Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-05

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| vice on the ground that there was No
one to take bis place in the business
but Grace Bingham told him that h.
was making mistake common among
managing persons and there were
doubtless men under him who. II given
an opportunity, would soon step into
| bis shoes.
This is not universally true, but IL
proved true in this case One of TIE
heads Of departments was advanced 10
I the management. and Evan Swift sad
goodby to the business and his LADY
! love and started for the other side Of
| the globe. / put the business before
the 1adylove in this case, for II Il
quite possible that II Mr.. Swift were
called upon to give up one or the other
| be would retain the business. As
practical man be would know that hs
would not be likely to get another
business. but girls are plenty.
The situation in this quadrangular
affair at this time was an old man at
home sinking into his grave, a young
man whose practical nature had led
him to break down his health by over
work, seeking to restore it in sunny
Italy: another young man whose i'm
practical nature was keeping him in
the open afr digging for old bones,
thereby rendering him perfect in
health, and a girl-a cross between the
ideal and the practical-who was wait
ing for fate to produce what was in
store for her.
The first step fate took in the mat
ter was to kill off the old man. Mr..
Kenwood's death resulted in the dis
covery that he had left all his prop
erty to Evan Swift. A cablegram In
formed the latter of his uncle's be-
quest, but fate, which delights In
complications, entanglements and the
thwarting of intentions, had sent the
newly made possessor Of fortune Of
to Egypt, and, being some distance up
the river Nile, he did not receive the
announcement till a week after it was
sent. 1t reached him on his return to
Cairo, when his efforts to keep himself
alive were proving useless He died
at Cairo only a few days after his re-
turn there.
An announcement of his fathers
death was also sent to Barton Ken
wood, who was in Trieste, having Just
returned with a dozen boxes Of bones
and other worthless articles gathered
from a big hole in the ground in Asia
Minor. The cablegram said nothing
about his fathers will, but as he was
about to take his collection of exhumed
articles to a museum in America he
proceeded Immediately homeward- He
arrived at his destination at the same
time that intelligence arrived OF the
death of his cousin in Egypt
Barton found himself in a peculiar
position. He learned at once that his
father had left all his property to Evan
Swift; but, Evan Swift having died
without issue, Barton as heir at law
would possess the property. He also
knew that Grace Bingham was engag-
ed to Swift, and had she been married
to him she would have inherited the
Kenwood fortune. In other words, the
quick succession of events after his
uncle's death had transferred the prop
erty from Grace to Barton.
Kenwood, who had given up the
profits accruing to large business
and had expected that his father
would ignore him in his will, found no
difficulty in making up his mind to re-
linQuish his fortune to the girl whom
fate had deprived of 1t. He called on
his old chum, and he thought she re-
ceived him with a repressed fervor.
1t occurred to him that perhaps since
be had the fortune she had expected
her betrothed would have she might
bring herself to take him instead OF
the man she had lost
Grace" he said. my father did not
Intend to leave me his property. 1t
was Evans by right, and had Evan
lived little longer it would have been
yours. ] shall assign it to you"
Grace took a good deal Of time in
which to frame her reply. Indeed, it
seemed hard to make it. Finally sh'
Kenwood by speaking as
'ollows:
Barton, IL am not disagreeable to
7ou. you may keep your fortune and
10 what you think right by me st the
anne time"
'What do you mean?" asked Barton
pening his eyes
"a marriage between US would right
H."
Barton's eyes were fixed on her IN
emily for some moments. Then ne
ook her in his arms.
ats all right" he said. "but how
ould you do it,"
For reply she went to desk. took
p document lying on it and handed
to him, saying:
II received this last evening"
He unfolded and read ii. 1t was a
ill executed at Cairo three days be
,re Evan Swift's death, leaving her
Is sole heir.
Had Grace proceeded in the manner
sual In such cases the affair might
ave had a different result. She real
ed that IL 1t were known to Barton
ne and not he possessed the fortune
E would not have proposed TO her.
Tune 3 10 American