Evening star., 1933-07-12
EW TheWhife CoCIkafoo
~ by Mignon G. Eberhars
BY Mignon G. Eberhars

some months ago. too. They had been
estranged for years-since was years
old. Mother had lived here and there,
and I've always been with my mother
| That was one of the-agreements. My
brother remained with my father. He
was four years older than I when our
parents separated.
My mother" she paused and took
a long breath as If she'd reached the
most difficult part OF the story-my
mother was an extraordinary person
Mr.. Sundean. I didn't know-and 1t
doesn't concern this. why they sepa-
rated, but whatever the reason was. my
mother held it more important than
anything else in the world. More i'm
portant even than that I should ever
see my father"
You mean to say you never saw
him again?"
Yes" she said quietly. Il never saw
him again. My mother was very bitter
and remained so. My brother was to
stay with my father, with my mother.
NY mother had a small income. but
during her illness We were obliged to
use up most of the capital.
She refused to the last to hold any
communication with my father or
brother; it was not easy for her to do
that-but she was-she had extraordi-
nary command over herself" She
paused thoughtfully and then continued
in a brisker tone:
"At any rate, my father was q
wealthy man when he died. He wanted
me to have half his estate-to share it
with Francis-that'S my brother. And
and this, of course, is the kernel OF
the affair-when my mother went away
he gave me "a small
She hesitated and glanced at me and
said: I'm not to tell any one what it
was exactly And. anyway. it doesn't
matter, because it has no intrinsic
value. it's only its significance that
counts. I had part and my brother had
part. and probably there are no others
Identical with those we have in the
world. You see, Of course, what it
was for"
Identification" said.
Eyes. NV mother being what she
was, my father knew that she would
take steps to loose us from any possible
connection with him. And that's just
what she did We went under various
names, think, for while, though !
don't remember much Of that; all re-
member about those days is the con-
tinual going here and there.
"Well-the point is that my father
didn't keep in touch with us-my
mother was determined that he should
not. After I reached an age to notice
things We used our own name, Of course
and I knew the whole story. Mother
had not been well, and I felt closer to
her than to my father. Then She
died"
She paused again. and I put another
small log on the fire and gave her a
little time.
"She gave me- of course. an envelope
with her marriage certificate and my
birth certificate and various things of
that sort in it, And at last she told
me to find my father. After time ]
wrote: he was dying.
Francis, my brother. replied. He
said there would be the matter Of iden-
tiflcation. It seems that my father had
finally advertised and they'd had a
number Of letters from girls who said
they were Sue Tally. He said that birth
and marriage certificates could be
faxed, but that If were really his sister
there would be one means OF identif1ca-
ton.
Il knew. Of course, what he meant.
But I wrote in as guarded fashion as
he had written, saying only that had
it and not what it was. Then my father
died: there was business for Francis to
see to- Francis sent Mr.. Lorn-the de-
tective, you know-to see me. He evi-
dently reported that I appeared to be
actually Sue Tally. And Francis
She smiled little wryly Perhaps I'd
better read you the letter Mr.. Lorn
brought me from Francis"
She unbuttoned her velvet coat. Un-