Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-12
DAILY SHORT STORY
He Won the Bet.

doesn't know how I'll ever get q wife;
I'll he too much taken up with my
studies tn discover any womans pref
erence for me.
To this | demurred, whereupon she
offered to bet Inc a handsome copy of
-fschylus against Il silver bangle that
when the girl in question appeared
would not recognize her feeling for me-
told her that if the event were not so
far distant | would bet. to which she
replied that she knew a girl who would
give her head to get me This puzzled
me. We made Il bet that | wouldn't
find out who the. girl is in months
! time.
l think l shall win the bet Last
evening at the library | met Miss I.o-
rena Philbrick who is taking a post
graduate course. She seems much in
| tereSted in Greek literature and asked
me 10 tell her the circumstances that
| led to the battle OF Mara thOn. | was
interrupted in what | said about il by
Charlie Dean calling for her to take her
home and she said she wished be had
stayed away. It's singular how man
| can force himself on woman who
doesn't like him.
! Sara Sunderland is a queer girl. |
met her this afternoon crossing the
campus, coming upon her suddenly.
! She blushed. ] suspect Sara of try
ing to make match between me and
| Lorena. That's why she made the bet
| wish LOrena We're trying to make Il
match between me and Sara. That
would suit me first rate. No such luck
| For three evenings in succession |
have met Sara Sunderland. At twenty
minutes after | leave the supper
room. Invariably as | get to the cor
ner half dozen doors from Sara's
home she comes out and walks ahead
Of me. She doesn't see me or | would
think she had some motive. When |
| catch up with her she appears very
much surprised This evening, as we
walked together. | told her that l
thought | had discovered the girl we
were betting about. She looked up at
me anXiously. l do believe she would
feel very bad should l make an
unfortunate match. She asked me
who the girl was. and | said l would
not name her unless it turned out |
had hit the right one. She didn't say
any hing for some time. then asked if
il was Mary Parke / said no. She
then named every girl in town till she
came To Lorena Philbrick. OF course
| couldn't lie about it. and | aCknOwl-
edged that il was she. Sara wouldn't
tell me if ! had hit the right girl. but
she didn't seem so disturbed as before.
so | suppose she approves of Lorena.
Perhaps I'm not such n fool after all.
even if do lecture on Greek literature.
At the regatta yesterday everybody
seemed TO take pains To leave me with
Sara Sunderland Wonder if they dill
ii Intentionally and why. When we
got into the boats TO pull down to the
center of the course. where our party
Were to see the race. Sara got into a
boat by herself. and the men were rude
enough to leave her there alone. If
hadn't got in with her she would have
been deserted. Then there was Lorena
Philbrick obliged to go with Charlie
Dean, though she doesn't seem 10 like
asked when l would give her the reOt
her exchanging looks with Sara Won
der what they are up to-.
When we were pulling home Sara
asked me If I thought | would win the
bet. | told her that depended upon
whether l had struck the right girl in |
LOrena. as l had not noticed any ole |
else taking special interest in me. |
Sara looked down into the water. in !
which she was trailing her hand. Not |
any one else at all?" she asked. No |
one" l answered. III give you a |
pointer" she said. THE first letter Of |
her Grst name doesn't begin with l.. |
1t begins with s" ! thought long /
while. Il don't know anybody whose |
name its to that letter. | said. except |
you. and of course you don't count"
That seemed to make her angry for
few moments: then she quieted down
again and said: Il think we'd better
draw that bet. wouldn't feel like
winning from so stupid a man" She
suIked all the way home. So did l.
I'm tired of being called stupid.
met Jackson this afternoon. He
was just coming from his lecture room.
How d do. professor he said. Il
hear the engagement of Charlie Dean
and Laura Philbrick * out at last.
though everybody has known it for
months When will you announce yours
with Miss Sunderland; We're all eX-
pecting it. BY by"
Now. that's the most singular thing
| ever heard. Funny that il should be
just what l wish. II people are re-
porting me engaged TO her | must have
some chance l have il. I'll name her
as the girl we've been betting about
What q joke,
I've won the bet This evening l
said To Sara Sunderland: Il name you
as the girl who Somehow | couldn't
get any further Il mean l am the
man who You're not so stupid after