Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-09-16

hcr lace growing lntently interested
again. I've been trying to remem-
Der what | know of the man."
What you-know of him." cried
Mr.. Smith, with startled eyes.
Yes, from the newspaper and
magazine accounts of him OF
course, there was quite lot about
him at the time the money came,
and Flora let me read some things
she'd saved in years gone. Flora
was always interested in him. you
know"
We'll, what did you 6nd?'
IWhy, not much, really, about the
man. Besides. very likely what l
did find wasn't true. Oh, he was
eccentric. Everything mentioned
that. But | was trying to find out
how he'd spent his money himself
| thought that might give ME a clue
about the will. mean"
oh, l see
Yes. but l didn't find much In
spite of his reported eccentriciiies
he seems to me to have done moth
ing extraordinary"
oh, indeed!' murmured Mr.,
Smith.
He doesn't seem to have been
very bad"
MOI" Mr., Smiths eyebrows went
up.
Nor very good, either, for that
matter"
Sort of a-nonentity, perhaps?"
Mr.. Smiths lips snapped tight shut
Miss Maggie laughed softly.
Perhaps, though, l suppose he
couldn't really be that-not very
well-with twenty millions, could
he? But mean, he wasn't very bad
nor very good. He didn't seem to
be dissipated or mixed up in any
scandal, or to be recklessly extrava-
giant, like so many rich men.
"On the other hand. | couldn't
find that he'd done any particular
good in the orld. Some charities
were mentioned, but they were per-
functory, apparently, and I don't be-
lieve, from the accounts, that he ever
really interested himself in anyone
that he ever really cared for-any-
one"
ooh, you don't" If Miss Maggie
had looked up she would have met
a most disconcerting expression in
the eyes bent upon ner. But Miss
Maggie did not look up.
No." she proceeded calmly.
"Why, he didn't even have a wife
and children to stir him from his
selhshness. He had a secretary, of
course, and he probably never saw
half his begging letters. I can
imagine his tossing them aside with
languid Fix them up James-give
the creatures what they want, only
don't bother me-.
He never did," stormed Mr..
Smith; then, hastily: I'm sure he
never did, You wrong him. I'm
sure you wrong him"
Maybe I do" sighed Miss Mag
gle. But when | think of what he
might do-$20,000,0O0l l can't grasp
it. Can you? But he didn't do-any-
thing-worth while with them so
far as | can see, when he was living,
SO that's why | can't imagine what
his will may be. Probably the same
old perfunctory charities, however,
with the Chicago law firm instead of
James as disburser-unless, of
course, Hattie's expectations are full
filled and he divides them among the
Blaisdells here
You think-there's something
wo h while he might have done
with those millions, them" pleaded
Mr.. Smith, a sudden peculiar visit
fulness in his ewes.
Something he might have done
with them;" exclaimed Miss Maggie.
why. it seems to me there's no end
to what he might have done-with
twenty millions"
What would you do?"
l?-do with twenty millions:"
she breathed.
Yes, you" Mr.. Smith came near
er, his face working with emotion.
Miss Maggie, if man with twenty
mllllons-that is. could you love a
man with twenty millions, if-if Mr..
Fulton should ask you-if I were
Mr.. Fulton-if-" His countenance
changed suddenly. He drew him.
self up with cry of dismay. ooh
no-no-lve spoiled it all now. That
isn't what | meant to say first. |
was going to find out mean, |
was going to tell Oh, good heav-
ems, what "a That COMPOUNDED
money-again"
Miss Maggie sprang to her feet.
why. Mr.. Smith. w-what-'
Only the crisp shutting of the door
answered her. With beseechine
look and a despairing gesture Mr.
Smith had gone.
Once again Miss Maggie stood
looking after Mr.. Smith with dis.
mayed eyes. Then, turning to SIT
down, she came face to face with he,
owl, image in the mirror.
| Well, now you've done it. Mag.
gle Duff" she whispered wrathfull,
to the reflection in the glass. "Ant
you've broken his heart! He was
going to say something's know h,
was. And you? You've talked money
money, money to him for an hour. !,
You said you loved money; anc
you told what you'd do-if you hac
twenty millions of dollars. And yo,
know-you know he's as poor a.
Jobs turkey, and that just now he.
more than ever plagued q over
money! And yet you Twenty mil
lions of dollarsl As if that counte,
against"
With a little sobbing cry Mis-,
Maggie covered her face with h,
hands and sat down, helpless, angry
| Continued Tomorrow