Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
Jenetta's Fortune.
lOriginal.J

y
| advertised fer you, what did he say?'
lie asked me if l was Jenetta Ma
| comber. l told him yes. Did my ia
| Their go away when l was a baby?
Yes. My mothers name? Caroline
| Swami. Then he told me that Il for
tune awaited me in California"
Leon shook his head. There's some
game in the wind" he said. well.
| good night. I'll see you before you go"
The next day Leon Wynne called
upon Martin Cahoon, the lawyer who
had advertised for Jenetta. He found
shrewd looking man, indeed one
whom Leon saw at glance would
have no mercy in money matters.
Il have noticed said the young man,
that you have advertised for Jenetta
| Macomber. sole heir TO the estate of
Andrew Macomber."
Il have" said the lawyer. bringing a
pair of piercing eyes to bear on Leon.
II am Andrew Macomber's only
child. This Jenetta MacOmber comes
from another branch of the family.
She is my cousin"
Can you substantiate that?"
Il cam.
Cahoon looked incredulOus.
See here" said Leon. There's no
use in you and me trying to fool each
other. This girl is under my influence,
and can do what l like with her. You
evidently know something about this
fortune, if it exists. and l need your
services. | have no money TO prose
cute the claim, either for expenses or
| court or lawyers fees. What do you
say to taking my case on shares? I'll
give you half"
There was a look of cunning in the
lawyers eyes as he replied:
IF you are the sole heir and can es-
tablish the fact, of course l shall be
happy to serve you
VERY we'll l will show you that l
can do what l say. I'll see you to-
| morrow
Leon went directly to Jenetta and
| told her the whole story. Then he
drew up Il paper confirming his claim
to the property. and she signed it. The
| next day Leon took the paper to the
lawyer. CahOOn looked at it. aston
ished. Then Il crafty smile passed over
his face.
We'll" said the client, are you sat
isfied that you can trust me-"
Its risky" replied the lawyer.
Not half the risk of trying to work
it through the girl, especially as I'm
on TO your game"
There was Il good deal of sparring.
at the end of which Leon left the Office
commissioned to go to Rio de Janeiro
| to endeavOr to get possession of the
fortune left by Andrew Macomber. 1t
20
send Jenetta to California to get her
out of the way while he was working
a scheme to secure possession of her
Inheritance in her name. This bit of
luck in her REIMBURSEMENT of her claim
in favor of Leon Wynne put n new
face on the matter and rendered the
| job far easier Leon signed Il paper
agreeing. in lieu of advanced expenses,
counsel fees. etc, to give Cahoon one
half the estate when obtained. When
he left the Office it was with a check
| for $500 with which to pay his way
and living for a time at Rio. He went
Immediately to Jcnetta.
1--WE must be married at once" he
said. '-and secretly"
"Why SOP" she asked. astonished.
your father, so CahoOn says, has
really died in Rio possessed of a for
tune, and you are the only heir"
In Riof"
Eyes. Using the paper l asked you
to sign, have succeeded in unearthing
the truth. | have agreed to give Ca
hOOn One-half of the fortune if 1 get
it But. you see, sweetheart, l don't
want it. 1t would be better for us to
get it l., your name and without this
| tremendous Inheritance tax Cahoon has
levied on me-"
But why are we TO be married in
such a hurry"
81 have agreed to go at once and col
lect your fortune. 1 prefer to have your
company, especially as you are the le-
gal heir. AS to the secrecy. nOtwith-
standing that hold the winning cards
don't dare to let Cahoon know that
have duped him. There's no knowing
how lie might trick us yet"
when does the steamer leave|
'In an hour l may be watched by
| CahoOn or his spies TO see if l sail on
her. and | must not disappOint them.
nor must it be known that you go with
| me. Once out on the ocean it will make
no difference. but you must go to the
ship without me- and it would be safer
to go disguised. On second thought it
| may be dangerous for us to attempt
marriage We'd better be married
aboard the ship"
But supposing there is no clergy
man"
I'm that case Wei have to wait till
we reach Rio"
lust before the steamer sailed Leon
Wynne went aboard. He had been pre-
coded by an old woman whom he kept
in sight till the ship moved off. Among
the faces on the dock Leon recognized
CahoOn. Taking a pair of green spec
tacles and wig from the old woman
beside him, Leon revealed young
girls face.
"Mr. CahoOn," he called, ''let me in
troduce Miss Macomber."
The next moment Cahoon had disap-