Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-30
The Argus Daily Story
A Fortune Hunter-By Evelyn Blocke.
Copyrighted. 1919 by Associated Literary Bureau

for rich wife. Most of the scions of
nobility make no pretense Of love for
the woman they marry. though it goes
without aging that they are enamored
of her fortune. 1t is understood that
duke or an earl who marries an Ameri-
can helreSS matches his title and the
social advantages that so with it
against her estate. and the marriage is
a purely business transaction. The
wife is expected to put up with the at
tentions of her husband to other wo-
men and his neglect of her. In the
highest circles. where the husband In
PRODUCES his wife to royalty, divorce is
not admitted without loss of stand
ing, but the husband may be known
for libertine and still maintain his and
his wifes prestige with the sovereign.
Barnickel. being simply younger son
of a duke and with no fortune, was
not entitled to the privileges accruins
to the duke, his eldest brother. He
| therefore considered it incumbent upon
him to win and WOO the woman he
should marry. He was good looking,
| captain In the Coldstream guards and
/ a favorite in British aristocratic soci-
| ETY.. His elder brother. who had re-
Gently come into the family title, had
been honored by an acceptance of an
invitation to BrandonbHne castle by
the king. This was all very well so far
| as 1t went, but it was not a dukedom
or even an earldom. Barnickel was in
tent upon marrying a woman with
fortune in her own right, and most
wealthy American girls are rich III
prospect only, and their fathers, hay
ing made their fortunes by hard
knocks, have a repugnance to settle
ments.
After looking the field over Barnickel
reduced the girls he would try to win
to two. The parent OF one was worth
anywhere from twenty to fifty million
dollars; but. being hard headed Amer
ican business man, he would not be
likely to make a liberal settlement.
The other was an orphan, worth in her
own right some seven or eight hundred
thousand dollars. His lordship wished
siege to the last named lady, Miss Mar
jorie Sanderson.
When man is an adept at personal
ing a lover 1t must be difficult for the
girl he courts to discover whether he
is really In love or shamming.
Barnickel, who would have made his
fortune on the stage acting lovers
parts. concentrated all his powers on
Miss Sanderson. He told her with
| n; fhnf oh no
gar his life would be blank without
her and that to work for her would
be for him the acme of happiness.
One day Miss Sanderson sent fol
Mr.. Clarence Whittemore. a young at
torney who had the care of her prop
erty. and said to him:
Clarence. you are aware that the
fortune left me by my mother. had
: her elder brother lived, would have
: been much smaller. All but a life In
t terest In 100000 would have gone tC
, him and would now have been In the
possession of my cousin, Mabel Stuart
Indeed, | consider Mabel entitled Il
the property the same as If her father
2 had lived to inherit 1t. My conscience
has been troubling me ever since
D came into possession of 1t. | have
been fighting the devil and have con
3 quered him. l wish you to draw NJ
papers for my signature turning ovel
l. to her all this property except a life
interest in 100000"
Clarence Whittemore looked at hi
client in establishment. He had heard
of the attentions OF Lord Barnickel
and when Miss Sanderson appeared II
his Office had surmised that she visited
him to instruct him to draw up a mar
rage settlement. They had beef
friends from childhood and White
more would have gladly welcomed ,
change from friendship to love had III
between them. Having the care o.
her estate. he knew its value and be
lieved that should he make love to he
his motives would be impugned.
Marjorie" he said. ''are you crazy p
"No; l am simply obedient to con
science. But | don't wish to discus,
this matter with you, Clarence. or Will
any one else. wish you to conside
yourself simply my attorney and do a
say. When will you have the paper
ready for me to signT"
"Will tomorrow dO?"
yes"
well. make it tomorrow. Better cal
here. We have everything here W.
" need"
A few days later. when Lord Bar
nickel called for final answer TO hi
proposition of marriage that had bee
:, promised him. Miss Sanderson said t
him:
Before accepting your propose
Lord Barnickel. desire to communi
cate to you matter Of Importance.
And she told him what she had don
and that she had done it as a matte
of justice.
4, Now, the willy Englishman was no
to be deceived by SO paIpable an al
tempt to test whether his offer cam
from her or from love Of her fortune
=. He swore that he was delighted that b
had an opportunity to prove to he
that he loved her for herself alone.
Very we'll" she said. IF IN a month
when you have had an opportunity t
learn that J have told you the truth
m you choose to renew your proposal
will be accented You have met m