Graham guardian., 1920-07-30
FORTUNES
FAVORS
BY cENEvIEvE ULMAR

II
He had been grimly viewing the
street outside from his Office window.
absorbed In deep calculation. Now he
arose with a face expressing resolu-
tion and certain degree Of sstisfac-
ton, as though he had solved q diff
| cult problem.
Looking back, the tides Of life had
never fioated him amid serene cur
rents. His mother bad died when he
was ten years of age and when he was
FIVE years older his father had gone
to South America. For four years the
money, sufficient to keep him at school
and cover his living expenses, had
come to Bryce Manton, lawyer. One
day Manton came to the college where
Harley was, more cold and unsympa-
thetic than ever.
II bring you bad news" he told Har.
ley. Your father has fallen a victim.
to a malignant fever In the interior
Of Peru, and through a native revolu-
tion has lost all he had. He was an
oId-time friend Of mine, and feel It
duty to help you through your edu.
cation and see you started on the road
Of business life. ] am not man Of
any pretentious resources, however.
and l expect you to be as cooperative
and economical as possible"
Harley kept on with his studies.
Manton was exacting and niggardly,
and Harley was compelled to work
outside during spare hours to keep
the wolf from the door. He graduated
with honors as physician, and Man.
ton purchased for him the practice
Of doctor who had just died. Then
Manton cast him off as he would an
old glove.
If Bryce Manton had purposely In
tended to depress Harley and defeat
his plans of getting on in the world,
he couldn't have started him out less
favorably. Harley found that the
practice of his predecessor had never
been large. and what there was of It
had already been distributed among
professional rivals. Day after day,
week after week Harley waited in his
Office for the patients who never came.
At the end of six months he was
forced to take some definite action.
'If itsdidn't mean never seeing her
again." murmured Harley ruefully. He
was thinking of the only girl he had
ever loved. He had received an urgent
call one day to attend a little child
taken suddenly Ill and found himself
at the home of John Essex, man OF
established wealth and position. Har-
ley was successful In carrying his pa
tient through siege of Illness and
received a liberal fee. Through all
his ministrations to the little sufferer,
her sister, Hilda, lovely. young lady
Of twenty, had assisted Harley. She
was one of those hopeful, happy be-
ings whose innate goodness and gen.
tleness give helpful tinge TO life, and
with Harley she had been unusually
gracious, almost encouraging. OF
course, he had no thought OF aspiring
TO this child of high social position and
wealth, but he could not help but bear
her image constantly in his thoughts.
She was vividly in his mind now, when
a man entered the room whom Harley
recognized as the Essex chauffeur.
Miss Essex Is in the machine be-
low" he reported, and wishes to see
you, II you please"
Miss Essex greeted wynne with her
usual friendly warmth, but looked serI-
Gus and anxious as she indicated, a
man lying back in the seat.
"we found him In n collapsed condl.
ton down the road" she explained.
VIII you not give him the attention he
requlres?"
Surely" responded Wynne.
He was bronzed,' wiry man, much
wasted away, but as he opened his
eyes there was almost thrilling glow
OF vitality and emotion in their depths.
Wynne explained the circumstances OF
his presence.
ut was only spell of weakness"
began the stranger, and then, CHANGING
TO observe the name on the clouded
glass of the Office door, he cried out
shrilly:
rs that your nameT
"Yes," assented wynne.
"was your father Almon wynney"
"Why do you ask these questIonsY"
pressed Wynne, noting growing
eagerness and excitement In the man.
ner Of his interlocutor.
Because am seeking the truth.
You must know Bryce Manton. Has
he cared for you liberallyl Has he yet
paid to you your fortunel"
"My fortune" exclaimed wynne be-
wildered. and then, as he was persist.
entity urged by his strange patient, he
impaired the facts of his experience
with the lawyer.
"COme with me-" spoke the other
earnestly. There is fate in this. I
was with your father when he died.
II was who sent TO Manton his for
tune and my own, but was prevented
from following because for three years
have been a captive with a native
tribe"
bryce Manton cringed like craven
when confronted with the evidence OF
his misappropriation. Under the
agreement that he should not be pub.
lIcly exposed he offered restitution,
and this made Harley Wynne rich
man.
lie did not press his suit vainly with
the parents OF Hilda. As to the young
lady herself, love had already paved
the way for the success of his sd.
dresses.