Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-03-20
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:. 81 I'd. zSS (Originall {
When girl of eighteen is in posses.
sion Of q fortune, she is very fortunate
II she does not become target for.
some person or persons DESTROYS Of re-
lieving her of it. Bessie Grape had
been tenderly brought up until she was
seventeen years old, when she had the
misfortune to lose her father and
mother in rapid succession. Her moth
er's sister, Miss Barbour, spinster Of
forty, was called in to, take charge Of
the house and the young girl as well.
The estate was administered by Arnold
Atwater, an attorney also in middle
fife and unmarried. Mr.. Grape had
conceived high regard for Mr.. Atwa-
ter's shrewdness and had left him sole
executor Of his estate.
A pretty girl and couple of hundred
thousand dollars were too tempting a
prize for Mr.. Atwater's integrity. Win
ming the confidence of Miss Barbour,
he succeeded in keeping the heiress a
virtual prisoner with Il view to prevent
her marrying-that is. unless he could
succeed In marrying her himself.
All this is an old story. The interest
In this yarn lies in an effort made by
young Bob Allison to get the maiden
out of the hands of the designing attor-
ney. Bob and Bessie had grown up to-
gether and had plighted their childish
troth long before either knew anything
about worldly goods. But Bob was to
be the architect Of his own fortune.
and Miss Barbour, who, in her present
position, was in better circumstances
than she had ever been before and had
no wish to leave it. made the young
mans poverty convenient excuse for
opposing him. So it was Bob and Res-
sic versus Atwater and Barbour
1t did not take the young couple long
to discover that there was but one
way to win, and that was to gain for
Bob the legal control Of Bessie. which
would also give him the control Of her
fortune. To do this marriage was nee
essary, and the only way to effect mar
riage was an elOpement.
Now, in Opponents it is far easier
for the runaways to make start than
to avoid capture. Teverton, where
these people lived, was a way station
on a great railroad In the event OF
the girl being missed the first place
those desiring to capture her would
look would be the Teverton station
The exigencies of the case required
that the couple should take to the
turnpike. But how? An automobile
has for enterprises requiring swiftness
taken the place of horses and Bob in
laying his plans gave the fact due
consideration.
One morning there was a sharp ring
at Mr.. Atwater's telephone, and the
crisp voice Of Miss Barbour Informed
him that Bob Allison had come to the
house In an automobile: Bessie had
evidently been expecting him. for she
was dressed for ride: she had rur
out and jumped into the automobile
before she could be prevented, and
they had sped away at a furious pace
This information was communicated
In q few fragments of sentences. At
water threw down the receiver. seized
his hat and in two minutes was in m
automobile garage offering any amount
for the use of the fastest machine II
the place. One was Immediately plac
ed at his disposal, and, proceeding tt
pick up Miss Barbour, he sped along
in the direction she indicated.
Twice only he was obliged to SLOW
up before getting on to the main roat
to make inquiries if an automobile hat
gone that way; but, the answers being
definite and satisfactory, he was no
obliged to ask again, for there wa:
but one road in the vicinity on which
an automobile could make progress
that beside the railroad.
Sundry vehicles were passed on tn
way. and all, hearing ferocious snort
ing behind. pulled out to the side O
the road. But one old trap of station
hack logged along without paying an!
attention to the coming clatter. AtWa
ter was obliged to slow up, attemptfn.
first to get by on one side, then on tn
other. the hack driver taking up mos
of the road. Atwater. who was of
suspicious nature. suspecting that tn
man might be in league with the fugi
tives to delay him, threatened to rul
him down if lie did not get out OF til
way: This brought the driver. to hi
senses, and he drew up on one sid
while the automobile whiZzed by Xix
a cannon ball.
; The delay was but slight, and. tn
power of the automobile being tremen
dous, the pursuers forged ahead at tn
rate of forty miles an hour. Sine
there was no machine to be had a
Teverton that could do better thai
thirty Atwater felt confident Of sue
cess. Indeed, in'turning the next benz
In the road he saw ahead a cloud o
dust that he knew concealed an auto
mobile.
It was a mad chase, dangerou
chase, but from the first it was eviden
that the automobile ahead was n
4 match for the one behind. Every mil
passed by the former resulted in hal
a mile gain by the latter. The dus
concealed the fugitiyes. but Atwate
i had no doubt whatever that they wer
: there, for their machine was putin
on all the speed Of which It was capa
!, BILE In an evident attempt to distanc
ii him. M j i 2 Y E !. =. {fgs,%s& 4. u z zt
In due time the fugitive machin
was overtaken, but what was the pul
& suers' surprise to find in It no one bu
4 chauffeur: Il: .s Ill; @ %zzz
- fforg Il ihora fion the twain retllfne