Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-02-04

&lW(X TO FIVE million dollars, particularly when
kSNNNA you have to marry man you We never
kU&GA< seen before in order TO get it,
Ea.a0 Eleanor Floyd was a normal, healthy
girl who had never known nerves; now
here she was, on the verge OF collapse, with every
newspaper man in New Orleans banging on the front
door.
Her mother was quite helpless, plunged they were
into this astounding condition of affairs. She was an
invalid and received the she did everything
else in her lifc-pateny and sweetly. But Elcanor
lad been too wholly alive, desperately trying for four
wears to pluck from a pcrversc fate enough golden
shcaycs to support her double burden. Now when the
burden was so astonishngly lifted she staggered and
went down.
The bonbshcll came in the guise Of long and formal
document from Mrs. Mary Hinghams lawyers in New
York. Mrs. Mary bingham was dead and had lett her
fortune Of five million dollars to Eleanor, the daughter
Of her old friend Sarah Floyd, and to John H. Morton
rcohcw OF her deceased husband, with the condition that
they were to marry within three months. II they did
not the money to go to an orphan asylum ohc
ravc as her reason for desiring this that John and
Eleanor were the two whom she most loved-therefore
she wanted them to love each other. Just like an old
woman!
The LAWYERS letter explained that both OK
nected to be in New York in weeks after the filing
Of the will. There they were to be introduced, and
three months allowed for them TO decide their fate,
and the fate of the five millions. Enclosed with sub
stantia check for expenses.
Eleanor made a determined effort to bring her
thoughts into normal channel, but they were racing
in such mad tangle that she felt if she had bcea
taken Up in balloon and pushed oft into space She
had known that Aunt Mary rich, but-ilvc millions!
And she had never dreamed OF anything like GIT
coming to her, even with condition.
Aunt Mary had been liberal to the Tloyds in some
respects She paid for Elcanors education in school
so superior that, thrown III contact with wealthy glrl9,
the economies she had TO practise were madde1ins'
pin-moncy not supplied
So when Eleanor came out Of school she put her
hand to the plow, and for four years had taught little
fingers TO tnklc out melodies the piano, to the ac-
compartment Of Zone, two three one, two three oc-
oasionaly varied BY wrong finger, dear At home
she practsed hour after hour and dreamed OF Europe
and a career Sometimes she did concert for friend
on newspaper then went back to teaching those wrong
little fingers with lighter heart. But she had had no
time to think OF except in an abstract, 1ricrdy
sort OF way and to be thrown at the head OF MI oha
H. Morton in this off-hand manner startled her
She knew absolutely nothing about the man. Aunt
Mary often said, John Morton likes this or, John
Morton once did that" but the words had no especial
meaning for her. She knew he was civil engineer
off down in Mexico somewhere, trying to put through
= canal in some absurd little place It would be a
marvellous achievement-if he did it, but OF his looks
and personality she had hint. She had been
twice to New York to visit Aunt Mary, and Aunt
Narv had been innumcrablc times 70 New Orleans 20
visit them but John Morton had appeared ON the
horizon.
But the awful, overwhelmingly immediate problem
was the claorous, insistent mob of newspaper men to
be disposed OF. Mrs. Floyd, patiently and swcctly,
refused to them. Eleanor SIMPLY couldn't Ilnay
she had an inspiration
She had heard Billy White Of the Lexicon tell OF the
way reporters sometimes ceverly managed TO see people
who didn't want to be Billy always the per-
son he was sent see-hc told her so hnsci-so she
would send for Billy and Yet him cope with his kind.
He wouldn't mix up professional conscience and friend
ship and she needed advice If he real good she
would let him print in his paper thoroughly dignlcd
interview with her. in which he could say Il am 60
ing to New York the request of my dear deceased
adopted aunt Good-by.'
At Bily's suggestion. and with Bily's help, she was
sncakng out of New Orleans like a criminal at night
She had so far eludcd reporters for Billy managed to
convey the impression to his rivals that Miss Floyd
had already gone to New York His paper was the
only one in town that didn't say So but somehow that
passed unnoticed No doubt he did tall lying and
although to Eleanor it was all for friendships sake,
she couldn't but believe that he beat for his
paper at the end Of his pencil
Fair exchange and all that, you know, Billy," she
said while they waiting for the train. I'm not
going to be ridiculous you may call this an intc-
view. But do make it dgnifcd. Don't say I've gon'
TO marry the man-you see, don't know whether
shall Those five millions are awfuly tempting
but oh. he's got to suit me, and starting in tC
get acquainted under such awful conditions I'm sorr,
can't give you his picture but I've never one ex
rept painting in Aunt Mary's drawing-room in New
York OF fat, very fat baby, with his chubby chee
On his chubby hand. There's OF me there ditto
and you how slinky am now, you can't risk
description Loci; after my mother, and when decid
The fate Of those millions III telegraph you
Thanks" said Billy. "Fd just like TO add bit @
advice If any asks you who you give wron
name, you'll get interviewed in spite OF yourself
any you, say you Eleanor's Floyd
best friend. Hope you get through all right. Goodby
She awokc the next morning and sat up in her bert