Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-05-24
A GAME OF CHANCE


When Archie Leland accepted Miss
Aspinwan Jones invitation TO lead her
german, he did o quite thoughtlessly
and as a matter f course. If he could
have ~foreseen the entanglemeuts that
were u ensue a account of bis good
nature. he would undoubtedly have de-
cliued.
1t was very good Of her, certainly, to
ask him TO lead, but Archie Leland had
managed 50 many germans that it did
not seem az all odd TO him that he was
asked
1t was only when he was going back
to the hotel that he came TO the con
clusion that he had acted a little hastily.
He knew quite as well as every one
else in Lenox that Miss Aspinwal7Jones
was after him and his money.
''TIl keep my eyes open, " he resolved,
land there positively must not be too
much champagne.
Then he laughed at himself for being
so alarmed Leading a german with
Miss Aspinwall-Jones was not such a
perilous sort Of thing, after all 1t was
something to keep one very busy, and
vas not nearly so dangerous as driving
home in a brougham after a dance.
so he is going to lead" everybody
said, after an afternoon tea at the As
pinwaIl-Joneses Then there was an
e~levating Of eyebrows. He really
ought 70 know better. He'll get caught
somehow Its To- bad, really
Miss Aspinwall-Jones had been do
ing some hard work that summer. She
had managed several drives and tennis
parties entirely TO her satisfaction. but
Archie Leland had ~cleverly eluded her
grasp. Every one thought that she
was preparing for one last effort, and
il was with more than ordinary eager
ness that they went 20 the german.
1t was a very pleasant function, and
Archie Leland led with his customary
tact and skill. Mrs. Aspinwall-Jones,
with her large amount Of avoirdupois,
her hooked nose and her keen eyes
kept an oversight over everything. and
altogether it was quite like an every
day german.
Archie Leland seemed to be enjoying
himself. His blue eyes were smiling
and happy, bis light hair tumblec
gracefully over his forehead, and hi
tall. graceful figure was everywhere
and always in the right place.
Miss Aspinwal Jones was very prett!
that night. She was looking her best
and that meant a great deal II
were not for the $eason that she wa
such awfully bad form, comparativei,
poor and encountered with a scheminI
mamma, she would have made a goo
running as a reigning belle. But as !
was. sometimes there was difficulty Il
getting partners for her at a dance.
But on this night she looked suPert
Her light brown hair was dressed in
knot at the back of her head, her ca
rage was more graceful than usua
her brown eyes looked sparkling, an
altogether she seemed perfectly happy
But when she watched Archie Ia
land dancing with some of the oth'
girls. and then met the glance Of h'
mothers keen, cold eyes, a cynical e.
preston came over her face. Her thl
lips closed together with a cruel con
preston. ,
People began to be disappointed Il
german was progressing, in fact was a
ready half over, and nothing at all ha
happened. Archie Leland was leadiI
in the same cool. deliberate name
as he had done scores of times betor
he was very nice to Miss Aspinwa
Jones, very pleasant 70 her, but In
was all. II was not until after supp
that the scneming mamma put IN n
work; and then she did it up brown
There had been a good deal of cha
pagne about at supper, and in sol
manner a bottle found itself beside q
chairs Of the leaders. Whether 81
AspinwaIl-Jone her daughter
Archie Leland ordered it put there "
a mystery. but at all events it "
there.
II was not much Of a scheme, 70
sure. but Nrs. AspinwaH-JOnes knew
Arches weakness, and thought Il
the beauty Of her daughter and
champagne might carry the day, a
the combination Of circumstances v