The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-05-09
MS y. A & lii!.I Loves
g 928 BY NEA Service AaH$a 6RUTH DEMEY GRONES

I'm not going to bed. and don't
bother, please"
"You mean you're going to sit up
all night and soak yourself in grief
over what's happened to Miss Brew
;ter?"
Nathaniel glanced at his watch.
''It's almost morning now"
Then I'll make the coffee before
I CO."
Never mind :" Nathaniel
feared she would want to stay to
drink with him. But she surprised
him by leaving as soon as she had
the percolator going and sugar at
his elbow.
Chiri often did the unexpected.
Nathaniel thought of that with
gratitude as he drank the steaming
black liquid. Then he forgot her
entirely in thinking of Virginia.
AS early as he dared he was at
her apartment that morning and
for the next few days he remained
at her side as much as he was per-
mitted to.
She had not been told about her
fathers financial troubles. He
learned this from DR.. Meyerling,
who had talked with Mr.. Brewster's
lawyers. The physician had ad-
vised against telling her until after
her fathers funeral.
Nathaniel dreaded the hour of
disclosure for her. Its coming so
close on the shock of her great be-
reavement made him wonder if she
could stand up under it. She was
so pitifully near collapse as it was
But he was to see a new side of
VirginiaS character when Mr.. Gar
diner. the lawyer, intoned the bad
news in an excessively grave voice
Nathaniel had been rather aston
iShed at her abandonment to grief
such as one expects only from less
tortured persons.
He had expected more self-con-
troll from her, but then, he remind
ed himself, her love for her father
was not of the ordinary filial kind
They had been truly devoted to each
other Nathaniel sensed the fact
that Virginia'S loss had terrified her.
1t was different now, however,
when she learned that she had lost
a fortune as we'll 1t seemed rather
to bewilder than to hurt her.
But I can't understand, she
murmured; "how can you say there
is nothing left? We still have the
house at Glen Cove daddy =.
never curtailed our expenses
HE ruined himself to keep up
appearances" Mr. Gardiner ex-
planned bluntly. "All the property
he inherited was heavily mortgaged
long ago. Somehow he managed to
keep the estate you speak of clear
until about three months ago.
What he did with the money he OBJ
tanned on it at that time have not
been able to discover. There are
no receipted bills of any recent date
I fear, Miss Brewster, that there is
an appalling number Of accounts
yet to be paid, and foreclosures on
your property are sure to be imme-
date"
The man all but droned the words,
doing his duty. He found it diff
cult. of course, but Virginia's atti-
tude deceived him. She seemed so
Indifferent, except to Nathaniel, who
sat close enough to watch her re-
actions corning and going in her
grief-filled eyes.
Mr.. Gardiner suspected 1t was
possible she possessed some means
unknown to him ah, yes, the
money her father had raised on the
estate at Glen Cove no, no
that would not be like them. Rich
ard Brewster hadn't known how to
brake the toboggan of habit on
which he was riding to his financial
doom, but his lawyer knew that he
would not have planned to cheat
any one to whom he owed money.
Nathaniel felt that his voice
could have been softer, his manner
more gentle, and he was infinitely
glad when it was all over and he
was alone with Virginia.
He had something he considered
very important to say to her before
he left her this time. But he die,
not get to say it. They were in
terrupted by an unexpected caller
whom Virginia would not refuse to
see.
Ito Be Continued