Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-03-14
LOVERS PLOT.

Il know | am" said the man adj
dressed, with something like a groan,
''bnt what can | do III only had the
! courage would clear out OF this
1 cursed Nawagansett this very night;
but | can't. and that's the end Of IL
Why should l stray? The girl does
not want me. Johnson. That's clear. =
1T is not clear rhat the girl does not
want you, but it is clear that you
showed your hand too soon The idea
OF man proposing to a woman he has
! only known three days"
You need moi say any more about
lit" said Arnold. Throwing away his
half smoked cigar and picking up his
hat
''Sit dawn, old man, said the other
Il do believe that | have an idea am
going to DO YOU good turn. Leave it
10 me to find out for you what is the
exact state of affairs"
''There Is no use" said Arnold
YEARLY. Besides, you'n make a bog
gle of 1t. What is your plan, any,
way"
"Oh, 1t Is very simple. / shall not
make a mess of ii. / shall supply her
with rival. 1t will be easy 10 see
from the way Miss Ralston takes 1t
/ how you really stand in her eyes.
Since women have no scruples about
employing articles, why should WEI"
"But what will the other girl say2
| VIII she consent TO serve as tool in
this way" asked Arnold, obviously,
"Ch, Ill make that square. Ny
cousin, Miss Erskine, is coming down
to stay with us She is the dearest
girl in the world, and would do any
thing fer me. Just leave 1t in my
| hands. You shall see how she wiz en-
ter into the spirit Of the thing. But
remember this. the success OF the
whole business will be in your chuck
ing that Internal reserve of yours to
the dogs. You must be as light as air,
and to go about with her as If quite
obllvious OF the fact that there is a
Miss Ralston on the premises"
With many misgiyings Arnold con.
scented to be party 10 the deception.
He felt as If he were matching con-
| SplTdCl dSdluSb llle Slult.
On the evening of Miss Erskine's ar
rival he dressed himself with special.
care and went up to the house. He
was prepared to be very i'll at ease
with his fellow conspirator. But the
girl who was sitting beside Mrs.
Johnson in the drawing room showed
no sign of participation, though the
proposer of the scheme had told him
that she had heard all about the situa-
ton, and had given her promise of as
sistance.
Among those who came in later was
Miss Ralston. johnson felt that his
plot was going to be a success when he
her than to bow stiff1y. lie wondered
a little at the gift for realistic acting
which his friend had suddenly and I'M
expectedly developed To look at linn
and Miss Erskine you would have
said they were friends of very long
standing. His triumph was increased,
though it was dashed by just little
watching them with peculiar look in
her eyes.
''She does care for him" he said to
himself, "but it serves her right to get
/ this lesson"
Mr.. Johnson gave her an opportunity
of talking 10 him. but she made no
allusion to the other couple for a long
time. Finally she asked him how
long Arnold and Miss Erskine had
known each other. she seemed SIR.
prised though she tried to hide it.
when told that they had met for the
/ first time that day.
/ During the next week the comedy
/ progressed gayly. The hero and sub
stituted heroine walked together,
| played tennis together, and were gen
orally inscparable,
One evening on the pier Mr. and Mrs
Johnson saw them passing the place
where tile lady sat for whose benefit
| the play was arranged.
"We won't have to keep 1t up much
! longer" said NJ. Johnson. "I'hat IL
gloriously well acted" But Mrs. John
son said nothing.
All Arnold's mopishness had flown
away The consciousness Of coming
success seemed to have settled down
on him. He was no longer impatient,
and instead of being the worst had lie.
| yeloped into the best company in the
world. Johnson once told his wife
that he believed Prov dence had cur
him out for dip orailst Every
sign given by the person deceived lie
watched with the keen eye Of doctor
observing the Developments Of pet
case.
Early the next week he had to 90 to
town. At the end Of three days he
came back. He was quite curious to
know how the plot had progressed dur
ing his absence. Arnold was the first
person he saw as he descended from
the train. He knew there WIS nothing
wrong from the expression Of his face.
"Wel how have things been going
while was away" said he, with a
fine professional interest.
"Splendidly" said Arnold. You