Evening journal., 1907-09-05
The Wheel Of Fortune.

HNN""f
came on he enlisted. went to Cuba and |
came back In command Of his compa-
ny. Eugene was Ike the father, with
an eye single TO the accumulation Of
wealth. They were both bent on mon
ey making.
Prior to going to Cuba Sumner Co
nant had paid some attention TO Ger
trude Evans, a lovely girl with no for
tune. But as Sumner was poor and
his father had repeatedly told him that
II he didn't mend his ways which
meant choosing a career Indicated by
the old mamie would cut him or In
his Will the boy let the matter with
the girl go by default In the excite
ment Of war he forgot all about her
and on his return found her engaged to
his brother. Eugene meanwhile had
gone 70 the orient on n business mis-
sion for his father. Sumner had not
been at home a week before his father
suddenly died OF apoplexy, leaving all
his property to Eugene. This left
Sumner out in the cold and was rare
turn OF fortune In Gertrude Evans IA
vOr But another sudden turn of for
tune soon followed. The vessel on
which Eugene was returning to Ameri-
ca was lost at sea, and all on board
perished. This gave the Conant prop
erty to Sumner as sole remaining heir
at law, and Gertrude remained poor.
It occurred 70 Sumner that with
fine fortune he might have a very
pleasant life visiting Europe, hunting
big game In India and Africa and such
other occupations that were attractive
TO him. But considering that his for
tune had so narrowly missed going to
his brothers. fiancee he Thought he
should do something for her. After
thinking the matter over he concluded
to offer her half of the property. The
offer he made by note. He was great
ly astonished to receive by return mall
q refusal to accept the gift.
Then after much reflection Sumner
made up his mind to offer himself with
the half he proposed TO give, thinking
that the gift being. as 1t were, legiti-
matized, the girl might feel warranted
In accepting It. Since such q PROPOSE
ton to one who was supposed to be
mourning for his brother was a deli
cate one TO put, he concluded TO do as
he had done In the first case-write II.
He wrote ten letters before he produc-
ed one he was willing TO send. The
reply was, as before, a refusal. No
reason was mentioned. but Sumner nat
urally inferred that her love for his
lost brother was an obstacle.
But the more Sumner thought about
the matter the more 1t puzzled him.
Here was a girl without a cent In the
world declining the half OF a large for,
tune either with or without a husband
He thought he would write begging heI
to permit him to do something for hei
with a fortune that had so nearly beer
hers instead of his. But he concluded
to stop writing letters and to go and
see her. He did so and was received
very graciously. He stammered som'
incoherent excuses about trespassinl
on her grief with his affairs. but she
stopped him to tell him that his con
duct had been very noble and that she
had been deeply impressed by his un
selfish action. He tried hard to intro
duce another offer, but found it impos
slble to frame one that he considered
sufficiently delicate. When he left her
somehow he felt as II he had deprived
her OF what rightfully belonged TO he
and there was no pleasure for him II
his Inheritance. He fretted and brood
ed, seeing her occasionally to max,
some new proposition which was al
ways declined, till at last he made tn
discovery that he was desperately il
love with her. Then he went to he
and told her that II she didn't MARI.
him he would blow out his brains
Then she consented to take the matte
under consideration.
Soon after the making OF this propc
sition so well fitted to enter the lady
comprehension she received a not
from a lawyer saying that II sh
would come and see him he would tel
her something TO her advantage. Sh
called upon him, and he informed he
J that he had received by mail fror
Bombay a letter from Eugene Conan
mailed the day before he sailed 10
home containing a viii leaving all hi
J property to her. At the time he signe
the will he supposed himself to b
/, possessed Of only a few thousand do
lars, but since his father had died th
day before he had inherited the Conan
fortune. The letter had come throug
the mails with no great delay. tn
loss of the ship In which Eugene sale
was reported by cablegram from Ade
two days after the disaster occurred.
Upon the receipt OF this news Mis-
Evans returned to her home and wrot
Sumner Conant n note informing hi
that. after all, she was the heiress
the Conant fortune and offered hil
half OF the property. He wrote decliI
. ing the ofer. She then wrote offerin
herself and half the property. Tn
I offer wasaslso declined. She waited
| few days, then invited him to CON
) and see her.
, "Why did you go or to Cuba witt
out-without saying anything to meT
? 'I couldn't support a wife. b
3 Sides
! "Besides whatT
$ ''I didn't know how much wante
e you. And didn't suppose you wantC
me any way"
She partly turned to a table ar
tOyed With book.
''But I did" she said family.
A revelation burst upon the man
stupid brain. He went to her, and
there was another last turn in Il
y wheel Of fortune. They inherited Il