The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-25

him. saw him start toward Sheri-
dan road-walking. He has no car,
you know"
IND you observe the others?"
Dundee demanded eagerly. do
you know who went alone to the
guest closet?"
Penny shook her head. Every
body was milling around in the hall
and 1 paid no attention. Lois said
she would drive me home, and then
went in to ask you to let me stay
behind with you"
7 remember. . Listen, Penny
I'm going to tell you something
else that nobody knows yet but San
derson, Lydia and me.
4 don't have to ask you to tell
any Of your friends. You know well
enough that anything you learn
from either Sanderson or me is
strictly confidential
Penny nodded, her face very
white and her brown eyes big with
misery.
Il have every reason to believe
that Mia Selim was a blackmailer,
that she came to Hamilton for the
express purpose of bleeding some
one on whom she had the goods
from some underworld sources or
other.
At any rate, Mia banked ten
thousand mysterious dollars-$5,O00
on April % and $4,000 on May 5. 1
talked to Drake last night and I
have his word for It that the money
was in bills Of varying denomina-
tion-none large-when Mia pre-
sented it for deposit.
Therefore, it seems clear to me
that Mia got the money right here
in Hamilton; otherwise it would
have come to her in the form Of
checks or drafts or money orders.
"And it seems equally clear to me
that she did not bring that large
amount Of cash from New York
with her, or she would have de-
posted it in a lump sum in the bank
Immediately after her arrival"
Yes" Penny agreed. But why
are you telling me? OF course
I'm interested"
Because I want you to tell me
the financial status of each Of your
friends" Dundee said gently. Il
know how hard it is for you
you could find out from others,
so I might as well tell you" Penny
interrupted, with a weary shrug
Judge Marshall is well-to-do, and
Karen's father-her mother is dead
settled 100000 on her when she
married.
She has complete control of her
own money. The Dunlaps are
the richest people in Hamilton, and
have been for two or three genera
tions Lois was first family" but
poor when she married Peter, but
he's been giving her an allowance Of
$4,000 a year for several years-not
for running the house, but for her
personal use.
Clothes, charities, hobbies, like the
Little Theater she brought Mia here
to organize"
Il wouldn't say she spends a great
deal of it on dress" Dundee inter
rupted with a grin, as vision of
Lois Dunlap's comfortably dowdy
figure rose in his mind.
Il
Z OBS doesn't give a hang how
r. she looks or what any one
thinks of her-which probably is
one reason she is the best-loved
woman in our crowd" Penny re-
torted Loyalty.
THE Miles money is really
Flora's, and she has the reputation
of being one Of the shrewdest bust
ness mem in town. When she mar
ried Tracey nearly eight years ago,
he was just the salesmanager in her
fathers business-the biggest dairy
in the state.
Well, when Flora married Tracey,
her father retired and let Tracey
run the business for Flora, and he's
still managing it, but Flora is the
real head.
Nov, let's see. Oh, yes, the
Drakesl =. Johnny is vice-presi-
dent OF the Hamilton National bank,
as you know, and owns a big block
Of the stock. Carolyn has no
money except what Johnny gives
her and I rather think he isn't
any too generous"
They don't get along very well
together, do they?'
"N-no!" Penny agreed reluctantly.
you see, Johnny Drake simply was
not cut out for love and marriage.
He's a born ascetic, would have been
a monk two or three centuries ago,
but he cares as much for Carolyn
as he. could for any woman.
THE Hammond boys have some
inherited money, and Give has
made big financial success OF
architecture. That leaves only
Janet and Polly. doesn't it?
Polly's an orphan and has barrels
Of money. and viii have barrels
more when her aunt, with whom she