The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-23
Legal
MatrirnOny
1t Was Found Essential
to a Fortune.
By F. A. mitchell


Edgar. If within one month you are
not welded to Helen, will destroy the
will leaving all to you. On your wed
ding day will destroy the one leaving
the estate to Edgar, making you sole
beneficiary"
Thus spoke Martin Travers to his
son, Walter. The elder Travers was a
man of strong will, and his son had
inherited it from him. The fortune
had been accumulated by the father
and his partner, William Gray, largely
by Travers' logged perseverance.
Gray was milder man, and Travers
in time came to regard him as super
| numerary to the business. Travers
had then forced him out. Gray had
| died in poverty, and Travers' con-
science smote him He proposed now
to make what restoration he could-in
his own way-by uniting the property
, Travers, and Gray's daughter and
only child, Helen.
How do you know that the girl will
have me?' asked Walter
Il don't, but | have little doubt the
match can be arranged. She will not
be likely to throw a half interest in
100000 over her shoulder, especially
since she is obliged to earn her own
living"
Every well, father l will think the
matter over and let you know my de-
cision."
Mr.. Travers had another reason for
his action in this matter. He knew
that his son was in dangerous posi-
ton. Walter had fallen under the in
fuence of a woman ten years older
than himself his inferior socially, in
tellectually-indeed, In every way. I'm
known to the son, the father had tried
to buy her of, but was not willing to
pay her price, she believing that she
could get the boy and the fortune as
well, for she held him enthralled.
Walter was Of that dangerous age
when a man is liable to become infat-
uated with any woman, good or bad
Nevertheless there were in him the
germs of good sense. Instead Of going
to the woman who had fascinated him
to pour their mutual trouble In her cal
and ask her advice, he concluded tC
60 to Helen Gray, tell her the whole
story and make her proposition he
had in mind.
It was not a very pleasant statement
to make, but Travers had prepared
himself for it and got on better thar
might have been expected. He lin
gered longer than necessary on the pre-
liminary statement in order to get VI
his courage for the main announce
ment.
| Miss Gray listened to him attentive
: ly and without any especial expression
. of word or countenance until he toll
her Of his love for another woman
Then a look of disappointment cam
over her face.
And now" he said, having prepared
! the way for his proposition, 81 sug
gest that we be legally and only legal.
married. I mean to accede to m,
fathers stipulation. BY such a mar
rage we will obtain fortune, whicl
we must forego without it."
There was a long silence between
the two, which was at last broken b.
Miss Gray.
81 honor you, Mr.. Travers," sh
said, "for your frankness, and you ar
acting with common honesty In nc
LAYING a plan to obtain fortune III
der false pretenses. / will take wha
YOU have said under consideration.
have the advantage of you in this
am fancy free"
In due time Miss Gray wrote MI
Travers that she had decided to az
cept his proposition. "a statement Q
nv reasons for doing So" she wrote
would be very hard to make. Bt
sides, they have not been called fol
Under the circumstances what 70
propose is the only alternative bot
for you and for me between forum
: and poverty"
, Upon receipt of this note Walter II
formed his father that he had PR
posed to Miss Gray and had been az
Z cepted. Mr. Travers asked if the ma
I rage would be bona fide, and waite
l Informed him that it would be lega
Travers after some thought said tina
If the parties would agree not to nav
the marriage annulled or get a divorc
within five years he would be sati'
fed. Walter assented, stating that
4, was not his intention to get either
annullment or a divorce at any TIM
But he confessed that he reserved tn
right to love any woman other tina
his wife. There was a suspicion OF
smile on his fathers face as he al
sented to this provision.
II Walter Travers and Helen Gray wer
married without his saying anythin
70 his inamorata about his comm
marriage. The wedding took plac
privately of an afternoon, and tn
bride and groom went to live In
house provided by Mr.. Travers, 81
with a comfortable income beside
The two dined together In a friendl
way in their new home, and ate
II yroItar rranf out He was q