The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-01

mot on your life!" was the decided
response.
Neither Of my two clients asked /;
question as to the age or condition OF
the other. Miss Starkweather cared
nothing about it because a marriage
with her opponent was to be a mere
legal function. Jim did not care be
cause. having once been Tilted, he
would not marry any woman. How,
ever, besides my friendship for Jim
there was big fee for me.
Months passed, during which there
was no change in the situation excep,
that the property was going from bad
to worse. Miss Starkweather had
meanwhile transferred her affairs to
an honest lawyer who gave her q true
view Of the sitaation and refused to
keep mp his income on an expectation
Of securing a slice Of the property for
himself. He also confirmed what !
bad said about a settlement by mar.
rage. though he pointed out grave con.
sequences that might result from this
plan. Nevertheless he showed her how
1t would render available funds for
present use. and she determined to
adopt 1t provided the party Of the 9th.
er part would consent. I preached the
plan to Jim, who was also cramped for
funds. and assured him that, besides
releasing certain moneys. possibly It
might end In settlement of the suit.
He took the matter under considera.
ton and, when posted at his club for
dues and supplies that he could not
pay for. concluded to adopt the mar.
riage plan. tried to interest him in
the lady by sounding her praises, but
he wouldn't listen to me. "She may be
a Medusa for all care" he said.
was obliged by the contracting par
ties to draw up paper stating the con-
dftions Of the marriage, one Of which
was that when 1t became Of no use
financially to either party no opposi-
ton would be raised to an annulment
or divorce. This was to be signed
Just before the marriage ceremony.
The day before the wedding Miss
Starkweather's attorney came to my
ONCE to protest against what he called
my method Of settling the suit, aver
ring that not only was It unprofessionai.
but he believed It would result in a
worse tangle than ever. denied that
1t was my plan. but had been suggested
to me by Miss Starkweather. had
partly assented to It at first, hoping to
make IN amicable match, but since
this plan had failed I declined to an.
prove the plan. Jernegan had assented
to It on account of'an immediate pres
sure for funds.
The lawyer begged me to 90 to his
client with him and dissuade him from
making q marriage that was contracted
In enmlty. l consented to do 80, and
when we met her I confirmed what he
said about the probable evil effects of
such marriage.
Il relieve you gentlemen" she said,
"of all responsibility in this affair, and
! beg that you viii give yourselves no
concern about It whatever. My mind
Is made up. Good morning."
That ended the matter so far as we
lawyers were concerned. But I took
the precaution to tell Jim that the wo-
man had relieved me of all RESPONSE
bility in the matter and asked him to
do the same. He said that something
must be done to procure funds, for he
was on the border of disgrace. No
matter what resulted from the mar
riage he would not blame me.
The marriage-it could scarcely be
called a wedding-was appointed for
II o'clock in the morning. went
with Jim to the house. He didn't
wear different clothes from his usual
daily apparel On the way he seemed
rather melancholy. fancied that he
was thinking of the girl who had Tilted
him. When we reached the house we
were shown into the drawing room. In
a few minutes a clergyman entered.
It seemed more to me as If we were to
take part in funeral instead Of a
wedding. We three sat without speak
ing till rear door was thrown open,
and the bride. in ordinary apparel, at
tended by an elderly lady, entered.
She was evidently much excited and
kept her eyes on the floor.
The parson and I rose. but Jim sat
still. Turning to look at him, I saw on
his face an expression Of establishment
and wonder mixed. He seemed glued
to his chair. Then. suddenly starting
up, he made several strides to the bride
and stopped before her. She raised her
eyes to his. but there was no surprise
In them.
Mildred" he cried passionately,
what means this7 Why did you
~ didn't"
ibid you consent to this legal union
Knowing me to be the groomT'
There was no reply to this. Again
she dropped her eyes to the door. Jim
looked at her steadily for time with !
out speaking, then, turning to the |
motioned him to proceed
with the ceremony.
Ali these months I had been working
mp the climax Of a romance without |
knowing It Had Jim permitted nae
to tell him anything about his legal
opposer It would have come out that !
aho waa Tho Oarl vuho ho nonnadnro<1 /