Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-10
Copyright. 1922. tby King Features
Syndicate. Iuc.)
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER l.
Today this little girl comes OF
age-expecting to receive quarter
OF million OF her fathers estate
And on her birthday what does sho
IND? Her guardian. the trustee
dead. under most scandalous circum.
stanccs-and everything gone"
Our visitor at the laboratory wa.
DR.. Leslie. medical advisor TO tho
district attorney. nm old friend OF
Kennedy. with him was tho little
girl whom nc had Introduced TO us
rs Beverly Boyden.
Beverly Boydcn was n vera pretty
girl. just about Is would have
guessed II Leslie had not told US
the wondcr-age for tho modern girl
--hor own license 10 drive car,
her own money which she had been
about TO inherit. her own right 10
decide things for herself
regarded Beverly Boyden with
nnstinted admiration. Her hair was
beautifully brown and curly I'm
like many girls OF her age shc had
not bobbed IL and II must have
looked like n coronct with her hat
on. ] could see "A great coil OF II
pccping below the cncircling plume
OF her hat In back and how those
few stray hairs curlcd at the nape
OF her neck.
She was slender and tall with n
radiant complexion. tanned from
summer sports. Her eyes were
brown. too. shaded with black lashes
and surrnounted with driicatcly de-
fined and archcd eyebrows
Evidently She was tired from a
night Of worry aud WEAKNESS and
tic though, OF tho futures financial
uncertainty. Her look now was OF
tmIdity. but could tell tho girl
Was ono who would soon make the
best OF Fate She had ali the points
OF ca2ab!!ItY.
Last night" went on Leslie. his
face 3uckercd in .rown. Lewis
Monet. trustee Of the Boydcn estate
and guardian OF Beverly. died by &C.
riGcui--or II may have been "a sui.
eide He paused. with n sidclong
glance at me 1T hasn't got into
the papcrs--yc;. MoGet. you r"cul.
l"ct. WAS Il prominent member OF the
Committee OF Fifteen for the Supr.s.
dead IN "A taxIcah by the driver when
be stopped II, the upper end OF the
PARK. Moffct lived In Gramercy
square, down town
Leslie had not needed TO glance
a, me-. My nose knew news and ]
!'dn't need huscrboarI TO tell
me to follow my nose.
Tn" driver" he continued. with
out waiting for questions. got him
about midnight he says. Ia from;
Of the Reyclry Revue II. was
showed Into the cab by two riris
and man. Drive him through the
park unt!l he comes uu, OF III said
tho man In - Erun voice. evtdcntly
60 disguise ~. Tho driver thought
the man was intoxicated. and In
tact he was. But something else hac
happcncd 90 him
why lid YOU say s, may have
bc'n suicide" put Ia craig.
Leslie could hardly suppress his
Excitement. well. you see. Ken.
msdy, from my experience with some
men who are SO R!l-hircd Interested
IN the social cvil. as they call IL
thcy must either be tied UP with an
extremely passionate mate. or be
abnormal as far AZ sex is concerned
religion or physical deficiency OF
something 81 the sOrt-or some ni
the slime is likely 10 stick MoNc,
was normal. To "A man posing "a
he has-a vlrtuous rcformcr-the
disgrace Of what he had done might
hav. been more than he could face
I'm that case, what more natural than
suicide"
"oh-h-h. Dir. Leslie" beverly al
most moaned. She grew whittier and
suddenly lowered her head on the
arm of the chair. her slight body
shaking with the emotions OF her
mind. Can IL all be true of-o.
uncle" Her head was still bowed
II can't believe it" She looked up
swallowing hard to get the lump out
OF her throat. Had an idols feet of
clay been shattered?
Leslie smiled kindly at her. almost
paternally. then lowered his voice
from his former excited. rather bit
ter tone.
We'll, gather that in long years
OF hunting vice. he found II. 1t may
have been a final dcbauch. You
see. 1t was the nigh; before Miss
Beverly came of age. She finds this
morning that the Roydcn fortune has
been dissipated. She Is penniless-
ruined"
But how?"
Mofct has borrowed on the stocks
and bonds Of the entire estate. up 10
the limit. Using his authority and
discretion he has hypothecated all
the Boydcn securities-noi large
estate. but comfortable enough for
Miss Boyden-pcrhaps a quarter OF
million"
where did the money so
I'VE don't know. Just gone. His
own account at tho Commonwealth
National is overdrawn. His wife has
nothing. There is nothing in his
safe except some accounts payable
with clients
1T is. ALL. .gonc" murmured
Beverly TREMENDOUSLY.
Kennedy turned sympathetically to
her. LAD you seen anything be-
fore. any actions OF Mr. Monet, that
might have suggested the danger of
such Il thing as this?"
Il wasn't looking for anything of
the sort Always before. l had him
to solve my worries for me. He was
like father to me-1not really my
uncle. you understand. That was a
pet name" AS she said it she look ID
hclplcssly from one to the other OF
us, great big tears gathering in the
big brown eyes, Now j have.
only the friendship of DR.. Leslie"