Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-16
TNSTAIL6ENT XIII.

The JdlC ne uAu previously IC~
\" lated to Stephen, who had
neglected to retail It to Lanny.
well, II this isn't a hell Of
tale, Dan" she said.
Does 1t beat your news, Lanny?"
Beats It by a mile, although while
she was ut my house she told me as
much about herself as she could re-
member"
This morning" Mcnamara contin-
ued, the president of the Security
| Trust Co. telephoned me that the girls
mother had called him up to ask II
Penelope had been cashing any checks
lately. The banker gathered that the
mother has q notion her daughters
dead She doesn't like the idea of hav-
ing to wait seven years TO have the girl
declared off1cially dead before she can
lay claim to Penelope's estate"
did you find out the name Of her
mother?" Stephen asked.
"Oh, yes. She's married again, you
understand Naturally, she didn't get
any information out of the banker.
He's on to her, and 1t was none OF her
business whether Penelope has been
cashing checks or not"
Get the girls case record Lanny,"
Stephen commanded. What Is her
mothers name, chief?"
Mrs. Rudolph Merton
"She's q patient of Stevie's!" Lanny
yelled "She'S such a nut, the squtr-
rels chase her."
Stephen finished writing and laid down
his pen. IT told you, Lanny, that Mrs.
Merton wasn't insane enough to be con-
fined.
"Guess I've got Lanny's news beaten
after all. Stephen. This Mrs. Rudolph
Merton is the girls foster mother"
"Hooray! Hooray! Hoorayi" cried
Lanny. How do you know? Did the
mo. I dug the information UP my
self"
why? Howa9
why? BECAUSE you gave up hope
for the girl when told you her mother
was a devil on wheels and religious
fanatic. And wanted to investigate
the girls fortune, so yesterday had
copy of the will and a copy OF the APP
praisai of the estate made at the court
house in San Jose and sent up to me.
Gatlin stated in the win that he left all
of his estate to his beloved adopted
daughter, Penelope Gatlin. At the time
of his death his estate was worth prac-
tically half a million dollars and has
since doubled in value. Nance Belden
is a lost heireSs."
mot wholly lost" Stephen reminded
him There are times when she re-
members who she is and that she has
money"
"she doesn't know anything ahoGt her
mother" Lanny declared. II asked her,
but she could tell me nothing. And she
was Penelope Gatlin when asked her"
There is a reason for that" DR..
Burt's scientific mind was already rae
ing along this new trail. Penelope has
had a wretched childhood. She knew
nothing but unhappiness up to the time
she received the shock that threw her
mental gears out Of mesh; she hated
feared her probably. Then she made up
her mind to forget her mother. and the
will to forget was so strong that she
succeeded.
mot only did she forget her mother,
but her entire past life rs well. Well,
she ran away and she'll never find her
way back until she acquires Eufdcient
Slrmount them and defeat them"
But Is that possible?" McNamara
asked.
Quite. She viii have to have as
sistance and the sort Of treatment
think 7 can give her, and she must
have assurance that never. again wiz
she be subjected 70 the old unhappi-
ness. BY the way, wonder If Pene.
lOpe was love child. Have you looked
81 haven't. Can't you ask Mrs. Mer-
ton about the grip"
at suppose could, but If lunacy ran
IN the family Of her father or mother
I'm not going to bother with Pene-
lope."
"If you decide TO take her on Wen
have To get her back intd the city,"
Mcnamara mourned, and Flynn win
pick her up"
wen hx her nose first" Lanny said.
Mcnamara beamed upon her. Her
criminal photographs and Bertilion
measurements are gone to glory, Lan1y.
What did Penelope say in her letter."
Not a great deal. She said, among
other things, that after leaving my
house she found 5000. so she returned
it,"
Give me that $500, Lanny Stephen,
our little chief, is honest"
AS one personality she would remem-
Der you gave her $500, but Is the other
Il