The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-09
A Fortune Lost
By EDWARD T. STEWART

have an understanding with you before
l 60. We hear great deal about the
advantage Of young man sowing his
wild oats before marriage. There's no
art in sowing wild oats at all. and
wish you TO marry young. So impor-
tant do l consider this that / have put
a proviso In my will that, In order to in
herit, you must be married before you
are twenty-five years old. On that day
IL you are married my estate will be
turned over to you"
Yes, uncle" was all l said. but 1t
was not all / felt. / was then twenty
two, which was old enough to under
stand the peculiar position might be
placed I'm by my uncle's wa. How
ever. there was still at least three
years In which to find a partner, so
did not worry.
Ny uncle lived two years after what
he had said to me. 1t was not known
that I was to be his heir, l alone pos
sessing the secret of the condition.
Naturally II | married l desired that
my bride should take me for myself
alone This may have been a romantic
view to take OF the matter, but in those
days / was given to romance. Since
then have taken on more practical
views of marriage. Indeed, the day
was welded learned this lesson.
l was within six months OF twenty.
Ave when met Jennie Tisdale. She
was very feminine, very pretty. and
said to myself had found the girl
with whom l may enjoy my uncie's
fortune. A number of young men were
ready to marry her; but SO far as /
knew, she had not yet settled on any of
them. | began to show her marked at
tention, and she appeared pleased with
it. She didn't cast Off others who were
attentive to her, but gave me the pref
erence In the matter of making en-
gagements.
l had been brought up with my
cousin, Kate Chambless, and relied
much upon her judgment. 1 told her
that was considering proposal and
arranged a meeting between the two
girls with view to getting Kate's
opinion of Jennie. But Kate wouldn't
give It. She said that in such matters
1t was not wise to interfere. l had
doubtless made up my mind to marry
Jennie If she would have me, and If
she endeavored to persuade me not to
do SO she would surely fail.
This was not encouraging, but true.
At any rate, despite Hates want of
approval, I proposed to Jennie. She
was some time making up her mind to
accept me, but finally yielded. When
she did so there were four months left
before my twenty-hfth birthday. l
was somewhat anxious on account of
this limit of time, for my f1ancee SEEM
ed to find 1t hard TO give up the at
tentions Of her other admirers. II sae
should fail me I might lose my for
tune.
This state of anxiety lasted up to
within a few weeks Of our wedding
day, appointed for week before /
would receive my fortune. One day,
when l dropped in to see my fiancee,
found a note from her stating that
one of her bosom friends had been
suddenly taken Ill and was lying at
the point of death. Jennie had gone
to her, but would return at the earliest
possible moment.
This was within ten days Of our
wedding day, and was worried.
Jennie, not knowing how important
was our marriage within a given time,
might remain with her sick friend. If
SO 1t would be too late. She left no
address for me or would have writ
ten urging her on no account to remain
away.
One can imagine my feelings at ex-
periencing such an uncertainty. went
to Jennies home and asked her moth
er for her address, or that she would
write her: that l insisted on her re-
turn ut once for our wedding. Mrs.
Tisdale seemed to be concealing some
thing from me, but promised to write
her daughter. No further word came
from Jennie, and the day before my
twenty-ffth birthday was without
bride.
In at OF desperation went to my
cousin Kate and told her Of the straits
| was In, confessing that II were not
married before noon the next day
would lose my inheritance.
Il would advise you," she said. mot
TO rely on your fiancee. For my part,
question IL she has not gone OF with
Scoville."
"Scovilleg'
Yes. His attentions to her since you
nave been engaged to her have been
very noticeable"
Heavens! What shall do?"
Select some good. steady Girl Of your
paper or rne arrest or a woman VINO
called herself Adela Morelli in her
apartments. A detective had been
watching the lady. who was a noted
adventures. He had used a young
American. who was desperately smit-
ten with the woman, to secure certain
discriminating papers In her possession.
Senorita Morelli was wanted for vari-
GUS crimes. the most important Of
which was the poisoning Of her hus-
band. She would be taken to Italy to
be tried for her offenses.
Albertson was crushed. For a time
he could not believe his senses. But
at last-he had not been repaid the
money he had advanced-he saw
through the whole scheme. He had
been duped not only by the woman.
but by Renaud. who. having noticed
his infatuation. had introduced him
for the purpose Of using him to secure