The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-03-09
The Fanshawe
Estates
Rx CALVIN HENDRICKS
1SSS1S2S1S2S2S2S2Si

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Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union
Everybody Of consequence In Lon
don had come to know Herbert Fan
shave, the American who was claim
ing the Fanshawe estates, covering
thousands and thousands Of broad
acres in the most smiling part Of the
MldlandS.
Brand new evidence had been
brought to light, and the issue was
foregone conclusion. Sir Thomas Fan
shave was in despair. He was an old
man, and If he lost, his daughter, his
only heir, born to him when he was
well past fifty, would be turned out
of her historic home, penniless.
Fanshawe had journeyed to Elms-
dale to meet his solicitor and the de-
PENDANTS. He was shown into a
spacious room, where Sir Thomas, q
gray old man, sat toasting his feet
at the fire.
"Mr. Fanshawe," said his lawyer,
"Sir Thomas Fanshawe has made q
singular proposal with a view to set
Ting this trouble out Of court. That
Is why I asked you to come down
here"
"Yes," said the young American
briskly. 81 am In your hands"
"Not In this Instance" answered
his lawyer sharply. "Sir Thomas pro-
poses that you drop your suit, leave
him In possession Of the estates until
his death, become his heir, and marry
his daughter, Miss Mary, whom you
were kind enough to say you admired
when you saw her In court"
Fanshawe gasped at the .cold-blood-
edness of the proposition.
"What does Miss Fanshawe sayr
asked the young man.
The old man spoke. Mary he
called. The girl glided into the room
and stood looking at Fanshawe with
out expression. Are you willing to
make this sacrifice, my dearY her IA
ther asked.
She nodded, and looked at Fan
shave as though he were an inanimate
object.
"Are you willing, Mr.. Fanshawer'
asked his lawyer.
TN willing" answered Fanshawe,
thickly.
Then" said one Of the lawyers,
the ceremony may as well take place
on~, an <ha rooJcxror %or tbfo A.
vision.
That was all. They were soon man
and wife.
Faushawe put on his hat. Ten minutes
later he was on his way to London.
He slept over his problem, and,
when he opened his morning paper, he
saw a brief notice that Sir Thomas
had died suddenly the preceding eve
ming. Apoplexy was given as the
cause OF death.
Outside in the street he saw, In far
ing letters on a huge poster FAN
SHAVE CASE-RESULT. He bought
q copy, and then, seized with sudden
thought, instead Of opening the paper.
no put IL III HIS Poehcl uhicuu anu
hurried back to Elmsdale. He could
gather no impression of what the YER
dict had been from the buffers Inn
passive demeanor.
MAY / see Mrs. FanshaweT asked
the young man.
"What do you want of meT she
asked.
II want to say" said Fanshawe
thickly, "how sorry I am for the loss
you have suffered. Please do not think
that / shall intrude upon your grief
But I have to have an explanation.
Why did you make this abominable
bargainT'
ITO please my father" she an.
swered, showing for the first time q
trace Of emotion. Nov. then, why did
you make the bargainr
Because I love you" answered
Tanshawe unsteadily.
you love mer' she repeated incred-
uleusly.
II love you." he answered doggedly.
He drew the paper from his pocket
and placed 1t, still folded, upon the
table.
"Of course you know the verdict, !"
hs resumed. But I do not. Strange
- 1t may seem, I have not looked at
this newspaper. I resolved before do
Ing so to visit you here and say ia
you: whatever the verdict has been,
! whether in my favor or In yours, will
you give me q chance to win your
lover
The girl had stepped nearer to him
and was gazing at him In amusement.
Her face was flushed. her eyes shin
ing.
You really love met" she said In
credulously. .And you have really
not seen the verdictf Suppose-sup-
pose that Il was In your favori"
II still hold to my proposition" hs
answered.
She was seemingly overwhelmed By
his self-revelation. She looked at him
- though stupened. Fanshaws
stretched out his hand toward the pa.
per. but she anticipated him.
"No, waiti" she said. u accept your
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