The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-09-23
Double Trouble
Rx PriseiIlo Maxna :


inclined at first TO believe any,
thing. against Hamilton Burton.
She told Jim 30 quite emphatically.
re session with TIE cd LADY
took place in the library early one
morning. June was never to forget
that exciting occasion Jim had
asked to see the two women to-
gether-his mother and his daugh-
ter. And after he had seated them
in the comfortable room he closed
the door 50 they would not be in
terrupted.
Seriously he faced them and in
simple. Unconditional sentences told
them exactly what had happened.
i've hired the best firm Of
attorneys I could find" he told
his mother with perhaps more
straightforward frankness than he
had ever used with her in his
entire life before.
They're going to the bottom Of
this thing in short order. Unless
am very much mistaken well find
that this man has systematically
stolen US blind from the first day
he came into our employ. OF course
I'm not accusing anyone but my
self.
I've been a good for nothing
playboy. I should have taken it all
into my own hands It was easiest
to go the way of least resistance.
That's what I did"
'Pn not have you abusing your
self that way. JIM" Grandmother
Radzell said with earnestness. IF
you've made any mistakes it's been
my fault. I guess always wanted
to keep you a boy.
Il always wanted to let you play
and have fun even when you grew
up. so don't go approaching your
self about any of your shortcom-
ings. Maybe that's my fault in
stead of yours. But l don't believe
what you have to say about Ham,
ilton Burton. Why. his family is
as old and as honorable as ours.
He may have made mistakes
but he didn't deliberately set out
to steal and cheat. and maybe you
and the attorneys are mistaken,
Jim. You say yourself that you
don't know how far this thing has
gone"
But I will know" her son said
with determination. And as far as
his family being as old and honor
able as ours, maybe that's true,
Mother, but there's often a black
sheep in a family-maybe Ham
Burton is the black sheep in his
family"
Il hate him." June said. entirely
spontaneously. Il think I've hated
him since the first day I came
here"
You came some time ago." Jim
said whimsically, at least before
your grandmother and I decided
this fellow was such whale of a
good business manager that we'd
let him control everything we pos
sessed, so you've hated him for
quite some little time"
We'll, I do hate him." June re-
iterated.
But you agreed to marry him."
Katherine Radzell reminded the
girl
Il didn't actually agree. / mere
ly let him talk about it. l even let
him go ahead and set the date for
the first Wednesday in May, and
all the time was hoping that
something would happen so that 1
wouldn't have to go through with
it. I was just putting him off. In
way / like HMM another way
can't even endure the sight Of
him"
Il know. child, that you told me
so. l should have listened. And
yet 1t seemed absolutely impossible.
Jim, are you sure ?"
Jim nodded emphatically. Abb
solutely certain. Mother. suppose
there are a dozen ways in which
he has been confiscating what we
possess. I've already uncovered
three or four Of the ways. Practi-
cally all OF the real estate we pos
sess is mortgaged to the hilt. He
did that TO get money for his stock
speculations."
It's a good thing" the old lady
said proudly. that the foundation
Of our fortune is rock-ribbed A
few thousand dollars isn't going to
hurt us. OF course I hate to lose
it, but probably it's money spent
for a good lesson"
If it ends at a few thousand
dollars. yes. Mother" Jim explain
ed patiently. My fear is that II
won't end there"
You mean a great deal more
than that ,"
Il mean hundreds of thousands
of dollars. But there isn't any use
crying over split milk. The first
thing we have to do is find out how
far We are in" For once in her
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