Evening journal., 1907-05-30
A Conundrum.
.origlnal.l

one or them she would probably ask II
he was looking for her father or moth
er. In this case the two had been
friends for years. When the girl was
child and he IN the twenties, she had
been accustomed TO climb into his lap
and hug him. She had got over that.
They were sitting In the library OF the
girls residence, she on divan, he In
an easy chair. The windows and doors
were open. and a breeze blowing over
the garden brought in a delicious per-
fume OF flowers. The man was speak
ing:
"You don't remember your mother.
do your"
"No. You know she died when was
five. But It seems TO me / know her
from her letters, many Of which have
found and have read over and over
again"
"Have you come among her papers
upon copy OF a contract she made
with me some fifteen or sixteen years
ago7"
"No. What contractT
1T was between your mother and
me and was to be kept secret"
"Oh," with a slight toss OF her head,
II beg your pardon"
'Some day / may show II to you, but
that viii depend upon circumstances"
'Indeedr'
a few weeks later the two were to
gether In the garden.
"You remember, / suppose" said the
man, "the contract made years ago be-
tween me and your mother that told
you about" fuotf
And refused to say what It was"
There are. conditions under which I
may CRAFTY your curiosity"
"Such as
''Well, II you marry, for instance"
TIN sure my mother could not have
entered upon any business agreement
with you whereby you were TO inhu-
ence me to marry any particular per
SON."
Certainly not. would not think OF
influencing you in such a matter"
"Then how can my marriage have
anything TO do with itr
''YOur marriage with any particular
person doesn't pertain. I meant that
in case you were simply married /
might show you the contract"
The girl pondered awhile, then said;
'Ts there any one might marry who
would have an interest in this agree
mentT'
II he could have looked into her eyes,
he would have seen cunning. Evident
~ there was something about the sub
ject Of their conversation that pro
foundly interested her. He glanced at
her inquIringly, but her head was bent
over a flower she was plucking
There is one" he said, "who II you
married him would have no interest In
the agreement"
''You speak IN riddles"
A smile lowered about her lips, but
she kept her back TO him. picking a
handful of flowers. When she turned
the smile was gone.
There is my cousin WILL" she said.
'Tf 1 married him, would he have any
interest in the agreementT
mot after the wedding"
''But before the weddingT
''That would depend upon whether
he desired a wedding with you"
would It depend upon anything
elsel"
"Yes; upon whether you desired a
wedding with him."
"In other words. this contract would
interest him Cand mel only in case we
wished to mnrryT
"You have drawn a conclusion not
based on proper foundations. In other
words. you have perpetrated a fal-
lacy"
suppose" she went on after fran
ing another question, Il should marry
you. Would you be interested in the
contractT
he started and cast a quick glance
at her Was she stating Hypothetical
case for the purpose Of trapping himY
"That, l fear-I mean-you would
not be likely to marry me-"
"But If / shouldT
"The contract would be OF no mo
ment to me-"
81 like this conundrum," she said
presently. "The solution is well con
cealed. Let me see-if 1 marry you'll
tell me the answer. Ny marriage Will
any particular person doesn't pertain
There is one could marry who woulC
have no interest in. the agreement Il
/ married WIN, It would only interes
him If he wished to marry me, anC
: even then It would make no difference
If married you, you would have NJ
: interest in 1t. What is there to base I
guess onT"
Nevertheless I wish you woul'
guess It."
He spoke ruefully. She cast a glance
up at him.
Suppose try7"
''You can't guess IT,"
II can. The contract is that-here 1
IS"
She pulled out a small paper tina
had been tucked in her belt and hand
ed It TO him. II was a betrothal be
. tween her and her companion mad
:. for her by her mother when she was
baby
81 thought you said you had no
found it,"
81 hadn't. After you told me abou
It I raDsacked all the old desks an,
- cabinets in the house"
"WellT"
; "Wen7'
"Do you stand by your mother