Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-01-08

to take over the trust, then one
half TIE entire property, said o
to total over twenty million dollars.
shall remain with the trust comp
any to hold for another five years.
II death takes one Of US before our
twenty-fifth birthday. one-half the
property goes to several charities
named in the will. II death takes
both Of us. all the property goes 10
the charities, So you see why It Is
essential to Mr.. Maxwells interests
to have us both home on u twen-
ty-fifth birthday. His chance, OF
course, is the substitution for one OF
us He dare not kill, or have
killed, both of us. as that would
take all the money out of his con-
troll And believe me. the adj
mi~nistrator's commission on twenty
million is a tidy sum-.
"You understand. Of course" con-
tinued the heiress. that I have my
regular drawing account az the
bank apart from Mr.. Maxwell's
guardianship. And so does Jimmy.
Maxwell has nothing to do with
that!"
1T would seem to me, then. as ]
understand the matter" commented
ballard. that Maxwell's play is to
keep his substitute for Jimmy out Of
your sight until after the first Of
January 1919. He won't know that
you are wise to him s'the one back
Of your kidnapping here. for he was
told OF course. by this Leclcrc coupe,
before he left Paris on his return 10
New York with his substitute, that
you, the twin sister, being held here
at his orders. had accepted the Ger
man spy story.
But" The lieutenant paused in
his summing UP Of particulars and
scratched his chin reilectively. Then
after a long moment, his gaze turn
ed once more to the face OF Patricia
Blair. IN his eyes was a perplexed.
troubled look. What l can't under
stand" he went on slowly, half
ENORMOUSLY, lis the fact OF you be-
ing given your liberty al this stage
OF the game. Reason tells US, OF
course, that this Leclerc woman and
the man. Leon, were engaged by
Maxwell to kidnap and hold you.
Their excuse for their act, that you
are supposed To be a German spy,
is not 50 ridiculous as one might
think, considering the number o!
women being picked up eve-y few
DAYS ii Paris and charged as spies.
1t Is the NEST logical excuse for the
kidnapping they could have given
you
But II isn't that" he continued,
after another brief halt in his self
imposed summary. IT'S another
phase Of the affair over which I'm
bothered. For instance: II you,
Miss Blair. had returned TO New
York without again meeting us, Or.
Gordon here. Margery and myself.
you would have had no reason for
connecting Maxwell whit your kid
naping. Nor would YOU have known
anything about the Jim" whom the
fake orderly spirited away from tire
hospital here. In fact, had you ar
rived here without seeing us. the Su-
perintendent OF the hospital would
have informed you that your brother
still only partially recovered IL miro
awaited you in New York. You
would have been told that your joint
guardian. Herbert Maxwell, had
taken the injured flyer home. nc
same flyer. the seme young man
that you helped 70 pick I'D after
his airplane crash, that you had
called your brother even before
finding the Jimmy Blair letters arc
tag in his pocket. Would you have
had any reason, had YOU gone
straight home TO New York withou.
talking with us. for refusing TO ack-
nowledge as your brother, Jimmy,
the young man you had already &C.
/ cepted as such, both al the scene
Of the crash and IL the field hos
pital at c.? And that, without
question, Is what Mr.. Maxwell Is
thinking right now! The hospital
superintendent here, doubtless, has
a letter for you at the present mo-
ment, from your eStimable guarG-
ian. advising you Of his actions col-
corning your poor brother James.
"Had you done as I've just OUT
lined went on the lieutenant, not
ing the anxious interest his words
seemed 10 have aroused in Inc
minds OF all three Of his listeners.
but keeping his gaze fixed on Pat,
you would have acted IN exact ac-
cordance with Mr.. Maxwell's we'll
laid plans.
Nov. listen. all Of you. very care
fully, and you'll understand why !