Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-11-09

q fellow talk business, Joe laughed
back. suppose we say, till Easter.
Then. if Elise won't take one of us by
that time we leave the field to Scadleigh.''
So these two business-like youths made
this compact. with the understanding
that each should do his best to win Elise,
the capricious, in the meanwhile. This
arrangement left them a clear ten days
siege activity.
Judging by appearances, however,
Scadleigh's chances were by far the best.
Elise visited him every day, bringing him
jellieS, the work of her W hands, and
t1OWerS-but not anemoneS, for she had
undergone a revulsion of feeling that
made her vow never to look upon an
III again.
Considering the privileges he enjoyed
as an invalid, it was not wonderful that
Scadleigh made no haste to be up and
about. 1t would have been worth a
scalpful of gray hairs, even, TO AVE
Elise sitting by his couch by the hour,
chatting with him and treating him with
a marked Difference as one who had been
her knight even to the death. But a
time came when the doctor could no
longer allow his patient to spend. night
and day lounging. so Scadleigh had to
own that the swelling of his ankle was
gone, and that he could walk as well as
any other man who had not taken eX-
ercise for two weeks.
1t was only three days before Easter,
ard Joe Benton was enjoying a few min
Utes' tete-a-tete with the lady of the
three beauX, having gained so much
time over his rival, Brock Mcknight.
You put me in mind of that woman in
the poem" he said-"the one that made
the fellow jump into the arena"
what wOman-Why"
"She dropped her gloves down where
the dogs or lions, or whatever they We're,
were having a fight. And then this fell
low jumped down and got it."
"Oh. And who reminds you of the fell
low. Joe?'
Ben Scadleigh, of course. Only"
Only what?'
Ben didn't get the glove"
HIN. And what did this woman do
then?"
Joe laughed.
"She didn't get a chance to do any
thing. The fellow that went and risked
his life to get her glove just flung it in
her face and never spoke to her again"
1hen there was q silence.
'Joe," said Elise, timidly, after a mo-
ment Or two. "wOuld you have done that
flung the glove in her face?'
Suppose [ had brought YOU the glove
the basket. | mean-what would you
have done?"
"Oh, by the way" said Elise suddenly
remembering, Il haven't thought of that
basket all this time. Who has it,"
You haven't answered my question"
"Well, [ do want to have that basket,
Joe. [ suppose it's been lying out there
in the wet all this time. Mamma gave
me that when | was quite 4 little girl.
1t must be ruined"
"Of course. Do you still want it,"
I'D give anything to get it back"
"AnythingT"
"Well, nearly"
Al Il - -. =. -
Elise's sitting room.
''Breck," said Joe. "Elise wants her
basket; says she will give anything to get
it back"
Mcknight gave an inquiring glance at
the girl. who smiled aWkWardly and
blushed.
Then Joe went away, and although it
was much too dark for him to have
found a chip basket in a railway cutting
two miles outside the town-for it was
nearly half past s of a March evening
poor Breck fairly simmered with anxiety.
He was silent and stupid, and Elise felt
relieved when he said goodnight, al
though it was not yet 10 O'Clock.
Very early the next morning the brake
men on a freight train passing the scene
of poor Ben Scadleigh's tumble saw a
young nal searching for something III
the drain.
Hi. mate one of them called from
the top of a box car, SIS this here your
Klondike?"
Breck Mcknight looked up, swore, felt
like a fool and went home.
But on Easter day two packages were
left at Elise Cadets door. One of them
tached read. From one who is only too
happy to have risked his life for YOU
and inside, imbedded in caramels, was a
ring. The other contained 4 little chip
basket, decked with ribbon bows of Elise's
own colOrs, and in the basket were three
eggs marked "B. Mex" "B. S" and
y. B. The card said, Choose your egg
and tell me your choice this evening""
That evening Elise showed Joe her new
ring. But she did not wear it.
ben Scadleigh takes too much for
granted" she said.
Then she calmly peeled the egg marked
"B. S." and threw the shell into the fire.
Then she did the same with the egg
marked "B. Nick"
I'm going to get some salt" she said
as she turned to Joe from the door, "and
we'll eat hard-boiled eggs together
"Shall | peel this one?" Joe asked,
holding up the third egg.
No; I'm going to keep that one"
And Elise vanished.
Soon she came back with the salt, and
she looked very pretty and very red.
"Where did you get the basket, Joe?'
she asked as they ate their egg
"In the drain, of course, when [ picked
up Ben Scadleigh."
"And you kept it all this time? Mean
thing"
"Would you have had me fling it at
you. like the fellow in the story?"
Breck Mcknight came in just as they
We're finishing their iEdigestibie lunch.
You're too late, Breck," Joe laughed.
where's Ben Scadleigh?' asked Nc
Knight.
81 saw Ben after church today Elise
answered. demurely. HE isn't coming
this evening""
After that she had only one beau to
her string-for the rest of her life.