"Mrs. Frank did."
"Yes, but Herman probably quieted her with some simple story. Anyway, she lived in Maine and that's a long way from here."
"It's inconceivable that he could get by with such high-handed robbery! Stealing from a child!"
"It is disgusting," Penny agreed. "We don't know what became of Walter, but probably he was brought up by some strange person in complete ignorance of his heritage."
"Then how did he learn his true name and that he had a right to the fortune? How did he know about these letters in the trunk?"
"My theory collapses right there," Penny admitted ruefully. "I can't figure that part out at all."
"Let's read the other letters," Susan suggested. "We may learn something from them."
The remaining communications were of no help at all. They were merely friendly letters written by Jenny to her brother telling him how much she and her son were enjoying their stay at the Lakes. She spoke at some length of her declining health and in one paragraph mentioned that if anything ever happened to her she trusted Herman would take good care of Walter.
"After receiving a letter like that how could the old man be mean enough to act the way he did?" Susan asked angrily. "It serves him right to lose the fortune! I'm glad that Walter finally learned the truth."
"So am I," Penny agreed. "Only it's too bad the young man couldn't have turned out to be a nicer type."