The Springfield herald., 1912-10-25


tinseled kingdom. Like every woman
Of her class. arrived at certain sta
tion. she determined to secure at any
Ing In the world OF respectability
above her. The coming OF this rich
western licentiate was direct answer
to Satanic invocations.
After this fatal meeting. the Ameri-
can Travelled through the south of Eu-
rope like the Fifteenth Louis. the divi-
dends of the second greatest business
in the world skipping through the Gig
arette-stained fingers OF a Viennese
danseuse playing desperately for an
established marital relation.
The end was not far to seek. Re-
called to America by his business as
sociates, Charles Porter repaired to
New Haven. established there co4-
structive residence, alleged the deser-
ton of his first wife and secured
divorce by an order of publication I'M
mediately upon the entering OF the de-
later. returning to New York, took
country house on Long Island
During all of this time his former
wife had remained quietly with her
father in New York city. Unfortu-
nately, she could not accompany Por-
ter on his disastrous European tour
because Of the birth OF the little boy.
For time she was absolutely loyal to
the dissolute husband, In the face of
convincing private advices and the
lurid public reports brought glaring-
ly to her attention. Even the mans
divorce and subsequent marriage In
duced no word of comment or censure
from the lips OF this remarkable
woman.
The spoke in the wheel OF fortune to
which Suzanne Kinsky had so desper-
ately clung. having carried her unbe
lievably to the first realization of her
hopes, went on swiftly upward The
physical machinery of Charles Porter,
unused to dissipation and driven at a
pace thus killing. went suddenly to
pieces. Two months after his second
marriage, his brain softened like a
dish of porridge. He got up one after
noon from his desk in his office, drag
Ing his feet, his mouth drooling, his
speech simian jabber. The danseuse
acted with the most daring resolution.
She isolated him instantly in his coun-
try house on Long Island, gave out
that he would conduct his AFFAIRS from
his residence and caused all his pri-
vate papers, including the tin boxes in
which his very securities were packed,
to be removed to 1t. His deposits in
banks were, likewise, Immediately
drawn out. His yacht, motor-cars and
racing stables were sold hurriedly at
auction. Suzanne Kinsky thereby got
at least one-seventh OF the mans es-
tate safely into her hands while he
was yet alive. The great bulk OF his
fortune she could not lay hands on;
tit was in iron and steel stocks, de.
posted with q trust company under an
order permitting their withdrawal only
upon the written direction OF syndi-
cate committee of which Charles Por-
ter was a member, and encountered
by further agreement requiring them
to be first offered to the members of
the syndicate before being exhibited
otherwise for sale. This estate was
valued at. perhaps, seven millions OF
dollars.
The far-sighted, practical second
wife was not greatly alarmed over the
status of these seven millions. Every
other scrap of the estate was in her
possession-cash and negotiable as
sets aggregating. perhaps, a million
dollars. One-half of these remaining
six millions the law would give her at
the husbands death. Porter had made
no will and he was now forever in
capable Of executing one. These iron
CT cfo he
erty, and one-half would go to the
wife should the husband die, as he
was doing, without issue by the sec
ond marriage, the child of the first
marriage having been provided for in
the decree of divorce by meager an
nuity in lieu Of future property rights.
Then, when every detail was snugly
arranged, she carried Charles Porter
to the medical experts. They pro-
nounced him utterly tncurable, with
perhaps six months to live.
The danseuse now saw the last gate
barring her widest fancies swing in
ward on its hinges-a great chateau
in the Bavarian mountains, palace
in Vienna, glittering court fitting
through continental capitals like a
fairy pageant, all rising from that six
feet of earth into which this slobber-
Ing creature. who had eaten Of Circe's
aowers. was presently to be hidden.
Then, on the instant, as under Gods
finger, that spoke in the wheel OF for
tune. arriving at the summit, snapped
Suzanne Kinsky. looking over a New
York paper at dinner one evening,
read that the Supreme Court of the
United States had on that day pro-
nounced an opinion declaring invalid
divorces granted upon an order OF
publication.
In another quarter events now be-
gan to move. The catastrophe be-
falling Charles Porter startled the first
wife into activity. She had not cared
particularly for herself. and she had all
along believed that finally Porter
would secure the bulk of his estate
to his son. Now. stricken into senil-
ity, he could not The scarlet woman
must be met with fire. There is no
courage, no endurance, no tenacity
comparable to that of the Just, rising,
at last, to action. This deserted wo-
man went at once to an attorney and
laid the matter before him He
brought forth the decision of the Su-