The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1912-11-13
A
FORTUNE HUNTER
And His Entry Upon the Ameri.
can Field
BY EVELYN BLOCKE

1 BY EVELYN BL0CKR (
tt&&& k k 4 K 4 K
Lord Barnickel had come to America
for a rich wife Most of the scions OF
nobility make no pretense OF love for
the woman they marry, though 1t goes
without saying that they are enamored
Of her fortune 1t is understood that a
duke or an earl who marries an Ameri-
can heiress matches his title and the
social advantages that go with 1t
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 wife's prestige with the sovereign.
Barnickel. being simply younger son
of a duke and with no fortune, was
not entitled to the privileges accruing
to the duke, his eldest brother. He
therefore considered it incumbent upon
him to win and WOO the woman Me
should marry. He was good looking, a
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 Brandonbane castle by
the king. This was all very we'll so far
as it went, but it was not dukedom
or even an earldom. Barnickel was in
tent upon marrying woman with a
fortune in her own right, and most
wealthy American girls are rich in
prospect only, and their fathers. hav-
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
lean 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
money to spend at once, so he laid
siege to the last named lady, Miss Mar
jorie Sanderson.
VI ic q a r
ing a lover it 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
tears in his eyes that were she a beg
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 for
Mr.. Clarence Whittemore. 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 life in
terest in 100000 would have gone to
him and would now have been in the
possession of my cousin, Mabel Stuart.
Indeed, consider Mabel entitled to
the property the same as If her father
had lived to inherit it. My conscience
has been troubling me ever since
came into possession of it. l have
been fighting the devil and have con-
quered him. l wish you to draw up
papers for my signature turning over
to her all this property except life
interest In 100000"
Clarence Whittemore looked at his
client in establishment. He had heard
of the attentions Of Lord Barnickel,
and when Miss Sanderson appeared in
his office had surmised that she visited
him to instruct him to draw up mar
rage settlement. They had been
friends from childhood. and White
more would have gladly welcomed
change from friendship to love had he
not considered that her fortune stood
between them. Having the care of
her estate. he knew its value and be-
lieved that should he make love to her
his motives would be impugned.
| marjorie" he said. "are you crazy?"
! "No; am simply obedient to con-
science. But I don't wish to discuss
this matter with you, Clarence, or with
any one else. I wish you to consider
yourself simply my attc'1ey and do as
I say. When will you have the papers
ready for me to sign?'
i Twill tomorrow do?''
"Yes.'
"Well, make it tomorrow. Better call
here. We have everything here we
need"
| A few days later, when Lord Bar
nickel called for final answer to his
proposition of marriage that had been
promised him, Miss Sanderson shid to
him:
| Before accepting your proposal
Lord Barnickel, desire to communi-
cate to you a matter Of importance"
And she told him what she had done
and that she had done it as a matter
Of justice.
Now, the willy Englishman was not
to be deceived by so palpable an at
tempt to test whether his offer came
from her or from love of her fortune
He swore that he was delighted that he
had an opportunity to prove to her
that he loved her for herself alone.
I Every WE'LL" she said. eff in month,
when you have had an opportunity to
learn that have told you the truth.
yoR choose to renew your proposal it
will be accepted. You have met my
cousin, l believe. l shall consider it
perfectly proper for you to learn from
her or my attorney, Clarence White
more, or any one else that this is not
In attempt to deceive you. Au revoir.
Come to see me, If you like, a month
from today"
81 will come, as sure as I am alive
Ind that the sun shines in the heav-
ems"
Lord Barnickel departed, feeling sure
that he had won the prize. But there