The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-05-09

grief over what's happened to Miss
Brewster"
Nathaniel glanced at his watch.
Its 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. Bat she surprised
him by leaving as soon as she had
the percOlator going and sugar at
his elbow.
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
permitted to. She had not been
told about her fathers financial
troubles. 1lo learned this from
DIR. Meyerling. who had talked with
Mr. Brewstcr's lawyer. The ply.
stefan had advised against telling
her until after her fathers funeral.
Nathaniel dreaded the hour of
disclosure for her. It's coming so
close OH the shock Of her great be.
rcavcment made him wonder if she
could stand up under it. She was
SO pitifully near collapse as it was.
But he was to see new side
OF Virsinia's character when Mr..
Gardiner, the lawyer, intoned the
bad news in an excessively grave
voice. Nathaniel had been rather
astonishcd at her abandonment to
grief such as one expects only from
less tortured persons. lie had ex.
pected more sclf-cOntrol from her.
but then, he reminded himself, her
love for her father was not of the
ordinary filial kind. They had
been truly devoted to each other.
Nathaniel scnsed the fact that Vir.
1inia's loss had terrified her.
1t was different now. however,
when she learned that she had lost
q fortune as we'll. 1t seemed rath-
CT to bewilder than to hurt her.
But can't understand" she
murmurcd; chow can you say there
Is nothing left? We still have the
house at Glen Cove and daddy
never curtailed our expenses
"IIe ruined himself to keep up
appearances" Mr.. Gardiner ex.
planned bluntly. "All the property
he inherited was heavily mort.
gagged long ago. Somehow he man.
aged to keep the estate you speak
OF clear until about three
months ago. What lie did with the
money he obtained on 1t at that
time ! have not been able to dis
cover. There are no receipted bills
Of any recent date. l fear, Miss
Brewster, that there Is an appalling
number Of accounts yet to be paid,
nd foreclosures on your property
are sure to be immediate"
The man all but droned the
words. doing his duty. He found
1t difficult. Of course. but Virginia's
attitude deceived him. She seemed
so Indifferent, except to Nathaniel,
who sat close enough to watch her
reactions coming and going in her
grief.flled eyes.
Mr.. Gardiner suspected It was
possible she possessed some means
unknown to him all, yes, the
money her father had raised on the
estate at Glen Cove no, no
that would not be like them.
Richard Brewster hadn't known
how to brake the toboggan of habit
on which he was riding to financial
doom. but his lawyer knew that he
would not have planned to cheat
anyone to whom he owed money.
Nathaniel felt that his voice
could have been softer. his man.
ner more gentle. and he was inf.
nitely glad when It was all over
and he was alone with Virginia.
He had something he considered
very important to say to her BE-.
fore he left her this time. But ho
did not get to say Il. They were
interrupted BY an unexpected caller
whom Virginia would not refuse
to see.
Ito Re Continued)