Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-08-10
D4 lily STORY
A TOSS BETWEEN RIVALS.
priginal.1

and what is the iinyariable result? A
quarrel between the chIIms. If this
invaria bic ,result had happened in our
case there would be nothing worth the
telling. SoEmany such affairs have
taken place that they have ceased to
be at leastSnovel. Dorothy said she
would hayeAneither of US. declaring at
the same time that we We're more in
love with each other than with any
one else. l will admit that this helped
Ben and mesto keep from quarreling,
though neither of us}believed her.
We invented tests to force Dorothy
to show her hand. Whether she was
too smart for us or whether she had
nothing but friendship rIeither of us
we could not tell. At anyirate not one
of our tests Gsrge us any Information.
We cOnSpired to send her invitations
for drive to take place at the same
hour of the same day, hoping she
would show her preference by accept
ing one and declining the other. The
little mink accepted both, asking us to
call with an eqitipage capable of seat
ing four persons, as she wished to
take her grandmother We were both
tried TO force her to choose one of us
to sit beside her, but she declined to
enter the carriage till an had been
seated. She Was the life ,Of the party,
which must have been Il difficult role
to play, for Ben and sat'''nursing our
wrath TO keep it warm When we
handed the two women out. Dorothy
was profuSe in her thanks for an in
vitation which had not been given
One day l told Ben that there was
but one way to force n decision be-
tween us. That was TO tell Dorothy
if she would have neither of us she
must lose both of us. We would both
go west" Ben consented to this at
once. He believed the girl loved him
and when it came to the point of los
ing him would show her hand. l had
no doubt that | was the fortunate
man and, If choice was inevitable.
would be chosen. If you ask on what
grounds we based these opinions / re-
ply that each drew his inference from
Dorothy's actions toward him. She
gave me her photograph, eXacting my
promise not to tell Ben. and gave Ben
her photograph, eXacting his promise
played us In great variety of ways
1t was quite natural that each should
deem himself the favored one.
One evening we called on Dorothy
together and stated our proposition.
In order that neither should have the
advantage of being spokesman we
We're both spokesman. Ben make 4
preliminary statement of the case.
while l followed with the alternative
The little witclrs eyes danced while
we We're doing so, though when the
last words were spoken, ''or we go
west tomorrow" she looked at us in
quiringly. Seeing determination in
the countenance of each, she made Il
little gasp, then turned her back and
walked to the window.
When she turned toward us there
was Il singular expression, or rather
combination of expressions, on her
serious, something
comical, and. above all, something ex-
tremely mischievOus.
Il don't wish to drive two such fine
fellows away" she said. "If / must |
choose between you l must make my
choice by lot
Going to an antique writing desk, |
she opened a little drawer and took |
out an old copper cent, such as has |
now gone completely out of circula |
ton.
1T is a toss between you. l shall |
flip this cent If it comes down tails |
(she said this to BEN Il will marry |
you and make you a devoted wife. If |
it comes down heads turning to mel |
Il, I CHI
do rs part
You give me tails. L am not your |
said Ben in a frightened |
tone
Let us choose for ourselves" 1 said.
Give Ben first choice"
You have neither of you anything /
to do with the method by which / |
come to my decision" she said 'It |
is l who make the choice, not YOU"
Tossing the cent in the air, giving it |
n flip at the same time with her thumb,
il fell on the floor, rolled about awhile,
struck the leg of Il chair and was still.
Ben and l both sprang forward, but
Dorothy waved us back.
zone step and you both go westw
she exclaimed.
up luc GULL, W Dith VIC tOoiN |
both see she did carefully and fairly,
she held it out to us without looking
at it herself.
Heads" / cried.
Ben dropped into chair. She went
to him and took his hand. while tear
stood in her eye. / slipped out of the
ROOM leaving her to comfort him.
Ben acted very nicely about the af-
fair and took his disappointment re-
well. This, Dorothy told
me. was because l had secured her by /
chance and not by preference. Bright |,
of Dorothy TO foresee such a result
and act accordingly, wasn't it? ! u
would have preferred to be preferred,
go crlad n got her that ! ia