Page:O'Higgins--The Adventures of Detective Barney.djvu/228

 “And her son?”

“Nothing whatever the matter with him.”

“But if anything happened to his mother he would be her sole heir, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“And being a minor, his father would be his guardian?”

“Until a few days ago, yes. My sister has recently made a new disposition of her estate.”

“Making you the boy’s guardian?”

“Yes.”

“Does his father know this?”

“No. But I don’t see—”

“Mr. Van Amberg,” Babbing interrupted, “you have wisely intercepted the letters that came to your sister. I would advise you, now, to let it be generally known that in the event of your sister’s death, you will be her son’s guardian and her estate will be in your hands. That will protect her husband from blackmail and save him from being betrayed—as she might have been—in to the hands of these criminals.”