The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-31

watching her out of the tail of his eye,
Dick saw she was ske tching the problem.
Could it be she was working at it also
Dick felt a sudden pang, first of jealous
resentment, then of interest He Won
dered how near she was TO solution and
whether she had a clew to the knights al
tack. He would have given all he had in
the world to ask her. but he was modest
chap, who had never had even a girl
cousin TO talk to, and fear OF frightening
her kept him quiet. He fingered about,
however, until she began to notice him.
and, after sly glance or two, moved
away, casting a reluctant look at the
chess board as she went down the street.
AS soon as she had turned the corner
Dick took up her vacated position and
turned his attention TO the problem. Some
how, though, he could not seem 10 fix his
mind upon it. Instead he fell to wonder
ing how the white queens crown would
look placed on a head covered with dane
ing chestnut curls.
Decidedly" he finally exclaimed. II am
losing my grip on chess. | wish L knew
some one who played. | really need the
+ practice" and he turned away. wondering
how ftwould do 10 try and teach Callahan.
Il he boy. the moves. -...::..e
Next day he eontented himself with a
"in6re. pretense ola luncheon. so eager was
he TO get back te:the windoW and make up
for:lost time: He arrived at the curio-
shop quite a little. in advance. of the usual
:hour. but there was the same young lady
VIII om he had observed the day before,
standing before the: window, her gaze
fixed upon the ehessboard.; :....<:::.
I'll vas so vet oudsidP, !" the proprietor
exclaimed, .'that / ask her 10 g1m in. You
gan stay. too..' and he gave. DICK little
/. Chin ESQ., stool to sit upon. -: r.. :. r. - Z l.
|: -. 1T all locks so strange close by" the
young lady said, as Dick: bent over the
board. :: Tits lkean entirely new prob
1em." =. -. l.: !. !. ~:
! Presently the proprietor cameoyer to the
corner. - - - ~. -. "
J ':My. poy, he. is sick, he said. n vas
mind till can some lunch be setting - :.
E on, certainly cried Dick, JUS as well
as hot" apd:selt happened that the two
young people were left in charge of the
1T very faithfully, but even at this close
Ta nge1 neither could work it, To Dick it
seemed as If the mischief was in the pieces.
: hered knight looked at him sternly and
w th a forbiddlng aspect, and had it not
been for: the kindly mein of the white
bishop Dick wOtild have felt himself some
how deeply in the wrong. though at what
he knew not. -. =: -: r.
-: she; S.probably coyeting that Mexican
jeweiTy,"- Dick thought "a young lady
would hardly be interested in chess prob
lems IN wait until she.is gone, and he
crossed aver to the. other side of the street
with an air::ot having suddenly remem-
bered that business called him there.
About FIVE: minutes before his usual time
for arriving the young lady left and Dick
again crossed over 10 the window. The
proprietor saw him ahd.cAufe to. the door.
:: You. haf Won fell0w-studentP" he said,
-humoredly. Yea said Dick, and
tbaD Gil %
TO know about the young lady and il sense
of delicate consideration for her prevented
him from" speaking of her. to this sho p-
: Keeper. The latter, however. had NO scru-
pies. Nv on young lefty, he: said, she
come efery day and Work on der problem.
Sire just gone away =: =. ~: :.
:. Dick" smiled and the proprietor with
drew, leaving him TO consider an attack by
the white queen W hieh he had thought out
in the :Hlght.* 1t seemed to work the prob
lem.t. Eve: got.it y he cried. jubilanty, and
:after:goipg oVef:it several times, in a glow
Ito call. the rOprletoF when he saw APP.
pr0ach ing the: Young lady, apparently
-searchif z. for:s something: She came along,
q anciu IA pidiy from: the sidewalk TO the
gutter, and. :hually. as She was near Dick,
she sudde.ly sllrang forward and picked;
up bit of paper lying in the way. AS
she Strengthened up her eyes met Dicks.
gazing at ler. He haQ TO speak. T.. !.
Eye solved the problem" he cried.
:. MOP exclaimed she. :.:"Are you quite
sure9 Eve: worked on it for three weeks
and / cannoI get it. - 80.
:. Ont seems quite simple now l have
ii said. Dick; "Just see" and making
room: for her at:the window he began his
explanation. ''See. you attack with the
white queen and red interposes his bishop.
Them. you cheek with the Knight, when
queen must take as King cannot move.
Then the white queen gives. check and
The young lady listened attentively, a
little puzzled. but. don't you see," she
finally said1 I'm moving queen exposes
check ?' =.
.:Sure enough" cried Dick, ,ehagrined.
: Now do you know I've th ought a DOZEN
times I.had il. and every time there's some
catch. L. something's: think I've forgotten
how to play chess ;:
= Don't Bn0w?" She replied; .'wly, I've
had more sleep4ess nights over that prob
lem! But lam quite CONVINCED that the
knight attacks. only Enus { 90 now; / am.
late as 1t is, and she hurried away. :: -.
=: That night Dick dreamed that the white
queen, arr aged il a trim gray gown: with
"a jolly little cap over her: crown. had gall
loped away on the horse of the white
knight and charging the: red king had
completely routed his forces. ::
= He.was early at the curiO-shop- next day,
and found his fellow brea vim er there rs
before: SUPPOSE we. compare notes. he
suggested, aud. together the two worked
all through the noon hour, which W as over
little in advance of Dicks time, which
was just as well FOR him. for lie never re-.
mem bered his luGcheon -un til she had de-
parted, and then he :: had only time 10
snatch hasty bite.:'
The next day it rained, and the young
lady was not at the window. Somehow
Dick could not make the problem seem
right at ali; he even thought tie positions
OF the pieces had been changed, and con-
Guided it was not worth white to waste any
more time on the thing Probably the
sailor fellow had made mistake in set
ting IL, and no one ever could solve IL.
He resolved not to come again, aud the
next day. being rainy, he remained away;
but. though it was still raining on the
third day. he decided after luncheon TO
stroll around and take one more look at
the problem.
But when he arrived at the window the
chessmen were gone!
Dick felt sudden sense of personal
bereavement as he gszed at the empty
space. from which the card had not yet
been removed. 1t still stared him in the
face-"whie to play and mate in four
moves"-but white and red alike had dis
appeared.