The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-06-23


doll-faced widow is to be at the house
party and can try her charms against
mine-and Kate Van Vecht, if I lose
it will be because the best woman
WinS.'
Mrs. Van Vecht smiled grimly.
Louise Hamilton,'' she said grimly,
you are great woman and glory in
your spunk. But you must remember
| one thing-it may not be nice to re-
member, but it is everlastingly true
the man never lived who was not
amenable to the charms and the fat
terry of woman. Mind you, / don't
say they all will fall-but the chances
are very great that they will if given
sufficient temptation and an easy op-
portunity. I wouldn't faunt any dim
pied bit of flesh like the Pelham wom-
an in front of my husband for a week
not while I retained possession of
my right mind"
The other smiled wearily. "And l
don't want a man I have to watch
| Come and see the drama. Saturday
at eleven-thirty at the Union depot
will you?"
CIV ill not, my dear, be a party to
| any such suicidal transaction" replied
Mr.. Van Vecht. Then she kissed Mrs
Hamilton and departed.
| =
The house party was great sue
cess. The arrangements were so
nicely made that everybody was
paired off most automatically, and the
| husbands and wives who bored each
other found some congenial spirit of
the opposite sex with whom they
might relieves the monotony.
! Hamilton was thoroughly surprised
and somewhat epleased-but altogether
puzzled at finding Mrs. Pelham a mem
ber OF the party: He knew that Ger
trude Pelham had offered him ample
opportunities for filtration of more
or less serious purport- that he
had gone along wee bit, not serious
ly, but as any man goes when oppor-
tunity offers. Somewhat in the spirit
of adventure or investigation or what
Is it? Anyway, he knew in a vague
sort of way that there had been some
L talk about his gallantries toward the
fair widow, and he presumed, Of
course, that his wife must have. heard
some suggestions Of them. He won
dered vaguely that Louise should have
invited Mrs. Pelham, but did not pur-
sue the subject very far, being much
given to mental Incidence and moving
along the lines of least resistance.
Hence, liking the pretty widow pretty
we'll, and like all men fattered by her
open favors toward him, he accepted
what the gods provided and enjoyed
himself as best he could.
In the meantime Hamilton noticed
in a lazy sort of fashion that his wife
never had appeared to such advan-
tage as during this particular house
party. He always had known, of
course, that Louise was a very pretty
and very charming woman, but nev-
er had he seen her quite so pretty,
attractive and alluring as during this
particular party. And he noticed also
that the other men Of the party real
lied this too and that his wife was
eagerly sought by all of the other
men. This came to him with particu-
lar force about the third day, when
her vivacity. and sparkle had attract
ed all the other men about her
while he lay lazily on the grass at the
feet of pretty Mrs. Pelham, sitting in
hammock, looking most enticing but
i being in fact most uninteresting. He
strained his ears to catch some of
the brilliant sallies of his wife which
were drawing all the other men of the
party about her on the veranda, and
when she climbed into the boat with
Van Slice and they disappeared
around the bend in the river be be-
came positively jealous. Before they
returned he had become miserable
and bit savage. He even grumbled
a little bit that night in the retirement
of their chamber and it helped not a
bit when Louise laughed at him.
The next day it occurred to him that
Mrs. Pelham was bore. He had
planned to spend the day with his
wife and the others of the party, but
Mrs. Pelham clung to him in such a
manner that he could not escape On
the following day Van Slice and his
wife went horseback riding and did
not return until after dusk -.
''See here, Louise" he exclaimed
| that night, lis not Van. Slice getting
| altogether too mum merous?" 81 :,
f. ooh, not at ALL she replied. 2'tHe's
fine fellow-and so Interesting, and
! he interests me immensely: T thought
! Mrs. Pelham looked particularly pref
ty, to-day. didn't your - <=*s ~. -
NO.. he, replied savagely,, kicking
. a foot rest out ttofsthe way: she look
ed cheap zand and =damme, if:*sI,m
! going to be side.tracked with; her any
more. = z5z i; t ss.s: :... ;5:s y ~ I'D s.
Why, my dear I thought you liked
her. In fact, asked her principally
on your account G, stsS5 !: ..* z IS, /. :=
+ Then x.he4rose to- the occasion with
=Etrue masculine dignity. s.z5.:z s:s=s .
ls*g AFTER this IaWiSh YOU won consult