The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-05-13
Mageie's Inherit
ance
By KATE EDMoNDs

When the boarding house servant
announced Dick Mansfield, Maggie put
aside the letter over which she had
been puzzIing and went to the door 81
her hall bedroom. Next moment she
was In Dicks arms,
sEIeighol Same old hall room ]"
said Dick, taking his seat beside her.
"Say, Maggie, how would you like to
come west with me next Fridayg
'West, Dick?" Maggie Durham ex-
claimed.
tWest's what said" Dick am
swered. 'I'ye got chance to buy
farm In Texas five hundred down and
/ the rest on mortgage. Then we can
get married and start out TO make
home for ourselves You know Mag
gle, DEAR he continued, In a whisper
Of exultation, 1--WE got twelve hundred
dollars saved now
They had been engaged two years.
Maggie earned eighteen dollars a week
as stenographer to Mr.. Burman, of the
great department store, and Dick
twenty as clerk In the iron works
corporation. And they had been saw
ing ever since they were engaged.
II mean, Maggie, with your FIVE hum
dred," Dick volunteered. "And we
can start in on that and make our
way. Is it all right?'
"But Dick, r."
"But Maggie, you know now Mr..
Burman's dead you won't have such
| prospects as you thought. He took
| fancy to you, but his head man dis
| likes you, you told me, and | guess
you'll find the future won't be so bright
as you hoped. Come, throw 1t up and
let's get married"
| She would not give him her decision.
She would let him know the next Sum
day, she said
| Left alone Maggie pulled out the
letter again and began studying 1t. 1t
was from Mr.. Burman's lawyer and 1t
limited at something that she had new
er imagined In her widest dreams.
| And she was to be at the Burman
mansion on Madison avenue at noon
the following day.
The next morning, few minutes be-
fore the appointed hour, Maggie Dur
ham was shown into the splendidly
furnished drawing room. Mrs. Bur-
man was seated in an arm chair, her
handkerchief to her eyes. Upon the
| sofa, side by side, were the Misses
Burman. The lawyer, Henry Altemus,
rose nervously out of his chair to
meet her. When he presented her the
women made only the slightest inclina-
ton of their heads.
"Ahem Miss Durham, 1t is my
duty to give you some very painful in
| formation" the lawyer began.
| Miss Durham" he began, ''how
long have you worked In Mr.. Burman's
store2"
Three years." said Maggie.
'You began as cash girl and had
a phenomenally rapid rise, believer
Maggie nodded. Taught myself
stenography and worked up" she an
swered.
Miss Durham" said Mr.. Altemus,
ION going through Mr.. Burman's priv
ate papers we find that he was-er--
married before"
1--WE hope So" interposed the widow.
! And, to be brief, that you are Mr..
Burman's daughter.
Maggie looked at the lawyer and at
the widow and at the prIm faces of
the two girls.
"Why didn't he recognize me?" she
asked.
Because" said the lawyer, "Mr.
Burman had position In life which
mad to be maintained. And you were
the fruit OF mesallianee Juvenile
indiscretlon.
i see" said Maggie. $50 he put the
responsibility on my mother. Where
is she?"
she died when you were born. And
now the point Is this: Mr.. Burman
mas left you an annual income of seven
thousand dollars, to be held in trust
tor you, upon two conditions. First.
that you agree to go to school In Paris
whlch has been selected for you, and
TO remain there two years. Secondly.
I Al.
4 that after you have been nolisbad
you VIII reside with Mrs. Burman as
her niece, and that no hint of the Sc
cret ever passes your lips, under pen-
atty OF FORGETTING your income. An by
the way, there Is third condition, but
u IS 100 unimportant to lay much
stress upon it. believe YOU have
considered yourself engaged to q
worthy young man by the name Of
Mansfield? A mere clerk, / think OF
course that episode is ended now and
forever. All that is now requisite Is
snat you sign document which / have
mere embodying these terms. Here i
.ne paper. He began shuffline
among the sheets upon the table.
Maggie rose up.