The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-12-29

Steadled the pencil In the nerveleSS
fingers Of the dying man.
"Write," he directed.
The unsteady hand traced q letter,
another word. Then he sank back
with gasp. There was a shock, a
shudder, and he was dead. The doc
tor came hurrying into the room, but
paused as he glanced at his patient.
'Too Late" he said in q low tone to
Mr.. Veile, who had followed him.
Half an hour later in the library.
Dudley glanced at the card. He bore
scrawled word, one only, a name.
Annette" The unspoken word tran
scribed told him nothing. A woman's
name, who was she? what was the in
terest of Mr.. Hardinge in her?
In the absence of WILL" the law
yer said to him, as he prepared to
leave the house, ''you become the sole
heir"
Dudley said nothing Of the card. He
did, however, ask one question.
"Mr. Veile," he said, "among my I'M
cle's friends or acQuaintances have
you ever heard him speak of, or do
you know a person named Annette?"
The lawyer repeated the word aud
began to move his head in negaticn.
Then he started and stared strangely
at Dudley.
"Why do you ask that question:"
he inquired pointedly.
Because I believe that to be the
first name Of the person to whom my
uncle intended to beQueath his for
tune"
Annette" spoke Mr.. Veile in a re.
Prospective tone. II can say this much,
when your uncle was young man !
recall that he was engaged to beauti.
full girl named Annette. I lid not
know her, but I heard the story. All
the preparations for their marriage
were made. Upon the wedding eve
your uncle disappeared. I recall that
the bride elect was crushed by his
unmanly action. Why Mr.. Hardinge
did not carry out the marriage I do
not know, but soon afterwards he mar
ried another woman. He probably
broke the heart of true, loving fan
Gee impelled by some later fancy.
That is all can tell you. OF course,
no will having been made, this An
nette, if she still lives, could not in
any way invalidate your sole heirship."
That was the lawyer Of it. The nan
Of it was honest, whole souled, Dudley
North. He searched vainly for week
to find some trace Of annette" One
day a man appeared, inquired for Mr..
Hardinge and seemed shocked when
he learned of his demise. Dudley ques.
toned him closely.
It was to learn that he was a deteo'
tive, employed by his uncle to locate
Mrs. Annette Barton. His quest de.
veloped the fact that the lady had been
dead for five years. Her daughter, al.
so Annette, the detective traced down,
working in department store.
Twice he had taken Mr.. Hardinge
to the neighborhood Of the humble
boarding house where Miss Barton
lived, to view her at distance. There
was trifling balance due the detec-
tive for his work, which was the cause
of his present call.
Dudley paid the detective, and more
who guided him to the home Of Miss
Barton, as he had his uncle. For two
days Dudley prosecuted inquiry and
investigation as to the worthy girl who
earned her own living and was uni.
versally respected. Twice he saw her
and realized that he could never forget
her.
Then Dudley informed the lawyer
that it was his resolute purpose to
transfer the estate to its rightful
owner.
Mr.. Veile demonstrated, but Dudley
was determined. He was surprised
and dazed, when, after call upon
Miss Barton, Mr.. Veile said to him:
'"The young lady absolutely refuses
to accept the fo,tnne."
ION account of the action of my I'm.
Gle in the far past?'
"She only thinks that once her moth
err and your uncle were casual friends"
"Then-"
"She has so high conception Of
your unusual sacrifice that she refuses
to beggar you"
"She shall have what is rightfully
hers" declared Dudley.
To his inner spirit he confessed that
no was glad of en- opportunity to again
see the lovely Annette, who filed all
his waking thoughts. There was more
than one visit to the working girls
humble home. Then one day Dudley
called upon the lawyer with radiant
face.
1--WE have compromised" he an
nounced gaily.
"You mean"
"Share and share alike, as hush and
and wife," was the exuitant reply.