New Britain herald., 1922-07-17
CHAPTER 1.

SI1hI Lft I. It was because of dainty, little Pa- tricia Drake. who was seated opposite him in his private office. that Attor- ney John Wells had telephoned to police headquarters and summoned
 tall, dark haired young man with the respectful but bored manner of a presumable son of the elect. Sergeant Miles. You sent for me-"
 Jown Wells gave him a swift glance of appraisal and with gesture indi- cated not only his youthful. feminine client but vacant chair facing the cold light of early spring Miss Drake, this is Sergeant Miles. should advise you to be as frank with him as you have with me. Be seated here, Sergeant, if you please" The detective took the chair indi-
 cated. and the young girl drew a quick. convulsive breath.
 "How-how do you do? would
 have consulted an alienist rather than
 my fathers attorney had it not been
 for the fact that feel I, at least am still sane, Sergeant Miles. Do--do you know anything about psychology"
 
 eighteen-year-old kid Owen Miles, university graduate, pauperized by his fathers mining operations and mem Der of the police department through an innate passion for criminology, pricked up his ears, repressed a smile and replied gravely: "A little, Miss Drake. Enough, I think, for prac tical purposes"
 It was John Wells turn to conceal surprise at the cultivated. veiledly amused accents of this most eXtraor dinary emissary from headquarters. but the girl merely hesitated a mo- ment and then spoke in quick little rush.
 Then perhaps you can understand why, with no insanity in the family, three dignifed, middle-aged gentle men, brothers. should suddenly be- come victims of the widest hallucina- tions, ike-three Mad Hatters, and do such queer, ridiculous things that they are the talk of the town?" There was a hint of tears in her voice. T suppose this will seem disrespect- full when tell you that it is of my father and my two uncles I am speak Ing, put IL IS the tTulH.
 What sort of Authorizations have they Miss Drake?"
 Perhaps the attorney interposed in his urbane, well-rounded tones, it will be we'll for me to tell you little of Miss Drake's family. She is the daughter of Hobart Drake of the New York Stock Exchange. His wife died when Miss Patricia, here, was born, and she was brought up by his maiden sister, Miss Jerusha Drake, lady of the soundest practical common sense. They have always lived in the old family residence out on Long Island; at Brooklea."
 Owen Miles nodded quickly without speaking, and the attorney went on:
 Five years ago Roger Drake, the oldest of the family and a scientist of world wide reputation, returned from Europe to the old home at Brooklea and a few months since the other brother, Andrew came back from Aus | trala-where he had amassed for tune in sheep-ranching. You can see that the three brothers are widely dissimilar in character and tempera ment, yet a very great affection has a!WdyS exlSleu DtIWetu llSlll' ildNO known them all since they were boys and I can speak from personal ob- servation. Pat" Wells turned to the young girl. 'did all three exhibit the symptoms at the same time?'
 NO. Poor father was the first to ito break out" Her lips quivered. People put the most-most scandal | ous construction on 1t, connected with the wine cellar and I know that it wasn't true!
 For the past month or two l have fancied that father was worried about sornething. don't think very seri- ously about it until that dreadful time a fortnight ago when in the middle of the night we were all awakened by a loud knocking on the front door and finally Carter, the but Ter, went down and opened it.