Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-06-22
"A Conundrum.
forIginal.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
err 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 divan, he in
an easy chair. The windows and doors
were open, and breeze blowing over
the garden brought in delicious per-
fume of flowers. The man was speak
Ing:
"You don't remember your mother,
do your
mo. You know she died when | was
five. But 1t 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
ago?'
mo. What contract?'
at was between your mother and
me and was to be kept secret"
''Oh," with slight toss of her head,
Il beg your pardon"
Some day may show it to you, but
that win depend upon circumstances"
"Indeedr'
A few weeks later the two were to-
gether in the garden.
you remember, suppose" said the
man, sthe contract made years ago be-
tween me and your mother that | told
you about"
And refused to say what II. was"
''There are conditions under which I
may crafty your curiosity"
"Such as p
well, If you marry, for instance"
"Fm 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. would not think Of
influencing you in such matter"
Then how can my marriage have
anything to do with it?' I'll
Your marriage with any particular
person doesn't pertain. l meant that
in case you were simply married
might show you the contract"
The girl pondered awhile, then said:
us there any one might marry who
would have an interest in this agree
ment?"
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 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"
Not after the wedding"
but before the weddingT
THAT would depend upon whether
he desired wedding with you"
Would 1t depend upon anything
else?"
Yes; upon whether you desired a
wedding with him."
"In other words, this contract would
interest him land mel only in case we
wished to marryY'
you have drawn a conclusion not
based on proper foundations. In other
words you have perpetrated fal-
lacy"
Suppose" she went on after fran
ing another question, II should marry
You. Would you be interested in the
contractor
He started and cast a quick glance
at her. Was she stating hypothetical
case for the purpose of trapping himT'
That, | fear-I mean-you would
not berkeley to marry me-
"But If should?"
THE contract would be of no mo-
ment to me-"
Il like this conundrum," she said
presently. THE solution is well CON
cealed. Let me see-if marry you'll /
tell me the answer. My marriage with
any particular person doesn't pertain.