The Press., 1915-10-27
"
 Her Leap Year Privilege How a Fortune Was Lost.
By CLARISSA MACKIE
bak9b949s.es8'sa,s *.*s,+ss

[ By CLARISSA MACKIE I @~%%%**#@@##&ae#a,a a, s. s,ss 2
 "Tum-te-tum, tum-te-tum!'
 Angela Winton watched the little fin gers wander uncertainty up and down the piano keys.
 When the pupil had gone Angela closed the piano with sigh of relief. Twenty years of teaching music had worn her nerves to a fine edge.
 "1 wonder if 1t will always be the sameT she thought as she went to open her letter box. There was a let ter.
 A little color flashed into her pale cheeks as she read the name in one corner of the business envelope:
 JOHN T. CATEsBY '~
 Attorney and Counselor at Law
 John Catesby was an old friend of Angela's, and she tore open the letter with a feeling of impatience at her swift conclusion that Johns unexpect- ed letter was in direct response to her
 
 likely it had to do with the bridge club to which they both belonged. The letter read:
 Dear Miss Winton-Please call at my office immediately, as wish to consult with you concerning an important matter of business. Faithfully yours.
 JOHN T. CATEsBY.
 Dear me! I wonder what he wants to see me about? I may as well dress and go downtown now," she thought as she folded the letter. .-
 An hour later Angela presented her self at Catesby's office. She was a small, timid looking woman with soft brown eyes and a wealth of glistening brown hair. Twenty years of battling with the world had made Angela bold of heart and unafraid, but the appeal ing look remained in her eyes. .-;-
 An office boy took her into John Catesby's private office, and Catesby grasped her little gloved fingers in his large hand and forgot to release them for a moment. :... -. =
 You wished to see me?" asked An gela, and, thus reminded, he drew for ward a chair beside his own.
 Listen to this" he said in an odd tone, picking up an open letter: .
 Sydney Australia, Jan IS. 1915.
 Dear Sir-Kindly inform my niece and only relative. Miss Angela Winton, that 1t Is my intention to bequeath my entire fortune of q, ,00O 900 to her, provided she Is married at the time of my death. She Is the only old maid in the Winton family,
 -I srf-% h. announcement of my death Is made she will merely receive a small annuity, while the remainder of my estate goes to char ity. AS am suffering from an incurable disease 1t behooves my niece to hasten to the altar. r-.
 JOSEPH HENRY wINTON.
 "How utterly absurd!' cried Angela as rosy blushes invaded her smooth cheeks. "The very idea! He might as we'll cut me off with an annuity and be done with itv' s.~ .'s>-
 Another letter had been received by Catesby on the same subject. :: The law yer had been a protege of Winton, who had sent him to school, to college and had paid his way while he studied his profession. Winton never married, and, as stated in his letter, Angela was his only relative. He was very fond. of her and had noticed what Angela had not even suspected-that his protege the two would make a match. In this event they would inherit his fortune together, and John would make cap ital manager of the estate.
 Finding that death was not far dis tant, he had written the two letters, the one intending to influence his niece, the other to advise Catesby of his de- sire to leave them his property jointly. In the one for Johns private reading he had told him that 1t was his inten- tion to place his niece in a position which would place Catesby in a posi- ton to marry her.
 Excuse me just a moment" said Catesby, rising. II am called away on matter of business" .-:.. z,. :.
 He went into the outside office. where client was waiting for few words of advice, and Angela was left alone with her startled thoughts.
 How glorious to be the owner of a great fortune! What bliss to travel, to have beautiful clothes, to help the needy!
 How sordid 1t was to consider that she must marry and lose her freedom, but who on earth would marry her? Common sense told her that many un- scrupulous men would embrace the op- portunity to become the husband of an heiress.
 From an adjoining office came the lowered voices of two stenographers. ! 'I saw the letterv' insisted one i'm patiently. 'It said she must marry before he died or she would lose the money! The ideav'
 "As if such an old maid could find a husband quick as a winkw giggled the other. Did you ever see such little brown mouse of a womanY'
 "I wonder if she knows it's leap year and she has the privilege of ask ing some man to marry ner! It's ner only chance to get the million. believe mev a... *s5 t<T1 When Catesby returned to his desk he found Angela drawing down her veil. Through the filmy meshes her cheeks were pink and her eyes flashed All Angela's fighting in stincts were aroused. She must have that million at the price of her pride, at any price! For the time avnrice possessed her soul. And now, Miss Winton,' smiled Catesby ruefully, 'let us plan how we can agree to your uncle's eccentric Of course you do not want to lose a fortune"