Psychology from a big-eyed
eighteen-year-old kid. Owen Miles
university graduate, pau. -rized by
his fathers mining operations and
member of t Police Department
through an innate passion fol-
criminology, pricked up his ears, re-
pressed a smile and replied gravely
"a little, Miss Drake. Enough, ]
think. for practical purposes"
1t was John Wells turn to con.
ceal surprise at the cultivated
veiledly amused accents of this mos
extraordinary emissary from Head
quarters, but the girl merely hest,
tated a moment and then spoke in
quick little rush.
Then perhaps you can under
stand why, with no insanity in the
family, three dignified, n.iddle-aget
gentlemen. brothers, should sudden
fluctuations, like-like three Mao
Hatters, and do such queer, ridicu
lous things that they are the talk o,
the town" There was a hint of tear!
in her voice. Il suppose this will
seem disrespectful when / tell yot
that it is of my father and my tive
uncles l am speaking, but it is the
truth"
What sort of Authorizations have
they, Miss Drake?"
Perhaps" the attorney i~nterposet
in his urbane, well-rounded tones, 81
will be we'll for me to tell you a little
of Miss brakes family. She is the
daughter of Hobart Drake Of the
New York Stock Exchange. His wifi
died when Miss Patricia, here. wa
born, and she was brought up by
his maiden sister, Miss Jerusha
n..-. - Iol,, - tIo oaf fNrnoti
cal common-sense. They have al
dence out on Long Island; at Brook
lea"
owen Miles NODDED quickly with
out speaking, and the attorney wen
on:
Five years ago Roger Drake, TIL
oldest of the family and a scientis
of worldwide reputation, returned
from Europe to the old home a
Brooklea and a few months since n
other brother, Andrew. came bacl
from Australia-where he hat
amassed a fortune in sheep ranching
You can see that the three brothers
are widely dissimilar in character
and temperament, yet a very grea
affection has always existed between
them. I have known them all since
they were mere boys ana L can spear
from personal observation. Pat,
Wells turned to the young girl, "dit
all three exhibit the symptoms a
the same time?"
mo. Poor father vast the frs
to-break out" Her lips quivered
People put the most-most scandal
Gus constructions on it., connected
with the wine cellar and l know
that it wasn't true!
For the past month or two I have
fancied that father was worried
about something. l don't thinl
very seriously about it until tina
dreadful time a fortnight ago whel
in the middle of the night we wer'
all awakened by a loud knocking OF
the front door and finally Carter