Amador ledger., 1907-07-19
A Conundrum.
GOriginal.l

and threescore years and ten sat with
a girl of eighteen. He was still young
enough to be considered companion
for young lady, though within few
years of the time when in calling upon
, one of them she would probably ask if
he was looking for her father or moth
er. In this case the two had been
friends for years. When the girl was a
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 a divan, he In
an easy chair. The windows and doors
were open, and a breeze blowing over
the garden brought in delicious per-
fume of flowers. The man was speak
ing:
You don't remember your mother,
do you?"
mo. 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 a copy Of a contract she made
with me some fifteen or sixteen years
agoT"
"No. What contract?"
at was between your mother and
me and was to be kept secret"
"Oh," with slight toss of her head,
81 beg your pardon"
"Some day 1 may show it to you, but
that will depend upon circumstances"
"Indeedp'
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"
And refused to say what it was"
"There are conditions under which
may crafty your curiosity"
"Such as''-
"Well, If you marry, for instance"
"Tm sure my mother could not have
entered upon any business agreement
with you whereby you were to influ-
ence me to marry any particular per-
| son."
Certainly not. 1 would not think Of
influencing you in such a matter"
'Then how can my marriage have
anything to do with itT
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:
as there any one might marry who
would have an interest in this agree
mentT'
If he could have looked into her eyes,
he would have seen cunning. Evident
ly there was something about the sub
ject Of their conversation that pro-
foundry interested her. He glanced at
her inquiringly, but her head was bent
over a flower she was plucking.
There Is one," he said, "who If 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.
''If married him, would he have any
interest in the agreement
mot after the wedding"
"But before the weddingY
"That would depend upon whether
he desired wedding with you"
Would it depend upon anything
else?"
yes; upon whether you desired a
wedding with him."
I'm other words, this contract would
interest him (and me) only in case we
wished to marry"
| You have drawn a conclusion not
based on proper foundations In other
words, you have perpetrated a fall
lacy"
| Suppose" she went on after franz
ing another question, 81 should marry
you. Would you be interested in the
contractY'
He started and cast a quick glance
at her. Was she stating a hypothetical
case for the purpose of trapping himY'
That l fear-I mean-you would
not be likely to marry me-"
But if shouldT'
1.-THE contract would be Of no mo-
ment to me-"
81 like this conundrum," she said
presently. 1.-THE solution Is we'll con-
cealed. Let me see-if l marry you'll
tell me the answer. My marriage with
any particular person doesn't pertain.
There is one l could marry who would
have no interest in the agreement If
1 married Will, it would only interest
him If he wished to marry me, and
even then 1t would make no difference
II married you, you would have no
interest in it. What is there to base a
| guess on?'
Nevertheless l wish you would
guess it,
He spoke ruefully. She cast glance
up at him.
Suppose tryT
you can't guess it."
81 can. The contract is that-here 1t
| Is"
She pulled out small paper that
had been tucked in her belt and hand
ed 1t to him. 1t was a betrothal be-
tween her and her companion made
for her by her mother when she was a
baby.
| sI thr1Y yht roI1 cold Won bod not