Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-29
s t r. a t a g e m

a figure that instantly recognized as Miss Flash
lights you may imagine my feelings. | grabbed
my hat and top-coat, and allowing her enough
time to inquire her way to my Office and take
the elevator, / boarded the down-car and fled
from the building just after the up-car started
on its journey / tore madly up the street" (Rob-
lnson smiled, remembering), but just before |
reached your door glanced behind and saw her
in hot pursuit. She was than block away,
but even at that distance Miss Flashlght might
be easily-ahem remarked.
THE rest you know. l took refuge here, but
/ realize only too well that within very few
minutes my hidingplace % bound to be discov-
ered and when [ tell you, my dear sir, that my
beloved wife, already twice widowed when |
married her, is of peculiarly jealous disposition,
that | owe my yearly stipend of fifty thousand
dollars to her generosity, and when, last of all,
remind you that this might mean not only a
suit for breach of promise, but charge of at
tempted bigamy, you will appreciate my desper-
ate predicament, and if you formulate any
plan whereby | may escape from this critical sit
INuatio, let me say that you may draw on me for
one thousand-no, two thousand-dollars, and
count, moreover, on my patronage for life"
Robinson's well-brushed hair fairly rose at this
proposition, and like inspiration came the rec
olection of sundry feminine garments at that
moment hanging in his closet Two nights be.
fore, when Mrs. Marston and Carrie had come
up from Hillcrest to accompany him to the the
atre, they had been overtaken by so severe a
storm that the latter had borrowed his mackn-
tosh and silk mufher for her head sooner than
run any risk of spelling her hat and cloak
With mental photograph of his beloveds hor
rifed countenance, Robinson set about collecting
her properties.
Having persuaded Mr.. Whitehouse to conceal
his substantial proportions in Carries cherished
cloak and then to resume the dental chair, he
draped his neither limbs with much beruffed
silk table cover (presented him by Carri as
Christmas gift, rejecting as he complacently sur
veyed the graceful folds which, flowing from the
chair, so well simulated skirt that possibly he
might have risen more rapidly to fortune win
dow draper for a department store than as
DDS He then pulled Japanese screen close
behind the chair thus completely concealing the
head of his patient from anyone entering the
outer ROOM at the time placing Carries
new hat in a conspicuous place upon the table
Hardly were these arrangements completed when
the doorbell rang violently, and, dropping
large napkin over his patients head he began
operations with hastily inflated gas-bag usually
calculated to permit the removal of the most OBJ
stinate molar without pain.
After few loud words in the passage there
was a clatter of high heels and the frou-frou of
slken petticoats as blond female of most en-
paping appearance pranced excitedy into the
room Robinson affected not to notice her en-
trance as he continued to say in soothing tones,
"NIv dear Miss Harrison, implore you not to
fght against the gas in this fashion; it only pro-
longs your pain Yield to it, l beg of you, and
in a moment more all will be over"
Rv this time the blond lady stood between the
foldiue-doors endeavoring to command attention
"Nadam," said Robinson indignantly, 81 must
beg of YOU to withdraw Immediately. am in the