The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-06-20
A Conundrum.
[Original.]

y
wears of the time when in calling upon
one Of them she would probably ask if
he was looking for her father or moth
a. IN this case the two had been
rr.a2ds for years. When the girl was a
Aii1 and he in the twenties, she had
I aI accustomed to climb into his lap
saJ h'.s him. She had got over that.
-lcr we're sitting il the library of the
g;r..'S residence, she on divan. he in
/ 10y chair. The windows and doors
wee open. and q breeze blowing over
tee go an brought in a delicious per
fu4e Of lowers. The man was speak
In:
II don't remember your mother,
10 yeu:"
O. Iou know she died when | was
five But it seems to me | know her
froHl her letters, many of which l 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
ago?"
ct was between your mother and
me and was to be kept secret
"Oh,'' with a slight toss of her head,
81 beg your pardon"
.Some day 1 may show it to you, but
that will depend upon circumstances"
'Indeedr'
A few weeks later the two were to-
gether in the garden.
''You remember, suppose" said the
nan, 1.-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 l
may crafty your curiosity"
'Such as
'Well, if you marry, for instance"
"rm sure my mother could not have
entered upon any business agreement
with you whereby you were to infu-
ence me to marry any particular per-
son.
Certainly not 1 would not think of
influencing you in such matter"
''Then how can my marriage have
anything to do with it,"
"Your marriage with any particular
person doesn't pertain. meant that
in case you were simply married
might show you the contract"
The girl pondered awhile, then said:
'Is there any one 1 might marry VINO
would have an interest in this agree
ment?'
If 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-
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 IL 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
the smile was gone.
''There Is my cousin WILL" she said.
eff 1 married him, would he have any
interest in the agreementY'
Not 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
wedding with him."
In other words, this contract would
interest him land me) only in case we
wished to marry?'
'You have drawn q conclusion not
based on proper foundations. In other
words you have perpetrated fal-
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 quick glance
at her. Was she stating hypothetical
case for the purpose of trapping him p
''That, 1 fear-I mean-you would
not be likely to marry me-"
''But if 1 shouldY'
1.-THE contract would be of no mo-
ment to me-"
II like this conundrum," she said
presently ''The solution is we'll con-
cealed. Let me see-if / 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. Ii
/ married Will, it would only interest
him if he wished to marry me, and
even then it would make no difference.
If I married you, you would have no
interest in it. What is there to base a
guess on?
Nevertheless / wish you would
guess it,
He spoke ruefully. She cast a glance
up at him.
Suppose l tryY'
"You can't guess it."
81 can. The contract is that-here 1t
is"
She pulled out a small paper that
had been tucked in her belt and hand
ed it to him. 1t was betrothal be-
tween her and her companion made