Evening star., 1926-10-27

Of Martha had planned for more than
that. She had thought her father
wealthy-so much so, that she had
planned using an allowances from him
to furnish the new home.
And then the talk with the admin
istrator.
your father was wealthy man
a few months before his death. Miss
Fielding" he had said. But he sold
every share of his stock in the brick
company and no one seems to know
what he did with the money. I have
heard that he lost 1t in a secret busi
ness deal, although / do not know.
He called at my Office one day and
told me that his whole life was wrap
ped up in the thought OF your future
marriage with Kent Richards. He
wanted you to be happy more than
any one else. He told me he trusted
Kent Richards more than any one In
the world"
Martha listened to the eulogy of
her fiance with tear-fflled eyes. She
recalled the long hours that Kent had
talked with her father in the pariOr
of their home. The old man loved
the boy almost as much as Martha
herself.
Kent will take care Of you after
am gone" he told her one night.
The manner in which he said that
frightened Martha.
but, daddy, it will be years and
years before you leave us. Why, you
are only 50." Tears filled Martha's
eyes at the thought OF her father.
He had just nodded when she said
that, in a doubtful sort of way. Mar
tina knew that her father was afraid
of his heart trouble. A few days
later he told her in a casual sort OF
way that he had made preparation
for both her and Kent in case of his
death.
And now he was gone. Martha
was broken-hearted, and the fact that
her father had mysteriOusiy done
away with his fortune added another
sorrow to the great burden. For she
felt that she could no longer marry
Kent. She would he burden,
drudgery to him. The thought OF
Kent away day after day in the bank
and still hardly able to meet the ex-
penses of married life was too great
for her.
For many days Kent noticed that
Martha was depressed, but attributed
the fact to her fathers death. And
then one day she told him that their
marriage could never be. She did
not tell him why. She couldn't do
that, somehow She knew that Kent
would object, that he loved her so
much he wouldn't allow money to
stand in the way of the wedding.
Kent was almost heart-brOken over
the affair. He didn't understand. un7
less it was another man. he
couldn't believe that Martha would
fail him because he could not furnish
her with luxuries that other women
had. He always dropped in far a
few minutes talk with Martha on his
way home from the bank and the
affair continued thus for many weeks.
and both Kent and Martha found
themselves extremely unhappy.
Martha had taken two boarders into
the little house to help pay expenses.
1t was on the day they had pre-
viously planned to be married Wheh
Kent drove up to the house in new
motor car. 1t was an expensive ma
chine and small, the kind that Martha
had always wanted her dad to buy
for her. She gazed at the car casually
and remarked to herself that one OF
Kent's friends had loaned 1t To MN.
Kent asked Martha to, go for a snort
ride following dinner and happily she
agreed. ,
what do you think of the little
boat?" he asked.
"Oh. / love it," she exclaimed. Il
have always wanted car like this
once daddy promised to buy me one
She became silent as the past was re
called. and then she added. teaslnsN:
81 suppose you haAxsSjust bought 1t
Kent laughed, as-she had expected
him to do.
You know better than that" he
said. "I couldn't buy the front tire
for this thing. But do you know
where we are goingY'
Che noIHod that Gha did not.
"Well, you remember that little
house in the north part of town that
you used to think so beautifui-the
one that was just completed rev
weeks ago?'
Martha nodded.
Zone Of our clients asked me 10 go
up there for him, so ! thought youd
like to come along and look IL over.
Martha was more than dellgnted.
The house had been 'one of her de-
sires along with the motor car Her
daddy had suggested one time thai
he buy it. Presently the little car
drew up in front of beautiful browh-
stone house.
They wandered about the newly fur-
nished house for more than an hour-
Then, weary Of looking about. they
settled on a davenport in the beautl-
fully lighted parlOr. Kent pulled n
group Of envelopes from his pocket
Martha, do you remember what
tonight was supposed to beT he
asked.
"Our wedding night" she mur
INJURED as a tear crept into her eye.
But 1t cannot he, Kent"
Kent sadly smiled at her. He could
not understand why Martha wouh not
have him. He then turned to the en-
yelopes in his hand.
a fotU EapkH before XOur
father died he did strange thing
He came into my Office and asked to
talk with me privately. He gave me
one large envelope and asked that
follow the directions written on the
outside in case anything happened
to him before our wedding day, On
the outside of the envelope were in
structions that the packet was not
to be opened until the morning or our
wedding"
Martha looked at Kent in surprise
and urged him to go on with the
story.
''This morning l opened 1t and In
side found three small envelopes. On
each was written q number and In
structions that they were to he opened
according tn these numbers. l opened
envelope No. and found $1,000, with
! instructions to purchase the car We
rode here in. .-
, "The instructions on the second EFT
velope were to the effect that wds
to bring you here this afternoon and
open 1t here. We shall now sea what
IL inside
i. Martha waited breathlessly as Kent
broke the seal. Inside was a deed n
the house with all It's furnishings and
made to Mr.. and Mrs. Kent Richards.
Neither spoke for q moment after the
discovery. Martha's eyes were filled
with tears.