St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-01
A STRANGE MARRIAGE.
Helen CastletOn Wins Love She
Thought Would Never Be Hers.
MAX RUTHERFORD,s SEARCH.
BY LILLIAN MAYLEsLIE

BY LILLIAN MAY LESLIE
1t was dingy scantily furnished room
in a second-class boarding house, and
as Max Rutherford glanced around him
a sense of disgust filled him.
"W!ll it be like this alwayS?' he
sighed. "Will l never reach the goal?
Here am head over heels in debt--wish
some good fellow would advance me
few pounds until finish this brief.
could see my way clear. However. Phi
hope for the best" And he lit cigar
and prepared to enjoy it.
Max Rutherford was alone in this
world, as far as near relatives were con-
cerned, although he could count his
friends by the score.
He was educated for the bar, but be-
father died, bequeathing his little fort
une, few thousands, to Max. AS Max
was an unconmonly generous fellow, as
his friends were fond of saying, and
being somewhat eXtrayagant in his
tastes and mode of living, he did not
find it at all difficult to spend these few
thousands in very short time. And
so, at the age of twenty-five, we find
him, handsome, honest, good hearted,
and bravely striving to reach the ped
eStal of his ambition, but Door.
''NOw for the club room. / don't want
to stay here any longer than necessary"
and he picked up his hat.
The landlady met him at the door.
"a lady to see you, sir. She is in the
parlor."
"a lady? All right; 1 will go down
Immediately"
At the parlor door, which was wide
open, he suddenly stopped. There,
sitting beside table, back to him, was
the slight, black-robed form of a woman.
Her head was bowed low and her hands
were tightly clasped. She looked the
very picture of grief and despair.
AS he crossed the threshold she arose,
and with a quick, girlish. grace, made
toward him. Then Max saw that she
was heavily yelled, and she made no
"You are Max Rutherford, are you
not?''
Max started as the low, musical tones
fell on his ear.
Il beg that you will pardon me for
this intrusion; but truly" and the voice
grew more earnest, Il felt obliged to
come. my trouble is so great. Nay, 1
was driven to it, and no one but your
self can aid me. Will you listen to my
story?'
"Certainly. Pray be seated"
II am Helen Castleton, and an Or
phan, and, doubtless, stranger to
you"
"You are. have never had the pleas
ure Of meeting you BEFORE" he an
SWered.
''For ten years I have lived with my
uncle, my mothers brother. He is i'm
mensely wealthy. l am supposed to be
his heiress. But my life for the past
three years has been most unhappy. l
AIN not of age, and shall not be for
year to come, and my uncle is deter
mined to persuade me to marry man
old enough to be my father. He, too.
is worth his millions. and for that rea-
son my uncle bids me marry him. This
man follows me wherever | go, DO
Tossing to love me, but these professions
fill my soul with disgust and fear. |
hate him. Pll die before l consent to
wed him." and her voice trembled so
that Max longed to snatch away that
veil and gaze on the posseSsor of that
pleading, fearful voice.
II ran away from home two years
ago. she continued, "but my uncle and
the one who claims to be my lover found
and brought me home. Homel All,
heaven, what home! All the home l
have had since | was child; yet it is
little better than prison. have never
had any girl acquaintance. He would
not allow me to see any one except his
own friends, and they were old money
seeking men. dislike them all.
Tomorrow morning my uncle SAYS
/ must marry this man-that | shall be
forced to do it. | cannot, oh, cannoti
Heaven let me die frstl" And with
piteous movement she held both hands
out to Max.
He clasped them in his, and as he did
SO a plying, yearning tenderness filled
his heat for this yelled stranger.
"Tell me how l can help you," he
murmured.
You can help me; and you only"
"How?'
MAX Rutherford, will you-marry
me?"
Then, as If deeply ashamed, she
turned from him, clasping her hand
over her eyes.
AS for Max, if bombshell had ex-
ploded at his feet he could not have felt |
more astoniShed or beWiIdered, but be- |
fore he could articulate a word she
turned to him again.
"Listen, please. have seen you day |
after day, as you passed my uncle's |
house. You looked so honest and kind |
that somehow felt that you could and |
would help me. Am right or wrong? !
You are only a struggling lawyer"
He smiled bitterly at that.
81 have many thousands in my own |
right. My father willed it to me. They
cannot touch that. / have drawn it all. |
Here it u.s." and she laid a roll of bank
bills On the table beside him. II ask you
to accept it. 1t may help you. You
wonder why | do not take it and flee. l |
do not because my uncle and that man
would follow me, even to the end of the
world, so it would be utterly useless. | |
have turned to the only refuge leftme. l
have crushed my pride and begged you to
marry >me. was Spurred ON by my /
uncle's last threat. l realize what / |
have done only too WE'LL realize that
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