Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-07-10

distinct concession on his part. and
cause for pride on hers.
Here was the proper combination
The girl gave promise of all her moth
er's Latin beauty-and it was fair tx
assume she inherited some of the good
blood of the father.
A bargain was quickly struck, and
for a comparatively small sum-but
one which exceeded the mothers wild.
est dream of avarice-little Anita be,
came the ward of Beattie. At once
he removed her from the asylum and
placed her in most competent hands.
The finest schools, the most exclusive
surroundings, the most expensive
clothes-money without stint, music.
art. travel, literature, bright compan.
ions, all were hers.
And ever was instilled into her ear
that, she was growing up to be the
bride of the great and rich Mr.. Will
liam Beattie. He made no mistake.
He saw her but seldom, and always
at his best. He lavished nice things
upon her. He surrounded her with
clever people, who sung his praises
and filled her with wonder hat so rare
a web of fate should have been spun
by the gods for any girl.
Finally after school days were over
and the trip abroad had been made.
she was brought to him like a ripe
peach for the eating. And never had
he seen so tempting a sight. His cup
of happiness was overlooking. He was
now forty, sturdy, rugged and in the
very prime of his physical and men
tai manhood.
He had been very careful that Anita
had met no other men. That had been
the one relentless and uncompromis-
ing rule of her educational days. Now
he proposed to clinch matters before
any untoward incident could occur.
He had his little talk with her. and
she acquiesced to his program with a
slight blush on her perfect olive cheek.
but with no strong tumult in her
breast. She had known all about il
for years. She was not at all opposed
to the program. In fact, she liked
it immensely. But there was no pas.
sion in the equation-on her part.
First and foremost there was to
be a great betrothal reception. at
which Anita was to be presented to
society as the future. Mrs. William
Beattie. The wedding was to follow
almost immediately. Beattie proposed
to take nc chances.
But fate has strange and %unaccount-
able freaks. There drifted into that
betrothal reception one Richard LON
bard, a young mining engineer, only
two years out of college, and those
two years spent in hard work in Mex
leo. A great, towering, splendid fell
low was Lombard, with the birth and
breeding of a gentleman, and a mag
netic presence-possessed of tina,
something which attracts women ev-
erywhere. His two years of outdoor
life had bronzed his skin and given
him that touch of magnificent mascu
Unity which nothing but the hand-to
hand conflict with nature car give.
The moment his blue eyes met the
UldCh OTDS III AulLd JILL huSW tud'
something was happening within
them. There was opportunity for bui
few words, but the eyes spoke the
only language worth listening to, an6
when late in the evening Lombard
came and offered his arm "for a breath
Of fresh air on tie veranda," she tool
it as a matter of curse, her heart
humping so hard a. tc make bel
afraid it would be heard.
What happened on the veranda, OF
on tie moon-lit lawn, nobody knows
Only this is known: On the following
morning William Beattie found a note
on his breakfast table. 1t read.
"Mr. Beattie: | thank you for al
your kindness and your devotion, but
l have a life to live as well as you
When you receive this will be the
wife of Richard Lombard and sol
miles away. would rather be his
wife for one day and live in a ten
with him, than to be mistress of you
mansion and your millions for a hun
dred years. Girls may be won, bui
not bought. Forgive and forget me
Anita"
copyright, 1914. by NAily story Pub. Co.
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