The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-29
Our Daily $bcrt Story

to offer--and I have been heavy bcr- rower of late."
 Dad" said the youn man. rising, | you have been good to me---too good perhaps, but the best dad who ever lived. have had more spending money than any of the fellows in the set and have never done tap of work in my | life. But I have been on earth all this | time. and I reckon it's up to me to do something. I am going to raise that money. It will probably involve a half interest in the business. Would that l be all right?'
 i "More than that-three-quarters | anything" replied the father dreariiy It was too Quixotic for him to be in- terested in. But the spirit of the boy | brought tears to his eyes.
 What time must this money be | had?" asked Harlow. Two tomorrowAin in time to bank it and draw some checks" replied the father, catching a gleam of hope from the dominant manner of the son. "Go home to dinner and keep near | the phone until midnight" said Har- low. T think you will hear from me-" Old MacHenry noted that Harlow's face was as pale as his own. A sudden in- spiration seized him. Nothing dishonest, boy" he ex l claimed, throwing up a hand. "Fatherw that was all. but the tone was eloquent.
 T beg your pardon" responded the father. IT am beside myself" 1 A half hour later Harlow MacHen- ny entered fashionable club. and pres Pelham. partner in q great law | firm.
 You handle Mrs. Midland's es- tate don't your" MacHenry asked care- lessly.
 "Yes-and she's a rum customer" was the reply. What she don't know | about business is a caution. Used to be Tootie McMurtrie. you know, of the Casino, and captured Midland after he was in his dotage. Everyone thought she would squander the money. but you bet she don't Sharp as a steel trap-but, lord, what grammar she uses and not so young. as she, was. | Flows her money invested?" asked MacHenry.
 l "Ah. lots of ways. but mostly in bonds and stun convertible easily into cash. Want to sell her something?" Maybe" answered MacHenry, grim ly. How much ready cash could she raise-sNy in half a day?" All you'd need,' replied the lawyer. "A million and a half anyway-maybe two million"
 Lets have a drink" suggested Mac- Henry absently.
 
 At a proper hour that evening liar low MacHenry faultlessly attirod, was ushered into Mrs. Midland's drawing room, much to tine latter's surprise, as she knew of the demands on the hand some Houg aristocrat's time. Now 1t happened few days before MacHenry had been thrown into Mrs. Midland's company in an opera box for a few moments, and he had sug gested. most gallantly Gin order to cover the fact he has forgotten her name) that he could not believe sine had not changed 1t long ere this. "Oh, there's chance enough, MT. MacHenry." the portly widow had re- piled, mopping a coating of rouge from | her perspiring face. But they all want to handle my money, and I'm too | wise for that. Not that I'd care if a real gentleman with a fortune of his own were to propose and I liked him. Ira just as lief he'd do the business as me, but these little whippersnappers | look too much like fortune hunters for Tootie to give them the dough-" In his fathers extremity Harlow had remembered this and resolved to make an awful sacrifice. Having assured himself as to her fortune, nere he was.
 Mrs. Midland, we have not been | the closest friends, he said. "but I have been a warm admirer of yours for years--because of your natural and unconventional ways, and your warm heart and open nature. It has been deemed expedient for certain reasons | that I marry at once, and go abroad l-for-my health. can think of no other woman so suitable as yourself, and 1 came tonight to ask, you to be my wife-yes. I know 1t is awful sud- den. but stranger things have hap pened.
 "one thing further" he went on. while the widow .gasped in surprise. "as you know I do not come into my inheritance until my fathers death, and as the head of family l do not want to be dependent upon the boun- ty either of my father or my wife. l have an opportunity to buy a half in- terest in a great business house whose profits exceed a quarter of million a year, for between a million and a | quarter and a million and nalf. In the event of our marriage-which must | occur tomorrow forenoon if at all, as must sail tomorrow night-could you turn assets to that amount into money and use in that manner. would have no objection to your holding the in- terest secretly, only l want my name to appear"
 It was novel proposition, but liar low MacHenry was the handsomest and most popular, as well as one of the richest young men about town, and what would Tootie naturally do under the circumstances.
 At eleven o'clock Alexander Mac Henry received a message: Money will be at the office before two o'clock"
 At eight o'clock the following eve ing the bride and groom sailed for London, leaving society very much agog.