Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-24

There was a ring at the telephone
bell at the University club, and waiter
answered the summons.
rs Mr.. Kennard in the club?"
"ru see, sir. Hold the WIRE
A messenger was sent scurrying
through the apartments and found
Kennard engaged in game of poker
in one of the private rooms.
You're wanted at the telephone, sir"
Kennard went TO the telephone booth
and asked who had called him.
Il am Mr.. Gaffney of Gaffney, Cal
derwood & Funk, attorneys. We have
a telegram from correspondents in San
Francisco announcing the death of
Norman L Kennard"-
MY uncler'
"He has bequeathed his fortune to
you, but there is q condition involving
a limit of time which induced our cor
respondent to use the telegraph instead
of the mail l would recommend you
TO call at our Office at once since what
we have TO communicate is not exactly
telephone"
Call a cab said Mr. Kennard and
in ten minutes he was in Mr.. Gaffney's
private office, where the telegram that
announced his uncle's death was shown
him. 1t contained brief clause of the
will that, since the testator wished that
his fortune should be kept together
and desired his stepdaughter, Agatha
1 Burch, to share in it, the Inheritance
was conditional on Kennard marry
! ing Miss Burch. The limit of time was
! short, being but six weeks, and Miss
| Burch, who was a great traveller, was
! abroad.
Mr.. Kennarfi 'got busy" at once. A
steamer would sail in six hours, and he
! spent most of this time telegraphing
to learn the whereabouts of Miss
/ Burch. Unfortunately no one knew
just where to locate her. Her perma-
nent address was Paris. from whence
her mail was forwarded to her. Ken
nard determined to make straight for
that city, where he would learn the
last order given for the forwarding of
mail
During the voyage his mind was
continually on the matter before him.
He had never seen Miss Burch, but
had heard that she had been something
of a belle in San Francisco society. was
pretty and of an independent and a
fearless disposition. She had been
abroad several times and each time
had penetrated farther into barbarous
countries. Indeed, it was surmised
that her stepfather, who was opposed
to her ramblings, had refrained from
bequeathing her any part of his for
tune outright since it would leave her
free to continue them rather than set
Ting down in permanent home. She
had been his sole reliance in a domes-
tic way, and he had been bitterly op-
posed to this trip she had taken. She
was very fond of her stepfather, but
so great was her passion for visiting
out of the way lands that she had
promised him if he would consent to
this one trip she would never go on
another. When she left he was per
fectly well. but soon after sickened and
died. with no one to smooth his pillow
!
will was the result of this lamentable
situation.
When Kennard reached Paris he be
took himself to the branch Office of a
banking house in the Place Vendome
where he learned that the last place
designated for forwarding Miss Burch S
mail was Vienna. At the time war
} had just been declared between the
Balkan states and the Turks.
For heavens saker exclaimed Ken
} nard. II hope her mania for seeing
things won't lead her to visit the the
J alter Of war. If have to hunt for her
there It VIII be like looking for a nee
die in a haystack."
Taking the first train for Vienna he
[ had the bad luck TO meet with an &C
cident and was delayed twelve hours
On reaching Vienna he learned that
Miss BUrch had left four hours before
his arrival. Orders had been left al
the office of her hotel to forward mai
TO Belgrade, the capital of Servia There
was no train for that point till even
ing. and he was obliged to lounge about
; Vienna nearly all day. When the houl
for departure came he was told thai
? owing TO the unsettled conditions and
the mobilization of troops there was M
prospect of getting through on SEIZED
uled time. This added to his discom
;, future. and each day each hour. thu
fear grew upon him that he might no
catch the lady in time.
Rennard was delayed two days il
I Budapest owing to the railway equip
2 ment being used in the movement o
troops and did not reach Belgrade I'm
:, til the end of the third day after leav
D ing Vienna. On reaching his destina
ton he drove hurriedly to the address
Miss Burch had left at her hotel ant
learned that she had taken a train 70
:. Bucharest. in Roumania
Great Scott" calculated the pursu
!. ing man. shes getting nearer an
q nearer to tho lighting. Suppose sh
should be killed. | wonder If the VII
makes any provision in case of he
death before can marry her"
= Before leaving America he had ask
e ed the attorney to write out such In
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