The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-19


celebrated again, at st. Georges and
the chauffeur would be taken into the
Minton business. But II absence
changed Elizabeth Minton's love, then
an annulment was to be secured with
out resistance.
"'You can wait six months, dear
est?" sobbed the girl in Jones arms.
The parents looked on grimly. 1t
was the mothers tragedy, but, to the
father, one more such game as he had
often played with his fellow-men.
Long before the six months had
elapsed the suit was begun. Miss
Elizabeth had known nothing of the
world when she came home from
school and fell victim to Jones. Now
began for her series of parties and
dances, at all Of which she was pre-
sented, according to the agreement,
under her maiden name. The cold
worldliness of her social set at first
appalled,. then amused, then fascinated
her She shuddered at the recollec-
ton of that four-room fiat
1T was just at the end Of the sixth
month that Jones received the news
of the annulment. He went to Min
tons office on Wall street The chauf-
feur pushed past the Office boys and
junior clerks straight into the old
mans room. Minton flung out his arm
for his revolver, but Jones only
laughed
It's all right; you win-now, he
said. But let me tell you that | will
win her again; will go through hell
fire to win her
This was Minton's turn to laugh.
He had heard that sort of language
before In the meantime he said,
suppose you let me give you that
check for million
81 shall accept 1t to buy my wife
necklace when we are married
again, said the chauffeur. and then
both laughed.
The check was cashed AS he put
1t away among his papers when 1t
came back from the bank, James Min
ton sighed with relief He knew the
episode was closed. His daughter
bore her maiden name once more by
right of law. From that day forward
the old people devoted their efforts
to making her more worldly than be-
fore. They took her to Europe and
made the grand tour of the different
countries She was wooed by numer-
GUS admirers, but the requisite comb
nation Of family and position had not
yet occurred. So the years passed
Elizabeth Minton was seven and
twenty. She had been paraded in ev-
cry capital Of Europe Intellectually
The young men whom she attracted
became repealed by her heartlessness,
the cool commercial valuation placed
upon her by her parents. There did
not seem to be spark OF ingenious
ness left in those artificial embers OF
vivacity and studied coquetry.
"'But thank God, no woman but re-
tains, somewhere, the original sweet
ness of her nature, however 1t may be
suppressed Seven and twenty Is
dangerous age for an unmarried WON.
an. The triumphs of life have palled,
the charm Of youth. with its surprises,
has been replaced by the bored wear
mess of the world which every wom-
an longs to shake off by some desper-
ate plunge. At that time the girl was
In much the same condition OF mind
as when she made that amazingly rash
marriage in New York.
1T was then that she met Wedge.
water. It was at big English coun'
tryhouse. The mother had died, but
the girl was still paraded by people
who had taken her up-for cash con-
sideration--in England. Wedgewater
had returned to his native land after
years Of absence abroad. He had been
a younger son, without expectations.
and something Of a black sheep. But
he had made fortune In the Canadi-
An northwest, and, on bis brothers
death, had returned to assume his In
heritance.
They were standing outside In the
GOODNESS OF one of those delicious
nights that June only can give. Their
speech had grown more intimate. The
girl felt sudden loathng for the role
which she played. A resolution. OF
slow growth, suddenly became white
| hot in her mind. She knew that she
could never again lend herself to that
hateful title-hunting which she had
SO fruitlessly engaged in all those
years. There was something about
the young man who stood beside her
that brought wildly to her mind the
memory Of those foolish, delicious
days in New York. He had been
speaking to her of his own life; they
had touched upon many youthful fol-
lies that are common to men and
women; both seemed disguised with
the world in which they moved.
81 am going back to Canada, he
said to her. have had enough OF
this life He bent toward her. Come
with me- he pleaded.
HE was very like her first and only
lover. The tears rushed into her eyes.
Before she realized it she was telling
him the story of that folly, pouring
out her heart to him as she had never